Something Smells A Little Fishy

I have a confession to make.  I have had fish for dinner for the last three nights in a row.  So what, you might say.  And I would agree with you, other than the fact that I've been a vegetarian for the last 12 years.

I've been having some problems with allergies, and that's why I started the crazy "no sugar, no dairy, no wheat, no alcohol, no fun" diet I've been on most of the year.  The upside - I've lost about 20 pounds.  The downside - I don't think I'm getting enough protein, especially at work.  Fish is the only animal I can even consider eating, so I'm slowly starting to try it out again.

Another reason I am experimenting with fish is that we are leaving for Scotland in a few weeks.  I used to look forward to eating in Britain, because there are a lot of vegetarians in the UK.  I can always find something to eat, but unfortunately, it's either wrapped in pastry or smothered in cheese.  Or my absolute favorite thing, a pasty, which is a pastry stuffed with potato and cheese.  Kind of like a giant pierogie with a crispy crust and diced potatoes.  Ok, it's really nothing like a pierogie.  Anyway, since I'm still not doing dairy or wheat I thought I might starve in Scotland, so I'm easing myself into the fish thing again.

I would really prefer to stay a vegetarian, but my instinct, as well as my nutritionist, acupuncturist, and husband seem to think the fish is a good idea.  Although I question my husbands motives, I think he's just tired of eating fake meat and veggie burgers.

I guess I'll just have to see how it goes.  What finally converted me to vegetarianism 12 years ago was living in North Carolina.  I would pass the hog trucks every morning, and I couldn't look at them as I drove past.  I would feel really guilty for having had a bacon sandwich for breakfast, when the poor pigs were crammed into the truck with their little snouts sticking out of the holes.

I definitely still need to pretend that the fish on my plate just manifested itself there, instead of thinking about the flopping, gasping thing that comes out of the water.  Hmm, I may have just made myself a vegetarian again with that thought.  Stay tuned, I'll let you know how it goes.