Meats and Vegetables

So it's been a super busy past couple of weeks, with traveling, working late, seeing friends and spending time at the house cleaning and gardening. Last week I got up to Northern Virginia to see some clients and had lunch with Mom at a super awesome spot in Upperville called The Hunter's Head, serving lots of local vegetables, meats and eggs. All the meats are organically and humanely raised heirloom breeds of animals from a farm less than 5 miles from the tavern. I have to admit, I've been dabbling back in the humane meats, since it's easier to eat with Scott than against him. I haven't gone full force back to meat at every meal and I don't plan to. I'm trying to make the most careful decisions possible when it comes to meat consumption.


The view on the driveway on the way to my Mom's office in Upperville.


My Momma!

Cobb Salad on my end and quiche on hers.

There is too much we don't know about how the hormone and antibiotic levels and overfeed of GMO corn in our meat affect the human body. I'm not interested in being a guinea pig for the government or for the meat production corporations. I quit eating meat early in college when I stopped having the option of cattle straight from a neighbors farm to consume. I couldn't afford what used to be Ukrop's outrageously high prices for organic meat and found that I didn't really miss it in my meals anyway.

Lately, with my newfound interest in cutting back on carbohydrates as a step in losing weight and firming up, it's become clear that I've overcompensated my lack of meat with an overabundance of carbohydrates. Unfortunately, a lot of faux meat products have a much higher count of carbohydrates than real meat products (ie. deli slices, chick'n cuts, faux ground beef and cheeze, frozen veggie burgers, etc.) and although I tend toward beans and tofu over the packaged products, it does add up over time.

So I'm switching some of my meat alternatives back to humanely raised, organic meat products here and there. We're lucky enough to have a butcher nearby for special treats once in awhile, as they are pretty pricy over at Belmont Butchery. We are also in the throws of farmer's market season which means local meat vendors raising fewer animals in pastures rather than the bowling-alley looking barns. More space for animals to graze and grow means less disease, no antibiotics and growers who clearly care about their animals. Same goes for dairy cattle. Growth hormones are used to stimulate and prolong milk production in cattle and there's still no evidence that the added hormones in the human system don't cause cancer. These are not risks I'm willing to take. Many hormones have been used in animals raised for food and the FDA has recalled them after a few years of use citing health issues in humans. We are all guinea pigs...

But if you want to see some harder facts than I am giving you right now, I recommend the Kind Diet (yes, it's Alicia Silverstone of Clueless fame, but the girl did her homework) and Food Revolution by John Robbins (son of and former heir to the Baskin Robbins chain). Both of these authors are advocating a vegan diet (devoid of any meat, dairy, egg or other animal product), which I believe really is beneficial in staving off cancers, allergies, asthma and many other medical abnormalities. But for my purposes of losing weight, I haven't ever been as good about getting proteins on a vegetarian diet as many of my vegan friends. I have a carb overload issue when I try the vegan lifestyle and I think it might not be right for me right now. And that's okay. We all need to find which diet works best with our own metabolisms and lifestyles for optimum health.

On a side note, Scott and I went up to Northern Virginia for Mother's Day with my mom Friday night and Saturday. We went to Blandy Experimental Farm and the State Arboretum to their annual plant sale. I picked up many vegetable plants to replace some that didn't make it from seedlings in my raised beds. I got them from my friend Amanda of Echo Ridge Farm. She has wonderful heirloom produce and beautiful flowers and shrubs and does an annual CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) in the Northern Virginia area.

The plant sale at Blandy.

The awesome porch on the second floor of the main building on Blandy's property.

Saturday evening we had dinner with my Dad and his wife at a place in Purcellville called Magnolia's. The food there is delightful. I had grilled salmon on a spinach salad tossed in a really light vinaigrette and it was perfect. I had a glass of local red wine (local to NoVA) from Corcoran Vineyards that was just as delightful as the meal. We ate on the third floor of this remodeled, historic mill building. Wish I had taken a picture, but I'm sure we'll go back when I'm in town again.

Okay! I'm out!