“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” ~Dalai Lama
As a child, I had no idea that such a concept as vegetarianism even existed, let alone veganism.
Since I grew up on a sheep farm, raising animals and eating them were just what we did.
The sheep, cows, and chickens from my childhood seemed to have pretty happy lives. There was grass to eat and water to drink and space to roam about. The only thing that used to worry me about them was that theyâd freeze outside in the winter with no coats on.
It wasnât until I went to university that I even thought to question whether I should be eating lamb, or beef, or chicken.
Over the years, Iâve come back to the point of view that while I really respect people who choose to be completely vegetarian or vegan, itâs not for me.
As a little experiment, I spent a month being vegetarian last year. While I found I struggled with a completely plant-based diet, it did give me some great ideas for how to eat more compassionately by not eating meat every day.
It was quite refreshing to look at my diet with a completely fresh pair of eyes. To be honest, I was surprised by how easy it was to adapt some of my favorite dishes to suit a meat-free way of eating.
Here are some of the lessons Iâve picked up to help get you started eating more compassionately.
1. Make Monday meatless.
Something Iâve been experimenting with over the last few months is making a conscious decision to eat meat-free on Mondays. Itâs a great way to add a bit of veggie fun into the week. And Iâve actually found that seeking out vegetarian options for Monday has meant weâre more likely to eat vegetarian at other meals as well.
2. Add some lentils to your life.
Iâve always been a fan of lentils, but after my month of vegetarianism, I developed a newfound respect. If youâre in a hurry, canned lentils are a really convenient option.
Cooking lentils from scratch is pretty simple, unlike beans and chickpeas. No soaking required, just simmer in a pot like pasta until the lentils are tender (about 15-20 minutes). Drain and use anywhere youâd normally use ground beef. Lentil bolognese, lentil tacos, lentil burgers, lentil lasagna, lentil chiliâthere are endless possibilities.
3. Replace canned fish with canned legumes.
You can do this whether itâs a tuna or salmon salad or a tuna sandwich. Canned white beans or chickpeas will be equally as satisfying and quick. If you normally mash your sandwich tuna with mayonnaise, try mashed chickpeas with Vegenaise for a change.
4. Grate Brazil nuts, not cheese.
If you love your grated parmesan sprinkled liberally over everything but are keen to cut down on cheese, consider Brazil nuts. They make a wonderful alternative. Just finely grate your nuts with a Microplane and use them anywhere youâd normally be reaching for the parmesan.
5. Make the most of mushrooms.
Known as âmeatâ for vegetarians, a large roasted portobello or field mushroom can be just as satisfying as a steak. Just pop them in the oven with a little garlic, thyme, and a generous drizzle of olive oil. Leave for about a half-hour until tender and juicy.
6. Order the vegetarian option for a change.
One of the surprise outcomes of my vegetarian month was the discovery that the âvegetarianâ option on restaurant menus can be surprisingly delicious. Next time youâre out, why not give the veggie lasagna or the veggie burger a go?
7. Try some tofu.
While tofu may have a reputation for being pretty bland, itâs actually a great protein sponge for soaking up flavor. Try cubes of tofu in your favorite curry or stew. Crumbled tofu tends to work well as a ground beef replacer when youâve had enough of lentils. Or try scrambled tofu with a little curry powder and a softened onion as an alternative to scrambled eggs.
8. Cream it with tahini.
Love creamy sauces? Then tahini, or ground sesame seed paste, could be just the thing if youâre looking for a dairy-free alternative. Drizzle this nutty sauce over roasted vegetables or make a dressing by combining equal amounts of tahini, lemon juice, and water.
9. Go nuts.
More than just a source of essential fats, nuts are a great way to add crunch and protein to veggie meals. Theyâre also a wonderfully portable snack for vegetarians and carnivores alike.
10. Embrace the avocado.
When eating meat-free, it can be difficult to fill up. Avocado salad with a handful of nuts is one of my favorite vegan lunches. And donât forget guacamole.
11. Delve into dark chocolate.
Dessert can be a lonely place without butter and cream. Fortunately, thereâs a whole world of vegan-friendly dark chocolate to explore. You could even get creative and serve a few different dark chocolates from different regions or chocolates with different cocoa contents, and have a little chocolate tasting party to end a meal.
12. Season with soy sauce.
I recently read a theory that the Buddhist monks invented soy sauce as a way to convince the masses to become vegetarian. Fish and meat are rich in compounds like amino acids and glutamates, which make them taste delicious.
Soy sauce also contains a generous slug of these tasty glutamates. So it can be a great flavor booster in vegetarian dishes. Other sources include tomato and mushrooms.
