HOW I MANAGED TO STILL FIT INTO MY PANTS AFTER 24 DAYS IN THE US

OK guys, it’s time for something a bit different. No weird Chinese habits, crying on the Mekong or pictures of me not looking sexy at all in a swimsuit today, just some good old (vegetarian) foodporn from the US. Sit back, relax and enjoy your meal!

Warning: you might want to change into something more comfortable first, anything elastic will do.

I went to the US for 24 days last summer, and to say I was worried about not finding any food under 3000 calories over there would be an understatement. Let me just remind you that on top of that I’ve been a vegetarian for over 18 years, so juicy burgers or spare-ribs on the barbecue were obviously not on my culinary bucket list. Vegetarian salads turned out to be non-existing on most menus, and my fear proved itself to be justified from the very first day. What followed were the 3,5 least healthy weeks in my whole life. Let me guide you through the different phases of my veggieburger addiction.

EndFragment

Phase 1: Let’s eat burgers every day!!!

Luckily they had veggie burgers! Correction. Luckily they had THE BEST veggie burgers IN THE WORLD! Because let’s be honest: what’s the first thing you want to eat when you arrive in the US? Right!!!

Phase 2: It's not that I'm getting tired of eating burgers, but I should probably try some other local stuff too - maybe something healthy

So there you are in the middle of the US, looking for healthy vegetarian food. It’s like trying to stay dry in the middle of the ocean! I tried anyway, but it was not a huge success...

Muffuletta, Italian bread filled with veggies (originally with lots of different kinds of meat but the veggie version was delicious). Doesn't look too unhealthy at first sight, does it? Well, think again, there were fried tomatos inside! Seriously, who comes up with things like that?!?

Grits on the left (as a side to burgers or other heavy food, obviously), mac & cheese on the right.

And than, just when I'd almost given up all hope: a salad! No need to get carried away though, I only found 2 decent veggie salads during the whole trip...

Phase 3: It's not because I haven't eaten healthy in 15 days that I can't have desert, right?

Phase 4: Seeing this, I can only be happy to be vegetarian - at least I have an excuse

Phase 5: I'm starting to miss the burgers but let me check if I still fit into my pants first

I went to the US with 1 pair of trousers, to wear on the plane. I still don’t know what I was thinking when I chose that particular pair, but they were skinny’s. Skinny's! Needless to say everything over 2 or 3 extra pounds would have been unflattering to say the least. And that's what I took to the country that invented overconsumption... Any other great ideas where that one came from Liesbeth?!?

So one evening close to the end of our trip I tried. Anxiously it put it on... and everything was fine! Zipped up and everything without any problem! No love handles popping out on the side or anything! Aaaalright baby!!! All that walking (my ass off, literally) apparently paid off!

That night, we went to a diner. Waiter, another burger please!!!

Phase 6: Let’s eat burgers every day!

And to say that deep inside I knew this was all I wanted right from the start...

EndFragment

#Stories #Tips #Food #USA