Relishments

Savoring life in the Berkshires

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What is Flexitarianism?

What is flexitarianism?  Flexitarianism is a diet which is mostly vegetarian, but doesn’t cut out meat completely, sometimes also known as semi-vegetarian or meat-eating vegetarian.

If this way of eating sounds awfully familiar, you may already be a flexitarian! Many people, perhaps yourself included, already practice a low-meat way of eating without knowing that a term exists for it.  Sometimes it’s really awesome to find out that there’s a term for something you’re already involved in.

Here’s the thing about labels: not everyone with a particular label does things the same way.  Your version of flexitarianism will probably look a lot different than mine and that’s awesome.  My particular breed of flexitarian eating encompasses a lot of things including a love of cooking, an interest in local food and a desire to avoid processed foods as much as possible.  But you can be a flexitarian and not care about any of those things.  Changing your diet can be as easy or as hard as you make it.  Here are 4 tips to help you make the switch:

1.  Make simple substitutions: When I changed to flexitarianism, I started by making just my lunches meat-free.  My dinners (primarily cooked by my mother) stayed the same as they’d been for 23 years.  If you don’t want to be that extreme, try going meatless one day a week a la Meatless Mondays or try some of Dawn Jackson Blatner’s suggested swaps.

flexitarian infographic

2.  Find good produce: It’s a lot easier to eat more vegetables when the vegetables are appealing.  We get most of our produce from our CSA, but you don’t have to.  Check out the different produce departments at local supermarkets, farm markets and health food stores.  Wherever it looks the best, buy it there.  Fresh food that looks delicious is going to be much simpler to integrate into your diet.

fresh produce can make flexitarianism easier

3.  Keep trying: Experiment with different kinds of beans, grains, and vegetables: eating healthier food and trying new things can be difficult.  There’s a lot of choices out there; if you don’t like quinoa, try couscous.  If you don’t like broccoli, try peppers.  There are plenty of healthy vegetarian options that don’t include tofu or tempeh, so keep looking.

vegetarian cookbooks

4.  Get more information: There is no shortage of books, website and blogs on the topic of flexitarianism.  I highly recommend The Flexitarian Diet by Dawn Jackson Blatner and pretty much anything by Mark Bittman or Michael Pollan for expanding your eating horizons, but any vegetarian cookbook can help you get started with cooking meatless meals.  If you’re more interested in online sources, there are a multitude of vegetarian and semi-vegetarian blogs other there, especially for recipes.  Try Minimalist Baker, Cheap Healthy Good, Herbivoracious, Meatless Monday or Post Punk Kitchen.  I also have a list of my favorite cookbooks.

In the past few years, my eating has alternated between vegetarian and vegan and serious carnivore depending on the season, occasion and my mood, but that’s the beauty of being a flexitarian.  I don’t think full-time vegetarianism is in my future, but that doesn’t mean I can’t eat that way the majority of the time.

Dawn Jackson Blatner infographic used with permission.


Interesting related articles:

The Flexitarian Diet – US News and World Report Best Diets, ranked #3 overall. Lots of information! (2018)

What Does it Mean to Be Flexitarian? 10 Reasons to Try the Diet (PopSugar, 11/2/16) – I was interviewed for this piece!

Meats: A Health Hierarchy (The Atlantic, 7/3/14) – compares the environmental impact of various foods

Going Vegetarian Can Cut Your Diet’s Carbon Footprint in Half (Grist, 6/27/14)

Eat Plants and Prosper: For Longevity, Go Easy on the Meat, Study Says (NPR, 3/5/14)

Plant-based diets: The rise and rise of flexitarian eating (Food Navigator USA, 1/22/14)

Resolve to Lose Weight and Cut Carbon Emissions: Eat Less Beef (Live Science, 1/21/14)

Expert Explains How Flexible Vegetarian Diets Boost Weight Loss by 15 Percent (Examiner, 1/10/14)

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Welcome!

Welcome to Relishments! Follow along with my adventures in flexitarian eating and cooking in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts.

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I’m just a girl who loves to cook and eat. This site is not a source for nutritional information.

Relishments is affiliated with various sponsors. Some product links on this site are affiliates; I may get portion of the sale. All opinions on this site are honest, regardless of revenue opportunities. Find out more about my policies here

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Emily
This week I - drove across the state for 4 days of This week I
- drove across the state for 4 days of 8 am to 4 pm professional development
- was incredibly impressed with the facilities and food at @wyliecenter and @tuppermanor
- wandered my undergrad campus at dusk
- started to wrap my head around @openscied
- spent quality time with @ryntintin12
- enjoyed several of Beverly's breweries and restaurants including @thecastlebeverly, @backbeatbrewing, @lavictoriataco, @oldplantersbrewing
- Enjoyed an evening with one of my closest friends from college
- took deep breaths and watched birds at the ocean 
- visited the mall and Whole Foods primarily to see what life is like for the other half of the state
- rediscovered a love of taking the scenic route, making unplanned detours and checking out small towns along the way
It was a cold and cloudy morning, but we made it t It was a cold and cloudy morning, but we made it to our second annual strawberry picking at @mountainviewfarm413, which included E's first tractor ride (she was very excited). We picked about 9 pounds of strawberries and I'm looking forward to eating them! 🍓
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#igers413_food #strawberries #LocallyGrowjln #PickYourOwn #LanesboroughMA
#igers413 #BerkshireFoodies #InTheBerkshires #EatLocal #WesternMA #WesternMass #Berkshires  #VisitTheBerkshires

