Life After Fish and Inspired Defiance - Vegan Rice 5 Ways

As someone who has always dealt with health issues and as someone that works in the health industry, I am constantly tweaking my diet in hopes for some improvement.

Giving up Red Meat....

At the start of my journey, I gave up just red meat and that was probably the most difficult of my dietary sacrifices. Though I think about it significantly less now, I do still miss the taste of ribs and roasts.

I did it for mainly ethical reasons, but also for environmental and health reasons. When I did, along with regular walks, I lost at least a good 20 pounds. (see below!) :O

Giving up Poultry...

The next step, also quite difficult in it's own unqiue way, was giving up poultry as well.

In that move, I significantly cut down my options for dining out - whether at a restaurant or at a family member's home.

This wasn't easy. I SWEAR they sneak meat into everything! Even the green beans! Even the broccoli had meat in it! In general, on my own, I had no trouble putting together a satisfying meal, but I'll admit, it was quite depressing to eat only mashed potatoes and cooked carrots for Thanksgiving and Christmas and to act as though it were the same wonderful soul-satisfying feast everyone else was enjoying "Mm-mm-mmm! Yes, I am so full." ;) - but I managed.

My decision to cut out poultry was something I had planned on since I gave up red meat 2 year before, again for ethical, environmental and health reasons - but ALSO... maybe a tiny bit because I was so tired of explaining my dietary choices everywhere I went! lol Having one word to describe things "pescatarian" read: eats only fish meat - saves a lot of breath!

Being "Pescatarian"

Of course, that move still didn't end the conversation. Since then, I've been asked time and time again: "So is fish the next step? Would you ever give up seafood?" And my response - time and time again - has always been "No. I mean, really, I don't see any need! I only eat sustainably harvested fish and besides, I only eat it occasionally. It's WONDERFUL for your health and in fact, scientists say eating fish is probably a big part of why we're doing how we are and not swinging from trees like our cousins. The wealth of nutrients and omega fats let us develop these big old brains!"

I just HAD to tempt fate, DIDN'T I?

I've always suspected that there was something I was regularly eating that I really shouldn't be- at least I have a handful of symptoms - skin problems, dark undereye shadows, perpetually runny nose, digestive troubles (I sound like a real catch don't I?!) - that point in that direction. But then, a former milk-aholic switched successfully to almond milk, I always hoped it was just milk - both my parents are lactose intolerant.

Life After Fish?

Now, I think it might be fish as well. :(

Connecting the dots, I realized most of my recent digestive issues could be traced back to a fish-based meal. I think now that fish - except perhaps on VERY rare occasions - may as well, be off my diet.

But! But! I've done all this before and found there are still TONS of food I love!

At LEAST I'm lucky that I'm not a picky eater. In fact, there are hardly any foods I don't like - Okay, brussel sprouts - not my favorite thing.

But the point is delicious needn't exclude nutritious! there are still plenty of foods I CAN eat!

Inspired Defiance - Vegan Rice 5 Ways

In inspired defiance of my NEW new dietary restriction, I made a pot of way too much brown rice and put on my figurative culinary hat. What I came up with was 5 simple VEGAN rice dishes that really don't feel like a sacrifice to me!

MEXICAN.

Squash, Beans and Roasted Pepper Rice with a Cilantro, Lime Chipotle Sauce

Recipe for the rice dish and roasted peppers soon! This would have been DEVINE with some chopped avocado, but I didn't have any on hand. :p

ASIAN.

Zucchini Rice with Chilli Acorn Squash Curry

Recipe soon!

SOUTHERN.

Rice, Beans and Greens with Sauteed Peppers, Carmelized Onions and Mushrooms

Recipe soon! I used spinach because it's what I had on hand, but this would also be wonderful with fresh mustard or collard greens! I resisted the use of anything prepared or processed in this dish, but honestly, I don't think a little Frank's Red Hot would hurt AT ALL! :)

ITALIAN.

Fresh Basil Rice Salad with Chopped Pepper, Carmelized Onions and Balsamic Vinagrette

Recipe soon! You may have noticed the red pepper from the ingredients picture magically changed to yellow. I decided I wanted to roast that and use it in the mexican rice dish so I used the yellow pepper instead. This would however, have been wonderful with raw chopped red pepper, roasted red pepper or roasted yellow pepper in it place as well. You may have also notice my fat cat Dory sitting on our kitchen table in the background. (You're very observant, aren't you?!) ;)

NORTHERN.

Vegan Rice Soup with Homemade Broth

Recipe soon! I'll admit, I added a little of my friend's homemade dandelion wine in for some added richness in the broth. If you're not of the vegan persuasion, I'd suggest mixing in a little bit of some good salty cheese like parmesan along with some olive oil at the very end.

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