STORY BY BEATRICE HARPER
photo illustration by Rachel Brown
(above) The recommended amount of protein is two to three ounces of cooked meat, poultry or fish, a half-cup of beans and an egg, two tablespoons of peanut butter or one ounce of cheese, according to a 2014 report by the National Institutes of Health. A pescatarian diet can also boost omega-3s.

[blockquote type=”left, center, right”]Pescetarians indulge in the ocean’s bounty[/blockquote]

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he smell of searing salmon wafts through the house accompanied by the scent of cracked black pepper, sautéing green peppers, onions, garlic and basil. Steam fogs Sam Konieczka’s glasses as she stirs her dinner. Her roommate fries chicken next to her, but it won’t be a dish Konieczka samples. They share the meal, Konieczka eating only her pescatarian tailored diet of salmon and vegetables.

Cravings for meat are something Konieczka still has frequently — supplemented by eating tuna sandwiches at least twice a week, she says. The recommend amount of protein is 2 to 3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry or fish, a half-cup of beans and either one egg, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter or 1 ounce of cheese, according to a 2014 report by the National Institutes of Health. This means pescatarians can obtain the protein their bodies require without meat.

Stephen Gruenheit, the Bellingham Community Food Co-op’s health clerk, says that a proper amount of iron in a pescatarian diet is important in maintaining a healthy balance of minerals within the body. He advises whole food-based supplements, which are bonded with natural food elements and easier for the body to break down. “Taking a large amount of iron can be harmful and stagnate the digestion of the body,” Gruenheit says.

Lisa Samuel, a registered dietitian nutritionist, says that if you eat a meat-free diet, all the nutrients you require can be obtained through plants. A pescatarian diet can boost omega-3s, which research shows can improve mood, Samuel says in an email. Eating fish can also raise sources of protein and B-12, which can be lacking in strict vegetarian or vegan diets.

Bellingham’s coastal location provides fresh, local seafood, Konieczka says, helping curb her meat cravings. Konieckza was originally vegetarian, but couldn’t resist crab rangoons. Konieczka recalls thinking, “Oh, seafood’s so good — I can keep that in my diet.”

Konieczka’s cravings and love of seafood resulted in her coworkers at Bellingham’s downtown Avenue Bread admiringly nicknaming her, “The Slammin’ Salmon.” “I feel like I could eat a salmon every day if I could afford it,” she says.

Konieczka can feel when her body is lacking protein depending on the moods she finds herself in. When her body is sluggish, she knows she is simply hungry for seafood. She listens to her body to fulfill her dietary needs. She acknowledges that for protein, meat is quicker to cook compared to preparing vegetables. “It takes longer, but feels better in the long run,” she says.

Family meals can be difficult for Konieczka as her family often teasingly encourages her to eat meat when she’s visiting home. Last Thanksgiving Konieczka’s father came to visit, taking her to Ivar’s Pier 54 in Seattle. They shared a plate of steaming seafood, which she appreciated, since it can be difficult to share a meal with those that don’t eat the same diet.

If Konieczka ever eats meat again, it would only be if she were traveling, she says — as a substantial part of learning about a culture is experiencing their cuisine and the most delicious dishes often include meat.

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