FERRET MILLS

FERRET BUSINESS

Animal agriculture is about exploiting and using animals for profit. Animal agriculture views animals as inventory and nothing more. Their only concern is making money from the animal. We have all heard of puppy mills and the horrible cruelties that they inflict on dogs. But so many more animals that are sold at pet shops come from mills. Rats, lizards, snakes, hamsters, guinea pigs and ferrets. These mills are all part of animal agriculture and are only concerned about money, not the animals.

My son has a pet ferret named “Twitch”. When my son comes for a visit, he often brings Twitch along. I love ferrets. They are sweet, very tame and playful. A group of ferrets is called a “business”. About a month ago, Twitch became ill, and I took him to the vet for my son. Our family vet, Elmbrook Veterinary Clinic, has great experience with all types of animals. I take my ducks to him when they get ill.  He told me Twitch probably had a cancer which is very common in ferrets. Life span of a ferret normally would be 10-12 years, but in today’s pet shop ferrets he is only seeing 5-7 years. Their life spans are nearly cut in half because of the way they are bred.

Most pet shop ferrets come from ferret mills. Marshalls, Triple F Farms, Path Valley, and Real Canadian Ferrets are the main ones. These ferret mills not only make money selling ferrets to the major pet stores, they sell ferrets to labs and universities to be used in animal testing and experiments. Marshalls not only has a ferret mill; they operate a puppy mill where they sell dogs for animal testing. These mills have multi-million dollar contracts with universities and labs, including the CDC. Medical schools will often use ferrets to teach students how to shove breathing tubes down babies’ throats.

These mills are only interested in one thing—profit. Many will spay, neuter, and descent their ferrets themselves, without a vet. Vets cost money. Ferrets are raised in overcrowded, dirty conditions. Their cages have wire bottoms and very often young ferrets will fall through the wires and be killed. The cages are stacked on top of each other, so waste from the upper ferrets hit the lower ones. Often the temperature in their quarters will reach over 100 degrees. It’s very much how factory farms and egg farms treat their larger animals.  Peta did an undercover investigation into Triple F farms in 2011  http://www.peta.org/features/investigation-exposes-cruelty-ferret-mill/

http://investigations.peta.org/animals-gassed-frozen-petco-petsmart/?utm_campaign=Pet%20Trade%20Investigation%20&utm_source=PETA%20E-Mail&utm_medium=Alert

These ferret mills practice closed colony breeding where animals are kept in cramped cages and there is often incest. It only takes a few generations of such poor breeding practices before genetic weaknesses, abnormalities, diseases, and a shortened life span show up.  A few of the diseases ferrets eventually get from these poor breeding practices are cancer, adrenal disease and insulinoma. 

Ferrets are typically taken from their mothers at an early age, packed into crates, and trucked for days or flown hundreds of miles to dealers and then to pet stores, often without adequate food, water, or ventilation.

At the pet store they are put into cages with many other ferrets. They usually do not get a proper diet or enough space to move around. Ferrets that are not sold are either killed by the pet store and thrown in the trash, used by the pet store as live feed for snakes and reptiles, or sent back to the mill for a credit. If they are sent back to the mill, the mill will kill them and they will wind up as livestock feed. This is the fate of most of the small mammals that do not sell at pet stores.  

So what can we do? We can stop buying animals from pet stores and instead get pets from rescues and shelters. We can stop buying products that use animal testing. This will put these mills out of business. It is up to us, the consumer, to show these businesses that the lives of others matter, that animals are not the same as toasters.

While the vet could not do much for Twitch, we started him on Essiac tea and he is improving greatly. He is running around and playing again. Essiac tea may not cure his cancer, but it has greatly improved the quality of the days he has left. 

Please note, I am not a vet and am not giving medical advice. 

VEGAN FRENCH TOAST

 

 

FRENCH TOAST

 

1 cup soy milk

12 ounce container silken tofu

Your choice of bread—Rudi’s® OR OTHER VEGAN BREAD

Heat electric fry pan to 325°.  Meanwhile, blend soy milk and silken tofu in a food processor until smooth.  Pour into a bowl.  Soak a slice of bread in the mixture for a few seconds, turn to make sure both sides are coated.  Coat fry pan with cooking spray.  Fry bread until brown turning once.  This makes enough liquid for about 10 pieces of bread.  Serve with Earth Balance® buttery spread and real maple syrup. 

