Thanksgiving

I don't agree with Thanksgiving in the U.S. I just don't. I think it's kind of a horrible thing to celebrate. The tradition is awful. I am all for being thankful and acknowledging what you are thankful for, but you shouldn't have to pick a day out of the year to do it. You should be thankful everyday. And the turkey thing. Why is every American holiday based around a dead animal of some kind? Whether it's burgers on the grill for the 4th of July, turkey for Thanksgiving or ham for Christmas. We say how thankful we are for things, then go kill an innocent animal to feed ourselves and others. To me, that just doesn't add up. Then there's the reason we celebrate Thanksgiving. Let's be real, there was no White Man chowing down with the Native Americans. White Man came and stole from the Natives and killed them. I will not celebrate that. How could you? But as America, we like to ignore the horrible things WE have done and try to make it into a celebration. Now, that is the end of the ranting. I know, depressing. I just had to get it out.

Now, as for my Thanksgiving. I went to my grandmas along with the rest of my family, as is tradition. I ended up only really being able to eat sweet potatoes. That's it. Later in the evening I fixed a completely vegan fest for myself, my sister and her fiance. I didn't want to make a big meal for only myself, so they agreed to eat whatever I made. Kudos to them! I will gladly toot my own horn because it was delicious. The only disaster was when the lid came off of the salt canister and dumped the entire contents on my freshly roasted brussel sprouts. I swore like a trucker and threw a fit. Tears and all. But then I simply washed them off, roasted them a bit longer and all was well. The menu consisted of roasted brussel sprouts, homemade cranberry sauce, some sauteed mushrooms, baby carrots in a dill sauce (the same from Easter, my sister demanded them), and herb "sausage" stuffing that was a bit disappointing but I will work on, couscous and Tofurkey with an absolutely delicious rub that Anneka from Plant Happy Life shared with me. Everyone loved it! There is something so satisfying with making a big meal that everyone enjoys! Now for the pictures. I hope you had a kind and cruelty (and stress!) free Thanksgiving!


I had never seen brussel sprouts on their stem thinger before. My inner 5 year old loved it!










The colors look quite dull, but that's only because I used my phone to take the pictures. Everything was so vibrant looking! The cranberry sauce was made with apple cider to take away some of the tartness. I love cranberries, and this was delicious! The picture of my sister from the Easter post has become kind of famous with the family, so it had to be re-created!

Tommy-Kitchen Warrior

These are a few of my favorite things!

I have to have a little ramble session. It's over one of my favorite companies...they rock my world. They make personal care items, tableware and kitchen accessories. Since I don't have my own kitchen and all...I have only purchased personal care items, and I absolutely love them.


Preserve Products. Get to know them. They are very affordable and my order is usually at my door in a few days. Most of their products are made by recycled yogurt cups! How great is that?!

Now, I'm not picky about razors. As long as it gets the job done...it's fine. To be completely honest, I hate shaving. It is truly a pain in the arse. This is why you will likely see me walking around with some scruff and stuff. However, these razors are great because they are so light. You can purchase packs of the blades, andthe handle is completely recyclable!


I absolutely love what they have going on with their toothbrushes. As with their razor handles, these guys are made from recycled yogurt cups! And here is my absolute favorite part....you can subscribe! Yes! You can! You can order a toothbrush subscription! You will pick the color and bristle hardness of your toothbrush, then choose if you want to get a toothbrush every 2 or 3 months! They come in a case that, once your next brush arrives, you stick your old one back in the case and toss it in the mailbox to be sent back to them! It just can't get any easier. Well maybe it can with the fact that it's so affordable!


If you should happen to get anything from their site (I highly recommend you do!), let me know what you think of their products, packaging etc!

Be kind. Be curious. Be an on-line shopper!

13 Years Ago...

13 years ago today, a young college boy was brutally beaten then tied to a fence in the middle of a field and left to die. He was discovered early in the morning, at first thought to be a scarecrow because his face was so severely disfigured, his body held little life. 5 days later, he died. His death rocked the entire nation and outraged millions. The reason for such a hateful act? He was gay. Rest in peace Matthew Shepard, you will NEVER be forgotten. I know one of your favorite singers was Tracy Chapman, and with mine being Natalie Merchant..this song is for you. Though you're body is gone, you continue to teach and inspire everyday.

President Obama Delivers Remarks at the HRC's Annual National Dinner

This is an absolutely amazing speech.

Good times! Good times!

The next few days are going to be full of fun! Did you know today is National Coffee Day?!?! That's so exciting! Oddly enough I'm starting to feel myself overdoing it with coffee. As I've stated before, I at times get to the point when I have had too much coffee, whether it be over the course of a week or a few days. This guy is reaching the limit. I'm starting to feel the consequences of too much coffee. Well if today is coffee day, that means tomorrow will just be another Friday...right? WRONG!

Tomorrow is Hug A Vegetarian Day! How great is that?! But don't stop at hugging vegetarians, vegans need some love too! Think of all the love vegetarians and vegans show by simply cutting out meats and other animal products, don't you just want to give them all a hug? Of course you do! Though I would recommend asking to give a hug. While I am hoping for some hugs tomorrow, if a random stranger throws their arms around me without warning...that may freak me out a little.

After you get jacked up on coffee today and hug a bunch of cool people tomorrow, Saturday is going to seem dull. LIES! Saturday is World Vegetarian Day! Saturday, October 1st kicks off Vegetarian Awareness Month. This is a really great opportunity to get your non veggie friends and family to go meat free, even just for a month! Help them out and show them how easy it is to eat a complete meal without having a dead animal on your plate! Worldvegetarianday.org is a great site that gives you pointers on how to help those who are up for a fun challenge of living a healthier, kinder life. Oh, and did I mention they could win $1,000? Yep. They can.

