I Love You and You Love Meat

People will fairly often say to Hubby, "So, uh... are you pretty much vegetarian since, uh, since she's vegetarian?".

This is usually said awkwardly, hushed, and with quick side glances in my direction. It's kind of like they're talking to someone that's been kidnapped and they're quietly trying to probe him for a sign that he's being held against his will, without alerting me.

I am not feeding Hubby against his will.

I came across this article, I Love You, but You Love Meat, on the NY Times site around Valentine's Day and it got me thinking about our culinary/diet relationship.

Admittedly, I don't know a lot about cooking meat but Hubby will back me up when I say that I have been trying harder recently. I really do want to learn how to cook meat but I do still need a little guidance. I don't mind the smell of it (mostly - bacon stinks) and I don't mind handling it (mostly).

No, the biggest "beef" I have about cooking meat, especially a new dish, is that I have to take his word on whether it is good or not! Can I always trust that he is being honest when something isn't quite right? You would think yes but I would think that it depends on what he wants that particular day... *wink*wink*, nudge, nudge.

Hubby will often roast a chicken or make a meatloaf on Sunday afternoon and inject it into meals throughout the week. When we make pizza we make one for him and one for me. It doesn't bother me in the slightest and it doesn't seem to bother him to do it this way either.

Thankfully we are both adventurous eaters and enjoy trying new things. The only difference is that my adventurous category does not include flesh. Hubby admits that he was not always this adventurous and that dining with a vegetarian has increased his appreciation for many vegetables. And knowing that he enjoys trying new things spurs me on to new recipes and culinary adventures.

Contrary to popular belief, it is not a burden for him to eat vegetables. Also contrary to popular belief, you do not need meat at every meal. No, you don't.

With all that said, I'm not likely to jump to kiss him while he's got a mouth full of chicken but I'm not going to force him to brush his teeth before I do either.

And I would never ask him to give it up.

"It's like putting your whole mouth right in the dip!"

With the SuperBowl on the horizon, people everywhere are rifling through the recipe banks in their heads, in search of the perfect appetizers to serve with the game. And of course, a dip of some sort is bound to be on the menu. Everything from a hot cheesy dip to guacamole will be gracing coffee tables worldwide on Sunday evening.

I can hear the crunch of chips now...

But are you going to double dip that chip? Many of us do and don't give it a second thought, but just what is transferred from chip to dip?

A study done by Clemson University has determined that an average of 10,000 bacteria are transferred from the eater's mouth to the remaining dip over three to six double dips. The amount depended on the type of dip; specifically, how thick it was.

The professor in charge of the study says, "The way I would put it is, before you have some dip at a party, look around and ask yourself, would I be willing to kiss everyone here? Because you don't know who might be double dipping, and those who do are sharing their saliva with you."

I don't know about you but ... well ... ewww.

Chocolatey Hazelnut Spread... yummm

Nutella doesn't exactly help my weight loss mission but I had to post about it because it just happens to fall on my birthday! What's better than chocolate for breakfast, you ask? Chocolate for breakfast on your birthday!

February 5th is World Nutella Day! If you have a blog, you can participate in the activities too!