 

 

 

 

 Or you can top with a Berry Cream Cheese topping:

1- 8 ounce container vegan cream cheese--GoVeggie®   Follow Your Heart®   Daiya®

2 cups fresh berries—strawberries, raspberries, blueberries.  You can mix or match.

¾ cup stevia or organic cane sugar

Blend all of the ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Refrigerate any leftovers.

VEGAN MARBLE CUPCAKES

MARBLE CUPCAKES

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350°. LINE A MUFFIN PAN WITH CUPCAKE PAPERS.

FOR THE YELLOW BATTER:

2 CUPS FLOUR

1 TSP BAKING POWDER

1 TSP BAKING SODA

1-1/2 CUPS SUGAR

¼ CUP CANOLA OIL

2 CUPS SOY MILK

2 TSP VANILLA

MIX ALL DRY INGREDIENTS. ADD SOY MILK, OIL AND VANILLA AND MIX UNTIL SMOOTH AND ALL LUMPS ARE GONE. SET ASIDE AND MAKE THE CHOCOLATE BATTER.

CHOCOLATE BATTER:

2 CUPS FLOUR

1 TSP BAKING POWDER

1 TSP BAKING SODA

1-1/2 CUPS SUGAR

¼ CUP COCOA POWDER

¼ CUP CANOLA OIL

2 CUPS SOY MILK

2 TSP VANILLA

MIX ALL DRY INGREDIENTS, ADD SOY MILK, OIL, VANILLA AND MIX UNTIL SMOOTH.

FILL EACH CUPCAKE PAPER (IN MUFFIN PAN) ½ YELLOW BATTER, ½ CHOCOLATE BATTER.  USE A KNIFE TO SWIRL THE TWO FLAVORS TOGETHER. BAKE IN OVEN FOR 20-25 MINUTES OR UNTIL A TOOTHPICK INSERTED IN CENTER COMES OUT CLEAN.  MAKES 24 CUPCAKES. YOU CAN ALSO HAVE HALF & HALF CUPCAKES.

I LIKE THEM UNFROSTED, BUT IF YOU WANT TO FROST THEM HERE IS A GOOD FROSTING RECIPE:

¼ VEGETABLE SHORTENING

¼ CUP VEGAN MARGARINE

3 CUPS POWDERED SUGAR

1 TSP SOYMILK

1 TSP VANILLA

BLEND SHORTENING AND MARGARINE UNTIL SMOOTH. ADD SUGAR, MILK, AND VANILLA AND MIX WELL.

QUICK AND EASY ORANGE CHICK'N WITH RICE VEGAN STYLE

ORANGE CHICK'N WITH RICE

This dish is quick and easy to make. Perfect for a busy day.

4 CUPS COOKED RICE

4 CUPS ORANGE JUICE

2 PACKAGES GARDEIN® CHICK’N SCALLOPINI

CORNSTARCH

PEPPER

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray baking pan with cooking spray.  Spread rice evenly over pan top with Gardein® pieces.  Pour       3-1/2 cups orange juice in pan on top of stove. Heat. Meanwhile mix ½ cup orange juice with ¼ cup cornstarch. Whisk into orange juice and heat until thickened.  Add pepper, salt, season to taste. Pour over chicken and rice. Bake for    25-30 minutes until heated through.

For variations you can top each chicken slice with a LightLife® Smart Deli® ham slice. You can also add sliced cooked baby carrots.

Cruelty free always tastes better.

Pot Pies

POT PIES

Comfort food like Mom used to make with a creamy filling and flaky crust.

This recipe will make 10 individual pot pies or 2 big 9” pies.

Crust

4-1/2 cups flour (your choice)

2 teaspoons salt

1-1/3 cups Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks

½ to 1 cup cold water

Blend flour and salt in a food processer.  Cut buttery sticks into thin slices and add slowly to the flour mixture.  Mix until mixture forms coarse crumbs.  Add water a tablespoon at a time until mixture leaves the side of the processor bowl.  Scoop mixture unto wax paper.  Gently knead to make sure it is completely mixed.  Cut in halves.  Roll first half into 10 six inch circles for individual pot pies or two 10” circles for large pies.  Place each circle in a tart pan or pie pan sprayed with Pam® cooking spray.  Roll the remaining dough into 10 five inch circles or 2 nine inch circles. Place each circle on wax paper for now.  These will be used to top the pies.

