During a quick stop at Trader Joe's for cat food and frozen berries, I happened to stop by the meat area to check out their tofu selection. With a sigh and determination to have a tasty meat alternative for the BBQ tonight, I reached for a package of soy hot dogs. While still mid-reach, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a bright red package of thick sweet Italian gourmet sausages a few shelves above the soy dogs and smiled curiously. They were much bigger and darker than soy dogs so I grabbed them, wondering if the appearance alone would help me convince my meat-lovin' sweetheart to try them. The ingredients certainly looked flavorful, and they were outdoor grill-approved, so I purchased them and headed home proudly.
Ed was outside, grilling asparagus and potatoes, when I got home. I threw a few Tofurky Italian Sausages on the grill, winked at him and exclaimed "Italian sausages with basil and sun dried tomatoes! I've heard really good things about them, you can hardly tell it's not meat!" Being the awesome guy that he is, he said "sounds good!", kissed me and then walked into the house to season his steak.
Not being a fan of regular sausage when I did eat meat, I didn't quite know how to serve them once they were done so I grabbed a piece of Dave's Killer Bread, smothered it with Veganaise and ketchup and wrapped it around my sausage like a hot dog. :) I know it's not the epitome of class, but I loved it! Ed cut his sausage up and was really surprised by how flavorful and spicy they were, admitting he'd like to add it to an omelet sometime. Even though I don't eat eggs, I was encouraged by his enthusiasm. We agreed to fix them next time I made my Italian grandma's secret spaghetti sauce recipe.
In the midst of all the excitement, I forgot to take a picture of dinner before eating it. When I went online to find a photo for this post I discovered it was officially Tofurky Tuesday! Forget about the 12 hour workday today, things are looking up. Ed tried a meat substitute and liked it, and I participated in a community event without even realizing it! Here are a few fun facts from the Turtle Island website:
According to Jaime Athos, PhD, Turtle Island’s Manager of Environmental Affairs, the amount of greenhouse gas emissions reduced by going meatless just one day a week is equal to the amount released when you drive the average car 16.5 miles.If you click here you can pledge to eat meatless once a week and get a Tofurky Tuesday care package that includes complimentary issues of vegetarian magazines. Even though I eat meatless every day, my family doesn't, so this is something I could initiate as a "family tradition". Care to join us? If you've taken the pledge, let me know by leaving a comment on this post.
Athos estimates that the “Tofurky Tuesdays” campaign has helped reduce approximately 97,885 pounds of CO2 gas emissions, while also showcasing Americans’ increasing awareness of animal rights and the growing number of appealing meat-free options now available to mainstream shoppers.
I know that I said I was going to start learning how to cook because heating up food from Trader Joe's wasn't really "cooking" but as long as I'm experimenting and being inspired to try new things, it's a step in the right direction. Right? The trick is going to be planning ahead so that I don't have to face a trip to the grocery store and spend a lot of time cooking at the end of a long workday. Lucky for me, my kids come home from camp and school starts soon which means we'll be back to a routine in no time!
In the spirit of cooking, click here for a recipe from the Humane Society for "Tuscan Tofurky Sausage Saute over Bow Tie Pasta". Looks delish. Enjoy!
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