BIOFUELS--THE ROAD TO A VEGAN WORLD?

BIOFUELS-THE ROAD TO A VEGAN WORLD

As someone who has been trying to promote veganism for over 30 years, I have come to realize how difficult a vegan world will be to achieve.  Most people will turn away and not want to hear about the horrifying abuse animals have to endure. Most people will laugh about animal agriculture killing our planet. Very few will actually consider what I am saying may be true.  They don’t want to hear it and they don’t want to know. According to Stanley Milgram’s studies, the best we will ever achieve will be a 30% population. This 30% might be enough to make it mainstream, but I doubt it. The vast majority of the population “lacks the resources” (as Milgram politely put it) to overcome their conditioning.

During the same time, global warming has risen rapidly.  Scientists use to warn us about a 2 degree increase in earth’s temperature.   Now we are probably looking at a 6 degree increase in the next few decades. Already our climate here in Wisconsin has changed dramatically.  We are having thunderstorms, dewpoints in the upper 60's, and temperatures near 80 degrees in October.  Past decades this was unheard of, now it is daily. As someone who is connected with nature, I can already feel and see the changes. Less butterflies, less bees, less birds, fewer flowers  equal less fruit on our trees and plants.

But at the same time, we are running out of fossil fuels–oil.  Offshore drilling is expensive and dangerous and wouldn’t be done unless we had no other options. Oil companies are cheering the melting of the ice caps, because they will finally be able to drill in the Arctics and get every last bit of oil from our planet. No matter how hard they try, we will eventually run out, and according to scientists that will be within the next couple of decades.

There is a light to all this doom and gloom–biofuels.  All our cars need to run on biofuels is an adjustment to their computers. Current laws prohibit anyone from tampering with even their own car’s computers.  Kits that override the computer can be bought, but they have to be installed by the car’s owners.  It is against the law for anyone else to install these kits. Biofuels will be cheaper and cleaner.

So what does this have to do with veganism?  Plenty. Currently, two-thirds of our land is being used to either raise livestock or grow food to feed the livestock. If we want to make the switch to biofuels, we need land.  As farmers who grow crops for livestock start to see that there is a bigger profit in growing crops for biofuels, they will make the switch.  This will mean livestock feed prices will go up, which will raise the price of meat, dairy and eggs.  People will start to see them as “too expensive.”  As factory farms sell less and less meat, they too will convert to biofuels.  Corporations will start to reprogram the stupid masses.  What vegans have known for decades (how animal products are bad for the human body) will soon become mainstream.  Corporations are greedy and will do whatever it takes to make money, even if it’s doing the right thing.

The byproduct of biofuels is food.  Food that can be used to feed the world.

As vegans, I feel we should be promoting biofuels as a way to make the world vegan.  As John Lennon sang in Imagine, “You may say that I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. “  

resources:

“Pump”   https://www.fuelfreedom.org/our-work/initiatives/pump/

“Livestock and Climate Change” by Goodland and Anhang
 https://www.worldwatch.org/files/pdf/LivestockandClimateChange.pdf

EATING OURSELVES TO EXTINCTION

EATING OURSELVES TO EXTINCTION

I stopped eating meat over thirty years ago.  This was before there were so many vegan products on grocery shelves, before there were so many factory farms and before we knew the damage animal agriculture does to our planet.  I stopped eating meat because torturing and killing another living animal is barbaric.  With every bite of meat, we lose a piece of our humanity.

Now we know the damage animal agriculture is doing to our planet. It is causing 51% of greenhouse gases and 91% of rain forest destruction. Two-thirds of our land mass is used to either raise or feed livestock. Animal agriculture is depleting our natural water supply and polluting our oceans, rivers and lakes. All of this causes more severe weather patterns, wild fires, flooding and other disasters. Bee populations are rapidly declining, leading to food losses.  We are on the verge of the sixth major extinction just because humans eat other earthlings.

There are 7 billion humans on earth and about 1 billion suffer from hunger.  Every day 21,000 children die of starvation.  Yet, most of the food we grow is fed to animals that will be killed and eaten.  It takes 16 pounds of food just to make one pound of meat. 96 billion animals and 3 trillion fish are killed every year for food, but 80% of that goes back into feeding livestock. How insane is this system?

