On Mondays I will be featuring fellow vegetarian and vegan book people. Today on the blog, I have a vegetarian-going-vegan author who just released her debut novel! She's a hardworking person who is totally a blast to chat with. We're working together on some future projects, so please welcome Patty Maximini to the blog today!
Why I Am A Vegetarian
In all honesty, I've never been much of a meat eater. My meat consumption was mostly hamburgers, hotdogs, nuggets, and shrimp, which were the only meats I actually loved to eat. But that was until 2008 when two things changed my eating habits for good.
The first happened in June. It was a long conversation with the first vegetarian person I'd ever met. He was tall, handsome, and would eventually become my husband. But on that day, our talk was nowhere near romance. In fact, we talked about cruelty and abuse towards animals and what happens behind the curtains in the meat industry. Call me silly, but I was one of those people who had never thought of meat beyond the freezer aisle in the supermarket. I was also an animal lover, and for that reason, that conversation shocked me and made me cry. When I went home that night, I had a new found conscience and a book called "Empty Cages" to read.
That book changed my mind, my heart, and my life. There were stories that were too painful, but they were also the ones that changed me. Every time I looked at a piece of meat, I thought about what that animal had gone through so I could eat that burger, and it weighed heavy on my conscience. Within a month of that original conversation I had stopped eating pretty much every meat. I was happy and so proud of myself for it, and the best part was that the process was so easy for me. Well, that is, if you count out the shrimp. As much as I wanted to stop eating it and become a real vegetarian, it was HARD. That’s when event number two happened.
In October, my family and I traveled to a little beach town to celebrate my mother's birthday. There, we went to a restaurant for dinner and I ordered shrimp. I'm not gonna lie, it was yummy and I enjoyed it thoroughly. However, a few minutes after we left the restaurant my hands started to swell up, my neck and lips started to itch, and breathing became a bit of a challenge. Yep, that was my first-ever allergic reaction to shrimp, something that pretty much everyone in my family has. Thank goodness my sister is a doctor and medicated me quickly, but it was scary and a relief. Once my breath had returned, I realized that the only thing holding me back was now gone.
That shrimp was the last meat I ate and I’m thankful for it and for the allergic reaction that followed. I love being a vegetarian, and I love knowing no one needs to die or get hurt because of me. In these past five years, my consciousness towards other living beings has grown, and I’m now in the process of going vegan, which I’m super excited about.
My Favorite Vegan Recipe
Carrot Hot Dogs
Ingredients:
- 4 whole carrots, peeled, and cut into bun–length pieces with ends removed
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder (or 1/2 clove garlic, minced)
- Pepper, to taste
- 4 vegan hot dog buns
- Desired hot dog toppings (BBQ sauce, ketchup, mustard, relish, etc.)
Directions
1. Fill a large pot halfway with water and bring to boil.
2. Lower the heat to medium and cook the carrots until you can barely pierce through them with a fork. Be careful not to cut the carrots when testing.
3. Combine all the other ingredients together in a plastic container or baggie to make the marinade. Place the cooked carrots inside, shake up, and set aside to marinate for at least 3 hours, turning the carrots every once in a while to marinate all sides. You can marinate for up to a few days— I marinate mine overnight and they turn out very flavorful.
4. When you're ready to serve, pour the carrots and marinade into a large pan on the stovetop and place on medium heat, rotating periodically, for 5 to 10 minutes, until carrots are heated all the way through. (I like to leave them in the pan until they are golden brown.)
5. Place on a hot dog bun, add the toppings of your choice, and enjoy!
Makes 4 servings
Patty Maximini - Exception
• Pub Date: November 1, 2013
• Publisher: Patty Maximini
• Format: Ebook,460 pages
• Age Range: Adult
When all hope for moving on from a life filled with pain and abuse was gone, Emily Watson closed herself off to the world, packed her bags, and moved across the country in search of a new life. What she found was a career she adored and friends she loved. It wasn’t a full and complete life, but it was definitely better than what she knew before.
When all hope for being loved and accepted for who he was instead of what he had was gone, Taylor Carter decided that trusting people outside of his family wasn’t really smart and would only lead to disappointment. With his world turned upside down, his life became about his work, and every new relationship was meaningless and superficial. He was safe and definitely content but never truly happy.
When all hope for staying awake during a long day was gone, Emily and Taylor found themselves at the same coffee cart. Little did they know then that the worst coffee they’d ever had would forever change their lives.
When hopeless people are blinded by an endless pain, when contentment and safety feel like the best options, and when love seems impossible, they may just find an exception.
Words have always been a passion of mine. I’ve always loved to read them, write them and learn them in other languages. Last year, I’ve decided to take that passion and turn it into a book, the result was Exception, my very first novel due this October.
Whenever I’m not sitting behind my computer, I’m either enjoying the company of my dear hubby, Alex, and our four four-legged babies or reading. I’m a firm believer in long hand written letters, love of any kind and good stories.
Come check out what Meatless Monday is all about! See this post for more info on our to participate. Thanks!
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