I heard tempeh is better for you than tofu and other processed soy stuff because tempeh is fermented soybeans, which is easier for your body to digest somehow... plus the texture & tasteyness factors ;~)

"Why even be a vegan if you are not going to care about your health? "
this implies that Veganism is fueled by health. It is not (it can be, but while vegetarianism may be inspired by health concerns, Veganism is not just about what you put in your grocery basket, it is a philosophy of life.)

All the "meat and potatoes" Vegans that I know are Vegan for ethical/moral reasons, for the environemnt, for the animals...and they were meat and potatoes people before they saw meat your meat or befroe they were enlightened about followwing a more compassionate way of life and so they now eat the same food, but cruelty-free...they are not attempting to be healthier they just care about reducing suffering and making the compassionate choice.

In fact too many non-Vegans make the assumption that we are Vegan for health reasons which is an attitude that offends me and other ethical Vegans quite a bit.

It's odd that we live in a society in which making a lifestyle change because we want to look better or lose weight is accepted but making a change for moral or political or ethical reasons is frowned upon.

In fact I have a t-shirt that explains why I am vegetarian (Vegan) and it says "I am not a health nut" on it. I am as healthy as any other relatively informed liberal free-thinking person out there...but my veganism has NOTHING to do with health. It has to do with my soul.

as for tofurkey slices, I think they taste okay..not amazing but they are nice in rye bread with good yellow mustard and nice raw coleslaw...yummy!...but they aren't the best meat replacer slices that I have had, smoked wheat I think is very good. and I also prefer the yves slices.

Yes, I was joking about Tofunky. :P

I'm just being an a$$ for laughs. :)

I DO read Get Fuzzy, it is HILARIOUS!!! You can tell I mean it because I wrote it in CAPS and used several exclamation points! :)

I just find it hysterically funny that so many vegans are passionately anti-fake meat. I meet many at work where we try to promote a vegan lifestyle. Many of us who grew up on meat miss the tastes and textures even though we would never ever eat it again for ethical reasons. Textured soy products are a way to "scratch an itch" without harming anything. It's cool if people don't like them, and it's true that some taste icky (different strokes for different folks) but I have met folks that treat me like I'm clubbing baby seals because I eat fake meat.
Some of it isn't the most healthy stuff on earth, yet some of it is actually pretty good for you, but either way I'm vegan for compassionate reasons and even if something isn't 100% healthy but tastes great (to me) I'm gonna eat it!

I guess I get riled up when I get into discussions like this and have to make a stupid joke or two to put my mind back into proper perspective.

I would TOTALLY try Tofunky if it was real and Vegan.

I actually had vegan "intestines" at a chinese place in NYC once. Someone dared me, and I figured, what the hell, it's all plant matter. Now THAT was disgusting. Tasted like crap and looked disturbing. I would never eat it again. In fact I didn't finish it, and I hate to waste food. But it wouldn't bother me if someone else ate it. I actually ate vegan jellyfish, and I am told by those who eat the real thing that it was pretty dead-on. It tasted great!

I used to be a textured soy junkie, but now I only eat it a couple of times a week for health reasons. Too much is bad, a moderate amount is good for you. I get it.

Anyway, don't take everything I say too seriously. I mean well, have a good heart, but I can be a real jackass if I think something is funny. And I'm okay with that. ;)

Hmmm. Textured soy imitation Jackass...Tomule? Todonky? I'll work on it.

-Walt