So, I’ve decided to go vegetarian. Sort of. And no, I don’t mean “except for bacon”.
It’s been a long time coming. I don’t want to bore you with my reasons but my decision was precipitated by watching Fast Food Nation the other night and it’s my simple truth that eating meat – as it’s produced by most methods in this country – is just fucking vile. Vile for us, the animals, the planet, everyone involved except maybe those who make good, good money in the industry.
Now, here comes my “sort of” – if I can find meat that is raised healthily and killed “humane”ly (yes, there really are better and worse ways for these animals to die) – I will gladly purchase this meat and cook it, with my blessings. Since I don’t know what we have here – even at the lovely Michael’s Meats in Aberdeen – I am cooking vegetarian until I can buy into a pig or whatever! This is basically a COUNTDOWN TO BACON, but meanwhile I’m going to be pretty damn busy planning food for my family.
Because this makes my already challenging cooking-from-scratch-for-four (plus guests) difficulties a little more… tricky. Here’s how I was raised: you assemble dinner by cooking a meat, a “starch”, a vegetable. Sure, I cook vegetarian fare now and again but it’s a lark, a money-saver, not something I do daily. When I cooked vegetarian food more often it was still “assembled” around soy, usually tofu. And I don’t want to tofu-out our asses as I’ve seen many a vegan / vegetarian do; studies are finding out nor should we rely extensively on processed “meat”-like products to live a vegetarian lifestyle.
Last night we had spaghetti squash with butter, home-canned tomato sauce and parmesan cheese, roasted garbanzo beans, and a simple cucumber salad. I was thrilled, and I mean thrilled, to see my children eat this meal happily (and not trouble about the fact there has been no meat in this house for a few days), but it’s not unexpected either; I’ve been cooking lots of vegetables and cooking from scratch ever since they were born. My husband supports my choice as well. And damn, anyone in my family is free to go pursue their meat-laden dreams somewhere else if they’d like to.
For now: making a list – which I shall soon post here – of this week’s menu and grocery list. P.S. I do not have the grocery money for this yet! Wish me luck.