Bites of the day

I actually cooked today. I'm slowly getting back into the swing of things. I made a baked pasta primavera with leftover Alfredo sauce from the other night, rotini noodles, carrots, spinach, sauteed mushrooms, some grated parmesan and a lovely provolone cheese melted on top and a sprinkling throughout. Seasoned, mixed together, and topped with cheese; it baked to lovely golden browned top. More a decadent treat than an everyday occurrence. I'll probably stay simple for dinner like a salad. Yum.

Plans for my birthday have been in discussion. Since we were little birthdays have always been celebrated with a family dinner of our choosing. Sometimes we go out, sometimes it is something more at home. My birthday dinner discussions often include a sometimes heated discussion about meat being included. I get the whining about being fair to everyone else and how you can't have a family meal without meat, blah, blah, blah. I'm not really surprised. It would just be nice if once there was a sit down meal where I didn't feel like I was eating around everyone else. Somehow, my brother's dislike of spinach is the same as my not eating meat in their eyes. Oh, to live in a world where I'm not the exception. We seem to have come to an agreement (no one else in my family has to negotiate their birthday dinner) of a fondue night complete with grilled kabobs (so I can have vegetable ones and they can have their meat) and a salad.

We're still in the midst of hunting season. Bah! I asked them to be respectful of me by not hunting on our own property (they have a list of family and friends with more property than we have), but this request was denied out of "respect for them." I try to take comfort in the fact they are not great shots and they are down to just bow season (no more deer being chase by guns). I recently had a friend, who is once again a vegetarian (she's been on and off for years now), who tried to lecture me about hunting. Of course, no one in her family hunts and she doesn't come from a 4-H or agricultural/farming family, therefore not understanding how ingrained in the culture it becomes. What some people don't understand is that I am never going to change them. I just really, really wish that they would be a little more understanding and compassionate about my place in the middle.

"I ask people why they have deer heads on their walls. They always say because its's such a beautiful animal. There you go. I think my mother is attractive, but I have photographs of her." -- Ellen DeGeneres

Live, let live, and be grateful always... Veggie Style

A lot of times vegetarians get a bad reputation for being pushy, demanding, militant, and extremists. I am a firm believer in not doing these things. I live my life the way I want to be treated by others... simply I am who I am. I want to be treated respectfully for my lifestyle and I try to treat others the same way. I know it's not always easy, especially when you are surrounded by meat-eaters nearly everyday and in many cases live with them. As many know, I am the lone vegetarian in my family, and over the years this has ofen caused tension and conflict. My brothers are still extremely bothered by it and often use names like "vege-terrorist." I really try not to turn around the attacks when meat is pushed in my face or when the comments sometimes come in wave after relentless wave.

I've done the research, I have the information at my fingertips, and I am willing discuss my diet and lifestyle in a respectful manner with those who are truly interested and curious. I see no point in attempting to push my ideals onto others and instead try to live more by example. We've all heard the line about attracting more flies with honey, than vinegar... well, it is more along those lines. No one wants to be lectured at or attacked, not me and not anyone I know. Over the past few years I have been approached to speak to my college biology class as well as interested friends and family, mostly as result of my not aggressive tactics. My cookbooks are usually free range for those interested that are close to me and I have to three-ring binders that are packed full of information, history, facts, quotes, and any other vegetarian bits that I have come across along the years. They have been a great resource for me and for those are are genuinly interested.

There is one thing I have found to be one off the greatest aspects of importance to living this life the right way is to be grateful to those who actually try to be respectful of this life. This means making an effort to thank those who take the extra steps to make it easier whether it was cooks at camp who made me something seperate (even if it meant heating up an veggie burger two), my caterer for the rehearsal dinner who made me a special fruit plate, or a family member or friend who remembered me (like Grandma who make snack plates for the wedding party the mornign of the wedding or the green beans that do not include bacon).

We vegetarians and vegans are not freaks of nature, but we will be treated likes ones more often if act like ones. There is nothing good to come of trying to life a peaceful diet while going out and attacking those who do not agree. Live, let live, and be grateful to those who try to undestand that which may still seem very foreign to them.

The woods were made for the hunters of dreams,

The brooks for the fishers of song;

To the hunters who hunt for the gunless game

The streams and the woods belong.

~Sam Walter Foss

A Vegetarian Happily-Ever-After?

Relationships always pose the possibility of conflict and differences in personalities, ideals, and interests. But what happens when a vegetarian, like myself, ends up dating a meat-eater? Well, I'm still trying to figure that out.

