I Love a Good Steak--Rarely

I do love a good steak, but I don't eat many. I probably have one a year at  home--the rest are ordered at restaurants a few times a year.

Have you noticed you almost can't get vegetables with your entree at a restaurant any more, unless you order an extra side? I am staying at a hotel with my daughter and granddaughter while my daughter is in a practicum for her Master's program, so we have been eating out every day. Last night was the first night vegetables were part of the dish without having to order as an extra. Every other night, the entree has consisted of meat and a starch (usually potatoes or rice.)

In most restaurants, a salad is iceberg lettuce with maybe some shredded carrots, a tomato and some croutons. That hardly qualifies as a veggie. The side list also usually includes macaroni and cheese, baked beans, etc. There's nothing specifically wrong with these sides, but they are not green, orange, red or yellow.

I know a lot of people who won't eat anything green. My husband is largely in that group, although he does eat green beans and corn--not a big variety to work with in meal planning.

The US is largely a nation of meat eaters, although we do appear to be eating slightly less meat than in the past, although. Eating a lot of meat has a significant impact on our health, our budget, and the environment. NPR ran an excellent story on the environmental cost of eating meat recently. According to the graphic in the blog, a quarter pound hamburger requires 6.7 lbs of feed, 52.8 gallons of water, 74.5 square feet of grazing land, and 1.036 BTUs of energy. Quite an expenditure for the small amount of meat.

With a background in biology, I am not against meat eating in a moralistic sense--nature is pretty draconian in its approach to the food pyramid. However, what meat I do eat, I want to be produced humanely and safely. And like most sedentary humans, more fruits and vegetables, legumes and grains would be an improvement in my diet.

Did you know there is no vegetarian restaurant in Wichita Falls? You can find one or two vegetarian choices on the menu in some restaurants, but they are few and far between. If you know of a restaurant with good vegetarian menu choices, please share. I know many of my vegetarian friends eat frequently at the Thai Orchid because of the vegetarian options.

I suggest using comment cards at your favorite restaurants to lobby for more vegetable choices; and entrees with more veggies and less meat. If you find someplace with a decent vegetarian choice, make sure the restaurant knows you eat there because of the choice.

Sunshine Natural Foods

Sunshine Foods has been a long-time favorite for organic and natural food in Wichita Falls. Before the major grocery chains began to carry a lot of natural and organic foods, this was about the only place in town to get these products. They are also the only restaurant that has organic food on the menu and vegetarian selections. They also have meat dishes.

It has been a long time since I went to Sunshine as the last couple of times haven't been impressive in terms of food quality and selection on the shelves. However, the point is to encourage businesses that support sustainable living, so I decided to go back today to check out lunch. I'm glad I did. Lunch was good. I decided on the chicken soup with whole grain roll, since I wasn't starving (although I did pick up an oatmeal raisin cookie to go--it was supposed to be my afternoon snack, but it didn't last that long. No willpower.) I did overhear some folks who came in behind me who had never been to the restaurant before--let's help Sunshine by spreading the word. I will go more often.

I did notice going in that they are now offering organic produce AT COST. I am not sure how they can afford to do that, but good for them. They don't have a large selection of produce, but perhaps if more people come in, they will in the future. You can also purchase local raw honey by the pound--just turn on the spigot and fill your choice of container. The shelves were better stocked than they were at times in the past. Although many of the products are available in local grocery stores, some are not.

I have been disappointed that Sunshine Foods has not been a vendor at the EcoFair in the past--perhaps they will get involved this year. I hope so.

My favorite is the bakery. They always have some fresh organic bread and cookies, both of which are soft points with me.