Things I like this week (vol. 7)

What do I like this week?

(As appropriately timed as it could be, post Thanksgiving…)

FOOD!!!

Well, particularly, food blogs.

First up, Angela from Oh She Glows

Oh

My

Gosh

I LOVE Angela’s blog. Besides the fact that her photos are beautiful and her blog is super fun to read, her food.is.delicious. I’ve made 3 recipes from her blog in the past month and I have loved every last bite I’ve eaten. Oh, did I mention her recipes are VEGAN?!?! (Although my versions were not. I used cow’s milk and cheese…)

Here are the recipes I made:

1) Mushroom Millet Soup with Cheezy Garlic Bread – Super healthy, filling and yummy.  I used quinoa, not millet. It was a great lunch the next day and gave me tons of energy.

2) Black Bean and Butternut Squash Burritos – Ever since I gave up meat, burritos haven’t sounded that great. What is a burrito without meat? Well, my sister and I made these a few weeks ago and I gobbled mine down so fast it was gone before Sarah even sat down. I was dying I loved it so much. I will definitely be making this again soon!

3) Pumpkin Pie Breakfast Casserole – My brother wouldn’t let me cut up the rest of his pumpkin pie to make this gem, so my dad let me use his. It was really easy to make and so unbelievably good. My only disappointment was that I made it in Northern CA on Sunday so I couldn’t bring the leftovers home with me. I’m going to make it again this weekend, though!!

My other new food blog love? Jessica from How Sweet It is

I’ve only made one of her recipes (Potato Pancakes to go with Angela’s Pumpkin Pie Breakfast Casserole), but I plan to make many, many more. Here’s a few on my list:

• All of these cookies. Okay. Fine. Maybe just 5 of the recipes.
• Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells
• Caramelized Pear, Squash & Parmesan Noodles 
• Lightened-Up Sweet Potato Casserole 

Seriously, try one of their recipes! You won’t be disappointed, I promise.

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Another quick thing I like this week?

This post from Molly over at Smart Pretty and Awkward.

Happy Monday.

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Home for the Holidays (and other special events)

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From November 19 – December 26 I will have traveled from San Diego to the Bay Area four times.

FOUR TIMES.

Three of the four times will for sure be by flight. I may drive the last trip.

I know what you’re thinking: “Why!?!?” Well, I went to home (the Bay Area) last weekend to celebrate S2‘s graduation from her master’s program, I’m in the airport tonight for Thanksgiving, in a couple of weeks I’ll be going home for Buddy‘s first birthday (Can you believe it has already been a year?!?! Buddy will be one year old. Seriously, so amazingly exciting). Then, for Christmas. I may drive home for the Christmas trip, but it has yet to be decided.

I got a late flight out of San Diego today. I did this for two fold: 1) I didn’t know what time I would be off work and I didn’t want to risk missing my flight. 2) I didn’t know what the traffic would be like and I didn’t want to miss my flight.

Even though I was home um, TWO AND 1/2 DAYS AGO, I didn’t want to miss a single second at home.

And although my sleeping situation this Thanksgiving is a little, well I guess I’ll say nomadic, (Of the four nights I’m home I’ll be sleeping in four different beds in two houses. It’s complicated. Never mind) I am thrilled to be on my way home.

Again.

Last weekend was sort of a blur and I imagine this weekend will be too. I try to see so many different people, and spend lots of time with this special girl:

Oh, Tahn

She is just as sweet as I remembered.

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I hope everyone has a great, Happy Thanksgiving!

12 Mini Confessions

After reading Jenny Blake’s’ 12 Mini Confessions today, I felt inspired to write a few of my own… Happy Monday.

1. Tahn’s name: When I introduce someone to Tahnee for the first time, I feel like they’re judging me – because she is a black dog with a name pronounced “Tawney” – a beige color So before they can even ask, I automatically tell them I did not name her.
2. I’ve been afraid that moving to San Diego was a mistake:  After a few bad days in San Diego, I secretly thought, “Was this a good idea? Should I just pack up and go home?” but at the end of the day, I am happy with my decision.
3. Sweets: I cannot go a day without having something sweet. Ever. (Maybe that’s why I’m doing Operation Love Handle).
4. RHWBH: My favorite trashy TV show right now is Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. I’m embarrassed to admit it.
5. Organization/ Planning: I am completely organized at work, where everything has it’s place. I plan entire productions, operations, crews of people. Everything goes according to plan and without a hitch. Not at home. My room is a mess. Over half the things I need are accidentally in storage (I mistakenly labeled them storage…) I guess I use all my creative, organized energy towards work…
6. Movies: My perfect day is watching movies all day laying on the couch. (Pretty Woman? Dumb and Dumber? You’ve Got Mail?)
7. Sans Tahn: As much as I miss Tahn, I am really enjoying my freedom – not worrying about her or getting home to feed her or take her out. It’s nice making spur of the moment plans without thinking of anyone but myself.
8. Bedtime: I’m rarely awake past 10pm on a work night. Like Tahn, Mommy needs her sleep.
9. My favorite way to spend an evening is reading blogs. I know. I’m boring.
10. I really, really want to learn how to surf: Even though I’m slightly afraid of being pulled out to sea in the current, I desperately want to learn.
11. I cannot do a regular push-up. And I never have been able to. Although, I am currently adding a new workout to remedy this situation and I will share about soon… 🙂
12. I loved the Oprah show and wish that I could have been an audience member before it ended. So, so sad.

Do you have any confessions?