It's not secret that I intend to raise any future children in a meat-free lifestyle and would prefer to make my life with someone that is, at the very least, open to the vegetarian lifestyle. The other night, while hanging out with friends, I was asked about dating and marriage in how in translates to vegetarianism and what I want out of life. I know that it would be much easier to marry or settle down with a vegetarian, but it makes me wonder how realistic that actually is. The last guys I was seeing (as in not the current) was always very aware and respectful about the whole vegetarian thing. Even though I know he ate meat and he worked in a deli in which he was often around cooked chicken and other things he amde sure, without my asking, to keep it away from me. He always showered after work to make sure that I wouldn't have to smell the meat on him and when we were out someplace he would order meat-free options for himself so that I wouldn't have to taste it or smell it on him. We may have had other issues, but the vegetarianism thing was not always respected, but proven with actions.


That brings us to my current relationship. We socialize and are part of various groups that it is no secret that I am a vegetarian. He respects it, accepts it, and tries to me aware of it. He's faced questions from those close to him about how such a meat-loving individual can be dating someone like me... and this time we're talking about my diet and lifestyle and not my often sarcastic and border-line obscene sense of humor. It makes me wonder how many other people face vegetarian dating questions.

Dating and relationships are hard enough, but how does one look to the future when most of the people around them are meat-eaters?

"A man of my spiritual intensity does not eat corpses." ~George Bernard Shaw

I have Not fallen Off the of the Planet

I know it seems i got lost and maybe I kind of did. The show took a lot out of me (it's over now and went very well) and now I seem to be fighting some sort of allergic reatcion to something in my everyday environment. (With my luck it will be something in our water.) I've been working on a menus right now for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for family and friends. We always have friends and family over Christmas Eve with a kind of open house with a variety of appetizers and finger foods. Christmas day they have steak and seafood... I usually experiment with mushroom options to go with the festive spread.

I've been craving black beans and rice (a favorite of mine), but kept forgeting to pick up black beans when out shopping. Finally, tonight I had everything I needed (the recipe as evolved over time and continues to do so). I love to serve it with corn chips, crsip back olives, and a sprinkling of cheese. (It is usually spicey enough to not need any extra hot sauce.) It's all part of the love to eat, love to eat, and love a little spice in life.

Black Beans and Rice (Vegan, depending on whatever served with)

onion (prefer a good red), about 1/2, finely sliced (or however prefer)

garlic (1-2 cloves), diced

oil (to saute)

cooked brown rice (instant 1 c. uncooked to 1 c. boiling water)

frozen corn (or fresh), about 1-2 c.

1 can black beans (sometimes I use spiced ones, depending on what I have on hand)

1 can tomato sauce (and variety)

salt and pepper to taste

favorite spices (typcially: hot pepper flakes, parley, chili spice, smokey tobasco hot sauce as well as optional cumin, cilantro, or whatever else on hand)

* In seperate pan or microwave prepare rice. (You could use a plain white rice or whatever you have on hand, but I almost always use brown rice in my recipes.) In skillet add oil and saute onion slices & garlic (sometimes I had sliced mushrooms too if I have them on hand). I add a touch of water here as the oil cooks to help cut oil use withut cutting cooking liquid. I add the frozen corn right in after the onion and garlic have cooked down and started to carmelize as well as pepper flakes and touches of any other seasoning here as I like to layer the spaices in as I add ingredients. (I either use store-bought frozen corn or the kind we freeze during the summer when fresh corn is everywhere.) Let the corn start to cook through and mix with the cooking liquids (add a touch of water here if needed), then add black beans, cooking everything through. Season to taste. Add rice, mix throughly, then tomato sauce. Season as needed and let everything cook together and thicken. Serve warm with corn chips or tortillas and any prefered toppings. (Ideas for topping or sides include: black olives, shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream, jalepeno slices, or whatever you love.)

* I make a big pan and freeze whatever I don't eat. It is great leftover for lunches, snack, or to share. (When I have taken it work for lunch it makes people sit up, asking what is I have and what smells so good.) I love mine spicey with a nice kick, but spices can be adjusted per preferance. Yummy!!!

*

In the Words of Jimmy Stewart: "Animals give me more pleasure through the viewfinder of a camera than they ever did in the crosshairs of a gunsight. And after I've finished "shooting," my unharmed victims are still around for others to enjoy. I have developed a deep respect for animals. I consider them fellow living creatures with certain rights that should not be violated any more than those of humans."