I Could Do That!

This morning one of my co-workers told me she was surprised to hear I’m a vegetarian. I think the surprise was more that there aren’t a lot of vegetarians around these parts than surprise that I am that vegetarian. What followed after was the usual question about what I eat. I gave her a rundown of what I had eaten recently (lentil soup, curried chickpea-filled pitas, vegetarian chili). She expressed some mild interest and by this time another co-worker had joined the conversation.

When speaking about my vegetarianism I try to be as honest as possible. I told them that I love the flavor of meat. I think it’s delicious. I just choose not to eat it. I told them one easy thing to do is to substitute a non-meat food for a meat in a favorite dish. You can do this easily with beans. My favorite Sunday lunch right now is a simple taco salad made with canned black beans. Sometimes I go crazy and buy the spicy ones (organic from Whole Foods). Toss with a little salsa, some tortilla chips and a pile of lettuce. Yum! Add black olives, pickled jalapenos, soy cheese, cilantro, red onion, corn, whatever. The think I love about salad is that you can make it totally your own and it’s a great way to use up small bits of veggies leftover from other cooking. This salad works just as well when the fridge is a little barer than I would like. The important part is the beans, which are full of protein, well, and the salsa. The entire meal is really just a vehicle to get more salsa into my body.

So, back to the conversation, I told her to try black beans instead of meat in a taco salad and to my delight she said, “I could do that!” And so can you, readers!

Question: Would you be willing to try eating vegetarian a few meals a week if it was as easy as replacing the meat with something else in a meal you already like?

Hypotheticals

Ah, hypothetical questions. Those little things designed to ferret out one’s true beliefs about a subject. The most popular the last eight hundred years running seems to be the “dessert island scenario” or one of its variations. You may have been asked by someone a question like, “If you were trapped on a desert island and could have only one novel with you what would it be?” (The Lord of the Rings, duh. And in case any of you are coming up with a snappy retort, no, The Lord of the Rings is one novel published in three parts due to post-war paper shortages. It is NOT a trilogy. Can we finally put this issue to rest?)

Not all hypothetical questions are so harmless, however. Sometimes those who desire to challenge your beliefs/convictions/actions/decisions/etc. will develop convoluted scenarios in the hopes of tripping you up. The conversation might go something like this:

OTHER PERSON: I brought some barbecued pig flesh with me for lunch. Would you like some?

YOU: No thank you.

OP: Don’t you like barbecued pig flesh?

YOU: No. I’m a vegetarian.

OP: So you don’t eat any meat?

YOU: That’s right.

OP: None at all?

YOU: Correct.

OP: What about fish?

YOU: I don’t eat any animals.

OP: What if you were starving to death on a desert island? Would you eat meat then?

Uh oh. Now what? I have honestly only been asked this question once. I smiled and used my rehearsed answer: “If that ever happens I’ll let you know what I decide.”

The other hypotheticals I have faced have come a little closer to the realm of actual possibility. Would I eat meat if it was raised and slaughtered by someone I know personally and who raises and slaughters in a cruelty-free manner? Hmmm. That’s a tough one. I might think about it. My primary objections to eating meat are health and cruelty. If the cruelty issue is taken out of the equation I’m only left with health and I certainly eat unhealthy items from time to time (*cough* cookies *cough*). To be honest, though, the thought of having a mouthful of dead animal makes me want to gag.

Would I choose to eat an animal to prevent death? Probably. (See Yann Martel’s Life of Pi, a novel that would give The Lord of the Rings some competition in the aforementioned desert island reading scenario.) The great thing about being a vegetarian in 21st century America, however, is that I don’t have to make these choices. I choose not to eat meat, and I have an incredible variety of other foods from which to choose to supply the protein I need daily.

Question for you: If you are a vegetarian, under what circumstances, if any, would you eat meat? What about those of you were vegetarians, but now are eating meat again? What caused the switch?

My New Favorite Restaurant

Last Friday was my birthday and my sweet sister took me out to dinner after work. I work for a bank that is open an hour later than normal on Fridays, so of all the nights of the week Friday is the day I’m least likely to want to cook. Bless her! And where did we go? Whole Foods. Yup. Whole Foods is now my favorite restaurant.

