What is your name?
Ceri Thomas-Haigh
Where do you live?
Cumbria
Current Diet?
I am trying to shed the last of my baby weight on the 5:2 diet
What was your motivation to start eating less meat?
It was a gradual thing. I never used to think that a meal should always mean meat and two vegs. I began to consciously think about eating meat, like everyone else, whilst in University over 10 years ago (gosh, I didn’t think it was that long ago!). I thought that people didn’t really associate what they got on the supermarket shelves with where they came from, so made a pact that if I couldn’t prepare my own meal from scratch then I would give it up completely.
My friend shot a couple of pheasants and I plucked, gutted and cooked them. It tasted awful but that was down to my cooking rather than anything else! But I did it.
From there it has really grown holistically. I believe that having a good range in your diet is healthiest, and since my son was born and has allergies to various forms of food including dairy and beef it has made me be a lot more inventive with my meals.
How many meat-free days do you have in a week?
I used to consciously do the Meat Free Monday approach, however now I just have meat-free days as and when I feel like it, so there are no set days.
What are the benefits?
It depends on which articles you believe! It certainly has a benefit on my wallet though…
Main challenge?
The repetitiveness. There are only so many omelettes and pancakes that you can have for breakfast!
Have your family and friend been supportive?
I am the only cook in my house so if they were not supportive they wouldn’t eat! Seriously though, it’s never been a case of being supportive or not because it is not a conscious thing that I put in people’s faces all day long no one really mentions it.
Favourite meal?
Vegetable fajitas in tortilla wraps or pitta bread. Really simple, but you HAVE to have roasted beetroot in it to give it that extra bit of flavour. Simply shove a load of vegetables in the oven, I tend to choose carrots, parsnips, beetroot and sweet potato, with some fajita spices such as paprika and cayenne pepper. Serve with lettuce, pitta or wrap, mayonnaise (I use vegan mayonnaise as I tend to follow more vegan recipes on meat-free days due to my son’s dairy allergy). Voilà. Simple and quick, but absolutely gorgeous.
Favourite place to eat out?
We are lucky that there are loads of variety in cafés and restaurants in Cumbria, and I don’t just have a favourite place as it depends on my mood.
Favourite cookbook?
“Keep It Vegan” by Aine Carlin. The black bean chilli tastes better than the meat version!
Flexitarian, vegetarian, vegan? We would like to know what motivates the way you eat and why it is important for you to eat less meat or even no meat at all. If you would like to be featured like Ceri Thomas-Haigh, please send us an email at hello@theflexitarian.co.uk
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