{A meat-free, dairy-free} What's For Dinner?

Meat-free? Dairy-free? Yes. You read that correctly.

I fear that these menu posts will soon become a place where the crickets chirp.

Please. Be patient and have an open mind.

Some background:

We have always eaten pretty healthy. We weren't extreme, but definitely above the fray. You know: lean meats, whole grains, lots of veggies.

Then, a couple of week ago I read this book.

At first I thought, "Whatever."

Then I thought, "This is starting to make a lot of sense."

And then I thought, "Crap. This makes total sense."

I didn't want to buy into it. But I felt I had no choice.

And so, the decision was made: This family was gonna be making some changes.

I'm jumping off the high diving board and giving up all meat and dairy products.

The Mr. is giving up most meat but will still eat eggs and a tiny bit of cheese.

The Offspring will make a gradual transition to our new way of eating.

No sense in having them run away from home. Especially with the weather being as cold as it has of late.

So, without further ado...this week we will be eating:

Sunday: curried chickpeas & greens, cauliflower purée, chard & kale salad with no-oil balsamic

Monday: chickpea & rice soup with cabbage, romaine salad with sweet peppers & cucumber

Tuesday: baked tofu, black eyed peas, asparagus & brussels sprouts with lemon & mustard, simple lettuce and tomato salad

Wednesday: vegetable bean burritos, salad with avocado, corn, & tomato

Thursday: leftovers

Friday: black bean burgers, tomatoes, avocados, cabbage salad

Saturday: out

See. Not so bad, right?

Mind you, all of these dishes can be adapted for meat eaters. I've added meat to vegetarian dishes for years with excellent results.

Most nights we will have a piece of fruit for dessert. But I am going to bake a little somethin'-somethin' for the weekend.

I want to bake these brownies that just so happen to be vegan. Who knew?

Or these vegan chocolate chip cookies.

Sarah is also taking the vegan plunge. We have agreed to be a mutual support system to each other while we go through this switch.

I'm not going all militant, "Meat Is Murder", on all of you. I am doing this for pure health reasons. And shrink my ass reasons.

I'm a vain vegan.

This decision is right for me. And my family.

Our health.

I'm non-judgmental. What's good for us isn't good for the whole crowd.

I'll elaborate more in the future. But for now, what's important is that a change has been made.

I still like the taste of meat and cheese. And I'm not going to say that I'll *never* have it again. But a daily serving is a thing of the past.

Ketchup and Diet Dr. Pepper, however, are a completely different story.