Comfort Food

So it's been 50 days since I've eaten any meat. I'm feeling a little blah the last couple of days and have been wanting some comfort food. I realized today that other than mashed potatoes and mac 'n cheese and ice cream, most of my so-called comfort food in the past has been meat...a big juicy cheeseburger, a grilled steak, or a roasted chicken (usually grab 'n go from the grocery store). And to make matters worse...I don't feel like cooking.

Today, as I headed to Whole Foods, I found myself thinking about roasted chicken (arg!)...and I have, over the last couple of weeks, been thinking about the foods that I would possibly never eat again if I choose to stay on my current path. And it makes me sad. And I think this is where I need to revisit my reasons for choosing this path. I don't want to just give up because...I'll miss the occasional roasted chicken. I know that I can sometimes lose sight of my vision and I don't want to do that here. I know that I can get lazy with my eating habits and I don't want to do that either. So I'm glad that I have this awareness right now so that I don't abandon myself in this journey. Instead...tonight I am making myself marinated and grilled portobello mushroom on a bed of mixed greens and garlic & scallion smashed redskin potatoes. Cheers!

Protecting Intentions

Chopra Center 21-Day Meditation Challenge - Day 12 Video (Tree of Intention)

At the end of December, we usually set our intentions for the coming year. One of my intentions for 2011 was to start a meditation practice. Another was to make a solid attempt at being a vegetarian. And yet another was to do my very best to live within my integrity by using the quote by the Dalai Lama, "Be the change you wish to see in the world" as my motto.

After listening to/watching today's meditation (link above), I feel my intentions slipping ever so slightly and am grateful to have this awareness so that I can protect these important intentions which I have set for myself. I believe this pattern of letting go of intentions happens because when I set an intention, I'm super excited about it and everything is new and fun and then, after a few weeks or months, I lose interest once the excitement wears off. You can see evidence of this with my blog posts. I also realize that this is generally what happens to most people when they set their New Year's Resolutions every year.

In an effort to help keep the excitement going I am going to be more intentional with my meditations and with how I am in the world. With regard to my attempt at being a vegetarian, it's not so much that I'm having a desire for meat or dairy (I'm not), it's more about my getting lazy with preparing meals and not always ensuring that I am getting all the nutrients I need. Therefore, I'm going to do my best to seek out new vegetarian recipes and continue to try new foods so that I can be certain that I'm a healthy vegetarian.

The Politics of Food

Image courtesy of Treehugger.com

Last week, I was horrified to learn that the USDA removed all regulations and restrictions on Monsanto's Genetically-Engineered (GE) alfalfa (USDA Newsroom Transcript). Yesterday, I read some disturbing information about Whole Foods and other known organic food companies that said that they were giving in to Monsanto (OCA Article). Last night, I read the Non-GMO (Genetically-Modified Organism) Project's response to that article which put Whole Foods (et al) in a much more favorable light (Non-GMO Project Article). So now, I am absorbing all that information.

Today, the USDA unveiled the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and much to my pleasant surprise...they favor vegetarian and vegan diets! Wow! This feels like this is such a huge step...although I'm still not at all happy with the USDA for their doings last week. Also today, I came across a petition to let President Obama know that I'm not happy with the USDA's decision last week to deregulate Monsanto's GE alfalfa (Organic Trade Association Public Policy link).

So, I've been watching a lot of documentaries lately about the food industry and the benefits of eating a plant-based diet. I've learned that the meat and dairy industries are supported by the USDA, the USDA has even sponsored some commercials for them. In the latest news out of the USDA office about the Dietary Guidelines, I am happy that they are encouraging people to eat more fruits, grains, veggies, and legumes but they could do better still, they don't happen to suggest to Americans that they could benefit greatly by eating less meat and dairy. Baby steps, I guess. Eventually I hope they will address this but for now I will be happy they've come this far. I look forward to the first legume commercial! "Beans Beans they're good for your heart...the more you eat, the more you...." oops, maybe not.

