Working Lunch

Vegan Pea Soup and Salad!

The Vegan Joint

Found this new upscale vegan restaurant in Woodland Hills called "The Vegan Joint". Will check it out and give my review later.

Peta, Peta, made me a Pumpkin Eater...

My sister gave me a book to read about Veganism by Kathy Freston. She warned that there were sections of the book describing what goes on within factory farms today and even within so called "kosher" farms that claim to have compassion for animals. I knew I would have a hard time reading those chapters but I also knew that if I read it, my resolve would be stronger to actually stick with my goal to become a total vegan. I knew it would put me back on track, and it has. Thanks Linda!

"Vegetarian" Broccoli with Soy Cheese Mini-Quiche

Can't Call it Vegan...but maybe next time!

Beautiful Sunday morning brunch we had outside on the patio this morning. Wish I could say this was a Vegan dish. Again, I cheated! I added the "B" word to it...sorry. I will post the recipe next time and make it without butter...yes I said it, I added ... BUTTER and eggs!
Butter will probably be the last to go and I'm still on the fence with eggs...articles like this one do not help the effort.

The 20 Health Benefits to Eating Real Butter

Now what do we cook in the Le Creuset?



What would Julia Childs cook in her red Le Creuset if she turned Vegan?
 



Funny how things go! I just bought a full set of beautiful Fennel Le Creuset cookware and really started getting into the whole Julia Child's thing with it...the butter, the meat, the sauces...mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

Come to think of it, Julia lived to a ripe old age of 91 eating all that fat and meat and mashed potatoes covered in sauces....someone slap me in the face, remind me why I'm doing this. Besides it was probably the red wine that is responsible for her longevity...yes, red wine is good, right?

Oh well, no more meat but plenty of Tofu and Tempeh and Soy Cheese....and...Yum?

Will try this recipe out and let you know how THAT goes!

Julia Childs Where's The Beef Bourguignon

Not All Eggs are Created Equally

Pasture Grown Eggs - A different Egg

So for now, to label myself correctly, I am a qualified Ovo-Vegetarian (an egg eating vegtarian who will only eat pasture grown eggs). Most of the issues vegans have about eating eggs seem to be resolved with Pasture Grown Eggs.

Maybe I am looking for justification so I can enjoy the food I love the most...or maybe there really are some good eggs out there!

http://www.divorcekit.com/eat-eggs.htm

The Next Challenge for me..."The Butter Challenge" and what are vegan alternatives for a butter connoisseur!

Cheating Ethically...

I never said I was perfect...I readily admit that this is a process and it may take a while for the Vegan in me to take over...so maybe I cannot call myself a Vegan yet because I do own a beautiful Marc Jacobb bag and I do love EGGS...but I am a work in progress and at least the eggs I eat come from very happy, healthy Hens!

Who Needs Meatballs!

Went shopping today... Look Ma, No Meatballs!

Cheated a little...

Wish I could say I had a total vegan experience today, but I cannot tell a lie...

I had almond granola with coconut milk for breakfast, for lunch, I had about a quarter of a can of tuna (low mercury tuna from Whole Foods) mixed with veggies and veganaise, and a bowel of lentel soup and coffee with soy milk.

Nature's Fireworks Show - Dill

Growing Dill and who knew I would be so entertained by it when it went to seed. Now what do I do with Dill since I no longer eat fish? Hmmmmm...watch some fireworks?

What do I know about vegetables anyway? People are sometimes said to be in a vegetative state, mother's coax their children to eat their vegetables, in grade school, brussel sprouts made me barf when I couldn't stuff them all in my milk carton and was forced to eat a few. Meat now meat is a different memory...meat is juicy and tender, meat is succulant and flavorful. Meat is "finger licking good" and it's byproducts "do a body good", and I did "deserve that break today". What's to NOT like about MEAT? What's to LIKE about VEGETABLES?

No More Meatballs

I really wanted to title this blog "Becoming Vegan" or "Becoming Human" but both have already been taken so the next best way to describe this journey I am about to embrace, and since I happen to be Italian, is to simply state the facts...

"No More Meatballs".

No More Meatballs! No more indulging in the habit of devouring those succulent little balls on top of a sprawling plate of piping hot pasta covered in homemade tomato sauce that has been cooking for hours and sprinkled with hand grated parmesan and Romano cheeses. No more cow, no more pig, no more chicken, no more fish. I am resigning from the Butter of the Month Club for good!

Why, why you may ask? Is it for health, is it for humanity, is it for animal rights, is it to protect the environment, is it to become one with unity consciousness? Why would I embark on such an arduous task, knowing as I do, that I never stick to anything?

I'm doing this for all of the above and because something is changing inside me. Somehow a light bulb has gone off and illuminated certain truths, awakening an awareness I've never known, and now that I know, I can never go back.

This is a journey and I make no promises. This will be a process, an adventure down a an uncharted path I have never traveled.