Substitutes for Meats
As a man eateth, so is he.—German Proverb.
Lord Byron refused to eat meat because, as he said, “It makes me ferocious.”
The flesh of animals tends to cause grossness of body, and to benumb the finer sensibilities of the mind.—“Bible Hygiene.”
The eating of much flesh fills us with a multitude of evil diseases, and a multitude of evil desires.—Porphyrises, 233 A. D.
Animal food is one of the greatest means by which the pure sentiment of the race is depressed.—Alcott.
The candidates for ancient athletic games were dieted on boiled grain with warm water, cheese, and dried figs, but no meat. Modern athletes are not allowed meat while in training.
I have known men who prayed for a good temper in vain, until their physician proscribed eating so much meat; for they could not endure such stimulation.—Henry Ward Beecher.
The liability to disease is increased by flesh eating. Where plenty of good milk and fruit can be obtained, there is rarely any excuse for eating animal food.—“Christian Temperance.”
From the instruction given at the beginning respecting foods, it is evident the Creator did not design that either man or beast should subsist on flesh foods. To Adam and Eve he said: “Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat.” Gen. 1:29, 30.
But sin brought many changes into our world, and because of the changed circumstances, customs, and practises were instituted and allowed which were not in harmony with the primeval order of things. Among other things meat eating was permitted. Just after the flood, when the face of the earth had been desolated, God said to Noah: “Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.” Gen. 9:3. But the blood was not to be eaten with the flesh,—a very wise provision, for if there is any disease in the system, it is sure to be found in the blood.
A little later, as a further precaution in the interests of health, instruction was given that only the flesh of “clean beasts” was to be eaten, such as that of the ox, the sheep, the goat, the deer, etc. See Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14.
But for all this it must be admitted that the flesh of animals is not a natural diet for man, nor does it constitute the most healthful food. Of this it may be truly said as Christ said of the granting of a writing of divorcement, it was suffered because of the “hardness” of their hearts, “but from the beginning it was not so.” Matt. 19:8. It was never intended that man should take the life of any innocent, living creature.
Meat eating tends to excite the passions. This is seen in the animal kingdom. The animals that are mild, patient, and docile are generally herbivorous, such as the cow, the sheep, the horse; while the excitable, quick-tempered, and ferocious animals are meat eaters, such as the lion, the tiger, the leopard. A meat diet also tends to constipation, the great scourge of the race.
One object of this work, therefore, is in the interests of health and morality, to educate people out of meat eating rather than into it; and to supply such a variety of recipes for good, wholesome, palatable, and nutritious dishes, prepared from natural food elements, that meat eating will be practically unnecessary.
Moreover, so many animals at the present time are becoming so greatly diseased that it is not a little dangerous to eat largely of their flesh. As a matter of safety the use of flesh-meats might very consistently be dispensed with altogether.
The fact, therefore, that meat may be cheap, or that it may be easily or quickly prepared, should count for little with those who have the best interests of their families in view.
From every standpoint from which the subject may be viewed, the reasons for discontinuing the use of flesh-meats are more imperative now than ever before.
1. This is an age of disease. Animals are coming to be greatly diseased. The use of their flesh, therefore, tends to increase disease in mankind, and thus to shorten life.
2. This is an age of intemperance. Flesh-meats are all more or less stimulating. Their use, therefore, tends to increase this evil.
3. This is an age of surfeiting. Meat eating is, to a large degree, responsible for this. A well-known English writer on cookery says: “No one will deny that the foods we are apt to eat too much of are those absent from a purely vegetarian fare, such as meat, game, fish, eggs, etc., upon which materials the culinary art seems exercised to tempt us beyond the satisfying of the appetite.”
4. This is an age of vice and immorality. A meat diet tends greatly to increase this terrible evil.
5. This is an age of violence and murder. The practise of killing and eating animals tends to harden men’s hearts, to destroy their finer sensibilities, and thus to increase violence and crime.
In the beginning God gave man no flesh foods to eat. And after the Exodus, when he had his own way with his own people, he gave them no flesh to eat. Before taking them into the promised land, for forty years he fed them on “manna,” a purely vegetarian food. Ex. 16:31; Num. 11:7, 8. And when they “fell a lusting,” and said, “Who shall give us flesh to eat?” he was displeased with them, and, with the giving of the quails, brought a great plague upon them. Numbers 11; Ps. 78:18-31.
In the New Testament, the apostle, referring to this experience, warns Christians against falling into the same error. “Now these things,” he says, “were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.... And they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” 1 Cor. 10:5-11.
Evidently, therefore, meat eating is not in harmony with God’s original plan. And it must be that the nearer we bring ourselves into harmony with that plan, the better it will be for us.
