It’s funny how my Auntie Sandy knew I was vegetarian before I knew myself. At couple years ago, she had my Dad and I over for dinner at her beautiful home in Surrey, BC. As we were sitting down to eat another great meal from her table, she said, ‘Here’s the roast….and here’s the chickpea stew for Katie the vegetarian” (or something like that, my memory fails me). I replied, “But I’m not vegetarian, Auntie Sandy,” much to her shock. I’m not sure how it came about, but she had it in her head that I didn’t eat meat.
Now, I should mention that I infrequently ate meat. I was what you would call a ‘weekend and special occasion carnivore.’ While I was in uni, it was cheaper and often faster to eat vegetarian. Plus I’ve never been a very skilled flesh-chef (if you accept the term I created just for this occasion). I often over cooked chicken and over charred beef. What’s more, it was easy to eat vegetarian in Vancouver. At the The Naam in Kits, you could fill yourself with tubers, fruits and grains at any time of the day.
Since I graduated last year, meat worked it’s way more and more into my diet. Living in Australia, eating grilled snags (sausages) and beef pies are essentially rites of passage. I wasn’t complaining, but I knew that if I tried hard enough, I could win friends with salad (contrary to what The Simpsons taught me a decade ago).
During the last conference I went to, I had the option to select ‘vegetarian’ as my dining preference. After boldly checking that box, I felt empowered. For ethical, sustainability and health reasons, I’ve had my reservations about meat-eating for years. Now it was time to live-out my values.
So far, being vegetarian feels natural. In terms of getting enough protein, which a caring friend recently inquired about, I eat heaps of beans, eggs, nuts and tofu. I’m a bit concerned about getting enough iron, so my fridge is chock-full of spinach. I have to admit, I still eat fish. Pacific salmon is one of the great joys of my culinary life and there is a sustainability seafood iPhone app that help me to chose the best options for local fish.
To my fellow vegetarians or vegetable enthusiasts: do you have any survival tips or recipes? Do you reckon I should start taking a multi-vitamin? If so which one? I spent about 30 minutes at Woolworth’s last weekend reading the labels, trying to figure out if ‘women’s green ultravite’ was right for me.
fedOZsenko 
hey katie! i love that you are going the vegetarian route, and you are proud of it! i’ve been eating a vegetarian/somewhat vegan diet since february, while i complete my yoga teacher training, and it definitely hasn’t been as big of an adjustment as i initially thought it would be! i make a lot of soups (usually a big batch on sunday) and my immersion blender has come in SO handy for that (my fave right now is a curried lentil soup – watch over the next few days as i’ll post a link to it on facebook once i put the recipe up on my blog). i also make a big batch of quinoa at the start of the week that we can use as a side for dinners, in salads, or for a super quick lunch (throw it in a bowl with whatever leftover or raw veggies you have lying around & top with some crumbled goat’s cheese yum!)
i haven’t started taking a multi-vitamin, and i haven’t found that i feel the need for one. i try to eat veg protein (quinoa is a great source, and i do eat tofu sometimes but try to limit it to once a week b/c of the hormone issues) and get a wide variety of coloured vegetables in my diet, and i find that seems to do the trick. one thing i’m very excited about, is the blender we’re expecting in the mail – i can’t wait to start making yummy green smoothies (flax seeds & hemp hearts are also great protein sources that you can mix right in!) keep me posted on how it goes! xo
Tofu is bad for you Katie! http://nourishedmagazine.com.au/blog/articles/soy-the-abominable-bean I gave up my tofu dinners and soy latte (I indulge occasionally). Almond milk FTW. (at least until I learn otherwise!)
I think Tofu has some great qualities, as long as you eat it in moderation (as with anything). I would try to refrain from restricting yourself from any foods or just sticking to one ‘power food’ as some supermarkets try to convince you to do (“all hail kale”, or the quinoa craze).
Also, try to pair your spinach with iron absorbers. Iron is tricky because you could eat as much spinach as Popeye and it could pass right through your body without absorbing the nutrients. Tea, coffee, cocoa and dairy have polyphenols which inhibit the iron absorption so try to space these foods a couple hours apart from your iron intake. Have fun on your vegetarian adventure; take care!
Thanks so much ladies for your great comments! Meg, I’m looking forward to your post on curried lentil soup! I had a lentil and chickpea salad for dinner tonight courtesy the Wholefood app, which has a ‘what’s on hand search’ that i love. Michelle, thanks for the article on soy. It’s quite long and epic; it’s good to be aware of the impact of ‘health foods.’ Carman, thanks for the tips about iron absorption. I regret having my coffee and spinach salad at the same time during lunch, but now I know!
Well it is amazing to watch you become who you are. I love the things I learn from you and you make me think about what i am putting in my mouth for nourishment. I am not interested being a vegetarian but I definitly eat a whole lot less red meat….I am down to maybe once a week for beef or pork and you know how I feel about chicken….mmmmmm…tasty…tasty chicken. It is great that you look after your health but also show your concern for your enviroment as well. Big hugs and big kisses from your moderately carnivorish mother.
I was a vegetarian (not even fish) for 3 years, but if I were ever at someone’s house, I’d normally eat whatever they served me. Although I eat meat now (bacon and beef were too difficult to resist) I’ve been, for the past couples years, a “meat-reductionist”. Basically I eat meat from 0-3 times a week total. I have much more energy now and I missed meat so much! If I’m going to get meat, for the most part I spend a little more to get more environmentally friendly meat. Being a vegetarian takes a lot of effort and awareness. The latest health food craze normally always turns out to be bad for you.
Females have iron deficiencies from the get go, so in addition to stoking up on spinach, I would highly recommend daily iron pills or a multivitamin that has lots of iron in it! (I use 1-a-day for women even when I eat meat). Also if you do eat fish (which means you’re a Pescetarian!) try my mom’s honey-soy-walnut salmon. Everyone who’s tried it has raved about it, it’s super easy (throw on the barbie with some herbs and in tinfoil), and freaking delicious! http://startwithanonion-cheryl.blogspot.ca/2011/01/honey-soy-walnut-salmon.html
Good luck!