Vegetarianism

Vegetarianism...You either are one, think the followers are total freaks, on the border and considering the leap or would never possibly put yourself through it.

Well, I am proudly, one of them.

For the past 11 years I have been a almighty vegetable-only kinda gal. My Mum hates me for it and my Dad tries to stuff chicken down my throat every chance he gets, but other than that it's easy going.

Becoming a veggie at such a young age was tricky, and to be honest, sometimes, it still is.

You go into a restaurant and can never seem to have quite as good a meal as your fellow diners. Sure a tartin may be nice every now and then but I'm a professional with tartins and, let me tell you, you can only mix it up so far.

At home it's more of a breeze. I am eternally grateful for Quorn's mince and although I am not a fan of any soya-based type veggie alternatives, I am perfectly able to create something wonderful. Now I have never understood the people who choose to eat Quorn's piece of lamb. From what I can remember, it tastes scarily like the real thing. I don't want to eat lamb and I don't want to eat the fake version either.

But the benefits so outweight the downfalls. I have no doubt that I am healthier thanks to not eating meat and I am certain that this will stand me in good stead. I am an animal lover. Completely over-the-top, get out of my car to help a duck out of the road, kind of woman. And so, choosing not to eat its fellow companions every night makes me feel, well, that little bit better.

Why choose to eat meat when there are so many wonderful and fun alternatives to be had? I quote often get the constantly repeated question: 'isn't it really hard?' And the truth is, well, no. It's just one of those things you fall into and never want to get out of. Meat does not turn my stomach but neither would I choose to eat it again.

Fear not I am not one of those freaky-meat haters who will not even cook the stuff. I will never say no to cooking meat for friends and family, but you will always find me having something a little bit different.

I am an avid follower of animal welfare charities such as PETA, WSPA and SPANA. The thought of suffering animals just turns my world upside down and I know that we can prevent it. When I was young and immature, I had these incredibly ambitious dreams that one day, everybody would see the error of their ways and become vegetarians. And, well, I have grown up a lot since then.

If you are not willing to give up meat, for perhaps even a week, then change the way you select your meat. Get your ass down to your local farmers market or shop instead of picking up a cruelly-raised chicken on the shelf of your local chain supermarket. Or perhaps, pick organic and always pick free range. Trust me, it makes a world of difference. To you, and to them.

Now give it a thought over. Try it for a week and see how you get on. Trust me, it is not as hard as it seems. Every now and then I drop in a sneaky little veggie dish on here. I will show you just how simple it can be.