"In order to change we must be sick and tired of being sick and tired." Fannie Lou Hamer
I just holiday-gathered with the last segment of family to exchange gifts, catch up with each others lives, and dine. The family member who was hosting and knows of my vegetarian lifestyle emailed to ask, "What do vegetarians eat?" At first I thought that this was an obvious bit of information that everyone should know. But then...
Before I started on my own dietary journey I imagined vegetarians as eating nothing but cold salads day after day. Not very appealing. But after years of thrashing around cookbooks and websites and in my own kitchen, I've come up with a much wider understanding of vegetarian food. I emailed the hostess with the list of what I eat and said I'd be bringing two salads to share.
I brought the Sweet Potato and Black Bean Salad (Nov 30) and the Red Cabbage and Cranberry Salad (Dec 29). I enjoyed the asparagus and mashed potatoes that were served along with some delicious wine. This was a chance to share and also let people know that I don't sit home nibbling carrot sticks and longing for the days of buffalo wings. OK. There are some days of longing. I did enjoy one afternoon of Christmas cookie orgy. My family makes the best cookies!
And then there's the other part of what I consider healthy eating. I avoid most things made with wheat, sugar, or processed foods in general, except for the yearly cookie fest. This isn't necessarily what others see as necessary in a vegetarian lifestyle. I recently found a vegan cookbook that looked promising. While paging through it, however, I found that most of the recipes were full of oils and sugars and faux foods. Those are foods created to look like "normal" foods but are really made out of product described in polysyllabic words. I have a problem with that.
Bottom line? I think that bottom lines need to remain an individual thing. I once tried being perfect and it was a real drag. So this year I'm going to strive for pretty good. I'm also going to strive to fill my days with more smiles and less anxiety. May your 2012 be pretty good, too.
Loveya
The Mom
I was a vegetarian for over 10 years 16 years ago (does that make sense?). Anything at the inlaws was tiresome. She thought vegetarian meant pork and beans (pick the pork out). LOL. So I'd get to eat bread and cookies because they put meat into EVERYTHING! Yes, even potatoes (bacon). I'd bring my own or volunteered to work those days. Funny how people are. Sorta' like the bloodtype diet I was reading about. I am A and they recommend vegetarian but on the list is fish. Anyway I learned that the vegetarian diet was very versatile and more than salad and tofu. I am trying to go back to it hence coming to your blog :). I am out of practice. Picked up a VT mag. yesterday and plan to try a couple of the recipes :D.
ReplyDeleteChristine - So proud of your efforts! And that's what this whole thing is about - constant effort. Yes, it's also amazing to me the amount of misinformation about vegetarian, sometimes spread by "vegetarians" themselves who say that they're vegetarians but eat fish and chicken. That always cracks me up.
DeleteI will continue to provide recipes that give a nod to nutritious and are easy. I am so into easy, making things in large batches that can be frozen in small batches, and not taking life or myself too seriously.
Please feel free to share any gems that you might find!
Thanks for your comment.
Loveya
The Mom