Eating Game

Last night is the reason I will never become a full out vegetarian or vegan. Our friend Geoff came over and he brought moose steaks – yes, moose steaks. And shrimp. And scallops – that my husband bought bacon for. Did I mention the moose steaks? All that being said, when Sean told me how much protein we were eating, he added:

… and I’m assuming you’ll be making a salad because that probably sounded like a lot of protein to you.

Um, yes. My husband knows me well.

You’re might be wondering about where the moose steaks came from. Geoff just came back from working in Whitehorse in the Yukon, and while he was there, he and his friend went hunting for game. And they (responsibly (in terms of not wasting the full animal), bravely (moose are way bigger than we are), perhaps stupidly (again, moose are way bigger than we are)? – depends on your perspective on a variety things) hunted moose. And Geoff’s freezer is now full of moose meat that he was lovely enough to share with us.

I got home and saw the plate piled with not even cooked yet, but beautifully seasoned meat and, I kid you not, my mouth started to water. I was pretty surprised at myself, but I’m the universal blood type and apparently I need protein.

Sean sautéed his infamous mushrooms at the stove and then smoked some fresh rosemary on the grill before grilling the steak. The patio smelled wonderful. Almost more wonderful than the shrimp and (bacon wrapped!) scallop skewers that Sean grilled pre-steaks. That he made garlic butter to dip said skewer pieces in. Oh. My. Gosh. And then Geoff made margaritas from a mix he brought called Skinny Girl. (Bethenny Frankel has gone into drink mixes – it’s pretty good. I make awesome margaritas from scratch but I would buy this stuff in a pinch.)

Thank goodness for the salad or my food conscience would have nagged me all bloody (moose steak!) night long- my body might crave protein, but as I’ve paid even more attention to what I fuel my body with in the last year, I’ve found that it also craves veggies. A lot. My favourite vegetable of late is kale, and if I do say so myself, I make a mean kale salad: fresh kale, cucumber, red bell pepper, dried cranberries, goat cheese (yum!), and light balsamic dressing. I forgot to open the can of chickpeas, we really didn’t need anymore protein. At all.

So yes, I had my veggies but I LOVED my moose steak. (Like deer meat, which I have also tried, it’s very lean and tender. Not gamey at all.) That (and the bacon, and the garlic butter; and the fact that all my leather shoes and purses would make me an incredible hypocrite) is why I could never be a full out vegetarian or vegan. I admire those that are, and firmly believe in eating as healthy as possible (fruits and veggies y’all!). But every now and then, it’s nice to eat game. 😉