They have a great spread out all day every day. They have pizza and sandwiches, gelato and coffee, and amazing hot and cold bars. I had a hard time choosing especially in a place that is so vegetarian friendly. In the end I decided on sezchwan green beans, roasted vegetables, brown rice, and chicken fried tofu. Yes you read that correctly, and oh . . . my . . . It was amazingly yummy. Seriously, that was the best tofu I’ve ever eaten and nothing like, “This is fine, but it sure isn’t chicken” crossed my mind once. Tofu is now on my shopping list so I can attempt it at home. They even had vegan chocolate mousse. I didn’t try it though because I was saving room for the pastry case in the bakery, but I might have to go back and sample it another time, along with the fresh-baked vegan almond cookies.

My sister and I enjoyed it so much we went back the next night after a long day as extras on the set of Unusual Films’ new movie Milltown Pride. Hmmmm. I am going back for another shoot this Saturday, perhaps I’ll have to give that mousse a try.

Do I Say, “That sure sounds yummy!”???

A few days ago I was eating lunch with a couple of other ladies at work. Not surprisingly, as we were eating food the conversation seemed to naturally steer in that direction. Since becoming a vegetarian I am acutely more aware of just how much meat omnivores eat and talk about eating. They talk about the meat they ate the night before, the meat their husbands grill and cover with sauce, and the meat they will eat at their next family function or party. And all the while I sit there eating chickpeas or lentils or nut butter and wonder how I will respond if someone turns to me and asks if I don’t think their steak and fried potato dinner sounds delicious.

How do I respond to that? I can be 100% honest and say it sounds delicious but I would never eat it because I’m a vegetarian. I can go for the positive half truth and just say that it does sound yummy and stop there. Then there’s also the option of the negative half truth where I pronounce my vegetarianism while hiding the fact that I think the grilled steak does sound good.

I have to admit I haven’t yet decided which would be the most appropriate response. Fortunately, I have not yet faced such a question and have time to craft a winning sentence. Unless someone asks me today . . .

Question: What would you say if you were in my shoes?

It‘s ALIVE!

In eating animals news the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reportedly considering approval for a genetically modified salmon for human consumption. The salmon, developed by the Massachusetts-based AquaBounty Technologies (fish is technology?), was created by introducing a DNA sequence from an eel species into the Pacific Chinook causing it to grow at twice the rate a Chinook should grow. Proponents of the new salmon cite growing food needs as a reason for developing such an animal.

Though approval seems likely, the “Frankenfish” is not without its vocal detractors. The Nature Conservancy and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have already made appearances on news shows expressing their concerns about the safety of such fish for human consumption and its potential impact on the environment should any of these modified salmon actually make it into the wild. According to AquaBound the possibility of the new salmon interfering with the natural food chain is minimal to zero. They have taken the precaution of ensuring that the farms will be far from waterways common to salmon and that such salmon will be sterile. However, as the Nature Conservancy has pointed out, no one can guarantee that every salmon raised on these farms will be sterile forever and all time.

In my humble opinion, however, the chances of these freaks of nature getting into the wild salmon population are not the greatest concern, but rather the impact they salmon will have on the health of the people consuming them. Though the FDA seems confident there will not be any far-reaching health concerns I think the American consumer would do well to be wary. We all know how thoroughly the FDA researches, probes, and investigates (cough*Vytorin*cough).

Vegetarian diet aside, I think everyone should think twice before contemplating eating such a creature. After reading articles and watching news stories on this subject I couldn’t help thinking about a scene from Jurassic Park in which the characters played by Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Sir Richard Attenborough and Martin Ferraro are eating lunch after touring the park. The previously skeptical lawyer Donald Gennaro (played by Ferraro) has been so dazzled by what he saw that he has visions of huge profits in his head, while the scientists are more subdued and pensive. Finally Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) has had enough from the lawyer and voices his opinion rather forcefully, lamenting that the scientists were so occupied with “whether they could [clone dinosaurs] they didn’t stop to think if they should.” I’ll paraphrase another favorite Malcolm quote to close: the lack of humility towards God’s creation that’s being displayed here staggers me.