So will you be doing anything to help celebrate Vegetarian Awareness Month? Or even just Hug A Vegetarian Day? It's so great that there is more and more interest in living a cruelty free life! How will you help?
Be kind, be curious, be a hugger, be a teacher!

Calves Run Free

The Gentle Barn posted this video on Facebook and I had to share it. It's so beautiful and so touching!

Back to the blogging world!

If you have Noah as one of your phone contacts, drop him a line and tell him your buddy Tommy may be needing his ark soon. Here in South Central Pa it has been raining so much! Luckily we had about a 4 day break...but the rain is back! So are the really nice, chilly temps! Woohoo! The kids are back in school and the days are quiet...until about 4pm that is. I have been working a ton lately so I haven’t really been able to enjoy the quiet days, but hey, it’s money!


A few days ago, while I was at work, I was approached by a customer who asked if she overheard that I was a vegetarian...to which I told her I was actually a vegan flirt (I’m a Kind Lifer after all!). We began talking and talking and talking and it turns out that her name is Linda Long and she just so happens to be vegan, an author, a food photographer and hosts Vegan Hotspot! She is visiting here with her family (our families know each other!) and is working on a new book (sooo exciting!). Linda is only here for a few more days, but each time she comes into the coffee shop we have great discussions. It is so refreshing, especially in a small conservative are such as this, to have someone who doesn’t constantly argue with you about veganism but instead can talk in depth with you about the greatness of it! She has given me a list of websites and documentaries that I will check into this weekend and share with you all. Be sure to check out her book and Vegan Hotspot, she has some really great guests!


With autumn on our doorsteps, I always get into the mood to do a ton of baking. As soon as I get some free time...look out! I feel much more comfortable with vegan baking now than I did last year this time. I think by making an entire Easter meal made me a little more confident in the kitchen! Oh, and hold the phone...I have found a recipe for vegan pumpkin lattes! There is a God! At work we make pumpkin drinks, but unfortunately the pumpkin sauce contains milk and other odd ingredients. So I shall be experimenting! The recipe I found uses actual pumpkin blended with soy milk and other yumminess. I wonder though...doesn’t Silk make Pumpkin Soy? I think I have seen it in stores during the fall but I haven’t tried it. Oh the excitement!


Hopefully I will have time to blog a little more. I will definitely be letting you all know how my baking and latte experimenting goes! Until then, be kind, be curious, be creative!

Grab the tissues

Grab those tissues and watch the video. You may have already heard of this.

Kids and weight...

Ah! I've been neglecting the blog, my apologies.

August is nearly over and the first signs of Autumn are in the air...and I couldn't be more excited! I mean, I am down right giddy! Around here, summer likes to hold on for as long as it can. We can go for a few days of cool crisp weather, then suddenly be in the 90's again. I think it is pretty safe to say that the 90's are done for the year. Hopefully.

On Monday my nephew goes back to school, which also has be damn giddy. He's going to be a third grader....yeesh. With going back to school and all, I've been thinking a lot about the health of little kids these days. When I was in elementary school, we had two kids who were the "bigger kids", meaning they were a little on the round size. We never made fun of them, we never teased them, they were just the bigger kids. Now when I go to the very same elementary school for my nephew, I see "small kids". I see a lot of "bigger kids" and very few who were my size and the size of my friends. And their parent's are much larger than the parents of my fellow students and friends. It may seem unfair for me to say this, but it's one thing if you have a few larger kids and a few large parents...it's another when EVERYONE is super sized. That's when we really need to take a step back and look at the problem. I ate the same cafeteria food (and to this day I can't believe I ate some of that stuff), I played hard outside at recess (yea so I'm sure none of the kids pretend that they're Buffy), so where's this coming from? I'll be bold and say it...HOME. No, not all of it. The school food SHOULD be healthier. Enough with the processed (as if that's all that's wrong with it) garbage. They do however have better fruit and veggie options. If that's what you want to call canned fruit and steam bagged veggies.

But what's going on at home? Are they repeating what they see their parents do/eat? I'll admit, my nephew get's away with eating A LOT more junk than my sister and I did. If we wanted chips, we got a cup full and didn't dare ask for more. If he asks for chips, he gets a bag. This makes me furious. My nephew IS one of the "bigger kids". Now, I will say that in the summer he has baseball and in the fall soccer, so he loses a good bit of weight. But the in between and the constant up and down of weight, no good. It sounds like my mother. My mother who caters to him. When he asks for a snack, the go to is a bag of chips or candy. That is, unless mean Uncle Tommy is in charge, then it's healthy organic fruit or some veggies...which he complains about then gladly eats.

So is this the same with other kids? Is this what is happening in their homes? Why are the adults dooming their children to a life of health problems just because they are giving up on their own health? I understand parents are busy and can't always have a well balanced meal for their child/children. It happens! But maybe try stocking your cupboards and fridge with foods that are better for you, so you have no choice but to eat what's there?

I'm not saying this is the case for every parent, every child, every household. I can what's going on in the heads of parents reading this.."Look, you don't understand what it takes to raise a child". Look, I do. I helped raise my nephew. He's lived with us all of his life. I do know. And I do see the areas that have "failed". I do see the things I will do much differently with my own children. But this all worries me. I worry about my nephew. I worry about your children. I worry about you. Do you realize what is happening? Your weight problems aren't just yours.

