I’m hopeful for an outstanding and prosperous 2023. We’ve all had some interesting and challenging last couple of years.
All of us deserve an easier year!
Roasted Tomatoes were made and thoroughly enjoyed.
Simple, versatile and delicious.
I sliced the Tomatoes and placed on parchment paper to be seasoned and topped with Ⓥ Parmesan ‘Cheese’ or regular Parmesan Cheese – depending on diet and preference:)
Cheers to a new year!
Good evening. I have not posted in five months. My life has changed since the last post and food helped cause a serious complication. I was ignorant and uneducated about carbohydrates.
In the past, I was concerned with ingredients, calories, fiber and protein – which are still important, but never payed attention to the CARBS. And the science behind carbs and the human body.
For many of years and probably decades I’ve been addicted to carbs and eating so MANY carbs.
I am not a scientist, doctor or medical professional, however, I usually know my own body better than any of those smarties. Common sense and experience does help extremely in life – and especially in my life. I am not perfect as even the professionals aren’t.
Carbohydrates create energy, in which, the body turns to glucose to (normally) use. The pancreas emits insulin into the blood stream to help burn the blood sugar or glucose. Diabetes is a disease that fails to do so.
In late July, I thought I was about to have a major heart attack – with extreme shortness of breath, fatigue and radically high blood pressure, and went to the ER.
The ER doctor wasn’t exactly sure until he smelled my fruity breath. They tested my blood sugar and it was 400+. Normal is less than 140 (according to google).
I was admitted to the ICU in extreme discomfort and almost deadly vitals…
Three doctors have helped me. The first doctor said I was type 2. The doctor that released me from the ICU, said I was type 1 diabetic. My new doctor agreed. The nurses all said type 2. The medical world is confused with diabetes and so am I.
Whatever. It’s simple. Eat less carbs, exercise, and stay hydrated.
The cool thing is I control my medicine, my food, my glucose levels. I have good days and bad days. I’ve been self medicating since high school —– haha.
I need people to be aware of diabetes. It’s usually heretic. High carbs are extremely bad for diabetes. AND maybe for normal people as well…
I’m not gonna stress about what type diabetic that I am. I will trust that I’m type 1. I WILL continue to help myself……
CHEERS.
Kind of a soup. Kind of not. Vegan greatness minus maybe the Guinness. Thickening of the plot.
Calls for a drink less than a bottle of Irish beer for this Coddle. Stand by your food, always enjoy a drink when cooking with alcohol.
Happy Sunday.
Thoughts go out to those affected by another incident in our cruel world today. My dream of a perfect world only grows stronger. What if a perfect world will never coincide with Earth? Perhaps colonizing another planet to start over is the only way. What if we screen every single being prior to entering this perfect world? Let’s question their mental stability. How is their work ethic? What is their intelligence, eating habits and lifestyle? A positive contribution is a must. Guns would not be allowed because they would not be needed. In fact, weapons would be a thing of the past and belong only in museums. Renewable energy is the only energy. Gasoline, coal, oil would be prehistoric. Environmentally friendly technology and transportation would rule this world. Communities would love riding bicycles to work to work hard. A stable plant-based society would never harm a single animal as animals roam freely and carefree. What is crime? What is money? People used to eat animals!? Let the people that make our word a cruel, cruel place continue to kill a once beautiful world while the righteous move on and evolve appropriately.
The Illinois Valley is actually quite historic. This area is often escaped upon and taken for granted from from diversely working class immigrant heritage wishing to live the “American Dream”. We have Germans, Polish, Irish, African American, Mexican, Italian and many in-between and more mixed heritage.
I leave town for a few days and of course Radium City is going to release a new brew. Calling around to a couple of liquor stores, one of which, Rudy’s Liquor, where my buddy purchased a Baptism By Vampire (the new brew) at. They claimed that they were out. BUMMER. Getting off of work, I call it a day in preporation for the following morning shift. Work is always fun for me. If you don’t like your job, it is your fault and you’re a fool being stuck somewhere that you do not wish to be.
