Question:
help for a vegetarian

I am looking for information, recipes etc from our vegetarian members. How are you coping post op? is there a yahoogroup for vegetarians thinking about surgery or for those that have had the surgery. I am interested in what your daily meal plan is like post op. How do you get your protein thanks, Diva (by name, NOT attitude :-)    — Princess D. (posted on November 8, 2002)

November 7, 2002
morningstar farms and the gardenburger stuff is packed with protein. actually though, I was a vegetarian for 9 years before the surgery and afterwards said "screw it" I had enough restrictions on me, I didn't want another one. =) I had a gardenburger chicken patty for dinner and it has 13 grams of protein. tofu, cottage cheese, cheeses. there are lots of veggie stuff with protein. not to mention the shakes. now if you were a vegan, that's a different story.
   — Nichole B.

November 7, 2002
You don't mention if you are a vegan or not...Let's assume the you are. You can manage your diet by reading the labels of your foods and making sure that you get at least 60 grams of protein per day. Remember that being a vegan makes it more difficult to get the entire spectrum of amino acids/proteins, so be sure to educate yourself on what those are. Meanwhile, you can get the entire grouping from combining grains and beans or legumes. You may want to try hhigher protein grains like millet or quinoa, etc. You may have to eat more often if you have the RNY since you are unlikely to get the bulk of your proteins at a meal. The other option is to make sure that you get plenty of soy based protein supplements. I prefer whey supplements since they are less gas producing for me (I have a minor soy allergy), but if you are a vegan, whey is a dairy product and not likely to be on your list of foods. If you are not a strict vegan, you can get plenty of protein from the dairy products, eggs and, for those who include it, fish like salmon, tuna, haddock, etc or shellfish like shrimp, lobster, etc. Good Luck to you!
   — merri B.

November 7, 2002
I am a vegetarian as well and am looking to have surgery in January 2003. Go to the library (on the AMOS website) and type in Vegetarian in the search ... there is quite a lot of helpful information. Best of luck.
   — Lisa D.

November 8, 2002
thanks for your replies. I guess it is possible :-) Off to the AMOS library I go..
   — Princess D.

November 8, 2002
I am not a vegetarian but still find meat difficult at 3 months postop. So I eat lots of Morningstar Farm products. My favorite lunch is a Morningstar Farms Spicy Black Bean Pattie, topped with a Tbs. of black bean dip, then a Pepper Jack Veggie Slice. After microwaving the pattie, I add the toppings. Then once cooked, I top it all off with about 1 Tbs. of salsa. Lots of protein and very easy to fix at work. Good luck with your eating!
   — Virginia B.