Before I begin the summary of my week, let me just fill you in on the outcome of Anna Jones’ Really Hungry Burger, which I made last night.

Well, I had it again for breakfast. If that isn’t a high praise, I don’t know what is.

It is an absolutely incredible blend of flavours and flawless texture which will be made again when I get the chance. I did have to take a few liberties with the ingredients (I couldn’t find fresh thyme, I’m not making tahini paste and I live in Scunthorpe so if I asked about Medjool dates people would just laugh at me).

I made a couple of alterations based on my little sister’s directions and the resulting burger was, honestly, one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten. It’s not that I couldn’t tell it was vegetarian or anything like that. The truth is, I didn’t care. I knew exactly what it was I was eating and after the first bite, the pang of dismay I felt at a lack of meat washed away to reveal a fervour and intensity that I haven’t really had for food for a while.

I savoured every single bite. I chewed for as long as I could in an attempt to stave off the inevitable end of this burger. It was a revelation and an experience between two toasted buns. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Now, onto my vegetarian experience…

So, this is it. I have completed a whole week of being vegetarian.

I’m still alive, I have none of the symptoms of protein deficiency and I don’t feel like I have starved myself at all. In order to keep up this week of blogging, I’ve actually eaten more often than usual. Which is a bonus.

Now, for the verdict. Has this changed my mind about my lifestyle and diet?

No. No, it has not.

That’s not to say that I’m going to eat nothing but meat for the rest of my life and I have been made much more open to meat-free meals. I just don’t want to be a vegetarian. Nothing against it at all, if you choose to be a vegetarian then hooray for you. It’s just not me. I need meat in my life. I need to sit down on a Friday night with a beer and burger. This is just how I live my life and I don’t intend to change.

That being said, I did enjoy my time as a veggie. I’ve had to think about food more than usual. For example, my protein came from meat. That was a part of my diet I did not have any concerns about. With that out of the equation, I had to look for other sources and plan my meals accordingly.

Everyone probably knows that beans and nuts are quite high in protein but there are other sources out there. Peas, potatoes and loads of grains are lower in fat than those other two, which is nice if you’re concerned about those things. There’s also avocado and spinach.

It turns out, I was probably getting more protein than I actually need.

I do fully intend to take the occasional day off meat; for example, Meat Free Monday may become a mainstay in this household. But all in all, I’m back to being a carnivore, well an omnivore to be precise but who’s counting?

I have learned that there are delicious alternatives to meat out there and, if they’re made with a little care and attention, they can be indistinguishable from the meaty alternative.

I would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who read this series of blogs throughout the week and followed me on my veggie journey. Everyone who liked my Instagram pics, retweeted me and liked my tweets. It really is great of you to have done so.

I have one last vegetarian meal to make in order to round out the week and then I’m going to return to my old life in the morning.

Thank you for the hospitality but it’s time I went home…