Thanksgiving - Part 2

Well I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving!  I know I did :)
For Thanksgiving, I made stuffing and cornmeal biscuits.  Sadly though, the biscuits tasted awful!  To me at least, but my dad was supposed to try it today with butter.  Also, the better part of Thanksgiving, was that a lot of my family (all of which are meat-eaters) took some of the stuffing I made and they liked it, if not loved it!  It really was fantastic even though it wasn't that pretty :) So here's the goods:

Cornmeal Biscuits
http://happyherbivore.com/recipe/maple-cornmeal-biscuits/

Note: I used at least 3 3/25 of cold bananas because the pebble-like dough wasn't appearing. They were bitter.

Vegan Stuffing
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/food-health/vegan-stuffing-meat-eater.html

Note: Best stuffing ever!  Seriously!  I doubled it, and added maybe 14 ounces of mushrooms, 1/3 cup of pine nuts which I smashed.  Also, while the rice was cooling, I added some of the celery, mushrooms, pine nuts into the rice while the rest went into the bread mixture.  I did the stuffing in only a few hours.  It still tasted great!
Enjoy!

I Have Just Discovered the BEST Stuffing Ever!

First of all, the Four Post Series for the Holidays won't be posted again until latest Sunday, but hopefully Saturday.  Anyway, a lot of foods at Thanksgiving are filled with, are, or has some meat in it.  Whether it be a beef-stock, butter, or miniscule pieces of meat, it is not Vegan.  

Now, no one else in my family is a Vegan, and even though my mum is a Pesco-tarian, she won't eat the stuffing at our family's in case of beef-stock in there, because she made the mistake once, and it affected her greatly for a few hours.  

Anyway, I have made two new recipes today that are good.  First, is a Vegan Cornmeal Biscuit recipe that got a three out of five stars in my opinion, and a Vegan Stuffing.  Yummmm......... It is so good!  I know I shouldn't be eating it, but I only took a few bites, but seriously, it was so good!  

Everyone excited for Thanksgiving? :)

I am! 

If anyone else has any good Vegan Thanksgiving or any holiday recipes, please feel free to post underneath!  Thanks!  Happy Thanksgiving!

"Do what you, what you want Your world's closing in on you now....Stand and face the unknown"

Phantom of the Opera.  One blue eye.  One brown eye.  
I went riding again today, and with a different, smaller horse.  Probably a paint or pinto crossbreed...His face was only half white and had white socks.  
I got to ride with no bridle sometimes for checking my balance and strengthening my legs.  It was really great. 
Anyway, today's going to be about some things that really irk me about what seems to be a lot of Vegans/Vegetarians.


1. If you type in "Vegetarian shirts" or Vegan, all the shirts have something political on them.  For example, "I don't eat meat" or "Meat eaters are murderers." ... That is really stupid because that is all that comes up!  Why can't there be something nice?  Like, "My plate looks like the rainbow!" with a plate of food.  
Doesn't that bother anyone else?
To be so stereo-typical about such things about meat and the consumer?
Sigh.


2. Do Vegetarians eat animal crackers?
   How do they get protein?
   Vegetarians are more prone to deficiency of some nutrient/mineral.
 Okay, I know these questions and words bother us all!  I mean really, we eat animal shaped foods - Annie's pretzels, ANIMAL CRACKERS, cookies.
  It is so stupid; all these wonderings and questions that are pointless and superficial.  My friend "Brandy" and my other friend "Alice" both were "shocked" at my birthday that I ate Annie's pretzels that were shaped like bunnies.
 Alice was like, "You can't eat those!  Only the carrot shaped ones!"
So, in mocking her, I ate a carrot shaped one, then took two bunny ones and tore their heads off and ate them viciously in front of her and everyone.  Lady-like right?  Whatever.


3.  Vegetarians don't know what they are missing out on...
We all started out as meat-eaters, so yes, we do know, and it was a conscious decision to become a non-meat-eater.  Also, we can have everything we want, but we have them in different forms.  
I can have the best scone ever and it can be Veganized for my diet.  
(I did, in fact, have a Vegan Oatmeal Date Scone yesterday from Whole Foods and my dad and I loved it!) 
So, see?  We can have EVERYTHING non-Vegetarians eat, but in different ways!


Being in a non-Vegetarian world, isn't all that hard.  Even when the ridicule is bad, you don't view it the same as me so I won't take it personally - all the time :). 
Different.
My way.
That scone, was really good.

Waking, I Crash

So tired.  Yesterday, at 5:45 A.M. I woke up because I was to go to Philadelphia.  We left a 6:30 and got there at a little after 9:30 I guess.
I don't really like Philly.  Like Boston history-feeling wise, but trashier.  No offense...
But that doesn't mean I didn't have good food :)
What I ate, I got excited about even though you are probably thinking, "Whatever..."