When I was little, I was very very skinny. I ate, I was just very skinny all through my childhood. For as long as I can remember, my mom has hated her weight. She has gone from diet to diet for the past 21 years. As a child, I could see how skinny my mom was, but she couldn't. So when she would call herself fat, or move on to yet another diet...I was always confused. Fast forward to my awkward early teen years. Acne, weight gain etc. I thought I was the ugliest, fattest thing in the world. I picked up my self-loathing habits from my mom. I won't go into a huge therapy session here, but keep your in mind that your kids pick up what they hear and see from you. So make wise choices for yourself, and your kids will likely follow.

Well, I believe I have rambled on enough for one day.
Be kind. Be curious. Be a good role model.

Rawesome foods raided: A sad day for America

Check out this article. A friend brought it to my attention, and I can't stop shaking my head. What are your thoughts?

Rawesome foods raided: A sad day for America

Why am I awake!?!?!?!

So I'm going to go ahead and tell you....you might as well skip this post.
There's no point behind it.
For some reason..at 3AM...I woke up..
And I have been WIDE AWAKE since.
I'm not fully rested at all. I had gone to bed around 11:30. That's not much sleep! Did I mention it's my day off too? I think part of the reason I woke up is because my stomach is so empty. I only ate twice yesterday. I know...not smart. To be honest I haven't been much in the eating mood for the past few days.
Yesterday we had to put my cat to sleep. My baby girl Precious. She would be turning 16 in September. She was given to me as a gift when I was 4. My family knew the time would come, she was getting more and more sick as time went on. Yesterday was very rough...to say the least. This was the first time I have ever experienced having to put a pet to sleep. But I do feel a lot of relief knowing she is finally out of pain.
Now, on to a brighter note. I have my appetite back. I am craving so many different things right now, it's ridiculous. But I think I need coffee first.
Oh yea...THAT topic. I've been meaning to write a blog about it...and since I'm being the king of random this morning...let's fire away. I know many vegans/vegetarians/healthy people in general frown on coffee. I have tried to cut it out. I really have. I've even succeeded before! But then I end up consuming my weight in coffee in one sitting. Don't get me wrong, I drink tons of water too. But I just can't completely give up the coffee! People often tell me it's a caffeine addiction, but I assure you it's not. I have had caffeine addiction before..not fun. I just really love the taste of coffee! Decaf, regular...whatever! I'm like the Whitney Houston of coffee...I do so well, then hit rock bottom and down an entire pot of coffee in an hour. In my last relationship...my ex wouldn't even kiss me if I was drinking coffee. We all see how THAT turned out! Ok, so I can't blame that one on coffee. What are your views on coffee?




Final randomness. I turned on VH1 this morning, and to my surprise and absolute ecstaticness this video was on. I just love this song. It's one of those great windows down in the car, sing at the top of your lungs kind of song.

"So that means you love each other!"

I wanted to share this adorable video. I came across this vid a while back and loved it, now it seems to be getting some media attention!






How cute! I love the simplicity in the way this little boy figures things out for himself. And can we talk about how absolutely excited he is to meet two husbands for the first time?! What blows my mind the most is when he says "So that means you love each other!" Such common sense from a small child that is rarely even found in grown adults. Every time I watch this video, it makes me smile. :-)


*****UPDATE*****
Unfortunately the original owner of the video has taken it down and won't let it be used at all. It's sad because the message was so pure and sweet. Hopefully some of you got to see it!

Happy July 4th!

I have been trying to get a new post up for about a week now, forgive me for my vanishing act. With my nephew on summer vacation from school, I haven’t had much peace and quiet. I was going to post about my birthday and include a bunch of pictures of yummy food, but now that that has been a month ago, I figure I’ll just move on from there. I think that many vegetarians/vegans can agree that summer months can be a bit challenging with cookouts and such. During the summer, my family gathers for a cookout at least twice a month. Since my family isn’t too keen on helping me out with my way of eating, I’m generally on my own with getting food I can actually eat.

A big problem with cookouts involving carnivores….THE GRILL!!!! DUN DUN DUNNN!!!
I had this problem just yesterday at a family gathering. Most non veggie people don’t understand that it’s not just avoiding the consumption of meat...but any sort of food interaction with meat. I brought two veggie protein links to cook up, and since I wasn’t messing with the grill, I checked out the scene first. My links were not placed on an area where meat had been sitting….but there were burgers a few inches away. I had a problem with that. But I didn’t say anything. In my family, if I would have brought the issue up...things probably would have gotten a little heated. BE INFORMED. I ate the thinks, but I wasn’t happy in doing so. I try not to rock the family boat as much as possible since issues escalade very quickly with them.

Family cookouts are the only time I eat anything off of the grill. At home, when the parentals grill, I opt out. I just don’t feel right with the whole grilling thing. Maybe I’ll devote a whole post to the all mighty grill. Hmmm.

Anywho, yesterday I made a quinoa salad for everyone. I think maybe three people tried it...but I was very pleased! I just threw some things together and it turned out quite yummy. I made an entire box of quinoa, threw in a can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), some peas, sauteed mushrooms, cherry tomatoes sliced in half and some basil. I then drizzled some vegan champagne salad dressing over it and let it chill in the fridge. Very refreshing!

What challenges do you face when at social gatherings?
Any summer recipes you’d like to share?

On a non food note. I would like to just take a moment to say how happy I am for New York on passing gay marriage. It’s true, most states still do not support gay marriage, or gay anything, but this IS a step forward.

Check out this great project, get involved!
And yes...that still image before starting the video is in fact my lesbian wife Tegan Quin

Self Evident Truths from Self Evident Truths on Vimeo.

I'm melting! Oh what a world!

