Break the Mold

I can't stand this notion that all vegans are sometimes clumped together by the public to be of a certain type.  I am so happy there is finally an effort to "break the mold" so to speak in the media.  Images of body-builders and movie stars who have plant-based diets, for example, is very cool.  I like the idea that folks are working to revise the image that all vegans are tree-hugging, for lack of a better word, hippies.  Believe me when I tell you, I know hippies and they are not all vegan.  Okay I'm sure some of you who know me and my liberal views are thinking that I, with a name like Ashley Rachel Rainbow Honey Bunny Hunt (yes that is my real name) am a total hippie myself.  And you wouldn't be entirely wrong, I told you I knew hippies.  I know hippies. But I also told you I don't like labels.  Enough said.

My vegan life has little to nothing to do with my moral beliefs, sorry, I said it.  Back to labels though because I cannot stand them.  Vegan, Omnivore, Carnivore, Pescatarian, Ovo-Lacto, Raw, enough already.  We are all just effing human, period.  Regardless of what you eat, you, like every other human being eat food and that is something we all have in common.  It's a universal connection we all share.  And if you are anything like me, you are fascinated by it and are always on the quest for new and interesting dishes you can whip up in your kitchen.  Especially these days when the cost of eating out has skyrocketed.

I have always dreamed of having my own cooking show.  I applied to be on Master Chef once but didn't get a call back.  I have not applied to Next Food Network Star but have fantasized about it.  Ok.  So now I'm vegan.  Have my dreams been crushed because I'm in some elite (hippy, just kidding) club!?  Hell no!  I thought it was quite random that there is a new PBS show on DeliciousTV called Vegan Mashup.  I was thinking, I am so there.  And I did catch an episode the other day (thank you to my sister who alerted me of the airing) and I'm thinking, Oh, I am so going to get on that show!

Just because I have gone vegan doesn't mean I have lost my appreciation for all food.  I love food and whether it's prepared by me or in a restaurant, I'm usually always out to try the next big thing.  Did I mention that I submitted over 250 flavors to the Lay's DoUsAFlavor contest.  Oh man, was that fun!?  I swore I'd get a call and then sadly (like millions of others) was shocked to see how flat the flavors they chose were.  In all honestly I only tried one, the Chicken & Waffles (pre going vegan), and I thought it tasted pretty damn good but original?  Hell no.

So last note before heading out, I am reconfiguring my blog so there will be a new page to capture all of my recipes.  Eventually I will put them in a more easy to read format for all of you to enjoy.  And also so you don't have to sift through all of my babbling to find them.  If I keep up at this rate, I will likely have a novel by summertime.  Mmmmmmmmmm.....summertime.....it can't be here soon enough.  Have a great night and stay tuned for revamped recipes and more cheery banter.  Toodles.