A vegetarian take on traditional Bayou delights

Braised Collards with Tomatoes and Black Eyed peas  

In 2009 I decided to give up meat.

There were several reasons at the time: animal cruelty, proper treatment of food and handling, use of hormones and antibiotics, etc. But specifically, I decided to do it to see if it would reduce my LDL Cholesterol (that's the bad kind folks).

I started getting my cholesterol checked regularly at 18. At that first check up, my count came back unusually high for not only my age but for my body size/type, as well. From my pictures, you can tell I'm fairly petite. Since my teens, my body weight has ranged between 110 to 145 (freshman 15 and birth control will do that to you people) but never have I been drastically overweight to have the cholesterol problems I've dealt with for going on 10 years now.

For my size, activity and weight, my LDL cholesterol should be under 130. At a time or two, mine neared  200. I think at one point it was over 200. Um, yah, that's pretty scary! LIke, drop-dead-door-nail scary. Like, have a heart attack in my 20s scary.

So, I gave up eating meat in November 2009. After six months, I got my blood tested again and the count dropped significantly. Near the 150s. So I kept with it. I didn't give up seafood. I still eat shell fish and other types of fin fish because for whatever reason that meat type doesn't seem to effect my cholesterol levels as it does for others.

However, after about a year of doing this, my blood started registering B12 deficient with signs of anemia. And I was EXHAUSTED! A result of a lack of iron, which you get the most potent amounts from animal meat. I had a dilemma. So, I started eating meat about once a week and the rest of my meals were vegetarian, which consisted of well, not only a lot of vegetables, but beans, lots and lots of beans, unstarched pastas, more fish, etc.

More than three years later I'm still eating mostly vegetarian meals. About once a week Kyle and I have some sort of animal protein dish. We still eat all types of food - Mexican, Italian, Lebanese, Chinese, etc. Except now, most of the time they don't include meat. My good cholesterol (HDL) is good and my bad cholesterol is under 130! I've found the balance.

I actually give a lot of credit to good ol' Martha Stewart for her exceptionally delicious and inventive ideas for how to make some remarkable vegetarian dishes.

Red Beans and Rice

Now that Kyle and I have moved back to a land known for its plentifully rich food and more than necessary serving sizes, I've been nervous about it spiking. So far, so good. I also thought I would be disheartened more so than when I lived in FL that I'm unable to eat most of the Louisiana signature dishes. Thankfully, I came across this lady's blog, that I frequently "borrow" recipes from. Here's her vegan take on the traditional red beans and rice. I highly recommend it. It's mmm mmmm good.

She also has other great vegan versions of some of Louisiana's favorites on her blog. They're simple, delicious and sooo good for you. How many traditional Louisiana meals can you say that about folks? Not many!

So, I'm surviving here as a vegetarian is my point. And actually, I've found quite a few places that have excellent vegetarian options. Including, Chelsea's cafe, Cafe Du Jour and Fat Cow, just to name a few. Because ya'll know, I eat local. I try to avoid chain restaurants at all costs. I mean come on ladies and gentlemen, we're in Louisiana for crying out loud.

Alright, that's all for now from this pseudo-vegetarian. Good night!