One month left.....

and I haven't decided what I am going to do about my diet after the baby comes. People keep asking if I am going to return to being a pescetarian or if the baby is going to be one. A friend at work said I should continue eating meat, so that my cooking would stay interesting. A vegan friend at work hopes I go back on the straight path. Saturday night we saw the Kenyon crew , and they were loud proponents of me eating meat, but one of the guys quickly added the caveat, Oh! if it doesn't get you sick.

Although I didn't eat meat in my teens, I did briefly eat meat in my twenties. I stopped again because my body never adjusted to my gallbladder surgery. I would get phantom gallbladder attacks, accompanied by feeling sick after most meals. No matter what I did, I continued to get sick eating a variety of foods. Six years ago, I went pescetarian, and I felt much better. In fact, it was miraculous how quickly my body turned around. I did not get sick once in six years. However, once I became pregnant, the only thing that would end my morning sickness was turkey sausage or grilled chicken, and thus the downward spiral began. The sweetheart that she is, it appears that sharing food with the baby aids my general digestion, because I haven't had a gallbladder fake-attack since.

I still believe that eating meat is cruel, and unnecessary. You can make wonderful meals and be fulfilled without it. At times, I struggle with the identity of someone who doesn't eat meat, and the political connotations on both sides of the spectrum. To vegetarians and vegans, my fish eating is horrific; my culinary efforts don't count. I hate the preachiness associated with the vegetarian movement; I believe in making your own consumption decisions. On the other hand, I have a problematic relationship with meat. The industry is a drain on the environment, the conditions for workers and animals are horrific, and I can't reconcile the fact that a life is killed for my consumption.

I also don't believe in absolutes, and living in moderation is essential to happiness, especially in the culinary world. So, we shall see if I will continue to be a strict pescetarian, and if that doesn't happen, do I need to change the name of the blog?

Homemade Granola Bars, but not in my home....

A good friend of mine took up baking a ridiculous amount of yummy goods the past few months, which coincided with my pregnancy--perfect. She occasionally drops off cookies, cinnamon buns, and other treats. She most recently dropped off granola bars. They were so yummy, that,
1. I did not share.
2. I rationed the 4 bars over the matter of weeks in case of an emergency, which turned out to be fortuitous due to the snowpocolypse.

The recipe comes from a website called the Joyful Abode, where the pictures alone are fantastic. I am planning on trying it out in a month or two when I need simple cooking tasks to make me feel accomplished for the day. Oh, and she made hers with almonds instead of peanuts since she has little ones at home.

Here is a link for those who love to bake, Homemade Granola Bar Recipe