13. Avoid fake âmeatâ products.
Iâm a fan of Michael Pollanâs adage to not eat anything your grandparents wouldnât recognize as food. To me, it defeats the purpose of avoiding meat products if youâre going to expose yourself to the additives and flavors required to get something that isnât meat to taste like meat. They canât be good for us.
Ready to give meat-free Monday a try? Hereâs a simple recipe to get you started:
Lentil ragĂč with zucchini ânoodlesâ recipe
Serves two
Inspired by the good old family classic spag bol (or spaghetti bolognese), these baked zucchini noodles are one of my favorite options for gluten-free comfort food. Itâs handy to have a mandoline or vegetable peeler to get lovely fine noodles. You could serve the lentil ragu with pasta if you prefer.
Feel free to add to the lentils â Iâve kept it super simple but a little garlic, onion, chilli or even basil would work.
- 2 zucchini, sliced into ribbons
- 1 can lentils (400g / 14oz), drained
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- grated brazil nuts, to serve
- salad greens, to serve
1. Preheat oven to 200C (400F).
2. Layer zucchini ribbons over a baking tray a few layers deep. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 10 minutes or until the zucchini is no longer crunchy.
3. Heat 3-4 tablespoons olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add lentils and tomato paste and cook for a few minutes until hot.
4. Taste and season lentils, adding a little more olive oil or some butter if the tomato is too sharp.
5. Divide zucchini between two plates and top with lentils.
6. Serve with grated Brazil nuts on the side and a green salad
Boy eating watermelon image via Shutterstock
About Jules Clancy
Jules Clancy is a qualified Food Scientist and the creator of The Stonesoup Virtual Cookery School. She blogs about her commitment to cooking recipes with no more than 5 ingredients over at Stonesoup.
Though I run this site, it is not mine. It's ours. It's not about me. It's about us. Your stories and your wisdom are just as meaningful as mine. 
[…] 13 Tips for Eating More Compassionately on Tiny Buddha […]
What a wonderful invitation to explore! Glad you wrote about the fun of trying new types of food that are also kind to animals. Eating a few vegetarian meals a week is also going to improve peopleâs health because pulses & legumes (lentils, chickpeas, soy beans, mung beans, red beans, black beans, etc.) have more complete protein and are more easily digested, than animal protein. They have more fiber (keeps the colon healthy, too!)For those who like salads in hot weather, or a variety of flavors and textures on sandwiches, try lentil sprouts, or soy bean sprouts, even chickpea sprouts. Flaxseed sprouts are great for omega 3 and 6.If your local farmer’s market doesn’t have a sprout farmer selling a variety of fresh sprouts, health food store might have them. Or enjoy watching them grow yourself at home!Black beans are great on salads, or burritos.Chilled red bean and mung bean drinks can be bought in Chinese products stores.There are many cultures that use pulses as their daily fair, and combine foods or spices that are different. We may not be able to visit Africa, Nepal, India, Mexico, or China soon, but we can enjoy their healthy food on our table! I love Greens cookbook because it has many simple recipes from various countries where people eat vegetarian daily because that is the food available! Greens is a vegetarian restaurant in San Francisco.There are probably lots of free recipes on line as well.
“To me, it defeats the purpose of avoiding meat products if youâre going to expose yourself to the additives and flavors required to get something that isnât meat to taste like meat.”
Well, I’m a vegetarian, and the purpose of this isn’t to eat things that don’t taste like meat, it’s to eat things that haven’t come from murdering animals.
Other than that, great post đ
I use sesame seeds as a parmesan cheese replacement. More calcium per tablespoon than cheese.
Honestly, as a vegetarian for a few years and vegan for 2, this article disappoints me. You make it sound as if it is difficult to endure a vegan diet and that proper nutrition while going meatless is also a problem. If I ate dishes like the recipe listed here, I’d still be hungry too. I eat real food, local, organic, and fresh; with faux meat products thrown in. Products like Daiya ‘cheese’ and Gardein are NOT unhealthy (referencing point 13 here) and homemade seitan (made from gluten) and ‘chicken’ tenders are also amazing. The point is to make steps toward eating compassionately, and I understand that is your message here. Not all of us are starving. Hearty grains and plant proteins are more filling to me than meat ever was, and living without causing unnecessary suffering leads to a happier life overall.Â
That dish seriously does look like a side dish, not an entree. People, PLEASE don’t think that that’s all vegans eat.
Also funny that the article isn’t written by a vegetarian/vegan, but someone who admits she lacks the willpower to do so. I’d trust the words of someone who actually enjoys the lifestyle.
