What is a Vegan?
Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish, or poultry. Vegans, in addition to being vegetarian, do not use other animal products and by-products such as eggs, dairy products, honey, leather, fur, silk, wool, cosmetics, and soaps derived from animal products.
Why Veganism?
People choose to be vegan for health, environmental, and/or ethical reasons. For example, some vegans feel that one promotes the meat industry by consuming eggs and dairy products. That is, once dairy cows or egg-laying chickens are too old to be productive, they are often sold as meat; and since male calves do not produce milk, they usually are raised for veal or other products. Some people avoid these items because of conditions associated with their production.
Many vegans choose this lifestyle to promote a more humane and caring world. They know they are not perfect, but believe they have a responsibility to try to do their best, while not being judgmental of others.
Vegan Nutrition
The key to a nutritionally sound vegan diet is variety. A healthy and varied vegan diet includes fruits, vegetables, plenty of leafy greens, whole grain products, nuts, seeds, and legumes.
The RAVE Diet
The Rave Diet was created by Mike Anderson after watching family and friends suffer from disease. Deciding that there had to be a better way to live, he embarked on two years of research and formed the principles of the Rave Diet and Lifestyle. In April 2004 Anderson released a revised second edition of Eating. Meanwhile he was working on a companion book that could be packaged with the DVD version of the film
RAVE stands for---
In Eating, Anderson devised the acronym RAVE that embodies the key features of this diet that helps prevent and even reverse chronic degenerative diseases. RAVE is broken down as follows:
No Refined foods
No Animal Productsn
No Vegetable oils
No Exceptions
& Exercise
Anderson summarizes the diet by offering the following tips and tricks:
Always eat foods as close to their natural state as possible.
Always eat whole foods.
Eat a variety of colorful foods.
Try to eat at least half of your food uncooked, without any dips or toppings.
A salad is an ideal meal.
Never cook with salt.
Take a multivitamin.
Avoid packaged "snack" foods like the plague.
Water should always be your beverage of choice.
A tablespoon of ground flaxseed should be a part of your daily diet.
For more information about the RAVE diet, the Eating DVD, and the book The Rave Diet and Lifestyle visit
http://www.ravediet.com/
Vegan Recipes
Butternut Squash-White Bean Croquettes
3/4 cup butternut squash puree
1 1/2 cup white beans
1 shallot
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup all purpose flour
Rosemary and thyme, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/3 cup olive oil
Directions:
1) Mash white beans with a fork in a large bowl but do not mash them so much that they lose their texture. Add the butternut squash and mix thoroughly.
2) Mince the shallot and garlic cloves, then add to mixture. Add the flour, herbs, and salt and pepper, and mix until a very thick paste-like texture is achieved.
3) Heat the olive oil in a saute pan on medium-high heat. Form the mixture into small round patties, about 2 1/2'' in diameter. Place the patties in the saute pan once the oil is very hot. Allow to cook for about 4 minutes, then flip them over to allow the other side to brown. Let cook an additional 4-5 minutes, then remove from pan.
Serve warm. These are wonderful when served over warm kale or chard.
Tofu Lettuce Wraps
1 head lettuce or Napa cabbage
1 pkg extra firm tofu (drained)
2 1/2 cups chopped shitake mushrooms
3 tablespoons chopped garlic (fresh)
2 tablespoons chopped ginger (fresh)
red pepper flakes
tamari or soy sauce or Braggs
salt
pepper
Directions:
Dice the tofu into small bite size squares. Spread them out on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with salt , pepper, red pepper flakes, and soy sauce. Bake for 35-45 minutes at 350.
When that is almost done, heat up wok or frying pan and throw in the chopped up garlic and ginger. Fry for about 5-7 minutes until they are softer. Throw in the shitakes. At this time you can add more soy sauce , usually about 4 or 5 shakes. Also, if you’d like, some more salt and pepper and red pepper flakes.
Cook about another 10 -12 minutes, then add the tofu and finish up the cooking - about 2-5 minutes.
Wash and dry the lettuce/cabbage and pull off pieces about the size of your palm.
Spoon the mixture into the leafs and roll them up!!
Sadie’s Falafel
2 1/2 cups of soaked garbanzo beans (overnight, change water periodically)
1 cup of chopped green onion (optional)
3/4 cup of parsley leaves (still whole)
½ cup fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon coriander seeds (optional)
1 tablespoon cumin seeds or ground cumin
3 teaspoons sea salt
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
Dill yogurt sauce
1 cup plain yogurt (Vegan use soy yogurt)
1 tablespoon lemon juice (or to taste)
1 Tablespoon dried dill weed
Salt and pepper to taste
Blend all ingredients together and chill.
Use on top falafel pita sandwiches or salads
Directions:
Put the garbanzos and cilantro in a blender & mince till you have a fine crumbly texture.
Take out the beans and put in the onion and parsley. Blend till finely minced (but not puree).
Slightly roast the coriander and cumin seeds over a low heat in frying pan (just till they start to smell and brown ever so slightly), then grind them.
In a big bowl, place the garbanzos and mix in the spices, the onion with the parsley. Add in olive oil. Let sit for a while to let flavors blend.
Make small patties and fry in medium-hot canola oil till brown on both sides (turning over a couple of times). Make patties lightly being sure not to pack too tight. You want your falafel to be light and fluffy.
Place on paper towels to let them drain.
If not a fan of frying dip falafel balls in oil and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. On a non stick sheet pan. Halfway through flip over falafel balls.
Put them in oven so that they may finish cooking on the inside (just in case).
Serves: makes around 35
Preparation time: 1 hour (or so)
Rice - Stuffed Tomatoes
one large tomato per person
1 level tablespoon uncooked white rice per tomato
chopped fresh parsley
olive oil
salt
fresh ground pepper
Directions:
Cut top off tomato to make a lid. I like to angle the knife into the tomato as I cut out a lid -- like when carving a pumpkin, but be careful not to pierce the side of the tomato. Do this for every tomato. Reserve lids.
Carefully scoop out the insides of the tomato. Discard seeds, but keep the remains
To make the stuffing: Chop tomato flesh so you have small chunks of tomato. Combine tomato with rice (for quantity, it depends on how many tomatoes you are making. See above), olive oil to taste, and chopped fresh parsley (lots). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
Stuff this mixture loosely into each tomato and top with the lid. Dont pack the rice too tighly or tomatoes will burst as rice expands upon cooking.
Put tomatoes into a glass baking dish and bake at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes or until rice is cooked. Check periodically to make sure that tomatoes aren't spliting and cracking. Serve hot or at room temp in the baking dish.
Makes a very pretty presentation.
Tips
- Can add other vegetables to rice mix. Broccoli, peas, spinach, zuchini, olives
- Can also add different herbs for different fresh flavors. Basil, lemongrass, cilantro,
Preparation time: 40 minutes.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 3/4 cup organic wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
½ cup flax seed oil
½ cup applesauce
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup raw sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Egg replacer equivalent of 2 eggs (you can also mix together 2 tsp. cornstarch and 1/4 cup water)
12 oz. carob chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
In a large bowl, cream together the flax seed oil, applesauce, brown sugar, sugar, vanilla, and egg replacer mixture. Stir in the flour mixture and mix well. Add the chocolate chips and mix.
Drop the dough by spoonfuls onto a lightly oiled cookie sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Or can bake in cake pan to make cookie bars. Cool on a wire rack.
Tips
- You can also add nuts, coconut, raisins, dries fruits, peanut butter, cocoa powder
Makes approximately 40 cookies.