SWEET. BABY. JESUS.
THE HEAT!!!
Summer is definitely cramping Spring’s style right now. It is 10 a.m. and already 84 degrees with about 620% humidity. If you’ve read my blog posts from way back when, you’ll know I don’t do well in the heat. I’m like dairy. If you leave me out in the heat for an extended amount of time...bad things will occur. Ever since I was little I have always dreaded summer days here in south central PA, but have always loved the cool summer nights. Now, don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of summer nights that are just as miserable as the scorching days...but they are slightly more manageable. It seems as though the last few weeks of spring have been forgotten about and summer is in full swing. Just last week Mother Nature was apparently PMSing and whipped up a tornado right down the street from me. That was not pleasant.

So on Saturday I shall be celebrating a birthday. The big two-one. For the past year or so most people hear that and tell me “I’m so taking you out to get trashed!” and all of that kind of jazz. My response? “Nah.” Call me crazy but...I would like to remember my birthday...and not be violently sick the day after. How is that celebrating? To be honest...been there, done that. It’s not for me. Do I enjoy an occasional drink? Sure. But I don’t see what the big deal is.

For my birthday I am gathering a group of my closest friends and we are having a vegan pot-luck! And then we are watching Alanis Morissette in concert on DVD (‘cause it’s MY birthday and I get to choose!). I’m really excited to see what all of my friends come up with! I know some are having anxiety attacks, but I know they’ll bring something yummy. Oh, and I told them that if they bring a salad they are “Uninvited.” Get it? The Alanis song? Oooh yeah, I went there. I really want my friends to explore different aspects of a vegan diet. I’ve already been told a few different times… “I didn’t know you could make that vegan!”
I personally have so many recipes I want to wow my friends with, but I keep reeling it in. I need to remember that it is my birthday and that I shouldn’t be in the kitchen all day. But we’ll see how that goes. One thing I am absolutely making is Watermelon Granitas. I have never made a granita, but since it will likely be hotter than the hinges of Hell and what is more refreshing that frozen fruit?...it’s a win! I’ve been thinking a lot about summertime vegan goodies. What are some of your favorites?

Well, until next time! Be kind, be generous, be cool. And enjoy this tune!

Sick-O's!

“But how do you get the nutrients you need?”
That would be question number two that I am almost always asked. Then it’s usually followed up with..
“But vegetarians and vegans are always sick looking!”
Really? I mean, I think that could be said for most people in general. True-there are some vegetarians and/or vegans who don’t get the proper nutrients that they need, and they do end up becoming malnourished..but it is more than likely because they aren’t really focused on the foods they are eating. People like to zero in on the the vegetarians and vegans who are malnourished because it seems to happen so fast. But it can take years for your body to really start kicking your ass because of the horrible junk you’ve been putting into it. So, you say I can’t possibly be healthy? I say call me in 20 years.
The truth is, if you are serious about living a kind life, choosing a plant based diet, then you should have no problem getting most of the vitamins and nutrients that your body needs. Some people swear by supplements, that just isn’t me. I don’t feel I should have to supplement much of anything. Nature has this really kick ass way of knowing exactly what you need. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying I’m against them...I just try to get as much as possible from my food.



Another questions I am often asked is how many supplements I take. I take a B12 tablet a few times a week. That’s it. For me personally, if I begin to feel run down or anything, I know I’m not eating the way I should be. If you eat the dark leafy greens, grains, and a rainbow of other fresh, organic produce...you probably shouldn’t have much to worry about!

Ever since I was a little kid, I got sick constantly. No matter what went around, I got it...and I mean I REALLY got it. Even through high school. Since becoming a vegetarian (now vegan), I’ve been sick once. In about a year and a half, I’ve been sick once. That is a miracle for me. And have I mentioned I live in a house with an 8 year old? Last November I came down with tonsillitis. IT SUCKED!!!! My tonsils looked like something not even Stephen King could conjure up. So I did some research and found that certain juices have been known to greatly help or eliminate tonsillitis. So because I don’t have a juicer (you have no idea how much I want one) I went out and purchased a bottle of organic carrot juice...downed half the bottle that evening...woke up the next day feeling amazing and my tonsils looked absolutely fine. Now I’m not saying that the carrot juice worked magic….but I really don’t know how else to explain it! My tonsils were horrible! My mother wasn’t convinced and took me to my doctor, much to my disapproval. I am very lucky to have a doctor who actually cares about my health and my beliefs. He knows that unless it is a life and death situation, don’t try to give me meds. I won’t even take them for a headache. He sat with me for an hour and talked with me about my eating and exercise habits. He then told me something that made me ecstatic. He told me that I seem to know what I am doing (duuuh!), that my body is perfectly healthy and that my body fought off the illness all by itself (which we concluded was stress induced). This was a huge sigh. Now my mother couldn’t get on my case about malnutrition.

I actually started writing this post about a week ago, but quickly became overwhelmed because there is just so much to cover! There are so many myths that people believe and so many facts that people don’t know about. I decided to hit up good ole Google, and just post a link to a site I found that pretty much covers everything on the nutrients category. I kind of feel like this is cheating a bit, but I would have an entire book written by the time I had finished with this post. If you are becoming a vegetarian or vegan, I would recommend hanging with your doctor and figuring out if you are lacking anything to start with. Brush off all of those nasty rumors about veganism causing you to become more sick etc. If anything...for me at least...it has saved me a lot of money in doctors visits!
Be kind to yourself and others. Till next time!

Why not?

I’m always asked about veganism.
“What can you eat?”
“How do you get your nutrients?”
“But you can’t get any protein!”
And the one question, the one word that is always asked…
“Why?”

And without trying to sound like a total smartass (ok so it’s hard sometimes!) I simply reply with…
“Why not?”
I then go on to rattle off some benefits.