Escaping from your job, love or hate, is essential. Ideally, freedom is our way of life and must be utilized. Nothing sets me free more than riding my bicycle wherever I want to have fun and Live. I stop at Rudy’s Liquor after work to become absolutely surprised by their Baptism By Vampire bombers in the cooler and on the shelf. These bottle tops were dipped in a sexy red wax. I bought two:) Jumping onto the I&M Canal on my bicycle, I rode excited and thirsty until Split Rock where I took a little hydration break.
And stopping at the next town, Utica, IL – home of the Starved Rock State Park, I was ecstatically surprised to find BAPTISM BY VAMPIRE on draft at Duffy’s Tavern. A hard days work, a fun bike ride and a beautiful day was enhanced by Good Beer, Food and company courtesy of the Illinois Valley. Local greatness is local pride. If you can’t find it, get the f*ck out.
Aldi has always impressed me with their prices and their quality. I have finally tried their Veggie Patties and I need to talk about them. They have two versions. One is advertised as Vegan on the package. The other is also Vegan according to the ingredients, but a Black Bean Chipotle burger with the additive, Cellulose Gum.
Other than that one additive, the ingredients are stated to be mostly Organic and Wholesome. These patties were baked in the oven. I noticed the quality of these patties immediately while placing them on my parchment paper. The Black Bean Chipotle burgers were a bit more flavorful, but not as healthy as the other Veggie burger. It is a funny game with the different levels of “healthy” foods. Both of these Patties are given two thumbs up and I am sold. At only $2.49 per four patties, with their quality and deliciousness, these are a no-brainer. I’ve been eating the Vegan Boca burgers for years now. They are delicious, but more expensive and with more additives. Methylcellulose, Caramel Color, Artificial Flavors, Disodium Guanylate and Disodium Inosinate do not sound appetizing and quite frankly is BULLSHIT to be added to food. Boca burgers are usually $3 + and basically a joke, if you ask me. (someone asked me, but it was myself:)
That’s one thing I have learned immediately after choosing the Vegetarian Lifestyle off was that the quicker easier non-meat options are filled with SHIT additives. I, as well as many of you, do not always have time to prepare wholesome food. This Aldi discovery is Euphoric. Not to mention, Aldi doing away with pesticides. I’m a bigger fan of Aldi, now, than I ever have been before.
More Wholesome food at a lower price, Aldi is attempting to change the world for the better with their own hands. THANK YOU.
Soup making is one of my favorite things to do. And a big batch of Soup is usually made far away from sober. To me, life is to harsh to live sober. Life is stressful. Life is unfair. Life is as Awesome as you make it. Evolving food ideas is imbedded in the back of my brain like a shadow from a boiling hot star casting us life. Just Photos.
daiya pi burgi
I have a new theory. Studies have shown, in a sense, the same theory with sunlight. People are generally much happier when they experience more sun. People who do not experience a surplus of sunlight are generally not as happy as to those showered in vastly radiant sunshine. Recently, I jumped on the “artificial daylight” bandwagon with LED lightbulbs. They are extremely bright with use of less energy. They are daylight Light-Emitting Diodes that generally make me happier anytime I need artificial lighting to see than my old standard power-sucking light bulbs. Maybe it’s the brighter, cleaner artificial light that makes me happier. Maybe it’s the economical perks that make me happier. Maybe it’s the combination of the many pros without a single con. LEDs are Smart. LEDs are beyond electricity.
Beyond cheese. Beyond cream. Beyond meat. To infinity and Beyond.
This concept is basically a modular (home) sandwich. Separate sandwiches are constructed before combining into one.
Daiya ‘cheese’ lover Pizza is baked and sliced into four sandwich sized pieces. Whole Wheat Bread is grilled on both sides and set aside for a few minutes. The daiya pi wiches were constructed with Daiya slices under the Pizza on the grilled Bread. The sandwiches were lathering with Earth Balance Coconut Spread to be set aside after grilling both sides.
