My 500th Post! It's a Long One!

     

 Today is my 500th post! I can hardly believe it. It's a really big deal to me, because when I first started this blog, I had no idea what I was doing, I didn't even know how to add pictures, or links! I felt sure that no one would want to read my blog, especially without beautiful pictures! I mean, let's be honest, even now that I do add pictures, they aren't that beautiful! But, we live in a selfie/instagram world. But I made a commitment to myself that I was going to start this blog, and stick with it. At the time, I was living in Erie,PA. and I was feeling so alone and lonely and isolated, and trapped, and claustrophobic, and well you get the point. I was feeling low. So, I figured this blog would be a way for me to express myself, and that was what was important. I knew that I needed an outlet for my feelings. The fact that I have stuck with it is what really surprises me. I am one to stop doing things when I feel embarrassed, or intimidated. I remember I E-mailed Earth Balance at one point praising one of their products, and I mentioned that I wrote a review on my blog.They E-mailed me back asking for a link to my blog to read the review. I didn't know how to do that,and I was soooo embarrassed that I didn't know how to do that! It's embarrassing to even be repeating this. Anyway, I didn't stop, I kept going and I've learned along the way, and will continue to learn and improve. I was in a very dark place in Erie, and this blog gave me some kind of hope and connection to other vegans. And, as people started reading, I just couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe people were interested in my words! Every single person I talked to in Erie would get that glazed over look in their eye the minute I would speak of anything vegan, health, or animal rights related. Not to mention I have never met more bigoted people in my life. I was never not caught off guard by the everyday use of hate speak openly in public. It was socially accepted to use various words that we all know are not okay. And if you had a problem with it, well you were the problem. It was terrible, and I was so desperately lonely and miserable. This makes me look like the punchline for a million jokes, but I think this blog, and my cats are the only things that kept me sane.
Now, 500 posts later, I'm back in Seattle, and I have  two blogs! And I love to post pictures(even if they aren't Instagram worthy) and lots of links!
I have spent so much of my life running away from, and hating myself, and who I am, that I never knew what I wanted to do, or what I might be good at. As a child, I didn't dream of being a doctor, or architect, or anything like that. So, through this blog I discovered that I love to write! I sincerely enjoy and look forward to writing every day, and in addition to the two blogs, I have a gazzillion notebooks floating around full of thoughts, and a journal! Pent up feelings anyone?  And I have taken several classes on writing at the library, which is a huge deal in it's own right as I have an intense fear of the classroom type environment, and any type of public speaking. But I enjoy these classes so much, I wish I could  find more!
I want to thank everyone who reads, and who comments. I can never express how much it means to me, and how much it matters to me. And the one thing I have always known about myself is I want to make the world a safe place for animals. I want to save animals from humans. So, to feel like I am part of the community, and part of the solution has brought me a feeling I can't really describe. No matter what is going on in my life, I will never not defend animals.
So, finally to the video above. This is a YouTube channel that I somewhat recently discovered. She has fun hauls, and meal prep, weekly meals and such. She and her husband are both vegan, and they also have a channel where they taste test vegan foods. I enjoy their channel, because they aren't food or body shaming anyone, and I feel like they show the good side of vegans, and also their hauls and diet are similar to the way I've been eating. When I saw this spaghetti casserole, I just knew that I needed to make it.

This is for garlic lovers!!

I had been wanting to try this sauce that has been begging me to use it. It is seriously garlic-y! It is maybe the best jarred sauce I've ever had. Really good stuff.

I added the sauce to my sauteed mushroom, onion, and white beans. So, so good!

All assembled and ready to be baked!

Spaghetti casserole perfection!

Whenever I do any kind of pasta bake, I always use short noodles, unless it's lasagna. The whole wheat noodles were perfect for this, because they really hold up well, even after being cooked twice. Sometimes white or gluten free noodles get a little too soft after being in the oven. I also added crushed red pepper on top because spice! This was delicious warm, and I just took a few bites of the cold leftovers, and it's amazing cold too! Or am I alone in my love of cold spaghetti?
I'm going to be experimenting with my vegan horseradish macaroni and cheese this weekend, so hopefully I will have a recipe to share. I feel like if I owned a vegan diner, I would serve horseradish mac and cheese as a side to a vegan Reuben sandwich. Doesn't that sound like an awesome diner meal? Anyway, thanks so much to everyone who reads this blog, I could never properly express how much it means. I'm a blogger! So crazy. Me five years ago is GAGGING!!
Happy Saturday!