VIDA COMO A VEGAN. Part 1

¡Creciendo a Vegetariano en una Familia mejicana .. las privaciones, la histeria, la vida!
(Growing up Vegetarian in a Mexican Family..the hardships, the hysteria, the life!)

    It was October of my 4th grade year of life...October 31st to be exact. I was listening to music and working out. I sat on the weight bench for a water break when my thoughts were distracted by voices and giggles. I walked over to the garage window, my hand swiftly parting the sea of dusty metal blinds...it was just the "Trick or Treaters'", but my thoughts were..."I am never going to eat meat again." Yup, that was pretty much it!
    Okay, okay, so I will admit, a song from an album known to some as "Meat is Murder" had just played on KROQ, and everyone was talking about Bono (of a "slightly" well know band) because he had just cut his hair, so maybe there were a few influences circling my young 4th grade life. What I don't remember is any particular philosophical, protest like speech, life changing conversation with my sister. While every night for hours we starred up to daisy chains that hung from our ceiling, our room blessed by moonlight, we'd take turns flipping the records, talking and talking. You'd think there was at least ONE conversation that may have went something like this. "Well, okay, like, if we're not going to eat mom's dinner she's going to be pissed...and if we're not going to eat meat..then what are we going to eat?  What are we going to make for ourselves, 'cause mom's not making it." NOPE, NO SUCH CONVERSATION. We just stopped eating meat. Which is by far, in my opinion, the decision that opened a huge door in our then and now lives, a door to a world called "CREATIVITY!" Yes, we became...creative.
    At home my mom didn't seem to care, in fact I will go so far as to say she seemed relieved. She no longer had to cook for us. However, if you know Mexicans, you know that to deny their food, meals, or even a warmed up tortilla with butter is like denying their love! Denying their wholehearted generosity! Denying their gift! We began experimenting and transformed mom's "Mexican Dinners" into a "Buddha's Feast." Thanks to a dad who was raised in Los Angeles', Chinatown, we did have somewhat of an Asian influence in our kitchen. Of course it only presented itself when Dad was home and available to cook (on the occasional Saturday and if we were lucky and hell froze over and blessed us with a rainy day). As for my mom, it was pure "Mexican Meals". From the 8 qt. stock pot of beans that boiled every Sunday, to the infinite ways one could make a meal of meat, beans, cheese and tortillas.
    Although it may seem that most of our creativity was in the kitchen, we soon realized we'd have to get even more creative. It was our first "outing" with the folks, and the beginning of our "cultural revolution." While walking up the driveway to the home of  our "parent's friends" mom sneered "...and I don't care what you do with that meat, you'd better make damn sure it looks like you ate it and enjoyed every bit of it!" I can't say for sure if she was a little embarrassed by our decision or not. I mean, granted I guess we already dressed weird, so maybe this was too much for mom. Of course, it also could have went down a little something like this, "Thanks for inviting us to your home for dinner, by the way my girls don't eat meat so I'll bring a big salad for everyone if you don't mind." But then again, that's just my opinion.
    So, our lovely host provided humongous Polish Sausage, Sauerkraut, and large hot dog buns. By the looks of it, we weren't eating tonight..however we had to somehow make it seem as if we were and "enjoyed every bit of it" with all of THREE items to work with.
    We were seated across from each other at a large rectangular formal dining table. This already put me at a disadvantage. My immediate thoughts... "How am I going to know what my sister is doing with the sausage if I am across from her..what are WE doing with all this sausage? Where the heck does someone get sausage like this, I've never seen sausage this big before in my life..isn't there some kiddy table out on the patio where everyone under 20 can eat hot dogs!" As I tried not to panic I kept starring at my sister wide eyed as though some kind of telepathic  message of a well thought out plan would come my way. Thanks was given, our host began to elaborate and enlighten us on how she learned to make this sausage for her Russian husband. It being his favorite and all, I guess she thought she'd kill two birds with one stone tonight, "A dinner for company and hubby's favorite meal." I turned to my younger brother who sat to my right. Oblivious to the crisis that was unfolding at the present moment, he sat proper and quiet like a good little boy while waiting to be served. He was too young to involve in our "rebellion". As the plate of sausages came my way, I couldn't help but notice the family dog also had his eye on the plate. Ding ding ding!!! Idea!
    My sausage lay in a bun 3 times it's junior. I was plenty generous with the Sauerkraut. I'd take a bite of just the top layer of the Sauerkraut, push the sausage from the end of the bun towards my chin and in one quick motion take off a pinch with the hand closest to my mouth. Making it seem as though I needed one hand on the far end to support my homemade extra large gift from the wifey, and another hand under my chin  to catch what I couldn't bite off.  Little by little, my Polish Dog was ever so carefully transported to the mouth of a very happy Beagle that quietly and patiently waited for it's next bite. I was thoroughly impressed with the team work this dog was willing to put in. We were in cahoots. Until, that is..the dog began to gag. Our host quickly sat up and came my way. My stomach turned, my heart pounded. She walked right up to me. "Is the dog under the table?" I said nothing, with a look that in all hope read, "What dog?" She knelled at my chair, swept him up, thoroughly checking his mouth,  his underbelly, and his vitals, or at least that's what she seemed to be doing. She then gave him a pat and put him out back door. My mom starred at me, nodding her head, making her lips so tight they were now invisible. Our host apologized, "I am sorry, he was so quiet I thought I put him out already." I took a deep breath and once again starred at my sister. Where was she putting all that sausage? Was she actually eating it? Tapping one finger on the underside of her wrist, the message became clear..she was stuffing it up the sleeve of her cardigan!
    I collected the remaining sausage into a napkin, put it up my sleeve, excused myself to the bathroom were I flushed the remains. I had successfully and thoroughly Murdered my Meat, execution style.
    Unfortunately for my sister, the sausage survived in the sleeve of her cardigan until she secretly revealed it to me in the safety of our daisy chain room..."Ewww, you still have that sausage in your sweater!" "Yes, why, where's yours?" "After the dog was kicked out I flushed it down the toilet!" My poor sister, her favorite cardigan would forever reek of polish sausage no matter how many different methods we used to clean it. I for one, have never been able to eat Sauerkraut again.
    More stories of "VIDA COMO A VEGAN" to come...until then join me on a trip to El Mercado as I buy fresh items for Veggi-Nachos. Also featuring some meals we made while growing up which remain my favorite to this day.



