I was a vegetarian years ago, but quickly came to my senses after accidentally having a chicken quesadilla and wondering why it tasted so good. But ever since becoming a born-again carnivore, I've realized the importance of non-meat products.
In an effort to appease my mother, I decided to actually give something up for Lent this year. For my non-Catholic friends, Lent is the 40-day period that precedes Easter, and it's common practice for people to sacrifice something they love and exercise self-control during that time. This year, I chose to give up meat. And honestly, I've never felt lighter and more energetic in years. That's not to say that I skipped the spiral-cut honey ham on Easter morning...;)
My delve back into the veggie world was daunting, but this time around I think I did it the right way. The shear number of delicious vegetarian recipes out there is astounding. And I won't lie and say "You'll never know this didn't have meat in it!" But I came pretty close a couple of times. Like with my tempeh tacos, there's so much other flavor going on that you don't even miss the shredded chicken. Or my new favorite crock pot recipe: Hominy and white bean chili with avocado and jalepenos. That would garner a definite YUMMO from Rachael Ray.
So why am I even talking about this? Well, like I mentioned regarding my meat-free stint earlier this year, going veg made me feel lighter! And as a bride, that's muy importante. Last time I checked, the color white isn't a slimming shade. In a matter of months, all eyes will be on you sister. So the food portion of BridieDiet starts now!
I won't encourage you to run to Barnes & Noble and pick up Skinny Bitch or Naturally Thin by Bethanny Frankel (though the latter is a good read!). In fact, I refuse to even pick up Skinny Bitch for fear I'll never be able to eat wings again. Enough of my girlfriends are testament to the fact that the book will make you swear off meat forever. And to be honest, I'm not sure I'm quite ready for that commitment yet.
My advice, as a bride-to-be (read: not a doctor, nutritionist, or anyone with a degree in the health field), is to go "part-time veg." Start by picking two days out of the week to go meat-free. You'll be amazed how how light you feel! While meat is the easiest and best way to get protein, it's high in salt. The more salt in your diet, the "puffier" you'll appear. The key is to make sure you're replacing the meat product with a form of protein, whether it be fish, tofu, tempeh, etc. Here are a few BridieDiet-approved recipes to get you on your way.
1. Tofu & Egg Quiche: http://www.grouprecipes.com/45042/awesome-tofu-and-egg-quiche.html * I add spinach or broccoli to mine!
2. Spiced Lentil Tacos: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spiced-Lentil-Tacos-351390
3. Sweet & Spicy BBQ Tempeh: http://www.theppk.com/recipes/dbrecipes/index.php?RecipeID=176
4. Tofu Stir-Fry: http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/asian/recipe-tofu-stirfry-with-snow-peas-and-mushrooms-050191 *I add alot more veggies!
5. Mushroom Quinoa: http://www.cookthink.com/recipe/11151/Wild_Mushroom_Quinoa_%E2%80%9CRisotto%E2%80%9D *Great alternative to rice or risotto!
6. Hominy & White Bean Chili: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipes/gallery/0,28548,1873037_1827801,00.html *Do this in the crock pot as a time saver!
Have fun in the kitchen!
Kisses!
Bridie
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