If you do stuff, stuff gets done.......

If you do stuff, stuff gets done.......

Monday, August 27, 2018

Eating differently- no meat?


Good morning 
I hesitate some to write this post because people can have very strong opinions on this.  
First, I want to say I am not anti-farm nor do I think animals have more rights than people.  
Second, I think what people eat is their own personal choice and I truly don’t care what they decide to eat. 

I have been dieting all summer.  I’ve spent 2 months following The Trim Healthy Mama plan and 3 weeks following Keto.  Both plans center around protein at every meal, and mostly from animal products.  In all that time,  I lost 10 pounds but was not happy with meals as I truly don’t enjoy eating meat.  I’ve been eating meat all my life but I’ve just got tired of it. 
So for now.  I’m not eating meat.  
I am eating a little dairy and eggs. 
So after some research, I learned it’s called “ovo lacto vegetarian” 
For now, I’m not concerned about GMO or organic, I see there may be some benefit in it, but for now,  I am not convinced.  

My husband is being a great sport about it. He’s enjoying the meatless meals I’ve prepared and has also enjoyed a little meat along the way.  
Grands have been here for meatless meals and they ate and never noticed a difference.  

I did not purge our kitchen and get rid of all animal products,  we will be reasonable about this and not wasteful, nor did I go out and purchase a bunch of specialty products.  I did buy more beans.  We still have a big freezer with many meat products inside,  they will get cooked for company in the future. 

And because I am trying to lose weight,  I am also avoiding sugar and refined grains as much as is reasonable.  


For breakfasts, we've eaten eggs most times. 
 Below we had eggs with hash browned sweet and white potatoes, and my husband had some precooked bacon from our freezer. 



I had a biscuit with all fruit jelly and an egg 

Another egg and toasted seed bread 

Hot tea with scrambled eggs on toasted seed bread.  

Sugar free, fat free vanilla  yogurt mixed with a tablespoon sugar free peanut butter and a tablespoon sugar free chocolate chips is so good, it’s called cookie dough yogurt in the keto and trim healthy mama world.  I really like it and it keeps me full till the next meal and it can be mixed up in a minute.  

I’ve also enjoyed eating fruit whenever I want- melons, berries, pineapple, apples and bananas.  



On to lunches and suppers, 
Naked okra, hash brown sweet potatoes, fresh fruit and some Tillamook cheese for protein.  


Black eyed peas and rice- 

Zucchini noodles mixed with a few spaghetti noodles topped with homemade sauce and cheese, sautéed spinach and onions and fresh fruit.  
At this meal, my husband skipped the zucchini noodles and only ate spaghetti noodles.  He is not a fan of “zoodles”

Red beans and rice with naked okra 

We’ve had fried rice several times.  This meal had bigger pieces of scramble eggs in the fried rice for protein,  

Below was an impromptu meal with 3 grands.  We had cheese quesadillas with fresh fruit, veggies and yogurt for the children.  I made my quesadilla on a low carb tortilla while the others were on flour tortillas.  


Below  was a meal when 2 grands were here- I set out peanut butter sandwich ingredients but nobody ate them.
The fried rice, made with the eggs stirred into the hot rice to cook them, was a big hit.  

Another meal with 2 grands here was bean and cheese burritos.  I put canned refried beans and grated cheese in tortillas, folded them up and heated them in a skillet with a bit of butter.  We liked them that night.  My son came by the next day and reheated the 2 leftover burritos and he liked them too.  



One day, we were in Oklahoma City and we ate at a Golden Corral, a buffet with lots of choices.  I had a salad topped with sunflower seeds, Mexican beans and cornbread and several vegetables.  My husband had a huge salad, some vegetables and 2 chicken legs.  We both skipped all the desserts.  

Another day,  I was gone all afternoon and hadn’t planned supper.  So I stopped at Walmart and got a bag of Italian salad mix and 2 Digiorno thin crust pizzas, one was spinach and the other pepperoni.  These were small pizzas, maybe 8 or 10 inch.  It cost about $11 total and was cheaper than eating out.  I really liked the spinach pizza but it was different from traditional pizza.  My husband is a big spinach fan but he didn’t like it, he did like his pepperoni just fine.  

For snacks,  we’ve had sugar free pudding, nuts, a few peanuts mixed with sugar free chocolate chips, and fruit.  

Our verdict? After 8 days,  I’ve lost 3 pounds and I feel really good.  
Someone at church commented to my husband that he was looking thinner but I don’t think he has weighed.  He was happy for the compliment. 
This way of eating does take planning but it can be very economical.  
We plan to stay with it and see how it goes.  


