Vegetarians Vs. Carnivores! What's for Dinner?

Food is very important to me. Actually it's important to everyone. We all need it. We all eat. Some of us eat better and healthier than others. My wife eats healthier than I do. She's a veggie eater. I on the other hand am a carnivore.

Generally within five minutes of waking I wonder what am I going to have for dinner? I think about it that much. I do. At least I know it won't be tofu. Fortunately, we both hate tofu.

Vegetarianism is a relatively new thing for her. She was re-born as a legume consumer after handling a spoiled piece of chicken. It turned her stomach and she never looked back. (Except she does stare longingly at my bacon sometimes. She thinks I don't notice, but I do.)

It's never put a strain on our relationship. I see how it could. Luckily she's not militant about it, and I'm not angry with her for not eating my five-alarm chili. If I want a hamburger she'll have a bean burger. If I have a taco, she'll eat a roasted veggie taco. When she wants rice and beans, I...have... rice... and beans? It was a wild revelation when I realized she might not want to eat my food, but I can eat hers! I can have it all!

It wasn't always perfect though. I declared more than once I grew up in an Irish Catholic family! We ate meat n' potatoes! Then I slowly chilled out, for the most part because I got tired of prepping two meals. I do most of the cooking. I like it. I watch the Food Network. I'm not ashamed. My wife tells me that it makes me quite a catch. So, I'm really a 90% vegetarian, because I'm too lazy to cook two meals. As a result, when I do cook a meat meal, I go all out. I can justify the purchase of a prime cut of Filet Mignon because I might only buy it twice a month.

Pros and Cons of my 90% Veggie 10% Meat diet.

Pros:

• I'm healthier than ever.
• I can justify the purchase of a high quality piece of beef rather than a rubbery London broil.
• My infrequency of meat cooking has forced me to be the best cook I can be. I've become known as the "Rib Guy" amongst my friends. I've perfected a slow cook rib recipe that, when people hear I'm cooking them, I get doggie-bag requests.
• I've regained the weight I was in high school.

Cons:

• Sometimes I want a steak.
• Veggies and fruits spoil quickly, prompting multiple grocery trips in any given week.
• Vegetarian options at restaurants are often depressingly limited, thus limiting where we can go out.
• I feel guilty If I stink the house up with my slow cooker.
• Sometimes I want a burger.

Lastly, we recently had our first child. We have jokingly declared that he'll be a vegetarian like mommy! Or, he'll love Dad's rib recipe! He's still breastfeeding, so it's not an issue, but I wonder if it will become one. I guess we'll see.