The Vegan and Vegetarian Secrets Blog …

Well with Christmas day now just 24 hours away, I thought I’d republish an article here I wrote about 15 months ago that was also published in ‘Vegan Voice Magazine’ last December (Issue No. 32 – 2007)…  It’s an article that got quite alot of feedback from VV subscribers at the time. 

When I wrote this one, obviously (as you’ll soon discover) I was a tad frustrated with the human population and the disconnection people tend to have towards our fellow animal friends at this time of year, it was not written to offend neither vegans or non-vegans (at the time this was simply how I was feeling, and honestly I had to vent it out somewhere thus how this article came about) . So with all the buzz which surrounded this article last year I felt compelled to open it up to a wider audience this Christmas (till now only VV subscribers have had the opportunity to read it). 

So without further ramblings here it is:

“The Blissfully IGNORANT Season Is Upon Us!”

It’s that time of year again that can send a Vegan into an emotionally driven-breakdown of despair, YEP the Fat (and shamefully obese) Man in the red & white suit isn’t far away from squashing himself down chimney’s to stuff material possessions under a tree that really didn’t have to die for the sake of just one day and to enforce artificial dreams into the mind’s of millions of children. I just can’t stand it anymore so to salute the ‘Blissfully Ignorant Season’, I have to get some things off my chest . . .  

I use to love Christmas as a child, can’t say that’s the case these days. Being vegan adds a whole new dimension to the silly season (or should I say slaughter season – well it’s the truth isn’t it). In Australia alone sales of all kinds of animal carcasses like ham, turkey, prawns and chicken etc. skyrocket during the build of summer and lead up to Christmas. It’s so torture for us vegans to be faced with such obliviousness to death at this time of year, let alone be constantly reminded of the suffering those poor animals had to endure in factory farms and slaughter houses.

Now I’m not the smartest person on the planet, but please tell me I thought the Christmas Spirit was supposed to be all about Peace and Goodwill? …. Have I lost the plot or is it just that I’m getting more pissed with the conditions of society and the myths from the animal industries that rule over our world contributing to death, destruction and power at every interval. It’s frankly down-right depressing to see the killing and torture of our fellow animal friends not only at Christmas time but throughout the whole year.

”What has become of Humanity I ask?”

Undoubtedly this may come as a surprise to our fellow human friends and family who falsely assume that during Christmas they are actually celebrating and contributing to living peacefully, compassionate lives with goodwill in mind – yeah right PEACEFULLY BLOODY IGNORANT in my opinion! ‘Bloody’ being the operative word here folks. I mean billions of people will be sitting down to gorge themselves on tortured, dead-rotting (Murdered) animals afterall. But let’s not forget about the ‘liquid meat’ (dairy) that the fat guy in the red suit throws down his throat without a care in the world for how it came to him. Or all of those desserts that are displayed so elegantly on the Christmas table for the big Flesh-Eating-FEAST amongst the mass population.

Like The Black Eyed Peas song says, “Where is the LOVE?” Come on folks how can one be so ignorant whilst gorging oneself on a dead-rotting piece of animal flesh or liquid. It’s time to face reality.

Frankly I’m disgusted with the world at large sometimes, just can’t get my head around the fact that people can be so self-centred and hypocritical and can’t seem to awaken to the truth that is right in front of their eyes. If the truth is suppose to set us free, then I would like to suggest to the masses that maybe observing what’s on your dinner plate just might be a good place to start (especially considering at Christmas most people lay claim to the ‘peace and goodwill’ gesture) Are you Kidding me?, those are the people possibly living in the biggest delusion of all.  

Speaking of which, just recently I had an experience where I was accused of not being environmentally friendly (straight from the mouth of an omni of course) – I know can you imagine that, I’m VEGAN people how can I not be green to quite a substantial degree??? I’m the first to admit I’m not prefect (no one is and that I’ve got a lot of growing still to do) but to say I’m not environmentally friendly whilst I’m an ethical vegan (who does everything in her power to be as green as possible whilst living in a non-vegan world e.g. I buy organically, have green electricity, recycle, offset my car emissions, grow fruit/veg and support ethical companies plus much more) is just an absurdity. Therefore this vegan being a global nuisance is further from the truth.

