i think that bagels have been a staple in my diet since i was about 7. it was my morning ritual. a bagel and a glass of orange juice. i didn’t stray from my beloved bagel often. and when i did, it was for eggs and hash browns.

it got to the point where i became a purist. only able to eat certain kinds of bagels. when i was 12, we moved to pittsburgh. that’s where the love affair with bruegger’s bagels began. they were my own slice of heaven. made the mornings…bearable.

when i first learned about my food intolerances, i wasn’t sure if bagels would make it onto the safe list. most grocery-store breads were off the list because of milk powder. i assumed bagels were in the same boat and i avoided them.

that is, until i found some multi-grain bagels at whole foods. flax, millet, barley. they were a dream come true. but they weren’t always there.

a few months ago, we were having family over for brunch. bagels were expected. and yet, i couldn’t find my go-to brand at whole foods. a quick phone call to bruegger’s to verify ingredients on the list and a happy dance ensued. turns out: they. were. safe.

while i know they could be healthier (whole grain flour vs enriched), i kind of don’t care. my old childhood favorite stood the test of time. hello comfort food. hello awesome bagels.

back in july, i posted about an attempt at making my own refrigerator pickles. apparently, i never gave you the update about how they turned out. probably because they were officially horrendous.

as in, had-to-spit-out-the-first-bite-they-were-so-bad horrendous.

turns out, when the recipe specifically says use 7 pepperscorns, that’s exactly what they mean. i think i used close to 20.  and just because most pickle jars say they use turmeric for coloring does not mean you should use a teaspoon or more.

i haven’t officially given up on making pickles yet. just sort of done for the season.

i wish i could say that i’m an old pro at reading labels and understanding what ingredients are safe, and what ones are not. but clearly, i’m not so great at deciphering the chemical additives in food.

i guess i should either learn what they are or stay away from any food that has an ingredient i need to google. the latter seems like the best option, though, frankly, it’s not always practical.

last week’s attempt:
the strawberry poppyseed salad (minus the chicken) at panera bread

the culprit:
reduced sugar, fat-free poppyseed dressing

everything seemed fine in the ingredient list for the dressing except an artificial sweetener called maltodextrin. i wasn’t 100% sure what it was, but figured that it was safe.

big mistake. apparently maltodextrin can be made from any kind of starch, including potato. according to the headache i’ve had for the past 3 days, i’m willing to bet it was made with potato starch (aka a nightshade).

looks like i’ll be adding maltodextrin to my list of no-thank-you’s.

Name: Bridget
Number Years as a Veggie: I have been a vegetarian for over a year.
Twitter: @PavementPlants
Website: Pavement & Plants
It features all vegetarian recipes (with an emphasis on single serving dishes), information on running, and my own two cents on things like body image, losing weight, and being generally awesome.

What made you decide to become a veggie?
I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (which involves hormonal imbalances). I was working out, eating healthy, and on medication. However, I was still experiencing some of the symptoms (nausea, dizziness, just generally not feeling right). A nutritionist suggested I start eating hormone free-organic meat or stop eatting it. Since I’m cheap, I decided on the later. My symptoms went away, I felt great. I know how my body reacts to stress, so it just makes sense that the animal’s bodies are going to freak out too-then we’re eating that stressed out animal? It made sense once I thought about it, so I just stuck with it!

What foods do you miss the most (if any)?
Buffalo wings. You can’t really recreate them and although they aren’t healthy, something about them says “Football! Beer! Party!” to me.

What has been the easiest part of becoming a veggie?
Cooking. I have had no problems finding stuff for dinner. Some people think it’s hard, but I love it. Tofu, tempeh, high-protein grains, beans-these are so versatile and fun to cook with. Even when I’m in training, I don’t count protein grams or anything. I think we place way too much emphasis on specific nutrients and numbers that we forget that we just need to embrace whole foods. It has opened my kitchen up to foods that I wouldn’t have looked at before.

What’s been the hardest?
Not always being able to eat things in social settings. My friends love getting dishes then passing them around at restaurants, or having big potlucks. I hate being the inconvenience. Also, as a single gal, it’s always awkward to discuss it when you’re out on a date.

Famous last words?
Oh so many.

1. Don’t feel you have to defend your position to anyone. You eat what you eat because that’s the way you want to!
2. Just because you’re a vegetarian doesn’t mean you’re healthy. Mac and Cheese, pizza, french fries-all vegetarian, all not healthy. It does take a little effort.
3. Don’t try to convert people. If people want to discuss it, by all means, go ahead, but don’t force it on anyone. It doesn’t help and just makes vegetarians look crazy.

