Fishy outings and raining vegetarians

I have been sitting still for so long today at work that the automated lightswitch in the office thinks there's no one here and has just turned itself off. And oh piss it's raining again and I have cycled into work. I will get drenched as I only have my EMO hooded top for a coat as it was warm and dry this morning. I know- I will write about food to cheer myself up......
I have been dabbling with the idea of becoming vegetarian, despite my occasional carniverous penchant for eating guinea pigs (sorry Patrick) and puffins (sorry Sadie). I have a lot of vegetarian friends. In fact I think most of my friends are. I am somehow drawn to them, like I am drawn to musicians or writers- they sort of epitomise what I would like to be but fail at most of the time. Like I should be in a band, or have a book published by now, I should probably also be a veggie as it's healthier, it would encourage me to think about what I eat more and probably lead to me eating more varied nosh, and of course it's kinder to the ickle wickle animals. I can cook so many different things (hark at me), that my culinery repertoire wouldn't be too tarnished by the lack of meaty or fishy flesh thrown in. I have had a few vegetablarian (as I like to call them) mates come round recently for dinner and it's been an absolute pleasure to cook for them as it's meant I have been more experimental. I also have this amazing book that I bought a few years ago called 'Entertaining Vegetarians' by Celia Brooks-Brown and her recipes are always absolutely yummy. Here is one that is so easy yet really impresses......(I got a snog out of this one so beware!)
(Feeds 2)
2 medium aubergines, cut into slices
1 block of halloumi cheese, cut into slices
1 bag of baby spinach
fresh mint
olive oil, salt and pepper

Sauce:
1 tablespoon of pomegranate molasses (you probably have to live in Brighton for this one but Balsamic vinegar is a good substitute)mixed with a little water
4 tablespoons of ground almonds
1 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp grated ginger
1 garlic clove, crushed

Pestle and mortar the sauce ingredients and leave aside. Grill the aubergines with a little olive oil and seasoning. Dry fry the halloumi and then stick the spinach, cheese and aubergine on a plate with some sauce and sprinkle fresh mint over everything. Tasty! And as Nat and I discovered the other day, the sauce makes a delicious accompaniment to roasted veggies and probably just about anything else as it is soooo yum!

Back to my ramblings about vegetarianism, I think however the habit I would miss the most about being an ex-carnivore would be my trips down the seafront on my bicycle to buy fish. Cycling to Taj Foods to buy curly kale and fresh herbs (usually with obligatory flies buzzing around them- it's the authenticity that keeps Mr Taj so wealthy) is all very well, but it isn't quite as romantic and earthy as purchasing some freshly caught and hand-smoked mackerel from the lovely red-faced elderly couple who run the little shop by the beach. Maybe I will have to become one of those semi-veggies who still eats fish...We shall see.
P.S. Did anyone hear that amazing thunder clap last night? It was very moving. When I was awoken in the early hours I felt I was in a Hammer Horror. Very exciting- I love a good storm.