Preheat oven to 350°

Filling

2/3 cup Earth Balance® vegan Buttery Sticks

2/3 cup flour (your choice)

1/ 2 chopped onion

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2-1/2 cups water

2 vegan bouillon cubes such as Celifibr®

1-1/3 cups soy milk (or another milk alternative)

2 tablespoons Annie’s® Worcestershire sauce
 2 10 ounce packages frozen mixed vegetables.  I use organic.  If you prefer to use fresh vegetables, be sure to chop them and blanch them before adding to this recipe.

Optional: 2 packages Gardein® teriyaki chicken strips cut into cubes.  You will not need the sauce, so save that for another recipe.  If these are too frozen to cut, microwave on a plate for a minute to soften.

Melt butter. Add flour, onion, salt and Pepper.  Cook stirring constantly until mixture is bubbly.  Stir in water, bouillon, milk and sauce.  Heat to boiling. Reduce heat. Add vegetables and “chicken” cubes.  Cook until heated through.

Fill each tart or pie with filling until almost to top.  Top each pie with the pie top.  Flute around edges.  Poke a fork in the center of each pie. Place each pie on a cookie sheet. Bake in oven for 35 minutes until crust is golden brown.  Let pie cool for about 5 minutes before serving as filling will be very hot.

PIZZA PARTY

THREE CHEESE PIZZA

1 pizza crust

I like to use the Rustic® organic pizza crust for ease and quickness.  I do have a pizza dough recipe at the end if you prefer to make your own.

1 can 15 oz. Muir Glen® pizza sauce

Ricotta cheese (recipe is on an earlier blog)

1 bag 8 oz. Go-Veggie® mozzarella cheese (purple packaging)

Go-Veggie® parmesan cheese (purple container)

1 green pepper chopped

1 container grape tomatoes sliced in half

Preheat oven to 350°.  Spray a pizza pan with Pam° spray.  Lay pizza crust on pan.  Spread ricotta over the crust until covered. Spread pizza sauce over the ricotta.  Top with pepper, tomatoes, and cheese.  Bake in oven for 20 minutes until bubbly hot.  Let stand a few minutes before slicing.

The great thing about pizzas is you can top them with almost anything.  If you want to add pepperoni, Light Life® makes a nice vegan style.  Onions or mushrooms are also nice to add.

Vegetable Pizza

1 Pizza crust---again you can make your own or Rustic® organic is vegan.

2 sweet potatoes—thinly sliced

Olive oil

Ground oregano

Parsley flakes

Basil

1 cup cauliflower florets blanched until slightly tender

1 cup green pepper chopped

1 cup diced tomatoes

1 zucchini diced

½ 15 oz. can Muir Glen® pizza sauce

1 15 oz. package Go Veggie® Mozzarella cheese (purple package) optional

Preheat oven to 350®.  Spray a cookie sheet with Pam® cooking spray.  Lay sweet potato slices on cookie sheet.  Brush with olive oil, sprinkle with basil, parsley, and oregano.  Bake in oven for 20 minutes until tender.  Spread pizza sauce over crust.  Top with all the vegetables including sweet potato slices.  If desired top with veggie cheese.  Bake for about 30 minutes until hot. 

I find it’s quicker and easier to use the Rustic® crust, but every now and then I like to make my own:

Pizza Crust

2-/2 to 3 cups flour (your choice)

1 tablespoon organic or Florida Crystals® sugar (most other sugars are not vegan)

1 teaspoon salt

1 package dry yeast

3 tablespoons oil

1 cup very warm water

Mix 1 cup of the flour, salt, sugar and yeast in a large bowl.  Add oil and water and beat at medium speed for about 3 minutes, scraping bowl frequently.  Stir in additional flour as need until dough is soft and leaves the side of the bowl.  Place dough on lightly floured surface.  Knead 5 to 8 minutes.  Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.  Roll out to fit a pizza pan. Partially bake at 350® before adding toppings.   

Waffles

WAFFLES or PANCAKES

1/2 cup blended silken tofu (I blend it in a food processor)

2 cups flour (your choice)

1 tablespoon Florida Crystals® or organic sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 ¾ cup soy milk

½ cup vegetable oil or Earth Balance® buttery spread melted.

Mix all ingredients until well blended.  Add more soymilk if too thick or stiff.  Heat waffle iron or pancake griddle.  Spray with coating such as Pam®.  Use about ¼ cup batter for each pancake or waffle. If making pancakes, flip when pancake is bubbly in center or dry around edges.  Top with Earth Balance® and pure maple syrup.

