'Tis the Season

    It's getting to be that time of year with big family meals... in my family that means a whole lot of meat.  And I'm not going to lie, when my roommate made sausage balls (you know, those bisquick and cheese things) the other night- I had to make her put them away so I wouldn't devour all of them.  It's really strange that I've gone this long without meat, and honestly I rarely crave it, but I suppose I have been conditioned to expect heavy meals around this time of year. 

   But, thankfully, it is also the time of year for winter squash!! There is no meat craving I have that can't be cured by some delicious butternut, acorn, or blue hubbard squash.  Plus, there are tofu and tempeh substitutions for almost any kind of meat you can think of- so later this week, my friend Jessica and I are going to attempt to create some tofu sausage balls (and thus, put my mind at ease). 

   I am getting a little nervous about my first vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner, though.  It's hard to resist some of the casseroles and gravy, and such.  Plus, it doesn't help that my mom thinks that vegetarians still eat things with meat broth or stock in them (her argument is "Ashley, everything that's delicious has some kind of meat broth in it!)  So I may just have to eat my own private meal before entering my cousins house full of traditional Thanksgiving fare.

   Anyway, just a quick side note- I have had so many friends and family members ask me recently "why are you doing this?" and I say- "Read my blog!!".... but really, it seems as if some people think my diet change is a personal attack on their diet option.  It most definitely is not, I am harmless, people.  And I was a huge carnivore not that long ago myself! I've just realized that vegetarianism makes sense, especially environmentally (even though reading about it has made me discover how cruel the livestock production really is).  Alright, not a very enlightening blog post, I apologize... more to come soon (actual facts next time).