I get this question all the time,
“Why did you become a vegetarian?” The
answer is actually pretty simple. I have
never enjoyed the texture of meat (chicken, turkey, tuna, pork, you name it!). I have a distinct memory as a kid of chewing
the meat (so it looked like I was eating it) and then spitting it out in my
napkin. Our dogs weren’t allowed in the
house, otherwise I would have been feeding the evidence to the dog! I always tried and attempted to eat meat, but
the moment there was a hint of gristle or the chewing was taking too much
effort, I was done. When I got to
college and entered into the field of Nutrition I realized I didn’t have to eat
meat to get all the vitamins and minerals that meat provides, I knew I could
get them from alternate sources. And so
began my slow transition to becoming a vegetarian. It took a few years because let’s face it
food is a part of social interactions.
Many bbqs took place where I would cave in and just have a hamburger
because everyone else was. Or maybe
Chick-fil-A’s chicken nuggets were being served at an event and that was one
way I didn’t mind chicken. But then in
2005 that’s when everything changed.
We had just returned from my
brother’s wedding in St. John’s. My dad
hadn’t been feeling well most of the trip so he went in for a check-up. The next thing I know he’s at the cath lab
getting a couple of stents placed. I
was in shock and disbelief! I knew that
we had heart disease in the family, but I also knew that we ate healthy
overall. It was in that moment I made my
decision. I had been contemplating it
for a while now, this whole going vegetarian thing. Now it made all the more sense. Eliminate the majority of the saturated fat
from my diet so that I could avoid any health implications later in life. Easy.
I had the nutrition background to know what foods to eat and in what
portions to get the vitamins/minerals that I’d need. Let the science experiment begin!
Cooking for myself was easy. Granted I had to learn how to cook tofu so
that it had flavor, but overall preparing my meals had been easy in this whole
transitioning over to being a vegetarian.
The hard part? Eating out or
going to functions where meat would be served.
Over the last few years I’d say that restaurants have gotten better in
their menu selections, but back in 2005 the variety was quite limited. Basically you’d get vegetables with a grain
and that was it. Salad was always an
option if you were still hungry. They
just weren’t getting it – I needed protein!
I started carrying (and still do) nuts wherever I go. The dietitian in me needs the balance of
carbohydrates, protein, and fat, otherwise I know I’ll be craving/hungry for
food within an hour. It’s just the way
the body processes food. Call it my
security/back-up plan, I know I’ll always have protein with me.
Just in the last couple of years
I’ve actually started to include seafood.
So I am now technically called a pescatarian.
While I don’t include seafood often, this way I have a back-up plan at places/functions that
might serve seafood. It’s still not my
favorite and I’m quite picky when it comes to what I will actually eat. My mom made a salmon recipe a couple months
back that was so good that everyone that thinks they don’t like salmon needs to
try this recipe (it was THAT good). However,
I still travel with my handy portion-sized nuts, just in case. It’s almost been 10 years since I’ve been a
vegetarian (pescatarian). I think that
for anyone that cooks it’s important to find new recipes so that you don’t
continue to do repeats and end up being bored with food. It’s the same with being a vegetarian, you
have to keep coming up with new and inventive ways to work with beans, tofu, and
other plant proteins. So if you’ve been
thinking about having a meatless meal during the week and weren’t sure where to
start, I have a few recipes to get you going.
I started out with the chickpea when I was first starting to do more
bean recipes. It’s a mild flavored bean
and it pairs well with a lot of other flavors.
(If you’re wondering which bean packs the most nutrition in a ½ cup,
just remember in everything, variety is the spice of life.) Chickpeas are nutrient dense and in only a ½ cup
there are 5 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber, and just 2 grams of fat. The following are a few recipes that might
help you get started.
Linguine with Zucchini and Chickpeas – I’ve shown this
recipe before, but it’s so simple and delish, I have to share it again. I stumbled across it on Real Simple’s website
a few years back. It’s great for a
weeknight when I’m not sure what to eat and there’s an extra zucchini in my
fridge. Simple and nutritious.
“Chickpea” Tuna – I did this recipe with kids once where I
made actual tuna and then I made this chickpea version. The kids surprisingly enough liked the
chickpea version. They made sure to let
me know it tasted nothing like tuna, but regardless they liked it. I used to make tuna this same way, where I’d
mix in the craisins along with the celery, so maybe it just reminds me of back
in the day when I did eat tuna. Pair it
with a hearty bread and it makes a great sandwich for lunch.
Sweet Potato and ChickPea Cakes – These are hands down
delicious. Maybe it’s the avocado salsa
that really makes the flavors pop, but no one would know that there are beans
in this recipe. Don’t be scared to add
the jalapeno in either!
As I said before a lot of people
think their meal isn’t complete unless there’s meat on the plate. I get that. But what I try and do is teach my patients that in
anything it’s about portion control. If
you include meat for your protein source I’m fine with that. Watch your portion sizes, make sure to
include a healthy complex carbohydrate at your meal and of course, don't forget your veggies. Balance, moderation, and variety are key in
any meal planning.
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