Gracias Cozumel: Taco Layer Dip

I just made this masterpiece for the second time in two weeks! A big thanks to Dr. Kandace (my lovely, new boss) who practices nutrition-based healing and chiropractic for this, now favorite, recipe.  The night before my family left for a week long trip to Cozumel, Mexico, J and I hosted a small dinner gathering for my dad's birthday. The dip went almost as fast as my week off went - like poof. I was back in MN by Friday eve and am still bursting at the seams with excitement to be back in this frigid weather. NOT. So, I had some warming up to do, a craving to satiate and an empty 'fridge to fill: a win, win, win. Now, grab that cerveza with lime and let's toast to one hell of a life-changing, international experience. Barriga llena corazon contento (full stomach, happy heart, en espanol).

Serves 10-12

2 cans refried, black beans (vegetarian)
1 pkg taco seasoning mix
1 16 oz container sour cream
1 pkg cream cheese
1-1 1/2 cups of salsa
1-2 cups shredded lettuce
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 can large, pitted black olives

In medium bowl, mix beans with taco seasoning mix. As the base, spread the mixed beans evenly onto a round platter. Mix sour cream and cream cheese (at room temperature), season with salt and pepper and spread atop the beans. Next, salsa. Sprinkle with lettuce, then cheese, then garnish with olives, red peppers, etc. Refrigerate for an hour or two to blend flavors. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips. I would highly recommend Garden of Eatin's Blue Corn Tortilla Chips, GMO free and made with organic, blue corn. Delicioso!

Butternut Squash Lasagna with Bechamel Sauce

No two times that I've made lasagna have been quite the same. The time of year as well as the seasonal produce available typically determines what I throw into the mix. The fall version combines a hint of sweet and a bunch of savory, and is infused with a creamy bechamel sauce.
Perhaps it's time to dig in.

Butternut Squash Lasagna
1 pkg no-boil lasagna noodles
6 cups bechamel sauce
2 cups spinach
16 oz. ricotta cheese
16 oz cottage cheese
1 egg
mozzerella cheese, parmesan cheese
3 cups pureed, butternut squash
1 medium onion, 3 large garlic cloves (sauteed)
1 cup sliced mushrooms

Easy Bechamel Sauce
5 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
4 cups milk or half & half
2 teaspoons salt
nutmeg to taste
Recipe Directions.

1. Pre-heat oven to 400.
2. Mix ricotta, cottage cheese, 2 tsp of salt and pepper, and 1 raw egg together.

• Spread bechamel sauce on the bottom of an oval, baking dish.
• Next, layer the pasta on top of the sauce, try and cover the bottom of the pan.
• Add squash puree.
• Then another layer of pasta.
• Add final layer of ricotta/cottage cheese mixture.
• Place mushrooms, spinach and sauteed onions/garlic on top, evenly.
• Add one last layer of noodles.
• Top with bechamel sauce.

3. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, add more bechamel on top, if needed. Add a foil cover for the final 30 minutes.

Basil Pesto

The first year planting my very own garden had me experimenting with a few items outside of my traditional planting realm. Herbs. Prior to this season, well, call me the dill queen. Our garden housed fresh parsley, sage, dill and the new favorite, basil! There is nothing like fresh basil atop whole wheat pasta and homemade spaghetti sauce or paired with cherry tomatoes and a fried egg on toast! The herbs are arranged in the center of our medicine wheel garden and the plants blessed us with hundreds of bees, which are rare in our rural community, as I have been told.

Before the first frost hit, we made sure to store some of our lovely herb in a delicious sort of way, pesto!

Adapted from Ina Garten's Basic Pesto Recipe.

Ingredients
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts)
3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)
5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions
Place the walnuts, pignolis, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Use right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer.

