How long has this thing been around, anyway? My first post? Maybe. I'm not sure.
But I'm Teresa, Amy. And I mainly eat vegetarian.
When we came back to Saudi this year, Peter has just read the Born to Run book, and wanted to eat more like that. Beans, beans, and beans. So I was willing to give it my best. It has now been three months and I bought chicken to cook for my family for the first time since then - yesterday.
Being a vegetarian is very tricky living in the middle east. The produce is about as scary as eating meat; I have no idea what pesticides are used. There aren't regulations. But I do my best.
When I say we eat mainly vegetarian, it means that twice a month or so we eat meat at home. I'm not strict with the kids, and when we travel we eat what we can get. But it's been weird to see how I really don't like the taste of meat anymore. Really. In France I bought a LOT of pork products, because we can't get them here and my family loves them. I ate hardly any. I'll cook it, but a bite or two and I'm out. Even bacon, which I dream of, just doesn't taste like it used to to me.
I bought chicken because my family's favorite meal is a chinese chicken meal, PonPon chicken. I figured they've been SO good about going along with this that they deserve a break. I actually made mine with tofu, which I use quite often. (when I can find it! I bought all they had last time it was in.)
We eat a lot of lentils, beans, veggies, etc. I found a great (vegan actually) replacement product for ground pork. It's all they had here. (and it's gone now - and I used my last box, sad) But I put that in lasagne sometimes. Or I make stuffed shells with a really chunky veggie sauce of zuchinni, cauliflower, onions, carrots tomatoes. The kids haven't hardly said a word. At first they did though. But we explained more about our feelings of the word of wisom, and then the effects of huge animal farms on the environment, etc. They understood, and we move on.
Now I'll be honest. I have NO IDEA how you do vegan though. Cheese and dairy are my go to. A big reason for this is due to nut allergies, we can't get protien from there because of Simon. I guess I could try it, but I don't think I could feed my family that way yet.
Anyway. Good for you. I understand not telling anyone. I haven't told anyone. No one. It's a personal choice. And when we're with others, or there is nothing else to eat, we eat as little meat as we can. I don't want this to be a burden on others, because of a choice we made. One time we had the missionaries to dinner is Orem, ONCE, because you just can't get them there. I tell my kids you have to try everything, because you have to eat what you're served on your mission. Well, this one missionary sits down to a giant pan of lasagne. Homemade, like 20 pounds. Beef, pork and cheese. He looks at me and says, "I don't eat red meat." I could have strangled him. Really. First of all, you should have told us in advance. Put it on the calendar they pass around or something. Second, when someone offers something - you eat it. Third, nice way to be a crappy example to my kids! He asked if I had any chicken or anything. Allergies are one thing. Outright preference is another.
So we are flexible vegetarians. There, that's a good way to sum up how we live. We had turkey on Thanksgiving, the only meat since France. Who knows which way we will go from here. It's hard to eat healthy with such few options here. The only whole wheat pasta I can get is rigatoni. So for lasagne I make a layered bake. I make indian dahl with brown rice, and we all love it. Canned beans are our friends - I need to learn how to cook more with beans.
Anyway. Best of luck to you. Peter has lost nearly 20 pounds since this adventure, and I've lost 14. Not just eating this way, but making an effort to make better choices and live a healthier life all the way around. Good luck!
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