Most meat eaters can not imagine giving up eating meat, what do you eat when meat is such a staple in every meal? This is the question I wondered too before I turned veggie. I didn't fancy eating pulses and vegetables every day, I didn't want to cook from scratch every day and I would miss my favourite meals like beef stew and lasagne. But meat was beginning to repulse me, I was starting to leave the meat part on my plate, I was gagging at the sight of a tube and crunching on residue bones in mince. I hated seeing veins in cooked chicken let alone handle slimey raw meat. It was really starting to click that these animals once lived, those veins once pumped blood around their body like ours do. How did they die? and how long had their rotting bodies been in the shop for and in our fridge? It was a disgusting thought and very sad. So I took the leap and turned vegetarian. I did stumble a few times when out, it took a year to transition completely but I didn't pressurise myself and I think that is the biggest tip for anyone who wants to try. Don't label it, just try it, eating less meat is a positive start.
The best thing about turning vegetarian is you can still enjoy those meaty meals you love but without cooking dead bodies. I use Quorn or own brand meat free alternatives which is often soy based, and honestly most people can not tell the difference once everything is cooked and seasoned. The best part about it all is that I am helping the awful meat industry slowly diminish. They supply in demand and if the demand is going down person by person, the supply is effected meaning less animals are being force fed, bred and killed for meat. Another massive benefit is health. SO many people are told by doctors to reduce their intake of meat, so may people say they feel sluggish after eating meat. It's so nice to not have that problem at all but still enjoy my faux meat meals as if I were still a meat eater.
Here are a list of my go to meals for some insight/ inspiration:
- Lasagne with quorn mince using my own cheese sauce and tomato sauce made from tomato passata, garlic, onion and vegtable stock cube
- Quorn/ Tesco vegetarian chicken nuggets, chips and beans (that cosy,lazy meal most of us love)
The nuggets taste exactly like chicken nuggets - I like that Isla (my daughter) won't miss out on that kind of thing.
-Spaghetti Bolognese with quorn mince
-Beef stew and dumplings with veg, pearl barley, tin tomatoes, bisto gravy for sauce thickening and salt, veg stock cubes and quorn strips which have the same texture as a soft bit of beef.
- Sausage sandwiches/ as part of a fry up/ sausages and mash - I use quorn and Linca Mcartney sausages which are both delicious and have a meaty texture
-Burgers - Linda mcartney Burgers are the best in my opinion, meat eaters have commented on how they were actually nicer than beef burgers.
- Shepard's Pie with quorn mince
And I've even cooked a caribbean dish using quorn mince and curry spices with rice, jonny cakes and sweetcorn.
Honestly, being a vegetarian is SO easy. Easier than being a meat eater. There's no raw meat to handle, no scare of anything being under cooked and everything is frozen. This is a big reason as to why I am raising Isla as a vegetarian as well as for the health benefits which are extraordinary. Plus I now see meat as perverse, I would hate for her to be conditioned to think it was a normal thing to consume meat like we all have, she can choose to eat it in the future but I will start her off as an empathetic vegetarian who knows what meat is before she chooses that path.
Why don't you try subbing meat in a couple of meals a week ?:)
Robyn x
How I became vegetarian after 23 years of eating meat and why I am raising my daughter as a veggie.
Tuesday, 29 October 2019
5 Things I couldn't Live without at Newborn Stage
Wednesday, 9 October 2019
Newborn days are an absolute blur.
I am so glad that we were over prepared and had all the equipment we needed without having to panic buy last minute because when I was struggling in the early days I had no inspiration to shop at all.
So here are a few things I found to be useful and would use again if I have another baby.
1. Chicco Next to me Crib and Chicco Light
These next to me beds are so perfect. I am a very anxious and paranoid person. I used to wake up randomly just to check if Isla was breathing ok (SIDS was constantly on my mind). With this crib I could see her as I lay there on my side, I didn't have to get up to check on her but she was also safe in her own space with no threat of me rolling on to her. As she got older and needier we started to co-sleep in my bed but while she was a fragile and an unaware newborn, I let her sleep in her own space as she didn't mind at all.
The light was also a big big plus because I relied on that soft night light to give me night vision when Isla insisted we get up every 3 hours. The light fixed on to the crib and was bright enough for me to see her and breastfeed her without fumbling in the dark but dim enough not to effect her Dad too much while he attempted to get some sleep.
2. Muslins
Wow I know they say you can never have enough muslins but we had about 20 and that still wasn't enough. I did have to buy more as Isla was a sicky baby (I blame greed), so we were getting through 5 a day. I also got some big bamboo muslins as a very light blanket while she slept. There were some nights were it stayed at 26+ degrees so a light muslin was all she needed. They are still handy now as they are so big so I continued to use them as summer blankets while she was in her pushchair.