The Road to Pescatarianism

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*Below is a rather serious post about why I am no longer eating meat. If it’s not your thing, feel free to skip this post 🙂

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I’ve been thinking about giving up meat for over three years now. I’m not sure where the idea exactly came from; I believe that I started learning about meat today and how it’s packed with antibiotics, the cows/chickens/pigs are fed with corn and I started re-thinking my consumption of meat. Michael Pollan also was very popular at the time, and everyone was reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma. From watching Pollan on Oprah, I found that I could buy free-range, grass fed meat. Wolia! Problem solved.

Right?

Well. No…

In 2010, I decided I was giving up pork for the year. (Unless – this is a big unless – it was free range and not corn fed. Free range, corn fed pork is actually really challenging to find). In fact, it was my New Year’s Resolution. Except for an occasional free range pork meal, or when I didn’t have the heart to tell someone I didn’t eat pork, I didn’t eat it for the entire year.

It. Was. Hard.

I was so happy when 2011 started and I could eat pork again. Hello, pork roast, ham, bacon. YUM. I missed you, my friends.

So I ate meat again. Visa-Vi, my non pork experiment was good. Right?

Wait.

Okay, the purpose of my not-eating-pork-that-isn’t-humanly-raised experiment wasn’t just to see if I couldn’t eat pork. It was 2 fold.

1) I read somewhere that pigs are similar to dogs. And you know how much I LOVEMYDOG.

2) I thought (and still do) that if we (AMERICANS) support animal farmers who treat their animals humanely should be supported; not those who treat their animals poorly, don’t let them exercise and have their animals lead a confined life.

So, my “year-free-of-pork” was to make (more than anything) an economical statement; I was not going to financially support animal farmers who did not treat their pigs humanely.

Okay.

How did I go from not eating pigs for a year (to make an economical statement) to no longer eating meat, ever?*

Reality? The truth? Again, it was 2 fold:

1) I read Lauren‘s post on Oprah’s Vegan episode. Then I watched the video – at a slaughter house. (WARNING. It’s graphic).

2) I came to terms with what I already knew. I knew that I am, and have always been a grocery store meat eater. What does that mean? That means that I could easily buy, prepare and eat meat I bought at the grocery store. But, I could never, ever (unless I was starving) kill an animal and eat it. I think it’s revolting. Bleh. I would sooner eat a handful of bugs than eat a cow, pig, chicken, or any other livestock that I killed. Just to kill the animal would be devastating to me, let alone skin it, cook it, and eat it. The idea is overwhelmingly upsetting to me.

So. As of the endish** of September, I have tried to no longer eat meat.

Wait. Why fish, then? (A Pescatarian is a person who eats fish but no other meat).

Um. Because I could (and have) fished, filleted, and eaten fish. While it’s slimy and gross, I could do it. I can do it. I don’t have a problem with it.

Why fish and not chickens? I don’t know. I really don’t. Maybe because fish don’t appear to have the same personality/ intelligence as an flesh animal. I don’t know. Maybe they do. But, really, the Can-I-Kill-This-With-My-Own-Bare-Hands question is my rule of measure when eating meat.

Having said all of this, I have really missed meat. OMG. One of my roommates grilled a steak Sunday night. OMG. I wanted one so badly it hurt. Can I mention that beef is my favorite meat? I could take or leave chicken, I do enjoy pork, but I LOVE BEEF.

I love hamburgers. Ugh. To think I will never eat a hamburger again for the rest of my life really is sad to me. I will miss them.

I really like ham. And bacon. And pork chops. I have fond memories with my family around pork products.

But, I am so happy with my decision. I haven’t regretted it, not only for a second. Many times I have seen meat (raw or cooked) and been disgusted. I see it for what it is, animal flesh. I hope it continues to motivate me to refrain from meat eating.

*After I dropped the “meat is animal flesh” bomb, I will tell you my exceptions to my new lifestyle.

1) Politeness. I will eat meat if someone invites me to their home to eat a meal and does not know I don’t eat meat. If they aren’t serving any food sans meat, I will partake in eating said meat. I personally find it rude when people are offered food and decline it – especially when they aren’t allergic. So, I will eat it.

2) Marshmallows. Sooooooo sad. Last time this year (via Facebook) I learned marshmallows (um, my FAVORITE THING EVER) aren’t vegetarian. They are made with gelatin, which is an animal by product, blah, blah, blah. Of course, at Whole Foods or your local Co-Op you can find vegan marshmallows for like $6. And I’m not quite ready to drop $6 on marshmallows yet…

3) Thanksgiving. Yeah, I’m not ready to give up turkey this year. I am really not a fan of tofu (even deliciously flavored tofurky) so I can’t give it up quite yet. And no, I couldn’t kill a damn Turkey. I’m doing my best.

4) Meals made for me with a meat product in it. Like, if you make me soup and use chicken broth (because you forgot). I will eat it. But, now that you know I don’t eat meat so you won’t do that! 🙂

So, why am I telling you this? To change you? To convince you to give up meat too? Nope. Honestly, I am telling you this not only to keep myself accountable, but also tell you now so I don’t have to explain it later.***

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** I was going to give up eating meat October 1, but I went to a wedding where meat was served and I was so hungry that I couldn’t pass up. I haven’t eat meat since that weekend.

*** The social expectation to eat meat is HUGE. It makes people uncomfortable and sad when I mention I don’t eat meat. (I actually try not to mention it to avoid the conversation). Of course, everyone asks “Why?” which is super awkward, especially when we’re eating and they’re eating meat. I stumble over my words, and barely answer the question. After people know I’m not eating meat and we’re eating out and sharing a meal they are always sad when they realize I won’t split chicken tacos with them or sliders. I know. I’m sad too. I love sliders.