PesceWHAT?

I'm a vegetarian. OK not a vegetarian...a pescetarian. Yes I know what you're thinking: “Oh she's one of THOSE people.” Yes I am and I'm proud of it.

You may be wondering what pescetarianism actually is. Well, basically I stick to seafood as my only source of animal protein.Why? I'm not following this type of diet to be skinny, to be part of the “cool” group or to bother my parents. I've chosen to skip the tenderloin and order the salmon instead because, to put it simply, I hate the food industry. In particular the way cows, pigs, and chickens are treated throughout their life just so that people get to have an artery clogging barbeque at the end of the week. I've also found that the health benefits that come along with this diet are pretty amazing and they have come to secure me in my decision. Being pescaterian is a personal preference so I'm not going to advertise pescetarianism to you since it really bothers me when people do that. If you want it, YOU get to decide. Period.

OK enough with the rant.

My point for this post is to show people that even though it's really hard to eat pescatarian (especially in Costa Rica), it is possible. You don't have to eat rice and beans and bread for the rest of your life. There are ways to keep a healthy and balanced diet, your protein intake doesn't have to suffer just because you're not eating meat, you can be strong and grow muscle, and most importantly, you can eat pretty delicious food. I have to admit that my access to seafood is much better than what most people can have, and I'm aware of how lucky I am for that. See, my dad is a fisherman. Seafood has been around pretty much all my life, and in this new lifestyle that I started 6 months ago my dad's profession has come in handy.

However, I do know how difficult it can be at times and with these recipes I'll try to give you some easy and satisfying options for your next meal.

Simple Superb Summery Salmon

3oz salmon

1/3 cup chickpeas

1/3 cup sweet corn (canned/frozen/fresh: whatever is easier)

chopped red pepper

I really don't see the point in using oil when cooking salmon. It already has plenty of fat on its own (Omega 3s so don't be scared they're pretty awesome for your body), and adding more would just ruin the fish's flavor. I prefer to season it with salt and pepper and put it directly on to a really hot pan. Leave it there for 3 minutes and then turn it on the other side and let it cook for another 2 minutes. Take it off the pan and put it on a plate while you finish the rest of the meal. On the same pan you cooked the salmon, add the chickpeas, corn and pepper; add some salt and let them cook for around 2 minutes.

When they're done simply plate them with the salmon and E A T.

My sister's also a pescetarian, but oddly enough she hates salmon. Crazy I know. She asked me to fix her something for dinner and after half an hour of turning the fridge upside down looking for ingredients I came up with this:

Caprese In a Bowl

1 tomato

1fresh  mozzarella cheese ball (medium)

4 basil leaves

salt, pepper, olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste

**optional: 2 slices of whole wheat bread

This is crazy simple. I just chopped up the tomato and basil, cubed the mozzarella and mixed them all together on a bowl. I then added the salt, pepper, oil and balsamic vinegar, and that's it. Took 10 minutes, and it would've taken less if my sister hadn't insisted on helping me chop the tomato. Just kidding.

She ate this along with the whole wheat bread because she was going to workout right after, but I think it's good on its own.

Being a vegetarian/pescetarian doesn't have to be hard and you don't have to feel you are eating hospital food. Beans (any kind), eggs, cheese, *fish, soy, etc, are all great and healthy foods. I'm pretty sure in most restaurants they offer various vegetarian dishes as a response to the huge amount of people that have changed their diets and are demanding good food.

You do, however, have to watch your protein and, particularly, iron levels. Red meat is a huge provider of iron for our body and it would be stupid of me to tell you that you won't notice any changes if you leave this nutrient's intake unwatched. I asked my mom, who asked a doctor and he recommended taking Vitamin B50 pills, they have worked pretty well for me. It depends on each body, so I would do some research before making any decisions.

This type of lifestyle is a commitment, and you have to be aware of that, it involves certain responsibilities just as any other thing in life, but that doesn't mean it can't be incredibly fun and rewarding.