Almost Vegetarian

I used to be--years and years ago--a vegetarian. Now that I am trying to get back into shape (or at least one that doesn't resemble a Jello mold), I am making some dietary changes. Incidentally, many of them are very familiar.

One thing I don't miss from my teenage years was the hostility I felt toward meat. It really made dinner with my family uncomfortable, and there's no damper for a dinner party than having some smug little brat making you feel so miserable for the food that you put so much time into preparing.

So for the most part, I am at this point primarily vegetarian. Breakfast usually consists of scrambled egg whites (again, I'm no purist), vegetable sausage links, and toast. The hospital that I work for also has a multitude of choices for meatless lunches. And most of the restaurants that I frequent have meatless options as well. (Hint: Try Ruth's Chris Steakhouse's grilled Portabello mushrooms; I am STILL trying to come up with something that even comes close.)

In fact, it's only at home (and at the occasional hosted dinner) that I ever do eat meat. The reason for this is that I don't see much sense in cooking two different meals for just two people, and it's just plain rude to turn one's nose up at a meal that someone has put so much time and effort into making.

However, since we are both trying to get into shape, I am learning to do more with leaner cuts of meat such as turkey and salmon. That way, even if I do eat meat during the evenings, it fits my minimal requirements--that it doesn't kill my diet, and (equally important) that it's enjoyable to eat.