You’re greatly reducing your intake of saturated fats..which pretty much benefits your health in every way AND helps you shed that pesky extra lbs you may have collected over time.

Vitamin world! No not that place at the mall where people go to buy 643 different supplements. By eating a plant based diet...you get a powerhouse of vitamins! When you’ve cleaned your body of all of the nasty animal products...a banana alone becomes an energy bar! Oh yea...and bye bye doctors visits! (Hello saving money! More on doctors later).


Disease prevention! Everyday we hear about diseases and other health problems. We all know people who have dealt or are dealing with these health problems. In my family alone...just about everyone who has died has died from a form of cancer. This scares the hell out of me. I’ve watched so many loved ones suffer. Here are just a few things that a vegan diet can prevent-
Cardiovascular disease
Type 2 diabetes
Many cancers including prostate, colon and breast
High blood pressure
Arthritis
Osteoporosis
And the list goes on!

Physical benefits!
As I mentioned..you drop the extra pounds!

A massive boost in energy! Before I was vegan..even vegetarian...I had NO energy. I was always tired! Now I have so much more energy and don’t get tired as easily! In today's world...who doesn't need more energy?!?!

Healthy skin- get rid of nasty animal stuff...get rid of nasty skin. As simple as that! My face looked like an italian entree in high school. While my face isn’t completely clear...it looks SOOOO much better than it did, and let me tell ya...there is definitely some added confidence there.

Bad breathe/ bad B.O.- getting rid of meat and dairy reduces the nasty odor rolling off of you AND your breath. Going vegan means smelling good!

Hair/Nails- Many people report that their hair and nails become stronger while on a vegan diet. While I have heard this from many people...I don’t pay enough attention to notice personally. Though I will say this...as a baby I had very curly hair, then from about the age of 4-18 my hair was completely straight...not a wave in sight. Now my hair looks like something straight out of the 70’s...as in mega wavy and curly. Now, this doesn’t mean it has anything to do with a vegan diet, but it does make sense!

PMS- Ladddiieeeees! This is for you. Apparently studies have been done that show women have much lower or no signs of PMS at all. Now there are a lot of women in my family and most of my friends are of the female gender...I have experienced the wrath….spare us.

Allergies-I have heard time and time again that switching to a vegan diet has greatly helped those who suffer from allergies...I am one of them. As a child I had tests run on me and the docs told me I was allergic to everything but dogs. I was pretty miserable at certain times of the year! But now I hardly have and problems at all! Sure a sniffle here or there...but that’s it!

Migraines- Just about my entire family suffers from migraines, including me. Or at least I did. Since becoming a vegetarian and now vegan, I have had ONE migraine, and that was stress induced. I had been given medications by doctors, and none of them worked. That is one of the many things I am greatly thankful for with becoming vegan.

As you can see...I could go on and on and on. Adopting a vegan diet not only improves your health and your life SO much, but it helps the planet in many many ways! (I will save veganism and the planet for a whole separate post.) When I tell people of all of these benefits, I usually don’t go into detail about all of them, I let whoever it is take control of the conversation from there. If they want to know more, I tell them...if not, hey I tried! I have talked to so many people who say
“I get it, but it’s not for me” or
“I could never do that” or
“It’s too expensive”
The excuses go on and on.
It is for everyone. Yes you can do it, you owe it to yourself, to your family and friends and to this planet.
And do some math...take what you spend on meat and all the processed nasties you buy...now add up how much it would cost you to buy nutritional, organic, cruelty/animal free products. It’s not that big of a difference. Trust me when I say I live on a very tight budget. I’m lucky if I can gather up $100 a month for groceries, but I make it work. I make it work because I don’t give myself any other choice.
Over the next week or so my posts will be focused on answering the questions I stated above, all of the concerns people have about being vegan and what all it really means. Usually by the time my conversation ends with the person asking me the question, they ask me where they can find vegan products and certain ingredients. This has happened many times at where I work, and it makes me feel amazing because I know they are doing themselves and the planet a huge favor. As always, thank you guys for all of the feedback you give me...keep it coming! I hope the next week or so proves to be at least a little inspirational! And if you have any questions, comments or concerns...fire away!
Be kind to yourself and each other...and ask yourself…”Why not?”

My Easter....finally!!!

So I'm finally getting around to posting about me Easter. This will be more of a picture post than anything. Here is a run down of the yummy food we had to eat.
The main dish was a "Tofurkey" like product. Now, I've never had Tofurkey or a similar product, so I was excited to try it. I have to admit though, I cheated and just purchased a cook and serve one. I know that Tofurkey like dishes can be made by hand...but I didn't want to run the risk of blowing the main dish. I handed this over to my aunt to pop in the oven. While it looks pale and boring in the picture, it was actually pretty tasty! I'm anxious to try it again and maybe come up with a sauce or glaze to put over it, though I try not to use a lot of pre-cooked/pre-packaged foods.
As a side dish I made shredded brussels with green apple. I'm usually not a huge fan of brussels, but the apple and maple syrup blended great together and the flavor turned out really well....not too tart and not too sweet. Now I want to point out that I used REAL maple syrup. Not the junk you usually get for your pancakes. And there is definitely a difference. Unfortunately I never got around to snapping a picture of these..they didn't last very long!
Another side dish was baby carrots in dill "butter". This was a recipe I found that wasn't vegan, but it was so simple to make is vegan! Instead of melting butter of the carrots, I melted Earth Balance instead...then sprinkled it with FRESH dill! Very simple and very very yummy!


Here's my sister with the carrots...she loves anything with dill!



