FYI, you are wrong.
Recently Sonja and I changed our diet.
No, not because we were fat (although admittedly we each had a few pounds to lose). We simply wanted to eat better food. We watched a few food documentaries on Netflix (Forks Over Knives, Food, Inc., Farmageddon, Food Matters). OK, we may have gotten carried away with the documentaries, but they really changed the way we view food. We now view food as what fuels our body instead of a wonderful hobby we couldn't get enough of. So we examined what we were eating and decided to make a few changes.
The first change we made was to cut out as much processed food as possible. We decreased our dairy consumption (the whole idea of drinking cow's milk is kind of weird if you think about it), switched to whole grain breads and pastas, and made it a point to go for organically grown products. Oh, we also started a garden! And that was a lot of fun. When you see your food from the seed to your mouth, you just feel great.
After changing our diet, we felt better about what we were eating. We felt healthier. And more importantly for a lot of people, our grocery bill didn't go up! We were eating better food for the same price as bad food. Healthier without emptying your wallet? That's a pretty sweet deal. And one that you can do too (you know, if you want- If not, that's cool too)!
After 6 months or so, we decided to make another change: go to a plant-based diet, consuming less meat and eating more protein rich vegetables, beans, and the like. Before you shrug this off as another "hippie pushing an agenda," let me assure you that it is totally fine to eat meat. Our decision to cut back on meat has nothing to do with overpopulated chicken coops or grain fed cattle. In fact, we still eat meat sometimes. We simply eat it in moderation.
I know a lot of people who hear about the way we eat and respond with "I could never do that! I love meat WAY too much!" Let me tell you, I was one of those people. When I was a bachelor, and for the first month or so of marriage, I ate steak EVERY Monday night. It was my way of rewarding myself (sometimes you have to treat yourself to a nice dinner, right?).
When Sonja approached me with the idea of switching to plant-based, I was skeptical and unsupportive. But, like any good husband, I was willing to appease my wife for a month or so and then when things didn't turn out well, we would go back to the way we had been eating for our entire lives. But when we switched to plant-based, I felt healthier (more energetic, weight loss, better mood) and our grocery bill WENT DOWN! Not only that, but the food we were eating tasted GOOD. I was just as surprised as you. So, for a while now, Sonja and I have gradually decreased our meat consumption to the point where we are discussing going completely vegetarian (Who am I?).
So, if you're wanting to try out a vegetarian meal every once in a while, I'll be posting a food recap every Friday/Saturday with a few things we ate throughout the week. I'll do my best to include pictures and links to recipes, but if I eat my food before I snap a picture, don't judge me. Here's our first menu:
Sausage, Potato, and Kale Soup
Here's the Recipe: Sausage, Potato, and Kale Soup
But wait! There's meat in that recipe! Yes there is. Remember, we are eating plant-based right now, not vegetarian. So, we bought a pound of Italian sausage (the recipe calls for 1.5 lb.) and made this soup. Why? Because Kale is SO good for you. Seriously, read up on Kale and it's benefits. You'll be impressed. Obviously, we cut down the meat portion of the recipe and also subbed out the whole milk/cream/half&half for a simple milk and flour mixture. It was delicious and makes great lunches throughout the weak. Soups are our Monday night tradition now. And the Bachelor (see previous post).
Cabbage & Broccoli Pasta
I have no recipe for this because I kind of made it up. Here's what I did: steam cabbage, broccoli, and a half onion in vegetable broth along with some minced garlic cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper (hint: the longer you cook cabbage, the less cabbagey it tastes so if you aren't a cabbage person, steam is for 5 minutes before you add in the broccoli and onion). Cook your whole grain pasta to the box instructions (a little less than a cup per person). When the broccoli gets tender, add in some shaved carrots and some tomatoes along with your pasta sauce of choice (I used Classico's Vodka Sauce), turning the heat to simmer. When your pasta is done, add it into the pan as well and add some cheese if you're feeling adventurous (we weren't). Serve it with a nice Zinfandel and enjoy this delicious vegetarian meal while watching and episode of New Girl.
I hope this post encourages you to try a veggie meal every once in a while. And I hope you still want to be friends with us. If you want to try a veggie meal, but don't want to be seen in the produce section of Walmart, you are welcome at our home anytime!
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