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For more ideas - check out the cookbook Vegan Lunch Box!

It’s back-to-school time and parents all over the country are looking over hot lunch menus and shaking their heads in disbelief. Today’s school lunches are notoriously unhealthy and if you are raising your children in a vegan home… well, all those hamburgers and “fish nuggets” will make you shudder. That means sending your littlest loved ones to school with lunches that they will actually want to eat and won’t trade away. Kids raised on a vegetarian diet have an amazing advantage: a lower risk of the obesity, cancer, heart disease, and other health problems that will plague their meat and dairy-eating peers as they grow older. These days it is easier than ever to raise kids who are healthy and care about animals.

With vegan alternatives to deli slices and cheese available in most grocery stores, it doesn’t take much to recreate the classic sandwiches. Let’s not forget that the most beloved of childhood sandwiches, Peanut Butter and Jelly, is already vegan. Here are just a few products to check out:

• Torfurky Deli Slices
• Lightlife Deli Slices
• Lightlife Smart Bacon and Smoked Tempeh (makes great BLTs)
• Baked Tofu
• Sheese (it’s a hard vegan cheese you can pack with crackers)
• Eco-Planet Non-Dairy Cheese Crackers (they’re like a vegan version of those cheddar goldfish crackers)
• Late July Organic Peanut Butter Bite Size Sandwich Crackers
• Granola or Snack Bars
• Tofutti Slices
• Pretzels (many of the brands out there are vegan – as always you might just need read a few labels)

Don’t forget all those fresh fruits and veggies that nature has already made sweet like apples and pineapple slices or ‘kid-sized’ like cherry tomatoes and baby carrots. Healthy and happy kids need those more than anything!

Of course, you can always get vegan options in your school cafeteria using these 4 easy steps!

Don’t forget World Go Vegan Week is right around the corner! This year IDA is helping Vegan Pizza Take Over the World! To find out more click here.

New to veganism? Click here to order a Vegan Starter Kit.

Get fancy with a Double Taco Burger! Photo Credit : MeetTheShannons.com

We’re in prime BBQ and potluck season right now and it seems like every night someone somewhere is lighting up their grills. For many of us this a great opportunity to experiment with a new recipe or better yet introduce our friends and family to how delicious and easy it is to be vegan. Food is a great form of outreach for the animals. There are a lot of folks that don’t want to hear about the suffering that is inherent to the meat industry but are intrigued by trying out new foods. Bringing a cruelty-free dish to a get together is lighthearted way to change hearts and minds and can even invite questions on how someone can lead a more compassionate lifestyle.

If you’re looking for some new recipes for classic favorites, here’s some of my favorite summery favorites. Don’t worry – these vegan recipes are BBQ and Potluck Tested and Approved.

Beer Can Tofurky
Caesar Salad Burger
Macaroni Salad with Peppered Tofu
Pink Lemonade Cupcakes
Crab Cakes with Tartar Sauce
Tuscan Lemon Cake
Spare Ribs with 3 Different Types of Glazes
Coleslaw
Three Beans Salad
Creamsicle Cupcakes
Mojito Bars
Antipasto Pasta Salad

If you’re looking for something even simpler, you can always just throw some veggie burgers, Portabella mushrooms and vegan sausages on the grill. There are so many great vegan product out there right now from Gardein Vegan Burgers, Tofurky Beer Brats and Field Roast Chipotle Sausages, it’s a great time to really bring the shock and awe. In case you’ve never tried to grill mock meat or veggies before, here are some of the tricks we’ve picked up over the years :

• Lightly brush your grill with olive oil before putting your mock meat or veggies on the grill to keep them from sticking. If you want to skip cleaning your grill, you can always lay down some aluminum foil and brush that with olive oil. You’ll get a little less smokiness in the flavor and those famous grill lines but it can save you time later.

• Make sure your mock meat is defrosted before putting it on the grill to make sure it cooks evenly.

