Farm Sanctuary Tour & a Veg McMuffin Recipe

What a great day! I started the morning off with my friend, Breanne. We decided to try a spinning class in the South End at a place called Recycle Studio. It was just what the doctor ordered! I hadn't done a cycle class in years - since I lived in DC and would go to a studio in Bethesda with my friend, Jen. So once Breanne suggested it, I was fully on board. And it was everything we hoped it would be. A small sized class, dimly lit studio for a very zen experience, and everyone was so nice and welcoming, which feels good when you're a newbie! I had forgotten what an awesome workout cycling was, but leaving the 45-minute class drenched with sweat and feeling that good kind of burn, I was quickly reminded. :)

Once I got home, showered, had some lunch, and snuggled Jakers and Mabel, I hopped back in my car and drove about an hour west of Boston to a town called Mendon. I had signed up for a tour of Maple Farm Sanctuary. They are a non-profit that exists solely to rescue animals and allow them to live out their days in peace and harmony. Many of the rescues are from factory farms, but others have come from irresponsible pet owners who don't realize what they're getting into when they buy that cute baby goat or pig.
This place is awesome. 120 acres of bliss. I was in heaven, hearing the stories of rescue and petting these sweet babies. They have so many goats that just roam the barns like dogs - so friendly and sweet. The highlight might be Jonathan - their 600 pound pig! Here are some highlights:

One of the many llamas on the farm.

 These sheep were rescued from abusive owners. So sweet.

 A potbellied pig that an owner decided they couldn't handle.

 Jonathan, the 600 lb pig and his best friend, a miniature horse. Also, more llamas & goats.

 A beautiful male turkey rescued from a factory farm.

 A dairy cow rescue who was super friendly and affectionate.

 Some of the many ducks and chickens that seem to really love each other. :)

 Putt-Putt, the sweetest little goat you'll ever meet!

Okay, so that was a lot of pictures - but it's hard to pick just a couple. So many animals that I adore! I just emailed them my volunteer application. I hope to make the drive every-other weekend to help with anything they need. My ultimate dream is to open my own farm sanctuary someday, so this will be valuable experience!

Today's tour was also a good reminder of why I make the effort to live a vegan life. And, during my drive to and from Minnesota for the holidays, I was reminded of how challenging it could be when I was craving breakfast, but couldn't eat anything on the drive-thru menus. But it got me craving a breakfast sandwich, so I made my own this weekend! Check it out - it's amazing how much the right seasonings can make the tofu taste just like an egg!

Vegan Breakfast Sandwich (Veg McMuffin)

• English muffin
• Vegan cheese slice (I like the Galaxy Nutritional Foods American slices, which you can find at Whole Foods)
• Vegan sausage patty (I like the Whole Foods, 365 brand)
• Extra firm tofu
• 1 Tbsp Canola Oil
• Margarine
• Nutritional Yeast
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Salt & Pepper

Lightly toast your english muffin and spread margarine lightly on both halves. Prepare vegan sausage patty as directed (microwave is easiest). Heat canola oil in saute pan over medium heat. Slice tofu into 3/4" section and use a drinking glass to cut out a circle. Press tofu circle firmly between towels to get moisture out. Add to hot oil. Lightly season tofu with nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. After 3-5 mins (when side facing down is lightly browned), flip and season other side with just salt and pepper. Allow to cook for another 3-5 minutes. Assemble sandwich and enjoy while hot.

2013 Here We Come!

Happy New Year! I can't believe how quickly 2012 flew by, but 2013 is off to a great start.

I once again took 2 weeks off from work and drove to Minnesota for the holidays. Heaven forbid I celebrate a holiday without Jakers and Mabel, right!? I had a wonderful time with friends and family. I hadn't seen my two older nieces in a year, so it was SO much fun spending time with them. And my newest niece is only 4 months old, and I hadn't met her until Christmas. Love snuggling that chunky little girl!

Family shot on Xmas Eve

Usually, after 2 weeks at my mom's house, I'm anxious to get back to my own life and have a little breathing room from the fam (I mean that in the nicest way), but this year was different - I could have used another week or two in Minnesota. Although, I was happy to leave the weather behind. SO COLD. I forget how cold it is until I'm back in it. Yikes.

I feel like I ate my way through the trip -- it's just so natural to meet someone for lunch or dinner when you want to catch up. But after 2 weeks, that gets to be a lot of dining out. My mom also made some great vegan options at the holiday meals for me. She seems to be embracing experimenting with vegan recipes, which I am very grateful for. She's a good cook, so I love seeing her try her hand at cruelty-free cuisine. The highlight of this year were her vegan cheesy potato casserole. She made cream of mushroom soup from scratch to make that happen - what a lady. :) I'm trying to get back on track with healthy eating now that I'm back to reality. Just had a buffalo "chicken" wrap and miso soup for dinner.  I use the Gardein brand Crispy Tenders and coat them in hot sauce for that wrap. Also makes a great salad with my homemade vegan ranch dressing! So good! (Although, miso soup sounds like a strange pairing, I was craving it, so made a pot.) :)

Anyhow, so I'm back in Boston and happy to be home. Jakers and Mabel were absolute troopers on the drive there and back, but they are pretty happy to be in our little apartment, too. :) They seem to enjoy the adventure for the most part, but after 3,000 miles on the road, they are ready for it to be over with. Amen, guys, amen.

Jakers, enjoying his time riding shot-gun.

I tried a couple of new Christmas cookie recipes this year. I actually veganized a Paula Deen recipe that I saw on the Food Network. (Impressive, right?) They turned out delicious! I'll definitely do these again. Maybe even leave off the crushed candy canes and make them non-Christmas cookies. Check out the recipe, below!

Meemaw's Kitchen Sink Cookies (Veganized)

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) margarine, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• Ener-g Egg Replacement: equivalent of 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup puffed rice cereal
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 cup rolled old-fashioned oats
• 1 (8-ounce) package toffee bits (I made my own vegan toffee, but you could also just use mini chocolate chips in place of toffee)
• Dark chocolate, for dipping
• 15 peppermint hard candies, crushed, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.
Using an electric mixer, cream the margarine and sugars. Scrape the sides of the mixer bowl and beat in the oil, Ener-g egg replacement, and vanilla until smooth. Beat in the flour mixture in 3 small additions, scraping the sides of the bowl after each one. Slowly beat in the rice cereal, coconut, and oats. Fold in the toffee bits and refrigerate the dough, covered, for 1 hour.
Drop rounded tablespoons of dough on 2 cookie sheets, leaving at least 1-inch of space around each drop. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool.
Using a double boiler, melt the dark chocolate. Dip the cookies into the chocolate and sprinkle crushed peppermint to decorate. Allow to cool or serve warm. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.