Why I Don't Eat Meat...unless it showers first!

1/16/2012 21 Comments

As a sistah from Inglewood, I’m often asked how I can dare pass up fried chicken, neck bones, or that plump turkey on the holidays. I’ve been hesitant to post this because there’s no quick way to answer. So alas here’s the story…

When I was 7 years old my mom’s friend was a vegetarian & she seemed super cool to me. Years later, my 9th grade health teacher was vegetarian & she was extremely energetic. Because of these 2 women, I’ve been very interested in the importance of maintaining optimal health. So at the age of 14, I stopped eating red meat. Like many Americans, I really thought a diet of poultry & seafood was Oh So Healthy, so I ate this way for years. But for some reason I couldn’t get rid of a lil pouch on my belly no matter how much I exercised. In 1999, as I began to study holistic healing, I learned some amazing facts. Even chicken & fish are harmful because human beings were not designed to be carnivores. Our teeth & intestines prove that. And our poor health confirms it! Did you know?...

...More Black people have died from degenerative dis-eases than were killed during the entire slave trade?!? We have gotten too comfortable with losing our elders to health problems & mistakenly calling it “old age”. Heart attacks, strokes, cancer, diabetics, hypertension, osteoporosis, gingivitis, obesity, dementia, high cholesterol, fatigue, pneumonia, the flu – ALL dis-eases are preventable! We give ourselves these dis-eases with what we put in & on our bodies. Animal flesh, animal secretions (dairy), chemicals, & negative thoughts are what create disharmony in our bodies. We’re the only animal in the kingdom that drinks the milk of another species. WTH?!? We eat mostly chemicals. No wonder 1 in 3 Americans will acquire some form of cancer in their lifetime.

My grandparents on both sides are no longer living. Most of my aunts and uncles are gone. My cousins are sick. My own father was on dialysis for 10 years before his recent kidney transplant. Dis-ease. Dis-ease. Dis-ease. I’m sure you have some relatives that were on 12 different medications for several years before they suffered some slow unsightly death. It’s the American way! So I’ve decided to break the cycle. In August of 2000 I did The Master Cleanse (only cayenne-maple-lemonade) for 10 days. And when I ended my fast, I decided to only fill my Temple with foods that would edify me. I’ve been a vegan vegetarian ever since. Afterall was there an ice cream parlor, steak house, or mini bar in the Garden of Eden? I believe health is wealth. What good is a trillion dollars if you can’t get out of bed to enjoy it?

Trust me: I was raised on eating everything ‘from the roota to the toota’, so I know what I’m missing. I love food that tastes great just like you do. But I’ve found delicious vegan substitutes so that I can still eat what I was raised on. There are vegan versions of bacon, sausage patties, hamburgers, hot dogs, Italian sausage, cheese, milk, butter, taco meat, pate, chicken nuggets, sliced lunch meat, Turkey roast, even BBQ ribs. My favorite meal is vegan soul food. Just switch the ingredients of YOUR favorite recipes & enjoy!

Tanjareen
“I don’t eat meat…unless it just got out of the shower”

21 Comments

Y. Ali

1/19/2012 07:43:52 am

Hey Tanjareen, I talked to you before and I had a question for you. I recently became a vegan and i know you said you were, so i wanted to know if you could give me an example of what you eat in a day as specific as a breakfast/snacks/lunch/dinner breakdown?

Also i know you mentioned something before about a cookbook with some vegan recipies so do you stil have that information?

I’m really into this type of lifestyle and would be up to try to find a way to do some business with getting this type of info to more of our people.

*transferred from Facebook*

Tanjareen link

1/19/2012 08:01:11 am

Y. Ali,

I get that question a lot, so I wrote a separate post listing samples of what I eat. Please refer to my article entitled “No Meat? Well what DO you eat?”

I helped write “The Vegan Vixens’ Cookbook” a few years ago, but I believe its out of print now. But I like the book called “Skinny Bitches in the Kitchen”. You can also find some great vegan recipes online on the websites of PETA, Meatout Mondays, & Happy Cow or just type ‘vegan recipes’ in your search engine.

Congrats on your new veganism journey!
Tanjareen

J. Farr

1/19/2012 07:45:00 am

Hey there Ms. Superfit,

Wifey and I are backing off meat. Not declaring vegan or vegetarian yet but just backing off. I was wondering if you had any tips to help stay on track.? Holla back when you gitaminit!

*transferred from Facebook*

Tanjareen link

1/19/2012 08:12:19 am

Hey J.Farr,

Thanks for the complimentary nickname. And Kudos to you & wifey for wanting to eat healthier! I suggest having a once a week All Vegetarian Day. For instance; maybe every Wednesday you eat only salads, nuts, smoothies, & substitute faux meats into your favorite recipes. And when dining out, ask the chef to use a Portabello mushroom in place of the meat in the entree. You’ll love it!

