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

Humane-itarian

I'm ready to make a change.

Over the past several months, the treatment of my fellow four-legged earthlings has been on my mind with ever-increasing frequency.  I read The Omnivore's Dilemma not too long ago (see previous blog post), and I wrote on the issue of fish safety in a column in the Dallas Morning News (again, see related blog post from earlier this year).  Throw in the fact that it seems impossible to turn on the television these days without hearing a new feed lot horror story or the details of another micro-ecosystem demolished by a fish farm, and I've had it up to *here*.

To be clear, I have no moral issues with the consumption of meat by human beings for the purposes of nutrition.  My issue is with the treatment of animals destined for our dinner plates, and the environmental impact of the places where they are raised.  Not that it's so simple a matter that it can be explained in one sentence, but that's the Cliff's Notes version.

So, I've decided to do something about it.  I want to be one person making a tiny difference when it comes to these animals and our environment.  I am going to try my darndest not to eat any fish or chicken or beef or what-have-you without knowing for sure that it was raised in a humane manner, fed what it was meant to eat, and that it didn't un-do any carefully balanced ecological chain-of-command on its way to my belly.

This is going to require some hardship - I can't afford to eat grass-fed beef, free-range chicken and/or wild seafood every night of the week.  I'm also not in the habit of dining out in the sort of places that only use the aforementioned ingredients on a regular basis.  To add insult to injury, a big part of my life right now involves traveling in rural areas with an already limited selection of dining establishments.  But I'm a smart, resourceful, stubborn girl, and I'm sure that I can make it work.  ...Pretty sure.  85% sure.  Check back to the blog regularly for updates on my adventure.  I'll be sharing with all of you, as candidly as possible, the various ups and downs of my new life as a "humane-itarian".  Wish me luck!

C&S

RIP: One of Robin's Crave-able Dishes is Off the Menu

RIP, Baby Spinach Salad at State and Allen Lounge. Oh, how I will miss your tasty combination of raspberries, oranges, onions and warm bacon vinagrette.

I will try to fill the hole in my heart with the Silver Bowl, a bed of chopped romaine mixed with fresh bacon bits, chopped red bell peppers, orange slices, sliced grapes topped with spicy chicken chunks and two dressings, a tangy balsamic vinaigrette & creamy Caesar dressing. I definitely enjoyed it, although it will take me awhile to get over the Baby Spinach Salad and fully invest myself in the relationship with the Silver Bowl.

Gelato Lovers Rejoyce!

Natsumi

2323 North Henderson, #105

Dallas, TX 75206

My husband and I finally got a chance to try the newly Opened Natsumi on Henderson this weekend, and let me tell you--this will be the first of many trips. This chain touts fresh, organic gelato and frozen yogurt in flavors both usual and unusual. On our first trip, we stuck to the basics, sampling almond (divine), biscotti (basically just vanilla with a few biscotti crumbles), chocolate (surprisingly rich), and tiramisu (tasted a little too much like Bailey's Irish Cream, but still delish). The almond was definitely the stand out with its buttery, sweet flavor, and we heard others raving about it while we were placing our order.

Perhaps next time we'll have the courage to try some of their more unusual flavors. Pass me the White Chocolate Gogi Berry. Avacado, anyone?

A few things I'm in love with this week...

Here are a few things that have captivated me, food-and-beverage-wise, in the last week or so. Below you'll find an offbeat recipe, a new grocery item and a must-visit winery right here in Dallas (it's classy and sassy, just like you-know-who). I'm sure that one or more of them will be up your alley, too.

Ingrid Hoffman's Mini Cuban Burgers (Fritas)

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_66374,00.html

I love Ingrid Hoffman and her Latin-influenced cusine. What a welcome change of pace from the endless parade of Italian iterations that seems to be taking over my favorite cooking shows! These sliders are exceptional: sweet, tangy and a little bit like a meatloaf sandwich with a kick. Be advised that the recipe made 24 generous mini-burgers for me (the link above will tell you 12, but I believe it's a misprint). I was pleasantly surprised by the surplus - a little time in the kitchen gave me dinner plus a freezer full of burger-liciousness for cravings to come.

Orowheat Double Fiber Bread

http://www.oroweat.com/

Finally, a great tasting whole wheat bread that doesn't suck all the moisture from your cheeks in the time it takes to eat your sandwich. It's so good, in fact, that I'd choose this bread over just about any other sandwich loaf, even if it wasn't so nutritous and packed with fiber. You know, when you're a semi-pro eater like me, you've got to give yourself good stuff whenever you can. That way you can justify the ginger creme brulee you might happen to sneak in after lunch once in a while (totally hypothetically speaking).

Times Ten Cellars
http://www.timestencellars.com/

This Lakewood gem is a must-visit for anyone who loves wine. The space is eclectic and warm, and the wines are earning praise left and right. Slip into the tasting room on a Saturday afternoon for a sip of something cool, or head over after work for a light dinner of pate and artisinal cheese. Gaze at the crystal chandeliers twinkling over oak in the barrel room, then head out on the patio for a little people-watching. Don't forget to take home a bottle or two of the award-winning rose or whichever winds up being your new fave from the Times Ten line-up.