Sun & Shower

Today is my 5th anniversary of being a vegetarian.

In honor of celebrating five years without meat and with my fiance embarking upon 30 days of meat-free living, I present to you my lessons learned about how to go veg.

• Your body will need time to adjust to having less protein.  If you feel weak or light-headed, eat a spoonful of peanut butter.
• Take your vitamins!  The bare minimum I recommend is:
  • Multivitamin with iron.  The iron is especially important if you’re used to a diet full of red meat.
  • B-complex.  Vitamin B12 is typically found in meat so vegetarians need to take a supplement.
  • Calcium citrate with magnesium and vitamin D.  Combining the three will help ensure good bone health.
  • Flax. Omega-3s are abundant in fish, particularly salmon, if you choose to eat fish.  Otherwise some form of flax seed, flax oil or flax supplement will get you the important essential fatty acids your body needs.
• Don’t be afraid to order off the menu.  Even at a steak restaurant, vegetarians can find something to eat.  Some places will have a vegetarian option on the menu.  At some places, you’ll need to request a plate of grilled vegetables.  You’re not the first vegetarian to eat at a steak restaurant so the chef will have no problem obliging your request.
• Veggie burgers won’t taste the same as hamburgers but if you add the right toppings, you’ll hardly notice.
• Boca Ground can replace ground beef in any recipe – hamburger helper, tacos, etc.
• If you don’t love vegetables, you will learn to love them.  Start by steaming them and adding melted butter or cheese.  You can also add mixed vegetables to pasta dishes, pizza and eggs.  Mix them in with whatever you’re having and you’ll forget you’re eating something healthy.
• Keep bags of frozen vegetables in your freezer and you’ll always have them on hand to add to the main dish.
• If there is a food you really miss, there is probably a vegetarian alternative for it.  Go ahead and try them but keep in mind that many are loaded with salt and preservatives.
• A serviceable option for buffalo wings is Trader Joe’s Soy Nuggets with your favorite hot wing sauce.  I also like to add hot wing sauce to pizza.
• Tofu has a weird texture and takes some getting used to.  The best way to get used to it is in a stir fry with a strong flavored sauce and lots of vegetables.  Order it in a restaurant before trying to cook it at home.

Congratulations on making the decision to go meat-free!  It won’t be easy at first but you will adjust in time.  And no matter how long you remain a vegetarian, you will always continue learning how to eat.  It’s been five years for me so far and I learn something new about vegetarianism every day.