Oh $#*%! I Had Chocolate!

Day 66

One of my stocking stuffers this past Christmas was a bag of Lindor Truffles. Over the course of the week between Christmas and New Year’s, I devoured all 45 pieces that the shiny crimson bag contained. I was munching on them while watching movies at home, driving in the car and etc.

I got them for Christmas—what was I supposed to do, throw them out?!

I have heard horror stories of unhealthy vegetarians. These are usually people that, even though they have eliminated all meat from their diets, still eat unhealthy by devouring tons of junk food.

Why give up meat to be healthier if you still have other unhealthy eating habits you still cling to? Going meatless was also an excuse for me to look at what else I eat and to reflect upon unhealthy eating habits I’ve had in the past. A couple of examples I will write about in this space soon.

I think it’s okay to please your sweet tooth every now and then but not in regular and huge amounts. My holiday chocolate binge was an exception and not the rule.

And what a sweet exception it was.

Talk to you soon!
meatlessman@yahoo.com
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My Meatless Christmas or I’m Dreaming of a Meatless Christmas

Days 49 - 55

Hello all! Hope your holiday, whatever you celebrated, went well! I celebrated Christmas of course and, along with Thanksgiving, is the other big meatless meal challenge of the calendar year.

Before I tell you what I ate, let me tell you about some of the meatless themed gifts I got for my birthday on the 14th and for Christmas.

For my birthday my sister got me a cookbook called Vegetarian Suppers by Deborah Madison. This goes nicely with the other cookbook I got from my parents for Christmas simply titled, Vegetarian. I can’t wait to start making recipes from them in 2010 and let you know how they turned out here in this very blog!

After opening presents at my parents’ house we went over to my sisters’ and exchanged gifts with her family over there. My sister got me a 5-in-1 power blender along with another book called The Big Book of Juices and Smoothies.

My last food themed gift was a can of Spam from my nieces and nephews. It doesn’t expire for a couple of years so maybe after my meatless year I will eat it. Hmmm…maybe not.

In recent years my sister and her husband have hosted Christmas dinner at her house and she has always done a wonderful job. This year, when we arrived, there was a coffee station already set up as well as a table of snacks that included, cheeses, crackers and dips.

My mom made and brought a vegetarian chili cheese dip just for me and it was wonderful! It was much less greasy then if it was made with meat laden chili.

For the main meal I ate squash, turnip, a roll and mashed potatoes. I had filled up on Christmas candy, coffee, muffins and snacks earlier that morning so I didn’t put much on my plate at lunch.

To me, the smell of roasting turkey is one of the best smells ever. My sister had the aroma in her kitchen and my parents cooked a bird of their own that evening. That smell made me really miss turkey so a lot. This is why I started this whole experiment in early November. If I can make it through Thanksgiving and Christmas without meat I can avoid it anytime. Those two holidays are great tests to see if I an resist the urge to have meat. I figure it will make my holiday season all the more sweeter next year when I can have turkey again.

Did I tell you my friend Monte called Christmas Day? “Who is Monte?” you say? I’ll let you know in my next entry. He loves to write and talk about food too!

Talk to you soon!
meatlessman@yahoo.com

‘Twas the Week Before Christmas

Days 46 - 48


‘Twas the week before Christmas
And all throughout the week
I have been preparing for the New Year
It is the opposite of bleak

My shopping is done, both grocery and gift
I have been working out, lately
It has given me a lift

Organizing plans for Two-thousand and ten
It makes one remember; where one has been

I have given up meat; red, white and fish
So far I feel better
What more could a person wish?

The energy has gone up and the weight is going down
The Y is affordable; the best deal in town

As the year closes one should stop and reflect
So a week off from the blog it will be
Yes, a break from my dreck ;)

I look forward to the New Year and so should you
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays
From me to you!

Day 6

Today I was having a morning cup of coffee and my 8-year old niece suggested I flavor it with M&M's.

I had put in some 2% milk and a spoonful of blackstrap unsulphured molasses (my veggie friend, Audra, tells me it is a great source of iron, calcium and potassium) and of course I wasn't going to put in M&M's.

It did get me thinking though. No wonder we are one of the most obese nations in the world. We are brought up with candy as a constant presence in our lives!

Think about it for a second.

On Halloween we are told it is tradition to dress up in a costume and come back with a sack full of candy.

For Christmas (if one celebrates it) candy fills our stockings.

For Easter (again if you celebrate it) we get a basketful of sweets!

If we are good while grocery shopping Mom and Dad may just approve of you getting candy at the check out.

And, particularly during the holidays you can't go to most offices and not encounter a bowl of holiday themed candy sitting on the reception desk just waiting to be picked over!

I have never known a child to turn down free candy. Most even spend their allowance on some. Most adults I know also just cannot walk by a candy bowl without snagging a piece to munch on.

We have so much candy shoved in our faces, it's almost like we're programmed to take it, especially when it is free.

Candy is good once in a while but not if you consume a pile of it all at once. We adult humans all have brains. We can resist overconsumption of sweets if we just stop and think. That's all it can take.

Ask yourself if it is really necessary to eat this empty calorie confection?

If I am truly hungry are there healthier alternatives around?

Why do you have to eat it all now? It will still be available tomorrow.

My niece did end up plopping a piece of Bubble Yum into my coffee. I took it out and made her chew it.

Hope you like the taste of blackstrap unsulphured molasses. Brat.