For more examples of what to eat, please refer to my article “No Meat? Well what DO you eat?”

Keep me posted on your journey,
Tanjareen

Rick LaCour

1/19/2012 07:49:33 am

Wow. Just read your article. I gave up pork at the age of 43. Started feeling so energetic gave up all red meat but ground beef. Went the fish and poultry route. You are saying this soon to be 56 yr old can feel even better. God bless you. It’s time for a new adjustment. I’m here to let folks know that what you say is true. No excuses folks. This old man was chemically addicted to hard drugs for 35 yrs. Good eating habits and exercise equal energy & stamina. Wish I had the financial wealth part, but I have a daily shot at it still.

Agape speed,
rick LaCour

Tanjareen link

1/24/2012 04:09:14 pm

You sound amazing! Thanks for your testimony. You're living proof that it's never too late!

Keep going, Rick! The finances will come!

To Me

1/19/2012 07:50:17 am

HEY Tanjareen that you for your letter very inspiring and informative. i myself just started a vegetarian diet and slowly given up dairy products. but it has been a amazing 1st year. and challenging, im 49yrs old and have lost 30 lbs (really) i feel great never felt like this in all my adult life. so its never to late to start and thanks for the help

Tanjareen link

1/24/2012 04:11:39 pm

Awesome, "To Me"! You, too, are proving that its never too late! Kudos to you!

Chinedu link

1/24/2012 03:56:12 pm

Tanj nice blog! ques: where can I get a big box of brown rice! I eat white rice faithfully - if i can find a box of brown i be winning (more) lol.

Tanjareen link

1/24/2012 04:06:33 pm

Hi Chinedu. Thanks for your comment! I'm not sure just how big you need your box of rice to be :-) but I buy 3LB bags of brown jasmine rice from Trader Joe's for a great price. A few of those bags should hold ya for a while. If not, try Costco or Smart N Final.

Mylika Davis

1/24/2012 05:18:37 pm

Hey Tanj, Thanks for the christmas card and always thinking about me around the holidays. I have to apologize for not being as diligent. Anywho, I kept thinking to myself Tanj needs to do a vegetarian blog and wahlah! here it is. Great, more people, especially of color need to have this information. I, just like you, changed my eating habits, shortly, after moving to L.A. in 2004. I was always around vegetarians. My mentors and theater circle where I got my start acting in N.Y., were mostly vegetarian. They would always tease me about eating meat. I just passed it off that they were crazy fanatics. I never thought I would stop eating meat. Although I was never raised eating pork and had cut back to almost totally not eating red meat all together with the exception of jamaican oxtails. So, after I moved to L.A. and started to become more aware that a lot of people's ailments were do to diet, especially people of color I wanted to change my eating habits. I had acne growing up and into adulthood and the only thing that would help was antibiotics. I knew the problem could only be solved internally. None of the topical stuff was doing much for me. I refused to be on medications for a lifetime, because that is another problem side effects. I wanted to get to the root of the problem which no one ever addressed. I too stop eating all meat. I finally found a creamy and tasty enough ice cream substitute. I was not vegan however. Although I did cut mostly everything dead out of my diet. I cheated every now and again and had cheese. Fast forward. I had heard soy can make the body think that it is estrogen ( that's why it is good for menopausal woman) and may not be good for pregnant woman especially male babies. I heard it could cause all kinds of complications such as deformities and even miscarriage. So, I went back to eating meat when I found out I was pregnant in 2008. I am still eating chicken and fish and ironically a lot of my friends who were once vegetarians are now eating meat. My question is this. I still make many healthy choices in regards to food. I eat quinoa, brown rice, brown rice and quinoa pasta, loads of kale and greens and fruits and veggies. I use agave instead of sugar. Amino acids instead of salt (it has soy in it) more herbs instead of powered seasonings. veggie cheese(without casein) almond, rice, hemp and coconut milk. Coconut yogurt, rice and whole grain breads, coconut and tapioca flour, red potatoes, egg replacer, tofu for eggs, etc. What are some other healthy choices or alternatives to soy and tofu meats?? Oh and I need your recipe for vegetarian mac and cheese. The other thing is people have to watch the juices they drink. Juicing is a better option. I have become so obsessed at times with it that I want to make my own everything from scratch to avoid preservatives and toxins in store bought products. Can you also talk about the weight people can gain from eating all that tofu and soy? A lot of my vegetarian friends were gaining weight. Vegetarian does not meat you are completely eating healthy, although it is a much better option. I know I rambled on so please forgive me. I am excited to talk about this topic and wanted to get all my thoughts out. Anxiously waiting for your feed back.

