2010 is underway.  How did that happen already?  Did you make some ridiculous resolutions that you are already regretting?    If you've vowed to eat better, exercise more and pay more attention to your health, you're not alone.    These are simple words that require knowledge, discipline and hard work, but offer the greatest dividends, even in this economy.

 Jack Lalane said:  "Dying is easy, living is hard".    Considering the options, I've chosen to take the hard road.  I've been pleasantly surprised that, so far, it's not so hard after all.

 Having had many a year with resolutions that fizzle out in a matter of days, I decided to embark on a journey of a different sort for 2010.  My resolution involved my family. 

I may have bitten off more than I can chew when I decided to expose my family and friends to a year of meat-free living by declaring my kitchen meat-less.   Should be easy enough for a vegetarian, right?   With a carnivore husband, four children under the age of 11 wholike meat and not having any vegetarian friends, it wasn't going to be as easy as it sounded.  But, loving a challenge and feeling strongly about the reasons, I decided to forge ahead.

Now, don't get me wrong, I wasn't looking for a hobby. Time wasn't in abundance for me.  I operate a business, orchestrate a busy household with four children (all of which are involved in dance, music lessons, sports, etc), and I enjoy my somewhat social lifestyle.   I still needed time to get to the gym, and do all the busy mom, wife and woman things that come up.   But, food, being the powerful tool that it is, is the one thing I have control of for my family and myself.   So, this was something that I had to do. 

Why Meat-Less?

Having been a vegetarian for many years myself, I have been weaning meat out of my kitchen.  I've not prepared pork or beef for many years and have slowly decreased the amount of chicken and fish that I would cook for my family to about twice a week.   

Most of my reasons for not eating meat are health-related.   By cooking meat for my family, I realized that I was making it easy for them to eat what I had made a conscious decision to avoid.   Why would I do this?  Not to mention that life is busy enough without having to prepare separate entrees to please everyone.

 There are many reasons to reduce or eliminate meat from one's diet.   There is plenty of evidence connecting animal protein with some of our major health issues like obesity, diabetes and cancer (to name a few).    Dairy foods are connected to a long list of conditions (watch for follow up newsletters where I will be discussing dairy in greater depth). Inhumane treatment of livestock is often being pushed to the forefront lately.   Then there are the environmental problems facing the Earth today caused by corporate animal farming.  

Did you know that a meat based diet requires 7 times more land than a plant based diet does, and more than half of all water used in the world is for livestock production.    One thousand species  per year are facing extinction because of loss of rainforests, partly due to commercial farming.   Yikes, what species is next?

But if the environment, disease or the animal itself isn't enough for you, you may consider these reasons.  Meat is hard to digest often sitting in our digestive tract for days. It has been shown to cause aggressive behaviour. It is expensive with a short expiration date.   And, livestock is fed millions of tons of antibiotics.   I say, no thank you.

Breaking The News

While we were away on Christmas holidays, I announced to my family that for 2010 I would not be cooking meat.  After the initial shock wore off, I explained that I had already been decreasing it and they had barely noticed.  We are not dairy consumers, so that part was not an issue.  I said I would allow eggs for occasional breakfasts.  They agreed to support this goal, not necessarily to become vegetarian, but to honour our plan at home, where the majority of all their meals are made.

 To further honour our plan, dinner guests are told before they arrive that meat will not be the main attraction. They'll be encouraged to try our food, and if they aren't satisfied, they can always hit a restaurant on the way home.  It's funny the reaction I get when I tell someone that meat won't be served.  Most people are so accustomed to eating meat they've never considered it not being part of a meal. 

To Eat or Not To Eat

Are you ready to make some changes in your kitchen?   Whether mild or extreme, it's up to you.  Not everyone in a household will be ready for these changes at the same time, if at all - and that's ok.    Let everyone ease in at his or her own pace. Cutting back the amount of meat and decreasing dairy are giant steps forward in a healthy lifestyle.  Incorporating more whole plant foods is the key ingredient to overall better health.  Are you ready to feel great and have more energy?   If so, you'll want to work towards having whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes make up 90% of your diet.     J

I Know What to Eat, Now What?

Knowing what to eat isn't that difficult.  Putting it into action is the key.  Planning your meals a week at a time is very helpful. For me it's crucial.  Knowing what you are going to prepare, shopping once and prepping is going to save you so much time and, most importantly, keep you on track. 

I set aside 1-2 hours a week in my kitchen to prepare for the week ahead.  This is when I wash and chop all my veggies, get fruit ready for smoothies, and prepare my salad dressings, dips and baked goods.  I will enlist any family members that are available. They especially love coming up with menu ideas.

It is important that I keep the fridge and pantry up to date and de-cluttered.    A good blender (I love the Vita-Mix), knife, cutting board and glass mason jars are vital.

Transitioning to Meat-Less or to Less-Meat

-          Going meat-less can be overwhelming for some. Until you're ready to jump in all the way, I suggest starting with a few meatless days per week.   The other days, have animal protein with one meal only, and keep your portion sizes small.    

-          Start with some basic recipes that you know your family will enjoy. These recipes will become weekly staples. Many of your already favourite recipes can be made meatless.  For example soups, pasta dishes, chilli and stir-fries. These are great ways to increase vegetables, and are general crowd pleasers.  Then, venture out and experiment.  Challenge yourself to try new dishes, new foods.  You'll be amazed at what is out there.  Have you ever tried quinoa?  Kale?  Chia?  Polenta?  Ginger?  Cold soups?   Almond milk?   Avocado pudding?   Variety is the spice of life, so they say.

-          Don't let yourself feel deprived. There is a vegetarian replacement for just about everything.  Most of which, I've found, are more delicious and healthier.  No matter what your die-hard favourites are, find and try the replacement. You too might be pleasantly surprised.  

-          Prepare your own convenience food.  For example:  if you find porridge and rice take too much time, then take a bit of time and prepare larger batches, store in the fridge and use over 3-4 days as needed.  Preparing and freezing meals, or having things ready to go into the slow cooker will help you reach your health goals.   

-          Set aside time to make the must-haves such as condiments, dips and salad dressings.  Store bought ones are packed with preservatives, sugar, sodium, dairy and other unhealthy additives.   Homemade ones are delicious, nutritious and easy to make.   You will start to see results quickly with these changes alone, and get rave reviews from even your pickiest critics.

Though I started 2010 with big goals, getting to this point has taken many changes that have been made over a period of time.   We are through our first meatless month and I must say it was easier and better received than I anticipated.  Not everything has been perfect, but I am getting more comments about the food and more of the food is being eaten now than before.   My kids seem to love the changes. I even witnessed my carnivore husband passing a slab of beef to a colleague at a charity dinner (he did eat the fish, but its a giant step, nonetheless). I'm excited to keep going, try new things, and experience the results yet to come.   

Send me your comments and challenges. Let me know what you are doing in your kitchen to ensure a happy healthy 2010, or what you're struggling with to incorporate a better healthy lifestyle. Email me at jody@vitasential.ca

Learn more about me and Vitasential Nutrition at www.vitasential.ca  Watch for my monthly newsletter and follow my blog.  I'll be posting updates about my meatless kitchen, and sharing lots of tips and tricks about nutrition.   You'll get a peak in to my life of nutrition with four kids and zany husband.

Until next time, eat like your life depends on it and feel the inner glow emerge.