The Vegan and Vegetarian Secrets Blog Reveals . . .

Quote by ‘Karen Dawn’ who wrote the book: ‘Thanking the Monkey: Rethinking the Way We Treat Animals’.

We’re going to have a choice. As there are more and more and more of us, it takes an awful lot more land and resources to feed people with meat than it does (with) grain. The Earth could feed about 2.5 billion people if everyone ate the standard American diet, or it could feed 10 billion vegetarians.

As most vegans may be aware, food colorings are not necessarily vegan - in fact in most cases they are not. So it’s a wise vegan who will either source out 100% animal-free versions (from good quality vegan or health stores) or make their own food colorings from natural fruits and vegetables easily at home. And today Jane, the allergy food awareness expert from Hullabaloo Foods in Tasmania, Australia has passed on her knowledge for the perfect mix to make your own food colors.

Here are some of Jane’s recipes for the perfect food colors: 

Red / Purple.  Gently simmer raspberries, blueberries or mulberries in water for 30 minutes. Once cooled you will need to sieve it twice. First time you can just use the metal and squish the fruit to get the most liquid out.  Second time around lay two sheets of cooking muslin (or a tea towel) over the sieve. Pour the liquid in but don’t’ squeeze – just let it drip at it’s own pace. Cover with a third sheet as this will take 12-24 hours. Once all of the liquid is through return to a clean saucepan and simmer to reduce to a thick liquid. Store in fridge or freezer. Your color will vary depending on the type and ripeness of the berry.

Pink – Beetroot Juice much easier but watch out for the taste. Drain a tin of beetroot. Simmer liquid slowly to reduce volume and increase colour strength (note from Rebecca, I have personally and successfully used freshly squeezed beetroot juice for pink coloring - you only need a tiny few drops and you don’t get a beetroot taste like one would usually suspect).

Yellow – Turmeric with a little hot water, use sparingly as the taste of the turmeric will persist. For a more expensive solution you could use real saffron.

Brown – Cocoa powder, carob powder and Parisian essence make a soft brown but will all add the relevant flavour. You could also caramelise some sugar and then add to the icing mix.

So if you are wanting to make organic natural food color alternatives just try any of these super easy ideas for that perfect frosting to top off your next batch of vegan cupcakes.

P.S. If you are wishing to make green colors, simply put one of the following… ‘celery, brocolli or spinach’ (any green vegetable will work wonders actually) through a juicer and you have three wonderfully vibrant green color variations to choose from too.  

This is an exciting announcement for all the vegetarians and vegans out there that’s for sure, especially those with a shoe-fetish!

‘Vegetarian Shoes and Bags’ are giving you the chance to ‘Win Free Shoes for a Year!’

Sign up for entry into the Vegetarian Shoes and Bags, ‘Free Shoes for a Year Sweepstakes’.

The Winner will, for the year of 2009, choose in the first week of each calendar month, any shoe or handbag from their website. It will be shipped free of charge to a destination of your choice.***

You don’t have to buy anything to enter either, however the ‘Free Shoes for a Year Sweepstakes’ is only open to qualifying* US residents, what a bummer for us ‘Aussies’ out there :( – Makes me wish I lived in USA-Land just to be-able to get the chance to WIN FREE Vegan Shoes For a YEAR! … Oh I can feel the excitement in the air (even all the way from over here in Australia) … you know all the Vegans out there who are eagerly submitting their entries into the vegan sweepstakes draw.

How every woman would love the opportunity for such an honor.

Good Luck and make sure you get your entry in.

As Dr David Brubaker, of the Centre for a Liveable Future at Johns Hopkins University in the US said:

The way that we breed animals for food is a threat to the planet. It pollutes our environment while consuming huge amounts of water, grain, petroleum, pesticides and drugs. The results are disastrous.

…. being “right” has nothing to do with it.

The idea that you call “right” is the idea that someone else calls “wrong.” The solution that you call “perfect” is the solution that another calls “unworkable.” The position that you feel is unassailable is the very position that others assail.

What will solve all of this? Not attack, that’s for sure. And not defense, either. So what is left? Simple human love. The kind of love that says, “It doesn’t matter who is right or wrong. It only matters that you are not hurt. And that we both can benefit. All true benefits are mutual.”

[Neale Donald Walsch, quote from an e-news bulletin]

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals plans Tuesday to announce an unusual marketing pitch to the U.S. government: Rent us space on the fence for billboards warning illegal border crossers there is more to fear than the Border Patrol.

The billboards, in English and Spanish, would offer the following caution: ”If the Border Patrol Doesn’t Get You, the Chicken and Burgers Will — Go Vegan.”

”We think that Mexicans and other immigrants should be warned if they cross into the U.S. they are putting their health at risk by leaving behind a healthier, staple diet of corn tortillas, beans, rice, fruits and vegetables,” said Lindsay Rajt, assistant manager of PETA’s vegan campaigns.

To read the full story click here

‘William James’ once said:

There is no more miserable human being than one in whom nothing is habitual but indecision.

The habit that should be encouraged is not the ‘wait and see’, ‘I’ll think about it’, or the ‘ask me later’ stock response, but the ‘Yes! I’ll do it now!’ action.

So that means (at least in my book) that even deciding not to decide is a decision that will stay with you forever. Which then I guess places your very reality into default and dictation, no?

And isn’t it better for you to have decided to take action rather than the lack of action that indecision thrusts upon you?

To help you ponder such wisdom even more, here’s a great quote from ‘Sheila Graham’ also:

You can have anything you want if you want it desperately enough. You must want it with an inner exuberance that erupts through the skin and joins the energy that created the world.

This would have to be one of my all time favorite raw food vegan pie recipes, unfortunately I can’t take credit for the recipe but I can take credit for making it and taking it along to any party’s I go to - everyone is always very surprised at the multi-layer style and taste of this pie. Here are just some of the words used by others to describe this taste sensation: ‘devine, creamy, gorgeous, I love it, teach me how to make it’ and with rave’s like that it should be one of those raw pies you should keep on file to send people to heaven every once and a while at any kind of gathering or dinner party you go to.

I usually change the ingredients to what fruit is in season at the time, sometimes add fresh mint or essence into the chocolate candy layer and use my own almond, coconut and date basic pie base crust (as I am somewhat addicted to almonds) but other than that I base it on the recipe I found here on the Raw Inspiration Blog.

If you want to wow your friends and family with a healthy, guilt free dessert then why not give this raw pie a try - you will honestly feel like you’ve died and gone to heaven with the first bite!

“If 10,000 people replaced a beef meal with a vegetarian option just once a week for a year, we’d save enough water to fill roughly 605 Olympic-sized swimming pools”

… Body + Soul Magazine, 2008