Ok, well, so of course I'm getting a late start to my posting for the Vegan Mofo 2009! It's what I do, don't ya know! LOL.
Ok, well, the last few weeks for my family have been quite interesting. They are not taking to the idea of going Vegan well at all. I get the doesn't this burger look good thing or "mmmm, meat!" alot. That's partially my fault as I can't bring myself to show the kids the Earthlings video. It affected me so much but they are young. Are they too young? I know that it would be good for them to see, but at what age do you show something like that? Particularly to a bunch of omnivores who have really known no other way?
My husband is pretty much a lost cause. He says that he has no problem with it and will eat whatever I fix, but to not expect him to run out to the Arby's. We went to Chipotle the other day and here I am ordering a vege burrito and Mr I-Have-No-Respect walks up to the poor little girl and asks for a cow burrito. I mean the look on her face said it all. Jaw dropped, sad look in her face, she really truly reminded me of that one particular cow in that movie that stays with me every minute of every day. I wanted to hurt him. It was cruel and showed how big a jackass some people can be.
I got into a philosophical debate with my nanny's boyfriend the other day as well. Trying to explain things and show him WHY is pretty much a lost cause. He's 19, from a small town, and an Xbox junky. Need I say more? Well, he says he goes by what the Bible says about it. I calmly explained that the Bible is completely subjective and should in no way be leaned on for anything(sorry folks). It was written by humans and therefore in no way explains how things should be for Earthlings. If it had been written by a cow, would it say it was ok to eat humans? NO, it wouldn't. Cows don't eat MEAT!! They do nothing to harm anyone else on this planet! And that goes for most, if not all, animals that the human race uses as dinner! It's something to think about and if I can get just one person to just think about it, maybe I can do some good.
If anyone should have any ideas on what to do about the kids, that would be fabulous. Do I share the video or do I just keep going as I'm going and gradually "fix" things with their diets? What age would you say is right to show that video? I want them to see, to understand, but I don't want to damage them.
On a brighter note, I fixed what the family says was a pretty good meal. See the picture above. It's not the best picture in the world but for being a camera phone(my 14 yr old trashed ours during one of her fits before getting sent to live with her sister). Plus its not the best lighting in my itsy bitsy kitchen but you will get an idea of it.
I just started throwing things in so no recipe to share but I can give you a list of ingredients.
EVOO
pesto
zucchini
summer squash
mushrooms
diced jalepeno
garlic
splash of italian dressing
splash of tabasco
whatever pasta you prefer
Do whatever you like with the ingredients. Want more of something, add it. Want none of something? Remove it. I was just throwing in what was in the fridge. I like to experiment. Will I be able to get it "just right" ever again? Probably not but that leads to more experimenting! :)
Well, I have a couple of tests to take for school so I best be getting to that. Plus I have no idea what we are having for dinner yet and I've got a few things to do for clients so I'd best be getting to it.
Till next time, LIVE, LAUGH, and LOVE to the fullest!
Amy
HI !
ReplyDeleteCan't really give advice, only tell what happened here:
When my kids were 6 and 8 I couldn't stand their expecting fish fingers and schnitzels on their plate every day anymore, - I felt they lacked respect for the creature that had given its life to "support" theirs, - they simply forgot (?) WHO was behind that fish finger or golden piece of schnitzel. They knew where everything came from, - but lost their emotional connection to that knowledge, which I, though prepared to feed them what they "wanted", simply couldn't lose.
As I couldn't really serve them a whole roasted pig, I opted for a baked trout "en naturel". I wanted them to see WHO was their dinner and show them their respect, - say thank you, kind of. Yep, I guess I had a melt-down....
So what happened was that my kids broke down in tears, lamenting and mourning the trout's death.
And we didn't have lunch that day, because we were in the backyard, burying little "Fishy", bawling our eyes out, the boys for Fishy, I because I was such a horrible mother.
The older J has been a Vegetarian ever since (and has started to live almost Vegan since the beginning of 2009, when I took the final steps, but is more seriously now when he saw what an effect leaving dairy out of his diet had to his feeling better when he wasn't diagnosed with duodenal ulcer, yet).
The younger J would eat what we ate (mostly Vegetarian) but was free to eat whatever he wanted (well, both really are STILL)which meant that after a few weeks he was basically a meat eating "savage" again (dead cow juice and its products like the rest of us, but also meats on bread, schnitzel or köttbullar at least once a week, - meat in all forms when we were invited, of course..., with his meat dish always making the younger J something special in our family ("my mom thought of me, so I could have "real" bolognaise sauce with my pasta"-kind)...
Then when I decided to go vegan at the beginning of 2009 (what with being active in rescuing dogs and still making a difference between "pets" and "animals", or being concerned about global warming and knowing what is such a big and easily avoidable contributor...), my kids of course asked my "WHY?" and I explained to them. In detail (without the "goriest bits", - I only had to remind them of Fishy) and length.
Talked about the animals, our environment and our fellow humans that we could help to feed so easily.
And while the older J was with me from the moment I started to answer their questions, it was the last point, the "social responsibility" point, that hit the younger J right in his core.
I could see him pause, swallow and digest this info, straigten up, and standing very upright telling me "Why, then of COURSE I can't eat meat anymore."
- okay, my post was too long, so now you'll get it in pieces ;)
ReplyDeletePart 2:
He has been a lacto-veg with an occasional ovum (as in cakes and the likes, when invited) almost every day since January '09, - well he did have meat on 3 occasions, - once on a party we were invited to (I mean schnitzel pizza? come on! I shudder at the thought but for him it was droolfest), once he had pasta salad with sausage in it on a gettogether of the dog rescue we support and once when he and I were at IKEA and he fought but lost against his desire for some köttbullars.
He was appalled at his "weakness" after the IKEA "incident" but I told him that he needn't be, as I don't think less of him because of it and that he should not forget that he has done more in those months for both our fellow creatures, human or not, and our home planet than most of the adults in our country. And that I am proud of him.
Does that make me a bad vegan? Undermining the good cause?
Probably.
But it has given the younger J a good picture of himself and I think, it has helped him following his own agenda, trying to do his PERSONAL best for whoever he wants to do it.
Even if his big ole meany bro, the older J would lovingly rip him a new one each time he felt his younger brother had a "slip up". Which we parents never say, btw. it is always a "decision" made for that special occasion, which we accept (and which may make it easier for him to take up his lacto-lifestyle again after the party).
But mind you, that dead cow juice is still on his menu REALLY bugs me! LOL
Hm, what I wanted to say is, that I think, yes, setting an example by one's own way of living along with answering questions and explaining things in an age-appropriate way (kind of like how I'd go about explaining where the babies come from ;) ) - with the possible exception of meltdowns like I had with Fishy- sounds like a good way. BTW I am the one who goes grocery shopping, - so I'll bring only "alternatives (yah, except for dead cow juice, I'll admit), unless someone would accompany me and ask for something specifically. That way even the younger J has fallen in love with Yofu and soy-puddings (yesss!), something he had been prepared to hate FOR EVER.
Oh, movies like "Babe" or books like "Charlotte's Web" or the new "That's why we don't eat animals" have always been good starters for discussions, - the latter even helping the kids by giving them ideas for answers for those "WHY"s they are regularly facing....
Ah well, that was our "journey", - it's not the smoothest one, - nor would I say one to take as an example for their own way to go aout "the whole business", - but, ha, I wanted to share it anyway ;)
Hugs, KiKi
That looks super yummy! I need that recipe :-)
ReplyDeleteKeyannaRochelle @ A Surveys, Cash & Prizes Blog