Notes: I omitted the Parmesan, with the intention of adding it when thawed. I stored the pesto in freezer bags. Air is the enemy of pesto. For freezing, pack it in containers with a film of oil or plastic wrap directly on top with the air pressed out. To clean basil, remove the leaves, swirl them in a bowl of water, and then spin them very dry in a salad spinner. Store them in a closed plastic bag with a slightly damp paper towel. As long as the leaves are dry they will stay green for several days.

Simple Refrigerator Pickles

Descending from the recipe bible of the matriarch herself, Erna M. S. (my great grandma), comes a rather easy, straightforward method for these crunchy, classic, low-sodium pickles that require much less work than those that are traditionally canned. One bite of these beauts, and I'm thrown back to my 7-year-old days, visiting with grandma in her kitchen, sampling goodies like these very pickles and, of course, saltines topped with strawberry jam. Although G.G. Erna is no longer with us, her masterpieces will trickle down for future generations to relish, no pun intended. Thanks, G!

1 gallon jar or ice cream pail
Approx. 5 lbs. cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 medium red onion, sliced
1 medium white onion, sliced
2 cups distilled vinegar
4 tablespoons salt
4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons celery seed
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced

Thinly slice enough cucumbers to fill a one gallon jar, container or pail. In no specific order, combine ingredients, stir the mixture and cover. They will be ready to eat within a few days (if you can wait that long) and will keep in refrigerator for about 2-3 months.

Simple deliciousness.

Peach Pico de Gallo

Another hot summer day with a refrigerator full of nothing but nature's blessings; peppers, onions, cilantro, peaches and tomatoes, oh my! This refreshing salsa is a combination of sweet, chunky, tangy and salty and it's sure to please, even on the warmest of days.

1 red onion, diced
2 medium tomatoes, seeded, diced
1 green pepper, seeded, diced
1 yellow pepper, seeded, diced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded, diced
1 peach, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
2-3 teaspoons lime juice
2 sprigs of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
A pinch of garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine ingredients. Refrigerate a bit before serving to fuse flavors. Serve with tortilla chips or over a warm, cheesy black bean taco. Enjoy!

Zucchini Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

A peaking zucchini harvest means yet another dessert recipe! Sadly but thankfully, the zukes are calming down a bit, but don't be fooled, they are still coming out of places where the 'sun don't shine.' Here is a simple recipe that I hope you'll enjoy.

The Cake: Carrot cake box mix. Make the cake according to package instructions. I added nearly 2 cups of finely grated zucchini.

The Frosting:
Adapted from Janni's

2 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese, softened
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Blend in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. After the cake has been cooled and frosted, store in refrigerator.

Photo.

July Harvest Stir Fry

Anyone can throw some veggies in a wok and call it a stir fry, but truly, it's the sauce that'll make or break ya!

The FRY: On a simple bed of rice laid a concoction of fresh from the garden snap peas, green beans, onions and, of course, the z-word. Accompanied by the store-bought (another swear) mushrooms and red and green peppers.

The SAUCE: After trying generic sauce after generic sauce, I decided it's time to experiment. I discovered Hoisin Sauce (vegetarian version) which is a very fragrant, almost pungent, rich colored, salty yet sweet mixture. Also, rice vinegar: sweeter and more mild than your average vinegar, think acidic.

Finally, peanut butter to balance out the saltiness of the others. Chunky was all I had on hand. I started with a dash of olive oil and 2 cloves of minced garlic. To the Hoisin base, I added a dash of the rice vinegar and whisked in the peanut butter.

A fairly small amount of the mix will do, just add a bit at a time and taste lots!

Chocolate Zucchini Cake with Buttercream Frosting

A healthier alternative, featuring devil's food cake, ZUCCHINI (see, it's in there!), topped with homemade buttercream frosting and whipping cream. Don't judge me. I have zucchini coming out of every orifice of my refrigerator. So, as you can tell, this dessert is not necessarily meant to be healthy, but moreso to aid in my zucchini escape, because although lovely, one can only indulge in zuccs sauteed in olive oil, onions and garlic for so long. Did I mention chocolate?!













