Food.

I'm so cute, how could you eat me?

I am a lactose intolerant "vegetarian". Trying to find something nutritious to eat can often be challenging because I'm also very picky.

My quest to be a vegetarian started at an early age. Around the age of seven or so I told my mother I wanted to stop eating meat. Being that she also had a two and four year old to take care of and I was notorious for wanting to be things and then forgetting about them, she told me the doctor said I had to be 12 in order to be one.

Little did she know that the day I turned 12 I told her I was now going to be a vegetarian. I stopped eating red meat and pork when I turned 12, but continued eating chicken and turkey on occasion. The January of my senior year of college I stopped eating poultry for ethical reasons and the mere fact it started to gross me out. The correct term for my eating habits today would probably be pescatarian. Today, the only time I will eat something that had a face is in a spicy salmon roll (maybe 2x month), or crab legs (maybe 2x year). These are also starting to gross me out so I will probably stop eating them as well soon. The spicy salmon roll appeals to me because of the spiciness and the crunch factor. Crab legs appeal to me because my lactose intolerant self gets to douse them with butter. You could just cut out the fish/seafood component and I'd probably still be happy.

The only things I miss about my carnivorous days are wings and kielbasa. Tofu wings don't have the same spicy flavor that you can find in chicken wings, and Ukie Easter is terribly sad for me when all I can eat are pierogies.

I don't have an issue if you eat meat, but what I do have issue with is close-minded individuals who have to comment on my food.

Yes, I find the steak on your plate revolting and yes, it makes me want to puke in my mouth. However, I would never say that to anyone, even a family member. So why do you need to comment that my tofu looks/is disgusting and I am a freak for eating it?

If you don't understand or have questions about some one's veg-ism, please ask. I love answering questions, and while I cannot speak for everyone, most people do like to share their beliefs as well.