The Vegan and Vegetarian Secrets Blog …

Yep that’s right folks, from September 29th to October 5, 2008 it’s officially ‘Australian National Vegetarian Week’ . . . it’s still in it’s infancy sadly as let’s face it Oz is filled to bursting point with ‘meat-heads’ as we like to say it, who have not made the connection just yet), but hey at least the ripples on the ocean have started and we now have some official media attention out there to help others see the light of their animal-eating ways!

So here’s the plug . . .

• National Vegetarian Week,  will showcase the benefits of plant-based diets and encourage Australians to lower their meat intake..
• National Vegetarian Week is an initiative of the Australian Vegetarian Society, made possible thanks to the support of Sanitarium Health Food Company.
• According to Newspoll research, four out of 10 adults are now eating more vegetarian meals, with the switch in foods providing a welcome boost to their overall health (Newspoll Survey, “Attitudes towards vegetarian meals”, 23-25 May 2008)
• Numerous scientific studies have shown that people who eat a healthy vegetarian diet are less likely to be obese or develop heart disease, Type II Diabetes and some forms of cancer.
• In just under five years the total dietary emissions from the meat of a family of four on the CSIRO Total Wellbeing diet will exceed those from building and running a large 4WD.
• Livestock activity such as agriculture involving cattle, chickens, pigs and sheep, is responsible for more than a third of all human-produced methane, a greenhouse gas more potent than carbon dioxide.
• While methane breaks down in less than 20 years, CO2 stays around for 100 years or more. Cutting CO2 emissions will have no effect on global warming for decades, but reducing methane will have an immediate effect.

If you or your loved ones are into saving your health, the animals and the planet please do try giving vegetarian meals a go (if you are not already veg that is) and why not get involved and help others become more aware about vegetarian living during this week’s exclusive celebrations across the this great brown-land of ours. 

Check out more details at the website: NVW website too. 

. . . Waiting it out down the back of the ‘labor’ room behind the cues of the dis-illusioned ones that are sitting around unflabergased in their illusionary state. It’s like some of us are constantly and simply waiting for the others to catch up and catch on and get onboard the great mother ship before she takes off in a ripple at lightning speed across the skies showing her full force and giving us a glimpse of the wondrous new beginnings in the air?

Perhaps just maybe the knowing of a more peaceful and greener cruelty-free existence for ALL is what you feel and pray for each and everyday (like myself and so many other vegans do) – depending on where you are at along your veggie-path your perception may waver here or there, however whatever it is you may be enthusiastically working towards, the sweet blossoms of an ever-new and compassionate ‘New World Reality’ just may be closer on the horizon then we all think.

Obviously as the news and media show us each day we are constantly being bombarded and made aware that the ways in which we use to operate life on this planet just don’t work nor do they serve us any longer (if they ever did), period! Being at such a turning point in Humanity’s evolution and all the hardships we’ve endured across this planet I see it like this . . . to be conveniently standing by blindfolded is NO longer acceptable on any level nor should it be permitable – frankly it should be outlawed. It’s shocking enough to be aware of the suffering animals go through everyday at the hands of the un-compassionate let alone having to try and become aware of how Mother Earth may feel after all the raping, pollution, pillaging and abuse she’s had to endure over millennia. So I don’t think humans even have the right to try to argue this point much longer as the evidence of such devastation and destruction far out ways the egotism of the human mind in its full-blown illusionary state.

And while we are on the illusionary subject for a moment I’d like to add this friendly reminder to those who may have fallen off the band-wagon or not quite made the full connection yet: ”You can’t be an environmentalist and eat meat!!!”

Should it not be of great importance for all who reside on this planet that we fully awaken ourselves (if we have not done so already) and become part of the solution, not part of the problem?

Over the years I’ve been in many a conversation with vegans and vegetarians who are so desperately standing tall and proud of their lifestyle choice trying and awaiting for the shift in consciousness towards a more peaceful greener cruelty-free world to happen. And as many before me they have felt the cry, shame and bewilderment I too know at the depths of my being that we as a collective society cannot keep expecting to be held up by the hand that hinders our load (the ‘darkness’ in other words).

Clearly what we’ve done up to this point has not worked on an environmental or any other level for that fact and we are far overdue for a road of greater compassion, support and transformation to lead us into a much brighter greener future, the change has been in the air and building it’s strength over these past years from what my eyes and ears can tell. So why do I still see so many ignoring the call then? Sometimes we do need a little push in the right direction before we actually open our eyes wide enough to see what’s right in front of us, but boy, oh boy do I so very much wish I could just rattle some people to their very bones; you know the people who are still living in total DENIAL (yes, as sad as it is we all know a few of those ones don’t we). Gosh if only it was that easy maybe all our problems would’ve been solved eons ago.

Cracking through that state of personal ignorance in some circles of humans can be a challenge that’s for sure. 

A rebirth is what this planet needs and as far as I can tell and it seems to be gradually underway for us all at this time – you can see it in every city, town and corner of the globe, just turn your television on or read the paper and you can literally hear the world’s darkness being spewed out ready for the ‘Great Mother Cleansing’ that will purge out the BS. The awareness of our minds awaits the great shifts blooming and building momentum to purify the dark-ages back into the light.

As I read once “Life moves in cycles. There is a natural rhythm to life, and everything moves to that rhythm; everything has ebb and a flow. Thus it is written: “For everything there is a season.”

“Wise is the one who understands this. Clever is the one who uses it.”

And certainly from the evidence being presently daily to us, we can see that the darkness is coming to an end. And it can’t happen soon enough!

To leave this world in a shocking state of death and destruction is not what we can afford to do. This planet need’s cleansing and if we don’t do it, I’m sure it’ll do it for us one way or the other. So hold on my friends, as this ride is about to change dramatically now and into the future. The great cleansing of Reality is truly starting to quicken and is happening.

And so I leave you with my rambling thoughts of a brighter future on the horizon. I do feel it’s shaping itself and becoming more powerful every second of every minute of every day. And those that stand beside this shift in empowerment and integrity and NOT against it will have a great smile on their faces forevermore.

(*More ramblings on this subject coming in ‘Part 2′ soon)

Vegan Chocolate anyone? . . .

We’ve been keeping ourselves pretty busy hidden away in the vegan secrets kitchen experimenting and developing heaps of new exciting chocolate recipes recently, so we thought we’d give you a sneak peak at just some of the decadant goodies we’ve come up with to date.

These secret vegan and/or raw food chocolate recipes will be released in due course within our divine new ‘Vegan Chocolate Cookbook’ when we launch it hopefully closer to Christmas time. So keep an eye out for notice of that one, as this book at this stage will be in full color with photo’s of most of the recipes as well as full ingredients and cookign or un-cooking methods plus extra tips and tricks to create the perfect chocolate treat for all those vegan or raw foodie-chocoholics out there.

In the meantime if you’d like to contribute a chocolate treats recipe that is either a raw foodie recipe or not – please do contact us for more details about this, we are open to adding a few extra recipes into the cookbook, obviously we would happily make it worth your while if you have any exceptionally devine chocolate recipes, with your very own free copy of the final book once it’s launched. (Only the actual submissions that actually make the cut into the book would be-eligible for this deal however).

We do like to over-deliver afterall

This video would have to be one of the most inspiring and heart-warming to watch, it’s one of our favorites here at VS HQs Check it out for yourself and don’t forget to send it to all your loved ones too:

...that you are slaves to whatever you don’t understand.

Vernon Howard said that, and he was right. So do not avoid hearing, or even studying, other points of view.

Indeed, do so rigorously. The more that you oppose something, the more you will benefit from looking into it deeply — with an open mind, not cynically.

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.