The Cake: Plain old box cake mix (no frills here). Devil's food, dark chocolate, regular chocolate, etc. Make cake according to package instructions. ADD 1-2 cups of finely grated zucchini. The only apparent rule in adding zucchini for moisture is making sure that you're adding half of the amount of your dry ingredients. The cake mix I used was 3 cups. The cake was delicious, super moist and the veggie was an afterthought.

The Frosting: a super simple recipe, courtesy of: Savory Sweet Life

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks or 1/2 pound), softened (but not melted!)

1/2 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon table salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon almond extract

4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

1. Cream butter for a few minutes in a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Turn off the mixer. Sift 3 cups powdered sugar and cocoa into the mixing bowl. Turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the dry ingredients do not blow everywhere) until the sugar and cocoa are absorbed by the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add a little more sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add additional milk 1 tablespoon at a time.

Additional Toppings: As I'm not a huge frosting person, I found the buttercream to be a little too sweet. I whipped up some heavy cream and mixed in a bit of powdered sugar to lighten it up a bit. Also, ice cream!

No excuses now, EAT THOSE VEGGIES!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

A healthi(er), multi-season treat and one of my favorites.

The Crust:
1 3/4 c. Graham Cracker Crumbs
3 tbsp. Light Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 c. Melted Butter

The Filling:
3 (8 oz) Packages of Cream Cheese (at room temperature)
1 (15 oz) Can Pumpkin Puree
3 Eggs
1 Egg Yolk
1/4 c. Sour Cream
1 1/2 c. Sugar
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/8 tsp. Nutmeg
1/8 tsp. Ground Cloves
1 tbsp. Flour
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1] Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2] For Crust: In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter to mix. Transfer to 9 x 13 pan, spread and pack evenly. Set aside.
3] For Filling: Beat cream cheese on low-medium, until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, extra egg yolk, sour cream, sugar, flour, vanilla and spices. Beat together until well combined.
4] Pour/spread mixture evenly onto crust.
5] Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
6] Allow 15 minutes after baking for bars to cool/settle.
7] Top with freshly whipped cream, a bit of nutmeg, caramel or your favorite, chopped nuts (optional).
8] Store in refrigerator.

Photo.

A Favorite: Italian Pasta Salad

After a couple of rounds of trial and error (as always) I believe it to be damn near perfect, or at least my stomach thinks so.

2 boxes rainbow Rotini
2 bottles Kraft Tuscan House Italian Dressing
3/4 can sliced black olives
1/2 c. sliced green olives
1 of ea: chopped green, red, orange, yellow peppers
2-3 chopped mild pickeled pepperoncini
1-2 diced roma tomatoes
1-2 chopped broccoli heads
3 coined carrots
1/2 diced red onion
2 minced garlic cloves
1 c. diced celery
1 sm. sliced cucumber
1/2 c. shredded parmesan cheese
2-3 tbsp. oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1] Boil noodles to al dente, run under cold water, drain, allow to cool.
2] Chop all vegetables, add parmesan cheese.
3] Dressing: Tried Zesty Italian (or similar) in the past and found it to be much too salty. As there is plenty of salt in the black/green olives and pepperoncini, you should also not add salt until last, if even needed. Kraft's Tuscan House Italian is full of flavor without the sodium.
4] Add dressing as needed; start with one bottle (esp. if sitting over night).
5] Refrigerate; the longer, the better.
6] Enjoy! ~

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta

This recipe is perfect for a hearty, fall meal. A unique take on a cream sauce that is also surprisingly heathy: Not to mention, DELICIOUS. I'm sold. Enjoy ~

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons butter

1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree

2 cups vegetable broth

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup sour cream

A pinch of nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

1/4 cup parmesan/romano cheese, shredded

1 lb mostacolli pasta

1] In a large skillet, saute the onion and garlic in butter, over medium heat, until soft, not brown.

2] Whisk in the pumpkin, broth, creams and seasonings to taste.

3] Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4] Meanwhile, boil the pasta in salted water until al dente.

5] Drain pasta and stir into pumpkin, simmering 2-3 minutes more until thick.

6] Stir in parsley and garnish with shredded parmesan/romano, more parsley and pumpkin seeds if desired.

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/creamy-pumpkin-pasta-146732#ixzz1eCVS94Ws

Photo.

Meatless Three-Bean Chili

I have found that this blog has not only become an occasional place to share stories, vent or document random, noteworthy happenings, but some sort of cookbook that I revert back to, regularly. As I don't own any cookbooks and rely solely on memory for a lot of my recipes, I figure, why not make life a little easier and dub this blog my 'go to, e-cookbook,' (amongst other things). So, Kelsey-of-the-future, here is another personal favorite of yours: perfected by utilizing a combination of different recipes that were found online, in cookbooks and with the memory of mom's always in mind. There are very few dishes that warm me inside and out, and with fall in the air, it is a no-brainer that this one will be in-season for, well, how long did winter last, last year? ...Let's not think too hard on that one. Enjoy! ~

Here's the deal (makes a LARGE pot):
2 tbsp. of olive oil
2 medium onions (red, yellow, etc.)
2-4 cloves of garlic (to taste)
1 medium zucchini
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
2 cups+ of carrots (i like a lot)
4-5 medium, red or yellow potatoes (chopped largely)
2 stalks of celery (chopped thin)
1-2 tsp. of chili powder (check sodium/add to taste)
a pinch of oregano
a pinch of paprika
optional: a pinch of cumin/pinch of basil (usually found in chili powder)
pepper to taste

1] Cut/chop/dice/coin to desired size and 'sweat' on medium-low heat until soft.
2] Check/stir often.

Add:
1 (28oz.) can of organic diced tomatoes
1 (28oz.) can of tomato puree
NOTE: Tomatoes are naturally acidic/contain sodium, if you do not have fresh tomatoes on hand, find these 2, canned ingredients, produced WITHOUT ADDED SODIUM.
2 cans of vegetable broth
1 can of corn
1 (15oz.) can of black beans
1 (15oz.) can of pinto beans
1 (15oz.) can of kidney beans
NOTE: Drain corn, drain and rinse beans

3] Simmer on medium-low heat for an hour, or until everything is tender. *Think crock pot, usually the longer it sits, the better. *For a thicker consistency, use a potato masher and crush some of the beans on the bottom of the pot - the more you smash, the thicker it will get.
4] Add more pepper and salt or sugar to taste.
NOTE: Freeze leftovers, or turn it into a 'hotdish' mid-week, by adding egg noodles.

Garnish options:
Tabasco sauce
Lime juice
Fresh bread
Fresh, chopped cilantro or parsley
Sour cream
Green chili/tomatillo sauce
Guacamole
Brown sugar
Tortilla chips
Freshly grated parmesan or mozzerella cheese

A Veg-Lover's Dream:

Consists of fresh goodies from the garden.

Organic. Free. Fabulous.
Just one more reason why I wish summer could stay and play, all year round.

Recipe: Shrimp Raspberry Feta Salad

As I type, I am in the process of making supper, and salivating, uncontrollably as I look at the photos (below), realizing that I'll need to cut this short, my apologies. I love salads, especially during garden season, but I find myself adding all sorts of goodies to make them heartier (so I'm hungry 3 hours later, instead of 2 ;]). My  mom sent me home with a bunch of wild raspberries we have growing randomly around the farm: makes for a very refreshing, yet filling, combination.

Here's the deal:

Pre-cooked, frozen shrimp
Fresh lettuce - green leaf, romaine
Feta cheese
Raspberries
Croutons
Carrots
Celery
Red onion

Unthaw shrimp and remove the shells. Season and cook - I use kabobs, and put them on the grill for about 10 mins., to get somewhat of a crispy char. Croutons were made from a loaf of italian bread, from Rainbow ($2)...2 slices - pop in the toaster, butter, season with a bit of salt and pepper and cut to desired size.

