On Saturday, my Mom and my sister and I all headed to New York, to get a head start on celebrating Mother’s Day. Every good trip should start with a healthy breakfast, and this was no exception. I packed a breakfast buffet for us to enjoy on the commuter train into the city. We had fresh cantaloupe to share, peanut butter sandwiches on Bagel Thins, and caffeine containing beverages.

Then we were off to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, to see the Picasso exhibit and the American Woman exhibit. Both exhibits were good, and the museum itself has so much to see that it’s almost overwhelming. By the early afternoon, the sun was shining and we decided to walk through Central Park because I wanted to see Belvedere Castle. The view from the top was amazing, and look who I could see when I zoomed in with my camera?

But then, it was most definitely time for lunch! We headed to Fig & Olive, which turned out to be an excellent choice. We ordered wine, a cheese tasting plate, a vegetable tasting plate, and gourmet crostini. The cheese plate included goat cheese, Gorgonzola, Fontina, Machego, and Rocchetta, accompanied by fig jam and olive tapenade. My Mom and I liked all of the cheeses although my sister favored the Fontina and Manchego. We all agreed that the fig jam was amazing though! The crostini that we chose included one with eggplant, one with Manchego and fig, and one with mushrooms and Parmesan. My favorite was the roasted eggplant, and there was more roasted eggplant on our vegetable dish.

One of the more interesting items on the vegetable plate was this orange scented fennel. I had never tried fennel this way, so it was a new experience, although I am not sure I liked the licorice flavor. My Mom and my sister both loved the roasted peppers on the vegetable plate, and we all liked the balsamic artichoke hearts. It was such a great meal, full of small bites and wonderful flavors. There were many bottles and jars on the walls, but unfortunately there was no fig jam available for purchase.

We strolled through Rockefeller Center and Times Square, and then it was time to take the train back home. Somehow, in the city that has everything, we had a difficult time locating an ice cream shop on the way to Grand Central Station. Finally, we found a place to purchase gelato, which we enjoyed on the ride home. It was the perfect ending to a fun day! I love Boston, I really do, but New York City does have a certain energy that can’t be matched. I can’t wait until my next trip!

I am almost finished with my first week being Meatless in May. As far as eating goes, this week was easy. I planned out my meals as usual, bringing several meals to work, and enjoying the rest at home. I never felt deprived, or hungry, or tempted to slip. Perhaps it was because I was so focused on my nutrition final and a new project at work, but the transition seemed almost too smooth. And I had fun trying a few new recipes, like this Sunflower Seed Pate.

This coming week will be far more challenging. I am going to NYC on Saturday, my sister’s house on Sunday, and meeting friends for dinner on Wednesday. There will be plenty of vegetarian options wherever I go, but I expect it will be different when I am not in complete control of my meals. I’ll keep you posted!

That’s right, I have decided to go without eating meat in May. I first heard about the campaign from Elizabeth, and she encouraged me to give this a try. But I’ve been thinking more about food choices ever since I saw Food, Inc. and read Omnivores Dilemma. I believe that a mostly plant based diet is good for both my health and the environment, although I am not ethically opposed to eating meat.

The movies and books have made it clear that the American food system does not operate in a manner which is kind to the environment, and many of the products may compromise our health. But despite my good intentions to make more conscious choices, I have not made any real changes in my food habits. I still buy and eat meat which has been produced in factory farms and I still choose conventional produce over organic most of the time. I’ve bought items from a few local farms over the years, but not nearly enough.

My purpose in eating vegetarian throughout May is to raise my personal awareness of how often I would normally choose to eat meat, and what alternatives are available. I will not be eating beef, pork, chicken, or fish. However, I will be eating both eggs and dairy products this month, which makes this goal achievable for me.

Each Friday in May, I’ll provide a recap of the week. I will let you know how the challenge is going and any issues I have overcome. My blog has always featured many plant based recipes, and there will be many more next month!