• FACT: It takes 22 times the acres of land to meet the food energy needs of one person eating meat than it does for one person eating potatoes.
• FACT: It takes more than 13 times the water to produce one day’s food supply for an omnivore than it does for a vegan.
• FACT: The land animals confined and killed every year excrete 130 times the faeces and urine produced by humans. 
• FACT: It takes 27 times the petroleum to produce a hamburger than it does a soy burger.
• FACT: Livestock production also utilizes more than eight percent of global water use, primarily for feed-crop irrigation.
• FACT: The annual greenhouse gas output from burger consumption is the equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas output from between four and 13 million SUVs.
• FACT: In the Amazon, approximately 60-70 percent of deforestation results from cattle ranches and soybean cultivation.
• FACT: And according to a UN FAO report, “in all, livestock production amounts to 70 percent of all agricultural land and 30 percent of the land surface of this planet.” The USDA says growing crops for animals takes up 80 percent of the agricultural land in the US and animals raised for food in the US consume 90 percent of the soy crop, 80 percent of the corn and 70 percent of its grain.           (Ref: VegNews)
• And just as distressing: According to the United Nations, the meat industry “emerges as one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global.”  (Ref: PETA)
• AND The United States alone slaughters more than 10 BILLION land animals every year. (Ref: www.meat.org) And that’s shocking enough!

And this list could go on and on with facts and figures . . .  But back to my story, to say the least I was a tad annoyed when confronted with an uneducated omnivorous person ranting and raving about Saving the Planet. So the vegan police came out and I decided I’d utilize my vegan library and give this person a piece of my compassionate mind in the form of written facts and vegan leaflets. Which I calmly did and suggested in future that they educate themselves before earbashing their BS in my direction because I for one am contributing to Saving the Planet, and the animals and my own Soul for that matter and I do it everyday through my choice of a clean green vegan lifestyle and that they should think long and hard about their own Dirty Habits if they want to help save the planet; because frankly if you’re so gullible to think that changing a light bulb or two will save the planet well I’m sorry to inform you but that just doesn’t cut it (yes it’s recommended and can help a little but the major issues are way beyond light bulbs and switches).

My moral here is this, if you are a vegan and feel like hibernating during the slaughter season – YOU ARE NOT ALONE my friends. But take note if you have the opportunity to empower or educate others from their own ignorance this season take a chance on it and for the sake of humanity, the animals and the planet don’t stay silent for one minute, as you never know who might awaken from their meat-based-comma through hearing your compassion. We can’t forget that we are in the depths of an environmental crisis here, yet we each have the most powerful weapon in our grasp to help address the serious nature of our issues – and that’s our Voice for a greener cruelty-free consciousness and to help the blissfully ignorant to see the light.  

I suggest making an impact with the most WICKED Vegan Food offerings you can think of on your Christmas table this year (lead by example not confrontation is the key here, I’m just letting off some steam here, because I can) but don’t forget to put a Why Vegan Leaflet in the Napkins/under the Plates or pass on this article if you need some extra facts to back you up if needed. You’ve got my vote no matter how you decide to roll with vegan consciousness this xmas, cause if you’re reading this then you are already one of the ones helping empower our planet towards a more peaceful existence anyway and I thank you for that.

Long Live Cruelty-Freedom and Happy Veggie Revelations to you! J

Throwing a Christmas celebration can be quite a challenge sometimes, but following the tips and ideas in this article on how to have a Successful Veggie Christmas will ensure your event is a success.

Most celebrations are left to experienced hosts, so if it’s your first time hosting a Christmas celebration; don’t panic, it’s not hard at all. You just need to be prepared! Organise everything in advance, and don’t leave things until the last minute. A last minute panic in organising makes the day stressful for you, rather than the enjoyable event it should be.