Question: Once approved, will you eat genetically modified salmon?

On Getting Razzed

We all have people in our lives that feel the need to pick, poke, and prod us about our personal preferences and habits. I have found this to be especially true since becoming a vegetarian. Fortunately, many of these people fall into a few tidy categories that can easily be dealt with once you understand their modus operandi.

1. The “Concerned.” These are the people who believe going vegetarian is a bad idea. The concern is generally health related, believing the notion that one needs to eat animal products in order to be healthy, which is not true. Since these folks generally only have good intentions and my best interests at heart I cut them some slack and respond to their concerns with quiet respect.

2. The “Competitors.” These people have to win arguments all the time and feel the need to comment on my food choices in order to feel superior to me rather than express genuine concern. They are more difficult to deal with, especially when I have personal knowledge of their eating habits. Arguing gets me nowhere with them, but I usually find it is worth the effort to put forth a single, forceful argument simply to let them know that I am not an idiot and they aren’t going to get the better of me in a debate.

3. The “Conservatives.” For some reason political conservatives have gotten it cemented into their heads that being a vegetarian is liberal, and that the only appropriate thing to do with an animal is kill it and grill it. Generally speaking, eating meat is not any more political than eating Cheerios, and any political argument against vegetarianism can be easily dismantled.

4. The “Clowns.” These are the people that may fall into one of the above categories but make their arguments/concerns known by poking fun rather than using a more straightforward method. They are easily disarmed by playing along or using humor in response, since, like the elementary school boys who tease the prettiest girls in the class (and I have A LOT of experience there! Ha!), they just want to get a reaction.

With any form of communication, to be effective you have to know your audience. Know your audience and you can take on the slings and arrows of anti-vegetarianism just as well as if you were wearing Wonder Woman’s really cool bullet-proof bracelet thingies. Then perhaps the clowns in your life will stop clowning and the competitors will stop . . . I can’t even finish writing that sentence and pretend to be serious.

Question: Have any of you faced and verbal challenges to your eating habits? What did you find to be an effective response?

Eating Vegetarian on the Go

Sometimes cooking and eating time comes at a premium and I find it necessary to eat at quick meal on the road or when I’m otherwise not at home. Last Saturday I had the opportunity to attend a football game at Furman University that included free food from Zaxby’s. My onmivorous friends ate the Zaxby’s while I ate a peanut butter sandwich and an apple I had brought from home. Knowing my food choices would be limited I was prepared ahead of time to eat a quick, healthy, and vegetarian meal. But what about the times when you have to eat out unexpectedly or (ahem) you forget to bring your lunch to work? What options are there for conscientious eaters in a hurry?

Here are a few of my favorites:

Moe’s Southwest Grill: Moe’s is my favorite vegetarian-friendly place to eat. They have some great options for the conscientious eater, my top pick being the Unanimous Decision taco with black beans. They also offer dishes with marinated tofu, only serve cheese without animal rennet, and cook their grilled vegetables separately from the meat.

Subway: When you’re in the mood for a sandwich, the Veggie Delight can’t be beat. Load up with lettuce, onions, peppers (bell and otherwise), cucumber, tomato, and just about anything else and have it on wheat bread to make it even better.

Atlanta Bread Company: ABC usually offers a vegetarian soup on their menu and you can order any salad without meat.

Macaroni Grill: Great food (who can pass on that rosemary focaccia?). Order an entrée without the meat (not necessarily possible for every dish) or order from the “Create Your Own Pasta” menu to completely customize your meal. Substitute whole wheat penne for the white pasta to make it even healthier.

There are also going to be times when you can’t be picky either because there is only one option or because you’re travelling with a group of people and don’t want to make a fuss. In those cases McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Chick-fil-A are good options to keep you from starving. To be honest, I never eat at any of these places unless I really don’t have another choice or for the sake of fellowship or ministry. You can get any salad without the chicken and my experience with McDonald’s has been that they will even charge less for the salad without the meat.

Question: What works for you when you need to eat on the go?