Friday, November 30, 2007
So what should we do while at the reunion?
I was just wondering, should try to prove to our respective wives and actually plan some activities while we are there? Really, I just want to see how Julie reacts to us actually planning something. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Who's that good looking guy?
[Picture removed by request]
It's actually quite easy. Once you are a contributor, you simply click the icon to load a picture such as the one above. Can you guess who this is?
It's actually quite easy. Once you are a contributor, you simply click the icon to load a picture such as the one above. Can you guess who this is?
Who would have thought?
So Terri's question about what to make was never really answered, so I thought I'd give it a shot. For those of us that are omnivores, your enchilladas will be greatly appreciated. For the vegans amongst us, they would need to be changed substantially. Seattle is a fairly easy place to be a vegan by comparison to other cities and therefore there is a lot of information around about vegans.
What is a vegan? One who does not consume animal products or food that is prepared using animal products. What does this mean? No meat (duh), no dairy, no eggs, etc. Nothing fried in or uses animal fat. Some of the not so obvious things? No processed sugar that is prepared in the usual way. Most store brand and popular brands of sugar use animal bones in their processing so these cannot be used. Organic sugar is not usually prepared this way. It can be used. There have been lots of changes since my first exposure to vegans. Lots of meat substitutes, lots of improvements (read: taste better) to soy products. So this is what the non-vegan says, what do the vegans say? Please correct me for any errors in this.
Recipes:
In looking at many recipes in the last couple days, this is not as difficult as it seems. Mike, remember when you cut out all glutens, wheat, and dairy? Now THAT is hard! :) I can post a couple recipes, but please add. Maybe by the time the reunion rolls around, we can have some that people like.
Mama's Mock Meatloaf
Better than what mom used to make. Serve it with ketchup, mashed potatoes, and gravy.
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced (optional)
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 packages beef–flavor Gimme Lean Beef
1/4 cup oatmeal, dry
2 slices white bread, crumbled
3 Tbsp. ketchup
2 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. pepper
Coating ingredients:
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• Sauté the onion and green pepper in the oil over medium heat until soft. Combine in a bowl with the ground beef alternative, oatmeal, bread, ketchup, garlic salt, and pepper. Thoroughly mix with a spoon or your hands.
• Press the mixture into an oiled loaf pan. Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes.• Meanwhile, mix together the ingredients for the coating and set aside.
• Remove the loaf from the oven and turn it out onto a baking sheet. Spread the coating over the entire loaf. Cook, uncovered, for another 15 minutes.
Makes 6 servings
Source: PETA. org
Shepherd’s Pie
This pie is the perfect comfort food for a cold winter evening.
4 medium potatoes, diced
2 Tbsp. margarine
1/4 cup soy milk or liquid nondairy creamer
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
12 oz. faux ground beef-style crumbles (try Yves® Veggie Ground Round)
1 10.5-oz. can Campbells mushroom gravy (or 1 1/4 cups prepared vegetarian gravy of your choice)
1 6-oz. can mixed peas and carrots, drained
Salt, garlic powder, pepper, and cayenne, to taste
• Boil the potatoes for 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain and mash with the margarine and soy milk or nondairy creamer. Season with salt and pepper.
• In a medium pan, sauté the onion in the oil until translucent.
• In a medium bowl, mix the cooked onions, faux beef crumbles, mushroom gravy, peas and carrots, and spices. Pour into a pie pan. Top the crumble mixture with the potatoes, spreading to the edges.
• Bake in a 350°F oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are browned and the crumble mixture bubbles out the edges.
Makes 6 to 9 servings
Source: PETA.org
There are also many brands sold (Amy's, Yve's, Boca, Lightlife) that have vegan items.
