Vote: The Chicken or the Pig?

Did you Vote?

Confused about your choices here in the title? You should be. 

They are not the usual party affiliations, they are not even Boston Market choices...

Recently I have been struggling with going vegan and finding a way to live that is healthy and kid friendly. I want my children to strive not just survive. So with all the blogs devoted to crying over who won and who lost in the presidential election, all the commercialization of the process and the lack of real control I am writing about Living with the choices of others.

You really have two options in any election, vote and live with the choice of the majority or veto and live with the choice of the majority. It used to be drastically different and voters had a measure of control. As did the electoral body, the president and the lobbyists. Now? Not so much!

I have been very concerned about the health and well being of my children. It's been over a year since my near death surgery and my 'letters to my kids'. I feel even more confused with every new piece of information I find. It always amazes me at the age of the material I 'uncover'. These breaking stories and scandals have been brewing for years, even decades and no changes are on the horizon.

I'm trying not to be doomsayer but the election process is messed up and has been since big business bought off compassion. After World War II the population needed to be fed for less. They needed to feel like they mattered in the equation and they were frightened and worried about their children's future. Today... hmmm, sounds pretty similar to me.

I honestly think either candidate would have done similarly good and perhaps a similar level of bad. What I really worry about is how complacent we Americans have become in general and what legacy we are leaving our children.

I used to be proud to be an American. Proud that my father served. Proud to be living the American dream. Then I lost everything and realized that none of that mattered! We are not entitled simply because we were born American citizens. We are not even supportive of our service members current or past in this country. We say all the right things because we are a generation of politically correct cattle. It should be fitting that we are all going to slaughter but it's not my head dangling on the bleeding line, it's my children's. 

If you could wake up tomorrow with only three things, people, or senses each... What really matters to you? Your health? Your family? Your job? Your car? House? Family Bible? Grandmother's quilt? Pet? The real answers might elude you until you are literally faced with the options. I pray none of you or my children find yourselves in that situation.

There are many organizations out there speaking out against animal abuse across the species. I am not even touching on that in this post. Instead I want you to REALLY THINK about what you are eating, what is in it, what it is, where it came from, and if you need it.

We are so used to having what we want, how we want, when we want and for so cheap it might as well be free that we are selling our humanity and our children's health for convenience sake. Humans no longer NEED to eat MEAT! Yep I said it!! We don't need to! Why do we? Because it's hard to learn how to cook substitutes... because it's cheaper... because we like anything quick and easy... because we would rather spend our money on clothes, shoes, movies, or other want item... because we aren't used to being deprived of anything we want.

If you see a half starved, crippled cat, dog or horse covered in oozing sores and mangled with mutated genes and the effects of human cruelty and your first thought is "Yum, guess what's for dinner!" Then there is no changing your mind. You are always going to be a carnivore. But if your heart breaks and you want it put out of it's misery, healed and allowed to live a happy life... then why is it ok to eat grossly mutated farm animals covered in oozing sores, blisters and the marks of their confinement?

If you think going vegitarian or vegan is for wimps or bleeding hearts give this a thought: What keeps me up late tonight is the newly acquired knowledge that the last major flu to jump species and kill was caused by birds. And that's what they are now saying causes all the previous pandemics as well! Are you even reading this? PUT DOWN THAT CHICKEN LEG and pay attention!!! The genetically altered animals we now serve, buy and eat are the direct cause of flu viruses that have killed and are due to kill millions. These viruses are already present in migrating water fowl. Chickens and pigs are the incubators needed to spread these cross-breeds to humans. 

So if you don't care that your dietary CHOICE causes the proliferation of mutant animals that could never procreate or survive in nature due to the faulty genetics and drugs in their bodies, maybe you should CONSIDER that as long as the demand for these beasts as edible carcasses exists, the REAL threat of a worldwide virus spree is closer and closer.

I want my children to grow up strong and never sacrifice their compassion for convenience, their appetite for another's illness or their voice for financial gain.

Who's with me?

Kitchen Tips 101

My Mom was a whiz in the kitchen. My sister was her best pupil. I was always outside... getting filthy... playing with the boys in the dirt... I laugh thinking of it now, but i was terrified the first time I had to prepare a meal on my own. My mom was the one laughing then. She says, "I tried to teach you, but you never wanted to stay in the kitchen and learn". And she was correct of course. The only time I ever spent in the kitchen was when it was my turn to wash the dishes. Which it seemed to be often because I was forever trading turns with my sister in exchange for something or another.

Now in my thirties with two kids of my own and both too young to care about kitchen tips, I think it's time to log my tips and tricks for you to pick up and share. And maybe one day they'll look back on these posts and sigh with relief. I know my stand-by is calling Mom with even the simplest of questions. My favorite to date was probably, "Mom I'm making soup and it's too thin, how do I thicken it a bit?".

So here is my first post of Kitchen tips I have picked up either from searching or from trial and error.

My all time favorite TIP:

When boiling pasta of any kind (Mac N Cheese to Ziti) add a teaspoon or splash of olive oil, or your favorite oil, to the water. Add it after filling with water and place on the stove.

If you like to add salt to your boiling water like me, add the salt when the water starts to boil, before adding the pasta.

Once you drop in your pasta, swish with a spoon.

Cook as usual. You should notice that it sticks less, esp when draining!

If you have trouble with pasta sticking to the bottom of your pan, spray with pam (or other brand) before adding water and/or stir more often.

Hope this helps! And YES, it really does work! (That's why my olive oil is next to the stove always!!)