Onion Bagels smothered with Earth Balance Coconut Oil were grilled on the flats (insides.) A Beyond Meat Beast Burger was baked before baking the patty in Garlic Chipotle Molasses which consists of Garlic Sauce (boiled Potato, Cashew and Onion blended down with Garlic, Veggie Broth, Crushed Red Pepper, SeaSalt, Pepper, Paprika, Sugar, Garlic P, Parsley and Instant Mashed Potatoes to help find consistency.), Chipotle Sauce, Chipotle P, Molasses, Paprika, Balsamic Vinegar, Sugar, SeaSalt, Cumin and Mustard.
The grilled Onion Bagels were generously smeared with Tofutti Herbs & Chives Better Than Cream Cheese. The two halves were constructed with Daiya slices melted on top. A Beast Burger was between the two halves when they folded together, smartly pointing the Daiya Pi face up and infusing non dairy with meatless protein greatness. A plant based massacre has unfolded with delicious Craft Beers.
Happy February!
I used to think and almost judge February for its unique spelling and constantly wonder why January isn’t spelt very similarly. Janruary? I’ve figured out that there is nothing wrong with one being different than the other. Excepting things that aren’t normal are a way of life and should be the way of the world. Cheers!
This is the end
Beautiful friend
This is the end
My only friend, the end
-Jim Morrison (The Doors)
Prepare Lentili:
Prepare Lentili Mac N Daiya:
Find Vegan English Muffins or Buns. Use a Beyond Meat Beastburger or Vegan Boca. Roast, toast and boast, meltedly:)
It’s nice to go for a muddy bike ride with others to a local brewery to enjoy a freshly brewed Craft Beer and for the first time, I could eat a sausage with them who were also enjoying sausages. They carried Field Roast sausages:) you betcha, I want that Chicago-style.
GO CHICAGO CUBS
The End (Lentili)
…To Be Continued (CUBS)
I enjoy putting myself up to a somewhat difficult task, somewhat often and somewhat regularly. Ideas pop into my head and I quickly say, “ok, let’s try it.” I don’t always achieve my small goals, but at times, I do. I challenge myself on a bicycle almost daily. I think of different ways to eat and conquer various Vegan foods.
And then you evolve, before repeating that same process on a larger scale.
It’s not about succeeding all of the goals, it’s about the effort forth attempting completion of the goals. The key is to not be lazy and to just try while having fun.
I also am decently easily documented for myself and have been infatuated with statistics since childhood figuring out equations for various sports stats. Averages, RBI, ERA, etc…
I want to prove to myself that it can happen and possibly influence others to work harder.
I may sacrifice my body by working too hard. I sometimes do not eat all day because I do not feel the need of food. I feel comfortable. If I am hungry, I snack healthily. Is it unhealthy to only feed the need?
Working a shift is a bike ride, in my mind.
When riding a bicycle, I only drink water when I’m thirsty and I eat when hungry. I take breaks when I need to take a break, not because I can.
And that mindset has been my approach on life. I don’t eat a meal because I can. It eat a meal because I want to create something and because I want to eat. I shower because I need to and so on. There is a huge difference between need and between want. I’m progressively ascertaining those differences with age.
I want to work hard. I want to work harder than you. In a sense, I may need to, also.
Out of 162 hours, I worked 73.26 without a break or a lunch. For the motherblogging record, I did snack. And I snack mostly on peanuts. I walked 190.08 km (118.11 miles) and I rode a bicycle 84.4 km (52.44 miles) consuming three hours and thirty-one minutes and thirty-five seconds. 3:31:35
Call the commuting work, if you dare. Riding a bicycle is amazing for the body and even better for the mind. I also, cooked all of my food other than the snack food.
Work hard, play harder.
VeggHead BeerCyclist 