Vegan Month of Food 2018 Day 4: Art Inspired Food

Today the theme is art inspired food. You don't need a video for this one, just a short bit and a picture today.

I was in an area recently that has gone through a revitalization over the last 5-10 years. I'd seen that area at it's lowest point, terribly blighted. Now people have scrubbed the Victorian homes with love, paint and flowers, the streets have been repaired, long closed restaurants have new life and hum with laughter (and lots of vegan food). I loved being there, it's now so diverse welcoming all walks of life. It has ocean, music, little coffee shops, vegan food everywhere and even a used book store. It also has at least one street art project that identified itself to me, but I suspect there are several. There were projects and installations everywhere. Vibrant. Bold. Humorous at times, terribly tragic subject matter other times. Walking through that town with so much raging street art, the passion was evident at every "installation." I loved it and was truly inspired.

I think back to what inspired me when I was so much younger. I was surrounded by very bright students, and very talented artists in school. For someone like me this wasn't a good thing as I really hated school. I was bored out of my mind and was not a good student. When I wasn't bored, or just scraping by doing the minimum in academics, art was my savior. Writing, music, painting, drawing. I wasn't very good at any of it, but I enjoyed every moment. I felt comfortable writing, and my teachers encouraged me. The first (and probably last) "art" compliment I ever received that I can remember was in a creative writing class in grade school. I don't remember the teacher, but I remember the compliment. The teacher liked my short story.

Writing is something that many think they're good at, but really aren't. I'm no master and consider myself an ok writer at best. That's ok though. I like to write because I'm not comfortable around people. But when I write it's ok to be alone...I have time to think, erase, edit. It's so much easier than the spoken word for me. 

Creative writing is an art. I don't know if the same fuel feeds the fire of the professional writing artist, but for me, it's an outlet to cope with whatever lurks inside my head and heart and not be judged.

With all that said, writing inspired my food today. Not the pay your bills writing of checks, silly rabbit. Writing that sweeps us away to another place, another time, another anything. What else would you expect from me besides Alphabet Soup? Scroll down if you need my method.

Ingredients:

Vegetables (I used garlic, onion, carrots & celery)

Water

Vegan Bouillon (I used Edward & Sons Not-Chick'n Cubes)

Publix brand Alphabet Pasta (yup, vegan!)

Beyond Meat Grilled Chick'n strips

Spices

Put water & bouillon into a pot, bring to a boil, turn down, add everything else EXCEPT Beyond Meat. Simmer til veggies are tender. Add some seasonings I used black pepper, thyme and parsley. Add the pasta, simmer til tender (about 6 minutes), add the Beyond Meat only just til heated. Serve.

FYI, I boiled the Beyond Meat with all the rest of the ingredients. Don't do it. Who knew it would fall apart? Not me. I'm not one to use those analogues much what can I say. It's still tasty but it would've been nice if the little bits I tossed in didn't turn into micro bits. Also, I know people are used to Alphabet Soup being a tomato or red soup. Red soups are last on my list of yum soups, instead I went with a golden broth, top of the heap in my world, right up there with "cream" soups (vegan style always) like potato or whatever.

One last bit of advice.... don't leave your empty Beyond Meat bag on the counter if you happen to have a cat named Diesel. Really.... don't do it.

That darn cat!

And with that, I'm over and out til tomorrow. As the noodles say... Go vegan, stay vegan. Thank you, The Animals. 

xo