~ Vegetarian ~Yummy Rice Recipe

One of the easiest ways to "give" to the cause of helping Factory Farmed Animals, is to eat Vegetarian 2 days a week.  Just think if millions of people did this. It would greatly cut down on the number of animals needed to slaughter for food each year.  "Supply and Demand"...If the demand is less the supply WILL be less too.  It also helps the pocket book.  And one day lead to more vegetarians in the world.

This recipe makes enough for a whole family, or to take to a covered dish/pot luck gathering.
It is basically a "use what you have" kind of dish, and a "tummy filler" ~ "comfort food"  for sure.
Here are ideas of the ingredients I used for mine. You can use a whole varity of different things in yours.

The mustard was something I threw in for a little extra taste. About 2 table spoons.  I used canned mushrooms, but usually I use fresh.  I buy this organic tomato soup, it's so good.  I add a little wine to use as some liquid while sauteeing the veggies. I also got a pack of pre-cut tri-colored bell peppers.

Like I said. Just have fun, and use what you have.  I've used cut up carrots, and even zuchini and yellow squash.

I got some of this organic garlic and also plopped in some salsa. I use white rice for this. You can get it organic too.

Veggies
Chopped Tomatoes or 1 can of chopped Tomatoes (drained)
Olive Oil
Salt &Pepper
Wine or Water for sauteeing
Garlic- chopped fresh, jar, or powder. What ever you have or like.
1/2 cup Salsa (optional)
2 cups White Rice
2 1/2 cups Water
1 can Tomato Soup

Sometimes I use canned chopped tomatoes but I had these cherry tomatoes already in the fridg.  I cut up some organic green onions from my garden.  They're very easy to grow. I just have a pot out on the patio. Sometimes they even come back the  next year.

Sautee all of the veggies in extra virgin- first, cold pressed- olive oil. At this point I add a little wine or water. Sautee for about 3 minutes. (If using a harder vegetable like carrots or broccoli, cook it until it's firm) Add

the tomatoes and green onions.  Stir  everything around.

Add the soup, stir. Then add the dry rice. Stir everything together.
For this amount I added 2 1/2 cups of water.
Bring it to a good boil while stiring.
Turn the heat  down between Lo and Simmer.
Cover and let it cook for about 20 minutes undisturbed.
At this point check the rice. Stir it around. Taste to see if the rice is still a little hard or perfect.
If it's still hard, turn off the stove, and let it set for about another 10 minutes.

AND THEN FOR LUNCH THE  NEXT DAY....
Wrap it in a tortillia with some veggie slices or shreds, Heat. Then and some avacado, hummus, and salsa.

Did you know about this? Gestation Crates

Those of you from OHIO, there's something about your state you should read a little further down the post.

 

Here are pictures of the 2 foot crates where these mothers spend THEIR WHOLE LIVES.  The other one is where she is taken only to nurse her babies. The babies are in a separate crate. The sow can't bond or even know how her piglets are doing.

 After about 2 to 3 weeks the babies are taken away and she is impregnated again to start the whole process over.  And all the while NEVER leaving her 2 ft. crate.  This is a life she will NEVER escape, no matter how long she calls out, with her cries and moans of desperation.

 After about 2-3 years, and her body is absolutely worn out, she goes to saughter.  Usually too exhausted to even walk to her death.

The sow pictured above, worn out after years of being confined in a 2-foot-wide metal crate, was unable to walk. She was left to suffer with no medical care, in the alleyway at a factory farm amid rows of gestation crates.

Walking into a gestation crate facility, one hears the roars and screams of hundreds of confined, frustrated sows and the clatter of hundreds of bodies banging against metal cage bars. Treated like piglet-making machines, gestating sows are lined up in row after row of metal crates inside huge, windowless warehouses.

You can read about the life of  pigs bread in factory farms.  The Agriculture Industry has led us to believe, all of our lives that animals roam free, grazing and playing until they're fat enough to go to slaughter.  Well here is a look into what it's really like.  This is the FACTORY FARMING INDUSTRY, not small family farms.

You can click the link below to the Farm Sanctuary website to read the whole story.  If anything, please e-sign the petition to stop the practice of torturing the "downed" pigs throughout our country that are too sick or crippled to walk to slaughter. (you can find the link to the petition down this post in blue writing 'Farm Sanctuary Website' Look in the side bar to the right with the picture of the pig.)  Industry animals don't fall under the Cruelty to Animals protection

laws. Yet pigs are very intelligent. Equal to a three year old, human child. They make friends for life. They protect thier young. They love to interact with humans.  Nobody will protect the welfare and humane treatment of these wonderful animals unless we act in some way or speak up.  After reading this article, you will be able to make informed decisions when it comes to elections in your state or area, and when purchasing your meat.

I think if young children knew, and were taught different from our generation, they would be the ones to make a difference for the furure of these amazing animals.

Farm Sanctuary animals live free and happy for the rest of their lives.

Farm Sanctuary rescues farm animals of all kinds. They have a slideshow of some of their rescued breeding sows seeing snow for the first time. They loved it so much they didn't want to come in until evening. They had never even been outside in the fresh air before.
 They were rescued from a flooded  Industry Factory Farm where the workers opened the pig gates and let them fend for themselves during the flood. Other animals weren't as lucky. They railed against their cages and stalls as the water rose over their heads. Their bodies were found later after the flood.
Click here to read this heartbreaking story. Farm Sanctuary Website

Those of you in Ohio, read HERE Scroll down to his 11/09 /09 about Issue 2 that will come up on the ballot again.  The people thought they were voting against cruelty to factory farmed animals, but because of the wording on the ballot, they unknowingly voted for the agriculture industry to keep it's same practices.  Another chance is coming. I'm not sure when, but watch out for it.

Thank you to all who took the time to look.

I bet you didn't know about this...

Regardless of where they live, all dairy cows must give birth in order to begin producing milk. Today, dairy cows are forced to have a calf every year. Like human beings, cows have a nine-month gestation period, and so giving birth every twelve months is physically demanding. The cows are also artificially re-impregnated while they are still lactating from their previous birthing, so their bodies are still producing milk during seven months of their nine-month pregnancy. With genetic manipulation and intensive production technologies, it is common for modern dairy cows to produce 100 pounds of milk a day — ten times more than they would produce naturally. As a result, the cows' bodies are under constant stress, and they are at risk for numerous health problems.

Calves born to dairy cows are separated from their mothers immediately after birth. The half that are born female are raised to replace older dairy cows in the milking herd. The other half of the calves are male, and because they will never produce milk, they are raised and slaughtered for meat. Most are killed for beef, with close to one million being used for veal.

The veal industry was created as a by-product of the dairy industry to take advantage of an abundant supply of unwanted male calves. Veal calves commonly live for eighteen to twenty weeks in wooden crates that are so small that they cannot turn around, stretch their legs, or even lie down comfortably. The calves are fed a liquid milk substitute, deficient in iron and fiber, which is designed to make the animals anemic, resulting in the light-colored flesh that is prized as veal. In addition to this high-priced veal, some calves are killed at just a few days old to be sold as low-grade 'bob' veal for products like frozen TV dinners. 
You can read HERE about veal, and their dairy cow mothers.

If you'd like to look into the world of Factory Farmed animals, this is an easy way.  Farm Sanctuary brings this to you in small doses.  You can control the amount you want to see.  This is a great way to educate yourself about "The Way We Treat The Animals We Eat". 
Click HERE to the Farm Sanctuary" Virtual Experience"

I thank all of you who took the time to look.
Kelly