But you're a vegetarian!

Almost every (non-vegetarian) person I meet seems to think that a vegetarian foodie is something of a paradox. But I'm here, I'm vegetarian, and I love food. Get over it, meat-eaters. I'm not judging you, so don’t judge me.

You might say, “But what’s there in vegetarian food for you to love?” I say, lots. And I have never eaten kale or quinoa (or tofu, for that matter) so I know what I'm talking about. Where do I get my protein from? Well, lentils, milk and soya. Don’t I miss out on the exquisite taste? No, I've never tasted meat, thanks to my upbringing. And now I don’t want to, by choice.

That doesn't mean I don’t love and adore food. I eat out a lot, and living in a country where there’s a significant presence of vegetarianism (both full-time and part-time) in the culture, helps. Being a vegetarian is respected, but with a little pity added to the mixture. A sort of “Oh you poor thing, you can’t have real food”. So all vegetables and fruit are imaginary, you say? Interesting. In that case, I'm living on air. Air shouldn't make me put on weight. Ergo, my being overweight is also a figment of your imagination. Go away and pester someone who does eat “real” food to workout.

“Not even eggs? But eggs are vegetarian!” Is another common refrain. Eggs may be vegetarian in some people’s books, but not in mine. There’s no need to get belligerent and quote famous people at me, it won’t work.

I honestly don’t understand why being a vegetarian should define me. It’s not all that I am. And it certainly shouldn't let people belittle my foodie status. The Oxford Dictionary defines a foodie as “a person with a particular interest in food”, i.e. I'm a foodie according to this definition. Food includes vegetables and such like, the last time I checked.

So to all of you who say (or think) I can’t be both vegetarian and a foodie, try eating only meat and animal products for a week. No herbs allowed, because they’re of vegetable origin. No pepper either, for obvious reasons. And then we’ll talk.

Bon appetit!