We Are Flexitarians!

We aren't vegans.

We aren't vegetarians.

We aren't pescetarians.

We aren't ovo lacto vegetarians.

We aren't pollotarians.

We aren't raw vegans.

We are flexitarians.  Ok, seriously....that's quite the list of things we aren't!  But this is really the word used to describe the way my family eats.  A flexitarian is someone who eats primarily a plant based diet.  Occasionally, they will eat meat or fish.  A flexitarian is basically a carnivorous vegetarian- the diet is mainly vegetarian with a little meat now and then.  Hmm....well that makes sense, right?  I bet many of you might be flexitarians too!

So why do we eat this way?  Well simple really- eating a plant based diet is much better for you.  You will live longer, you will have more energy, you will help prevent disease and you will be healthier.  Not too mention that it's much better for the environment and it's animals.  Have you seen what factory farms are doing to God's creatures?  It's horrific and needs to stop.

We made the switch to this type of diet and really, this type of lifestyle several years ago when the kiddo was just beginning to eat solid foods.  It has been a very slow process for us, mainly because it's expensive to buy organic, natural and whole foods.  But also because it's not only a change in your diet, but it's a whole new way of life.  And as anyone who is wanting to make a life change knows- these things take time.

We eat mostly plants, beans, grains- really, most things that come from the earth and occasionally, we like to eat cheeseburgers.

Monday through Friday in our house is strictly meat free.  In addition to this, I shoot for one or two days that are completely animal free.  We love our sour cream, so I have to admit that this has been rough!  Oh yeah- and cheese.  We really do love cheese and sadly, the vegan cheese tastes nothing like the real deal.

Yes, there IS enough protein in plants!  

We severely limit processed foods.  I admit to having a few organic brands in the freezer for those rare moments when I don't cook from scratch.

We eat mostly organic.

I try to buy only whole foods.  I accomplish this by shopping the outer isles of the grocery store.

I do not buy the convenience items unless of course I'm traveling and don't have the ability to slice & dice.  So things like sliced apples, shredded cheese, prepackaged parfaits or fruit cups etc.  I prefer to make all this at home.  Yes, it takes more time but it's worth it.  Did you know they add sawdust to pre shredded cheese to keep it from sticking?  Sawdust!  Yeah, no thanks...I'll take the extra 2 minutes and shred my own.

We make better choices when eating out.  But yes, we do still indulge.

We know where our food comes from.  Visit the local farmer's markets, purchase your meat from a local family farm, learn where your off season produce comes from, read those labels and teach your children that food comes from the earth- not a box!

We are healthier.  And boom- there it is.  The best benefit to eating a flexitarian diet is that you will simply feel better.  Your body feels nourished from the inside out.  You're less stressed, you don't have "stomach issues", your headaches go away, your skin clears up....seriously, it's amazing.  I'm almost 33 years old and I feel better now then I did 10 years ago.  You can't beat that!

So for those of you looking to make some changes in your diet, may I suggest becoming a flexitarian?  It's super easy to incorporate more veggies and fruit into your diet and there's some truly yummy vegetarian recipes out there!  And bonus- you can still have your cheeseburger and eat it too!

And because I know how hard it can be to make these changes- I've included some links below to some of our favorite recipes.  Good luck to you- you got this!

• Lentil Chili
• Quinoa with Black Beans, Corn & Cilantro
• Garlic Parmesan Orzo
• Veggie Fajitas
• Super Simple Broccoli Cheddar Soup
• Restaurant Taquitos
• Green Smoothie
• Yogurt Berry Smoothie
• Honey, Lemon & Ginger Tea