CC and DD

I had an unfortunate run in with some cream cheese this morning. 

Dunkin' Donuts fills my soul with delicious coffee, however they do not understand "light on the cream cheese." I would not have gotten any but my coupon required me to get cream cheese in order for the bagel to be 99 cents. I find this very stupid. It would save them money and a glob-ton of smeary, gooey animal bi-product if they just let me get a plain bagel for the same price. 

I opened the toasty brown bagel to find enough cream cheese to patch a hole in the Hoover Dam. They almost redeemed themselves by giving me a knife. I started scraping, continued scraping, scraped some more, then gave it one final scrape and almost got most of it off. 

That pesky cream cheese is potent though. There was a layer that seeped into my innocent bagel. So I had to decide between eat and bare the consequence or go hungry. 

So I embraced the name Dunkin' and dunked that cream cheese tainted bagel into my delicious dark roast coffee. I love their bagels but they are a bit tough after being toasted and cooling off. I ate the whole thing but the combination of coffee and cream cheese forced the contents of my stomach to evacuate promptly. 

Moral of the story, sometimes the deal isn't worth the dairy. 

Let's do this, 
Jillian  

We are not Cows.

I know that we all grew up drinking milk multiple times a day and thinking we were doing something great for our bodies. However, I think that we were all wrong.

Milk is made for babies. After our bodies can process whole food, milk should not be consumed any longer. Especially not the milk from another mammal! Humans are the only mammals on earth that drink the milk of another. That would never happen in the animal kingdom because it is unnatural. We should take a lesson from God's creations.

The fact that we drink the milk meant for baby cows is weird. Imagine drinking human milk past infancy. It's become a hot topic for mothers to nurse their two, three, even four year old children. However, we drink milk meant for calves our whole life. 

Society has come up with all sorts of delicious treats made from dairy. It seems impossible to live without them. But it is possible, and it is wonderful.

Studies show that people who cut out dairy feel better, look better, lose weight, reduce risk of disease, have less stomach issues, the list goes on and on. I personally have cut out most dairy. The first month of not consuming dairy, or meat, I lost 15 pounds and felt amazing! I didn't realize how negatively dairy affected me until I cut it out. I have been thrilled with how I feel when I'm not eating dairy products.

Substitutes.

There are few subs for dairy that I have found to be worth eating. I prefer almond milk and also drink some coconut milk, however it is very sweet. I have not missed regular milk at all. Cheese subs are just weird, if you feel you have to have cheese, I would just have real cheese in moderation. The problem with trying to recreate something is that it winds up being full of artificial ingredients and flavorings and in the long run is no better for you than real dairy.

I have found countless recipes that are dairy-free and still taste amazing. Here is a website full of great recipes that I'm sure you will love.


Here is my challenge to you. Pick a dairy product, just one, and go without it for a week. See how you feel. If it was easier than you thought, take out another dairy product. Keep going until you are dairy-free, if you so choose.

I am an absolute advocate for a dairy-free lifestyle and I hope you will try it out.

Let's do this,
Jillian

On Fridays, we eat pizza.

Nothing beats a Friday night eating pizza with Mother. We went to Mellow Mushroom because they are accepting and accommodating of weirdos like me. 

Atop the delicious, melt in your mouth, incredible, stupendous crust they so graciously share with the world, we got an olive oil base with tons of veggies. Mom got cheese on her side, but I don't love her any less. 

One of my favorite things to put on pizza is pineapples. I can't eat fresh pineapple but when its baked, the juices aren't like acid in my throat and I love them. Salty and sweet is a combination that is hard to beat. 

Onions, pineapples, red peppers, green peppers, spinach, and love. 

I love the variety of vegan options at Mellow Mushroom. They also have cool t-shirts. Please buy me one. 

Let's do this, 

Jillian 

Happy Birthday, Sabrena

I recently celebrated a friend's birthday at a swanky little place called Cafe Lola. I was thrilled to find a vegan option outside of salad.

I chose the vegetable curry. It was made with coconut milk, spices and a ton of great veggies, served with rice in the middle. 

It was extremely tasty, but I have a critique. The sweet and creamy qualities of the coconut milk made me a bit sick afterwards. Maybe I shouldn't have cleaned my plate. Hindsight is 20/20.

The experience was wonderful though, great service and food, and the company of friends. 

Let's do this, 

Jillian

But it's Healthy Junk Food...

I have a sweet tooth.
I like cookies and dark chocolate.

Thankfully, I'm not alone in the vegan community and the superheroes at back to Nature have baked up some delicious treats to satisfy me. 

These Chocolate Chunk cookies are just one of seventeen types of cookies they make. Also, crackers, granola, nuts, trail mix, juice, soups, and cereal. They are busy. 

If I were a Girl Scout, I would sell these door to door.  

I know some of you are curious about what goes into a cookie with no eggs or dairy. Now you know.

If ever you can't find me, I probably went to Naples, FL to hug the people who make these cookies.

Let's do this, 

Jillian

Volunteer Vegan

If I begin to talk about Saturday's game, I will get upset. Therefore, I will just discuss my food.

El Charolais. El Kroger. The Bull. The Mexican Restaurant. El Torito.

Whatever you call it, that is where I watched the Vol's game this weekend.

Mexican food is one of the easiest cuisines to get vegan options. I ordered rice and beans and then asked for fajita vegetables, which are grilled peppers, onions and tomatoes. The weird blob on the left side of my plate is the cheese I scraped off the beans. I usually combine all this together and add salsa. You can eat it with a fork or on a chip. 

Even though we lost by one point, I am incredibly proud of my Vols. Also, I am pumped it is now cold enough to wear my vest. 

