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Monday, March 30, 2015
My Meat Free Week
Having just completed Meat Free Week I thought I would fill you in with my experience of the week I just had where I wasn't able to eat any meat, fish or seafood for 1 week....That's right 1 week, 7 days, 168 hours.... in reality a very short time. To all the vegetarians out there I apologise as what I'm about to say sounds pretty pathetic but this 7 short days actually felt relatively long and it turned out to be harder than I thought!
When I decided to accept the challenge I did it purely for myself...I wanted to see how I would feel going meatless for a week. Generally we eat meat free meals about twice a week and in all honesty I never thought anything of it. Eating meat 7 days a week is a big no-go for me... I simply find it to be too much. Cost aside (which would be far too much for my budget!) meat everyday is just overkill (sorry, no pun intended!).
For years I have been an advocate of buying better quality meat and simply eating less of it and I really do stand by that. There are many issues associated with our global meat consumption, notably the impact it has on the environment, animals (increased consumption has lead to inhumane farming practices for a start) and of course our own health. As posted on the Meat Free Week website "the U.N. has identified the livestock industry as one of the most significant contributors to today's most serious environmental problems" so we really do need to stop and seriously think about how much meat we eat.
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Meal Plan for Meat Free Week
Monday (March 23rd, 2015) is the start of Meat Free Week, a global campaign to create awareness of how much meat you eat and the impact that it has on our health as well as the animals and the environment. The challenge is to go meat free for a full week which includes ALL meat, fish and seafood.
Although we do eat quite a lot of meat I always try to have at least 2 nights a week where we eat vegetarian meals so I'm excited to have a full week of delicious vegetarian food (breakfast and lunch included), and no there isn't a nut roast in sight!
To make things easier for you if you are interested in taking part in Meat Free Week, I decided to share my weekly meal plan which is packed with delicious, nutritious recipes. All recipes have a link included so you can join me for the week or pick and chose as you like any recipes that appeal. For more meal ideas why not have a look at the recipes provided on the Meat Free Week website or alternatively check out Jamie Oliver's recipes dedicated to this fantastic campaign, or if you have a favourite vegetarian meal please feel free to share links in the comments section!
So what are you waiting for? Join me and hundreds of other people and go meat free for a week!
Monday March 23rd ~ 29th
Tuesday - North African Squash & Chickpea Stew
Wednesday - Spicy Tomato & Mozzarella Gnocchi with Green Salad
Wednesday - Spicy Tomato & Mozzarella Gnocchi with Green Salad
Friday - Deliciously Dhal
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Cookbook Review ~ The Wellness Kitchen by Paulette Lambert
The start of
a New Year is always the time when resolutions are made to eat better, exercise
more and generally lead a healthier life so it was the perfect time for me to
put The Wellness Kitchen: Fresh, Flavorful Recipes for a Healthier You by Paulette Lambert to the test.
The Wellness
Kitchen is a cookbook designed to show you how you can transform your body with
simple, easy steps and wholesome flavourful foods. Paulette Lambert is a
registered dietitian with 32 years of experience that includes appearances on
ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition and The Dr. Oz Show. It is not a
diet book containing specific restrictions, fads or concepts that are “of the
moment”. Rather this book is about presenting the reader with “the latest
scientific knowledge regarding nutrition and health” and making healthy eating
a very easy, accessible way of life that anyone can achieve.
The book is
divided into three parts. The first part is information about health, how to
use the book for you in particular as well as general nutrition guidelines and
a handy section on pantry basics and a 21-Day Food Plan for Health and Weight
Loss. The third part is Caloric Meal Plans.
Part 2 of
the book features the Recipes with chapters dedicated to Breakfast, Appetizers,
Quick and Easy Main Dishes and A Little Sweet to name a few. With more than 100
recipes included there is plenty of choice that will tempt your taste buds and
help to improve your health. With so many recipes to choose from it was hard to
pick but in the end I tested 4 recipes.