where's the beef?

mashed potatoes, garden tomatoes, garlic spinach

"Ahimsa" means non-violence, to do no harm in thought, word and deed. The word comes from the ancient Sanskrit language and the practice of Ahimsa is an important part of the yogic tradition. Today as I practice Ahimsa, I commit to doing my best to embrace and support all living beings, to cause the least possible harm, to be kind, generous and forgiving to others and to myself.

In my role as family food provider, I have really enjoyed cooking meat: the savory juice, the crunchy skin, the time-honored traditions and recipes. But I always prefer to begin with a slab of meat that is as far removed from the actual animal as possible. When it looks too much like the animal it came from, I feel creepy. It is much easier to use skinless boneless breasts that don't look anything like the chicken running around in my backyard. Bacon doesn't at all resemble a squealing piggy, so I really love the bacon. You get the picture.

On and off for several years, I have considered adopting a vegetarian diet. Not to say I haven't fully enjoyed a delicious bleu cheese burger, but since childhood, I have always gravitated more towards the vegetables with less enthusiasm for the meat. To my surprise, over the summer, I magically bypassed vegetarian and went all the way to vegan instead. The desire for meat and animal products simply disappeared.

At some point in the month of July, I just went ahead and accepted the idea that a living being doesn't necessarily need to lay down its life just so I can have a nice sandwich. In the old days, living here in Wisconsin's wintry climate, we actually needed to eat meat in order to survive. But now, with trucks and trains and greenhouses, there are plenty of other delicious proteins I can have in my sandwich.

This interesting culinary path is not for everyone. Unless my family decides to embrace the veggies 100%, I am still buying and cooking meat for them. For now, I just know this is the right choice for me. My digestion is 100% better, I can fit back into my skinny jeans, and I have a lot more energy. All this without feeling like I've made a single sacrifice.

Note on Eggs: We still have chickens living here. They have an outdoorsy, safe, healthy environment and they appear to enjoy long, rich lives here with us. By their nature, they lay eggs. For the most part, they will not sit on the eggs long enough to hatch more. We have to do something with these egg-- what should we do? Of course, eggs are not traditionally "vegetarian" and certainly not"vegan".  The only conclusion I can come to about our special chickens' eggs is that right now we are obligated to enjoy them, share them and be grateful for these beautiful, pearly gifts. Other opinions about the eggs are welcome.