Humane-itarian, Part II: The first 72

Well, my first few days as a "humane-itarian" would rate a solid "good". Thus far, I haven't had any major problems sticking to the plan. Of course, I also haven't had to attend any family dinners, take any work-related road trips or face the inevitable 4th of July barbeque ...obstacales which my calendar tells me will present themselves in the next couple of weeks. Read below for the first 72 hours, and stay tuned for the challenges to come.

Day 1:

Breakfast: Peanut butter on whole grain bread. No harm, no foul.

Lunch: Can of minestrone soup and bread. This is easy! (famous last words?)

Dinner: Vegetarian pasta. Hubby is satisfied - I'm surprised he doesn't miss the usual ground beef and/or sausage in the sauce, but decided to stick to the basics - and save a few bucks, too. Wondering how long the honeymoon will last.

Day 2:

Again with the breakfast. Lunch is same as yesterday too.

Dinner is another story: Spend 30 minutes reviewing menu for restaurant we're heading to for dinner, only to encounter a last-minute change in plans. Dinner is now at El Fenix, and I have no info on their meat. Not to worry - there's lots of choices for dinner from cheese and/or bean nachos to enchiladas with cheese or spinach, etc. Decide on spinach and mushroom quesadillas. Delicious...but I begin to worry about protein.

Day 3:

Important discovery! A quick investigation of the Chipotle website reveals the following info on their chicken (my favorite meaty burrito filler):

To meet our naturally raised standard, chicken must:

- Never be given antibiotics

- Have more room to move about than in conventional chicken operations

- Be vegetarian fed, never given animal by-products

I am very happy with these standards - I knew the pork at Chipotle was top-notch in this department, but the chicken is a surprise. So glad I checked! Similarly virtuous beef is also available in some areas (not yet Texas). I proceed directly to the nearest Chipotle and chow chicken-style with a clear conscience.

C&S