• Mock meat and veggies cook a lot faster than meat so keep an eye on them and brush them with a mixture of equal parts tamari and olive oil to keep you food from drying out. You can always add some Jerk seasoning to your oil to add a little bit of a kick. Here’s a recipe for a Southwestern Rub you can use with any mock meat or vegetables :

1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon agave nectar
2 teaspoons green chilies (diced)
¼ teaspoon Bragg Liquid Amino Acids
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cloves of garlic (minced)

Mix all these goodie together in a small bowl. Nothing tricky here, just blend it all up. Then brush it on to your mock meat or Portabella mushrooms. Wrap in foil and chill for 1 hour before grilling. Keep any extra to brush on your food when it’s on the grill.

So start your grills and let’s make this summer fun for everyone… including the animals!

For more information on how to go vegan and vegan outreach check out our vegan campaign and order a vegan starter kit!

This year make your Easter Bunny Vegan Chocolate!

With Easter approaching, many people’s thoughts turn towards bunnies, who have long represented the holiday thanks to their symbolic associations of fertility, rebirth, and regeneration. This year rabbits are even more visible than at other years during this time, because the Chinese Lunar Year which began this February is officially the Year of the Rabbit.

But rabbits are more than just a symbol of rebirth to Christians or luck and longevity to the Chinese. They are also living, breathing animals with complex needs and wants. Many people want to bring home a rabbit for Easter or the Year of the Rabbit, but rabbits are not impulse items. They are smart, curious, loving, funny, pushy, and destructive, and can live ten or more years when given the right care. Good guardians know that having any animal means meeting that animal’s needs.

What is the right kind of care?

Rabbits are social animals, so they should never live alone; they should be spayed and neutered (to prevent cancers and to allow for companionship) and should have either a bunny friend or a cat or other well-mannered companion animal. They are domesticated, so they should live indoors, like a dog or a cat, and, like a cat, they can use a litter-box, making them very clean companions. They are active, so they need plenty of space to kick their feet up, to run, and to play. They are chewers and diggers, so they need lots of toys to exercise their teeth and their brains, and your house needs to be bunny-proofed so they don’t destroy your baseboards, furniture, or walls. Because of their propensity to chew, guardians should have a sense of humor and infinite patience. They are affectionate, and may show their love for you by “purring” (or grinding their teeth) or even licking your face. They are vegetarians, and should eat a high fiber diet full of hay, vegetables and greens, and a small amount of pellets. Like us, they have a sweet tooth but should not be given junk food. They are ground-dwelling creatures, and don’t love to be picked up. And because they are a prey species, they tend to hide symptoms of illness, so guardians should be on the lookout for subtle changes in behavior and personality; these could mean a trip to the veterinarian. And like any animal, they are individuals, so their own individual needs and desires should be met, for the happiness of the rabbit and human alike.

Sound like too much work, but you really want to celebrate the New Year and Easter in a traditional fashion? Toy stuffed bunnies are a great substitute if you’re not ready for the commitment of a live rabbit.

But if you think you have what it takes to be a rabbit guardian, visit rabbit.org for more information, and your local shelter or rescue group to adopt your new companion. The rabbit you rescue will thank you, and you won’t regret it!

This blog was contributed by Guest Blogger Margo DeMello – President of  The House Rabbit Society.

It’s Mardi Gras season! It’s that time of the year when people all over the world are partying like there is no tomorrow and loading up on all their vices before Lent or maybe they’re just enjoying a good party! Whatever the reason – folks everywhere are wishing they could hop on a plane to Brazil or the Big Easy to dance in the street and enjoy some fabulously flavorful food. But even if you’re stuck at home, you can have your own Homemade Vegan Mardi Gras! These vegan recipes have all the kick and fun of the original Southern, Cajun and Creole recipes with none of the guilt that comes with eating animals. Actually this might be the first Mardi Gras ever that leaves you with a clear conscience. You might want to make 2 pitchers of Margaritas to make up for it!

