Plantsformation
Carrie Austin
Embedded Files
How I Changed My Life By The Seeds Of My Plants
A Little About Me
A Little About Me
Hi! I decided to return to school last year after a 30 year hiatus. I have been in the Real Estate industry for the past 30+ years and although it has been very good to me, I found myself itching for a change. My kids are all grown so I thought this was a perfect time to go back and finish my degree in English. My time here at CI has been nothing short of transformative. I shocked myself at how effortless it was to switch gears into student mode while I still ran my appraisal business on the side. Although it wasn't in the original plan, I have loved my time and my professors here so much I have decided to continue on to the Teaching Credential program and will begin that process in the fall. I never thought I would be looking forward to a complete career change in my 50s but I am so excited for this new chapter in my life. When I'm not working or studying, I enjoy reading, hiking, swinging kettle bells, practicing yoga, meditation and of course, plant based cooking. I would like to thank my husband who graciously supported me through this insane schedule over the past year and my kids who helped me acclimate to the technology I had to learn. I would also like to thank my grandpa who, although is long gone from this planet, was the inspiration for this project and still guides me through this life. I am forever grateful for this opportunity and experience.
Abstract
Abstract
This project came about after much reflection on my life. I decided to write a food memoir focusing on plant based cuisine. I started cooking from a very young age and made my first cake from scratch at 5 years old. Family time always revolved around food and it is safe to say it is clearly my love language.
After tragically losing my grandfather at the age of 14, I struggled for decades to find my purpose. Much of my adult life was spent as a workaholic. I struggled with weight, depression and anxiety for 30 years until an injury that sidelined me and forced me to take a deep dive into all aspects of my life. Over the past 8 years, I radically changed my life and it all started with food. In 2017, my daughter challenged me to a plant based month long challenge. Within that month I lost 20 lbs and my joint pain and inflammation disappeared. I felt so good I kept going which led to an 80 lb weight loss and 30 lb muscle gain within a year. I began taking family recipes and converting them to plant based alternatives. I enrolled in a school of nutrition and learned as much as I could about plant based sustainable living. People ask me often about my journey and have requested I share recipes. I have lived a pretty colorful life and have been told I should write about it. I took this opportunity in Capstone to do just that. This memoir is my reflection on life, food and how I was able to evolve into a more well rounded human being after a 30 year "dark night of the soul."
My Gram was from Scotland and one of her staple dinners was Scotch Stew. It was warm and comforting with ground beef, braised carrots, onions and loads of garlic atop a cloud of fluffy mashed potatoes. This dish never got old and tasted like what a warm hug would taste like in food form. It was pure comfort and one of the first dishes I converted into a plant-based meal. This is how it goes.
Scotch Stew
12 oz Impossible meat crumbles
32 oz. veggie broth
6 large carrots
2 large onions
6 cloves of garlic
2 lbs of Yukon gold potatoes
vegan butter (I like Miyokos)
1/2-3/4 C plant milk of your choice (I like Oat)
salt and pepper
2 T flour
Get a big stock pot full of water cooking on the stove. Peel your potatoes and add along with 4 large garlic cloves. Cover and let cook with lid on an angle.
While the potatoes are cooking, peel your carrots and quarter your onions. Heat another stock pot and brown the crumbles. Mince the other 2 garlic cloves and add them in. Add the broth, carrots and onions and simmer. Once the carrots have softened a bit, take some of the broth out (about ¼ cup) and add 2 T of flour to a cup with the broth. Whisk until you have a roux or slurry and add back to your pot with the meat and veggies. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Drain your cooked potatoes and garlic. Add ½ C plant milk, approx.. 2-3T of vegan butter and mash. I’m a fan of using an electric hand mixer for mashed. Add more milk and butter if needed. Salt and pepper. Ladle some stew over your potatoes and enjoy your plant based feast!
Excerpts
Excerpts
To say I was a partier is probably putting it mildly. I worked hard and I played harder. I worked three jobs in order to put myself through college. At the time, I was working solidly 35-40 hours a week juggling between being an real estate appraising apprentice, teaching aerobics and cocktailing/bartending. I was taking between 15-18 units at school and living on a solid diet of caffeine, sugar and amphetamines. I created a life that not only kept me ridiculously busy, but kept my mind off of childhood trauma that I was unwilling to confront. I drowned my pain in vast amounts of alcohol on the weekends and then would resume my unsustainable work and school schedule on Mondays. I thought I had it all worked out. I thought I was multi-tasking and having fun but what I was doing was self-destructive and I clearly had a bit of a death wish. I used to tell everyone I didn’t plan on living past 40 and there was no way I was having a family. I was going to live life to the fullest (which meant a career and vats of alcohol and drugs in my downtime) and die early. That was my plan and I didn’t see anything wrong with it. At the time, I saw it as a perfectly valid life choice, but The Universe had other plans for me.
To say I was a partier is probably putting it mildly. I worked hard and I played harder. I worked three jobs in order to put myself through college. At the time, I was working solidly 35-40 hours a week juggling between being an real estate appraising apprentice, teaching aerobics and cocktailing/bartending. I was taking between 15-18 units at school and living on a solid diet of caffeine, sugar and amphetamines. I created a life that not only kept me ridiculously busy, but kept my mind off of childhood trauma that I was unwilling to confront. I drowned my pain in vast amounts of alcohol on the weekends and then would resume my unsustainable work and school schedule on Mondays. I thought I had it all worked out. I thought I was multi-tasking and having fun but what I was doing was self-destructive and I clearly had a bit of a death wish. I used to tell everyone I didn’t plan on living past 40 and there was no way I was having a family. I was going to live life to the fullest (which meant a career and vats of alcohol and drugs in my downtime) and die early. That was my plan and I didn’t see anything wrong with it. At the time, I saw it as a perfectly valid life choice, but The Universe had other plans for me.
I am so grateful to have come out the other side. I have found a way to have my cake and eat it too and life has never been so sweet. And on that note, I will end my tale but I will leave you with the sweetest treat I know how to make. It is one that I am asked to make at every gathering and I’m always happy to oblige. They never have a clue that it is vegan! Bon appetite!
Carrie’s Carrot Cake
3 C carrot (grated)
2.5 C all purpose flour, plus 1 T, divided
1 T cinnamon
¼ tsp allspice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder½ tsp baking soda
½ C sugar (bone char free)
1 C light brown sugar, packed
3 chia or flax eggs
1 C vegetable oil
1 C golden raisins
1 C canned crushed pineapple
Frosting
1 C vegan butter (I like Myokos)
12 oz vegan cream cheese
½ T vanilla extract
2 C powdered sugar
2 C walnuts or pecans
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease 3 8-in round cake pans and line with parchment.
Grate the carrots on the small holes of a box grater. Set aside.In a large bowl, sift together 2½ cups (310 G) of flour, the cinnamon, allspice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk together.In a separate large bowl, beat the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and eggs together with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until just combined.With the mixer running, gradually pour in the vegetable oil.With the mixer on medium-low speed, add ⅓ of the flour mixture at a time to the wet ingredients. Beat just to incorporate. Stop mixing when there is just a small amount of flour visible.In a small bowl, toss the raisins with the remaining tablespoon of flour. Add the raisin, grated carrots, and pineapple to the batter and fold to incorporate with a rubber spatula.Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a fork inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean.Cool the cakes on a wire rack until the pans are cool to the touch. Remove the cakes from the pans and let cool completely on the rack.Make the icing: In a large bowl, beat together the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla with an electric hand mixer on medium-low speed. Once combined, mix on medium-high speed for 30 seconds, until light and fluffy.Add the powdered sugar, ½ cup (60 G) at a time, beating on medium-low speed to incorporate each addition. Assemble the cake: Check to see if the top of each cake is flat. If not, use a serrated knife level off the cakes. Place 1 cake layer on a serving platter or cake stand. Spoon ¼ of the icing on top and spread in an even layer. Add another layer of cake and spread with another ¼ of the icing. Set the last cake layer on top with the bottom up to ensure a very flat surface. Spread the rest of the icing over the top and sides. Gently press the walnuts into the icing around the sides of the cake.Chill for 30-60 minutes to let the icing set, then slice and serve.
Reflection
Reflection
This project has really been a fitting end to my undergraduate journey. I was able to spend a substantial amount of time working on something that was very meaningful to me. This class has really pushed me to be a better writer and I've learned a lot about myself throughout this process. This project ended up being extremely healing for me as I spent so much time remembering and reflecting on my crazy life. I learned a great deal about research because even though this is a personal piece, there still was a fair amount of research that was involved. Although I began the class without a clue of what to do or how to approach it, I quickly found my groove and am completely happy with the process and the final product. Although I created this as a stand alone piece, I am planning on expanding it in the hopes of being able to publish a longer version of it someday. I have loved my time here at CI and plan on continuing on with the credential program and eventually a Master's Degree. My time at CI has fueled a new love of learning that I didn't realize I was missing and on that note, I leave you with a picture of me recently obtaining my Reiki Master Certificate. Age is but a number and I will continue to be a student of life!
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