Hi Kate,
My name is Lori and I run this site. Although I didn’t write this article, I thought I would pop in here and respond to your comment. When Jules approached me about writing an article about compassionate eating, I was particularly interested in how this might apply to people who are not currently vegetarians or vegans but would like to start consuming less meat (both for their health, and to minimize their dependence on the meat industry).
I admire, respect, and support anyone who has the made the choice to go completely meatless, but I also understand that a lot of people may be more likely to cut back without cutting meat out altogether. I am a huge proponent of recommending tiny changes that may be more realistic for some people than a complete lifestyle change, particularly because I consume meat, although sparingly. I make extra efforts to purchase meat from animals that were humanely and consciously raised, as opposed to factory-farm meat (which is a tip I would add to this list).
In publishing this article, I by no meant intended to discourage people from becoming vegetarian or vegan, if that’s what they would like to do. It is possible to have a healthy, delicious, satisfying meatless diet (some of my favorite restaurants are vegan restaurants!) The intention of this post, however, was to provide some options for people who already know they do not want to completely give up meat. Sometimes tiny changes can make a big difference!
Lori
Ooh, I’m a big fan of your blog! Lovely to see an article from you on Tiny Buddha today!
I’m one of those rare people who was basically born vegetarian… as a kid, I hated eating any animal products. It’s never even been a choice, really, I just never wanted to eat it. I never expect anyone else to give up meat, but I love the whole meatless Monday concept. My dad is one of those people who thinks “it’s not a meal unless it has meat in it”, and going one day a week without meat would be a healthy change for him. What a great oppourtunity to try new things and expand your food horizons!
This recipe looks great–I’ll definitely be trying it!
Hi Jules.
Thanks for this post and your moderate approach to food and eating compassionately. For me, food and eating compassionately are about nutrition and selecting foods that truly build our energy and strength at a cellular level. That value works well with me emotionally and spiritually.
I was a vegetarian for many years and I saw that I with many others ate too much sugar, fruit, and carbs creating an unhealthy glucose environment within my body. I wasn’t as healthy then.
Now I eat primarily a plant-based diet however I am able to eat Alaskan salmon daily and am happy doing so. That said, I’m also very comfortable catching or netting the fish, pithing it, and bleeding it out. Sometimes eating compassionately is also about the way we mindfully and respectfully handle our food.
Many folks are needing more information about nutrition to make better choices for their lives. Your post helps folks do this. Thanks again.
florence,
I absolutely agree… as I mentioned in point 13… fake meat products aren’t ever a good idea đ
Linnaeab,
Great idea to explore the cuisine of cultures who are into their pulses.. you’re right its not only fun, it;s also a great way to get a bit of travel experience without leaving home.
And thanks for mentioning flaxseed spouts – I haven’t come across them yet. Have been meaning to try sprouting at home
Susie,
Great point – I agree that eating meat-free, while definitely compassionate, it isn’t necessarily more healthy. It’s important to consider the effects of sugar and carbs on our bodies. Which can be more difficult on a plant based diet – but not impossible.
Bring on the lentils and veggies!
Thanks Alannah,
I find it fascinating that you feel like you were ‘born vegetarian’. I have a friend who hasn’t eaten anything that has a face since she was old enough to understand that meat came from animals.
And anything that expands our horizons is a good thing… hope you can convince your Dad to try meatless monday đ
The zucchini noodles are sooo good. Much better than boring old pasta. And I actually prefer the lentils to beef these days. Enjoy!
Hi Kate
Thanks for sharing your experience with a vegan diet.Â
I’m not familiar with Daiya ‘cheese’ or Gardein but I have tried seitan and wouldn’t class it as a ‘fake meat’. In point 13 I was referring to mostly soy based products that have been coloured and flavoured to look and taste like meat. I’d be interested to know whether you include them in your diet?
It wasn’t my intention to imply that vegans are starving or unsatisfied. Quite the opposite, I’m trying to encourage the carnivores out there to take small steps to eat more plants.
I’ve eaten the lentil ragu with zucchini noodles with a green salad on the side for dinner and been quite satisfied.. but that’s me. It’s important to respect that everyone has different dietary needs.
Koreafornian
Hadn’t thought of sesame seeds as a parmesan alternative – great idea!
It’s nice to read such a balanced post on a subject which can arouse indifference among some and strong emotions among others. I’m looking forward to trying some of the tips!
