On the Road to Being Less Clueless

I've been watching Rachael Ray's talk show quite a bit lately.  It's not that I love the show or have nothing better to do, it's that when Bailey and/or Bill settle themselves all cozily in my lap while I have a cup of coffee and am in my pajamas and Live with Regis and Kelly has ended, I find it difficult to pick myself up off the couch and get on with my day right away.  So, I sit and watch at least half of Ms. Ray's show.  This really goes to show how worthless my life is right now.  I need a job.  Hire me.  Please.

Anyhow, the other day Rachael had the most amazing guest on.  Well, maybe the second most amazing since yesterday Julie Andrews was on.  Alicia (pronounced Ah-lee-see-ah) Silverstone spent quite a bit of time sitting next to Rachael promoting her new book and her fabulous lifestyle.

When I was in elementary school and Clueless was a hip movie to watch, I must have watched it every single day.  If I were like most crazy little girls, I would have had every line of that movie memorized, only I'm not good at that kind of thing and really only remember one or two lines I love from movies.  They are the lines nobody else remembers, and if I were to recite them to you right now, you wouldn't be able to name the movie for the life of you.  But nevertheless, I watched that movie as if my life depended on it.  I did not understand the deeper significance until much later in my life, but it served its purpose.  And this is how I always knew Alicia Silverstone.

Since then I have heard in passing of her desire to help animals and the environment and that she was possibly a vegetarian.

Dudes.  She's a vegan.  And she wrote a book about it.  It's a book-cookbook called The Kind Diet not only because it's better for the planet but it's better for your body and soul.  I ALMOST DIED.  This was a vegan on Rachael Ray's show.  She was talking about being meat free and dairy free and living a life for the planet and suddenly I was worshipping Alicia Silverstone again.

I have been wondering and pondering and asking around to find out what vegan cookbook to buy.  I only have omnivorous and lacto-ovo cookbooks.  Well, folks, I know what book I'm buying.

I wish I had known what I would be seeing because I would have recorded the episode on the DVR.  Everything I've been trying to convey to my omnivorous friends and family she said so easily and comprehensibly.  I think I squee'd out loud at one point.

And the crispy rice cereal treats (because using the well-known name would be a trademark issue) looked so divine.  I've tried making them with marshmallow fluff, which is gelatin free, but they come out hard.  She uses rice syrup and they come out just right!  I need to get my hands on that book.  There is too much I'm missing out on.

Which brings me to my next point.  I was grocery shopping with my mom this weekend and I could not for the life of me find a good quality whole wheat bread that is made without milk!  What the hoot?  We ended up buying the high-fiber, low-calorie health bread with all the extra ingredients that make it not-recommended to eat, but it was the only whole wheat bread without milk.  Really, people?  Really?  It's wheat bread!  So as we went down the aisles of the store and my mom noticed all the things I won't eat anymore, she reminded me of how she believes I'm "missing out on so much."  Instead of sighing and shrugging as usual, I spoke up and said, "No, I'm not."  If you think like many vegans, you'd think that all those things aren't supposed to be eaten by us anyhow so how am I missing out?  Plus, where there is a will, there is a way.  That is why I'm experimenting with recipes and vegan ingredients.

So, I may start making my own bread.  It's good for the arms and the spirit.  My family baked bread for a living before coming to the United States.

I may also rent Clueless for some laughs and good memories.  It's too bad I don't still have the little tea set I used to have and used for drinking hot cocoa with my friends after playing in the snow.  I'd totally break that out and use it while watching the movie if I did.  And yes, totally just said totally.  Twice.