What is a vegan? One who does not consume animal products or food that is prepared using animal products. What does this mean? No meat (duh), no dairy, no eggs, etc. Nothing fried in or uses animal fat. Some of the not so obvious things? No processed sugar that is prepared in the usual way. Most store brand and popular brands of sugar use animal bones in their processing so these cannot be used. Organic sugar is not usually prepared this way. It can be used. There have been lots of changes since my first exposure to vegans. Lots of meat substitutes, lots of improvements (read: taste better) to soy products. So this is what the non-vegan says, what do the vegans say? Please correct me for any errors in this.
Recipes:
In looking at many recipes in the last couple days, this is not as difficult as it seems. Mike, remember when you cut out all glutens, wheat, and dairy? Now THAT is hard! :) I can post a couple recipes, but please add. Maybe by the time the reunion rolls around, we can have some that people like.
Mama's Mock Meatloaf
Better than what mom used to make. Serve it with ketchup, mashed potatoes, and gravy.
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced (optional)
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 packages beef–flavor Gimme Lean Beef
1/4 cup oatmeal, dry
2 slices white bread, crumbled
3 Tbsp. ketchup
2 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. pepper
Coating ingredients:
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• Sauté the onion and green pepper in the oil over medium heat until soft. Combine in a bowl with the ground beef alternative, oatmeal, bread, ketchup, garlic salt, and pepper. Thoroughly mix with a spoon or your hands.
• Press the mixture into an oiled loaf pan. Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes.• Meanwhile, mix together the ingredients for the coating and set aside.
• Remove the loaf from the oven and turn it out onto a baking sheet. Spread the coating over the entire loaf. Cook, uncovered, for another 15 minutes.
Makes 6 servings
Source: PETA. org
Shepherd’s Pie
This pie is the perfect comfort food for a cold winter evening.
4 medium potatoes, diced
2 Tbsp. margarine
1/4 cup soy milk or liquid nondairy creamer
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
12 oz. faux ground beef-style crumbles (try Yves® Veggie Ground Round)
1 10.5-oz. can Campbells mushroom gravy (or 1 1/4 cups prepared vegetarian gravy of your choice)
1 6-oz. can mixed peas and carrots, drained
Salt, garlic powder, pepper, and cayenne, to taste
• Boil the potatoes for 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain and mash with the margarine and soy milk or nondairy creamer. Season with salt and pepper.
• In a medium pan, sauté the onion in the oil until translucent.
• In a medium bowl, mix the cooked onions, faux beef crumbles, mushroom gravy, peas and carrots, and spices. Pour into a pie pan. Top the crumble mixture with the potatoes, spreading to the edges.
• Bake in a 350°F oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are browned and the crumble mixture bubbles out the edges.
Makes 6 to 9 servings
Source: PETA.org
There are also many brands sold (Amy's, Yve's, Boca, Lightlife) that have vegan items.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
My Family Is Awesome!
The recent surge of email activity only reinforced this undeniable truth about our family... We're awesome.
Since I think the type of dialogue we've thus far seen is extremely important for us to continue... and since none of us really work.. i thought a blog in honor of this momentous occasion should be created. We can share our newest diet plans, keep everyone updated on the number of hairs we lost this week, and make fun of each other. You know... the good stuff.
I've never really "blogged" before, but maybe this could be the start of something new for me and us....
If you're interested in posting stuff here let me know (I didn't send out invites, since I didn't know if people were interested
......There Appears to be sufficient interest, so everyone should have received an invite by now. : )
if you want to contribute to this blog you have to open a free Gmail account... Gmail has tons of nice, free features... )
Soren
Since I think the type of dialogue we've thus far seen is extremely important for us to continue... and since none of us really work.. i thought a blog in honor of this momentous occasion should be created. We can share our newest diet plans, keep everyone updated on the number of hairs we lost this week, and make fun of each other. You know... the good stuff.
I've never really "blogged" before, but maybe this could be the start of something new for me and us....
If you're interested in posting stuff here let me know (I didn't send out invites, since I didn't know if people were interested
......There Appears to be sufficient interest, so everyone should have received an invite by now. : )
if you want to contribute to this blog you have to open a free Gmail account... Gmail has tons of nice, free features... )
Soren
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