• Beighnets
• Bourbon Chik’n Po’Boys
• Creole Shrimp Po’Boys
• Hush Puppies
• Hoppin’ John
• Fried Pickles
• Creole Shrimp Gumbo
• Red Beans and Rice
• Jambalaya
• Deep Fried Cajun Tofurky
• Beer Can Tofurky
• Strawberry Margaritas
  

Now that Strawberry Margarita is what Our IDA Staffer Mike Winikoff  calls a “junk-food” Margarita. So he was nice enough to share his recipe for Prickly Pear Margaritas – for you folks that want to add a little class to your bash!

Prickly Pear Margarita

2 oz silver tequila

¾ oz Patron Citronge orange Liqueur (or any orange liqueur)

½ oz lime juice

4 oz Prickly Pear Cactus Syrup (available only from Cheri’s Desert Harvest in Arizona, www.cherisdesertharvest.com )

Crushed ice

Put all in blender, blend on low, pour in salt-rimmed margarita glass, enjoy, wake up humming “that’s what you get for waking up in Vegas.”

Going Vegan for Lent? Click here and get a FREE VEGAN STARTER KIT!

It’s that time of year again – when we stop and look at our life and say “This next year will be better.”

Some folks are looking to be more eco-conscious. Some make resolutions to be healthier or at least have healthier bank accounts. Why not make a resolution to be all three? There is one simple step you can take to decrease your environmental impact, spend your money more ethically, save that money, show more compassion for animals and improve your health – going vegan. It can be intimidating at first and seem like a huge life change but like any good habit – it is so worth it and really once you know which products you like best and some simple tricks – it is much easier than it seems! These days there are so many quality vegan products, cookbooks and online resources available to help a new vegan. You can start your day with crepes and an almond chai, have a mock chicken salad sandwich for lunch and end the day with Orange Teriyaki BeeflessTips with Noodles. At IDA, we have a free Vegan Starter Kit to help you make the transition. Fill out the form here to get yours.

Over at The Meet The Shannons Blog, we get a lot of emails about pizza. So we’re sharing our favorite pizza recipe so far – The Vegan Stuffed Crust Pizza. For more recipes and tips please check out the IDA Vegan Campaign section. There are great tips and recipes there as well as information on why going vegan is better for the environment, your health and of course the animals.

Sneak Peak at the Stuffed Crust

Stuffed Crust Pizza

• 1 Package of Thawed Whole Wheat Pizza Dough  (There are several brands of premade pizza dough that are vegan. This was made using Trader Joe’s.)
• 1 Bag of Daiya Vegan Cheese (Mozzarella)
• 1/4 Cup of Pizza Sauce
• 2 Tofurky Italian Sausages (sliced into coins)
• 1 Package of Smart Deli Pepperoni
• 1/4 of Large Red Onion (chopped)
• 1 Can Black Olives (sliced)
• 1 Can of Artichoke Hearts (halved)
• Fresh Basil
• Nutritional Yeast
• Cornmeal to dust your pizza stone or pan

Preheat the oven as per the directions on the Pizza Crust package.

Dust a pizza stone or pan with cornmeal and where you are going to roll out the dough.

Roll dough into a circle ( around 13 inches in diameter ) and then move very carefully to the pizza stone or pan. Create a little pocket/canal  along the edge of the pizza. Fill the canal with Daiya Cheese. Be careful to not use more than a 1/3 of the bag and to stay inside the pocket. Seal the cheese in by folding over the outer edge and pressing lightly.

Spread the Pizza Sauce over the dough in the center. Sprinkle Fresh Basil. Spread out a small handful of Daiya cheese. Sprinkle the Sausage coins and Pepperoni. Spread another small handful of Daiya cheese over the fake meat. Sprinkle the Onion, Artichoke Hearts and Olives over the pizza. Spread another small handful of Daiya Cheese.

Follow directions on Pizza Dough to know how long to cook. It should take around 15-20 minutes. Just wait till the crust is golden and cheese is melted.

