Who are the Peas in the Pod?

Welcome all to the 

grand opening of our blog!!!

Chances are many of you were directed here via our facebook page, which we are both so grateful has taken off like it has.  We appreciate the support so immensely and look forward to having even more friends join the ranks.  In the three weeks we've had the page open we have gained the support of 71 people (some of which were our friends prior and some of which are our friends now.)  We are all about spreading the love and we love you all!

For those who are not particularly acquainted with Melanie and I . . .

We thought:

What better way to start off this thing than with an introduction? 

So here goes:

We are cousins on our mothers' sides but our relationship goes beyond that because we are dear friends, sisters and kindred spirits.

"I always looked up to Melanie when we were little, envious of her beauty, grace and intelligence.  I wanted to be just like her! Now, that we are grown, I find there was a reason I felt such a kinship, such a bond.  I never realized just how much we have in common, how much we are alike.  And now, though, we are separated by nearly 3000 miles, we find our thoughts, feelings and actions, are nearly always in sync!  It's why we have decided that we are just like two peas in a pod."


Why not call ourselves and this endeavor of ours "Two Peas in A Pod"? Not only for the simple fact that that has been done already countless times but because we both felt that to call it "Peas in THE Pod" would be an excellent way to advocate our belief that food should be eaten in it's natural whole state.  It's not enough to just eat your peas, it's far better to eat them in their natural whole state, in THE pod, so to speak.  At least, that's the way WE see it! 


So, 
Who are these PEAS IN THE POD?


A little about Amber:

I am first and foresmost a stay-at home mom who by extension is passionate about natural parenting and all it involves (an advocate for education about the misconceptions of being a "hippie" and unschooler).  I am a true believer in the power of whole foods and natural medicine, an advocate for the preservation of our environment and an all around, deep-down, passionately creative individual.   My creative endeavors include being a writer, blogger and an artist in many mediums. Creativity and invention are the driving forces of my life.

My love and concern for the plight of the planet is what initially led me to the choice to be vegan.  Though I can’t say for certain, I think that was somewhere around 5 years ago.  I guess you could say on the path to activism, I became aware of certain things that I simply just can’t become UN-aware of now.  And what I discovered was reason enough.  I have obviously since then discovered that other than being better for the planet, there are many more advantages and positive things that come your way from making such a decision.  It isn’t always an easy path (nothing is when you are going against the norm) but I suppose most of my life choices paint a picture to the world, that I am a bit of a radical, a rebel, even.  Being vegan is just another way I choose to be different but I assure you I’m not trying to prove anything!

I decided to set up this blog with Melanie because I thought there were many who might benefit from hearing about my culinary adventures and at times, misadventures.  When it comes to food, my family life is a bit of a chaotic one.  I, for my part, am the only “Vegan” in the house, my daughter eats predominantly vegetarian and recently has been forced to make some dietary changes.  She like her brother is gluten intolerant but must also stay away from oats and corn.  My mom, who lives with us, also follows a gluten-free diet.  And last there is my husband, who will eat anything and likes everything.  Sure, that works to my advantage but he isn’t interested in eating strictly vegan fare so it does present a challenge for me.  I have no desire to fix five separate meals every evening (and mind you with my kids at home with me during the day, dinner is not the only issue).  So, I must be creative in finding ways to please us all; one meal to suit all of our varying dietary needs.  And most importantly, I strive to make each meal as healthy as possible (this includes our recent decision to eat as much raw food as possible). It’s been much trial and error but I have found the challenge to be quite a motivation and it’s just another outlet for creative fun for me.   I thought by sharing those experiences here with you, there might be some who can stand to learn from both my failures and successes.  I hope that will be the case.  And I know that we will have fun with it along the way, regardless!

A little about Melanie:

I believe in the interconnectedness of all life and our responsibility to love and nurture all living things.  As a mother, companion, sister, aunt, cousin, friend or in any one of the many varied roles in which I interact with life;  I believe that LOVE is always the answer, regardless of the question.  My strongest ethics are; "Harm to None", "Complete Acceptance" and "Being Fully Present"..... I believe that these ethics help us to get the most out of life.  If we are truly interconnected with all and merely a mirror to one another; then let Love, Joy, Freedom and Compassion lead the way!  This is how we transform our world and our lives into paradise in the present moment. <3  

I had done the vegetarian/vegan thing years ago from the standpoint of health since I have many inherited health issues.  When I became pregnant with my daughter in 1996 my doctors urged me to go back to animal products and reluctantly, despite the nausea just from the smell, I slowly reincorporated mostly dairy and a few meats but kept it as an additive to my meals.  Over the years my health plummeted.  Over the last two years I began returning to a heavier plant based diet, omitting "junk American food products", in an attempt to regain health and freedom from chronic pain.  Reuniting with my childhood boyfriend who is both Buddhist and vegan gave me the support and forum to not only return to my previous path but to gain a greater spiritual awareness about the Compassionate side to vegan eating.  Knowing my dear cousin had trail blazed the way; I began seeking her advice (the Italian in me Loves cooking for people!) and in our elated sharing of our latest experiments fueled by the generous support of my beau who is ever so grateful for home cooked vegan fare... our venture was born.

As for me, the Vegan way is one of nourishing our bodies with harm to none, complete acceptance of life and its right to flourish including each individuals' choice to self-nourish as they see fit (non-judgment).  And finally I believe the Vegan way brings one into a state of being fully present with all life including humanity, plants, animals, water sources and Gaia.  Each meal is contemplated not only for the pleasures of color, texture, aroma, and nourishment but also with regard to compassion towards the sources that bring us life sustenance.  I hope that through our experiments on this journey, supported by my creative, knowledgeable and loving cousin.... my twin separated by mothers.... you may find yourself and your way.... in love and joy! <3