The Fat Vegetarian

People will always make you feel like you're not what you see in the mirror. One has to always psych themselves before posting a picture online or wearing a pair of nice fitting shorts. 

I recently did a semi-nude shoot with a good photographer friend (not sure if he is as good a friend as he is a photographer) Lutendo (@luu_artphotography, check his work out on Instagram). The pictures of this very shoot were not supposed to be seen by the public but then I thought that maybe if a fat girl like me can show other fat girls that they can and should be proud with their shapes then why not show the pictures. 

It was a very fun shoot. Luu is professional and makes sure you're comfortable while he takes the pictures. (Ehh Luu, ewallet can be sent through, no free advertising.). I thought that I would maybe freeze during the shoot however, I had too much fun. 

As a fat girl growing up, I hated how my stretch marks looked and how people I did not know looked at me. Obviously, one always has insecurities and these often consume ones thoughts. These insecurities manifest from external forces that are exerted by people who, in their own right, also have insecurities. The way in which people are forced to think that fat people are lazy, ugly and always have to wear clothes that are two sizes too big, is the main reason so many fat people are generally shy or do not have a lot of friends. 

Our society is a thin society or it possesses a 'everybody should be thin' mentality which messes with a lot of people's mindsets. People figure that if you don't have a thin body then you are not beautiful. They assume that as a fat girl you cannot get the guys they get or even dress up better than them. Speaking from experience, one gets all kinds of looks when dressed a certain type of way. This was how I felt before 2015. I always thought that to be part of the society I had to be thin. Now I know better and will stay fat and fabulous. 

The shoot was for me to finally show that I have accepted my body and shape. That I love how I was created. I am finally proud to say that I am a Mindful, Fat Vegetarian living it large. I am having fun and enjoying the journey. 

I will post more Burnt Veggie related stuff as time goes on. It was festive therefore, stories are plenty. 

Onwards and Upwards :) 

#TheBurntVeggie

Below are some of the pictures Luu shot. Look, love and book Luu (again, ewallet nyana Luu, no free advertising here.)

Tennis biscuits and custard

We can officially say that the year is coming to an end because I got my Christmas food. 

Growing up my grandmother would always buy Tennis Biscuits and Cold Drink. It was our dessert and we loved it, I mean who wouldn't love such beautiful food? I mean... 

Anyway I want to tell you about this beautiful food I was introduced to by Nontsikelelo Nkombisa when we used to stay together theeeeeeere very far. She bought custard and tennis biscuits and she has some. There I was obviously wanting some. She game me... I have never been so taken far by food. She spread the custard on the tennis biscuits and there we were licking our lips and fingers. 

Today, I bought some and had some and there I was trying not to cry because it was just too nostalgic. I missed uMantsikiza, I know she probably doesn't have anymore because I'm not near her. 

We had this once, but this was the best thing to ever bring us together. Ruru, thanks for introducing me to this nice thing. This will be my Christmas meal. 

Onwards and Upwards :) 

#TheBurntVeggie

Roy's Loaded Potatoes... 

I wish I could leave this post without anything else because Roy's loaded potatoes are indescribable. The taste, the look, the overall beauty. Oh goodness. 

Roy is a beautiful and bubbly lady I love with all my heart. No, not because she makes me good food but because she is very cool, I mean very cool. She made me a salad once, the simple gesture of food touching my mouth became an adventure I did not want to end. Well because this salad was too nice. Anyway, she then made loaded potatoes that had sun dried tomatoes, cheese and well halved, soft and un-mashed potatoes and these were heavenly. I had a foodgasm and a half when I had the first bite, please keep in mind that I said bite, imagine the whole plate of food. The plate was filled with other things but these loaded potatoes were the star of the meal. 

She keeps bringing some and each time I have them I just cannot believe that these are the same potatoes. The taste is always different. I love that, a lot. We fall in and out of love with food from time to time and to this day I can honestly say that I haven't fallen in love with any meal like I did with Roy's Loaded Potatoes. 

Upwards and Onwards :)

#TheBurntVeggie 

21 days of Kelebration (The celebration of Kele)

*disclaimer: not about my struggles or triumphs of being a BurntVeggie just Kelebrations

Tomorrow, the 1st of December is not only the first day of December, it is the beginning of the most busiest and nicest months of the year after well last December. It is also the first day of my birthday month. This is not only my favourite month of the year but the only month I feel extra special and important. So I decided that this year I will have 21 days of Kelebration. It is essentially a celebration of Kelebogile. On this post I will be giving you some pointers on why I think Kelebogile should or could be Kelebrated.

Here are some of the reasons: 

1. Kele. cares. for. everyone. 
2. Kele is cool with everyone, even those she doesn't like. 
3. Kele has an infectious laughter 
4. Kele's presence fills a room with genuine and pure aura
5. Kele is very spiritual and is unapologetic about it. 
6. Kele is loud, proud and opinionated. 
7. Kele is just who she is, Kele, no artificial modifications 
8. Kele is a vegetarian living it large.

