Trick or Treaters outside.  I hear little giggling groups of them coming up to the door.  Every year I have to decide if I want to open the door 47 times and take a chance that one of my dogs will disapear into the night, or put treats outide.  “Putting treats outside” has won out over the last few years.  But I do put a note outside to explain that I don’t want to dogs to freak out every time someone rings the bell! 

Aside from Trick or Treaters, other interesting things are brewing in the witches cauldron!  (Sorry. Halloween, and all.)

In November I’m going to be adding some veggie dishes to the menu at a party.  And I’ve been asked by a local supermarket to do a veggie food demo at their Healthy Eating Day.  (Isn’t that how Rachel Ray started out??)

BUT THAT’S NOT ALL! (giggle)  I’m going to be filming a pilot for a veggie cooking show on TV.  I should be speaking to the production people this week, and all that’s left is to find sponsors.  All that’s left?  Well, in order to fund production of a pilot, and possibly a few additional episodes, you have to track down funds.  So, sponsors…..  where are you?  lol

Get in early on something I hope is going to be big.  I’m soooo excited.  I just can’t hide it…..!

Mindy

An exchange was had, a few days ago, between me and a famous chef who I used to admire quite a bit.  I’ve had two of his books on my shelf for years and have given them as gifts.  Will I remove the books from my shelf based on the conversation?  Probably not, but it does make me think twice, about “where his head is at,” and about the reason I finally became a vegetarian in 2002.

What was the point of his arguing with me?  Macho?  Stupidity?  Complete ignorance?  You tell me.

Chef– thank you animal restaurant for doing foie gras dinner. Underscore the fundamental hypocrisy of a CA foie ban //nyti.ms/pztR56

(Referring to an article titled “In California, Going all Out to Bid Adieu to Foie Gras.”)

Me– Hypocrisy? To torment a poor animal by force-feeding it for your gastronomical pleasure? Would you do that to your dog or cat?

Chef– the 400K ducks were treated like royalty compared with the billions of cows chix pigs of our industrial livestock system

Me– Exactly. That’s why I became a vegetarian.  Take a look at the last blog on my web www.PrettyVeggie.com

Chef– by their reasoning CA should mandate vegetarianism, that would not be hypocritical

Me–  Read through the pages, too. Interesting background and progression.

An hour goes by…..

Me– It would be fair to RT my Tweets to you so your followers get both sides of the conversation, don’t you think?

No response.

Two days later.

Chef– RT. NOOOO! Foie Gras Lovers in California Will Soon Become Victims to Rights of Ducks- /bloom.bg/mVt9RQ

Me– Good. Abusing animals is not acceptable.

Chef– foie ducks are treated as well as if not better than any of the animals we raise for food

Me– I noticed you didn’t RT my responses for the sake of fairness, even after I asked you to, so I will outline the sit in my blog

As far as I can tell, there have been no additional comments by this gentleman on Twitter on this subject.

In case you don’t know how the “delicacy” foie gras is made, you might want to look it up.  Its horrible.  “Foie duck”?  Do you know what veal actually is?  Suckling pig?

The way we treat our animals.  The way we make them live.  The way they die.  Would you do that to your dog or cat?  Then, why do we do it to other animals?  You tell me…..

This is not a Jerry Seinfeld, “Seriously?”  This is a serious “Seriously.”  So be forewarned!

A couple of days ago there was a guy online saying that if we eat animals it must be ok to eat puppies….  right?  No doubt he knew that would cause a stir, and the stir it cause was expected.

My take on this is, how can you love animals, how can you look at your own dog, or cat, or lions, or tigers or bears….. or cows, or pigs, or chickens, and EAT them??

It just doesn’t make sense to me, and it breaks my heart….

Mindy

The weather? Crazy, isn’t it?

Almost 80 degrees yesterday and today, sitting with the back door open so the dogs can go in and out…. but cool weather is coming again.  Back to “Rain, rain, go away!”  Not another ark building mood in the next couple of days?  Nooooo……!

Posted the Chicken Gyro and Tzadziki recipe today.  Too warm to do much cooking and that’s quick, easy, and yummy.  You’ll need lots of napkins!

Enjoy!

Mindy

Crazy weather this past week.  Hot. Cold. Hot. Cold.  Brrr……

But, the Un-Stuffed Cabbage “recipe” (yes, with veggie “meat”), so sweet, tangy and comforting, will be posted tomorrow.  Photos are downloaded and the recipe will be, too.  Yippee!

Surprise, surprise, I’ve also made the long waited Thai “Chicken” with Eggplant and Pineapple!  Photos are downloaded, and the recipe will be up in a few days.  I want to be fair to the other photos I’ve already posted on Twitter, though, and get their “recipes” up, too.

You know my unique version of “recipe” writing.  More like lively decscriptions.  But, with the weather getting cooler these comfort foods will be so welcome.

Have you tried the Shepherd’s Pie yet?  SO good!  And, you see?  Everything is Pretty… darn… Veggie!

“Pretty Veggie” Mindy

Oh, my goodness!  I’ve turned into a recipe writer, and food blogger and stylist!  And, you know what?  I kinda like it!  Now, for the TV show!  lol

I’m a “a little of this, a little of that” cook, so writing anythng down has been an interesting endeavor.  You can see why I’ve been writing “recipe” instead of recipe.  Its more of a description than a step-by-step recipe, but doing it this way is a lot more fun.

I’ve been listening to people talk about Steve Jobs, particularly some of the things he’d said along the way, about work, about life.  Maybe he’s trying to tell me something…… 

Mindy