Sprinkle with a little Nutritional Yeast and repeat after me “Meat Lovers Stuffed Crust Deep Dish Pizza Commercial - YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER ME!”

Did you make a New Year’s Resolution to eat healthier or to go vegetarian or vegan? Do you want to learn how to get the most nutrition from your food and whip up delicious meals in 10-30 minutes? Enrollment just opened for The Vegan Mastery Program. Created by The Vegetarian Health Justice, The Vegan Mastery Program is a series of 50 lessons that will show you how to thrive on a plant-based diet. You will learn important health information like how to absorb more calcium and iron, how to skyrocket the nutrition in nuts, seeds, grains, and beans, how to save money on healthy foods, the truth about B12, and an abundance of recipes including vegan versions of your favorite comfort foods and much more!

This is the first time in seven months enrollment has been open, but it closes on Jan 13th and space is limited. By enrolling through us, IDA will receive a portion of the proceeds. If you’re interested and want to get in before the general public, click here.  For questions, contact Hope@idausa.org or 415-448-0048 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              415-448-0048      end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

Please replace your profile pictures and backgrounds with the Virtual Demo "Sign"

A week from today (Nov. 26th) is not just the busiest shopping day if the year – it’s Fur Free Friday! When activists around the world will be sending a clear message that wearing animal fur is not just cruel and unnecessary but that whenever you buy products made from real animal fur you are supporting an industry completely indifferent to the unthinkable suffering they profit from.

In Israel, activists are making international headlines in their heroic efforts to make their country the first nation in the world to ban fur. In Bosnia, inspired advocates have recently convinced one mink farmer to switch from fur farming to growing fruits and vegetables! And here in the U.S., IDA is gearing up for another season of grassroots education and outreach to encourage the Nordstrom family to end the selling of all fur in its upscale department stores.

This year, everyone can help the estimated 50 million animals killed each year for their fur and send a clear message to Nordstrom, no matter where you live, by participating in our first-ever Fur Free Friday virtual demonstration on Facebook and Twitter. It’s easy to do and a great way to spread the word that it’s time for Nordstrom to go Fur Free.

Here’s how it works:

Facebook Instructions – Take place in Fur Free Friday from home in 3 easy steps!

1. Make sure you have your protest “sign“. All you have to do is right click on the “Nordstrom Bunny Sign” image and choose “Save” to get this “sign”. Replace your profile photo to your “sign” and keep it up all weekend!
2. Go to Nordstrom’s Fan Page and “Like” the promotional page. This will allow you to post comments on their page : Click here to go to the page.
3. Starting on Friday Nov. 26th, start posting your comments! Remember that your comments will be seen by followers of all ages and comments that include profanity or can be interpreted as “abusive” will probably be removed before the general public gets a chance to read them and may result in your profile being reported and/or deleted by Facebook. IDA is not responsible for any comments you may leave or action that results.

Twitter Instructions:

1. Make sure you have your protest “sign“. All you have to do is right click on the “Nordstrom Bunny Sign” image and choose “Save” to get this “sign”. Replace your profile Background with this image to have as your “sign” and keep it up all weekend!
2. Go to Nordstrom’s Twitter Page and click “Follow”.  Click here to go to Nordstrom’s Twitter page. This will allow you to send them direct messages and Tweets using the @. Here’s an example of how this works – you Tweet : @Nordstrom Please Open Your Hearts! Stop Selling Fur! – And that Tweet goes directly to the Nordstrom Twitter page.
3. Encourage your friends to join your Twitter Demo! Tweet to them to also change their profile background to their “sign”. Here is an example of a Tweet you can use to encourage them to Tweet Nordstrom : Tweet @Nordstrom today! Let them know what you think about them selling fur!
4. Starting on Friday Nov. 26th, start sending direct messages and Tweeting to Nordstrom using the Reply function. Here is an examples of a great Twitter Demo Tweet: @Nordstrom – Fur is cruel and unnecessary! The animals need their fur more than you need money.
5. You can run your Twitter Demo all day – Rain or Shine! But remember messages and Tweets that include profanity or can be interpreted as “abusive” may result in your profile being reported and/or deleted by Twitter. IDA is not reasonable for any messages or Tweets sent or action that results.

