Some houses are ruled by the parents. Some are ruled by the kids. I suspect very few are ruled by a bunny. And yet somehow ours is. How did that happen? Shadow, the free-range bunny, is now an official member of the Burns household and ruling the roost — or whatever the bunny equivalent would be. Bossing the burrow?

He came to stay after we noticed a limp and a big old cut on his nose. After being given the once-over from the vet, it was decided that he would roam the area we live in by day and be popped in the hutch at night.

The idea of putting him in the hutch was to protect him from fast cars and cats but having watched him chase the cats up trees, I think it’s the cats that need a break.

They can do their night-time prowling without fear of a territorial rabbit. We bought a hutch not knowing if once released he would ever come back.

It could have been an expensive one-night stay. Fortunately he has come home every night — lured in by a comfy bed and lots of food. Is this what it’s like having a teenager?

Despite being a local celebrity, Shadow is not loved by everyone. He has been digging up pots and raiding the occasional vegetable patch. More than one person has sent me a recipe for rabbit stew. The girls were horrified. Why would anyone eat something so cute? All this led to a discussion about exactly where all our meat and chicken comes from. I have been nervous about this for years, wondering if my two sensitive souls would become little vegetarians. Fortunately the appeal of bacon and bolognaise has won them over. It’s not that I am anti-vegetarianism by any stretch, but it does help if we all eat the same thing.

Part of our conversation has been about “happy” farms vs “sad” farms.

You could argue that this is pointless, given that everything ends up dead but I’ve explained the difference between factory farming and a true free-range approach in terms of care on a day-to-day basis. It’s about animal welfare and about preserving our human integrity. I’ve also explained that what the animals eat matters. Because we are what we eat, but we are what we eat eats too. It’s a complicated subject when you’re seven and four. I haven’t wanted to scare them or put the girls off meat entirely, but I did want to start them thinking about how the food they eat makes its way to their plates. To get them thinking beyond the grocery store and the refrigerator.

As most of you know, I teach a nutrition class called Nutrifit.

One of the six weeks focuses on “organics” and what to prioritise in terms of budget. As these are adults, we go into a lot more detail regarding farming standards. Despite our age, it’s a challenging and sometimes emotional week. It’s easy to bury our heads in the sand when it comes to mass, mainstream, meat and poultry production. It’s uncomfortable to face reality and understand that the dollars we spend really do, essentially, cast a vote at the checkout about what we do and don’t find acceptable.

The vast majority of my clients are privileged, because they can afford to choose. They can spend the money on organic meat, or a pedicure, or a holiday or new clothes but they do get to choose. Many people don’t.

If I was teaching a nutrition class to families with a very low income, would I discuss the issue of organics? It would be hard not to.

Doesn’t everyone deserve the full picture? And yet wouldn’t it be awful to say well, this is why you should eat organic meat, but too bad that you can’t afford it? Isn’t that worse? In many cases, food ethics (as inconvenient and expensive as they may be) are quite simply a luxury. So what do you do if you can’t afford organic meat? Here are some ideas that might be helpful:

1. Keep it all in perspective

You might not be able to afford organic meat, but you might be able to afford better options in other areas. Focus on the positive and look at the big picture. Other things are important too — choosing wholegrains vs refined carbs, drinking water instead of juice or soda, fitting in some exercise and talking through your stress.

2. Pick ethical brands as a next best option

Organic meat is expensive and hard to find in Bermuda. But there are several more “ethical” brands in terms of animal welfare such as Niman Ranch. They fall in between organic and mainstream costs.

3. Dilute the good stuff

Dilute, dilute, dilute. If you do pick a more expensive option, then pack your chilli, bolognaise or stew with lots and lots of vegetables and lots and lots of beans. Stretch it as far as you possibly can and then serve it with brown rice or quinoa, both of which include some extra protein.

4. Pick a cheaper cut

Chicken thighs are cheaper than breasts. Stewing steak is cheaper than sirloin. Pick a cheaper cut and cook at a low temperature over a longer period of time to soften the meat and bring out the flavour.

5. Try out some veggie or vegan options

You can still get plenty of protein from plant-based options. We buy more ethical choices these days, but have smaller portions, less frequently. This means including some cheaper vegetarian or vegan meals in the regular rotation. This Mexican quinoa recipe is amazingly tasty and satisfying. You could add a little leftover roast chicken or something like that if you wanted to but it’s not essential at all. We love this recipe in our house! You can buy quinoa more cheaply in bulk from some of the health food stores. I suggest soaking it for two hours before cooking it if you do have time, rinsing well. This improves the flavour and digestibility!

Vegan Mexican quinoa (serves 4)

Ingredients:

•1 tbs oil

•1 small onion, finely chopped

•2 cloves garlic finely chopped

•1 jalapeño finely chopped

•1 c quinoa

•1 c vegetable broth

•1 (15-ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed

•1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

•1 cup of frozen corn

• 1 tsp chilli powder

• 1/2 tsp cumin

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1 avocado halved, seeded, peeled and diced

• 1 lime, juiced

• 2 tbs chopped fresh cilantro leaves (if possible)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and jalapeño, and sauté until tender but not browned.

2. Stir in quinoa, vegetable broth, beans, tomatoes, corn, chilli powder and cumin; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

3. Bring to a boil then cover, reduce heat and simmer until quinoa is cooked through, about 20 minutes (less if you soaked the quinoa beforehand). The quinoa should be tender (like rice) but not mushy.

4. When you are ready to eat, stir in avocado, lime juice and cilantro and serve immediately!

•The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION is the managing director of Natural Ltd and a fully qualified nutritional therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the UK. Please note that she is not a registered dietitian. For details, please go to www.natural.bm or call 236-7511. Join Catherine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nutrifitandnaturalnutritionbermuda