Another simple side dish was cous cous with currants and nuts. This is another little thing I cheated with and bought pre-packaged. Again this was something I gave my aunt to do (hey..I did everything else!!!) so I wanted to take it easy on her. This is my favorite kind of cous cous and became the favorite of my sister and aunt as well! I snapped a picture...but since I was using my phone...the pic turned out looking a little less than appetizing...just picture it in your head. Looks amazing eh?

Here's our little feast. It doesn't look like much but it was very filling!


If you follow me on twitter then you know the night before Easter I was up until about 2am baking for the next day. And this is what I made!
Lemon-Ginger Cookies. These guys didn't turn out quite like I had hoped, but they were still tasty! Definitely a recipe I will be working with to perfect. I'm a sucker for anything lemon and/or ginger!


I also made a blueberry cake. It turned out something like a shortcake with blueberries. The recipe had called for frozen blueberries, but I opted for using fresh...and it made a big difference! There were some left overs so the next morning I threw a piece in a bowl..heated it up...and poured some vanilla hemp milk over it. Good grief was that good!


I also made a dairy free yogurt dessert. It was dairy free yogurt with numerous dried fruits and fresh apples sliced into it..then topped off with sliced almonds. I kind of tossed the recipe and through it all together until it looked how I thought it should haha. It was very light and refreshing! I'd like to point out that I used all organic/vegan ingredients. For those of you who think that there is no difference with organic produce...you are completely wrong. I won't go into a huge rant on chemicals...but the taste difference alone is proof enough!

This is my sister and my aunt...they didn't know I was planning on snapping a shot...


This last picture....my nephew Cameron wanted to leave some sliced strawberries for the Easter Bunny when he stopped by. I knew I was going to be up for quite a while so I decided to send him to bed and create a little surprise for in the morning. I left this letter, put it on the counter, dragged a stool over to the counter, then took a liitle cotton ball and made it like the Easter Bunny had snagged his tail on the cupboard handle. The next morning he freaked! He wrote the date on the back and said he would "keep it forever". It's little things like that that kids keep in their memories.


I hope everyone had a great Easter! I really enjoyed creating yummy dishes and not having the thought of what animals had to go through so I could eat. Even though the Peter Cottontail left a little of that cotton tail of his behind...I like to think his tail is bushy enough that it didn't hurt him at all ;-) Till next time..be kind!

Hippidy Hoppidy Easter's On It's Waaaay

Easter is upon us. It’s that time of year where there’s egg decorating, egg hunts, chocolate bunnies, marshmallow peeps, jelly beans etc. For some it’s a little bit of spring time heaven. For vegans...it’s a little on the nightmarish side. I mean, think about it! I personally am not a religious person, so all I had going for me was the eggs and massive, deadly amounts of sugar and who knows what else! This is my second Easter as a vegetarian and first Easter as a vegan. Surprisingly it hasn’t been that difficult! The only thing that has been a little difficult is breaking with tradition. Every year for as long as I can remember I have been coloring eggs. Even when my nephew was too young and there weren’t many kids yet in the family...I colored eggs. I insisted on my mom getting me some eggs and I would spend all evening making cool colors and interesting patterns. So when my family gathered at my grandmas this past Saturday to color eggs, I was a little shocked with how repulsed at the idea I was. Sure I still wanted to decorate...but no way was I decorating eggs!!! So I went to Target. Enough said right? I found this pack of 6 clay (I think they’re clay) eggs. In the pack was also a tiny set of paints and a horrible little paint brush. I say horrible because the brush itself was made from plastic bristles...kind of hard to paint with. So while my family dunked and soaked their eggs in dye, I painted away. Some turned out pretty cool!





This will also be the first Easter I am not spending with all of my family. Last Easter was hard enough as a vegetarian. My family looks at my eating as “Well, that’s your decision, you deal with it.” So they don’t bother worrying about fixing anything I can eat. Last year I was left with potato salad and macaroni and cheese. This year...potato salad. So I am having a vegan Easter with my aunt! She stopped going to family functions a few years ago because she was sit of the drama and attitudes...don’t blame her! She’s also the one aunt (aside from my dear aunt Annette who died two years ago) that I can really get along with. And she’s interested in vegetarianism/veganism etc! So we decided we are having our own vegan Easter this year! I am so excited! The menu hasn’t been finalized yet...but it’s looking pretty good! I’ll be sure to post pics!

So what are you doing for Easter? Are you doing anything vegan? Maybe a cruelty free alternative? Let me know! Over the past month I have gotten many more readers, which I love! I truly appreciate all of your feedback! I do have one thing to ask...if you have any feedback (definitely encouraged!), please leave it below on the blog. This way I can respond easier and who knows...maybe it will start a new discussion!? Thanks for coming back to read another post...and for any newbies...welcome!

On my mind...

“Self-pity is easily the most destructive of the nonpharmaceutical narcotics; it is addictive, gives momentary pleasure and separates the victim from reality.”

Relationships end. It happens.
I ended this one, the distance was proving to be too much for me.
I want to be able to see the person when I want and not have to plan out every single moment.
Learning.
Growing.
Selfish?
Curious.

I am a curious person by nature.
I want to know why? and how come? and explore every aspect of many things.
I have many interests that are yearning to be fulfilled.
I have places I want to see.
I have points I want to make.
Whether they will be fully understood or not.
I have breakthroughs yet to be discovered.
For myself and for every day things.
I have an awareness to tap into.
Selfish?

