Let Your Vegetables Be Themselves! (In San Francisco)

Why Go Veg?

The arguments are simple and reasonable. While I completely believe diet is a personal choice, (and I personally couldn’t imagine a life without bacon), I understand that there are some really compelling reasons to at least scale back on meat consumption. Most importantly: 1) People can be mean to the animals; 2) Eating meat isn’t great for the environment or the economy. -—>

Tempeh

Even this professional photo of tempeh doesn’t make it look too juicy. I say keep it in its traditional form!

Quorn Nuggets?

Couldn’t be much worse than McNuggets, though…

Soyrizo?

Nut Roast?

Meat(less)loaf

Facon...

Check out that gorgeous marbling.

At least this has some color…

By popular demand: Boca “Chick’n.” No “e” means no meat.

Eat The Rainbow

Don’t be one of those vegans who only eats corn chips and hummus! Get color into your diet with a selection of fresh produce.

Still Can't Imagine Life Without Meat?

Here’s an easy trick to scale back: Adding chopped mushrooms to ground turkey meatballs keeps the dish moist, and flavorful, while using less meat. I definitely prefer it this way.

Read: It’s more sensible to eat a plant that used up minimal resources (some sunlight and water), than to eat a pig that ate 3 years worth of plants, absorbed 3 years worth of sunlight and water, and did a lot of other dumb pig activities that required energy, (i.e.: rolling around in the mud, sniffing other pigs, making friends with spiders, etc.). And that’s not even tackling the health and digestion slant. So, yeah, there are good reasons. But for you other taste bud-inspired hedonists like me, cutting out meat is a lot more fun if you do it the right way.

Seitan

Tofurky

You’ll look just as sexy eating this as you will sound when you say “tofurky.”

...Or Gag Vomit?

Looks Kinda Like Nutriloaf

Even though Nutriloaf (a.k.a. Prison Loaf/Confinement Loaf) doesn’t qualify as a meat substitute due to trace amounts of ground beef, it sure has the same aesthetic appeal. It’s not a good sign that meat substitutes look just like the same food prison wards give to unruly inmates as punishment.

...Or Grandma's Fruitcake?

...Or Beggin'?

Consider Quinoa

This barley-like grain contains important proteins that can only otherwise be found in meat.

Tricky, Tricky Soy

Soy’s got a reputation for being the holy grail of nutritious edibles, but aside from containing protein and fiber, it’s not all that and a bag of chips. Of course, it’s a sensible protein substitute when meat is unavailable, but it’s important to keep it in combination with fruits and vegetables.

Remember: Good Guys Eat Vegetables