Documentaries I've watched so far...
Food, Inc.
Forks Over Knives
The Future of Food (watch for free on Hulu.com)
Chow Down (watch for free on Hulu.com)
Super Size Me (watch for free on Hulu.com)

Leading by Example

Sometimes those bigger tasks like achieving world peace and saving the environment seem so impossible that we tend to throw our hands up in the air and say "what's the use!" But I think one important thing to keep in mind is that in order to achieve anything, including these enormous tasks, you only need to take one small step and if we keep taking those steps, we can achieve anything.

So, why am I saying this in my blog about becoming vegetarian? Well, part of my reason for becoming a vegetarian is to not only heal my body but to also heal the planet. And when I say I want to heal the planet, what I want is not only to improve the environment but also I want world peace. Well obviously we all do, and obviously, I cannot do that by myself and so all these years I've just thrown my hands in the air and said "what's the use!" But now, I have finally decided to do my part and to, as Gandhi said, be the change that I wish to see in the world, and my hope is that my actions motivate someone else and so on and so on. Let's all be the change...peace.

Comfort Food

The documentaries, Forks Over Knives and Food Inc., and the book, The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone, have each made a significant impact on my thoughts about food over the past year. Having earned by associates degree in nutrition in 2004, I was already aware that the foods we eat impacted us more than most people really understood, or were willing to understand or to change...myself included. I have a tendency, as most probably do, to like to be comfortable and eating how we've always eaten is comfortable. Unfortunately, eating what is comfortable and turning a blind eye to the truth about how these foods truly impact our heath in the long term, is not the best way that we can care for ourselves. So my hope is that by making healthier choices now, I can live a fuller, healthier, and more energetic life. And if I can encourage one person to change their thoughts about the foods they eat, I'll be thrilled.

Taste Buds' Happy Dance

cooked wheat berries

It has now been a full week since I ate a bite of meat...but more importantly, it has been a full week of opening my taste buds to a whole new world. 

It's been fun (more than usual) talking on the phone with my mom over this past week. Most new foods that I mentioned to her, I could just see her face get all scrunched up while she said "eww, I wouldn't like that." Suddenly, I felt like the grown-up and she was my stubborn (but lovable) child, unwilling to try anything new. So it's no wonder why I never known very many fabulous foods. Well, finally me and my taste buds are going to explore this big wonderful world of whole grains, vegetables, and beans! Yippee!! 

Don't get me wrong...I've been pretty open about trying new things throughout my adult life but now I'm really looking to expand my options...into much more healthy options. This week I stopped at Whole Foods' bulk foods section and bought some wheat berries and red quinoa. For the record, I spent 56 cents on a scoop of wheat berries and ate them with three meals, including for breakfast this morning...that's pretty darn economical, I could not do that with a piece of meat. And wheat berries are not only delicious and versatile, they have a higher nutritional content than any meat does, they even have protein. So, maybe eating vegetarian (or vegan) won't actually cost me more money after all. 

I also bought myself two whole beets, including their greens, they cost $2.99 and I ate them with two meals, one I sauteed the greens with onions and the other I roasted the beets and ate them in a delicious herb salad with bleu cheese crumbles (I'm taking baby steps with my cheeses) and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and balsamic vinegar. For last night's dinner, I cut up a yam and roasted it with some red onions, I also had spinach and wheat berries. My meal combinations need a little bit of work but the food is still delicious and my taste buds are on cloud nine.

Cow Love

This picture I found online and I now have it as my background on my laptop. I love this picture, the emotion and connection it shows between this mother and her baby. The tags on the ears make me sad. They make me realize that these two loving creatures are possibly not with us anymore. I love animals and I don't want to kill them...directly or indirectly.

Earlier in the week while reading The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone I reached the part about Nasty Food (i.e. meat, dairy, white sugar & processed foods). I really didn't know it would have the impact that it had on me. Well the first two (meat & dairy) anyway. It was right there that I totally lost the desire to ever eat another hamburger, steak, veal chop, ice cream, or drink another glass of milk. I'll skip the gory details, you can read the book if want them. And I highly recommend doing so if are an animal lover and/or you've *ever* even been on the fence about giving up meat.