No Meat Shall Touch These Lips for the Next 40 Days-Half Way Check In

The Stats:

Starting Date: Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Ending Date: Sunday, April 8, 2012
Total Days Meat Free (so far): 24

The Eats:

Tofu Bahn Mi

Tiki Masala Soup with Shrimp

Trashcan Salads

Spicy Curry Noddle Bowls 

Vegetable Stir Fries with Tofu

Not nearly enough Paneer Cheese and Spinach, and Spicy Peas, Chickpeas & Potatoes with Five-Grain Pilaf and of course, Naan. 

Plus loads of: Tuna Salad with Crackers, Subway Seafood Sensation Subs and Eggs (scrambled, fried sandwiches, hard-boiled)


The Reflections:

This challenge has been fairly smooth so far but admittedly not very creative. I've been a very busy gal the last couple of weeks, so grabbing what I can, when I can has been the reality of the situation. I've discovered that the only time I struggle with avoiding meat consumption is when I fail to plan in advance. Of course this statement is true of nearly any healthy eating, I think, meat or no.

I've been eating mostly trashcan salads for dinner (I roast up a huge pan of veggies and potatoes on Sunday and eat off it all week in my salads) and tofu sandwiches or tuna/seafood subs for lunch. Breakfast has been mostly unchanged, I just don't include ham in my egg scrambles or sandwiches.  

Dining out has been painless as well, since my friends are awesome and we have been frequenting mostly Asian fare restaurants, which ironically I usually eat tofu at all the time. Dining out with others has also been the hardest on me, because I'm a big sharer of meals and it's irritating not to be able to steal a sesame glazed chicken wing off a friend's plate, or a bite of chicken pad thai off another's. I think that leaves me more leaning towards reintroducing meat into my diet after Easter.

This coming week will be the most challenging yet to be sure. I'm headed out on a road trip with my Mum to stay with her brother as we visit with my elderly grandmother who now lives permanently in a nursing home.  I didn't tell my uncle and aunt about my new "vegetarian" ways because I didn't want them to make a big fuss. But they are good southern hosts and both excellent cooks; which means bacon in even the green beans! Oh and my uncle makes some wicked good grilled chicken. Yes, a challenge to be sure. I'll report back soon.

How is everyone else doing with their Lenten abstinences? Have you learned anything new about yourselves?

Love to all,
~the Lenten veg head herself, Jess