Tanjareen link

1/25/2012 04:52:31 pm

Wow, Mylika! Thank you so much for your comment! So open and honest! I can totally relate to what you typed, including the acne challenges. I know quite a few vegetarians who have gone back to eating meat. And quite a few women who were coerced into eating meat once they got pregnant. Most people give up meat without really understanding how to substitute the tastes, while correctly nourishing their bodies. Plus society makes us think we need way more protein than we really do. And many overnight-vegetarians gain weight because they become what I call a "French Fry Vegan". They eat french fries, pasta, and pizza all day, and wonder why they feel so tired and heavy all the time. So after a while, they go back to the eating habits they were raised on.

Vegetarianism comes in many forms, but the key ingredient is VEGETATION. Even though you've gone back to eating meat, Mylika, you sound like you're on the right track with all the other things you've incorporated into your diet. The key is to not stress over avoiding something (like worrying about toxins or cancer, etc.) Because "what we resist, persists". Instead enjoy the journey. Enjoy the privilege of being able to buy a healthier alternative because of all the benefits it brings, not because of all the problems it can prevent. (Not saying you do this, just speaking to whomever's reading this).

And yes, soy is a wonderful source of natural estrogen. In its original form it can be quite a tasty snack which is filled with protein. The problem comes when its processed from a green bean into a white milk, or a brown hardened hot dog, or block of yellow cheese. But that's not soy's fault. ANYTHING processed, usually contains chemicals that can be harmful over time. Regular lunch meat is a prime example of a processed food that leads to many health complications over time. The good news is: soy products have less fat and less cholesterol than real meat, so they are still a better choice. In my other blog "No Meat? Well What DO You Eat", I describe vegan menu options. And I address why these processed veggie meats should only be used as a temporary Transition Food. Vegetation in its most raw, natural, state is the absolute healthiest! Meanwhile, I love substituting avocados, seiten, and various types of mushrooms in my dishes to replace the animal meat when I don't want to use soy.

Ok, I've written a whole other blog here! But hopefully I responded to all your topics. Love-Bless-MyMy

Alice link

1/26/2012 03:08:08 am

GREAT article! As I asked on Twitter. How in the world did we get so misguided, misled, bam-damn-boozled in what we eat. Can we trust the FDA anymore? Cause when it comes to business and mass production of food, I hate to say it, but we're being lied to 24/7! Thanks for the enlightenment Tanjareen!

Tanjareen link

1/30/2012 01:52:01 pm

Yes, Alice. Unfortunately, there is no money in actually curing dis-ease. Its much more profitable to keep pretending to search for the cure. People donate zillions of dollars to research, so the powers that be won't teach us how to really stay healthy. C'mon, why is one organization monitoring Food AND Drugs (FDA) ??? Makes no sense.

Thanks for your feedback, ma'am.

Donna Benson

2/7/2012 08:14:59 pm

Hey sweetly I enjoyed reading your post. I would like to know, Where can I purchase all the vegan food you mentioned?

Tanjareen link

2/7/2012 08:36:54 pm

Hi Donna! Any health food store should carry it. For example: Whole Foods, Henry's, Erewhon, Simply Wholesome, Whole Wheatery, Veg It Up, and Full O' Life, are just some of the places in Southern Cali that sell vegan meat products. You can go to HappyCow.net and type in your zip code to find the vegan grocers and restaurants near you. And at some point, I'll post a blog listing my favorite vegetarian eateries. Hope this helps.

Thanks for reading my post!

Hazel

2/19/2012 07:30:17 am

Hey Boo,

See, I learn something new about cha'. Thanks for sharing.
I've been a pescetarian for more than 10 years. One day, I will join your world. :-)
Keep up your healthy living.

Hugs.

Hazel link

6/20/2012 01:10:17 pm

Peace and blessings Sis,

I am going through a lot of research and decided to X soy out of my diet all together.
What is your meat alternatives?

Do you make or buy seitan in LA?
Hugs

Tanjareen

1/21/2013 01:41:40 pm

*transferred from email*

On Fri, Jun 22, 2012 at 2:49 AM, Tanjareen wrote:

This is a very good question because soy products, like other processed foods, can contribute to health problems over time. (Coincidentally, so does lunch meat but we're still encouraged to feed it to our children every day). But soy products are what I call "transition food". These fake meats are great for making the transition from carnivore to herbivore. However, it is not healthy to make them the base of your meals 3 times a day for the rest of your life. But they're great for weining us off of animal products. As a vegetarian, the goal is to eat fresh, organic, "vegetation". But during the transition, if you want to X out soy products, try faux meats made of seiten/wheat meat (like you mentioned), or use eggplant, avocado, starchy veggies like kobacha squash, or mushrooms. There are several types of mushrooms, all with a different texture and flavor, so if you don't like one, try another. I love grilling portobello mushrooms in place of a burger. I also sautee smaller button mushrooms to put them over salads or in tacos. Most restaurants have no problem doing this for you too with their salads, burgers, & pasta dishes.

