I quit eating meat, cold turkey

This is a long post, and I used my phone to shoot the pictures, so please bear with me...

I'll be honest, if you asked me two months ago whether I thought I would become a vegetarian, I would have replied: heck no. I'm definitely not a health nut--I love Buffalo Wild Wings and the occasional Taco Bell taco. I never shopped at Whole Foods because of their high prices, and I played into the "I don't even want to know" mantra when addressing meat processing plants.

Things have obviously changed.

Background

For the past two days, I've debated how to approach this post. Originally, I wanted to share some of the information I learned after reading Skinny Bitch; however, I was worried it would sound too preachy.

Last Saturday, I stopped eating meat, cold turkey. There was no "last supper" nor a last hamburger to savor (which was the original plan). I decided enough, was enough.

In the past week, my roommate introduced me to vegetables I didn't even know existed. She also suggested techniques to make sure that I get a variety of nutrients into my diet.

How it started

It began with a trip to Whole Foods. Before, I could never justify spending the extra money on organics. However, after the research I did, I feel that it is worth the extra money to buy healthier produce.

Unlike my usual trips to the grocery store, I picked up a cart of organic veggies and a few new staples. 

Some examples:

• agave nectar (a natural sweetener, used instead of sugar)
• soy yogurt
• vanilla rice milk
• vegan sour cream

Before this began, I was experiencing a lot of stomach problems that I attributed to dairy and anxiety. Therefore, along with cutting meat out of my diet, I've significantly reduced the amount of dairy I'm consuming. It has made a HUGE difference.

The Challenges

Realizing that I don't need meat to feel full. In fact, when I eat lighter meals, I feel better mentally and physically. There is no "food baby" (aka bloating) or guilt.

Becoming vegetarian is like learning a new language. I'm incorporating an entirely new set of ingredients into my diet--many which I've never cooked with before. It is very overwhelming, but I'm trying to take each day at a time.

Limiting carbs--people warned me not to simply replace meat with carbs. I'm trying to limit my carb intake to one meal, whether that's cereal for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, or pasta for dinner. I replace the rest of my meals with salads, soups, vegetables and fruits.

The Changes

Overall, I've noticed positive changes. Knowing that I'm putting healthy, natural foods into my body makes me feel good. My stomach aches are much less frequent and I no longer have that horrible feeling I used to get after eating fried or unhealthy food.

I feel less tired, but I'm not getting more sleep (trust me.) I'm trying to cut down on the amount of sugar/caffeine that I'm drinking and I believe it's helping.

Empowerment. I finally feel as if I have control over what I am putting into my body.

Now that week 1 is over, here is a recap of 3 Vegetarian recipes to try:


Eggplant sandwich with kale chips (pictured above)

Ingredients:

• eggplant
• goat cheese
• lettuce
• roasted red peppers
• ciabatta bread

Directions:

1. Cut eggplant into slices, drizzle with olive oil, and place in oven
2. Toast ciabatta--spread one half with pesto, the other with goat cheese
3. Layer on the goodies and you're done!

For the kale chips, tear the kale into smaller pieces and place on cooking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and salt, and place in oven. Cook until crispy.

Natural banana "ice cream"

This is by far the best (and most healthy) dessert I've ever made. It's super easy as well.

Directions:

1. Un peel two bananas and cut them in half. Place them in a Tupperware container and freeze overnight.
2. Place them in a food processor (or blender) with a small amount of vanilla rice milk.
3. Blend until you reach the texture of ice cream.

I guarantee that it will taste exactly like banana ice cream. However, it's all natural (and delicious!)

Vegan nachos and home-made guacamole

• Ingredients (guacamole):
• 2 ripe avocados
• 1/2 red onion
• 1 fresh lime
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 ripe tomato
• 1/2 teaspoon chopping fresh cilantro 

Directions:

1. Cut the avocado in half and peel. Be sure to keep the cores.
2. Put avocado in bowl and mash.
3. Add the remaining ingredients (except the tomatoes) and mix together.
4. Place the cores back in the mixture and refrigerate for 1 hour.
5. Add tomatoes before serving.

Nachos:

I used whole grain, organic chips from Whole Foods and topped them with beans, salsa, rice, corn, tomatoes, home-made guacamole and vegan sour cream (Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream).