red soup for the soul...

i created this post a few months ago...but, i fell ill, and wasn't able to really finish it...finally finished it:

baby it's cold outside...so so so cold...

have i ever mentioned that john is of ukrainian decent? probably not. i mean, why would i right? well, the reason i bring it up now is because since meeting the boy...i have become addicted to borscht...i love it. it's such a soothing bowl of goodness. and i believe that it's so amazingly good for all of us...

it's been super cold in my world as of late...and this week i decided to make two huge pots of soup...one for my baby love, which i posted yesterday...a very manly soup...with all the manly fixings (not so healthy)...and one for me...and if you haven't already guessed, i made myself a lovely borscht...such a beautiful red bowl of super goodness...

i make my borscht with red beets and red cabbage...both very fabulous veggies...and on a cold night, after work...after traipsing around with jackson for hours in the bitter cold...playing with other dogs and throwing around a ball...at the very point that i wonder if i have frostbite on my toes...we wander back to our home and i warm up with a good old hot bowl of yumminess...it's just so wonderful for the soul...trust me.



borscht (vegan)

3 beets, grated (i don't peel my beets, i just give them a good ol' scrubbing)
1/2 a head of red cabbage, shredded
1 very large carrot, grated
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 clove of garlic (i love garlic, but if you don't it's totally optional)
1 shallot minced quite finely
2 tbsp olive oil
6 cups of veggie broth (or water, i didn't have veggie broth, so i used water instead)
dill (i use about a cup of it...i love dill)
salt and pepper
1 lemon juiced

saute shallots and garlic in olive oil for a couple of minutes. add carrots and celery, saute for another 2 minutes. add cabbage, beets, dill and water/stock. bring to a boil. lower the heat to very low, and allow soup to simmer for a couple of hours. add lemon juice, salt and pepper and enjoy...some people enjoy the soup with a dollop of sour cream, plain yogurt and horseradish. i just enjoy mine plain.

i also made another soupy stew...a vegan lentil swiss chard stew...i just threw a bunch of things into a soup pot and let it simmer for an hour...i sauteed celery...carrots and onion in some olive oil...and added the lentils and some organic veggie broth...when the stew was just about ready i added a couple of handfuls of swiss chard and baby spinach...and voila...a nice hearty stew to warm the insides...







how do you stay warm in your world, when it's cold outside?



and...i thought i would share a picture of my mama and my baby love...and of my fur baby with green alien eyes...







have a beautiful friday my friends...

it's a crazy life...

isn't it?

yes it most certainly is...

john, jackson and i moved...we're kinda settled...yesterday marked 10 months to our wedding date...and of course the 30th year anniversary of a legend's death...these days i'm not really too into the wedding...i have everything done except for the music and transportation for the bridal party...

i've been hibernating lately...and playing with jackson...we take long walks and play ball for hours...i've also been playing in the kitchen a lot...i've made some comforting meals...

potato leek soup with tarragon, chives and bacon for my baby love...



6 potatoes peeled and chopped
3 leeks, cleaned very well and chopped very finely
two shallots chopped very finely
3 pieces of bacon sliced into bits
8 cups of water or stock of your choice (i used water)
salt and pepper
1 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon both chives and tarragon

cook bacon pieces until crispy. remove from pan and set aside. saute leeks and shallots in bacon grease until slightly caramelized...add potatoes and water...salt and pepper and let simmer for 1 hour...until potatoes are cooked and mushy...blend mixture with a hand blender...or put in a blender (be very careful)...until very smooth...add 1 cup of whipping cream, chives and tarragon and the bacon...mix very well...and enjoy...

parisian herbed (tarragon, chives, dill and basil) omelette and a very colourful coleslaw...for me...





herby coleslaw

1 head of cabbage (i used red), shredded
1 very large carrot, shredded
1 tsp chopped basil, dill, tarragon
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1/2 cup of chopped radishes

dressing (i didn't measure)

red wine vinegar
apple cider vinegar
agave nectar
dijon mustard (heaping teaspoon)
1 clove garlic
olive oil
salt and pepper

place all ingredients in a bowl and mix...

i posted lyrics to a beautiful song a few days ago...unfortunately it will not be our wedding song...but it is a very very dear and beautiful song...

oh mama...

i laughed so hard i cried watching this...i know, such a mean girl am i...

remembering...

i could not ask for more...

lying here with you,
listening to the rain,
smiling just to see, the smile upon your face,
these are the moments, i thank god that i'm alive,
these are the moments, i'll remember all my life,
i found all i've waited for,
and i could not ask for more.
looking in your eyes,
seeing all i need,
everything you are, is everything to me,
these are the moments, i know heaven must exist,
these are the moments, i know all i need is this,
i have all i've waited for,
and i could not ask for more.

i could not ask for more than this time together,
i could not ask for more than this time with you,
every prayer has been answered,
every dream i have's come true,
yeah right here in this moment, is right where i'm meant to be,
here with you, here with me. . .

these are the moments, i thank god that i'm alive,
these are the moments, i'll remember all my life,
i've got all i've waited for,
and i could not ask for more. . .

i could not ask for more than this time together,
i could not ask for more than this time with you,
every prayer has been answered,
every dream i have's come true,
and right here in this moment, is right where i'm meant to be,
here with you, here with me. . .

i could not ask for more than the love you give me,
cause it's all i've waited for . . .
and i could not ask for more,
i could not ask for more.



here's to a beautiful life together now and forever more...

life is crazy sometimes, isn't it?

has anyone sent out a search party for me yet?

someone please remind me to never ever plan a wedding and look for a place to live at the same time again...wow, stressful!

john and i are in the midst of looking for a place to live...move-in date is set for december first...now if we could only find a home...

i've also been running around trying to plan our wedding...i've made some pretty lame decisions...but thankfully i have a fashion forward matron of honour...who isn't shy about telling me "no comment" when she doesn't agree with something...and by something i mean the flowers...i have to admit, i had very good intentions, in fact these were some of my ideas...

















but the florist i went to see, somehow convinced me that i loved these flowers...



did i mention i've also been fighting a very bad cold...which turned into bronchitis...again, very lucky to have my very own martha stewart along for the ride...

oh oh...did i mention i found my dress? i did! and i am so very excited...and although i didn't cry, like they do on "say yes to the dress"...i did have a moment...







just thought i'd drop in and say hello...see how everyone is doing...i hope to be back full force sometime in december...and i am reading all of your lovely blogs...just not commenting...there's something to say about stress...it leaves you (or me)...slightly lifeless...if that makes sense...

you are all in my thoughts...love you...

oscar...i heart you...wordless wednesday...

different strokes for different folks...right?

absolutely.

so veganism didn't work for angelina...and of course many many negative and hateful comments were born out of that one...but perhaps it just didn't work for her? perhaps certain lifestyle choices are not for everyone...

i am no longer a vegan. and yes, i gave up the label not to long ago...but i also went back to my old ways...why? well. i was sick all the time. i was dizzy all the time. i was exhausted all the time. i was hungry all the time. i was just not myself ALL THE TIME. and i did my research...i ate VERY good food...i did not starve myself...in fact i gained too much weight. weight i am not happy about. depressing amounts of weight. it just didn't work for me. and that's the end of that.

if any of you feel that you need to send me comments filled with hate and loathing, don't bother...because i don't care, in fact it won't change my mind...it will only fuel the fire that has already been building inside of me for a while...a fire that started with all of the negativity aimed at those people that felt it was best for them to not adopt a vegan label...apparently it is wrong to support people who decide that veganism is not for them...uh huh!

so if you don't have anything nice to say, zip it. please and thank you.

i still eat vegan food...i still eat some raw vegan food...but i also eat outside of the vegan box as well...and i am ok with it. i'll be honest and admit that it was a very hard decision...and it took me a while to be ok with it...i didn't just wake up one morning and decide to eat animals...nope! in fact i was sick for a while...had many conversations with my very good friends...and my john...and those people that like myself, were vegan and felt ill...and not well. it was a very tough choice...but it was one that i chose to make...because at the end of the day it is my life...and as much as i love my animal friends...i can't be a vegan. it's not for me.

my blog will now be a little different. it will not only focus on vegan foods, and i will still be eating vegan foods...it will also focus on recipes that my love and i create together, and our adventures in and outside of the kitchen...it will focus on my upcoming wedding...my jackson, of course...my friendships...my life...if i lose some of my readers, so be it...but i know i will gain so much more from my new found truth...my new journey...

thank you all for all of your support during my vegan days...and i look forward to the future with those of you that decide to hold my hand through the next chapters of my life and journey...

sending you all love and strength...

nelly

no more labels...but...

i'm all for not labeling myself as anything...just me...and as much as i adore lady gaga, my feelings and thoughts towards her "meat dress" are of utter and pure disgust...like honestly, is there no other way to announce to the world that you are not a piece of meat? ugh!



what are your thoughts?

speaking of fashion...my sister taessa chorny revealed to the world her fall line this past weekend...and it is just as lovely as she is...have i mentioned that i think she is the new stella mccartney?

i ordered her "le SPARKLE" dress...



a very fitting dress for moi...as i love all things sparkly...and a girl needs a timeless sparkly dress for all occasions, especially for any upcoming parties, xmas, engagement (maybe), new years...non? mais oui oui...

for any and all interested, taessa chorny creations can be found at tabula rasa in greek town...or you can contact the designer yourself at: info@taessachorny.com for any and all inquiries...

happy hump day darlings...

i'm not a label...i'm nelly...do you hate me now?

there is way too much drama in the blog world these days...there are many reasons why i have been silent as of late...and drama is one of the reasons...i have decided to break my silence and just "put it all out there" because of an email exchange i had with a very good friend this afternoon...and i have something to say...i have a lot to say...and it goes a little something like this...

i am breaking my silence because there are bullies in the blog world...i am breaking my silence because when a friend of mine is too afraid to talk to me because they are afraid that i may go "ape" on them...because they may not be 100% raw or vegan, it angers me immensely...i am breaking my silence because i am furious...i am furious because these bullies need to RELAX! they need to mind their own business and stop passing judgment...these bullies need to realize that they are not god...they are not the "universe" and they have absolutely no right to belittle or harass anyone because of their food choices...the last time i checked each individual person is exactly that...one person...one person with one life...individual choices, dreams, aspirations, goals, food choices...one person...no one...absolutely NO ONE has the right to bring anyone down because of what they eat...no one has the right to bring anyone down. period.

if i told you that i ate a steak last night, and a hot dog for breakfast, would you hate me? if i told you that i consumed a cheese omelet for lunch would you persecute me, tie me to a stake and burn me? does any and all of this make me less of a human being? does it make me a horrible monster? i don't think so. i am still me. nelly. my heart is just as big...i care so much, so so so much about everything, sometimes it hurts...i cry...i hurt...i laugh, i love...i dream...i sing and dance...i breathe...my johnny is as carnivorous as they come, does that mean that he is the devil? does that give anyone the right to tell him that he is a monster and he's a traitor? my john is one of the most amazing human beings i have ever met...he is lovely, and caring and so filled with life and he has so much love in that beautiful heart of his...does the fact that he eats meat mean that i should call off our wedding and never speak to him again? absolutely not! it's his life and his choice. we were born free to make our own choices, to make our own decisions...to eat what we want...to do what we want...i love my john, and i always will...i love him for who he is on the inside...and not what he eats for breakfast, lunch and dinner...

this needs to stop. it's nonsense. it's childish. it's uncalled for. it's unnecessary. listen up bullies...you have no right to judge anyone. you have absolutely no right to make such nasty judgment calls...and you have no right to spew your crap on someone's blog...you have NO RIGHT! you have no right to hurt anyone's feelings because of your beliefs. leave your beliefs on your doorstep...leave your beliefs on your blog where they belong.

who cares if someone went on vacation and they left their veganism at home? that's their choice...does it really matter if someone decides to give up veganism because it just wasn't working for them anymore? does it really make them a traitor? what difference does it really make? none. that's what. you have no idea what these people are going through. you have no idea why someone makes the decisions they make. obviously the choices that are made are the right ones for that one person. walk a mile in my shoes and then let me know what you think.

why not take all of this pent up anger and challenge factory farms? why not challenge the government? why not do something more productive with your time and passion? instead of picking on individual human beings, why not pick on someone your own size? bring the bullying somewhere it is needed...because quite honestly it's a little too big and unwanted for my friends. it's a little too much now.

i made a decision not too long ago. that i no longer wish to be a label. it's too hard on me. and i don't have the will or strength to keep up with it anymore. i'm done. i want to be normal again. i don't want to spend hours looking for a vegan wine...surfing barnivore in the liquor store for hours...spending hours before choosing one wine that is suitable. i no longer wish to make any of my family members or friends uncomfortable because i can't have dairy or this or that...i no longer wish to care about trace amounts of dairy or whatever...i no longer wish to be as controlling as i was a few weeks ago. it's not normal. it's not healthy. it's not me. i embarked on this vegan journey looking for health...wanting to feel better...and i ended up feeling very unlike myself.

at the end of the day, i am still me. at the end of the day i still love animals with all of my heart and soul...and will do my very best to protect and honour them all...at the end of the day, i also love humans...humans are my heart and soul...no human and no animal should suffer in any way shape or form...and all these happenings...these horrible words and comments coming out of some of your mouths...stop hurting people. stop it. it's not fair and you have no right. take your fight where it's needed...

i love. i love vegans, raw vegans, non vegans, catholics, atheists, bears, cows, pigs, chickens...i love. i don't care what you are, or what you are not. to me, you are all you, people with beautiful smiles and beautiful hearts...

i end on one more note...i am not a vegan...i am nelly.

I am in favor of animal rights as well as human rights. That is the way of a whole human being.

~Abraham Lincoln

life...

hi my friends...

just wanted to poke my head in and say "HEY"...i'm not feeling well...and life's a little on the stressful side right now...there is just sooooo much going on, that i feel i can't catch my breath as of late...this is why i haven't been around lately...i'm definitely keeping up with blogs, although i am not commenting as much as i would like to...and i just don't have the energy to put together a post...

right now my life looks like this:

*trying to book a venue for our wedding in september/october 2011
*trying to find a place to live
*getting over whatever sickness has been torturing me for the last 2 weeks
*babysitting my brothers (i know right?) and parents' pup and house while they are vacationing in italy
*trying to spend time with my jacks and my love
*trying to keep my life organized
*attend my cousin's wedding on september 11 (hopefully i will be well by then)
*pick up my parents from the airport september 11
*appointment with old mill (wedding reception venue) september 12
*etc.......

it may not seem like much...but for me it is way too much...i feel as though i am drowning...

i promise to be back soon with some fun posts...and some new food...but until then please remember to enter my giveaways...

csn stores paderno world cuisine plastic spiral vegetable slicer giveaway; and

operation beautiful: transforming the way you see yourself one post-it note at a time...

and also remember that i love and miss you all...

i have another request of all of you...if you have the time, please leave me a comment letting me know your favourite love songs...your choice of wedding song...and/or a song that you share with your love...

have a beautiful day...

come on in...great csn stores giveaway just a click away....

hi friends...sorry about my MIA status, just haven't been feeling all that great these past few weeks...but, i do have something to make up for my absence:

i am so happy and excited to be able to offer all of you the chance to participate in my next giveaway with the help of the very generous folks over at csn stores who have kindly offered a paderno world cuisine plastic spiral vegetable slicer...



for those of you who don't know, csn stores is the store that offers everything and anything from kitchen goodies to pet accessories, to mattresses...they even offer Le Creuset Cookware...i dream of Le Creuset when i go to sleep at night...i am not kidding folks...

here are the rules:

*must be a US or Canadian resident;

*you must be a follower on google friend connect. it's on the right hand sidebar of my blog. then leave a comment stating that you are.

optional:

* follow csn stores on twitter (2 entries = 2 separate comments below)
* follow me, nutellaaaa, on twitter
* tweet about this giveaway (1 tweet = 2 entries = 2 comments)
* "like" csn stores on facebook (2 entries = 2 comments)
* post about this giveaway on your blog – provide me the link (5 entries = 5 comments)

as stated above, contest is open to US and Canadian residents only...winner will be selected at random...contest ends monday, september 20th...winner will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be randomly selected.

good luck my lovebugs!

wedding stuff...hope you don't mind...

taessa chorny (john's sister, my sister and matron of honour) will be creating my dress...she will also be the master creator of custom bridesmaid dresses...six maids (well, 5 maids and one matron)...i want my girls to wear pretty little black cocktail dresses and maybe red shoes...to accent the red heels of my christian louboutin's...i've come to realize, or perhaps i have always known that i love tulle and lots of it, and the romantic feeling of lace...when i think of beauty or romance i also think of audrey hepburn and grace kelly...paris and anything vintage...i love this beautiful world we live in...road trips, watching the beauty fly by me through the window...i love green and yellow...italian countrysides...and old barns...there's nothing like watching a peony bloom...what a glorious flower, full of grace...and i love my man, my heart, my soul, my friend...so many ideas...or maybe not enough...

here is a photo journal i have put together of things that i love...pictures that make me smile...and ideas for dresses...for myself and my ladies...