On being a vegetarian…

The ginger and I bet each other we couldn’t go a week without meat, this is what I learned:

1. You’ll save money

Veggie food is much cheaper than meat, I saved an average of R50 a day!

2. You’ll try new things

I don’t normally cook with lentils, mung bean sprouts, chickpeas, red kidney beans etc but when you’re a vegetarian you have to eat all that so you don’t drive yourself mad with potatoes and broccoli every night. I’m glad to report they are totally awesome and even the ginger enjoyed them (except the lentil ragu, he fed that to the cat)

3. You’ll gain weight

Well, not necessarily, but vegetarian dinners aren’t all rabbit food. If you’re not careful you’ll eat a lot more rice, pasta, cream & bread than you are used to… especially in winter where you will eat almost everything as long as it’s warm and has salt on it.

4. You’ll soon run out of things to cook

I tried to be inventive but I was pretty much at the limits of my imagination by Saturday night. I know there are seasoned veggie-monsters out there who can find something new to whip up every night but I am so used to starting my meal plan with a dead animal that I struggled at the end.

I am, however, proud of what I conjured up. Here it is, in order:

Sunday

- Aubergine lasagne with basil pesto

Monday

- Thai green curry with chickpeas and mung bean sprouts

Tuesday

- Butternut, feta and pumpkin seed penne in a white wine sauce

Wednesday

- Vegetable Briyani… and… tomato & lentil ragu with Haloumi cheese

Thursday

- Red Kidney bean tortillas with creamed corn

Friday

- Tomato noodle soup at the ginger’s mom’s house

Saturday

- Hawaiian veggie burgers & fries

So we survived the week intact and actually enjoyed it. So much so that we are going to observe Vegetarian Mondays from now on.

That said, dinner tonight was a big hunk of rare beef. And it was gooooooood!