Vegetarians: What do you eat for Thanksgiving?

[Methodical Management]

How many years/months have you been a vegan for?

I committed to go completely vegan (no animal products - yes, even in footwear) over a year ago. So,it's not like I'm so far removed from my former lifestyle that I have no memory of dairy products etc. I still have that baseline to refer to - sowhen I say that I've added lean muscle mass and feel as though I'm able to better sustain a high level of energy throughout the day I'm notcomparing how I feel now to how I felt at age 12.

Thanks for the links, and actually to everyone shunning the Tofurkey Roast I've heard pretty good things about it.
Sure thing. I imagine the Tofurkey products taste fine, but something like the "roast" pictured doesn't exactly strike me asparticularly healthy. It irks me that, as companies have latched on to veganism, it's being marketed such that "vegan" implies"healthy." Yes, a properly planned vegan diet is one of the healthiest changes a person can make - but that doesn't mean it's impossible toactually harm yourself by eating vegan food. There's a great deal of heavily processed vegan junk food out there these days, loaded with all manner ofchemicals.

It's a bit like purchasing pleather products in that, while they might meet the vegan standard, they're nonetheless petroleum-based and loaded withVOCs. One of the best aspects of veganism is that it prompts people to reevaluate the everyday choices they might otherwise take for granted. If you'regoing to replace a product, why not replace it with something that's better for you and for the planet? Too many people still see it as an individualistlifestyle statement, as though a commitment were a fashion accessory or a badge of honor, rather than honoring the spirit of the commitment itself and pursuingit in earnest rather than attempting only to maneuver within the basic qualifying guidelines.

Taking the long view, we have to ask if the changes we really want to effect in the market and in the world are as cosmetic as swapping out flesh and skin withunsustainable, hazardous equivalents. If we maintain the same level of consumption and materialism, the effect on other living beings is hardly benign - muchless an expression of compassion. We'd still be driving countless species to extinction. Personally, I'd be happier if we questioned our gluttonoustraditions as opposed to making minor modifications (tofurkey instead of turkey, pleather jackets instead of leather jackets, etc.) and continuing down thepath of least resistance - which, in many cases, is free fall.