GRILLED VEGGIE-NACHOS WITH A FRESH GUACAMOLE SALSA




VEGAN TACO WITH CHOPPED RAW CABBAGE



VEGAN TACO TOPPED WITH "TOFU SUPREME" AND "TAPATIO"

SIMPLE SALAD: BEANS, FRESH MASHED AVOCADO WITH TOMATOES, A DASH OF PEPPER AND SALT, AND A LEMON WEDGE FOR DRESSING

 Listo a ir de compras en el Mercado mejicano para verduras frescas, tortillas y salsa. (Ready to go shopping)



BANDA MUSIC PLAYS THE BABY BOUNCES TO THE BEAT AND PINLLATAS HANG FROM THE CEILING...



GROWING UP WE DIDN'T HAVE MARKETS LIKE THIS, SO A VISIT TO THE PANADARIA IN LA PUENTE WHILE VISITING GRANDMA IS ONE OF MY FONDEST CHILDHOOD MEMORIES

THESE PURPLE PEARLS MAKE ANY GRILLED VEGGIE COMBO POP AND ADD GREAT COLOR TO EVERY DISH

SOME THINGS WON'T BE COMING HOME WITH US

CARNITAS!!!

IF I AM GOING TO HAVE CHIPS ONCE A MONTH...THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO DO IT. OG/HOMEMADE

TRIANGLES OF GOLD

MY HUSBAND GRILLS BELL PEPPERS, MUSHROOMS, PURPLE ONIONS AND SEASONS IT WITH A LITTLE GRAPE-SEED OIL, MINCED GARLIC, SALT/PEPPER

VEGGIE-NACHOS WITH A GUACAMOLE SALSA THAT IS STILL WARM AND FRESH FROM THE MARKET

VIDA COMO UNA PARTE 1 DE VEGETARIANO ESTRICTO. ¡HASTA QUE NOS ENCONTREMOS OTRA VEZ, DISFRUTEMOS!