Back to the future: I didn’t choose the plant life, the plant life chose me
Danner’s Manners
Back to the future: I didn’t choose the plant life, the plant life chose me
As I write this, I am closing out my fifteenth day meatless and I am rather proud of myself.
When I lived in Seattle, I was a vegetarian for about 12 years. I went back to eating meat shortly after moving to the Midwest. Frankly, it was a challenge to find the veggie foods I was used to finding so easily on the west coast without driving to Bloomington weekly.
And also I was lazy and it was easier.
But I have always wanted to go back to eating nothing with a face, I guess I just needed a kick in the rump to motivate me.
I found that rump-kick in Bloomfield recently. I wrote about the Porter family, who run Willowbrook Farms Animal Sanctuary. Three out of four Porters are “powered by plants,” and they so strongly reminded me of the person I used to be that didn’t eat meat.
I became vegetarian way back when for ethical reasons. In other words, I didn’t want to eat animals because I love animals and because I refused to support companies who abuse and mistreat them.
When Matt and Crystal Porter told me about the abuse caught on video at Fair Oaks Farms in Indiana, I was reminded of the stance I used to take and I felt like the worst of traitors.
I don’t knock anybody for what they choose to eat, so don’t think I’m a militant tree-hugger or whatever. Or do think that, that’s okay too.
Anyway, some people become vegetarian for purely health-related reasons. Crystal Porter dropped 80 pounds, reversed diabetes and high blood pressure and lowered her cholesterol numbers to a healthy range and that sure sounded good to me.
It’s a little more work to eat this way, but seeing the success of the Porters showed me that it can be done and I have no excuse.
Veggie meat-replacers have finally made their way to the Midwest. In fact, if you want an amazing burger experience without the saturated fat and cholesterol that come with red meat, drive your lil’ self to Ruler Foods in Bloomfield, go to the frozen foods section and get your paws on a package of Simple Truth burgers.
They. Are. Amazing.
Or ask me for my recipe for veggie pot pie or Mexican lasagna, they too are amazing. Even my most die-hard carnivore friends love them, they’re that good.
I can already feel the difference, healthwise.
I’ll keep you posted.
Patti is a Staff Writer for the Greene County Daily World. She loves to laugh and also loves kitties. She’s kind of weird but has a heart of gold. If you would like to share a story or just make a friend, she can be reached at pattippdanner@gmail.com.
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