At Least Tequila is Vegetarian

I have been doing great,  not eating meat that is. I have not even really been eating much dairy. The true test came when I went to dinner and a movie with friends. Location, Luna De Noche. If your not familiar with Luna De Noche, they basically have the worlds best chicken tortilla soup. I went in assuming that its 2012, and there would be some great vegetarian options and I would get over the fact I can't eat their chicken tortilla soup.

WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!

Every option was  CHEESY ROASTED SHREDDED CHARRED PAN SEARED .......BEEF, PORK or CHICKEN.

Every single soups base was chicken broth.

Every nacho was smothered in queso and meat.

Every salad was either beef, chicken, or shrimp.


At this point I had a few options.
1. Cave in and be part of the carnivore party at my table. (no way, I refuse to hear, "That lasted long"....or "I told you sooooo"
2. Recommend a different restaurant. (then not likely get invited to dinner with friends again)
3.  Tequila and Guacamole



It was actually rather filling :)

Some Avocado Nutrition Facts:

Protein

Avocados provide all 18 essential amino acids necessary for the body to form a complete protein. Unlike the protein in steak, which is difficult for most people to digest, avocado protein is readily absorbed by the body because avocadoes also contain fiber. If you are trying to cut down on animal sources of protein in your diet, or if you are a vegetarian, vegan or raw foodist seeking more protein, avocadoes are a great nutritional ally to include not merely as an occasional treat, but as a regular part of your diet.

Beneficial Fats

Avocados provide the healthy kind of fat that your body needs. Like olive oil, avocadoes boost levels of HDL (the "good" cholesterol). HDL cholesterol can help protect against the damage caused by free radicals. This type of cholesterol also helps regulate triglyceride levels, preventing diabetes. A study published early this year in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that a vegetarian diet, which includes HDL fats, can reduce levels of LDL (the "bad" cholesterol) as effectively as statin drugs.
Tequila :/ not much nutritional value!

For the Environment

 I posted earlier about vegetarianism for personal health, this is vegetarianism for the environment.

 

 

The Environment

1. Conservation of Fossil fuel. It takes 78 calories of fossil fuel to produce 1 calorie of beef protein; 35 calories for 1 calorie of pork; 22 calories for 1 of poultry; but just 1 calorie of fossil fuel for 1 calorie of soybeans. By eating plant foods instead of animal foods, I help conserve our non-renewable sources of energy.
2. Water Conservation. It takes 3 to 15 times as much water to produce animal protein as it does plant protein. As a vegetarian I contribute to water conservation.
3. Efficient use of grains. It takes up to 16 pounds of soybeans and grains to produce 1 lb. of beef and 3 to 6 lbs. to produce 1 lb of turkey & egg. By eating grain foods directly, I make the food supply more efficient & that contributes to the environment.
4. Soil conservation. When grains & legumes are used more efficiently, our precious topsoil is automatically made more efficient in its use. We use less agricultural resources to provide for the same number of people.
5. Saving our forests. Tropical forests in Brazil and other tropic regions are destroyed daily, in part, to create more acreage to raise livestock. By not supporting the meat industry, I directly reduce the demand to pillage these irreplaceable treasures of nature. Since the forest land "filters" our air supply and contains botanical sources for new medicines, this destruction is irreversable.
6. Asthetics. Decaying animal parts, whether in a freezer case or served in restaurants, can never be as asthetically pleasing to the senses as the same foods made from wholesome vegetable sources. Only habit can allow one not to perceive this: a change in diet makes this self evident.
   [Source: The Whole Earth Vegetarian Catalogue]

Day 6: Recipes

Spicy Avocado Wraps

Ingredients: 
Supremely Spicy Hummus
Spicy Sprouts (Radish Sprouts they aren't that spicy) / Or Baby Kale Greens
1 large Wheat and Spinach Tortilla
1 Small Avocado (cut into slices)
1 Small Tomato (diced)
Banana Peppers

Lay out tortilla, spread 1 tsp of Hummus add all ingredients  to taste. Wrap it up cut it in half. I eat half and then put the other half in fridge for later. The hummus is pretty spicy so you end up drinking a lot of water it is great.

