Now a week later after some actual thought, I must say I'm not a vegetarian. I think it would be offensive to my actual non-marshmallow eating vegetarian friends to claim to be one. Having said that, vegetarianism/pesceterianism has been on my mind for a while. Here are some reasons why I've been thinking about it:
- I'm not a huge meat fan anyway. After watching Vegucated, I realised that it had already been five days since I'd last had meat. It's not very often that I crave me some steak. When I was pregnant, there were times when I was desperate for a hamburger. Not really now. What I do love (and Mike too) are really fresh, simple dishes. Living in Glasgow I love ethnic food more and more. My food cravings are for simple pasta and roasted vegetables -- yum.
- Aside from animal welfare concerns, I think it is incredibly difficult to know the conditions your meat has been raised in and processed. I know it's not as simple "Old MacDonald had a farm" and then he individually sold his cows to a butcher. I'm not going to dwell on it here (as I'm not trying to convert anyone to give up meat), but it is worth educating yourself about how your meat gets on your grocery store shelf.
- Meat can be expensive. Chicken breast is incredibly expensive in the UK. We hardly ever have it for that reason.
- Even though I remember having to colour in the food pyramid in elementary school, I don't think that meat is necessary to a healthy, balanced diet. From what I understand it's only been in relatively recent history that meat has become such a large part of the Western diet. It used to be a treat for a special occasion.
So, I'm not going to completely give up meat. Yay! I'm sure both sets of Grandparents are relieved and thinking "Great! We were wondering what on earth to feed her..." Having said that, we are making a conscious effort to cut back our meat. As great as Quorn is, there are some things you can't replicate -- like good slow-cooked pork. But, we do want it to be a special treat, something to be savoured and thankful for, not just expected.
Since we do love to cook in the Green family, and I think we eat pretty darn well, I'm going to share some of our favourite recipes with you. I'm awful at photographing food, so just follow the links.
Last night we had Aubergine (Eggplant) Parmigiana. It was amazing. Wobbles gobbled hers up without stopping, and the twinnies screamed for more. It was easy to make, and since aubergines were on sale this week, the whole meal cost less that £2 total. You can't even buy a pack of chicken for that!
Photo from kitchennostalgia.com
Even better was the bread I made (from scratch - go me!). Mammers and DJ, you know that awesome Macaroni Grill bread? Well, I can make it now for pennies. I'll make you some this summer. Thumper loved the bread. She nearly ate a whole loaf herself and kept wandering into the dining room all evening trying to sneak some. I just wish I would have thought to have some olive oil and vinegar with it. Next time...which will be soon.
"Dear Mum, I want more bread...now! Love Thumper"
Bread recipe here: Macaroni Grill Rosemary Bread
No comments:
Post a Comment