Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Flexitarians

Under no circumstances would I call myself a vegetarian. I don't eat much meat or fish - although I eat more fish than meat - but it's just that I'm not too fond of meat. I don't feel the need for meat or poultry. I do like my veggies and I would have a harder time giving up on vegetables.

Diabetics have more cardiovascular risk. Eating a lot of meat is not very healthy because of the large amount of fat in meat. But that's not the reason why I don't eat that much meat. I have never been a big meat lover. Not because I feel bad for the animals being killed for their meat. I don't think of the animal when I have a piece of meat on my plate. There are just so many other things to enjoy that I do not particularly ask for meat.

In Belgium, people are used to having three items on their plates: meat, potatoes and vegetables. Making a weekly menu, people start by thinking what meat they are going to have. The choice of vegetables is the last choice and not that important to many. I start by thinking: what vegetables can we eat this week? I try to pick 2-3 vegetables per meal and then I figure out what else I'm gonna have. I like legumes like lentils, beans, chickpeas, .. and I occasionally have falafel, but I don't like veggie burgers or vegetarian sausages for that manner. I don't feel the need to replace my meat by something else. My plate is full of vegetables and some carbohydrates. Every now and then I will have a piece of meat or fish, but not necessarily. Quorn is a good alternative, but I don't eat it that often. I never have tofu or seitan or tempeh. It's just not something I long for.

I wouldn't be bad for any of us, to have a meatless day on a weekly basis. Just like we used to have fish on Friday, we could make Thursday veggie day. You could use meat alternatives if you feel the need or you could have legumes or eggs instead. If you don't mind meatless days, you could have two or three meatless meals per week.

I feel healthy and my blood results show no lack of vitamins. Since I hardly ever eat bread, there are no cold cuts to be eaten either. Meaning no extra fat in my plate. I don't mind other people eating meat and I do feed my family the traditional way. But I have noticed that neither one of my girls are big meat lovers. They prefer fish as well and they eat quorn fillets. Hubby is a meat lover, but he no longer eats as much meat as he used to when we first met. Little by little I have cut down on meat and nowadays there's hardly any pork to be prepared in this household. I buy leaner meat like veal and beef or poultry. There are no complaints about the menu, so I guess they don't mind?

Let's say I could call myself a flexitarian. I don't eat much meat or fish, but every now and then I have some. I have beef carpaccio once in a while and I often ask for fish in a restaurant, but it's not something I can't do without. I guess I don't want to be pigeon holed. I am who I am and I eat what I eat.

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