To some it may seem difficult to give up the use of meat. But in this, as in all reformatory work, much depends upon the mind. Let the correct principle be first assented to; then, step by step, let the practise be brought into conformity to the principle, making changes gradually, if necessary, leaving off the meat dishes as others more wholesome can be substituted. We should cultivate a love for that which we know to be good and healthful.
To assist those who desire to make this dietetic reform, a few recipes are here given which will be found to be good substitutes for meats.
VEGETABLE AND LENTIL STEW
Soak one-half cup of lentils in a cup of cold water for an hour; then put to cook in three cups of hot water with one turnip, three or four medium-sized potatoes, a small onion, and a stalk or two of celery, all cut into small pieces. Stew for about half an hour, or until well done, and the water quite absorbed. Season with salt, and serve with brown sauce.
VEGETABLE HASH
Boil separately in a small quantity of water, three or four medium-sized potatoes sliced fine, two turnips, one carrot, and an onion, all cut into fine pieces; when done, drain, and turn all together into a saucepan; season with salt, add a teaspoonful of dry, powdered sage, a half cup of sweet cream, or the same quantity of milk, and a small piece of butter, and heat to boiling; then stir in one or two tablespoonfuls of browned flour rubbed to a paste in a little cold water, cook a few minutes longer, and serve hot.
POTATO ROLLS
Take two potatoes, one turnip, a small onion, a stalk of celery, and a little powdered sage; chop all into very fine pieces and mix well together, adding salt as desired. Make a paste as for pies, roll out rather thin, cut into squares, and place on each square as much of the mixture as it will hold; wet the edges, and fold up as a sausage roll, pressing the dough together at the ends, place in a pan and bake from thirty to forty minutes in a moderate oven. Serve hot. Very nice.
BREAD STEAK
Dip slices of stale bread or toast in a little milk or cream to slightly soften; sprinkle with a little salt; beat up an egg or two, dip in the slices, place in a hot frying-pan with a little butter, and brown on both sides. Serve with brown sauce.
FORCEMEAT FRITTERS
Rub one tablespoonful of butter into two cupfuls of fine breads crumbs, adding a little chopped parsley or other herb flavoring, and season with salt; then add one cup of thin cream or rich milk, and three eggs beaten separately. Stir well, and bake in fritters, in a hot frying-pan, or on a griddle, rubbed with a little butter, browning lightly on both sides. Serve with brown sauce.
“PRAIRIE” FISH
Cut thick, cold, corn-meal mush into slices about half an inch thick; roll in flour, and brown on both sides in a hot, buttered frying-pan; or brush with thick, sweet cream, and brown in the oven.
BOILED MACARONI
If dusty, wipe with a dry cloth instead of washing, then take a cupful broken into small pieces, and put to cook in boiling, salted water; cook until tender, adding more hot water occasionally if necessary. When done, drain, and serve hot with a little cream; or pour over a pint of milk, heat to boiling, and stir in the yolk of one well-beaten egg and a little salt; or omit the egg, and thicken with a tablespoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold milk.
PEANUT SAUSAGE
Thoroughly mix to a cream one level tablespoonful of peanut butter with two tablespoonfuls of cold water; then add three tablespoonfuls of grated bread crumbs, a pinch of salt, and a teaspoonful of minced onion or powdered sage; mix all well together, form into small cakes with the hands, and place in an oiled, heated frying-pan till nicely browned, turning and browning on both sides. Place on a platter, and garnish with sprigs of parsley. Serve with brown sauce, No. 2, page 78. Very tasty.
PEAS PUREE
Soak a cupful or two, or as many as needed, of split peas overnight in cold water. In the morning wash, drain, and put to cook in boiling water, and cook slowly. When very tender, and quite dry, mash smooth, season with salt and a little sweet cream. Serve hot.
STEWED SALSIFY, OR VEGETABLE OYSTERS
Wash, scrape, cut into slices about one fourth of an inch in thickness, and drop at once into cold water to prevent discoloring. Then put to cook in an enameled saucepan, in a small quantity of boiling water, about equal parts of water and salsify, adding a little salt. Cook from twenty to fifty minutes, according to age, and when tender add a little more water if at all dry, a cupful of cream or rich milk, and simmer for a few minutes. Have ready in a dish some slices of toasted bread cut in halves, pour over the salsify, and serve.
LENTIL RISSOLES
Take equal quantities of well-cooked brown lentils and cold boiled potatoes and mash well together; then add one third that amount of fine bread crumbs, a teaspoonful each of powdered sage and minced onion, and a little salt. Dissolve a teaspoonful of nut butter in two tablespoonfuls of hot water; and add to the mixture. Mix all well together, press into an oiled tin, cut into squares with a knife, and place in the oven for fifteen or twenty minutes. Serve hot.