The first thing most people think of when throwing a successful veggie Christmas is food. What will the guests eat? Organising food isn’t near as difficult as it sounds! Just follow the key factors; sweet, sour, savoury, hot and cold; your meals will be successful with this much variety! Make sure you use a wide range of ingredients; perhaps try out that avocado recipe you were looking at, flavour something with lemon, make an Asian dish with green leafy vegetables, and try a soup for an entrée. Prepare some meals well in advance so you can test them yourself and alter them as needed. Also ask other people what they think, so that you know you’re not catering to yourself only.

Don’t forget dessert; this is one of the key meals which will determine if you know how to have a successful veggie Christmas. Use the hot and cold idea in your dessert; perhaps make a fruit pie and serve with ice cream and strawberry sauce. This makes good contrast in your meal and ensures guests are satisfied. Don’t bother with the sweet, sour and savoury idea though; desserts are typically sweet and should be left that way. A fruit cake or chocolate/mudcake also works well as a second option to add more choice to the menu. If you’re opting for catering; book early, as caterers are often booked out over Christmas well in advance.

Drinks are often neglected over Christmas; don’t forget to include a variety of beverages in your Christmas menu for a successful veggie Christmas. Buy basic drinks from the supermarket, such as soft drinks and juice, and buy wine/other alcohol from the liquor store if you like, but make other beverages yourself. Try flavoured smoothies/shakes (soy/rice milk, soy ice cream, flavoured sauce) to complement meals. Remember though, milk-based drinks are very filling, so have some watery beverages aswell, such as blended fruit juices (watermelon works wonderfully as a base in most juices, but experiment yourself until you find fruit combinations that you feel work well).

Decorating is another key aspect of a successful veggie Christmas. Just decorate like anyone else would. Red, green and white balloons and streamers are inexpensive and look fantastic, Red ribbon on cutlery adds a pleasant Christmas touch to the table, and a few Christmas ornaments give a more live feeling. Another great decorating idea is throw rugs; buy some green and red throw rugs and throw them over couches. Don’t forget the red table cloth! Remember what the cleaning process while be like when decorating; some decorative items will be difficult to clean up, such as glitter. If there will be a few children around, or a lot of people, perhaps avoid using glass and other breakable cups/items, as they may smash. Frost-plastic always works well as it is pleasing to the eye and doesn’t smash.

If you’re decorating a Christmas tree; keep it simple. Choose a colour theme. This doesn’t have to be red and green, but make sure you don’t choose too many colours. Some nice combinations include blue, purple and silver, red, green and gold, or red and blue. Spread decorations evenly over the tree, and use some variety in what the decorations actually are; don’t just use those dangly balls everyone immediately thinks of! Christmas lights always look nice, especially at night when everyone gathers around for Christmas stories, and tinsel looks beautiful (and reflects those Christmas lights very nicely).

Don’t be afraid to dress up! Remember though, a successful veggie Christmas doesn’t involve you wearing a red shirt with “meat is murder” plastered over the chest; just dress in the Christmas colours; red and green. Wear Santa hats (especially if there are children around; this makes Christmas more fun), and even consider having someone dress up as Santa to give the children presents.

Use music in the background; this is especially helpful in preventing those awkward silences when every conversation suddenly stops for some unknown reason. You can go for that CD of Christmas jingles if you like; remember, you want to get everyone into the Christmas spirit, so it doesn’t matter if the music is a little tacky. If you don’t want to use Christmas music, go for something which sits nicely in the background; don’t you dare touch that heavy metal collection, or those old punk records! You don’t want that successful veggie Christmas to turn into an aggressive mess.

If there are children at the Christmas celebration, get them involved! Don’t leave them to entertain themselves the whole time. A fun Christmas movie helps them enjoy the day more, which everyone can sit down to (that also means adults can recapture that young spirit!). Play some games, such as Duck Duck Goose (but perhaps make it Christmas themed; name them after reindeers or something along those lines), and have an art activity, such as colour-in sheets of Christmas pictures. This is another time to remember the clean-up process after your successful veggie Christmas. If kids will be using paint, be sure to equip them with painting aprons, and place newspaper over and around painting tables, but still be prepared to clean paint off the floor!