I’m not in college, and not a day goes by that I don’t get down a little because of it.
Money-I don’t want to be strapped to debts and panic and concern like my parents.
I want to learn what I need to learn, without being told how to do so or what it is I have to learn.
Few people understand where I’m coming from.
I dream big.
I dream bold.
I see the looks people give me when I tell them my hopes and future goals.
Unrealistic
Pointless
The look that says
It’s nice to dream but you have to be realistic.
It’s hard being raised in an area such as this.
Everyone grows up to be
Teachers
Nurses
Hair Beauticians
Warehouse workers
Construction workers
Extremely limited options for the
Gay
Vegan
Kid
Who fights for animal rights
Fights for equality
Struggles for understanding
Searches for a Higher Authority
Worth following/answering
I want more from life.
Life is too damn short to be unhappy
To become a stereotype
To walk a straight line.
My way of thinking?
Kick
Scream
Fight for what you believe
Fight for what you feel
Fight for those who can’t
Be courageous
Be kind
Be passionate
Be alive
Be a voice
Be a teacher
Be a student
Be yourself.
Selfish?

Overwhelmed In The Heartwarming Department

So I was going to blog last week but I knew that this past weekend would probably give me something special to blog about..and boy was I right! My guy J took us to the Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary in Poolesville Maryland. J had emailed one of the owners, Terry (the sanctuary is owned by Terry Cummings and her husband), and was able to get us a tour of the place. We were told that they don't start tours until April, but this past weekend they were doing a special tour for a group of little girls, I'm thinking they were called Earth Scouts...though I could be totally wrong. So we arrived along with about a dozen anxious and excited little girls and their parents after traveling back a winding road that seemed to be hidden from any sort of main road. J and I were both a little nervous on our way there because we didn't know what to expect. Let's face it, people may create an environment for animals that they feel is a sanctuary..the animal though may have a different story. One more to add to their likely already horrific tale of survival. We came to the end of the little road and were greeted with dozens of geese wandering all around near the very large pondlake..yes I made up a word...near the road. I was even greeted by one that waddled right up to the car when we parked!

We walked over to the picnic tables where we were told everyone would meet and I couldn't help but marvel at how much space this sanctuary has. And what surprised me most was looking into the one large (extremely large) fenced off area and noticed that the cows and mules and horses were all wandering around together! I thought this was like illegal in the animal kingdom! Terry walked over and introduced herself and talked to us a little about what to expect on the hour long tour. At that time everyone else caught up and we began. J and I decided to stay to the back to give the kids a chance to really be involved in the tour and holding/petting the animals. Our first stop was to see the the chickens, turkeys, peacock, and guineas (hoping I'm not forgetting others). After that visit we wandered over to visit with the pigs. This may sound a little, but I never knew how HUGE they could get. We got to walk right in and pet them..3 of the biggest were taking a nap and just didn't seem to care about anything. After that we walked into the large field with the cows and friends. Yea, we walked right in...right past a guy with horns that could definitely do some damage. I kept glances over at him to see if he was annoyed or angry, but he just watched us all walk in and then went back to doing his own thing. I was impressed at how large these animals were without all of the hormones and whatnot. Our final visit was to feed the sheep and goats. They had such funny personalities!

Throughout the tour Terry made it a point to tell us the stories of some of the animals, all of which were so heartbreaking. She also was kind enough to talk with the kids and parents then come to J and I and talk a little more in depth with us. After the tour I wanted to thank Terry personally and we got to talk with her privately for about a half an hour or so. I was so impressed with everything about the sanctuary! Terry and her husbands house is right in the middle of the sanctuary so they can be with the animals at all times, but still give the animals plenty of space to do their own thing. Another thing that I absolutely loved was that they never take anything from the animals. They never milk the cows, they are allowed to naturally dry up as a cow should. I mean...after a human mother gives birth, does she continue to produce milk the rest of her life? No. The eggs from the chickens are taken far out into the woods and left for wild animals, so not only are they helping to feed the wild animals, they are also not wasting the eggs! Terry was so kind and told us stories about the animals, how they got started and some of the hardships they've faced. She is definitely a strong willed and caring person who is a true inspiration. She even had a farmer come after the sanctuary because he wanted his pigs back. She locked the gate to the farm and stood there making sure he couldn't pass. Oh...and did I mention he brought the police?! After we left, J and I both commented on how at peace we felt from being at the sanctuary. We can only imagine how wonderful it must be for the animals!

I would tell you more stories but that's not my place...go visit the sanctuary yourself...and this post is already huge. If you get the chance, please visit Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary . It is so important to help out these smaller animal sanctuaries because so many don't know that they even exist! It takes A LOT of money to keep these amazing places running. Poplar Spring has great events to raise money and to get people to come find out what an animal sanctuary is all about, like Thanksgiving WITH the turkeys! This is a place that animals can come and live out the rest of their lives in peace and comfort. Please do what you can whether it be donating, sponsoring or volunteering. I wish that I lived closer because I would absolutely volunteer. I live over 2 hours away in PA, and besides Poplar Spring, the closest animal sanctuary is in New York State. These places need our help. I am so grateful we had the chance to visit and I cannot wait to visit again!

If you made it through this entire post in one sitting...get yourself a vegan cookie :-)

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

"There is no difference in what we're doing in here
That doesn't show up as bigger symptoms out there
So why spend all our time dressing our bandages
When we've the ultimate key to the cause right here
Our underneath..."


I can't believe it's March already! I have to say the first 2 months of the new year have been pretty great for the most part! I have myself a new guy, a great guy. A guy that puts up with all of my shit and still texts me from the time he wakes up to the time he goes to bed and visits every weekend. He lives a little over an hour away, and while it is a pain, it actually isn't too much of a problem. Not seeing each other just isn't an option. It feels good to be in a secure relationship. Oh and did I mention he is vegetarian turning vegan...just like yours truly!

