So, no meat, no fish and no dairy for a week. I'll continue working at my restaurant, I will go out for lunch with my friends and have dinner with my family. It shouldn't be difficult: I don't usually eat meat more than once a day anyway.MondayUp bright and early; porridge for breakfast. Arrive at the restaurant, and try to ignore the piles of bacon and sausages. Wolf down a bowl of chips. For lunch, a delicious bean stew. Arrive home to a freshly roasted chicken; grit my teeth and cook a Thai rice noodle salad. I take my time: I soak some noodles, make myself a chilli dressing with palm sugar and fresh lime, and pour it over a massive bowl of beans, beansprouts and chopped carrots. It's lovely, particularly with a glass of rose.TuesdayThis is going really well. Porridge and half a banana for breakfast; Korean rice cakes with tomato and olive sauce from the vegetarian menu at my restaurant for lunch; Indian takeaway for dinner. I can no longer just open the fridge and chuck what's there on the frying pan. I have to plan the week's diet quite carefully. I try to look towards Eastern and Middle Eastern countries where meat doesn't play a large role.One weird thing happened to me after work, though. I cycle home and go straight to the cabinet to get out a rice cake. My wife, Jess, looks at me funny. "You never ever do that," she says. I realise that she's right. I am turning into a snack person. In between my healthy vegetarian meals, I've handfuls of almonds, chips and rice cakes.WednesdayI am getting bored now. For breakfast, I have a piece of toast, a boiled egg and half a banana. For dinner Jess makes River Café asparagus risotto. It's delicious, but I can't help feeling that it's really just a bowl of rice and veg. Still feeling hungry when I go to bed.ThursdayTwo slices of toast with peanut butter for breakfast. For lunch, I meet my friend David, a wine trader. Usually, we drink some good white wine and eat meat. I won't do that today, but I can't stop David from ordering his Toscana double-cut T-bone steak, with its delicious vanilla flavours. I have fried artichokes, radish salad, cime di rape and too much wine. At the end of the lunch there's a bone from the steak left over and I'm tempted to pick it up and gorge on it while nobody is looking.FridayMy three-year old daughter and I have lunch at Pizza Express, a delicious vegetarian number. I finish off her ice cream afterwards, which is strange because I never eat sweet things usually.For dinner I have baked potato with baked beans and two spring rolls. I am still hungry. I don't think I have ever felt continuously hungry in my life. I also feel really tired. After dinner I go to a colleague's 30th birthday party, but by 10.30pm I want to go to sleep.SaturdayBlueberry pancakes for breakfast. Skip lunch while the children have bolognese. Lentil and chickpea stew for dinner.SundayMuesli, yoghurt and fresh fruit for breakfast. For lunch I break my no dairy rule again and have toasted cheese, followed by raw carrots, cucumber and tomatoes. Afterwards I weigh myself: I have put on three pounds! Seems like the more I try and tell myself that I can't have something, the more I want it – in the end, I simply eat more.MondayI've done it: I've gone for a week without meat or fish. But God, am I looking forward to a decent meal. Fact is, I'm a carnivore. Cutting out meat or fish I could maybe just about manage – living without either? I can't see myself doing that ever, ever, ever. Tonight I am going to have big, nice grilled steak and a simple tomato salad. It will be absolutely perfect.• Chef John Torode runs Smiths of Smithfield, London EC1Food & drinkguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
MasterChef John Torode's week without meat
Posted by edwina 191 days ago (http://www.guardian.co.uk)Who Voted for this Story
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