Going Vegetarian when you Love Meat

So, what do you eat?

This is probably the question I get the most. But, it’s not because I lost a bunch of weight. It’s because I decided to become a vegetarian.

OK, so my typical daily meal planning used to be something like this:

• Breakfast: 3 bowls of sugar-sweetened cereal with 2% milk (if it wasn’t pre-sweetened, I would add a couple of teaspoons to taste)
• Lunch: a sandwich with cheese and chips, followed by a cookie/brownie or ice cream
• Snack: Tortilla chips with cheese and salsa
• Dinner: Whole frozen pizza, followed by a box of candy
• Snack: Popcorn and peanuts

It took a while for me to improve my eating habits in order to drop 100 pounds. However, how I eat today is much different from how I ate over 15 years ago.

This year, I took on a new challenge. I decided to become vegetarian.

If that doesn’t sound like a big deal, I have a fun story for you. When my sister married, we would constantly tease her husband with the word “Boca”. Whenever we would have a family BBQ, he would have to bring his own Boca burgers. Either that, or get some mileage out of potato salad and deviled eggs. Poor guy.

My family also does not get much more adventurous with veggies than peas, carrots and corn. And, those were usually flavored minimally. The healthy, tasteless things came from a can and were something to choke down upon threat of “no dessert”.

I grew up as a cheesehead from Wisconsin on a budget. That means, we often ate hamburger and pork chops, and frequently from a box.

Here’s another fun, little tidbit about me. I am the pickiest vegetarian you will ever find!

Here are 3 things that I do NOT like to eat:

• Raw veggies

• Pasta

• Tofu

Although I started my new eating adventure back in February, I have yet to decide whether I will continue this for the rest of my life.

For one thing, not many restaurants accommodate my picky needs. I mean, there is nothing sexy about raw veggies on bread or a wimpy salad with a few nuts. Thanks, but no thanks.

For another thing, my husband and children still eat and love meat. Heck, I love meat, too! The smell of bacon has my glands salivating as much as a daily bacon-eater. Certain times of the month have me hankering for a big, juicy steak. And, pork carnitas are the best Mexican food EVER.

Not everyone chooses to change their diet because they dislike the taste of certain foods. Sometimes, it is due to an allergy, ethical reasons, or simply to try new cuisine that they never dreamed of.

In any case, you are sure to have fun cooking it up in the kitchen! Which is a lifelong skill that will help you maintain your goals for the long haul (sorry to break it to you, Hello Fresh).

Luckily, I am used to eating common meat-less foods that keep my tummy full and satisfied.

Here are 3 things I eat A LOT of:

• Eggs

• Grains

• Beans

There are two lessons to be learned from my quest to find veggies.

Don’t be afraid to go outside your comfort zone. As a child, I never would have thought to give up meat. At the very most, I might have tried a junk-food diet consisting of buttered noodles, grilled cheese and potato chips. I am still experimenting with recipes and techniques I can use to maintain this diet. Goldarn it, I am still trying.

If you are exploring the brave new world of vegetarian food, check out this amazing weekly meal plan of recipes I have tested and enjoyed in my own kitchen along this journey. Not vegetarian? Check out other meal plans that suit your unique dietary needs!

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Be sure that your new diet fits with your long-term goals. The reason I went plant-based is to live a longer life.

Yep, vegetarians live 3 years longer than meat-eaters. It sure beats trying to pay through the nose for grass-fed, organic meat. I also am loving the fact that dinner can be ready in about half the time when you don’t have to prepare flesh!

This is your life, and you get to choose how to live it. It doesn’t matter what they say is the latest super food that burns fat and heightens health.

What matters is that you are committed to your long-term health through finding new ways to fill your plate with flavor.

What is your favorite vegetarian dish? Please share a recipe or idea!