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Tonight I decided to get a jump on the meatless eating by serving a vegetarian (but not vegan) dinner. Plus, I wanted to see Brian’s reaction to a meatless meal. Here’s what was served:

• Morningstar Farms Chick’n Nuggets- I have liked these for many years now, and have mostly only bought them as an occasional treat. The texture is not so different from regular chicken nuggets, but they don’t taste exactly like ‘em; however they are certainly not bad. For parents or caretakers of children, I think these could be used instead of the usual nuggets, and the kids would be none the wiser. Brian’s reaction- eh, but he’d eat them again. And that was a better reaction than I expected.

• Green Giant potato wedges in garlic herb sauce (or something like that)- I found out that some Green Giant vegetable products sometimes contain chicken products (eeks!) I’m not sure these did, but there were creamy sauce chunks, so it’s possible (I did review the ingredients list, and didn’t notice anything suspicious, but I digress.) They were good, would have been a little better pan fried or roasted. I will likely not buy them again, but only because I want to make sure they don’t contain animal products, and I think I can make them a little cheaper from scratch. But for non-vegetarians, I totally recommend them as an easy side dish.

• Some random bag of frozen sugar snap peas- These steam in the microwave in 5 easy little minutes. Love that. They do tend to come out a little floppy, so perhaps steaming them the good old fashioned way would result in a crisper pea, but we were ravenous, and I’m a sucker for easy. They are a lot better with a sprinkle of sea salt; it really brings out the sweetness. And I was shocked that Brian finished his serving. I’ve seen him snub a pile of green stuff before, so when he finishes similar items, it pleases me

• For dessert, I made shakes out of Silk brand chocolate soy milk and Soy Dream chocolate frozen dessert (or soy ice cream as it’s going by around here.) They were goooooood. Soy ice cream has less of a “soy-product twang” than the milk, and adding more of that than the soy milk makes for a really cold, frosty shake. It’s not brain freezingly thick, but it is thick enough to give you nice, milkshake-y thoughts. Brian even asked for seconds. Love.

I recommend this as a quick meal for any couple or family that wants a good, filling meal fast. The nuggets are microwavable, but better from the oven and only take 18 minutes. The potatoes can be steamed in the microwave, but only take 12 minutes on the stove top. Plus, you get to smell the yummy garlicky, potato-y smell while they bubble in the pot. We’ll be doing it again sometime, just with homemade potatoes and old fashioned style steamed sugar snap peas. But to each their own

Time has recently slapped me in the face and kicked me in the butt. There is a certain event going down in 2009 (one that I refuse to attend, but have used it as a point of reference nonetheless) that is fast approaching. For this event, I swore I would be in better shape. I’m not only in bad shape, but shameful shape. So, I figured this was the time to work on a goal I’ve had since I was 12. It is time to give up meat. For 30 days starting August 1, I will not consume any meat, and try to limit other animal products (what I’m calling full time vegetarian/part time vegan.) And here’s why:

• Animals. The meat industry is truly a cruel and disgusting one. That aside, I can no longer continue to eat animal flesh and consider myself a lover of animals. It feels hypocritical. Plus, I wouldn’t wear fur, and there are several types of meat I have long refused to consume, so why not treat chicken and beef like lamb and veal?
• I can grow some of my own. This year’s garden was a bust (thanks to some wacky weather and our eventual move), but next spring, we’ll be in a new place with more room for a garden. Plus, we’ll have more money to put into it, so it’ll be like 12 times more awesome than the one I had planned for this year. I’m really looking forward to being more responsible for my food! I also get giddy like that when I think about the end products of various knitting/crochet projects I have around here
• Learning a new way of cooking. That was one thing that appealed to me about the raw diet, until I realized- I don’t really like a lot of raw veggies. Already, I have visions of ice cream made with coconut milk, cakes made with tofu, and trying new fruits and vegetables. We almost got a starfruit tonight, but I wanna find out how to eat it first, or it would likely just perish in the crisper.
• And health. I’m predisposed to obesity. But wait! There’s more! My family’s gene pool also plays host to cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure. Plus, I have a spinal condition that is only exacerbated by extra weight. I’m sluggish, have blah skin, and milk is not my friend. If I can make my life better just by cutting out a few foods, then why not change?

I have decided to blog my progress, and if I feel better on August 31 than I do now, then I’ll keep on. Plus, I’m really looking forward to trying new recipes and posting them here, and reviewing new food items (already, I want to say- Soy Dream chocolate ice cream…omg. That stuff is good.) I’m looking forward to changing my body and my life, just by changing the way I eat. Stay tuned!