Rebecca Weger

I feel a bit guilty, and I don’t want to alienate my vegetarian friends here.  But we’ve had some very good meat lately.

I’ve been vegetarian for much of the last 2 1/2 years.  I think its the right thing for me to do by most calculations, and yet, my body doesn’t always seem to agree.  Lately it has wanted meat, and one of my trusted health care professionals think it might be good for me right now.

As I’ve wrestled through ethics, responsibilities, environmental and health concerns, I’ve figured out this much.  If I’m going to eat meat, I want it to be local.  I want to know who raised it and that they treat their animals well.  As it is, we know two former vegans who raise pigs, chickens and ducks on a certified organic farm nearby and sell at the farmer’s market.

Growing up we had pork chops broiled with Shake -N- Bake.  I thought it was one of the best things in the world, and even better if we had it with Rice -A- Roni.  I suspect as a young adult I made it as a comfort food.  But neither of those are on the list for my gluten-free lifestyle.  Tonight’s alternative and maybe better menu:

• Pork chops from Kingbird Farm, salt and pepper, broiled.
• Lundberg Farm Wild Blend Rice
• Green beans from our CSA (Early Morning Farm), steamed, with Kingbird Farm bacon