Post Punk Kitchen Forum

Background: I'm a grad student studying physical therapy and right now I'm learning about pretty much all of the ways you can die. Which is great. I feel quite authorized to lecture you on your health and be perfectly obnoxious about it. No really, it sucks. I thought my best friend was dying because she was presenting neurological symptoms and burst into tears in my professor's office (turned out they were side effects of a thyroid condition and she'll be fine on medication).
Since I'm closer to home than I have been in the last three years, I see my padres probably every two-three weeks. This involves my parents regularly cooking vegan for some interval. My poor madre has high blood pressure and every week long period I stay home she manages to lose 2 pounds. I also run her ragged with walks and any other exercise I can force her into.

So a few nights ago, my mom had made some delishhhhhh split pea soup.
Ash: Thanks for the awesome soup! You didn't have to cook something so involved for me.
Mamacita: Well, I didn't. It's for me.
Ash: ?
Mamacita: We're trying to cook more veggie-centrically.
Ash: So you're having more meatless meals?
Papa bear: But they're not vegan. WE'RE NOT GOING VEGAN. We're just cooking more vegetables. And it would be better with some ham. *stuffs a spoonful of soup in his mouth*
Ash : *grins*
Mamacita: Honey, it's fine without the ham. And plus, it's easier when you're around.

Baby steps, baby steps. I don't ever expect my mother to become vegan or even vegetarian, but she used to complain when she went two days without meat. If she can eat half of her lunches and dinners without meat that would make me ecstatic. I'm going to cooking up a storm come Thanksgiving!
I'm trying to encourage her all I can, so I'm not going to throw tempeh at her other anything. But I was thinking about trying seitan in a pot-pie or something and see what kind of success I have with that. Any other omni-friendly recipes I could send her way? The only thing is she hates curry, which stinks because Indian food is amazing...

Has she tried quinoa? That stuff is so awesome and good for you and not at all scary.

yup got my mom hooked on that-I found a recipe on some gluten free site-I think it was gluten free goddess? Can't remember, it was for quinoa taco salad. I usually send my mom easy recipes I find on blogs-she can't have soy so it can be a challenge, and now she's eliminating gluten. She's also eating more vegan food and now my Grandpa watched something about Dr. Barnard and is interesting in that "vedgan" thing. I think my Dad is going to hate me when they move back here since he is a die hard cheese fan and the only dairy my mom consumes is yogurt.

My dad has tried using it with mixed (aka mostly poor) results. Though quinoa taco salad sounds intriguing from all angles! I'm going to hunt it down!

Sounds exactly like my mom, so I can relate to how freaking exciting this is!! Some things my mom, who used to be a self-proclaimed carnivore, now loves are puttanesca (she leaves out the cheese and anchovies), rice salad, and oatmeal.

Sounds familiar, both of my padres have hbp and my dad is diabetic. My mom is more open to trying veg dishes but my dad is stubborn, which is frustrating since he is the one who would benefit the most from a diet change. I am getting him to exercise more though. I take him and the dog for walks at night.

My ama will eat veggie enchiladas and loves the fried tempeh from Eat, Drink & Be Vegan. She will try almost anything I make from the 101 cookbooks site, but she's still a tofu-phobe.