I am a pseudo-vegetarian. I eat chicken, but I do not eat beef, pork, fish or any other poultry. However, I have found that I still enjoy just as much food as I did before I became a veggie (2 years and 2 months now!). I admit, occasionally there is a mouth-watering vision of the pepper-mushroom steak from PJ Steak (R.I.P) in Yountville; but I can bypass the hamburgers and the bacon without so much as a sniff.

Here’s a look at my typical menu:

Breakfast
small bowl of Special K with non-fat or soy milk
OR
2 slices whole-wheat toast w/ I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! & 1 Odwalla C Monster
OR
granola bar & lemon tea w/ 2 sugar cubes

Lunch
1 Lean Cuisine (they have a good variety)
OR
veggie sandwich: avocado, red onion, lettuce, tomato and mustard with pepper-jack cheese
OR
salad with some type of light vinaigrette
a piece of fruit, usually an apple
whole-grain Goldfish crackers
water water water!!

Dinner
This changes a lot more, because its a meal I eat with Tim everyday. We love pizza, roast chicken, pasta, soups and sandwiches. Occasionally we’ll have Chinese food, but I try to resist the temptation of all that grease.

I do eat a fair share of junk food, like candy and french fries, but I try to balance it out as much as possible. I don’t drink soda, so I have plenty of sparkling water and juice around. I always have several types of fruit, like tomatoes, apples, pears, oranges, raspberries, strawberries and grapes. I love carrots, broccoli, snap peas and bell peppers, especially with a little spicy hummus. Moderation is key, in all things (except for books and shoes). I, however, sometimes forget that when going through a pack of Sour Patch Kids like I’m an addict (ok, I am) or when I hear a vanilla cupcake with strawberry buttercream screaming my name.

Now that I am pregnant, I keep expecting these crazy cravings to kick in, or to all of a sudden start eating everything in front of me, plus whatever is on Tim’s plate. But they haven’t, and I find myself eating exactly the same way as I did before. I am happy that I most likely won’t gain more than my personal goal of 25lbs, however it is hard to make sure that I get the extra 300 calories a day the baby needs. I find myself drinking more juice (FYI, the tangerine juice from Trader Joe’s is bomb; no added sugar!) and trying to cram in an extra piece of toast.