Yum yums

Tonight I made some more!

Though it may be vegan, I'm not exactly sure how healthy it was. I wish I knew how to count calories and things when cooking, but I have no idea. I'm actually trying to keep a food diary. I'm not getting too serious about it, but I'm just curious what it is that I actually eat. Paying attention to it has really shocked me in a lot of cases. I don't think I eat horribly, or exceptionally either. What really got me is the serving sizes and what size portions I eat and how it all adds up. It's crazy how easy it is to overeat.

Anyways, my dinner was really sweet (the tofu and the rice). I usually don't like sweet things unless it's dessert, however, tonight, I guess I was in the mood. The tofu recipe, I got from Eat, Drink, and Be Vegan...the book Tyler had given me as a gift.

It's called Orange Sesame Tofu. Not too hard to make at all, but may take a little bit of prep time (marinating the tofu for at least an hour is recommended). Originally, I saw another recipe suggested as a sidedish to the tofu, but when I found I didn't have all the ingredients, I looked up something similar online. It's very simply called Coconut Rice. I excluded the lemongrass and just went with the coconut milk and sautéed onions...oh and I cut the recipe in half. You could definitely taste the coconut, but I want to say it wasn't too overbearing. I honestly think the onions made the recipe, though. To go along with everything else and to bring color to my plate, I bought a huge batch of asparagus. I'm obsessed with green vegetables! I seriously can't wait to eat my leftovers tomorrow.

This is how I know I'm getting old

I find this video disturbing.

I love Dakota Fanning and all, but I'm just not ready to see her in thigh highs and making out with dudes. Isn't she still 6, and wasn't her last movie I Am Sam?

Regardless, I will probably go see this movie just for the shock factor.

How does she go from so darn cute, to so darn "adult-like?"

Beating, not biting the bullets

More and more every day I want to get involved. My heart is literally tearing at the seams. Stories like this make me feel so heartbroken...and helpless. I want to help animals find a better life, a home, a family, and the care they deserve. I only wish I had the resources to help foster animals, or even adopt. Don't get me wrong, I love my perfect puppy, but there are so many animals out there that need love. Where do you even start?

Thank you, Ultragrrrl, for retweeting about this. This is an awful, yet amazing story how this guy survived after 2 bullets. What kind of person could even think of doing something like this. They should be tortured.

Someone, please, adopt this adorable dog.

A Unicorn's Birthday Book

Tonight, I found an old notebook of mine containing the birthdays of all my stuffed animals from childhood. Literally, I had hundreds of stuffed animals, and each had names and birthdays. The funny thing is, looking through my scribbling of names, I can totally remember each one of these beloved friends.

Are you surprised?

In case you couldn't tell, I had a little help from my dad in naming one of my little fellas. Too bad he didn't help me spell it.

Fee-Fee was my very first stuffed animal and was given to me on the day I was born. I wonder why we don't have the same birthday. Also, I named my dolphin poster?

I love that I named one of my guys "FunBun." I have no idea where that came from.

I started leaving myself notes in case I lost track.

I believe it's spelt R-A-G-G-E-D-Y A-N-N.

As you can tell I was quite the speller, and had quite the imagination. Some may have had imaginary friends, but mine were real. ;0)

Flapjack Smack

Totally made my first pancakes from scratch today...no dairy involved, and no eggs.

I felt defeated, yesterday, when I went out to breakfast with my parents. Everything on the menu had some sort of dairy product in it besides, maybe, the homefries? The waitress looked at me like I had two heads, too, when I asked about the ingredients in the batter. I suppose I should have known better in going to a small-town diner. Well, every now and then, I "cheat" on the not-so-obvious (breads, bagels, pasta, etc), and yesterday was one of those times. I got the waffles with strawberries, holding the whipped cream. Man, I cannot even tell you how unsatisfying it was. Sure a waffle is a waffle, but they gooped it with this gross, thick, strawberry jam-like topping. It was warm, syrup-y, and way too sweet. I guess I was expecting fresh strawberries delicately placed on top. I think I am becoming somewhat of a food snob, now.

Anyways, I decided this morning that I would take my revenge by cooking something marvelous and extremely simple: Banana Flapjacks. I took the recipe straight from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's cookbook, Vegan Brunch, and divided it in half. In less than 10 minutes, I was eating this delicious treat.

Need I say more? It was awesome.

I have to say thank you to my good friends who have supported me in this choice I have made even though they don't choose it for themselves. Occasionally, I'll get the sarcastic remarks, the mocking, and the down right cruel displays of behavior from others about becoming vegan, and honestly, it hurts. Sometimes they act as if I've joined a cult or done something horrific. So to those that have been good to me, I will do my best to be good to you. I will not judge you for eating meat. I will not shove veggies in your face. And I will not preach about my way...directly...and unless called upon. But, seriously, it means a lot...especially the gifts, two vegan cookbooks, from my boyfriend who is the biggest carnivore I know. I love you...all of you. You know who you are.