#NorthAdams #NAmazing
Scenes from this morning in Adams, featuring @shir Scenes from this morning in Adams, featuring @shiredonuts, Poseidon Coffee, the Ashwillticook Rail Trail, St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, Adams Free Library and beautiful flowers.
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#AdamsMA #igers413_food
#igers413 #BerkshireFoodies #InTheBerkshires #EatLocal #WesternMA #WesternMass #Berkshires  #VisitTheBerkshires
I don't have clear words to express my feelings ab I don't have clear words to express my feelings about the state of the world lately. As a teacher and a mother, it has been extra difficult this week to be fully present in my roles without thinking about innocent lives that should have had longer on Earth. How what has happened in each of the many mass shootings this year can happen anywhere. If you are feeling sad and frustrated too, you are not alone.

I don't have answers, but I'm trying to take care of myself and my biological and school families. I'm saying "I love you" a lot to my children and my students. I'm closely following and sharing the work of @everytown while contacting my state and federal representatives and the president. I'm going for walks and getting fresh air and trying not to overload on news. I'm sharing good resources in my stories as I see them.
UPDATE: the giveaway is now CLOSED. Congrats @aloh UPDATE: the giveaway is now CLOSED. Congrats @alohr3!

 @thelazygenius' second book, The Lazy Genius Kitchen, is finally here and I'm so excited! I don't purchase many books, but I pre-ordered this last July because I knew it would be right up my alley and then I pre-ordered a second copy because I knew that I'd want to give one away.

Author Kendra Adachi has been one of my favorite voices in recent years. Her principles (shared through her first book, The Lazy Genius Podcast and her Instagram) have helped me focus my priorities and give myself more grace. 

This book is NOT a cookbook (it has just 2 recipes), it is a kitchen guide - to help you "have what you need, use what you have, and enjoy it like never before". It is beautiful (full color!) and thoughtful.

I'm very excited to send this book to one of you.

TO ENTER: Leave a comment below with one of your greatest kitchen struggles. 
I'll draw a winner at 8 pm on Friday, May 6.
This giveaway is not affiliated with Instagram or The Lazy Genius, Kendra Adachi.
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#LazyGenius #KendraAdachi #NameWhatMatters #TheLazyGeniusKitchen #TheLazyGeniusWay #BookGiveaway
This morning we took advantage of @massmoca's Berk This morning we took advantage of @massmoca's Berkshire Teacher and Social Worker Appreciation Day free admission. After enjoying the student Art Invitational exhibit, the 4 of us took in several of the other galleries. Mass MoCA always impresses and it was delightful to be able to be out in the world with my kids.
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#igers413 #InTheBerkshires #WesternMA #WesternMass #Berkshires  #VisitTheBerkshires #NorthAdams #NAmazing #MassMoCA #ArtMuseum
Today I finally found my way into @plantconnector, Today I finally found my way into @plantconnector, in its new location on Main Street in North Adams. The shop is incredible - the displays are great and the plants are delightful. There's a refill station with bottles and jars for soaps, detergents and other products, a terrarium bar, and an abundance of sustainable and beautiful products. I'm now in the process of pondering who I can purchase Plant Connector gifts for in the coming months.
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#igers413 #InTheBerkshires #ShopLocal #WesternMA #WesternMass #Berkshires  #VisitTheBerkshires #NorthAdams #NAmazing #PlantConnector
This is your periodic reminder that @berkshiremuse This is your periodic reminder that @berkshiremuseum is a great visit for all ages. The current Voyage to the Deep exhibit, which involves an interactive Nautilus submarine that my 5 year old spent literally hours in.  We also thoroughly enjoyed the Aquarium and Berkshire Backyard. Highly recommended - we'll be back soon!
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#igers413 #InTheBerkshires #WesternMA #WesternMass #Berkshires  #VisitTheBerkshires #BerkshireMuseum #PittsfieldMA
My January and early February menu plans for my @m My January and early February menu plans for my @mightyfoodfarm vegetables are finally up on the blog. See how we're making use of these beautiful items, as well as the items from the other pick up we made in the past month. 
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#MightyFoodFarm #EatLocal #EatSeasonal #VermontGrown #CSApickup #CSAshare  #KnowYourFarmerKnowYourFood #MenuPlanning #MealPlanning #igers413 #igers413_food #BerkshireFoodies
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