Let's do this, 

Jillian 

My Stomach has a Passport

America has unfortunately decided that every meal needs four types of meat and extra cheese. Though my heart remains ever loyal to the red, white and blue, my stomach has more passport stamps than I can count.

Around this time of year, Father tends to take a lot of hunting trips, which leaves Mother and me to go on hunting trips of our own, for vegan food. 

Recently we found a lovely little joint near Target in JC, Babylon Mediterranean and Middle East Grill. 

I was thrilled to see this sticker on the door. I knew we had made a good choice.

As an appetizer, we got a delicious eggplant, onion and cucumber salad in olive oil, so simple yet so incredible. The pita bread that was served with the salad was so warm and soft I could have crawled inside it to take a nap. I got a falafel sandwich on a thin pita bread wrap, that oddly enough came with french fries.

A closer look at the falafel sandwich shows that it is stuffed with onions, cucumber and a pickle spear. Mmm Mmm. 

I couldn't help myself, even though Tzatziki sauce has yogurt in it, I did use it as a dip. It's just so dang good. 

No mother daughter meal would be complete without a coffee. Especially a Turkish coffee with enough grounds in the bottom that Professor Trelawney could have predicted my grandchildren's futures. I could barely fit my fingers through that cup handle, however, tiny cup equals big flavor. 

Yet another successful, almost, vegan meal in Johnson City. 

Let's do this,

Jillian

Korean Taco House

Children, be nice to your mother, for she will buy you food. 

My mother and I often meet up for coffee or food at fun, local places. We recently went to the Korean Taco House in downtown Johnson City. It is a most unassuming location and storefront, but if you venture inside you will not be disappointed. 

The have some great vegan options, my favorite is the veggie tacos, you can get them without cheese and either spicy, or sweet. I got one of each and both were great.  

Spicy on the left. Sweet on the right. Water to the side. Menu behind.

You know you want one. Or seven. However, two were quite filling.

We also split a bowl of "Make your own Ramen." It's a college kid's dream. You can add meat or tofu, along with spices and kimchee on the side. It is spicy, but delicious.

Mmm, look at that geometric tofu. 

They also give you a coffee candy at the end. However, I didn't eat mine, because I'm making a fierce attempt at not eating so much sugar. 

끝  

Let's do this, 

-Jillian 

Medieval Coffee

I love my 8 am job. I love staying up late watching the entire sixth season of Parks and Rec. The two don't mix. That's where Dunkin' Donuts comes in and fills a caffeine-laden java moat around my sanity castle, protecting me from the exhaustion that will attack around 2 pm.

Thank you little dark roast warriors with turbo shot machine guns. I will be safe today because of your bravery.  

Dark Roast is only 99 cents right now. Go get some. 

Let's do this, 

-Jillian 

Ron Swanson is a genius.

"There has never been a sadness that can't be cured by breakfast food." -Ron Swanson. 

I find a breakfast that works, and I eat it until it's gone. This week, it's a bagel and chocolate almond milk. Delicious, nutritious, simple, vegan. 

That is all. 

Let's do this, 

-Jillian 

P.s. Thank you Kroger for selling products I can eat. 

Death Hike

Ring Ring

Hello?

Hey Jill, wanna drive up to Beauty Spot and watch the sunset? 

Yeah! For sure! See you soon.

Ok, bye!



This conversation was a hoax. After picking me up, friend Meagan and I realized we would not have enough time to drive to Beauty Spot before the 7:19 sunset, we made a decision to go to the fire tower instead. I've never been to this fire tower and had no idea what to expect.

The drive up was lovely, winding through the mountains, admiring the local wildlife, which is apparently chickens. We soon hit a gravel path and no cell service, always a good sign that beauty is near. The gravel turned to dirt as we meandered on and on, up and up, chasing the line of sunlight that was still visible. We kept anxiously checking the clock, hoping we would make it.

Finally we reached a gate. With a path beyond it that continued, up and up and up.

We ran from the car, expecting we could just jog the whole way and joyfully make to the top.. That lasted maybe 20 yards. This was going to be a butt-burning, back-sweating, heavy-breathing hike.

As the sun was sinking lower and lower, I kept thinking, we are gonna hike out of here at night. In the dark. I'm gonna get eaten.

Finally, after what seemed like 45 minutes, we made it the fire tower..

Oh! Fantastic, now I get to climb to knee-buckling heights.

I started out great, going pretty fast until I realized how high this thing really was. I had to keep looking at the stair in front of me and never ever look down. When I made it to the top, wow. Totally worth the death hike.

The sky was alive with blues and pinks. Spread across the horizon in a magical way. As we looked to our left we could see the mountain tops fade from green right below us to multiple shades of blue and they faded into the distance. The lights of Erwin twinkled in the valley like a tiny Christmas town. It was humbling to see. 

Meagan and I enjoying the rewards of a vigorous, unplanned hike. 


We did have to hike out in pretty dark conditions, but nothing ate us and it was actually nice. Very peaceful to be alone together in nature. 

My mother has always told me we live in the most beautiful place on earth. She's right. 

Let's do this, 

-Jillian 

Sword Fight.

Ever seen okra and a pepper sword fight? No? Well, you're welcome then.  

I recently discovered that I love pickled okra. I have known for years I love spicy things. The combination of these two... Wickles, Wicked Okra. 

They are spicy and sweet and delicious and if Chuck Norris and Chuck Bass were fused together and made into a snack, it would be these Wickles. 

Certainly, they are a new favorite vegan snack. Also, the juice is good to drizzle on cous cous or quinoa and veggies. 

I am thrilled to share these delectable treats with the world. I will support them until the bitter end. 

Let's do this, 

-Jillian