I used to refer to myself as a meatatarian that l-o-o-o-o-ved vegetables too. But now I haven't had meat since July 2, 2017, and I don't feel like I'm missing out. I don't tribute my decision to the documentary "What The Health" or the movie "Okja" on Netflix, but they did push me over the edge to how I was feeling about my food.
Meet My Meat Feelings:
Chicken:
I was preparing a whole chicken one day and (lucky me) someone forgot to chop off the chicken's tail. It's bad enough that when I prepare chicken I use tongs to flip the chicken over (I don't "deprive" my husband and kids of meat-- not too much), but the butcher left the tail on the bird this time which wasn't helping my situation. Secondly, I used to own a bird that had no feathers. She was a rescue bird and had suffered abuse which caused her to pluck out feathers as a form of consolation which eventually became a habit. So there I was with this chicken I was preparing and I had to cut off the tail. It was so hard! I told my husband I couldn't do it and he said, "just do it, it's not a big deal." At that moment he learned it was a big deal to me because I started crying and my hands were shaking and everything and right after I did the big chop to the tail. For me, it was gross. I didn't have a problem eating cooked chicken, but I couldn't prepare it and be okay with that.
(Chicken Parmesan without the chicken but looks/tastes like chicken on the inside)
Beef:
I don't have a beef horror story except for one. I was eating a big ole' ribeye steak one day and I SWEAR TO BOB there was a ventricle looking thing in it. Again, I prepared meat with tongs because I didn't want to touch it. So I saw this ventricle thing in it and was done (with that plate). That's not what stopped me from eating meat all together.
(My meatless version of BBQ ribs! So good!)
The Truth:
I don't eat meat mostly because I'm really conscious of the process that meat has to go though to get on my plate. I refuse to trust the food industry with my life. As far as vegetables go, I stick with organic as much as possible and love when it has the information which tells me when it was harvested and who harvested it. My problem with meat is that there's more of a risk of contamination with other animals dying in such close quarters and with infection running around.
People think I miss out on meat type foods, but I don't. I make all kinds of things like enchiladas, lasagne, tacos, stirfry with meatless (but meat like) plant protein, meatless meatballs, ribs, and the list goes on. I've learned how to cook differently. I am so much more creative for it, it's fun, and an adventure. I try to eat as vegan as possible because dairy doesn't agree with me, but I'm not a vegan. Mostly importantly, I'm doing this for me and not because of some fad, and I feel so much better for it.
(Dairy-free, homemade cashew yogurt)