At the beginning of this new pregnancy I really couldn't eat meat. The thought and taste of it made me nauseous. I would only crave tuna, which later I found out wasn't very good for me. So that was out the window! I then looked for advice from my co-worker who happens to be vegetarian. I then started to use my own knowledge and experience and research to adapt our eating habits. It really was pretty simple, just substitute a little bit of this for a little of that..and voila! we were hooked...okay, okay..maybe not that easy, but we're really liking it. There are so many more options out there than there were before. So it makes it easier for people like us who are barely starting this lifestyle.
Now, before I keep going I have to say that in no way are we completely trying to go vegetarian. At this point, we're still eating more meat than not. I'd say about 70% of our diet still includes meat and I honestly don't know that it will ever change, but for the most part we're just trying to give our body and the earth a break now and then. I also should add that Giuliana plays a big part in our decision to eat this way. Sometimes, she even opts out of the "fake meat" and just eats her veggies. Her diet is probably 50/50 right now and we're perfectly fine with that. The baby is also liking this diet, that means a happy momma as well!
Let's break it down a bit, on days we decide we don't want to eat meat, we make sure we get enough protein, fiber, vitamins, and good fats from our meal. Now, that's not always the case, but at least we're aware of what we're putting into our body. We still do dairy as well. Although there are controversial studies out there about how good dairies really are good/bad for you, we still love our cookies with milk and our cheese sprinkled on top. It's definitely an enjoyable learning process for us and I'd like to share more of this in the future. I'll start by sharing a meal I made today. Like I said before, there are lots of options out there that make it easier to eat less meat. For one, frozen vegetarian foods have been really helpful for us, keeping in mind the amount of sodium they have. For this meal I used Morning Star Farms Spicy Black Bean Burger. They have 10g of protein, 4g of fiber, and are only 110 calories per serving. Not to mention suuuuper delicious! Topped it off with some fresh avocado, chipotle mayo, and a homemade slaw, between two hearty whole grain buns. The slaw really made it for me! Seriously you won't even miss the meat. Here are more details below:
Spicy Black Bean Burger
1 MS Black Bean Burger
Avocado
Chipotle Mayo (1 part mayo to 3 parts chipotle dressing)
Whole grain buns
Country Slaw(my own recipe):
- 1 part lettuce
- 1 part cabbage
- shredded carrots
- One very small red onion
- The juice of one lime
- Salt & Pepper
- Paprika (secret ingredient :))
...and that is it! Let me know if you try this or any other recipes you'd like to share. I'm always looking for new ideas to put on the table. Also, share your thoughts, comments or questions! Hope you guys enjoyed seeing me around the blog world again!
-mari:)
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