You can also top with fruit.

For a different dinner meal—top with “chicken” piccata for a “chicken and waffle” recipe.

Better than Beef Stroganoff

"BEEF" STROGANOFF

Delicious, quick and easy to make.  You won’t have to worry about the meat being tough and hard to chew with this recipe.  Healthier, lower calorie and low cholesterol.  Best of all its vegan.

3 cups water

2 veggie bouillon cubes such as Celifibr®

3 packages of Gardein® Beefless tips

12 ounce package mushrooms sautéed in Earth Balance® buttery spread until tender

½ cup chopped onions

1 small clove garlic finely chopped

4 tablespoons organic ketchup such as Field Day®

¼ cup cornstarch

6 ounce vegan Tofutti® sour cream

1 and ½ box of mini Farfalle

2 tablespoons Earth Balance® buttery spread

Cook farfalle according to package instructions.  Mix with buttery spread and keep warm.

Heat the water with the bouillon cubes until they are dissolved.  Reduce heat.  Add all the other ingredients except cornstarch, and simmer about 10 minutes, stirring often.  Mix ½ cup water with the cornstarch until well blended.  Add to the stroganoff, blend well, simmer, stirring until mixture thickens.  Add sour cream, mix well, and warm just until heated thru.  Serve over the Farfalle and enjoy.

I usually make this without the onions and garlic and it is very delicious.  I also make the mushrooms on the side as some in my family do not like mushrooms. So mushrooms lovers can add them, mushrooms haters don’t have to eat them.

Vegan quick and easy.

Quick Easy Delicious Summertime dinner

SLOPPY JOES

 These are the healthiest sloppy joes your family will ever eat, and they are not greasy.  This is a quick and easy summer time recipe. The pineapple gives them an Hawaiian flare.  Great served with pasta salad, recipe also listed below. 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup onion finely chopped

1 cup of green pepper finely chopped

1 8 ounce can crushed pineapple (without sugar added)

1 12 ounce package LifeLight® ground soy

1 15 ounce can organic lentils

1 14 ounce can organic tomato sauce such as Muir Glen® or Field Day®

¼ cup organic soy sauce

¼ cup packed organic brown sugar

1 tablespoon vinegar

In a large pot, sauté onions and green pepper in olive oil until tender.  Add all other ingredients and simmer for about 15 minutes until heated through.  Serve on Rudi’s® hamburger buns.

MEDITERRIAN PASTA SALAD

12 ounce box of carrot, tomato, spinach pasta blend rotini

12 ounce organic balsamic vinegar salad dressing

2 cups cauliflower broken into bite size pieces

2 cups broccoli florets broken into bite size pieces

2 cups grape tomatoes

1 cup baby carrots

1 zucchini diced

½ cup black olives

1 teaspoon basil

Cook pasta blend per package directions al dente.  Rinse with cold water, drain well.  Put cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots into microwave safe dish.  Add about ¼ cup water.  Cook in the microwave for about 2 minutes—just until a little tender, but not fully cooked.  Drain well.  Mix all ingredients in a big bowl with pasta.  Mix in salad dressing. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

I would also add artichoke hearts to this, but you can basically add whatever vegetables you would like.

Vegan Creamy Cucumber Salad Recipe

CREAMY CUCUMBER SALAD

3 large cucumbers

½ cup sliced red onion

8 ounce container vegan cream cheese--Daiya®, Follow Your Heart®, GoVeggie®

¼ cup soymilk

¼ cup white vinegar

¼ cup organic sugar or stevia

Peel and thinly slice cucumbers.  Place in a bowl with the onions.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well, until blended.  Refrigerator at least 2 hours before serving.  I often add ½ cup shredded carrots to this for color.  I also make this without onions.

Vegan good, vegan easy.

We are not alone

Welcome to the wonderful world of being vegan. Here are links to lists of famous, smart, creative people who are also vegan:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_vegans

http://www.happycow.net/famous_vegetarians.html

Vegans tend to be creative and intelligent.  We tend to think outside the box, heck, we don’t even know there’s a box.  We are compassionate and we show and live our compassion.  We are trying to make life better for all earthlings.

Vegan "Ricotta"

VEGAN “RICOTTA”

Vegan ricotta is hard to find, but you can easily make your own.  This is great to use in lasagna, manicotti, and on pizzas.