On a bed of your favorite lettuce(s), scatter raspberries, shrimp, crumbled feta, croutons, chopped carrots, celery, red onion and, may I recommend, Newman's Own Poppyseed, salad dressing; a definite favorite of mine, light and refreshing and pairs well with fruit.

Recipe: Summer Kabobs

Simple Deliciousness.
JJB and I made these on a grill - IN our apartment - the night we moved into our new place (a 2 bd. a floor below our old place, for little brother in the fall). And yes, I said grill and yes, I said we made these the night of moving - so you know it had to be relatively painless. We kept the little electric one that we borrowed from my parents for camping and it works perfect, hardly any smoke and leaves the place smelling amazing! This time of year is ideal for utilizing both the grill and the fresh yield from the garden! Enjoy!

Here's the deal:
Green/Red Peppers
Cherry Tomatoes
Pineapple
Red Onion
Red Potatoes
Skewers
Strawberries? (We like to experiment w/ our food).
Shrimp, Chicken, etc. (Veg? - scratch it!)
Anything else! Use your favorites and be creative!
1] Boil quartered red potatoes for 15-20 mins. (or until tender). Cool.
2] Roughly chop veggies/fruit - I like hearty chunks.
3] Run skewers under water before grilling to avoid them catching fire.
4] Make kabobs!
5] Pairs well with fresh sweet corn, tortillas or black beans

Recipe Review: Fannie Farmer's Baked Mac & Cheese

Think outside of the (blue) box.
I found this recipe on FOOD.com after searching for a grown-up version of macaroni and cheese. Something to satisfy the typical, comfort food mood. With about 400/500 reviews saying nothing but good things, I thought I'd give this recipe a try.

1 (8 oz.) package macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 cup cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups shredded, sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup breadcrumbs, buttered

Directions:
1] Preheat oven to 400°F.
2] Cook and drain macaroni according to package directions; set aside.
3] In a large saucepan melt butter.
4] Add flour mixed with salt and pepper, using a whisk to stir until well blended.
5] Pour milk and cream in gradually; stirring constantly.
6] Bring to boiling point and boil 2 minutes (stirring constantly).
7] Reduce heat and cook (stirring constantly) 10 minutes.
8] Add shredded cheddar little by little and simmer an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese melts.
9] Turn off flame.
10] Add macaroni to the saucepan and toss to coat with the cheese sauce.
11] Transfer macaroni to a buttered baking dish.
12] Sprinkle with breadcrumbs - I used Ritz crackers.
13] Bake 20 minutes until the top is golden brown.

14] (You can also freeze this recipe in zip-lock bags for later use - once you have mixed the macaroni along with the cheese sauce allow to cool to room temperature before adding to your freezer - I generally pull it out the night before and allow macaroni and cheese to reach room temperature; I then add the macaroni and cheese to a buttered baking dish, sprinkle with bread crumbs and then bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until golden brown on top and bubbling.

If I were to make this again:

I would use a different type of pasta - the macaroni noodles tended to absorb so much of the liquid, small shells may have worked better. Cut down the flour to 1-2 tablespoons. I subbed 2 c. half and half for the milk and cream - because the noodles absorbed so much, I feel like I added at least 2 more c. of milk. The sharper the cheese, the better - I would add 3 c., not 2. I was OK with how it turned out. It was a lot of work, but I feel like with smaller noodles, more cheese and more liquid, this would've been MUCH better. This is not a very good day later dish, so next time I'd make just enough for one meal.

Easy Asparagus

I have just recently added this veg to the favorites category, for a few reasons - 1] It's now in season, so it's fairly cheap (Rainbow: $1.99/lb). 2] Preparation couldn't be more simple. 3] Asparagus is super healthy for you - remember, with veggies, the greener the better. I tend to opt for the skinny stalks as opposed to the thicker ones, since they tend to be less woody/stringy.