Perfect Vegetarian Option (Its actually vegan!!!!! but the avocado and hummus are so tasty you don't miss the cheese)

Day 4

Monday, September 17th

I  experienced the worst night of my life.   
FOOD POISONING!
I would not wish this sickness on my worst enemy. After enduring a night of hell, I kept having flashbacks of the chicken nugget that caused this pain and suffering. It gets worse.... I then started thinking of the chicken that gave me food poisoning a few years back. WHY AM I DOING THIS TO MYSELF??? I need to eliminate the problem.

I will become a vegetarian...
I am going to blog about my research on vegetarianism, as well as some awesome recipes!




Good Reasons Why I'm  a Vegetarian: Brittish Meat 

Lets Start With Personal Health

1. No deficiencies. There is no nutrient necessary for optimal human functioning which cannot be obtained from plant food.
2. High fat plus cholesterol. Animal foods are higher in fat than most plant foods, particularly saturated fats. Plants do not contain cholesterol.
3. "Carb" deficient. Meat is deficient in carbohydrates, particularly the starches which are so essential to proper health.
4. Vitamin deficient. Except for the b-complex, meat is largely deficient in vitamins.
5. Agricultural Chemicals. Being higher on the food chain, animal foods contain far higher concentrations of agricultural chemicals than plant foods, including pesticides, herbicides, etc.
6. Exposure to livestock drugs. There are over 20,000 different drugs, including sterols, antibiotics, growth hormones and other veterinary drugs that are given to livestock animals. These drugs are consumed when animal foods are consumed. The dangers herein, in secondary consumption of antibiotics, are well documented.
7. Pathogenic Microorganisms. There are a host of bacteria and viruses, some quite dangerous, that are common to animals. When I eat meat, I eat the organisms in the meat. Micro-organisms are present in plant foods too, but their number and danger to human health is by no means comparable to that of those in meat.
8. Worms and other Parasites. Ditto on # 13!
9. Shelf life differential. Plant foods last longer than animal foods. Try this experiment: Leave out a head of lettuce and a pound of hamburger for 1 day, which will make you sick?
10. Organoleptic Indications of Pathenogens. Plant foods give tell-tale signs of "going bad". Ever hear of someone getting sick from "bad broccoli"?
11. Heart Disease. Meat eating increases the risk of heart disease, this country's #1 killer. The correlation is an epidemiological fact.
12. Cancer prevention. Of all the natural cancer prevention substances found: vitamin C, B-17, hydroquionenes, beta carotene, NDGA, - none has been found to be animal derived. Yet most meats, when cooked, produce an array of benzenes and other carcinogenic compounds. Cancer is infinitely easier to prevent than cure. Soybeans contain protease inhibitor, a powerful anticancer compound. You won't find it in useful quantities in animal based food.
13. Disease Inducing. The correlation between meat consumption and a wide range of degenerative diseases is well founded and includes.....
14. Osteoporosis
15. Kidney Stones and Gallstones
16. Diabetes
17. Multiple Sclerosis
18. Arthritis
19. Gum disease
20. Acne. Aggravated by animal food.
21. Obesity. Studies confirm that vegetarians tend to be thinner than meat eaters. Obesity is considered by doctors to be a disease within itself.
22. Intestinal Toxemia. The condition of the intestinal flora is critical to overall health. Animal products putrefy the colon.
23. Transit time. Wholesome food travels quickly through the "G.I" tract, leaving little time to spoil and incite disease within the body.
24. Fiber deficient. Fiber absorbs unwanted, excess fats; cleans the intestines; provides bulk and aids in peristalsis. Plant food is high in fiber content; meat, poultry and dairy products have none.
25. Body wastes. Food from animals contain their waste, including adrenaline, uric and lactic acid, etc., Before adding ketchup, the biggest contributors to the "flavor profile" of a hamburger are the leftover blood and urine.
26. Excess protein. The average American eats 400% of the RDA for protein. This causes excess nitrogen in the blood that creates a host of long-term health problems.
27. Longevity. To increase ones risk of getting degenerative disease means decreasing ones chance to live a naturally long healthy life. Huzas and other peoples with large centenarian populations maintain lifestyles that are relatively meat free.
28. Well Being. I just feel better since "giving up" meat and becoming vegetarian.