There are many things to take into account when throwing a Christmas celebration. This guide should have provided you with enough information to provide you with the knowledge to have a lovely Christmas day. You should know how to have a successful veggie Christmas

I happen to find my  ‘The Raw Gourmet’ (un-cookbook) by Noni Shannon a few weeks back and was eager to get into some of Noni’s great recipes once again. Seeing as we’ve nearly been raw foodies over the past month, yep 98% of the way there just getting past a few of those last cooked food happenings whilst we clear out the VS kitchen and cupboards – but once the kitchen is clear of any trace of cooked or processed matter then we won’t be going back down those tragic aisles of the supermarket to endulge in processed stuff. At least not until we’ve decided if the raw food thing is for us or not, let’s just see how the raw foodie detox ends up first shall we!

But to get you all inspired like we have been during this past month, here are a few pictures of the raw foods we’ve been enjoying and having fun with in the VS kitchen recently.

Lettuce Roll-ups with Sunflower Pate

Stuffed Apricots with Blueberries

Orange & Chocolate Raw Foodie Pie

We’ll keep you posted on more of our raw foodie trails, recipes and happenings over the coming weeks. As you may already know we’ve also been putting together a raw foodie chocolate recipe book. So most of our time has been spent on perfecting a few of the recipes for it. But all will be revealed in early 2009 for that one.

Making Christmas a memorable occasion is often considered an easy chore for experienced hosts, but is daunting to those new to Christmas preparations, especially when there is a twist, such as catering to vegan diets. These vegan Christmas tips should help ensure your Christmas is a successful one.

Vegan Christmas Tip #1

Don’t go over the top on food. Sure, guests will be impressed by dishes which taste like nothing they have ever experienced, but they won’t want to look into recipes such as your own if they include rare or expensive ingredients. Some of the easiest dishes are the best, such as an easy silverbeet salad (cooked silverbeet with lots of lemon juice). Remember to have good contrast in foods; hot, cold, sweet, sour and savoury are reliable guidelines. Ten hot savoury dishes isn’t fun, even if the majority of guests prefer salty foods.

Vegan Christmas Tip #2

Experiment! Some of the greatest meals come from mixing and matching. The easiest pancakes discovered as a result of experimenting (omitting ingredients one by one) are a fantastic example. The only ingredients are self-raising flour and rice milk, and maple/golden syrup or sugar to sweeten, if preferred. Don’t forget your collection of herbs and spices; these work a treat for flavour.

Vegan Christmas Tip #3

Make a few “gourmet” dishes. Even though it has been suggested that you “don’t go over the top;” a few fancy dishes which guests will remember forever help to emphasise the variety in vegan foods. These gourmet dishes should be more significant, such as cake, desserts, and even that “vegan turkey.” Consider catering if you don’t want to buy extra ingredients which you might not use again, but make sure you book early as Christmas is a very busy period for caterers.

Vegan Christmas Tip #4

Make extra! If specific dishes are a hit with guests, you can surprise them with more. You’ll know which ones are favourites, as guests will say “oh, this is delicious!” or you’ll notice the serving bowl has emptied rather quickly. Any leftovers can be refrigerated for consumption over the next few days, or frozen for use later on.

Vegan Christmas Tip #5

Be prepared well in advance. Now is the time to start your Christmas preparations; not Christmas eve. Start experimenting with recipes, ask others for their opinions on which ones are best, and make sure you can get all the ingredients you need. There’s nothing worse than the mad rush just before Christmas, stressing to satisfy everyone and not having the opportunity to enjoy the occasion yourself.

Vegan Christmas Tip #6

Smile! Be positive. Your guests won’t take anything away from your Christmas celebrations if you’re visibly stressed or a bit distant. Don’t force anything upon anyone’ don’t make them eat something if they don’t want to. Your Christmas would be much better remembered as a “lovely time” rather than an “I’m glad that’s over” event.

Vegan Christmas Tip #7

Make Christmas just like any other fantastic Christmas. Don’t plaster your “cruelty-free” stickers everywhere, don’t sit guests down to a film on factory farming, and don’t try to impress people with your knowledge of the latest animal welfare laws. You’ll only come across as a preacher, and guests will most likely be uninterested in what you’re trying to say. Hearing the story about the slaughtered chickens isn’t pleasant, and kills the mood. Instead, opt for light-hearted stories, remembering to steer away from “success” stories such as “the cat who survived the beating.”

