Friday, March 12, 2010

Ho Hum

12 days in and I have to say this whole meatless thing is a little frustrating. I’m not going to give up because I am not a quitter but I doubt I’ll go beyond March 31st.

Here’s the thing: I love food. I love everything about food and I don’t get that excited feeling about my food when I look at a plate of vegetables. Or pasta. And don’t get me started on the meat substitutes. I’m an adventurous eater so I’ll try just about anything. But it’s difficult when I have two meat-eaters in my house who turn their noses up at anything that didn’t once have parents. I think my daughter ate grilled cheese sandwiches for the past two days because she didn't want the delicious pasta salad (penne, asparagus, sun dried tomatoes, garlic and olive oil) I made. My son ordered pizza the other night and he graciously ordered half of it with green peppers and olives for his Mama. I searched the net for about two hours this morning trying to find a restaurant to go to tonight that had a decent vegetarian selection. I decided on Thai. We’ll see how that goes.

So yeah, I’m a little frustrated.

I need to do more research on where to shop because my regular grocery store kinda sucks when it comes to variety. Truthfully, it’s not the store’s fault. I have to be a bit more creative when it comes to my food. Especially if I want to get the same feeling I get when I eat my wings. Or rockfish. Or sushi. I mean, food shouldn’t just be about sustenance … it should be an enjoyable experience. Am I right? Of course, I am. I watch this show on Food Network called, The Best _______ I Ever Ate. I’ve had to stop watching it recently because it was making me crazy. But the best meal I can remember having is a dish from my favorite restaurant called the Off the Hook “Rockafella” which combines the daily catch with fried oysters, creamed spinach with fontina cheese, bacon, and mashed potatoes. So good. I want to have a vegetarian meal that will make me want to slap somebody.

Oh well, I’m about to have some tomato basil soup for lunch. Yay!

Hey, there is an upside … I’ve never been more regular in my life.

9 comments:

ShellyShell said...

Lmao@ being regular!
I attempted the no meat thing for two months a few years ago and I can honestly say. I will never do that again! I love vegetables but I love meat..red meat to be exact! I love it all! Good luck! A few comments ago I wrote about the portobello mushroom. Have you tried it?
Oh yeah and try Chipolte...they have a decent vegetarian burrito! That's my one vegetarian meal/week...lol!

chele said...

@ Shelly: I stuffed a couple of portobello mushrooms a few weeks ago. They were delicious and surprisingly, my daughter liked them too.

TJ said...

Yeah, I did a cleanse a couple of years ago and I had to stay away from the Food Network.

LadyLee said...

She's regular! LOL! Nothing like a good cleaning out of the system, gal!!!!

I don't think you have the resources I have down here in the ATL. I have a Whole Foods and a co-op vegan store down here that have SAVED MY ASS. That's all I gotta say about that. These jokers know how to hook stuff up that taste BETTER than the real thing. So I've had ribs, crab cakes, chicken salad... I even found a sea vegetable that fries up like bacon. All of it has worked out for me when I want something "meaty", especially since I can't stand the packaged soy products. (I try to tell ya'll that stuff is nasty... but you gotta learn for yourself. LOL!!! Hilarious!)

I would fail miserably if I had to rely on my local mainstream grocery store. They do not cater to a vegetarian lifestyle. At all.

I think you said something key: it's all about research. I'm finding I have to set goals, educate myself and be willing to try new things on a regular basis (expand). This means hitting up new stores and exploring, talking to folk, etc. And I too live with a meat eater, and that makes it a bit challenging.

But 8 months in, and even though I've taken breaks (like while on vacation), I am beginning to crave veggies. I walk past a salad bar and get the shakes. This is odd. Very odd. Bizarre, even. But I want it to get to that point. I'm cool with that.

Keep at it, Ma! You'll be done in a couple of weeks! I'm rooting you on!!!

Diva (in Demand) said...

You are a brave soul Chele. When you first said that you were going meatless it didn't sound that hard...but I could see the frustration in the limited amount of choices and variation.

Icey said...

I howled throughout this entire post! You are so funny. I am pulling for you. I am doing a three day vegetable/fruit cleanse to coincide with my two a day exercise regimen that I will begin tomorrow. Pray for me

Anonymous said...

You're not a quitter!

I have a love affair with food so cutting out "anything" would be difficult for me.

Remnants of U said...

I am trying to eat more veggies & fruits. And maybe I will incorporate 1 or 2 meatless days a week into my diet, but at the very least I would keep eating seafood.

I know it's hard to see your child eat only grilled cheese multiple meals so it is difficult. I'm enjoying your journey :-)

Luv said...

i want to go meatless..i have dropped pork completely and beef almost completely from my diet.. i love tacos and meatless meat just won't get it.

well i might try it if i get a hold to the ribs that @ladyl was speaking of and they really like that.

my thing is smells...most fake meat smell like you gonna upchuck it.