Cleaning out the Freezer

Making the change from being an all-out flesh-eating family to a very limited one is actually kind of fun. My freezers had been full of the stuff. I'm talking FULL! I even had an inventory list so I'd know what was in there. Well, thanks to my dogs' raw diet, the only meat left in the garage chest freezer is for their meals. And even then, that's not a lot - mostly bones and a few bits and pieces. For the most part, it's pretty empty. The fridge freezer is pretty much the same. The big, bottom drawer still has a few packs of beef and a couple things of chicken breasts - but that's it. The rest of the freezer has fake corn dogs, fake chicken nuggets, and the dogs' raw patties. It's kind of shocking to look inside these two freezers which had been packed to gills at one time. I was constantly fighting for freezer space. Not anymore. It's almost as if the freezers are like us - trimmer.

Switching to a vegetarian diet has been really easy for us. It's almost as if we had been waiting for the right moment to make the change. My daughter and I still eat fish at least once a week, but other than that, we're doing the meat-free thing. My husband is happier, I feel healthier, and my daughter is having fun trying new foods. Well ... some of the new foods!

I was a little nervous about finding vegetarian meals that my family would enjoy. However, thanks to several veggie pals and the local library, I've started a nice collection of easy recipes. Easy is the key word, thank you! I'm astonished by some of the cookbooks that call for 30 or so ingredients. Umm ... I don't think so! Thankfully, I've found some realistic recipes for folks who don't want to spend a fortune or all day in the kitchen. Below is one of my family's fav meals:

Nachos

1 large onion, chopped
1 29 oz can Trader Joe's LF Organic Salsa-style Refried Beans
1 4.5 oz can Trader Joe's Chopped Green Chilies
Approx 2 cups LF Mexican-blend Cheese
Trader Joe's Green Salsa
1 chopped Tomato (optional)
Fat-Free Sour Cream (optional)
Chopped Green Onions (optional)
Sliced Black Olives (optional)
Trader Joe's Organic White Corn Chips

1. Saute onions in a little olive oil. Be careful not to brown them.
2. Spread refried beans evenly in a 9x13 shallow baking dish. Layer onions, chilies, and cheese. Drizzle top with salsa.
3. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove. Serve w/FF sour cream, tomatoes, chopped green onions, black olives. Delicious!

Variation on Super Nachos in Glycemic Index Cookbook for Dummies - GREAT cookbook!

Surprisingly, this is an amazingly filling meal. Best of all, it satisfies those "I'm hungry for Mexican" cravings without the "I've just eaten a boatload of chips, salsa, and a greasy fajita" guilt. It's meals like this that make my family pleased to have gone meat-free.

How about you? Any chance you might try a meat-free meal this week? I find vegetarian cooking to be easier to prepare, cheaper to buy, and healthier for my family! I'll post some more of my yummy meat-free finds. If you have any that you'd like to share - please feel free to post!