I do have a warning if you’re thinking about looking into this way of eating. 
Vegans use no animal products at all and some of them are such purists and activists,  they are not very “nice” or subtle.  You might come across some disturbing or very rude things looking for vegetarian info.  

I’ll post some recipes we like later if anyone seems interested.  

However you choose to feed yourself and your family, happy cooking to you ❤️





27 comments:

  1. Great post, intelligent, well put. I am about to do a video titled, I'm Not Vegan--I'm CHEAP! When I first moved in with the Redneck, I told him that sometimes Obie and I like to have a vegetarian meal now and then, and would he be okay with that? His reply was, "As long as there's meat in it, no problem."

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  2. I'm not a big meat eater, either. Like you, I've had it all my life but never really liked it much. A good steak about once a year...a hamburger if the patty is very thin and well done...I do love ham and bacon....not fond of chicken...CAN eat it and do when I eat with family. I love veggies and cornbread....about to do a post on a quick veggie soup.

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  3. What a great post Rhonda! I'm so happy that you are feeling better on this plan!
    I have to agree about being cautious when searching veganism - a lot of extreme and graphic pictures out there! A few years back, my family went to a music festival and on the way out brochures promoting the vegan lifestyle were (pretty much) shoved in our faces depicting slaughtered animals. Needless to say it was very disturbing to my teenage daughters - my oldest is a huge animal lover and was still recovering from anorexia at the time. The images disturbed her so much, it was more than a challenge to get her to eat almost anything for quite some time!

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  4. I'm glad you found something that is working for you! I love beans but feel so much better when I don't eat them often. Interestingly enough, when we were losing weight a few years back, we were advised to cut out most legumes. We found that the weight really started to come off. But I know many people eat beans instead of meat to lose weight so it's not a "one size fits all" situation! I happen to really like meat and feel better when I eat a moderate amount. But I haven't always been that way--I used to eat more vegetarian meals and was very happy with it!

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    1. A lot of people can't digest beans well. They are also very starchy. However...they're also very nutritious! ;-)

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  5. I'm vegetarian, and it's helped my health a lot. I've also really come to enjoy the food- I didn't eat a lot of vegetables before, nor did I enjoy the process of cooking, but when you eat like this, you *have* to cook, and so I learned. :) There are now very few vegetables I won't eat, and I feel so much better. I try to watch my dairy and egg intake and keep it on the lower side, too. The majority of the recipes I make for dinner are vegan. There are SO many good vegan food blogs out there; don't shy away from vegan cooking just because a few of the people are a little eager in their proselytizing- take what you need from them (the recipes) and leave the rest. ;) Pinterest is a great way to do a search for vegan recipes in a way that's more focused on the food and less on the activism, and if you find a recipe you like, you can look through the blog to see if there are more you enjoy- that's how I built up my recipe collection, and we have a ton of vegan favorites here now. :) (And I'm like you. I'm all for anyone eating what they want, whatever makes them feel the best. This is what works for me and I'm aware that it's not necessarily for everyone!)

    Your food looks absolutely delicious! You're making me hungry. :)

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  6. LETTUCE it is.
    Blessings to you,
    d

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  7. Interesting post! I used to eat a lot of beans but I can't anymore because I can't digest them. I still keep my meat to a minimum though, choosing instead to eat eggs, nut butters, raw nuts and plain yogurt (no added sugars, artificial sweeteners or any chemicals, which most flavored yogurts have in them). I eat a ton of veggies, a little cheese, and some fruit. I truly believe in eating "clean", which basically means eating food in its purest form; not factory-made food that comes in boxes and cans which is loaded with chemicals and sodium. Unlike you (and that's OK!), I do avoid anything GMO and I buy mostly organic, especially the Dirty Dozen produce, dairy, and most meat. I buy my eggs from a local farmer.

    I gave up processed sugar a few years ago and this summer, fell off the wagon a bit by eating ice cream. I was having some skin issues and I wondered if it was due to putting sugar back in my diet again, so last week, I swore off sugar again. My skin is better already! It's amazing how inflammatory sugar is to your body. Be careful with the ketchup if you're doing no sugar - that has sugar in it.

    Anyway, since eating "clean" a few years ago, I'm at my lowest weight that I've been in 30 years! And that's while going through menopause. I go for yearly physicals and all my numbers are good; am not on any meds; rarely sick, not even a cold last winter.

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  8. I say whatever you decide works for you is exactly what you should do. I think no matter the diet we all should be looking at sugar with a cautious eye.

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  9. I do go vegetarian or vegan from time to time as a way of eating healthier. I am not a purist and I am still a meat eater. I do feel better though when I eat mainly plant based. It is just that I cannot seem to sustain that way of eating. Good for you for experimenting.

