a very veggie February

This January I wrote down a list of things I would like to do in 2010. Resolutions you could say, but I prefer goals or... just a list of things I want to do this year. Here they are in the order I wrote them:
1. take a photography class
2. read 6 books (this is a lot for a non-reader)
3. travel to Europe
4. road trip to Colorado or New Mexico
5. hike Mt. Whitney and/or backpack in Zion
6. get 1 CrossFit fire breather (a specific challenging workout under a certain time)
7. do a triathlon
8. plant a veggie garden
9. eat less meat
10. get pregnant

One month in, I am pleased to report that I am off to a good start. I am in week three of my photo class, have read two books, was asked to be in a wedding in New Mexico... thanks Alison ;), have a pending permit for Whitney, already got my first fire breather, signed up for a sprint triathlon in May, and this month... the reason I am writing this blog, Jeff and I are not eating meat. I don't say all this to brag. If anything, it seems I set my expectations too low! Though I have always been a person who enjoys making lists because I love the satisfaction of checking things off. A quick note about number 10... this is in some ways out of my control... and if it were entirely within my control, it would likely be closer to 2011 than anything ;)

So, for the month of February, Jeff and I will be trying our best to eat vegetarian... convenient that I chose the shortest month of the year to do this. Day one went pretty well... cereal and fruit for breakfast, veggie patty and apple for lunch, mushroom ravioli and salad for dinner. Why no meat? you may ask. I guess I can't really say exactly why for me, its just something that I feel I want to do. I am not overly sensitive to chickens or cows, but after watching Food Inc. and reading Foer's Eating Animals, I have started to become a little bit more aware of where my meat is coming from, and what it went through to get to my plate. The ways of farming have drastically changed over the years and things are not as humane or as sanitary as perhaps they once were. Granted my sources are likely biased, and I hope to learn more of both sides, but I don't think it will hurt anything to change things up for a month. I am looking forward to cooking some new dishes and I hope to post any recipes that I find worthy of sharing.