For the first time in roughly 20 years, I decided to give something up for the Lenten fast. I don't know what spurred it on, perhaps that Tuesday was Shrove Tuesday/Pancake Day/Mardis Gras, and I seemed to have forgotten why that is celebrated in the first place. Something about Jesus being 40 days in the desert, I believe. And people think Islam and Christianity are nothing remotely like each other. Huh. So, having just read Eating Animals, I've decided to eat adhere as much as possible to the food doctrine behind the book, for 40 days. That would mean mostly sticking to a vegan diet, though I'll allow for dairy from goats/sheep since Safran Foer points out that those animals have not yet been targeted by factory farming. Yet. And I'm going to Berlin in a week's time, and I will allow myself to be touristy enough to enjoy a curry wurst.
I've long wanted to give the vegan diet a try, though having three omnivores in the house has kept me back. I think though, that I'm grown up enough now to endure watching others eat a certain food, without feeling deprived. And there is an ulterior motive a well. The weight issue. My bmi is normal, but I want to see what such a diet can do for my waistline. But ultimately, I want to try the diet of the future, and understand its necessity for myself, without dreading it when it becomes inevitable. I think we can do it!
This blog isn't going on hiatus per se, but I have no idea how this will pan out, as far as yummy recipes go. We shall see.
Anybody else doing Lent?
New Year’s Day grits and greens
2 days ago
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7 comments:
Some people in India observe lent ALL their lives. Dont have any recipes to share, but hope this information gives you some comfort!Its not so difficult being vegetarian. Also what is the difference between being vegan and being vegetarian?
What a wonderful reminder! It's true, most people on the planet eat vegetarian. But that's changing, and it's none too good for the environment. The place where I get massages has a yearly detox they do, and they require participants to eat mostly vegan for a few weeks for it to work properly, and they remind people too that it's not hard, because that's how most people eat anyway!
Vegan is no animal products. No meat, fish, caviat, butter, milk, cream, cheese etc. Some people even cut our honey, because it's stealing from the bees!
I need vegan inspiration, so just post whatever you're cooking at home. I am eating mostly vegetarian by now, but I find it hard to give up all the good stuff and go all the way. Show us the track!
Anonymous - Will do!
Good luck! I've been a lacto-ovo vegetarian for 9 years (I think, I've actually forgotten what year), basically because I realized what a glutton I had become. Although it was my July 5th resolution (as in I ate way too many hamburgers and hotdogs the day before than a human should be allowed!).
And then having to watch a horrible documentary of what happens to animals in slaughterhouses in high school pretty much solidified it.
What does Mik think? NO ONE else in my family is veg, but Clint eats what I eat except for when we go out and the occasional lunch meat and shrimp (his favorite).
After the first year though, the cravings stopped for the most part. And now certain foods are absolutely repulsive (the smell of bacon for example).
I look forward to reading how it goes for you!
Megan
Wow, 9 years?! That's great! Oh yeah, I'm sooo not watching Food Inc because of just that.
I'd say that Mik is doing great with this, though he's not giving up meat. But he been educated about this via osmosis practically, and he knows it's a real problem. And so, like a good husband trying to stay in good graces, he goes along with it as much as he can :-) My oh my the things I've brought into this relationship in the last five years. He deserves a medal, lol.
Yeah, the documentary was on the Hormel strike (it was an Econ class) and the teacher failed to mention the fact that we would actually be watching them slaughter the animals...quite literally. I could go into detail but it was the most disturbing thing I've ever seen! The video was supposed to capture the working man's plight.
I tried vegan and it's too hard, even though I'm lactose-intolerant, I thank God for those magical supplements that let me continue eating macaroni and cheese.
Oddly enough, I don't mind hunting for that exact reason that the video bothered me. Clint's dad is a big hunter (and so are several of my relatives...being this IS central PA), but I know the animals aren't being tortured...but I still won't let him bring a deer or bear into the house.
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