Something Like A Vegetarian

Breakfast Ideas

2014-01-06T16:06:00.001-05:00

I meant to post this a few days ago but life and laziness got the best of me as I was on a 2 week break from work for the holidays.

A few days ago, one of my Facebook friends posted about this free Kindle book on Amazon

So I downloaded it because I could always use new meal ideas, plus it was free...who can resist that?! I took a look at it and there are a few recipes I'm eager to try like Chunky Oatmeal Pancakes, Waffle Iron Hash Browns, Green Quiche, Hot Cashew butter and Apple sandwich, and Breakfast rice just to name a few. There are also tofu recipes which I won't be trying because I don't like tofu but I like that they included a good variety of recipes.

I don't think it's free anymore but the regular price is only $2.99 so that's not bad at all for some quick and easy new options for breakfast. And if you're at all like me, every once in a while we like to do breakfast for dinner nights ;) If you're interested, you can check it out on Amazon.

Couscous Goodness

2014-01-05T23:54:00.001-05:00

The other day when I went to the supermarket I was determined to find something new to prepare. I picked up two different things: a box Thai noodle meal that ended up being 2 months expired (yuck) and a flavoured couscous.

I couldn't remember if I'd had couscous before...I think so...but I know I never cooked it before. So tonight I decided to try the couscous with some lemon pepper fish. Truth be told, I did lemon pepper fish because I've been kind of thinking about lemon pepper wings *sigh*. But I did not give in to those thoughts and drive to my local wing spot. Nope, I didn't! I took my craving out on the fish!

Anywho, I seasoned the fish (tilapia) with the lemon pepper seasoning, black pepper, garlic powder, oregano, and sprinkled chopped scallion and a few dots of butter on top and baked it. The couscous of was very easy to cook and the Roasted Garlic & Olive Oil seasoning was a pretty tasty touch.

I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner tonight. I kind of made it late so I was hungry and didn't prepare a vegetable on the side but I gave myself a pass because I drank a tall glass of freshly juiced fruits and veggies earlier in the day. That counts, right?

I will definitely be buying couscous again. I wouldn't mind trying the other flavours of this brand as well as buying the plain couscous so I can add it to other meals. It's a good substitute for rice or noodle pasta and although it's not protein packed like quinoa, I think I may like it a little better than quinoa.

All Hail the Avocado!

2014-01-05T14:04:00.001-05:00

One of my absolute favourite fruits (yep, it's a fruit) of all time! When I buy enough of them I try to eat one a day or every other day. I love them so much that I planted some of the seeds and now have three avocado trees growing in pots! I just planted them this past summer so no avocados yet..they say it will take a few years before the trees actually bear fruit so I'm looking forward to it!
In case you didn't know, avocados are full of health benefits:

Good for maintaining a healthy heart - great source of B6, folic acid, vitamin E, and monounsaturated fat
Helps control blood pressure due to the potassium
Anti-inflammatory due to flavanoids and other phytonutrient compounds
Good for eye health because it's a great source of carotenoid lutein
Helps regulate blood sugar levels due to the monounsaturated (good) fats
Helps prevent birth defects since they're rich in folate
Reduces the risk of stroke due to high levels of folate
Protect against cancer because oleic acid is effective in preventing breast cancer
Fights free radicals in the body
Natural breath freshener and cleanses the intestines
Helps your body absorb other nutrients
Great for skin and hair due to the oils
Healthy source of calories and good for those who want to gain weight

I love to eat it as guacomole, mash and season it a little and use it as mayonnaise on a veggie burger, or cut it up into chunks and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder and enjoy with other vegetables or in a salad. Some mornings (like today) I ate it in chunks along side two hard boiled eggs. Yum! Feel free to share any other ways you like to enjoy avocados!

Trying to Fit in

2014-01-02T18:28:00.000-05:00

Ahh, the age old dilemma of trying to find a group to belong to. Some sites say there are various types of vegetarians, including those who eat fish, dairy products, and eggs and other sites exclude those who eat fish. In my quest to fit my eating habits in to some type of vegetarian category, I am a bit confused lol!
According to this article on Medicine Online, there are six types of vegetarians listed:

Vegan or strict vegetarian - eats no animal foods of any kind
Ovo-Vegetarian - eats eggs but no dairy or other animal foods
Lacto-Vegetarian - eats dairy foods but no eggs or animal foods
Lacto-Ovo-Vegetarian - eats dairy foods and eggs but no other animal foods
Pesco-Vegetarian - eats dairy foods, eggs, and fish but no other animal foods (that's me!)
Semi-Vegetarian - mostly follows a vegetarian diet but eats meat, poultry, and fish occasionally

While I found that description satisfying since it's convenient for me, others only include semi-vegetarian, lacto-vegetarian, lacto-ovo-vegetarian, and vegan. I guess in my weaker times when I gave into my meat cravings and even when I have thoughts about taking just a small bite of that chicken wing, I would be considered a semi-vegetarian *gasp*.

If you are a vegetarian, or something like it, what kind are you?

Let me Explain...

2014-01-02T11:53:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year everyone! My name is Marsha and I have been a vegetarian (or something like it) for a year and a half now. After loving and eating meat for most of my life, I made the decision to stop eating meat mainly for the health benefits...but I must admit that along the way I have had meat cravings and weak moments. Normal, right? I mean, it can't be that easy for a long time meat-eater to just stop eating meat cold turkey without any hiccups! Actually, not quite cold turkey....I stopped eating beef and pork about six months before I stopped eating chicken and turkey completely. I do still eat fish and some dairy products. Some people may not consider me a true vegetarian in that case but I still claim it :)

So, I decided to start this blog to chronicle my transition and trials and tribulations on the road to being a vegetarian. Now, I LOVE to eat so I will be posting about meals, food products, restaurants, and even the days when I crave a nice saucy piece of chicken but settle for a black bean burger and fruit instead.

Thanks for visiting my blog! Click the link on the right to follow me on this journey!