I'm not gonna lie, after 36 years of eating meat with nearly every meal...it was very difficult to admit to friends that I had decided to become a vegetarian. I feared the looks...the rolling of the eyes...the "I'll give it a week" comments from people who always knew me to be a meat eater. And because I still ate fish on rare occations, I felt like calling myself a "vegetarian" was misleading. Let me just say from the get go that I don't judge anyone for eating meat or dairy. I myself, however, have from time to time felt judged for chosing to change my eating habits...which I find interesting. I wanna just ask, "Why? Why am I weird just because my meal does not contain an animal?" Admittedly, letting it roll off me can at times be difficult.
I had tried several times before to kick the meat habit. I even gave it up for lent once with the intention to just keep going. But I talked myself into believing that I was craving meat so badly that at the end of 40 days, I was all too happy to devour a plate of chicken wings. Along the way, I've had several vegetarian/vegan friends and there was always something I secretly admired in them. The decipline to obstain from a juicy steak was boggling to me. It didn't occure to me then that once you haven't had the taste of meat long enough, you don't even crave it at all. I just thought they must ache for it...like the forbidden food when you're on a diet. I didn't see it then as a lifestyle, not a fad.
Every vegetarian/vegan has their own reasons for not eating meat. Mine is purely for health reasons. Truth is, I love the taste of meat as I remember it. Love cheese. And don't even get me started on heavy cream...geesh. But last year, my husband and I made a decision that a change needed to be made. We were both over weight, sluggish, feeling quite unsexy in our bodies. Coming home from a 4 year stint living in Europe, we had been fortunate enough to sample some of the worlds best meats, cheeses, and wine....maybe too much. We were a bit gluttonous. I knew something drastic had to be done and being the one who cooks the meals around here...the responsibility fell on me. So I educated myself, read books, watched documentaries. After reading countless articles about the factory farming industery, the steroidal use, the antibiotics, and the abuse of animals, it was an easy decision for me to cut out meat. So we increased our intake of organic vegetables and experimented with vegetarian/vegan recipes. In the course of this adventure, I have lost roughly 20 pounds. My husband has lost 70 pounds and continues to loose! He's now running triathlons and looks fantastic! More and more we are moving away from dairy products too.
No, vegans don't just eat salads!! There is a whole world of wonderful food out there! So many spices, so many veggies, so many delicious juices and oils! It's been so fun learning how to cook again! Last night, my husband was talking about my cooking and used the term "Real Food"...and in a nutshell, that's exactly what it is! Pure, Delicious, REAL Food! I've found that for me, since cutting out meat, food tastes differant, more vibrant! For 36 years, my taste buds had been deadened by the addition of meat or some meat product in every meal. Just the other day, while eating a deliciously prepared Indian meal from our local Indian take-out...I dipped my nan bread in the sauce of my daughter's lamb curry. The flavor of meat in that one simple dip was so harsh to me, I couldn't bare it. It over powered the entire dish. I had to spit it out. Now, I can usually tell if soups are made with beef or chicken broth because of the strong "meaty" flavor and I can't eat it. I can taste hidden bacon bits from a mile away. I have been meat free for one whole year and I don't see myself going back. I feel fantastic, healthy, non-sluggish, energetic...happy! This blog was created to post recipes, and help support others on their journey to eating healthy! So it's ok if others wanna give me a look like I've got two heads just because my food doesn't consist of an animal. Really...it's cool. Cause, I look and feel good! So THERE! hahaha....
Cute! <3 it!
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