Milk and cheese alternatives?

[Baobobtree]

Namaste all.

Though I've always regarded vegetarianism as being more moral than meat-eating, and something I want to pick up one day, I don't regard meat-eating as being incompatible with being a Hindu. However, today I had a very disturbing revelation, while eating a salisbury steak with cheese melted on top. How cruel and ironic it was I thought to garnish the dead cropse of the male cow, with the milk of the female. I've decided this "one day" to pick up vegetarianism should be today, or at least today should be the day when I get started on this path.

I want to cut out beef, and pork completely, hopefully poultry as well, but I forsee myself continuing to eat eggs and seafood at least until I get out of the house (I am finishing my last year of high school and am thus living with my parents). Unfortunately, both where I live, and outside of the Indian subcontinent in general, non-kill dairy is virtually non-existent. Thus, even if I abstain from eating beef, as long as I consume dairy I am supporting the premature slaughter of dairy cows, once they become barren, and the shipping off of their male calves to veal farms, where they will meet an even more premature and grizzly death.

So, I am hoping on consuming milk, and cheese alternatives instead. My sister is lactose intolerant, so we already have soy milk in the house, but I am curious to know what is avaliable for cheese alternatives out there, specifically in Canada?

[Maya3]

I have recently discovered Coconut milk. It is AMAZING to drink before a workout, it gives you real good sustained energy.
Soymilk is ok now and then, but it is not good to eat too much soy.
There is almond milk, flaxmilk and rice milk as well, but I'm not that fond of them.

I'm not too familiar with cheese alternatives, but there are soy cheeses and almond cheeses.

Maya

[Eastern Mind]

Namaste all.

Though I've always regarded vegetarianism as being more moral than meat-eating, and something I want to pick up one day, I don't regard meat-eating as being incompatible with being a Hindu. However, today I had a very disturbing revelation, while eating a salisbury steak with cheese melted on top. How cruel and ironic it was I thought to garnish the dead cropse of the male cow, with the milk of the female. I've decided this "one day" to pick up vegetarianism should be today, or at least today should be the day when I get started on this path.

I want to cut out beef, and pork completely, hopefully poultry as well, but I forsee myself continuing to eat eggs and seafood at least until I get out of the house (I am finishing my last year of high school and am thus living with my parents). Unfortunately, both where I live, and outside of the Indian subcontinent in general, non-kill dairy is virtually non-existent. Thus, even if I abstain from eating beef, as long as I consume dairy I am supporting the premature slaughter of dairy cows, once they become barren, and the shipping off of their male calves to veal farms, where they will meet an even more premature and grizzly death.

So, I am hoping on consuming milk, and cheese alternatives instead. My sister is lactose intolerant, so we already have soy milk in the house, but I am curious to know what is avaliable for cheese alternatives out there, specifically in Canada?

Vannakkam: At most large supermarkets, you can get Soy Milk or Almond Milk. For cheese, you, there are a few products. One is called Tofurella. Usually you'll find it in the fake meat section. Another method is to drastically cut down on dairy altogether. Vegans get by quite well. My son is one, but I'm still a lacto-veg. Personally, yogurt would be the hardest to give up.

We eat Tofu omelettes sometimes. I think the key is to be persistent, looking on-line for recipes, visiting a variety of stores, etc.

Aum Namasivaya

[Jainarayan]

Namaste.

However, today I had a very disturbing revelation, while eating a salisbury steak with cheese melted on top. How cruel and ironic it was I thought to garnish the dead cropse of the male cow, with the milk of the female.

Fwiw, as just a tidbit of info., that's why Jews do not eat dairy and meat together. It's abhorrent to them to, not to mention being ritually forbidden: "Thou shalt not boil a kid [young goat] in its mother's milk". Exodus 23:19.

[Amala]

Namaste, I am lactose-sensitive so I cannot have cow's milk or cheese from it, but I can eat goat's and sheep's cheese, which I do on occasion. I can drink goat's milk, but I don't. I drink exclusively almond milk. If you decide to try it, don't just judge one brand. They vary widely. I only drink Almond Breeze Original (unsweetened). If you live near/in a city with a Whole Foods Market, you will find an exhaustive selection of soy, rice and veggie cheeses. Most of them do not melt well, but some of the soy cheeses are pretty decent imitations. I would suggest joining a food co-op. Being only very sensitive to lactose, I also can eat yoghurt made from cow's milk, which I'm very grateful for. Our bodies are sorely deprived of the things found in it.

Vannakkam: At most large supermarkets, you can get Soy Milk or Almond Milk. For cheese, you, there are a few products. One is called Tofurella. Usually you'll find it in the fake meat section. Another method is to drastically cut down on dairy altogether. Vegans get by quite well. My son is one, but I'm still a lacto-veg. Personally, yogurt would be the hardest to give up.

We eat Tofu omelettes sometimes. I think the key is to be persistent, looking on-line for recipes, visiting a variety of stores, etc.

Aum Namasivaya