Vegetarians

I wanted to see if I could turn vegetarian for a full 30 days. I love cooking and I thought it would push me out of my comfort zone. Ultimately, I just wanted to see if I could do it.

Dave announced he wanted to try it with me the day I planned to start. The guy that wont eat vegetables unless I hide them in meat wants to see if he can go a whole month without eating meat. The guy that started picking vegetables out of the vegetable lasagna until there was only cheese and pasta left and got more and more irritated with every zucchini chunk thinks he can eat enough vegetables to sustain life. The guy that gagged on a chickpea that I snuck into one of his sandwiches thinks he can get enough protein. I figured he would last a few days, cry uncle and send me off to the grocery store to replenish our supply of flesh.

That night I made poblano and mushroom tacos. I didn't bother making them look fancy. He knew there wasn't meat and I wasn't about to waste time on making it look good if he wasn't going to eat them. 6 tacos later he said "If all of our meals are like this one I don't think I'll miss meat"

We are a little over two weeks into it and I'm not sure I'll go back to eating meat. I thought I would crave meat but the longer I go the less appealing it sounds. I don't feel weighed down after meals, I'm enjoying tracking protein instead of calories, and I've dropped a pound and a half.


Poblano and Mushroom Tacos
Adapted slightly from Epicurious.

2 T Oil
1 poblano chile, seeded, sliced into thin long strips
1/2 small red onion, sliced
2 c crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 t cumin
corn tortillas
thin slices Monterey Jack cheese
cilantro
crumbled feta
diced tomatoes

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add poblano chile, onion, and mushrooms; sauté mixture until brown, about 5 minutes. Mix in ground cumin. Season and transfer mixture to medium bowl.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add tortillas in single layer, draping up sides of skillet to fit. Divide mushroom mixture among tortillas, mounding on only 1 side. Place slice of Monterey Jack cheese atop filling in each tortilla. Fold plain tortilla halves over filling and press firmly. Cook until tortillas are brown, about 1 minute per side. Transfer tacos to plates. Open tacos; sprinkle with cilantro, crumbled feta, and toppings.

social asshole

Life caught up with me and I quit writing. Every time I sat down to write I would struggle with what was on my mind and not feeling comfortable writing about it on the webernet. I'm ready to move on.

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My brother and I took my sister out to sushi today to celebrate her birthday.

(saying "I went to sushi makes me feel like a grown up... except I still refuse to eat anything that comes out of the water and yes that includes the seaweed the stuff is wrapped in so I go straight for the avocado and vegetable rolls with soy paper and make gag noises over the real sushi)

At some point after we got our edamame and steeped our tea and before our food arrived I pulled my ipod touch out of my purse. I'm at the mercy of any random hot spot I can find so I check anywhere I think I might get lucky. The restaurant didn't have a public network so I put my ipod down on the table and rejoined the conversation.

We sat there for about an hour talking and eating. The waiter stopped by several times to refill our waters and check on us. I was having too good of a time to notice anything going on around me.

I figured I should pack up my stuff and get my wallet ready for the bill. I turn towards my purse sitting next to me on the bench and then I see it.

A maxi pad sitting on top of my coat.

Not just any maxi pad either. MY super long maxi pad that I hastily pulled out of the bathroom cabinet and shoved in my purse as I was trying to hurry out the door making a mental note to put pads on my grocery list. I had plenty of pads, I didn't have the travel kind that are neatly folded and wrapped in plastic to keep the crap that collects on the bottom of your purse from sticking to it and making it a little more discreet. It came out of my purse when I pulled my ipod out.

There it sat, 3 feet from the person sitting at the next table sharing the bench with me. Less than 2 feet from the waiter that I thought was so nice keeping my water glass filled. 4 feet from the host that was sitting just behind my bench waiting for more patrons to come in. The only way I could have made it more embarrassing was to remove the paper backing and wear it like a sticker on my shirt.

Lesson learned. Quit being a social ass hole and karma wont have a reason to publicly humiliate me.