Choosing Plants, Choosing Kindness: My Vegetarian Journey

by Paula Birr on September 22, 2025

Since this is my very first blog entry, I think the most natural way to begin is to share why I’m vegetarian. Before I start posting recipes, experiments from my kitchen, or reflections on food in daily life, I want to explain the background behind my choices. For me, food is never just food. It carries values, emotions, and creativity all at once. Knowing my perspective will, I hope, make the next posts easier to follow - and maybe more enjoyable too.

When I look around, it feels like there are endless ways people choose to eat. Some are happy eating everything, focusing mainly on flavor and convenience. Others take different paths: pescatarians who eat fish but avoid meat, vegans who avoid all animal products, or flexitarians who try to reduce meat without cutting it completely. And then there are the specialized diets that come and go in popularity: paleo, keto, raw food, gluten-free, and so on. Each of these choices tells a story about the person behind it - their health goals, values, or simply their taste preferences.

My own story is a mixture of different motivations. One part of it is my love for animals. That might sound simple, but it was something I couldn’t ignore. Ever since I was little, I was drawn to animals. I was the child who wanted to pet every dog in the park, who lingered by fences to watch cows grazing, who begged my parents to take in every stray cat. At some point in my early teens, I started connecting what was on my plate with the living beings I admired so much. I remember staring at a piece of chicken one evening and realizing that it used to be a bird with feathers and a personality. That thought stayed with me. I began to feel uncomfortable with the idea of eating animals, and eventually I decided to stop.

But there’s another side to my choice that’s just as important: cooking itself. I’ve always enjoyed experimenting in the kitchen, and going vegetarian pushed me to get more creative. Suddenly, I couldn’t just rely on meat as the “center” of the plate. I had to learn how to create full, balanced meals with vegetables, grains, legumes, dairy, and spices. At first it felt like a challenge, but very quickly it turned into a passion. I found joy in figuring out how to make lentils taste rich and hearty, or how to give tofu the right texture, or how to layer spices so that a simple vegetable curry felt exciting and satisfying. Cooking became less about following rules and more about experimenting.

That mix, compassion for animals and curiosity in the kitchen, is what has kept me vegetarian ever since. I never saw it as a sacrifice. Instead, it feels like I opened a door to new flavors, new skills, and a lifestyle that feels aligned with who I am.

When people ask what I eat, I like to give examples because I think many imagine vegetarians just eat salads all day. The truth couldn’t be more different. My breakfasts can be overnight oats with berries, or toast with avocado and chili flakes, or sometimes scrambled eggs with vegetables. Lunch might be a lentil soup, a vegetable wrap, or a big bowl of pasta with homemade tomato sauce. Snacks can be roasted chickpeas, hummus with pita bread, or even banana bread if I’ve baked recently. Dinner is where I often experiment most: stir-fries with tofu and plenty of vegetables, chickpea curries with coconut milk, baked lasagna loaded with zucchini and spinach, or even homemade veggie burgers. Desserts are a whole adventure of their own - I’ve made everything from apple crumble to avocado-based chocolate mousse.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that meat is not the only way to make a meal feel complete. A plate can feel “whole” when it has balance: protein from beans, lentils, or dairy; grains for substance; vegetables for freshness and nutrition; spices or sauces for flavor. Building meals this way has made me think about food differently, not as something missing an element, but as something full of possibilities.

Of course, my decision isn’t only about the food on my plate. Knowing that my choice means fewer animals are raised and killed for meat matters deeply to me. I don’t see animals as just resources. They have personalities, emotions, and their own small lives. Cows form friendships, chickens communicate with each other, pigs are surprisingly intelligent - I find these facts both fascinating and humbling. By not eating them, I feel like I’m respecting that they are more than just products. It’s not the only reason I became vegetarian, but it’s always part of the picture. It gives my meals a meaning that goes beyond flavor or nutrition.

Another piece of the puzzle is sustainability. While it wasn’t my first motivation, it has become something I think about more over time. Meat production requires enormous amounts of land, water, and energy, and contributes heavily to greenhouse gas emissions. Choosing plant-based meals, even if just a few times a week, can make a difference. For me, being vegetarian feels like a way to live a little lighter on the planet. It’s not the main story, but it’s an important side note that adds to why I continue this lifestyle.

That doesn’t mean everything is perfect or easy. Being vegetarian sometimes brings challenges. People often ask, “But where do you get your protein?” as if protein exists only in meat. In reality, it’s easy to get enough from beans, lentils, tofu, dairy, eggs, quinoa, nuts, and seeds. Eating out can be hit or miss, some places have incredible vegetarian menus, while others only offer a plain salad as an afterthought. Family gatherings, especially around holidays, can be tricky too. Since I grew up in Germany, I also can’t ignore how meat-heavy many traditional German dishes are, from sausages at family barbecues to roasts on Sundays and hearty stews in the winter. I’ve learned to navigate them by bringing my own dish to share or by focusing on the sides.

Despite those small difficulties, I’ve never regretted my decision. Vegetarianism has made me more creative in the kitchen, more thoughtful about my choices, and more confident in cooking for myself and others. It has shown me that food can be deeply connected to values without losing its joy.

Looking ahead, this blog is where I want to share that joy. I imagine it as a kind of virtual kitchen table where readers can sit down with me and explore food together. There will be recipes - some simple, some a little more ambitious - and stories from my kitchen experiments. I’ll share the meals that worked beautifully and also the ones that turned out hilarious disasters. There will be reflections on how it feels to live vegetarian day-to-day, how I handle eating out, or what I learn from trying new ingredients. Sometimes it will be practical, sometimes it will be more personal.

I want to show that vegetarian food can be full, rich, and satisfying - not a compromise but a celebration. It can be colorful, nourishing, and creative. It can bring comfort on a cold evening and excitement when you try a new dish for the first time. It’s food that connects values with flavor, compassion with curiosity.

So this is the beginning of my blog and the story of why I eat the way I do. It’s not about perfection or strict rules. It’s about making choices that feel right for me, combining my love for animals with my passion for cooking, and discovering every day how much plants have to offer. I hope you’ll follow along, whether you’re vegetarian yourself, thinking about reducing meat, or simply curious. Maybe you’ll find a recipe to try, or maybe you’ll just enjoy reading about someone else’s adventures with food.

For me, this feels like planting a seed. Right now, it’s just a small start, but with time I hope it grows into something colorful and inspiring. Food has always been part of who I am, and through this blog, I’m excited to share that part with you.

Food isn’t just about what we eat, it’s about how we live- so what meal makes you feel most true to yourself?

See you next week! 🙌

Paula