My favorite way to prepare asparagus is probably the easiest. Chop stalks to desired length, boil/salt water and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until tender. They really boil quickly, so make sure you do a few test bites to make sure they aren't overdone (and who's complaining about that one? - Not I.) Season with coarse salt and veggie pepper and BAM - done in a cinch. I also added asparagus to my last pan of tator tot hotdish (added about 10 mins. before bake time was done) and it was AMAZING. Have a favorite asparagus recipe? Do share!

Recipe: Strawberry Rhubarb Slush

Tis the season for rhubarb!
As I was home for the long weekend, I was craving some sort of summery drink, but I didn't have a whole lot of time or ingredients. Although I found many recipes online, I opted to tweak this one - it seemed to be the most simple. Instead of the 8 c. of 'barb the recipe called for, I subbed some fresh/frozen strawberries from Leafblad's last summer, that I dug out of my freezer. Even though I altered the amount of ingredients, a huge batch was still concocted. Which worked out - summer in a glass two nights in a row for this lucky lady and our Memorial Day guests.

2.5-3 c. of chopped rhubarb
2 c. frozen strawberries
about 2 qts. of water

Boil until tender.

Add:

Sugar, to taste
1/2-1 pkg. of strawberry JELLO - add to taste, sugary.
1/2 c. lemon juice
Desired amount of vodka, smirnoff, bacardi - what have you.

Freeze in ice cream pail. Stir every hour until slushy and before serving. If you so choose, add more alcohol. To serve - fill glass 1/2 full of slush add 7-UP, club soda or gingerale. Please observe my serving glass of choice: the fabulous mason jar. And if the weather doesn't say summer, the drink will.

YUM.

Today I Ate a Rainbow.

Making fruits and veggies even more fun.
This blog, The Vegetarian Salmon, is pretty much like a bible to me. The author is very observant, strong-willed and keeps things simple. Every now and again, she mentions her vegetarian one-year-old (crazy, huh?). It gets me to thinking what it might mean some day, for my children. Something tells me I will not force a particular diet on them one way or another - with or without meat consumption, but it opens my eyes to the correct, healthy way of going about it.

Although she is raising her daughter, little Serafina, in a veg manner, she is definitely more concerned about a balanced diet, as she switches up her meals so much so, that picky habits are almost nonexistent. Impressive. She shared information about an interactive way for children to be more involved in their diets and teach them healthy habits, all in the name of fun! Today I Ate a Rainbow has gained a great amount of attention due to one of their most popular products, a magnetic, refridgerator chart that allows children to mark when they have eaten a red, orange, yellow, green or purple fruit or vegetable. Something good for the adults to get in on, as well. It's brilliant.

I am disgusted.

A proposed bill to ban photos and videos on farms without the farmer's permission. Watch this video - the thought pretty much sickens me, to say the least. Especially when those in favor of this bill claim that a lot of the undercover animal abuse is staged and they, in fact, want to pass this bill in order to protect the animals. When, IN FACT, they are merely just looking to protect their own asses. My dad is a beef farmer, although not currently, I'm obviously not 100% on that bandwagon. However, our animals were always treated like gold, they even had pet names (eerily odd, if you ask me, but it is what it is). If you do eat meat, don't you want to know where it's coming from? I am not shaking my finger at any carnivores here, but don't be naive.

This video changed my lifestyle for the better - philosophy and diet. You can even request a free copy in the mail - just email FreeDVD@peta.org - It has been about 3 years since I decided to consume no meat, with the exception of fish. I don't miss other meats at all, and hardly even eat fish anymore. Before you order that cheap, greasy, yummy, burger, do animalkind a favor and realize that we are the reason that animal is dead. Do the math: how many restaurants are within a 5 mile radius from your home, how about the meat section in your local grocery store, multiply that by towns, cities, states, countries, world. Disgusted. Now, with this many factory farms in service to feed our faces, why in the hell would they not want to monitor what's going on...funny how big brother works. Hmm. Beats me.