Fort Walton Beach

I just had the most AMAZING Vegan meal! I am on a business trip in Fort Walton Beach and the weather is bad. I went to Pranzo Italian Ristorante and the head Chef and owner Ryan whipped me up a Vegetable Ragu with a beer battered Italian polenta cake. OMG it was so good!

1 Year Anniversary as a Vegetarian

Today is my one year as a Vegetarian. This has been the most bold decision I have ever made and I would never look back. My decision to not eat meat goes against the way I was raised and how my family and friends view food and animals. I started on this path because well let's face it, it is healthier for you but I soon learned just flat out how mean it was to kill animals for food especially since it is NOT necessary. So if it is not necessary and it is willfully done, then what does that say about a meat eater?

This past year has been tough, I'm not going to lie. I have been bullied, had fights with loved ones, spent nights crying, and have had date nights with my Husband at restaurants that don't even know what Vegetarian or Vegan is. Even with all the negative experiences I have had, I cannot lose sight of the most important aspect of this whole journey which is the fact that I am saving many animals and that makes all of this so worth it to me. Animals are innocent beings who feel pain just like you and I. I cannot say how happier I could be that I made the compassionate decision 1 year ago to be Vegetarian. The next part of my journey is to move towards a (to the best of my abilities) Vegan lifestyle.

I would like to take a moment to encourage everyone to try a Vegetarian or Vegan meal to see if this is a journey that you would like to make too! This has forever changed my life and I just feel so incredibly blessed. This decision brings a new meaning of the word purpose to my life. Cheers to me and my past and future journey!

Quinoa Burger and Sweet Potato Fries

Yummy!

What do you gain?

So many people ask me about what I am giving up to be a Vegan. I like to instead focus on what I am gaining from being a Vegan. I am gaining back my health, the security in knowing that I am saving aninals, a growing passion for animals, and how to be compassionate. What do you gain?

Pastalicious

 

I made this yummy pasta today and thought I would share.

 

 

Ingredients:

 

8-10 Roma Tomatoes

1 Package of non-dairy Pasta - I use the pasta in the picture below

1 Whole Garlic - I love garlic

Shitake Mushrooms

1 Jalapeno

1 Small Can of Tomato Paste

1 Cup of parsley

Rosemary

Oregano

Sea Salt

 

 

Step 1: Start cooking the pasta according to the directions on the package.

 

Step 2: Cut the tomatoes and peel the garlic

 

Step 3: Combine the following in ingredients: Tomatoes, Garlic, Jalapeno, Can of Tomato Paste, Rosemary, Oregano, and Sea Salt. I ate the pasta sauce raw but you can also cook it.

 

Step 4: Sautee the Shitake Mushrooms, no oil is needed for this. 

 

Step 5: Assemble your bowl with the pasta, then shitake mushrooms, and then the pasta sauce on top.

 

Bon Appétit