90% Vegan - 10% Sweet Tooth

I'm baaaaaaaaaack!  You missed me, don't deny it.

My trip home to WI:
-lots of fun family and friend times
-lounging and playing at cottage in Three Lakes, WI
-drinking wine, beer, and bloody mary's...I AM SCONNIE.
-first concert at Alpine Valley to tailgate and see DMB (see pic)
-magazine interview and photo shoot (think awkward senior photos)
-many vegan meals that won favor with meat-lovin Gramanns (all entrees can have an added meat component if requested):

• seitan fajitas with peppers, zucchini, onions, salsa, guacamole
• grilled portobello mushroom burgers (marinated in balsamic and EVOO) with avocado, caramelized onions, spinach, tomatoes, mustard, accompanied by garlic sweet potato fries
• tacos/nachos with black beans, guacamole, salsa, lettuce, diced peppers/tomatoes/onion
• veggie shish kebabs containing ciopinno onions, green & red peppers, red onions, mushrooms, pineapple
• grilled veggies - eggplant, zucchini, asparagus, corn
• Side: black bean quinoa salad (recipe)
• Side: brown rice candy (as Momma calls it) use butter alternative (recipe)
• Snack: spicy hummus with cucumbers and rice chips

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by my immediate and extended family's warm reception to vegan foods!  They withheld criticism and seemed fairly open-minded and supportive.  I felt very encouraged.  Any tidbit of knowledge I can impart on them to make them healthier, makes me feel so thankful (& proud)!  One key to soliciting positive reviews of vegan foods is to tell the person AFTER they've sampled the food.  :-)

While I gently pushed my vegan agenda, I was also a food-loving Sconnie who had to sample some non-vegan treats.  I had a bite of fried fish, 2 bites of elk steak, 1 bite of a brat, rhubarb crisp (Momma converted half the ingredients to vegan instead of full-fledged heart attack), and 5 servings of ice cream - yeah I said 5. Get over it.  I did.
I need to keep reminding myself that progress is progress.  90% vegan is still better than any lifestyle in my past.  Better for my body, better for the earth, better for my overall well-being.

Need a laugh? 

Myq Kaplan Stand-Up Comedy from Myq Kaplan on Vimeo.