Bourse Hall
Lunch - A Banana, Garden Deluxe Salad w/ whole wheat roll, Nature Valley Trail Mix granola bar
Dinner was the most exciting meal yesterday!
Dinner - An Apple, Fruit Salad, and, wait for it, out of every food stuffs that was there, I found Vegan Cookies!
I got Chocolate ones; they were shaped like hearts :))

So I broke off a piece of cookie and asked my friend if she wanted to try it.  Now, lets call her Brandy (hehe).  "Brandy" hasn't liked any Vegan food I have given her except for the Vegan Chocolate Chip cookie from Whole Foods. Now, as she asked me with certain uncertainty and caution, I laughed and gushed over how good I truly thought it was.  It tasted exactly like the Kashi Chocolate Chip Oatmeal? Cookies.
Brandy, taking a nibble, handed it back to me with disgust.  All I did was wave her away and tell her to throw it out and what a waste it was to share my wonderful food with her.

Contemptment.  Exausted. And wanting to go to bed, I force my eyelids to stay open.
Drama Queen right?
:) Yeah.

This week I am making two things for Thanksgiving but won't be able to post them until the Friday or Saturday after.  Sorry, going up to Connecticut and won't have access to computer and plus, laziness from hopefully-tasty goodness warming me.

A Rose in the Thorns

"Can't find the road to lead us out of this A million miles from where we burned the bridge Can't keep pretending that every thing's gonna be alright With the whole world falling down on me"

A rebellion.
A new voice.
A hilarious writing.
And something that has the possibility to fail. 
Majorly. 


I can't tell you till it is written, because there are certain people who read this who have the potential and powder to high-jack this wonderful idea myself and a friend, let's call him "Hector."  We are gathering more people to accept this idea, and we already have five people. :D Good start!  Out of 66...
Sigh.  


Anyway, that was the major part of this post because I am posting because I am bored; not for any particular reason. 


Thoughts about Veganism - http://www.gypsybandito.com/why-people-hate-vegans/

Disgusting! Slightly unbelievable, but is quite possibly true.

Love it.

"As much as I'd like the past not to exist It still does And as much as I'd like to feel like I belong here I'm just as scared as you...I have nothing left And all I feel is this cruel wanting Take it all away Shadows of you Cause they won't let me go"

Death has never been something to hit me hard, but it has never been someone close to me.  The only close death that hit me was my cat.  Now though, it still doesn't hit me, but it does give me grief because my dance school is a family, and we just lost one of our little sisters.  

6 years old.

Killed in a mysterious way because how could you kill this way?  - I won't tell you.

It isn't right for such deaths; especially at this is age, and such a happy little girl!  She had just learned her over-two-threes that day, then went to a friend's house...

I hope God wanted her, because can the devil take away what is not his? 

Did she know God?

Probably not.

Hell?

Sigh...

The good of the day?

Ha! 

I wore my Tim Thomas Home Jersey :)) Bruins are playing today!  

Many comments!  Plus a merit!  Haha! 

Also, I made Mashed Cauliflower.

It turned out surprising well.  Bland a little, but not really.  Just simple.

Simple Cauliflower

1 Head of Cauliflower

Salt

Pepper

Chopped Parsley

Directions

Chop the cauliflower.  Don't cook cauliflower.

Put a few pieces of cauliflower in a Food Processor.  Pulse multiple times.  It now should have the consistency of Parmesan cheese.   

Now, take the rest of the cauliflower and boil till soft.  - I did not do this, but I put pieces in a bowl with water and put in microwave because I was too lazy to get the stove all set up :))
Put softened cauliflower in processor with some salt, pepper, and parsley.

When done, btw it should be mashed-potato like, put in a container or in your bowl and put some more pepper, salt, and parsley in and stir.  Enjoy! 

Also, I discovered I really am a 2nd Soprano :D Wait, did I post about yesterday?

Well, I had a voice lesson yesterday.  It was awesome!  No stress, comfortable, and good.  I can reach a High C so I am not an Alto but an 2nd Soprano.  HA I reached and passed my not-knowing I already had it, wish.  

"The hardest part of moving on is when you're going through every damn day, wishing it never happened.  Stay strong!" - Author Unknown

"Heart beats fast Colors and promises How do be brave How can I love when I'm afraid To fall But watching you stand alone All of my doubt Suddenly goes away somehow One step closer"

Why would some Vegans think horseback riding is abuse?  :(( I was so happy to be back on for my birthday... Riding a Draft Cross Breed Quarter Horse named Jersey Girl who stood maybe three feet higher than me; but maybe I'm exaggerating... :) I loved it!  It has been two years since I was on, and a while back I was thrown off and was scared but was saddened because I loved horses, and my love never decreased, but increased with the rising and growing hope of getting back on.  I have always wanted a horse.  A Friesian male purebred named Ranger - my dream.  But, the truth is, I love all horses, but Drafts are my favorite with their big muscles, height, elegance, and strength.  

Here's my answer as to why some Vegans dislike it: It is all about the execution.  

Yes, horseback riding can be abusive, but if you are like me, you love every second of it and don't want to hurt the creature in any way! The horses especially love the riding, even if they were lazy and tired like Jersey :)) but it is winter!  Hehe the horses at the stable were all quieting down and winter is cold!  

Ya know what?

I have never been able to get the posting correctly in trotting (second speed up from walking) in my on-and-off in the past six years.  I was younger when I started; small and scrawny and full of an excitement that felt as though it could never be diminished until the fall.  

