Yes!! I'm happy to hear what you say about being impressed. People think that vegetarian is boring, but I find that people often open up new options when they try "vegetarian food". I think the best cooks I know are vegetarian, vegan, or have been. I think you learn about what makes food good.

Somewhat related, an example--People get on vegetarians for meat analogues, saying that they miss meat. It's not always simple. I never thought, "Damn, I want a steak!" It was something else. Some dishes lack texture when the meat goes and that texture is what a dish might have been based around. Which sounds like a lame excuse, but I think it's pretty true. I believe this texture aspect to be a big part of Chinese cooking. I watched a contest on a show (not Iron Chef!) where mapo tofu won with a meat replacement in place of the sometimes added meat. The meat analogue's texture, it was decided, was superior.

Sometimes vegetarian is expensive! I could easily spend lots of money on some really nummy foods. But it depends on how you do it, what your spending amount is usually like? We sometimes spent more when we still ate poultry (not sure how much fish costs, I haven't intentionally eaten it in almost 20 years!). Today, we get a meat analogue maybe every two or so weeks. If you like tofu, or if you don't, I do recommend learning the many different ways you can prepare it! A tub here usually costs under $2.00. We always spend under $60 a week on food for two. We could go a bit cheaper and have, but then the nutritional value of things can go down.

interesting. Ive been a vegetarian for about 5 or 6 years now and my boyfrend recently asked me if id eat meat if i got pregnant and I said "no". I wonder if it is necessary.

I'm like your bf. lol. Hate veggies for the most part. You know, corn, mashed potatoes, and ketchup do make the cut though. haha!

I agree, there will be a time.

Uh. Please provide a source for the statement "some of the highest and best are plant based protein." My understanding is that animal protein contains the broadest range of amino acids, of which plant proteins only have a few each (hence why they need to be combined.)

Sorry, I'll get my protein (and Omega-3s, and Vitamin A, and iron, and B12...) from a cow that lived a happy life walking around eating pasture all day 30 miles from me, not from a tetra pak of tofu that was grown across the country. Not to mention all the birds and mammals that are killed by the harvesting machines that harvest grains and beans.

I agree that most meat in this country is horrific. But eating meat doesn't necessarily equal contributing to animal suffering, or destroying the planet. There is an alternative.