then back to vegetarian through college and law school (mostly due to poverty), married a carnivore and started eating meat regularly (3-4x a week, my husband was at 2-3 meats a day). My weight shot up, he has high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes.
We decided a couple of years ago to try to be healthier but no real plan in place. Now we are focusing on real food - trying to stay away from packaged food, buying local and trying to buy whenever possible meat that is locally raised, grass-fed and stuff. I am trying to push more vegetarian options. Its not hard for me because I may get the occasional meat craving, but rarely - he loves it.
We have started doing some research on foods (Michael Pollan's books for example and Bruce Bradley's blog) and its really shocking how bad and toxic our food is. You start finding out that the same chemicals used in embalming fluid or lighter fluid is in Slim Fast shakes and its just awful.
The factory farmed food like you said, its just awful. There is a local dairy that we get milk from and its like a night and day difference in the quality.
I have tried so many fake meats - ugh back in the 80's when some of the first vegetarian options came out, there were some truly horrendous tasting foods! - with my mom, so we share our favorites. When I saw the field roast and the sausages I bought her some and since it has her seal of approval I will be brave to try them!
The Quorn fake chicken products are really good too - my husband enjoys them.
Preparing vegetables in healthy and tasty ways is new to me - so many cookbooks just treat vegetables as a side to a meal starring some type of meat - just steam or mash a vegetable, but ooooh all the pictures are of meat. This summer, we are hitting the farmer's markets, vegetarian recipes at the ready and going to get adventurous!
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