Tuesdays Thoughts

Recently someone asked me if I made my decision to go veggie because of the 'animal factor.' I believe that a lot of vegetarians choose this lifestyle because they have a great love for all animals. For me thats not it. I'm not an animal lover--its more that I tolerate them. I like them. I don't mind other peoples pets but we have none and I have no desire for any. That being said, I do believe we were put on this Earth, in part, to be good stewards of our resources and to take care of and look after all that grows and blooms. Having animals bred, born and slaughtered in filthy and inhumane conditions doesn't fit into the good stewards box.

Tonight, per a couple of requests, I made Tater Tot Casserole for dinner. This is not veggie friendly. Since my husband, and on rare occasions my son, still eats meat I've been sporadically cooking with the meat that was left in the house prior to my go veggie decision. I figure these animals have already had a miserable life and death, why make their sacrifice worse by throwing it all away.

Tonight was different. My sister is in town (yea!!!!) and our friend Patrice was maybe coming for dinner. We only had one container of ground death turkey left and that wasn't enough for this group. Robbie has put away an entire pan by himself and my sister is a big fan of this dish as well. It was the first time since February that I stepped foot into the "death meat department". As I asked the butcher for one pound of ground beef I was internally conflicted. I know that I wont be eating this meal but I cant help but acknowledge that by making this purchase I was condoning and supporting an industry I have come to detest. I was sick to my stomach as we checked out.


It was also the first time that I've cooked meat and felt an immense amount of guilt. I made this same meal for my husband a few weeks back, with meat that was in the house, and I didn't feel good about it but I didn't feel terrible about it either. I was semi-neutral. I can't help but wonder if the guilt I had today is from the purchase of 'new' death meat. Or is it that I'm further along in my resolve to not eat meat causing the entire process to feel wrong?

Foodie Friday

I started making dinner this morning, I had some free time, and then realized that Robbie and I are celebrating our anniversary tonight with dinner at a posh restaurant and a room at the Doubletree in the Old Market. So dinner became lunch. When I ate meat one of our favorite meals was stuffed peppers, so I decided to veggie it up!

Veggie Stuffed Peppers
adapted from my friend Warren

Ingredients:
8oz tempeh
1/2c. diced onion
1 garlic clove minced--I use WAY more. But we're garlicy people
1-2T olive oil
2 1/2c diced zucchini
1 tsp chili pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 can tomato soup
1/4lb grated sharp cheese-- I used what was in the fridge and came up with about 1c shredded
1c. quinoa cooked according to package
4 medium peppers

Heat crumbled tempeh in a pan with olive oil, onions and garlic. Add zucchini and let it cook for a couple of minutes so the zucchini gets a chance to start cooking. --I like some firmness to my zucchini, if you like them softer toss them in with the tempeh or cook the mixture a little longer to give them a head start.

Add seasonings and soup.

Simmer for a few more minutes--the original recipe says 10min but I found since there is no meat the soup reduced down pretty quickly.

Add cheese and cooked quinoa. (I ended up using closer to 2C--Stir to combine and cook for a few minutes longer.

Cut and clean out peppers.

Boil in salted water for 4 minutes.

Drain and cool.

Place peppers in a baking dish, fill with stuffing and bake at 350 for 30min.
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I pretty much never do that last part. I do clean out the peppers but I boil them long enough to soften them, fill them and eat them. The baking part warms the stuffing mixture and softens the peppers a little more--but the longer boiling works just as well. Im pretty sure baking would also soften the zucchini more but like I said I like mine with some bite to them!

This is my second attempt at using at tempeh and while I like the dish I feel that the tempeh always hits my taste buds a little oddly. Could be the fermentation? Or maybe I need to try a different brand? Anyone else use tempeh?

Weekend wrap up!

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY AMERICA! You're looking pretty dang good for 235 years old!

My husband told me the other day, which was a Wednesday by the way, that 1 in 4 AMERICANS don't know whom we obtained our independence from or when! How disgusting is that!?!? In case you're the one in four, which I'm certain you're not--but just in case. We obtained our independence from England in 1776.

Any how, are you over my alliterations yet? I can't decide if I am or not. Guess we'll see tomorrow.

On Thursday we had no plans for the weekend. None. We were planning on enjoying a long quiet weekend. Well, ok, we knew that Friday evening we were watching our friends kids and that we were having them back over, plus the parents, on the 4th to grill. But that was it. We were having a low key weekend.

Enter Saturday. We ended up going to a last minute birthday party. I know this sounds crazy to all you non-military families but this couple are both active duty and have nutso schedules. While the unplanned party isn't common its not terribly unusual, its just part of military life. Anyhow, we were able to make it. And let me tell you...yumm! Cake and ice cream and a pinata. My son still doesn't know that candy is an uber coveted treat so he still shares with his Sweet Mommy. By the way, thats what he sometimes (ok rarely, but still) calls me now. Yes my kid is better than yours. Fine, maybe not. But hes definitely sweeter!

And better.

The boy and I 'shared' a piece of cake and one scoop of ice cream. Which I happily saw was a lower fat version. But lets just be real. Sharing cake and ice cream with your kid means you eat more than half and they get a couple of bites here and there. And inside the pinata were Tootsie Rolls. The long skinny ones and the flavored ones. (Yes I do realize how inappropriate that sounds if it were to be taken out of context. Shame on you for taking all of our minds there!) I ate five. Yummmmmmmy! But soon after having cake, ice cream and Tootsie Rolls I could feel it. And not in the 'Oh no my WW points are totally screwed' way--even though they were-- but in the 'Despite my love for Hersheys I really don't eat like this anymore and I'm pretty sure that cake was made with either real or synthetic (mass produced) eggs and butter.'

If you don't eat veggie--or maybe if you're just not me?-- let me tell you what that means. Farts. Smelly, tuba sounding farts. It also means its time to g-o! (If you happen to eat veggie and this doesn't happen to you I don't want to hear about it. I like to believe that my insides are so clean and efficient that any deviation from my no meat, no egg, no milk diet equals gastric unrest. Don't squash my dreams!) But the boy had fun!

--sorry my voice is so loud in the video--

I wrapped up the night with a giant 0 WW points salad. Delish! I love 'free' food. Especially when I've already blown my numbers!

Sunday came and its was fantastic. The boy and I started the morning off with church and a trip to the Farmers Market. We love the Farmers Market. When I asked my little man if he wanted to get some veggies he said, 'Veggies are duh-wishis.' (See I told you he was better! ;) ) He melts my heart. We shopped for our veggies and then played at the park and ate kettle corn. Yum! Unfortunately for us the husband was missing this morning, working on being awake for 28 hours after being called in to work the night before. Can we say boo employer?

The afternoon came to me with wine, food--edamame, veggie flat bread pizza and creme brulee-- and time with a couple of my favorite ladies. Speaking of favorite ladies, if you're a lady in my life you can rest assured you fall into the category of 'favorite'. I'm not big on lukewarm relationships. I like you or I don't and if I do its because I can tell you're going to become a favorite. Or at very least I really like you ;)

Hug your families and enjoy Americas birthday! She sure is beautiful.