I'll look up some other alternatives and get back to you, but these are what I use the most.

On Fri. Jun 22, 2012, at 12:12 PM, Hazel wrote:

Yes... what you've mentioned I saw in my research.

I can't get into mushrooms though. They being a fungi is not hot. LOL Plus the taste isn't becoming. MAYBE I'll try different ones and not think of them being a fungi. BTW... I'm pretty annoyed that majority of vegan products are made of soy flour/ soy beans.
I've searched for vegan restaurants and a lot are around. I'm happy to see that.

Please share with me your favorites. Also, do you buy your condiments in a particular health store? If so, where?
Thanks for your feedback... much appreciated. Just getting my lifestyle ready to re-emerge on the LA scene from NY. :-)

Blessings

On Fri. June 22, 2012 at 12:24 PM, Tanjareen wrote:

Season the mushrooms & trust me; they won't taste like mushrooms. I chop them small & put them in tacos and no one knows the difference.

Soy is not the enemy. It is a healthy green vegetable. The problem comes when it's processed to turn into something completely different. All processed foods should be consumed on a minimal basis because all the chemicals and phases it goes through to change forms takes away the nutrients it had in the beginning. So don't be mad at soy. It will be our best friend later on in life when we need to balance out our hormones to stop hot flashes :-)

Vegan restaurants are great and there are plenty in LA & NY, but their prices have gone up so expect to pay a pretty penny for something you could make bigger portions of at home for cheaper. But if you don't feel like cooking, my favorite vegan restaurants in LA are Veggie Grill, Native Foods, Doomie's Home Cooking, and Madeleine's Bistro.

I buy my healthy condiments at Whole Foods, Henry's Market, and a little store called Full O' Life. And on occasion, I can find a sauce I'm looking for at Trader Joes, Vons, or Ralphs.

Hope this helps ya, chica. Good luck!

Philip-Anthony

2/25/2013 04:05:52 am

Greetings Young Lady, Your very thoughtful in your answers to people, I know you a little bit and how busy you are, and it is kind that you take that time.
Question, not necassarily Veg. I am a parent of a 4 & 2yr. old slices of Heaven. 4 year old has a bit of a balanced diet, the 2 year old will never and I mean NEVER eat something green. We have tried a myriad of remedies. Juicing, hiding it in liked foods (mash potatoes, taco) etc..mashing it to mush, raw, cooked, boiled, FRIED W/BUTTER, to no avail. Please advise
Now the d question, there are no d questions; No milk for my babies? and If I do use some of your suggestions on the other page, do the kids have to have milk in their life. I have heard after 2 years milk is no longer needed.
Thank You, and Best of Life, Love, and Everything to you and all your Readers

Tanjareen link

6/21/2013 04:44:25 am

Greetings, Phillip-Anthony!

First of all, I HUMBLY apologize for taking this long to write you back. By now, your 2-yr old is probably in high school! (But looks like a 40-yr old cuz he's never had green vegetables!) Forgive me. Truth is, since I don't have any children, I reached out to several of my vegetarian-mom friends and NONE of those heffas ever replied! Clearly they’re too busy keeping up with their highly-energized vegan babies to check emails. ☺ So, I gave it some thought, and here’s what I came up with…

Put a lid on it:
- Blend the green veggies into a fruit smoothie with a bit of agave nectar and pour it into a colored cartoon cup with a lid and a dark straw. This hides the green and tastes delicious!

Karate chop chop:
- Chop the veggies REALLY small and hide them in darker dishes like veggie chili, soup, gravy, veggie meatloaf, burritos, spaghetti sauce, or in a sandwich wrap. For a 2-yr old, you can puree the vegetables into these recipes and serve small portions.

Skin it:
- Cut the green off of cucumbers and serve them as a raw snack. Or skin a zucchini, season it, and roast it in the oven. They’ll never know it was green.

Put your foot down:
Keep in mind that this is likely a phase that your child can be talked out of over time, with a little persistence and parental coercion. Be patient. In the meantime check out TheSneakyChefDOTcom for recipes. (This Sneaky bitch makes peanut butter out of peas!!)

Your d question: No! No (cow) milk for babies. Cow’s milk is for baby cows and human milk is for baby humans. But once the baby is old enough to chew mom’s tit off, it may be a good time to transition the child to baby food. After that, milk alternatives are worthy substitutes, but not necessary. Lots of water and fresh juice will do wonders.

Better late than never,
Tanjareen – The Herban Vixen

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Why I Don't Eat Meat...unless it showers first!

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