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  10. May I move in with you? I would love to eat like this all the time. Hubby is the big meat eater at our house and it's hard not to have plenty of meat with our meals. However, I love all the things you have shown and I think I would enjoy eating this way. I, too, would still eat eggs, fish, and dairy.... those things don't bother me to eat, as far as being humane goes. I rode behind a chicken truck , I'm assuming, on its way to the slaughter today. It made me so sad.... many looked bloody, most couldn't stand, they were packed in there together... it made me start thinking again about eating less meat. I'll be looking forward to your recipes and curious about how you season your beans.

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  11. Thanks for all the ideas!
    They look so good!
    Madison has been cooking a lot since she has been home, and she is a very healthy meal planner.
    I am really enjoying it!

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  12. You pretty much described the diet Hubby and I have been following for the past four years :-) We eat beans, greens, vegetables, fruit, and whole grains at home. When I go out I order whatever sounds good.

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  13. Your meals look delicious Rhonda! I wish you the best in your weight loss journey.

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  14. I am an unapologetic carnivore, but like you, respect other people's choices in what they eat. I think when you cook from scratch, no matter what's on your plate, it's healthier.

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    1. You are right about cooking from scratch. It can be much healthier.

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  15. I tried so many diets in my life and they never worked, Few months ago I changed the way I eat, I became vegetarian and about a month ago I switched to being vegan. I feel so much better, have so much more energy and I feel like I'm loosing weight. I thing that if you set your mind on loosing weight only the first thing that comes to your mind is all the food that you can't eat and will miss, I tried different approach this time and tell myself that I can eat anything I want but choose not to for whatever reason it might be and so far so good. I hope you will find what works for you and will be successful.

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  16. Oh I love this approach. It is simply realistic. I have been having health issues over the years and have ate numerous of ways to help. To be honest the only way that really helped was just cutting back on sugar a little and eating balanced meals, walking, and water! I have been reading into "real food" diets lately. I love the idea but it seems very hard and not frugal friendly at all for me. I get that it saves your health. I totally get it. But if you can't afford those things YOU simple can't. I researched vegan/vegetarian and did some for a bit and you are very right about rudeness and superior attitudes. I like little meat. I am not a huge meat eater but I do like some. This seems like a nice rhythm you have. How do you do your naked okra?

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  17. Your meals look delicious! I am glad that it is working for you. Would love if you would share your favorite recipes when you get a chance.

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  18. I have just finished eating dinner but after looking at your pictures, I am hungry again! The food looked delicious. Congratulations on losing the weight.

    Jeannie@GetMeToTheCountry

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  19. You may remember our doing a Daniel fast a couple of years ago. We both enjoyed the meals but yes, they do take a good bit of extra work. Mushrooms, corn, and zucchini all have a protein value when combined, just as beans and rice do. If your body is happy, then I applaud your new eating habits.

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  20. Congratulations on your weight loss. Losing 13 pounds is amazing, no matter which eating plan you followed!

    We have been eating way more vegetables this summer as well, mostly due to the garden being so generous. This is the first time I can remember that we have actually used all the cherry tomatoes as they ripen! More than ever, I have been concentrating on serving what I grow, and I've seen it save me even more money than usual. I haven't, however, lost much weight--a whopping 1/2 pound, and who knows is that's even a true loss:(. But, I have high hopes that a little will eventually come off--I've been doing some calorie counting this past couple of weeks, and hopefully that will get me aware of what I'm putting in....

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  21. Your meals look delish. I have been on Keto for the last 7 weeks, and the wight is coming off VERY slow. I do miss fruit but carbs such as bread I am okay with out. I am glad you found a way of eating that suits you. Wishing you continued success with your weight loss!

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  22. Ten pounds is a great loss! Kent or very low carb seems to just agree with me so well. Then I am not hungry and dont have cravings. I had diet changes first I gave up grains. This gave me so much help and no more aches and pains! After 55 years of aching legs.. no more! Also I managed to start really drinking decent amount of water. I think I can say now it is a habit and it has helped me a lot. I really notice feeling dehydrated now if I miss my drinking... this can be due to travelling sometimes. Then I catch up! So I changed two things and now trying to reduce sugar. But in the year I have become fitter and more energetic so thats progress I guess...xxx

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  23. It sounds like you are on the right track with your weight loss. Yay you! I am no fan of meat either but I feel better when I eat a reasonable amount so I do. I could happily eat beans and rice everyday and we frequently do open a can of Luck's beans and cook some rice for quick meals. Our grandchildren adore beans and never complain about eating them. Our oldest daughter is so good at seasoning beans and they are delicious. She tried to teach me but I only saw it once and now she lives in Germany. I believe she learned a lot from Alice Water's 'Simple Food'.

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