Thank you so much for helping make this year’s Fur Free Friday a huge success!

Cajun Deep Fried Tofurky with Okra "Giblets" Gravy

Whether you’re calling it Thanksgiving, Thanksliving or Thanksvegan… a master chef or just an eater… you’re hitting that countdown to the Super Bowl of food related holidays!

If you’re like me – you’re plotting and planning what dishes to make this year to “wow” the vegan foodies and win over the meat loving critics. Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to really showcase how far veganism has come and how living a compassionate lifestyle doesn’t mean sacrificing any of the beloved traditional holiday favorites. All over the USA, shopping carts are  filling up with sweet potatoes, green beans, squashes, stuffing fixins, a variety of cranberry and pumpkin goodies and a vegan roast or two.

Vegan Thanksgivings have come a long way since my first Tofurky dinner. There are now numerous cruelty-free options to replace the 65 million birds who are killed every November. Tofurky is still probably the most well known and available. Most people can find them in their local grocery store and you might even find some Tofurky vegan gravy to go with it. Over at Meet The Shannons, we tried out a ridiculously dangerous but incredibly delicious Southern tradition and made Cajun Deep Fried Tofurky with Okra “Giblets. If you’re feeling brave – I would recommend giving it a shot!
Field Roast has a Celebration Roast that is stuffed with butternut squash, mushrooms and apples and is more than just delicious – it’s epic enough to create a new family tradition.

Over at Match Vegan Meats they’ve created a holiday roast that is the perfect canvas to glaze, marinade, bake or grill however you like. You can can use soy sauce, ginger, garlic and chili peppers to make a Spicy Hot Schezuan dinner or go traditional and just brush with some olive oil and white wine. You can also get the Match Vegan Chicken and create your own roast using your favorite stuffing. This video can show you how. Over at the Meet The Shannons house we’ll be rocking the Match Vegan Holiday Roast this year!

Check my Meet The Shannons pages this week for recipes including Apple Stuffed Squash, Au Gratin Potatoes, Candied Orange Sweet Potatoes, Vegan Gravy, Citrus & Garlic Glazed Holiday Roast, Pumpkin Tarts, Beer Can Tofurky,  Italian Chopped Salad, Rosemary Garlic Bread,  Smokey Collared Greens with Bacon, Macaroni and Cheese Cups and Garlic – Cheesy Biscuits .

Of course no Thanksgiving will be complete with these two favorites!

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All Vegan Cheesy Chik-n Fingers! Made with Match Vegan Meats, Daiya Cheddar & Eco-Planet Non-Dairy Cheddar Crackers.

World Go Vegan Week starts Sunday and if like many people you are trying out the vegan lifestyle for the first time, you might find yourself wondering : Do I have to give up everything I loved as kid to try this out? The answer : Nope!

I’ve been vegan a long time and even I – from time to time – get nostalgic for food I enjoyed in my childhood. I loved those little cheddar cheese goldfish crackers. One of my favorite memories was my grandfather putting them in my soup every Fall. I took them to school with me almost everyday in a sandwich bag and when I went vegan I admit I missed them. That’s why when I found these Eco-Planet Non-Dairy Cheddar Crackers I may have freaked out a little. They have filled that space in my heart that thought about those those little crackers from time to time. They also made it possible to veganize Betty Crocker’s cheesy crunchy chicken fingers (see recipe below) which would be a hit at any football or baseball playoff party this Fall… or just a Thursday night dinner.

