The Vegan and Vegetarian Secrets Blog …

I’ve been asked by many people recently to upload my recipe for a black forest inspired style strawberry cake – raw foodie of course. It’s just a simple yet different twist on the usual black forest cake made with cherries, but when cherries are in season be sure to use them as this cake is amazing with either cherries or strawberries alike.

If you don’t have all the ingredients raw style, then this cake will work just as well if you only have say ‘roasted’ almond butter in the pantry or rice milk in the fridge. By all means experiment and make it as raw or un-raw as you like. Either way it tastes great!

It’s one of my favorites and so here it is…

This raw food cake is created in layers.

First Layer:

• 1.5 – 2 cups almonds
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup cacao powder
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut
• Agave nectar (to sweeten a little)

Second Layer:

• 1 – 2 medium avocados
• 4-6 dates, pitted and soaked
• 1/2 cup cacao powder
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• Agave nectar to sweeten
• 1 tspn Vanilla

Third Layer:

• 1 cup strawberries

Fourth layer:

• 2 cups cashews, soaked
• 2 dates, pitted and soaked
• 1-2 cups water

Method for putting it all together:

First Layer:

1. Combine the first layer ingredients in a food processer and combine together until crushed and smooth like, if it’s too dry add a tiny bit of water or almond milk until you get the desired consistancy.
2. Next remove from processor and mold it into a cake tin (I use a cheescake tin so I can easily remove the cake once it is fully set but I have also turned this recipe into a pie on occassions too – it will work both ways brilliantly).

Second Layer:

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
2. Spread this mixture on top of the first layer.

Third layer:

1. Slice the strawberries and layer them over the second layer – or if desired you can crush them up instead of slicing them.

Fourth layer:

1. This is were you will make the cashew cream frosting. Place half the water into a blender and slowly add the cashews in batches. Add water as needed, until all of the cashews are gone.
2. Add the dates and blend until smooth (remember to soak dates you can put them in warm water for a few minutes to soak them or soak them for a few hours if you have time).
3. Spread the mixture over the top of the third layer.
4. Put in the fridge to set.

Then once set add more strawberries or other fruits and mint leaves to garnish.

Today I was informed of the the newest edition ’Meat & Livestock Industry’ commercials about to be launched onto Australian Telelvision THIS Sunday, but who could ever forget Sam Neill selling out the last time, and it seems he’s still at it… just with more of a twist this round.

(Yes, apparently as per Sam Neill famously putting it in the previous series of red meat commercials “Meat is an essential part of the diet”), but an article was written in the Herald Sun today – by a Meat-Eater accusing the MLA of lying and calling their commercials tripe!

A well know journalist infact and she writes for Australia’s largest newspaper. And I’m loving this so much cause Jill is admittedly a meat eater herself and has actually accused the Meat and Livestock Industry, of lying!!!

This is one of those things you dream of happening in the media especially if you are vegan, you know secretly wishing someone on the inside would be brave enough to say such things in the public eye. I often think things like this are too good to be true – but this one is the real deal my friends.

A Meat Eater Actually Accuses ‘MLA’ of LIES & TRIPE!!!  .(I can hear the veg*ns secretly gleaming with joy over this one. You’ve gotta love that great Aussie Spirit from Jill for being one of the few to step up to the plate and speak her mind over all the BS such industries pump out into the world).

Kudos to you Jill!

PS> If you haven’t seen the series of ‘Red Meat We Were Meant to Eat it’ commercials you can review them HERE

But be sure to check out the article written by Jill Singer at the Herald Sun today, it’s a cracker of an article and so refreshing to hear such words come from an actual avid meat-eater. We vegans can’t get blamed with this outburst that’s for sure. However we can agree and even stand by Jill on this one, if we too agree with her brilliant stand of grace that is.

This is how Jill starts off her article:-

*HOW do I loathe the new Sam Neill ads for red meat? Let me count the ways.*

As a consumer I find them misleading. As a woman I find them patronising. And as a fan of Sam Neill I find them disappointing.

In case you haven’t heard, the Meat and Livestock Association’s latest generic television advertisement for red meat is being launched this Sunday.

It features Sam Neill making friends with an ape called Dennis and explaining to him that you need to eat red meat for your brain to evolve.

Sam and Dennis then get down and dance the “butcher boogie” together.

MLA chief executive David Thomason predicts the ad will be a big hit with consumers, and help get their message across that humans are meant to eat red meat. How I hope he is proven wrong.

Much as I enjoy eating meat, I don’t like being fed bull, and the MLA’s advertising has been full of it for many years.

We’ve seen Sam Neill explain that craving red meat is instinctive behaviour, that red meat is nutritionally superior to chicken and that red meat is an essential part of human nutrition.

Sam Kekovich and Laurie Lawrence are other hairy-chested types who have been paid to feed us similar tripe.

There’s nothing new in the MLA’s propaganda; red meat has long been associated with masculinity. Hence the evolution of the catering tradition for crowds – beef for men and chicken for the ladies.

Even now, when most of us hunt down our food in supermarket aisles, the MLA wants to keep us trapped in the distant, gendered past.

By using traditionally blokey men to tell us they need meat, the MLA is sending a message to Australian women. It knows that women still carry the “basket power” – they do most of the shopping – and it’s our job to look after our menfolk.

The facts are that we face greater problems from excessive consumption of red meat than from eating too little of it.

The statement that red meat is an essential part of our diet is a lie. It is a more essential part of a maggot’s diet that a human’s.

There are countless studies proving foods such as fish are a superior form of protein than red meat.

The MLA sneakily drops into its ads that red meat three to four times a week is essential for good nutrition, but moderate consumption is not its real aim.

Increasing the sale of red meat is, full stop.

Read the full story here – Choking on a Red Meat Article