Remember these vegan Christmas tips, and your vegan Christmas will surely be successful. Make sure you check ingredients on products you buy to ensure they are vegan, and voila! You have a lovely vegan Christmas.

American poet, writer, actor and musician, Saul Williams, offers a heartfelt argument for a more peaceful and compassionate way of living.

While sitting on a plane, on my way back from Lollapalooza, reading Thanking The Monkey by Karen Dawn, it struck me that this was the second awesomely inspiring and informative book I was reading this summer without sharing my thanks by spreading the word. I am sometimes hesitant about making a big deal about my vegan diet, as I have considered it a personal choice worth little discussion. Yet more and more, I have found myself attempting to encourage people who ask me where I find my inspiration, or what issues do I find important, or how can we curb warfare and violence to consider what we ingest. A story was recently recounted to me of a popular TV chef who chose to raise little piglets on his show to insure that they were fed organic food and not injected with chemicals (as is the practice on most factory farms), all for the sake of fattening them up for their slaughter and another primetime recipe. Yet, the time that this chef spent with these pigs taught him a valuable lesson (more valuable for the pigs, no doubt). What he learned was how intelligent pigs are. In fact, in recent times, it is common knowledge for most that pigs are arguably more intelligent than “mans best friend” and companion, the dog. For our chef, this meant switching gears and realizing that he could not consciously kill this intelligent animal, that it would constitute a murder as brutal as slicing your fluffy pets neck and watching it writhe and bleed to death, or sticking an electric prod up its ass and electrocuting it, if the fur or skin is of value…

It may seem like I have just taken a turn to the graphically extreme, I wouldn’t want to make you “lose your lunch”, but these are the common practices perpetuated by the factory farm industry on millions of animals a day, in the name of your breakfast lunch and dinner. And, no, I’m not simply talking about pigs, but also cows, chickens, turkey, horses (that’s right horses. Everyday), and fish. Everyday, our species participates in the mass genocide of other species without care or concern or even questioning whether the violence that we ingest and condone plays any role in our apathetic support of the war machine we have become. How is it that we as human beings can represent both the highest and most developed and lowest and least concerned forms of intelligence of any living species? Are we simply glued to age-old barbaric traditions that cloud our senses and render us inhumane in our dependence on comfort foods and practices? Is our dependence on foreign oil the only thing we need to curb? What about not so foreign species?

Some might argue that artists are a race or species apart from the common person. Yet we all identify with the teachings of Gandhi, the genius of Einstein, the art of Leonardo Da Vinci, Picasso, Rembrandt and the talent and compassion of living artists like Alice Walker, Will Smith, The Mars Volta, Dead Prez, Prince and countless others. Some of us choose to emulate their styles, their fashion, their career choices, but why not their diets? If our brightest most celebrated stars all have this one thing in common why are we so slow in connecting the dots for ourselves? Perhaps the biggest issue at hand is not what our cars run on, but essentially what do we run on? The fact is that factory farms are the number one users of crude oil, not cars. That’s basically what it takes to kill approximately one million chickens per hour (just in the US). More than half of our water supply goes to feed animals being fattened for slaughter. The methane gases that contribute to global warming are produced majorly by cow farts in factory farms, not to mention the amount of fossil fuels needed to create just one pound of beef.

Yep. You doing the math? Basically if we shifted our compassion towards animals, the domino effect would heal the planet. We’d no longer be cutting down rain forests to create more space for cows to graze, we’d stop depleting the ocean of the necessary (keyword: necessary) food chains that our eco system depends on, diseases including many cancers, heart disease, obesity, and others which find their root in the food/toxins we ingest would slowly disappear as would our taste for violence.

Which brings me to the other book I read this summer that inspired me to reevaluate every aspect of what I’ve been taught through the news and media, especially concerning the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. That book is The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein.

So what are you reading?

I know what you should be listening to,
Niggy.

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