Here’s a few other childhood favorites that some of you newly veganed folks might be interested in to help make that transition into cruelty free living :

• Marshmallows! There are several brands these days that make vegan marshmallows. Sweet & Sara are a favorite of mine and they even have special Halloween marshmallows shaped like bats & ghosts on sale right now. There is also Chicago Soy Dairies’ Dandies which are pretty perfect in Hot Cocoa.
• Which brings me to Instant Hot Cocoa! Ah!Laska’s Organic Instant Hot Cocoa is a pretty extraordinary treat for those nights when you just want to add water.
• Vegan Corn Dogs by Cedar Lake Foods. That pretty much says all I need to say about that.
• Memory can be kind to some old friends – like Cheetos and I actually think Tings are much better version of the cheesy snack puffs. I think Tings are actually better than most things. To quote Food Fight Grocery “Better than squirrels and kittens hugging.”
• Of course a lot of you are wondering what to do about Vegan Halloween candy. VegNews has a great list of Vegan Candy you can give away that night and of course snack on between trick-or-treaters.

OK back to our recipe…

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Vegan Sloppy Joes - Always a big hit! Recipe : MeetTheShannons.net

Now is the best time of year to make sure your school cafeteria has vegan options. Here’s how:

Step 1: Become Friends with Your School & Cafeteria

It is always easier to change a system from the inside. Just by stopping by and politely asking your Cafeteria’s food service coordinator for vegan options, you can make a personal statement on why these dishes are necessary and offer suggestions how they can make the changes. By building a relationship with your school’s food service coordinator you can help them locate the best recipes and resources so that these vegan changes can be successfully incorporated into the menu. If you’re too shy, send a kind e-mail or note to the head of your school’s cafeteria or dining hall requesting daily vegetarian and vegan options.

Of course, sometimes that doesn’t work. You can then move on to speaking to your school’s administration. Request a meeting with your school’s principal or, if you’re in college, your school’s Operations Director. Come to your meeting prepared to talk about why your school needs vegan options, what the benefits of a vegan diet are, suggestions for how they can veganize the cafeteria. Of course it doesn’t hurt to do a little research into how many of your classmates would want these options and if your school has had any issues with recalled meat or dairy products in the past (link to recent egg recall story) You can even contact other schools, such as Baltimore’s Public School System and Indiana University that have added vegan options to their cafeterias and get some statistics and suggestions to support your cause.

If you have any meetings, arrive on time, dressed nicely, and be polite. Don’t give them an excuse to ignore or disregard your request. Remember, you are there to advocate for the animals, so making a good impression is very important and, perhaps, this will be the beginning of a relationship with your school administration that could later help you also get dissection or circus field trips also removed from your school!

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Memorial Day weekend is right around the corner which means all across America families and friends will be getting together to enjoy their first BBQ this summer. This can create a bit of a dilemma for vegans who would like to bring something to a get together that even meat-lovers will enjoy and try but aren’t that confident in the kitchen. I know we always hope to that we’ll bring something that will make folks overcome any prejudices they may have towards eating vegan and maybe even “wow” them a little. There are a few tricks that can help a bit, like marinating Tofurky Beer Brats in a dark beer with a dash of olive oil for about 15 minutes before throwing them on a grill or Three Bean Salad. This recipe is guaranteed to be a hit with pretty much the whole gang! It is easy to make and maybe a bit messy to eat but that’s part of what makes it so good . . .

Chipotle Roasted Corn

• 1/3 Cup Chipotle Salsa
• 2/3 Cup Vegannaise
• 2 Teaspoons Lime Juice
• Dash of Liquid Smoke
• 8 Ears of Corn

Mix salsa, vegannaise, lime juice and liquid smoke.

Fold down each layer of the corn husks. Remove the silks and brush a heavy coating of the salsa mix on to each corn. Fold the husks back up to cover and seal in salsa mix.

Wrap with aluminum foil. Put on the grill for 30 to 45 minutes. Remove foil an put back on grill for 3 to 5 minutes.

Fold down the husks and season with salt and pepper to taste.

For More Recipes – You can always check out out recipes in our Vegan Campaign or order your own Vegan Starter Kit that is full of vegan recipes and tips.