Use What You Have ~ Pasta Salad

This is a quick one!   I just used what I had!  I had some spinich noodles and a bunch of cans.
I cut the large black  olives in half, but other than that, I just dumped stuff in.

I had some snap peas
I squirt in a little dijon mustard
Garbanzo beans canned organic
Black olives
Black beans, canned organic
Italian herb organic dressing
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Tomatoes cut into small pieces
That's it!! cook the noodles, add the veggies, and season to taste.
No animals killed for this recipe!!

Did You Know About This

Are you concerned about the environment?  Well, you need to read this.  Take a look around this site.Click HERE This is put out by the Humane Society of the United States.  "Factory Farming:  Polluting The Environment, And Getting Away With It".  Together we're "Working to reduce the suffering of animals raised for meat, eggs, and milk."  Like I said before... This is not the family farms. It's the Factory Farming Industry.
God bless any of you who take the time to look.
Kelly

~ 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

FAVORITE QUOTES and T-SHIRTS

I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.
Stephen Grellet Missionary

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
Margaret Mead

These quotes and all of the colored boxes to the right and above are on t-shirts you can buy at
http://www.animalrightsstuff.com/ Check them out! There are MANY more over at the site! All colors and sizes!

Also click the other sites I've listed to shop and help there too. All of these shirts send a strong message!

They are not fur products! Did you know about this...?

I'm a vegetarian. I havn't had a bite of meat or fish in 4 years. It's funny how it all starts. A little bit for health, and a little for the love of animals. Now it's ALL for the love of animals. I can't even look at a steak ,or any meat, and not picture it as a sweet, big brown eyed precious cow or pig. And don't get me started on lamb and veal. I have never eaten a baby in my life. Imaging the mothers when their precious babies are ripped away from them to be used as food. I really don't judge anyone for this though. My husband, kids and friends are all meatatarians. (that's what my 14 year old calls it)

Well anyway, I went to the PETA catalog site to order some t-shirts. I had heard stories for years about the organization's protests and ad campaigns. And had seen some of the horrifying pictures. Also, the film of men kicking the cows in the face, as they lie there so sick they can't walk off the truck to the slaughter house. All of the little bits and pieces planted a seed in my brain and heart until I couldn't sit still or quiet anymore.

Being that I was now on their mailing list, they sent me an opinion poll to fill out. The content is something I had never heard of, or could ever even imagine. I actually had to read it in small amounts, because I couldn't handle the whole thing at once. And the pictures broke my heart.

It told of the use of domestic cats and dogs for fur. Some still have their collars on after being stolen from their homes, others are strays. They said they label the fur as Asian jackal or rabbit. They are used for collars on coats or lining for gloves and boots. Millions of cats and hundreds of thousands of dogs. This is not just adult animals, also kittens and puppies. They capture trusting dogs like Golden Retrievers and German Shepards and pleanty of other breeds too. Cats like Siamese and tabbys.

They are packed into cages, piled on top of eachother covered in urine and feces. The cages are thrown 10 feet down off of the trucks, which causes the animals little bones to break. Then the worst happens. Some are skinned alive, screaming and crying while the others listen and wait to be next. Afterwards they're thrown in a pile, where they may still gasp for 5 minutes until death finally comes
There is more, but I have to stop now.

Once I finished reading, pulled my heart up out of my stomach and dried my eyes, I went straight to my copier and computer and started trying to do something.

I'm not a radical or an activist in any way. I just feel like I can't sit quiet, cover my eyes and ears, or look the other way anymore.

I hope to plant a seed in others so that when they hear and see information about PETA's cry for help, they will listen and do something. If anything tell 2 freinds, so they'll tell 2 friends about this.

There is good news though. After PETA meetings with some of the major clothing designers, they have stopped using fur of any kind in all of their clothing. Each small step adds up to bigger leaps, and maybe one day everyone will see the light.