 Some ideas for my gifts... or rather the gifts I would appreciate for the 21 days of Kelebration are: 

• Book voucher
• New CD's ( genres; hip hop, house, dub and jazz)
• New BLACK sneakers 
• New dresses
• New sandals
• Hugs
• Love
• Muffins
• Cake 
• Macrons
• Laughter

If you have more reasons why to celebrate Kele then feel free to share. Also feel free to surprise Kele with any gift you want to during this time. 

#21DaysofKelebration. 

Onwards and Upwards

#TheBurntVeggie 

Braai season is upon us... Ahhh Damn!!!

So like braai season right? right! 

It is that time of the year where one will be invited to braais. I would give out a list of things people should get for from me, but then again I think people will want me to talk anyway but since some people might not invite me I will just write everything. 

These are a few things you will have to check before inviting a vegetarian for a braai:

1. There are vegetarian burgers, sausages and other cool stuff like that please get some. You will afford it phela you got meat and we all know it is expensive. 
2. No CROSS- CONTAMINATION please I don't want to see your fork stabbing my food. use two forks if necessary. 
3. The less starch the better. Do not force me to eat pap and potato salad seriously now! I am a vegetarian not a starchitarian. 
4. Please make sure that your omnivore friends do not even try to eat the food you prepared for the herbivores. 
5. Oh and please make sure that no one wants me to be the centre of attention. I am a vegetarian not a reality TV show. The less the questions the better. No questions would be great but then again we live in South Africa and people are inquisitive.
6. If all else fails, make me a sandwich! 

I have only listed five things but as we all know there are more. You need to now make sure that the ones I have mentioned are there for all the vegetarians including me at your braai. Do not worry I can make my own sandwich at your house. 

Onwards and Upwards. 

#TheBurntVeggie :)

I am a Vegetarian living it Large

We often do things online and then when questioned we claim 'Freedom of Expression' when it is actually 'Hate Speech'. 

This post is not like any other. My last blog was about mindfulness and I was mindful of my language on this one.

I am sad or rather saddened by somethings on the internet. 

I am a FAT person who has been living with this size for 20 years. I have been through a lot growing up. I have been taunted by people my age, those younger than me, those waaaaaay older than me, those who know me and even those who don't. As a fat girl I was always a target for taunts and jokes. I was always supposed to act like I don't hear anything. You can imagine how sore that would be, walking into a room and always waiting for a group of people to chuckle.

You wait for someone to comment about your size, your clothes and how different you are. You become very conscious about your surroundings and the people there. No matter how hard you try to fake confidence you always have to get used to the fact that you are bigger and therefore a target for silly jokes. I recently watched a Youtube video- a poem about being Too Big by a girl who, like myself, knows how it feels to get this statement from people, how hard it is to pretend not to feel ashamed and hearing two voices, one good and the other bad, how you can be your own best friend and worst enemy.

I tried so hard not to cry during that time because I related with the poem. I then checked another one out and this one was about how we, fat people, are never seen as people with eating disorders. Both poems can be found on YouTube, namely Beck Cooper- Too Big and Alone in the bathroom. Beck Cooper is just too good for my soul.

Anyway... I wasn't planning to praise Beck, I planned to stop people from being rude to FAT people. Some people will be like "You need to hear it, I mean you eat everyday and you just don't want to hear the truth." Don't you think that we hear the truth a little too much sometimes that it has formed a hate spot in our minds? Don't you think that when we eat the food you claim we do everyday we fight ourselves? Don't you think that sometimes we just sit there and eat to sooth the pain you guys force us in to? You don't know now do you?

When I decided to go vegetarian. I was asked if I am doing this to lose weight. I always answered and still surprisingly answer that if I lose weight then that's a bonus however, I am not doing it because of the weight loss. I am doing because well I stopped loving meat.

I love my FAT self and will always say I am a VEGETARIAN living it LARGE!

Onwards and Upwards :)

#TheBurntVeggie

Coffee, Tea, Veggies, Smiles, Books, Mindfulness. My Life!!!

We rarely ever sit down and look at how cool our lives are, we just go through every motion like we are cars on the highway when there is no traffic. 

I recently saw that my life, since being a vegetarian, has been cool. Not only am I in touch with the earth, I am in tune with myself. I love how I grew into loving the effortlessness that life is. In my 21 years of life, I am not counting last year, I never thought that I would be this happy. 

The food I eat, the coffee and tea I drink, the books I read and the smiles I get make me realise that life is not as hard as people claim it to be. I found that with the items I have mentioned I can conquer the world. I have also found peace that is not awarded by material things, I found eternal peace. Though it is still a journey I still found peace, I learnt to live a mindful life, hence this realisation of how beautiful life is. 

I am honestly not gonna talk about my veggies but how my life is good since being a BURNT VEGGIE. You have to understand that some decisions will help you spiritually. I know I am being deep at this moment but I am just saying that being a vegetarian helps you in your journey to having a mindful life. 

I hope my observation helps you be as mindful as possible. 

Onwards and Upwards :) 

#TheBurntVeggie