The very thought that some lives are more important than others is creating violence in this world. The thought “I am a human; I am more important than others” leads to “I am white; I am more important than others” or “I am a man; I am more important than others.” Fear causes us to excrete adrenaline into our systems. Animals are no different than us. When we eat other earthlings, we are eating their adrenaline excretions.  This, along with the hormones added to animal feed, makes humans more aggressive. If we continue with all this violence and wars, we soon will wipe ourselves out.

We have to start thinking of future generations, our children, our grandchildren.  What kind of world do we want them to live in? Scientists have predicted that if we continue on our current course, humans could be extinct in less than 100 years. We can end violence. We can reverse global warming. We can feed the world. All it takes is for each of us to take one small step—go vegan.

THE BEE DILEMMA

THE BEE DILEMMA

One of the great vegan debates is whether honey is vegan or not.  Most vegans do not consider it vegan. The debate should be about whether the way we treat bees in modern society is vegan.  It’s not.

Sure bees are little insects most people could care less about, but their numbers are dwindling and they are on the verge of extinction.  When the bees go we will be next.  One third of our food is pollinated by bees and that is where the problem lies.

Human activity is destroying natural plants by plowing fields, building cities and homes, etc. Butterflies, bees, and birds are all losing their habitat.  Bees depend on natural plants. Fruit, nut and vegetable growers have had to import bees to pollinate their plants.  Current beekeepers make more money transporting bees thousands of miles to pollinate plants than they do selling honey.  Bee hives are piled on trailers. The vibration of the trip, the change in weather and the change in sunset and sunrise all add stress to the bee’s life.  Added to that stress is global warming, pollution, and pesticides.  Stress reduces the way their immune systems function.  Disease is wiping out our bees.

Transporting bees thousands of miles to make them pollinate trees is definitely not vegan.  But without that, we would not have the fruits and vegetables we love.

So what can we do:

First, we still all need to go vegan. Two-thirds of the land mass is used to either raise or feed farmed animals.  This land is cleared of plants bees need to survive.  It takes less land to grow fruits and vegetables to feed humans directly than it does to raise animals for flesh eating. Going vegan and returning this land to its natural state will help bees recover.

Second, buying local will help.  Also, we should pass legislation that requires fruit and vegetable growers to have their own bee hives for their crops. Especially those labeled vegan or organic.

Third, everyone should stop using pesticides.  Stop putting chemicals on their lawns, even better forgo the lawn and plant wildflowers and other flowering plants for the bees.

Fourth. everyone who has land should start a bee hive. Not for honey, but just for the bees. Other than checking on them once in a while, just let them be bees.

Don’t buy honey or products made with honey.  Don’t buy products made with beeswax or royal jelly.  Show companies that we will not support the demise of bees for money.

We need to do all we can to help this most important little insect.  When they go extinct, humans will not be far behind. The sooner humans realize that all life on this planet is important to the well-being

of all its inhabitants the better. All life is precious and we are all connected.  It’s important for the future of our children and grandchildren to start to do something now.

Resources:

Vanishing of the bees

Silence of the Bees

A Taste of Honey

PICTURES OF MY FRONT YARD

GUN VIOLENCE

GUN VIOLENCE

Lately, every time you turn on the news, there is another mass shooting, another murder, another gang shooting, or another police involved murder.  Our world has become very violent.  I blame the NRA for a good portion of this violence.

The NRA was established in the late 1800’s to promote gun safety.  In the 1980’s, however, gun sales started to decline.  Gun corporations started taking over the NRA. Now the NRA’s board of directors is filled with CEO’s of gun corporations.  They turned the direction of the NRA from gun safety to promoting gun ownership. They take their members’ dues and use it for lobbying. They managed to successfully reverse and block any gun restriction laws presented by congress. They pushed open carry laws in states.  It is now easier in most states to buy a gun than it is to vote. Gun sales have skyrocketed. This climate of everyone having a gun is a main cause of the violence.

