That Annoying Vegetarian.

We all know them. They suck.

Now I feel like I can say this because I consider myself a "flexitarian." Totally not a real thing but I'd say it's 99% vegetarian... 1% flex. The thing is, if I go to someone's home and there's not enough veggies for it to look like I have a full plate of food, I'll eat a little so I'm not precieved rude. Must be the Italian in me. (Not to mention I simply can't pass on mama's meatballs).

So why am I writing this?

Because secretly, I DO want to be a little bit of an annoying vegetarian. dun! dun! dun!

But I promise not to talk down to you based off your food choices, send you horrifying videos of animals or force feed you tofu. I will however, talk about how MOTHER EFFIN GREAT I feel when I eat vegetarian. As well as awesome veggie options, food I've cooked that flopped, and the emotional connection I got when I made the switch.

Recipes

Being vegetarian can be overwhelming at first. Is it salads for the rest of time? Absolutely not! I would literally die. I spend a lot of time surfing Pinterest looking for new recipes to try. Check out my "Noms" page for inspiration if you need it. https://www.pinterest.com/leahmkn/noms/

The Physical Feels

I mentioned I feel mother effin great, and I totally mean it. When I stick to vegetarian I physically feel lighter on my feet, not as sluggish throughout my day, and my digestive track is a rock star. Being able to tell that my body isn't struggling to process what I've put into seriously makes my soul happy.

Q: But I work out, how am I supposed to get enough protein?

A: Tofu, tempeh and black beans rock my world. Super protein packed and really versatile. And then of course your usual veggies that technically you should be eating already! *Humans also consume much more protein than the recommended amount. You may not be cutting back at all but actually giving your body what it physically desires. Do a little research and see where you fall based on your personal diet.

The Spiritual Feels

*Aka living out my Pocahontas dream... the Disney version, not the real one*

Cooking food made from our earth has always been a spiritual journey for me, but once it was just veggies, I couldn't control my inner light shinning brighter and brighter. Cutting, preparing, figuring out how they like to be cooked, it's this nourishing relationship that you're both on board for and can't be matched.

Q: Sounds awesome, but isn't it more expensive to feel that good?

A: Not really. Shop at your local farmers market and keep an eye out for deals. Have I accidentally paid $2.50 for a pepper? Yes. Have I been back? Absolutely not.

Full belly flops

If you do decide to cook tofu, frying it and then tossing it in a delicious sauce is a huge waste of time. It's like roasting a marshmallow. You stand there trying to get it perfectly golden on every side for max crispiness. Except with tofu, the moment you throw it in your sauce and veggies, turn on Netflix and take your first bite, you're slapped with regret. The crispy shell has softened with the sauce and you're back to square one. Except you don't have 20 minutes of your time back and you've added a tone of calories. My advice? Pan sear with seasonings, bake or steam.