Karen writes: Vegetarian part 2
I wrote some time ago, nearly 3 months ago in fact, that the 9yo had decided to become vegetarian. We negotiated that she would continue to have eggs, fish and dairy, and that 2 meals a week would be meat, particularly given she still doesn't voluntarily consume much in the way of such essential non-meat eater foods as vegetables, cheese, and most fruits. She is still working hard at this and being very patient with being thrown a vege-burger out of a box because I have forgotten and cooked meat for the whanau for a 3rd time in the 7 day period. I have to say I am proud of her continued commitment to her belief that eating animals "isn't fair".
C's stance has subtly, but painlessly changed how we eat in our house, and meat has become if not a rarity, much less common. I actually think now that we would be unlikely to go back to daily meat, for one thing I don't think it could fit in our budget any more, but also we don't seem to have missed it. The only real issue is that I didn't grow up with such vegetarian staples as lentils, pulses etc, so they aren't what I reach for when I want to cook a routine meal, I now wish I had more knowledge (and the time) to explore more imaginative ways of preparing meatless meals and perhaps after things settle a bit after IM this might actually happen. At the moment for our protein supplies we are heavy on the eggs, cheese, baked beans, fish, and in a fit of mutual delusion the daughter and myself declared bacon to be a vegetable (so we can continue to make bacon and egg pie of course), I'm sure we will continue to do better.
I have recently found a blog about a woman who did her first Ironman in 2010, and apart from saying that she enjoyed the experience which I was absolutely delighted to see and haven't seen expressed by anyone else, she is a vegetarian and writes posts on an excellent site called 'no meat athlete' encouraging and inspiring vegetarian or want-to-be vegetarian athletes. It was good for me to read, this topic isn't going away for me I suspect and I might have to experiment after IM with the more plant-based lifestyle, of course supplemented by such vegetable delights as bacon flower, and the occasional steak leaf.
C's stance has subtly, but painlessly changed how we eat in our house, and meat has become if not a rarity, much less common. I actually think now that we would be unlikely to go back to daily meat, for one thing I don't think it could fit in our budget any more, but also we don't seem to have missed it. The only real issue is that I didn't grow up with such vegetarian staples as lentils, pulses etc, so they aren't what I reach for when I want to cook a routine meal, I now wish I had more knowledge (and the time) to explore more imaginative ways of preparing meatless meals and perhaps after things settle a bit after IM this might actually happen. At the moment for our protein supplies we are heavy on the eggs, cheese, baked beans, fish, and in a fit of mutual delusion the daughter and myself declared bacon to be a vegetable (so we can continue to make bacon and egg pie of course), I'm sure we will continue to do better.
I have recently found a blog about a woman who did her first Ironman in 2010, and apart from saying that she enjoyed the experience which I was absolutely delighted to see and haven't seen expressed by anyone else, she is a vegetarian and writes posts on an excellent site called 'no meat athlete' encouraging and inspiring vegetarian or want-to-be vegetarian athletes. It was good for me to read, this topic isn't going away for me I suspect and I might have to experiment after IM with the more plant-based lifestyle, of course supplemented by such vegetable delights as bacon flower, and the occasional steak leaf.
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