In order to keep me honest about not eating meat and also, I guess, a chance to really be a cheese-sandwich-blog (although my cheese sandwiches tend to be more along the likes of this), I started a food diary on Saturday (the first day Meatless). I’m sure many of you will be appalled to find out that while I eat well on a regular basis, I eat leftovers long past what my friends consider acceptable (in my defense, she doesn’t eat leftovers at all, and another of my friends doesn’t allow food to remain in her fridge beyond 2 days, at most 3 days; I have trouble cooking small amounts and so wind up with way more leftovers than are really necessary, but I do throw food out when it’s gone bad. But not before), and that I don’t eat “interesting” things all the time. I mean, they’re interesting, but then there’s also… well, you’ll see.
Saturday, 2/28/09 – Meatless Day 1
lunch (woke up late, no breakfast): bowl of soba salad
snack: pita with spicy masago spread
dinner: sushi rice topped with (raw) salmon, masago, with seaweed
drinks: green tea (unsweetened Ito En), large glass of white wine (reviews to come), water
snack: half a bag of hot & spicy Bugles
(Alright, I admit, day one had some interesting foodstuffs, but I had gone out during the day to buy all the ingredients I used for dinner. I don’t normally eat like that. Watch.)
Sunday, 3/1/09 – Meatless Day 2
lunch: sushi rice, sesame seeds, masago, seaweed (see above photos), some random veggies
dinner: 2 salmon tacos with sour cream, black bean hash, cilantro; blanched green beans; one small portobello&ricotta stuffed shell (homemade, possible recipe to come)
drinks: one large glass of Coke, water
Monday, 3/2/09 – Meatless Day 3
drinks: water, green tea with Splenda
breakfast: 2 slices whole grain toast with butter
lunch: bento #303
dinner: udon with yu choy, lots of cabbage (hiding underneath udon), topped with hoisin sauce & noritamago furikake
afterwards (still dinner) a HUGE bowl of assorted veggies (Korean style; the container said “marinated wildweeds”) with gochujang
carrots, cucumbers, bean sprouts, burdock root, spinach, and mushy radish
Monday was the day I learned two important lessons: first, there is a reason why vegetarians tend to like ethnic/highly seasoned/spiced foods, and spicy foods… because eating all vegetables becomes very flat and boring after a while, and you need a kick to keep your tongue interested. Secondly, and probably way more importantly, THERE IS SUCH A THING AS TOO MANY VEGGIES. Yes, I got a little sick, but this is a food blog, not a “Let’s gross the world out with how my digestive system handles excessive vegetables” blog. They were damn delicious though.
Tuesday, 3/3/09 – Meatless Day 4
breakfast: black bean tortilla with sour cream, cilantro, fried egg; mini Earl Grey panna cotta (I made mini 2 oz cups of the stuff on Monday night)
lunch: bento #304
dinner: giant Fuji apple; 3 stuffed shells; entire bag of Cheez Doodles
drinks: water, green tea with Splenda
What can I say? I took an aerobics class after the Fuji apple, then went home, starving, and decided to eat a little bit of pasta (stuffed shells). Then I ate that bag of Cheez Doodles, telling myself I would only eat half at most, “Why do I even have these in my possession?” and then finding the bottom of the bag too quickly. Oops. But I have no more Cheez Doodles so I should be okay. Am I obsessing? I didn’t eat any of the cookies that were on my coffee table last night. I resisted. So I think it’s a win.
Wednesday, 3/4/09 – Meatless Day 5
breakfast: 2 slices whole grain toast with butter, small panna cotta
lunch: giant Fuji apple; vegetarian baguette/bahn mi (review to be posted on Wednesday)
dinner: bento #305; handful of edamame
drinks: water, green tea with Splenda
Thursday, 3/5/09 – Meatless Day 6
breakfast: 2 slices whole grain toast with butter, green tea with Splenda
lunch: bento #306, water
dinner: black bean hash wrap with tomato, sour cream; yu choy with hoisin (a HUGE container – I finished up the bunch), green beans with hummus, water
Friday, 3/6/09 – Meatless Day 7
breakfast: 2 slices whole grain toast w/butter
lunch: edamame; roasted eel baguette (review to come Wednesday)
dinner: giant Fuji apple
So that was Meatless Week 1… phew! Any suggestions/recommendations for meatless dishes I should try? 🙂
As always, happy eating~ meatless or not!!!
SkippyMom says
I keep telling you to make Mare’s chili – it is awesome. It tastes like it has meat in it, it is a crockpot recipe, it makes a ton and freezes beautifully….you should make it…I am telling you.
Rochelle says
Oooh, Bugles! In the words of third-grade me: "Holy fucking shit! I fucking love Bugles!"
Also, yey for large glasses of white wine! I have one beside me, currently.
I like Tuesday's brekkie <3
Re: the Cheez Doodles. We've all been there. I did it with Terra Chips the other day. But to be honest, I think there is getting to be less and less in those damn bags, so we're probably doing okay.
As for a suggestion of a meatless dish – this is a great dinner:
Combine, using a food pro (or blender) 2 oz. goat cheese and 1 oz. cream cheese, (at room temperature), 6 oz. baby spinach and 1 clove of garlic. Toss with whole wheat penne and a bit of pasta water .. it's AMAZING <3
PS you're doing far better than I ever did when I was meatless .. and I did it for years. So, basically, you're awesome. 🙂
Lizz says
wow very nice!! those are pretty filling meals right there.. can’t wait to see what you eat the rest of the days.
Jessica@Foodmayhem says
I’m not a fan of left-overs but hubby is….and he’s also, like you, in that he cooks in such big amounts.