P E S C E T A R I A N 1 0 1 a G u i d e t o B e c o m i n g P e s c e t a r i a n FOREWORD Now that our blog has been active for a little while now, Matt and I decided to create this ebook so that we could answer some of those questions that I know we had when we first became pescetarian, as well as some of the questions we’ve received from you guys on the blog and through social media. So this ebook is going to take you through some of the basics of pescetarianism, including how to nurture a healthy pescetarian diet and how to shop for fish and seafood in a sustainable way. We’ve even included a few of our favourite recipes to help you get started! What is a Pescetarian? Quite simply, a pescetarian is someone who eats fish and seafood, but no other meat. Pescetarians do eat dairy products, such as milk and cheese, in addition to vegetables, nuts pulses and fruit. The term pescetarian comes from “pesce” which is the Italian word for fish and whilst the term has been around for a number of years (it found its way into the dictionary in 1993) it has only become widely known and heard in the last 5 years or so. Why We Became Pescetarians Laura: I’ve tried loads of different diets over the years. I grew up eating meat, however in my adolescence and adulthood I tried being both vegetarian and vegan before settling on being a pescetarian. I made this choice for a number of reasons. Firstly, I’m quite a health-conscious person and eating pescetarian means I get a wide-ranging and healthy diet. Secondly, I absolutely love seafood! Adore it. So when I went pescetarian, it gave me a great opportunity to explore cooking with different types of fish and seafood. I became more and more adventurous with what I was willing to try and as a result, felt more confident cooking for other people. Now, when I cook for meat eaters, I don’t worry that they’ll be disappointed with what I’m cooking up. Matt: So I was a meat eater when I met Laura. I had always suffered from fair painful stomach aches and was never quite sure what was causing them. Then when Laura and I moved in together, I started eating less and less meat and found that it really helped with my stomach pains, so eating pescetarian was a perfect compromise for me, allowing me to get regular protein and keeping me healthy. I’ve always enjoyed cooking, especially for other people, so becoming pescetarian provided me with a fresh challenge – making fresh and exciting recipes without meat. What You'll Need to Know Whenever you make a big lifestyle change such as a new diet, there are always going to be adjustments and a settling-in period where you learn how to fit your new diet into your existing routines. Below, we have included a few different things that you might want to consider when becoming a pescetarian. Shopping When you go pescetarian you may need to adapt your shopping habits slightly. Firstly, fish and seafood doesn’t really have the longest shelf life, so we shopped a little more regularly for seafood than we previously would have. We also spent more time considering where we purchased our seafood – we wanted it to be really fresh, so we found out where our local fish mongers and markets were and made regular use of these. We also had to consider the sustainability of the seafood we bought, which we will discuss in the next section. Tell the World! No one likes it when they suddenly have to cater for a different diet that they knew nothing about. For example, if someone else is cooking Christmas dinner this year, it’s important to let that person know that you’re pescetarian. People will be far more understanding if they’re given time to plan and prepare. And be specific when you explain your diet; if you’re not happy having your vegetables roasted animal fats, tell the chef. Whilst you may feel difficult making demands, it’s better than pushing food that you won’t eat around your plate – the host will notice! Foods that Aren't Pescetarian-Friendly There are a number of foods out there that are surprisingly not meat-free. This may not bother you (which is absolutely fine) but if you are looking to remove all meat products from your diet, here are a few foods to watch out for: Sweets containing gelatine. These are often gummy sweets such as haribos and they contain pork or beef gelatine. Marshmallows are another food item that often contains gelatine. Cheeses containing rennet. Quite a large number of cheeses contain rennet, so you’re best off looking for ones that indicate that they’re vegetarian. We use parmesan fairly often in our recipes and this is always a vegetarian parmesan, which is fairly easy to come by. Crisps. A lot of crisp flavours contain meat and weirdly enough, it’s often the ones that aren’t meat flavoured! Go figure. Sustainable Shopping When you become a pescetarian, it is likely that you’ll be buying a lot more fish and seafood. So it’s vital that when shopping for seafood, you make sure that you’re shopping sustainably. Here are a few sustainable shopping tips for budding pescetarians: Tip #1 When buying seafood in a supermarket, look for the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) label, which indicates that the seafood has come from sustainable fisheries. If you’re supermarket doesn’t stock this, ask! Local markets may not consider stocking sustainable seafood unless they know that the demand for it is there, so don’t be afraid to make a suggestion to the store manager. If you want info on places near you stocking MSC approved seafood, click here. Tip #2 Try diversifying the fish you buy and eat. One of the biggest global fishing issues is that people stick to what they know and as a result, these more common fish choices, such as Atlantic cod and Salmon and swordfish are overfished. There is a huge variety of delicious fish and seafood out there and often, going with the less popular choices can be cheaper as well as being more sustainable. Anchovies, clams, abalone, crayfish, hake and farmed mussels and oysters are all sustainable choices (and damn tasty!) Take a look at thegoodfishguide.org for more details on what is and isn’t sustainable. Tip #3 Buy local. If possible, aim to buy seafood that has been caught locally, rather than shipped halfway around the world to get to your supermarket. It will likely be fresher and better for the environment! Keeping a Balanced Diet Eating pescetarian can be a fantastic way to get a healthy and balanced diet and we’ve found that since going pescetarian, we’ve had very healthy diets which contain everything we need. One of the biggest concerns I hear when people talk to me about becoming pescetarian is how they will get enough protein in their diet and this is understandable. Usually, when people think about getting protein in, they turn to white meats like chicken or lightly less healthy red meats. But a pescetarian diet can provide with more than enough protein when you’re cooking right! Fatty fishes such as salmon, anchovies, tuna, mackerel and sardines are all high in protein and have to added benefits of containing other dietary benefits, like B vitamins and magnesium. Even better, fish and seafood is usually very low in saturated fats, so you can keep a lean, healthy diet no problem! On the non-seafood side, there are tons of protein-rich food that will give you the balanced diet you need. Nuts, beans, lentils, pulses, quinoa and tofu are all great sources of protein which can be whipped up into taste and filling meals in no time. Storing and Preparing Food When Matt and I went pescetarian, I found that I cared a lot more about what I was eating. It made me more creative as a cook and as a result, I started using a lot more fresh ingredients. So when you’re using fresh ingredients, it’s important to store and prep your food properly. I’ve created a list below of some key storing advice that I’ve lived by over the past few years. Seafood Keep your seafood cold and store it quickly. If you’re doing a big grocery shop, make it one of the last things you pick up before paying so that it doesn’t have too long to warm up. Keep your seafood in the colder part of your refrigerator. I store fish for no longer than 2 days in the fridge and usually store with a little ice underneath it, to keep it extra cold. If you purchase live shellfish, such as live clams, keep them in a large bowl or pan, cover with a wet cloth or paper towel and keep in the fridge. I wouldn’t keep live shellfish for more than 2-3 days but one easy way to test it is with a quick sniff; if it smells strongly like the sea, you’re good. If it smells rotten (you’ll know), you’re too late. If you’re freezing seafood, it’s mark to write dates on the packaging, so you know how long it’s been there.