4 cups soy milk (I use Silk® as it is GMO free)

8 ounce   container  GoVeggie®  Vegan cream cheese (purple package)

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons white vinegar

Pour the milk into a pot and whisk the cream cheese in until the mixture is smooth.  Stir in the salt.  Bring the mixture, using medium heat, to a full boil, stirring often.  Turn off the heat and stir in vinegar.  Let this sit for several minutes.  The mixture will separate into thick parts and milky parts. Meanwhile, set a large fine sieve over a deep bowl. 

When the mixture has separated enough, pour it into the sieve and allow it to drain in the bowl at room temperature for about a half hour.  The longer you let it drain, the thicker the ricotta.  When done, transfer the ricotta into a bowl and put into the refrigerator.  It will keep for about 5 days.  You can save the liquid “whey” and use it in other recipes.

 Vegan easy, vegan better.

Vegan "Chicken" Salad Sandwich

“CHICKEN”  SALAD SANDWICH

 Quick and easy lunch.  Delicious and vegan.

 1 package Gardein teriyaki chick’n strips®

1/ 2 cup Nasoya® vegan mayonnaise

¼ cup chopped green pepper

¼ cup chopped celery

2 tablespoons onions (optional)

2 tablespoons OrganicVille® cole slaw dressing

Salt and pepper.

Rudi’s bread or hamburger buns

Cook the chick’n strips according to package directions.  Save the teriyaki sauce packets for another recipe (like stir fry).  Cut the strips into small cubes.  Put in a bowl.  Add mayonnaise, green pepper, celery, onions and slaw dressing.  Mix well.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Add more mayonnaise if needed.  Spoon on bread or hamburger buns.  You can add a tomato slice to the sandwich, but keep in mind, it will make the bread soggy if you want to pack this in a lunchbox.

Links to items used:

Gardein® http://gardein.com

Nasoya® http://www.nasoya.com/

Rudi’s®  http://www.rudisbakery.com/

OrganicVille®  http://organicvillefoods.com/

Quick and Easy Eggplant Parmesan

QUICK AND EASY EGGPLANT PARMESAN

 When you work late and need a quick and easy, but yet delicious meal, try this recipe.

2 boxes  Dominex® breaded eggplant slices

1- 26 oz. jar of marinara sauce (Muir Glen® or Field Day® are both vegan and organic)

1- 12 ounce box penne pasta 

1- 8 ounce bag of vegan mozzarella cheese  (Go Veggie® in the purple package,  Daiya® or Follow Your Heart® are just a few)

Basil

Parsley

Vegan Parmesan (Go Veggie®, Daiya®, or Follow Your Heart®)

 Preheat oven to 350°.  Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.  Place eggplant slices in single layer on the cookie sheet and bake in the oven until golden, turning once.  Meanwhile, cook the penne pasta al dente per package directions.  Heat the marinara sauce, adding the basil, parsley, and two tablespoons of the mozzarella cheese.  When the eggplant slices are golden, top each slice with 1 tablespoon of the mozzarella cheese.  Sprinkle with basil and parsley.  Return to oven until cheese is melted.  To serve, place penne on a plate, top with some of the marinara sauce, and one or two eggplant slices.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese as desired and enjoy.

Quick and Easy vegan dinner and very delicious.  

You could use this same recipe to make a quick and easy chicken parmesan, by replacing the eggplant with Gardein® chicken patties.

Here are links to all the products mentioned in the recipe:

Dominex®  http://www.dominexeggplant.com/

Go Veggie® http://goveggiefoods.com/products

Daiya®  http://us.daiyafoods.com/

Follow Your Heart®  http://followyourheart.com/

Gardein®  http://gardein.com/

Why We Became Vegans

Thirty years ago when we became a vegetarians, farming was different.  Most of the farms were run by families and, although slaughter houses were vile, animals on the farm were treated fairly well.  Now most farms are run by big business and animals are crammed into small spaces and treated deplorably. Modern farm animals’ lives are like a horror story.  Their only way out is a torturous death.  We have since become vegan. We do not want to be any part of that.

Welcome to Joy of Vegan

Welcome to the Joy of Vegan blog. Stay tuned for recipes, tips, and the benefits for going vegan.

Please bear with us.  We have just started this blog and hope to be adding on a weekly basis to it. We are also working on a vegan cookbook and a list of vegan products.

Let's start on our mission to being healthier, happier, and cruelty free!