Skip to main content

30 Day Vegetarian Experiment: Dining Out/Ordering In

 




(Pictured:  Vegetable Samosa)

Dining out was a different experience.  On Friday we met friends at a Vietnamese-Thai fusion restaurant.  I should have tons of vegetable options right?  Well,  not so much.  Due to my history of breast cancer,  I do not eat tofu or edamame.  I do not care for eggs so that eliminates most stir-fry rice dishes.  I did find some lovely vegetable Samosas and ordered stir-fried vegetables (in this case pepper and onions) with brown rice.  I had to be a bit more thoughtful in my ordering, but in the end,  I could finds a few satisfying dishes.

Sabotage

I guess it was going to happen.  After a week of vegetarian meals,  my husband says he started craving Texas BBQ.  To be fair,  I still made some dinners with meat for him, even if I ate a salad.  He decided we needed to go to Heims BBQ for lunch.  For those not acquainted with this institution,  Heim is home to some of the best BBQ in the state.   "Surely you can eat meat for this one meal?  You are not really a vegetarian after all.  You can just choose to eat meat for this meal and go back to being a vegetarian for the rest of the month."  Of course my husband is correct.  I can simply choose to eat meat.  However,  I have set a goal.  Consciously abstaining from meat allows me focus on including more fruits, vegetables and whole grains into my diet.  Sure,  it is just my own little experiment, but once I made a commitment,  I need to follow through, right?   So what can the vegetarian get at Heim BBQ?  Nothing green except a pickle.  I was able to order a side of green chili mac and cheese.   A big calorie splurge but tasty and my husband's attempts to derail my experiment failed!
 
      
                 (Heim BBQ)


(Heim BBQ)


Once again the family conspires against me.  Sunday was my daughter's 22nd birthday.  As a lover of all things Asian,  she requested First Chinese BBQ.   Another meat lover's paradise.  On the birthday menu:  Mongolian Beef,  Pork and noodles,  sun-fried shrimp, steamed rice.   Again,  the question is "Why not just take a day off?"  I must say this living with carnivores is becoming a bit onerous.  At this point my answer is the same as any mom "It's just because I say so."  


First Chinese BBQ

 
Once again, I prevailed.  What is perfectly cooked pork and beef with balanced sauces compared with a kale, beet and goat cheese salad?  How many more days do I have left now?











Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Emulsion Blender

Making creamy soups is so much easier with an emulsion blender.  One pot and done!  Also known as a stick blender or hand blender.  Because it is compact and cleans easily it is perfect for small mixing projects like French toast custard or whipping cream.  This particular model is inexpensive and comes with a couple of useful attachment.  It costs about $60. Cuisinart Smart Stick CSB77  
Post a Comment
Read more

Guacamole

This is my simple guacamole recipe that I made with my awesome "culinary" students, aka my good friends Sara and Liz.     Ingredients: 3-4  Ripe Avocados (depends on the size) 1/2 - 3/4 cup fresh salsa 1/4 Cup cilantro Juice of 1 small lime Salt to taste Pit and peel avocados. (If you whack the pit with the knife and twist,  the pit comes out easily)   Rough chop avocados and place in a bowl.  Add lime, cilantro and fresh salsa (see previous post).  Using a couple of forks mash ingredients to desired consistency.   Add salt to taste.  
Post a Comment
Read more

Grilled Portobello and Roasted Red Pepper Burgers with Wasabi Mayo

This is a great vegetarian dish that is tasty enough for meat eaters. I like to serve this with homemade sweet potato chips or sweet potato fries. Wasabi is Japanese horseradish (Wasabia japonica or Eutrema japonica). I like a fair amount of wasabi, but you may need to experiment a little to find the perfect level of spice for you. I usually keep a tube of wasabi paste in my refrigerator (Odd I know). You could also check with your local sushi shop to see if they will sell some fresh wasabi. One product you should avoid is powdered wasabi. I was desperate once when I could not find the wasabi paste at my local grocery store and tried the powdered wasabi. It was dreadful! Don't use this! INGREDIENTS: 4 Onion Rolls (or any burger bun that you prefer) 4 Whole Portobello Mushrooms 2 Red Bell Peppers 1 1/2 Cup Teriyaki Sauce 1/2 Cup Olive Oil (plus a little extra for coating the red peppers) 2 Tsp. Herbes de Provence 1 Cup Mayonnaise 1-2 Tbs. Wasabi Arugul...
Post a Comment
Read more