From the Wire

Another in an occasional series of tidbits and amusements culled from press releases I receive.

“10 Ways to Make Your Kid Fat” was the headline of one recent release. That’s a headline that will at least get me to read the release. Way to go, ZisBoomBah.com, although your name could use a little work. ZisBoomBah.com is an innovative website that challenges conventional wisdom through tools that empower children and inspire parents to live a fun, active, and healthy life. – or so says the release.

Among the tongue-in-cheek tips:

Veggie Update

It’s been forever since I blogged so I’ll jump in again with renewed vigor and an update on my vegetarian adventure.

I’m still sticking with it, although I’m more open to seafood and fish when dining out, particularly when on vacation and away from familiar restaurants and my own kitchen. At the same time, I’m conflicted about that. Did you know farmed fish receive antibiotics? Fish farmers dump vats of antibiotics in the tank because the fish are so crowded they develop sores from rubbing against the tank walls and each other. The antibiotics start treating any infections right away.

If I’m doing seafood and fish, I try to eat wild-caught, sustainable species. Check out this guide for recommended fish in your area. Even sushi lovers can find some version of their favorite on the list.

I’ve had chicken a couple of times. PF Chang’s lettuce wraps are hard to resist. Or rather “were” hard to resist. I tried the tofu version the other day, and it was awesome. I celebrated my sister’s birthday at Shula’s Steakhouse, and, although the kitchen’s off-the-menu vegetarian option wasn’t all that creative or exciting (spiral pasta with some veggies), the restaurant didn’t blink an eye when I asked if the chef could make something for me.

All in all, I can feel like I’ve made a difference. Even with the occasional seafood, I’d guess I only eat meat once or twice every two or three months. Everyone should try Meatless Monday for a larger effect on the world.

You can do little to help clean up environmental disasters like the Gulf oil spill (I don’t know many people certified in hazmat removal), but you can make a difference once a week. Give it a try.

So Far, So Good

It’s been just over two weeks since I switched to a vegetarian diet. So far, so good. At least I haven’t cheated and gorged on bacon.

Spaghetti squash

I learned I didn’t really eat that much meat before. I ate sushi three or four times a month. Probably ordered in for lunch at work the same number of times and got a salad with chicken or some type of chicken sandwich. If I went out to dinner, I usually got a burger.

Dinners at home were usually something quick and easy – bowls of cereal, pasta, something in a can. Mostly because I’m incredibly lazy at heart and didn’t feel like preparing a lot of ingredients to make a dinner. I’d toss a chicken breast in the oven with some Old Bay on it or toss some scallops in a frying pan.

Vegetable paella

I was under the misconception that a vegetarian diet would be easy to prepare. It’s not. Or it’s not if you want something more than raw vegetables and the aforementioned cereal and pasta.

The vegetable paella I made took a good 30 minutes to get everything together. The spaghetti squash wasn’t the instant dinner I thought it would be.

Peas, carrot and rice. Yum.

But I’m learning to put together a rocking mise en place. Another bonus is the amount of leftovers. Each dinner I’ve made has led to at least one lunch that reheats well in a microwave. And I’ve tried vegetables I never have. Heck, I didn’t know what fennel looked like before the paella. Turns out it’s not bad. I even tried a veggie burger. Verdict? If you don’t think it’s a burger, it’s not bad.

I haven’t ventured into the world of lentils, but it’s something I want to try over the next two weeks. Vegetarian chili is on my list of recipes to attempt. I may try eggplant.

I haven’t decided whether I’m sticking with the vegetarian thing after Dec. 24. Maybe I’ll end up eating only sustainable fish and other meats from smaller farms that aren’t factory farms. Right now I miss sushi more than anything else, but that could pass by the time of my self-set deadline.

I have a few more questions to answer for myself by then. But I have discovered that I could do at last two weeks without meat and not hate every second of it.

A Change Could Do Me Good

You know how sometimes something can be sad and exciting at the same time? Yesterday was one of those times for me. Thanksgiving 2009 marked an end to my meat-eating days. At least until Christmas.

Yup. I’m going vegetarian. Or trying it out anyway. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I’m not going to eat beef, poultry, pork or seafood. Venison, small game, rodents and road kill are also off the menu. I’m allowing myself eggs and dairy.