Name: Mitch
# of Years as a Veggie: I’ve attempted veggiedom for a year and a half now.
Website: http://www.mitchapalooza.org/
Twitter: @msprout

What made you decide to become a veggie?
Around January of last year, I convinced a few friends to participate in what would arguably look like the worst idea ever on paper. I met a girl on the Internet, and after about 3 months of conversing, we decided to meet. She was from Minnesota, I was from Philadelphia; we needed a middle point to meet in. In a haste, we decided on meeting in Toronto, which in retrospect, definitely wasn’t the middle point between those two places. I somehow convinced my best friend and his girlfriend to load up his 1992 Ford Tempo and drive with me 9 hours to Toronto. We encountered every terrible circumstance imaginable: a snowstorm, a whiteout, sleepiness, stalling, tunnel-vision. Long story short, I met up at a hostel in a sketchy part of Toronto with a girl I met on the Internet, and things couldn’t have gone better.

Needless to say, we entered into a long-distance relationship after that first date. She was a vegetarian (and had been for most of her life), and like the lovestruck fool I was, I decided to be a vegetarian too out of solidarity. Over the course of a year and a half, I retweaked my diet and kept it as straight-and-narrow as I could. By force of habit alone, I kept with the diet even after our relationship ended.

What foods do you miss the most (if any)?
Though I do only eat meat when it’s prepared, super convenient and is without an alternative, I do occasionally get an unbearable craving for those trashy meat meals – hamburgers, bacon, lunch ham. I was as skeptical as any reluctant veggie to try fake meats, but much to my surprise, some of them filled in for their parent ably (for instance, Morning Star’s Chik’n Nuggets!), but there are certain foods that fake meats simply cannot replicate. Soy bacon sucks. A lot.

What has been the easiest part of becoming a veggie?
Finding replacements for hamburgers. The veggie patty / soy patty alternatives out there aren’t just independently delicious, they’re fun as heck to try out. There’s such an array of choices, it was a joy to have an excuse to try every style that Morning Star, Boca and Gardenburger offered. I also got way into making homemade patties, which was a fun exercise in cooking creativity. But, I guess it’s a lot easier when you have to cook for a girlfriend who is too far into not eating meat to change now.

What’s been the hardest?
Heading out to restaurants on a whim with friends. I was honestly surprised at how many restaurants didn’t offer vegetarian options (such as Primanti Brothers) and even more surprised at how many restaurants seemed hostile towards those that chose to do something as insubstantial as not eating meat.

Famous last words?
Bacon. Sorry pigs of the world, but you’re delicious.

well, techinically, it didn’t disappear. we just put it in the garage. and replaced it with a massive countertop oven {aka kick-arse toaster oven}.

if you follow me on twitter, you probably know that i was experimenting with not using the microwave for one week. 5 days into the experiment, the hubster said that we should just get rid of it. and so we did. well, he technically did. and surprised me with the change.

some of the benefits of no microwave:

• double the counter space {we have a tiny kitchen}
• less rubbery food
• better tasting food
• more nutritious food

don’t believe me? this article from natural news talks about the impact that microwave ovens have on our food, and the rise in obesity in this country. if nothing else, it’s an interesting read.

there is also an interesting {read: thought provoking} chapter in allergies: disease in disguise that focuses on “energy allergies” and the impact that microwave ovens have on our system.

the final verdict: we don’t miss the microwave. one. little. bit.

Name: Liza
Blog: Vegetarian Cooking for Busy People
Twitter: @LIZAC1217

Number of years as a veggie: About 14 years

What made you decide to become a veggie?
I originally became a vegetarian at the age of 16 to try and eat healthier. However I have stayed a vegetarian because I am a big animal lover and just can’t think of animals as food. I remember as a child my family went to a restaurant and I saw veal on the menu for the first time. I asked my mom what it was and she told me it was beef. I asked her why it was called something else and she explained it was baby cow. I just remember being horrified at the idea of eating a baby anything. I think it was my destiny to be a vegetarian.

What foods do you miss the most (if any)?
I honestly don’t miss any. I was never a big meat eater and my mother said I used to ask for peas for dessert as a child. Imagine that!

What has been the easiest part of becoming a veggie?
Well certainly the most fun thing about becoming a vegetarian is learning to cook all these amazing meatless meals and sharing them with my meat eating friends. In fact I have become such a good cook, that I partnered up with a very close friend of mine, Justin Fuller, and we are writing a cookbook. It will be all inclusive, but have an entire section of meatless main courses and many of the appetizers/soups/salads etc will have a vegetarian or vegan alternative.

What’s been the hardest?
I must admit in the beginning eating out was quite difficult. However now I do find that most eateries offer at least a few vegetarian options so it is getting easier.

Famous last words?
Check out my blog, Vegetarian Cooking for Busy People!

i’m trying to ignore the fact that it’s been a ridiculously long time since i’ve given you something besides a featured veggie post. i have no excuse, other than life being hectic. and…i’m okay with that.

the past month has seen an increase in bread making. partly because we were trying to save some money, and partly because i wanted to play in the kitchen.

this month’s kick: whole wheat bread from artisan bread in five minutes. i’d post the recipe, but think you should buy the book instead.

this month’s other kick: the hubster’s camera. makes me feel all professional, and stuff.

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