New Year’s Resolution: The Weekend Vegetarian

• I can’t remember the last time I actually even contemplated a New Year’s resolution. I have probably thought of doing something for lent more than I have thought about a ‘New Year New Me’. Now that I am living in North America I am more horribly aware of the mistreatment of the animals that are breed to nourish us. Recent health issues have prompted me buy local, organic, eat grass-fed and try not to consume anything I can’t pronounce. Since I was born and raised in Africa and became a young adult in Aotearoa (New Zealand) what I ate was rarely in danger of being artificially modified or obtained by dubious means, at least this what I think…. I am sure someone will set me straight.  The recent launch of African Sally has prompted further research into eco-friendly; sustainable and pro-life options that any person who has even a tenth of a brain realizes are essential for the survival of future generations.If you ever shared a meal with will know my mantra when it comes to food: “No meat, No meeting” with perhaps the exception of breakfast, but even then a sufficient amount of protein in some form should be consumed. As an African I feel it is my responsibility as part of the circle of life to consume meat, they’d be little reason to eat let alone keep breathing! That being said, times are changing………… well, more that my mind is changing…………… In my quest for all things sustainable I came a across a line of vegan shoes founded by New Yorker Elizabeth Olsen.  From Olsenhaus you will find a stunning variety shoes from anything but leather, hard to believe you get the same look and feel as you would from a pair of plush Italian leather boots but a recent purchase of shoes made from recycled TV screens proved just that. Elizabeth is pioneering the shoe industry and highlighting The Truth about leather sources.

  So with 2013 upon us I found myself thinking how can I make a difference? A recent post on twitter from @SLOSolstice informed me that becoming a weekend vegetarian and cutting meat out of your diet for just two days a week can decrease your carbon footprint by about 1/3 of a ton, I don’t know what time period we are covering here but this doesn’t seem like too much to ask. I have heard from a few people about the terror of dairy farming and how if only you knew, you wouldn’t eat that. In the last 18 months I have developed a palette for wholefoods such as quinoa, cousous, lentils, organic vegetables, fruit and nuts. According to @Skinnygirldaily, “whole foods are unprocessed and unrefined food products or processed and refined as little as possible before being consumed”, easier said than done in today’s world……….. The more I increase the variety of vegetables that I eat, the more I realize that they can be pretty wholesome and tasty and the more I think I can survive without meat two whole days week……….

  Any recipes would be most welcome………. Here’s wishing you all a Happy 2013. What’s your New Year’s resolution?