My husband is a bit of a caveman. He has a lot of facial hair, he gets dirty a lot and he has a propensity to grunt (usually when I’m nagging him to do something). But his biggest Neanderthal tendency is his deep love for Meat. He’d rather eat meat than anything else; his ideal meal is more than one kind of meat on the plate. (Unlike the caveman, though, he does prefer his meat cooked – medium rare, at least.)
So when my husband goes out of town for work, I usually take a break from the animal flesh. Things like veggie burgers (been meaning to try making homemade ones), mushrooms, nuts, beans, cheese, quinoa and pasta all satisfy me as much as meat in a meal. One of my favorite veggie dishes involves a quick chickpea stew cooked with tomatoes, onion, garlic, usually herbs and whatever other veggies I have hanging around. It’s served over couscous and topped with parmesan. Wash it all down with a cold Diet Coke, and yum! Here is another veggie recipe I found -- haven’t tried it yet, but it looks really good (except that I might add some brown rice). I haven't tried this meat-free one, either, but it looks fantastic for a light dinner.
And guess what? I’ve even convinced my devoted carnivore husband to eat a meatless meal every once in a while. Macaroni and cheese plus peas, pasta with pesto and mushrooms served over polenta are meals I’ve made for him – and he actually likes them! But of course, the next night he always goes back to pork chops, or flank steak, or ribs, or lamb, or chicken legs …
To illustrate this point even further, here’s an honest-to-goodness true story: One time on our way into a local farmer’s market, I actually said to him, “You go get the meat, and I’ll get the nuts and berries.” Reverting to our ancestral hunter and gatherer roles, I suppose. Some things never change.
I actually love meat, too, so I will probably never be a vegetarian. But I do make an effort to eat mostly small amounts of meat (here’s a handy guideline on healthy amounts of meat) sourced from trusted local purveyors whenever I can. And I don’t mind eating meat-free meals every once in a while. In fact, sometimes I really enjoy meatless meals. I’m more of a carb girl, anyway.| My famous chickpea stew |
And guess what? I’ve even convinced my devoted carnivore husband to eat a meatless meal every once in a while. Macaroni and cheese plus peas, pasta with pesto and mushrooms served over polenta are meals I’ve made for him – and he actually likes them! But of course, the next night he always goes back to pork chops, or flank steak, or ribs, or lamb, or chicken legs …