The only good fall I ever had was rolling over a pony when he tripped in the dark!  But Waif, he just stood by me, content and waiting for me to get back on.  While the three adults watched my motionless body in the sand, calling out asking if I were okay, I just laughed a joyful laugh because it was so funny!  

Every penny I get is going to horseback riding.  Or at least, with college mixed in :)) 

Horseback riding is so much more than what some people think.  Yes, it is a sport.  Yes, it is a lifestyle.  And yes, it is a passion.  

"Horses are God's apology for men."

"Horses lend us wings we lack."

Happiness in Food, Friends, and Life

11.13.## is my birthday!  Tomorrow.  :D SO!  I had all my best friends over, 7 - two boys and fours girls + me being a girl haha.  I LOVE my friends!  They are the best!  It was the best time ever and they all agreed too!  One of my friends, I think I had called him Bryant before... he locked himself in the uppermost room's closet.  I and the girls fled outside while my other friend, "Louise," was in the bathroom on the floor below Bryant.  When I and the girls came back in, since we had run outside, we saw Bryant looking absolutely terrified and seemed like he could have been shaking, he was so pale!  Thank goodness Louise saved him.  Well, we ran around the house even more after that for maybe three hours making fools of ourselves on my front yard since it is a busy street - dancing, waving and yelling.  The guys gave me and two of my other friends piggyback rides, which by-the-way, absolutely terrified me now.  Louise and Bryant are maybe four to five inches taller than me.  I didn't feel comfortable getting on Bryant's back, so my friend "Keira" had to pick me up the few inches and get me on... "Oh my goodness!" "Bloody hell!"  "Oh crap!"  "AHHHHHH!" "Put me down!  Put me down!  Bryant, put me down!" "I think I am going to throw up, oh no."  "Maybe not..."  I don't like the notion that I am going to fall.  Planes, backs, buildings, steps, elevators, ect.  Scared. My friends said I looked like I was going to puke, I looked extremely pale - which is saying something considering how pale I already am, and I was just so scared and wide-eyed.  While I was on him still, I was grabbing his shoulders, had my fingers in his neck, and arms wrapped around his throat.
"You almost made me fall," Bryant said from me holding on to his neck.
"Well, I thought I was going to fall because you leaned forward, so I thought that if I fell, you were coming down with me." I said in mock-amusement.
"That's not nice."
"Hm."
Love my friends.
Anyway, here is a recipe and then I shall go back to my amazing story and how Vegan ties into it:

Very Simple Black Bean Spread
1 can of Black Beans, not drained.
A little Lemon Juice
1 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Pepper
Lots of Paprika - or to your liking

Put in food processor.  Blend to liking.  When ready, put some more Paprika on.

Oat Milk Smoothie
A little less than 1/4 cup Oat Milk
1 Chilled, In freezer for 1 hour, Chopped Banana
Vegan Chocolate Chips
Ice Cubes

Blend to liking in Blender.

Nice and easy!  Now back to the story.
Cupcakes - I will post pictures later - from Carousal Cupcakes.  Sadly, none of them were Vegan, so I happily got six cookies from Whole Foods that were.  They only had six... 3 Chocolate Chips and 3 Gingerbread/Molasses.  Yummm.
We also had pizza.  Peppers and Onion, Plain, and a Pepperoni.  I had a few bits with as little cheese as possible of the Peppers and Onions.  It was really good, but  I mainly had salad - Button Mushrooms, Kidney Beans, some lettuce, Craisins, and Tomatoes.  Apparently to my dad, this didn't sound all that great, but it actually was really good.  It was even better w/o the lettuce.
Have I cooked anything else recently?  Hmm... I don't think so.
Hey!  News!
I am going to try and be a Soy-Free Vegan!  But I will, on occasion, have some soy.

Life is soooo good.  Like food :))

One Starving Girl, A Food Processor, and One Very Happy Stomach

Well, I don't have a picture, but I can sure tell you it was probably the most beautiful thing I've seen in a while ;)
I was very hungry, had tons of vegetables in the fridge to sate my veggie craving for the next few days and I should have them all the time, and have been wanting a wrap also.
And boy!  It was delicious!

Ingredients for Spread
about a teaspoon of salt
about of teaspoon of pepper
about 2 tablespoons of olive oil (yes, it will be a little watery, but the spread should be chunky and the taste it gives is good)
1 can of chickpeas/garbanzo beans
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 teaspoon of paprika on the side

Directions
Put it all in the food processor.  Leave it be chunky and serve or refrigerate.

Ingredients for Wrap
A few rings of Peppers (Green, red, yellow, ect.)
A little less than 1/4 cup Button Mushrooms (maybe 8 mushroom tops)
2 lettuce leaves
1 Tortilla

Directions
Spread 2 teaspoons of Chickpea Spread on the Tortilla.
Then lettuce.
Then mushrooms.
Then peppers.
Now eat it and love it :)

Hmmm... I will have more recipes over the next week, except the weekend - it is my birthday :D
Well, I am excited for the foods of this week, nutritionist tomorrow, but sadly, no dance :(