[…] TinyBuddha […]
I love this post and I completely agree with you, Jules. My personal belief is that vegetarianism/veganism doesn’t have to be an all or nothing attitude. I have so many friends that, for personal reasons (cultural being the biggest one), tried being vegetarian but gave up because they felt like they failed after eating a meat dish. They ended up going back to eating exactly how they ate before. Obviously if everyone could go vegan/vegetarian it would be best, but I think compassionate eating as you describe it is really the way to go. I also believe that MIchael Pollan’s view is correct in that I’d rather eat something real than fake.Â
I also don’t understand the “Elitist Vegan” types. It’s precisely that attitude that turns people away from vegetarianism and veganism and creates a contentious environment that actually causes people to defend themselves and eat more meat. I’ve seen it happen all the time. My vegan/vegetarian friends that come at it from a “lead-by-example” approach tend to convert more people or at least get them to be more mindful when eating. Something to think about.
I think you’re confused.Â
just remember to buy organic soy products as non-organic soy beans are genetically modified now.
Lori and Kate,
I enjoyed this article and I am trying to be a more compassionate eater. Vegetarianism is hard for me as I am cellulose intolerant. Which means no soy, lentils, etc.  I am still trying to find alternatives.  This article has given me hope and I do appreciate the fact that Kate’s article is helping me to make the change without fear and Lori I commend you for standing up for her.  People unless born into vegetarianism, had to make a change at one point or another and I am sure it was not from one day to another!
It was for me. I’d rather eat an unhealthy diet for awhile while trying to figure out how to be a healthy vegan than spend another day eating a helpless animal.Â
Did you go straight to Veganism? For me, I went vegetarian immediately with no problems whatsoever, but it took me another year to make the vegan switch. It wasn’t difficult at all, because like you I am vegan for ethical reasons. I feel like there are so many myths about dairy consumption that many don’t even think about how it might harm themselves/the animals/the planet. And with the growing use of “green,” “humane,” “cage-free,” etc, people are even more removed from the realities of the dairy and meat industry. If they’re slaughtered ‘humanely,’ what’s the problem, right? I’m sorry, but what is humane about slaughter? Would these people humanely kill their dog? What about forcibly impregnate it and drink it’s milk, take it’s pups away for more profit (veal), and then kill the dog off when it can’t supply milk anymore?
Jules, thank you for your wonderful article. I will surely be able to apply the suggestions to my every day life. Â I noticed that this brought on some unhappiness to some people who probably represent 10+-% of the population. Â Overall, I believe that these are great suggestions to allow us (majority) to make better healthier choices and improve the way of life that we have right now. Many thanks!
Your article confuses me. Your title is about eating more compassionately but then you say that you don’t believe that eating like that is for you. Your article should be titled – how to live semi-compassionately. You either eat compassionately or you don’t – it’s not about ‘Compassionate Monday’. It’s like saying you think that not smoking is better for you so you have ‘smokeless Mondays’ to call yourself healthy.
I’ve been a vegetarian since I was 15 and I’m now 33. It’s not that hard of a life as your article might suggest. ‘Living without meat’ is not depriving yourself of something. If you really wanted to eat more compassionately then living without meat would be a simple choice because you don’t want to eat animals or animal by-products. There are lots of options for vegetarians and even vegans out there.
Simply an awe-inspiring content in
the article. Totally agree with what is said.
This is a good article. It isn’t about one upping each other on who limits this or that. More it is about making conscience decisions in everything you put in your body. I enjoyed it thank you.Â
I have always ate meat since a child, but not until today I saw the real way companies actually treat these animals in a video at http://ar.vegnews.org/vegan.html . It broke my heart and couldn’t help but feel like crying and wonder how these people involved have no compassion whatsoever for these animals. I always thought of these animals being able to free-roam around a big space, play and have happy lives and farmers using them for food after the animals are full-grown. Maybe a little different in the companies but I never thought they would go through such cruelty. I wish the government had better laws and took responsability for all of it and made these people pay for what they are doing. It is just so sad to see there are people out there doing this. What a shame đ Please watch the video, specially those who may not be aware of this. Let me know what you think. I’m just so shocked by it, I don’t know what else to say.
Ok, I noticed old my post sounds a little negative maybe because I felt a little shocked by the video so i would like to turn it into something positive. What positive things can we draw from it? I think making more people aware of what’s happening is a good start. Any more ideas, please?
By the way I really like the article. It’s really hard for me to stop eating meat. I don’t want to sound hyprocrite but it’s the plain truth. Now I know what’s happening to these animals but sometimes I would rather think the meat I’m getting comes from better places where animals aren’t being treated in a cruel way. What do you guys think?
Aren’t vegetables alive too? I feel like vegetarians of all people would think that vegetables are living too. Regular eaters may eat a couple cows, pigs and some chickens, but vegetarians fucking demolish plants and stuff, not that there’s anything wrong with that. Animals eat other animals. just eat what you want, everybody’s gonna die anyway.