Speaking of, I have been eliminating more and more animal products from my food and just about everything else. When I first read Alicia Silverstone's The Kind Diet, I quickly realized I couldn't eat meat anymore...but I never really thought about becoming a total vegan. Now..I feel like it is the obvious, most practical thing to do. I feel confident and secure with my decision, knowing that I will be getting the nutrients and protein that I need. All it takes is some education and common sense. I will probably be focussing this blog more on my vegan journey and what not..because I hope that my journey could possibly help even a few people with their own journey...or maybe even just open some eyes about the practicality of living a kind life! But no worries, I will still be throwing in my two cents on random things and giving you little tid bits about my relationship. It's nice to not only have a partner in the relationship sense, but with becoming a vegan as well.

My guy, I shall just refer to him as J, has been a vegetarian for 4 years now and will be making the vegan transition next month. I have been a vegetarian for just a little over a year (January marking the anniversary). J has never read The Kind Diet, so I've been trying to fill him in as much as possible. It really is just opening your eyes and realizing that as humans we take SO MUCH from our planet and from other living things, and rarely give back! I could go into a huge rant right now, but I'll save that for a later date ;-) To my readers...however few you may be...look for some changes in the near future. I have become quite a passionate person... with the planet, animals, LGBTQ rights and many other random things...that I feel the need to share and hopefully enlighten some people or at least come some of you involved in things you're passionate about! Till next time!

So vegetarianism and veganism isn't for you? You may be surprised! Challenge and enlighten yourself!

The Kind Diet

The Kind Life
http://www.thekindlife.com/

End of year post

Another year has ended, another decade has passed. It’s hard to believe that 10 years ago I was only 10 years old. It seems like such a large gap between the ages of 10 and 20. There is so much growing and maturing between those years. 2010 has been a year of growing on an emotional sense. I feel like I have definitely been able to find more out about myself through the events of the past year. Spring brought someone into my life that took me on a crazy dangerous trip. I was left pretty battered and scarred emotionally from that. My body and mind shut down and sent me into a catatonic state for a few days during that period. I can honestly say I don’t remember those few days. It’s amazing that your body knows when to protect you from overwhelming emotional stresses by doing a sort of full body reboot. It took me a long time to get over that experience but I did eventually. The summer brought a summer fling and the fall brought a short lived mistake. It has come to my attention that I apparently fall for immature and/or unstable men. I think that on some subconscious level that may have reflected my state of being at the time.

I have had a lot of new people come into my life over the past year. I have also let go of some friendships that have just fallen apart over time. You can always tell who your true friends are when they pick you up and dress your wounds. There are people I am hoping to strengthen bonds with and hope to become good friends with. There are people who have entered my life this past year that I know are only in my life temporarily, then their role will be filled by another passerby. Strangers create a river through our lives, weaving in and out as we go along. But true friends are the rocks that stand by you always. And that is your Hallmark card for the day.

I truly feel that 2011 will be a big year for me, I will see that it is. Over the past few months I have been feeling the need to explore myself, new ideas, new places and new theories. I find that when it comes to certain things, I stop myself because they seem scary and unfamiliar...the usual reaction we have to new things. This year I want to do things I wouldn’t usually do, things that scare me. I want to travel, I want to see new places. I am going to try my hardest to make it to California this year to visit friends and family. I want to learn new things. I want to learn how to play the guitar and the piano. I want to learn about different religions, beliefs and practices. I want to find God/Spirit in some form, in any form, in every form. I want to find unity and balance in life. I want to find a purpose and a drive. I want to find love. I cannot stand the thought of getting a full time job and buying a house and just living out how everything is “suppose” to be. There is so much more to life, and I want to achieve it. I have come to accept that I have different ideas and beliefs that oppose what most friends and family think. For the longest time I was ashamed to talk about those kinds of things, but I’m at a point in my life when I need to explore them.

I hope that 2011 brings you all that you deserve. Be kind to yourself, be kind to others...especially now when the world needs nothing more that kindness and understanding.

So of course I leave you with a song, and of course it is Alanis. This song is one of what I call my “empowerment songs”. Whenever I am feeling down, or less than, or divided etc. I put in my head sets or turn up my car stereo and blast this song at full volume. No matter what our backgrounds, beliefs, etc., we are all Citizens Of The Planet.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAReLtJ86tI


I start up in the north, I grow from special seed
I sprinkle it with sensibility
From French and Hungarian snow
I linger in the sprouting until my engine's full

Then I move across the sea
To European bliss, to language of poets
As I cut the cord of home, I kiss my mother's mother
Look to the horizon

Wide eyed, new ground
Humbled by my new surroundings

I am a citizen of the planet
My president is Kwan Yin
My frontier is on an airplane
My prisons, homes for rehabilitating

Then I fly back to my nest
I fly back with my nuclear
But everything is different
So I wait

My yearn for home is broadened
Patriotism expanded by callings from beyond
So I pack my things, nothing precious
All things sacred

I am a citizen of the planet
My laws are all of attraction
My punishments are consequences
Separating from source the original sin

I am a citizen of the planet
Democracy's kids are sovereign
Where the teachers are the sages
And pedestals fill with every parent

And so, the next few years are blurry
The next decade's a flurry of smells and tastes unknown
Threads sewn straight through this fabric
Through fields of every color, one culture to another

And I come alive and I get giddy
And I am taken and globally naturalized

I am a citizen of the planet
From simple roots through high vision
I am guarded by the angels
My body guides the direction I go in

I am a citizen of the planet
My favorite pastime edge stretching
Besotten with human condition
These ideals are borne from my deepest within