Where's the Beef?

That is the catch phrase in my household this week.

If you can recall an earlier post, I pledged that I would start a Vegetarian diet this past Sunday and try out this lifestyle for one week.

Well, I am currently on Day #4 and am ready to report about my preparations, challenges, and successions on this new diet.

Preparations
With Henry and I, we usually plan what we are going to eat during the week and then buy groceries to fit into that. However, there are times when the food runs short and we have to make up a meal on the spot.

This could be any of the following:

1.) Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches
2.)Sandwiches and Progresso Soup
3.) Chips and Salsa
4.) Bowls of Cereal
5.) Take Out

Usually, I opt for number 5 because I really don't like any of the other things for dinner and my go to place is Five Guys. (An amazing burger place.)

Now, being a Vegetarian for a week, if this situation occured, then it would greatly increase my chances of "cheating".

Therefore, I planned for the whole week and even looked up some tasty Vegetarian Recipes.

Some things that were on my grocery list that are normaly not there is the list below:

1.) Eat Smart (A Deli Meat that contains no meat. Just Veggies and Protien)
2.) Tofu Firmly Packed
3.)Leeks
4.) Goat Cheese
5.)Red and Green Peppers
6.)Eggplant
7.) Artichoke

I used these items for Eggplant and Artichoke White Lasagna and Tofu Fajitas.

This leads me to challenges and successions.

Challenges
Cooking Eggplant and Tofu is really hard.

I had to fry the Eggplant in Olive Oil and I kept burning the slices or dropping them on the floor. (Who knew they were so slippery?)

Tofu is a very strange substance that requires draining, patting, and careful cooking when it is being sauted. I would hate to see was soft tofu is like when you cook it in a pan because my kept crumbling into small pieces.

However, the hardest thing is to get Henry to eat this food.

Do I really need to explain this one? :)

Seriously, Henry has been really cute about trying the recipes and always eats at least one plate before he fixes a sandwich.

Successions
Never having cooked eggplant or tofu, I must say that I did an ok job fixing both recipes and they actually tasted good.

I will definintely cook them again.

Another success is how I feel.

I was pleasantly surprised to notice how much more energy I have this week as compared to last week.

I am not sleepy after lunch, I don't need as much sleep at night, and I wake up ready to go in the morning.

WHO KNEW???

I will say that my diet hasn't been strictly veggies/fruits the whole time.

I have also eaten Boca burgers, Kashi Microwave Meals, and the Eat Smart Luncheon "Meat", but I really notice a difference in how I feel.

Well, that is all I have to report right now, but I will let you know how the weekend goes.

Henry is betting that I can't make it to Sunday and is even going to tempt me by cooking Veal Marsala Saturday night.

We will just see about that!