3. Baby Massage
Baby massage really saved my mentality as a new mum and introduced me to my first mum friends who I hope to stay in contact with forever. I went to a free class (donation £2 a session), at my local childrens centre. Our teacher was so lovely, although too young to be my nan, she had that cosiness about her which I found really comforting. She provided tea and the most delicious cookies every time. In the early days, I was so mentally and physically drained, I had to force myself to leave the house and the only way I could do that is if I had a class to go to. Baby massage starts at 6weeks old so that was my very first class and a lovely soft introduction to the world of baby classes. Not only did it help me mentally, it helped Isla so so SO much. She was a very windy baby and before baby massage, the trapped air would have her crying relentlessly throughout the day and night. Once I was taught how to give her a proper colic/wind massage, the air came out like a deflating balloon. It also helps them go to the toilet which was also an issue with Isla. Baby massage helped me get rid of that horrible discomfort she was in and I am so grateful for being able to do that for her.
4. Baby Carrier
Before I had Isla, I used to go on daily dog walks with my mum and her dogs. Nature is my haven so it was an absolute must to work out a way where I could continue to join my mum on her dog walks which were usually off road and impossible for a buggy. My friend gave me her baby bjorn carrier which was an absolute blessing. Isla used to fall asleep in the carrier almost instantly and I could continue to walk like a normal person. I loved how she could remain close to me but still get some fresh air. As she got older I purchased the ERGO BABY 360 carrier which allowed me to turn her so she could face the front and see what was going on (around 6 months old).
5. Changing Table by Tutti Bambini
Having a C-Section made it harder for me to change her on the floor or even on my bed.
A changing table is at a perfect height where you don't have to bend down and strain your back to change them. Isla is 14 months and I still use the changing table. They can look like normal drawers once we are finished with the baby stage. But unlike normal drawers, they have a slight depth on top so the baby cant just roll off of the edge, although I would never ever let that even be an option.
I hope this has inspired your parent to be shopping list :)
Let me know if you have any questions! x
I am so glad that we were over prepared and had all the equipment we needed without having to panic buy last minute because when I was struggling in the early days I had no inspiration to shop at all.
So here are a few things I found to be useful and would use again if I have another baby.
1. Chicco Next to me Crib and Chicco Light
These next to me beds are so perfect. I am a very anxious and paranoid person. I used to wake up randomly just to check if Isla was breathing ok (SIDS was constantly on my mind). With this crib I could see her as I lay there on my side, I didn't have to get up to check on her but she was also safe in her own space with no threat of me rolling on to her. As she got older and needier we started to co-sleep in my bed but while she was a fragile and an unaware newborn, I let her sleep in her own space as she didn't mind at all.
The light was also a big big plus because I relied on that soft night light to give me night vision when Isla insisted we get up every 3 hours. The light fixed on to the crib and was bright enough for me to see her and breastfeed her without fumbling in the dark but dim enough not to effect her Dad too much while he attempted to get some sleep.
2. Muslins
Wow I know they say you can never have enough muslins but we had about 20 and that still wasn't enough. I did have to buy more as Isla was a sicky baby (I blame greed), so we were getting through 5 a day. I also got some big bamboo muslins as a very light blanket while she slept. There were some nights were it stayed at 26+ degrees so a light muslin was all she needed. They are still handy now as they are so big so I continued to use them as summer blankets while she was in her pushchair.
3. Baby Massage
Baby massage really saved my mentality as a new mum and introduced me to my first mum friends who I hope to stay in contact with forever. I went to a free class (donation £2 a session), at my local childrens centre. Our teacher was so lovely, although too young to be my nan, she had that cosiness about her which I found really comforting. She provided tea and the most delicious cookies every time. In the early days, I was so mentally and physically drained, I had to force myself to leave the house and the only way I could do that is if I had a class to go to. Baby massage starts at 6weeks old so that was my very first class and a lovely soft introduction to the world of baby classes. Not only did it help me mentally, it helped Isla so so SO much. She was a very windy baby and before baby massage, the trapped air would have her crying relentlessly throughout the day and night. Once I was taught how to give her a proper colic/wind massage, the air came out like a deflating balloon. It also helps them go to the toilet which was also an issue with Isla. Baby massage helped me get rid of that horrible discomfort she was in and I am so grateful for being able to do that for her.
4. Baby Carrier
Before I had Isla, I used to go on daily dog walks with my mum and her dogs. Nature is my haven so it was an absolute must to work out a way where I could continue to join my mum on her dog walks which were usually off road and impossible for a buggy. My friend gave me her baby bjorn carrier which was an absolute blessing. Isla used to fall asleep in the carrier almost instantly and I could continue to walk like a normal person. I loved how she could remain close to me but still get some fresh air. As she got older I purchased the ERGO BABY 360 carrier which allowed me to turn her so she could face the front and see what was going on (around 6 months old).
5. Changing Table by Tutti Bambini
Having a C-Section made it harder for me to change her on the floor or even on my bed.
A changing table is at a perfect height where you don't have to bend down and strain your back to change them. Isla is 14 months and I still use the changing table. They can look like normal drawers once we are finished with the baby stage. But unlike normal drawers, they have a slight depth on top so the baby cant just roll off of the edge, although I would never ever let that even be an option.
I hope this has inspired your parent to be shopping list :)
Let me know if you have any questions! x
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
