Meet the Meat-Free Patrick
When I first wrote this ‘About Me’, I said: ‘Let me set the record straight by saying up front – that I am not vegetarian!’ Well that has all changed now – I am definitely vegetarian, 99% vegan, and eat a large percentage Raw!
How did this all come about?
I met my wife in 1998 and she had been a lacto-ovo-vegetarian since she was 17 years old.
I learned a huge amount from her about nutrition and how to cook healthy vegetarian food. I ate less and less meat, and felt so much better for it. Then in 2012, we were travelling in Netherlands and stayed in a B and B on a dairy farm. That was the turning point!
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We found out what really happens in the dairy industry, and after checking what we had heard using various internet sources, we were so appalled that we decided we had to go vegan.
Getting over cheese has been the hardest thing, but I think we are finally there.
And then, we discovered Raw! We did 2 week-long intensive Raw Food courses while in the UK and learned to make the most amazing food, but particularly the delicious desserts and tarts.
Our meat eating friends still think we are a bit strange, but are still impressed and enjoy our dinner parties.
We also strive for a greener life-style. To that end we have solar water heating, waste very little food, avidly recycle and both ride motor scooters instead of gas-guzzling cars. Getting our house “off the grid” is a goal.
The next step is to host an ‘underground’ or ‘pop-up’ vegan/raw food dining experience in our own home.
We also love travelling, which brings it’s own challenges for vegans.
My other passion is boating. I have another blog Waterway Wanderer which is about all our various boating holidays, the journey to buying our own boat and our travels on our own boat.
My blogging journey
Quite a lot has changed since I started this blog, and wrote ”About the Blog” then, in December 2010.
As mentioned above, we are both 99% vegan, as well as being very interested in raw food. Thus the recipes in the blog are now pretty well now all vegan, with very many being raw as well. As we strive to eat as healthily as possible, we often refer to organic produce, and most smoothie recipes will contain some of the so-called superfoods.
Much of what I said at the start is still true, so here is what I wrote then:(for ‘vegetarian’, now read ‘vegan’)
I very nearly called this blog – Living with a vegetarian – which is the gist of the blog.
It’s called Meat Free Everyday because of the Meat Free Monday movement. Since my wife is a lacto-ovo-vegetarian, she lives meat free everyday.
It continues to astound me when people ask what a vegetarian eats. This ignorance is further reinforced when my wife and I have to eat out. The limited vegetarian options are monotonous and nutritionally poor.
They are slight variations of the same few things – a salad, a pasta dish or an omelette/fritata creation.
It’s easier and way more pleasurable for us to eat at home. Not to mention cheaper. We can control the quality of the ingredients we use, we can ensure a filling and tasty meal and we can have variety in our food.
Most vegetarian meals are based around a refined starch such as a risotto, pasta or a bruschetta or panini with a fistful of vegetables thrown in. Not a lot of consideration is given to ensuring that filling protein is provided.
No small wonder then, that many vegeatrians end up with health problems or abandoning the lifestyle.
All our meals place careful consideration on ensuring there is protein with each meal.
We use low GI carbs and an abundance of fresh produce. One of my pet hates is a recipe with hundreds of ingredients, or fancy snobbish cooking techniques.
Cooking should not only be about healthy eating, but it must be fun and it should be easy.
Hopefully the blog will show that vegetarian food can be simple to prepare, tasty and healthy as well.