She has no beef with going meatless

I used to think it was, a long time ago. It's a fact that we love our meat in this country: ribs, steaks, burgers, tenderloins. Meals are usually based around a big piece of meat. I never thought of not eating meat. Still don't, but I do eat less meat.

My first time ever considering eating less meat was after a meal at an Ethiopian restaurant. I noticed that there wasn't a lot of meat in my dish. I'm conditioned to look for the meat. Aren't we all? The meat dish had plenty of sauce but little meat. So how, I asked, was this a meat dish? The owner of the restaurant informed me that in her country, meat wasn't the focus. The focus was on the flavorful sauce.

Hmmm. Different way of looking at things.

It was at that moment I realized meat didn't have to be the center of attention on a plate, but I didn't really change my eating habits.

It wasn't until my church began doing a 40-day corporate fast that I began to realize life without meat is doable. We follow the Daniel Fast, essentially becoming vegan. No animal products can be consumed. Strictly fruits, vegetables, whole grains, 100 percent juice and natural sweeteners such as honey or maple syrup.

The first year, the task seemed daunting. I didn't have a clue of how to shop for this stuff or how to cook a meal with no meat. Now I'm a pro. I actually look forward to the fast because I know it'll cleanse my system and force me to quit eating meat and pay more attention to what I'm putting into my body.

I used to think if I didn't eat meat every day, three times a day, I wouldn't get enough protein. Now I know that's not the case. Americans actually consume too much protein. I know how to get protein from non-meat sources that are just as good. I absolutely love black beans; I can eat those things straight out of the can.

While I still love meat and have yet to become a full-blown vegetarian or vegan, I do try to go meatless for one meal a day, usually during the work week. Usually, it's lunch. It's easy to pack a burrito with black beans and rice, red beans and rice or stir fry with tofu. Sometimes I'll take it old school with some great northern beans or pinto beans and cornbread.