Police have to accept a major portion of the cause too.  Police departments are not properly screening candidates for aggression or racism problems. They are not properly training their policemen in handling tough situations. They are over arming them with military style equipment, giving them the impression they are fighting a war instead of protecting and serving citizens.  So many police are either angry or scared when they approach suspects. The climate of everyone owning a gun increases the violence. Their fear is increased if they are even slightly racist.  When someone is shot 9-15 times, that indicates either aggression, anger, or fear.

Our society bears a good portion of the violence blame.  We are conditioned since birth to think that certain people or species are of less value than ourselves. If we do not grow out of that thinking, we are more likely to disregard the lives of others.  We are conditioned since birth to eat violence and to think it tastes good. "Hate on your dial" shows like Fox News, 700 club, and talk radio promote hatred, violence, racism, sexism and animal cruelty.   Commanders in war always have their soldiers eat huge portions of meat before battle, because they know it will make their soldiers more aggressive and more violent.

Groups that are trying to promote peace and rights for all are often put on the FBI’s terrorist lists. Animal right groups who have killed zero people are considered terrorists, while violent groups, like anti-abortionists who have killed 100’s of people, are not on the list.

We are all one tribe, one people, one species—Earthlings. No matter what race, sex or species we are, we are all connected.  The loss of one of us touches all of us. The sooner we realize this; the sooner the violence will end.

If you truly want to end the violence, start living a more compassionate life yourself.  Go vegan and know true peace.

For more information:

Please watch Earthlings at Earthlings.com

Please read Our Conscious Planet by Neil Pine and World Peace Diet by Will Tuttle. 

THE MOST IMPORTANT NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION YOU WILL EVER MAKE

THE MOST IMPORTANT NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION YOU WILL EVER MAKE

Every year most of us make New Year’s resolutions like losing weight or eating healthier. The top three resolutions people make each year are: Lose weight, get organized and spend less. The most important resolution you can make this year will not only make you a better, healthier person, it is necessary to save our planet.

Climate scientists have been warning us about global warming for decades. Scientists say a warming of two degrees will cause massive extinction and problems for humans. At the rate of our current global warming we will be warming by four degrees in just a few short years. They have stated 2017 is the point of no return. If we do not start to reverse global warming by 2017, it will be too late. It is estimated, at our current trend, by 2030 there will be a mass extinction not seen since the dinosaurs.

So what can we do to reverse global warming? Stop driving our cars? Turn off our lights? None of these will be effective enough to start a reversing trend. The most effective way to reverse global warming is to adopt a plant based diet—in other words, go vegan.

 

 

The number one cause of greenhouse gases is animal agriculture (dairy, meat, and eggs). According to the World Bank Group, it is responsible for 51% of greenhouse gases. Transportation total is responsible for 13%. Animal agriculture is the number one cause of methane and nitrous oxide.  Methane is 25 times worse than carbon dioxide as far as creating global warming. Nitrous oxide is 300 times worse than carbon dioxide. The following charts show the growth in factory farms compared to the growth in greenhouse gases.

 

 

 

 

 

 

An interesting note, researchers have discovered that the smog over many cities was not caused by cars (like we are told) but by the smoke and fat from thousands of restaurants grilling meat.

Animal agriculture is the number one cause of rainforest destruction. 91% of rainforests were destroyed for animal agriculture compared to 23 % for palm oil. In the US alone, every minute 7 acres of trees are cleared for animal agriculture. These lands are not only cleared to raise the animals, but also to grow food to feed them. Trees are needed to clean our air and reduce greenhouse gas build up. It takes 16 pounds of feed to make one pound of meat. Think about it. If we all adapted a plant based diet, we could not only reverse global warming, we could feed the world.

The majority of our dwindling oil and natural gas supply is used by animal agriculture. Animal agriculture uses 25 times more fossil fuels than our cars and other transportation. We are going to run out of oil. The only question is when.

Animal agriculture is number one in water usage and water pollution. 85% of the water in the US goes to raising livestock.  Climate change will cause more and more drought conditions, making our water even more precious. Our underground aquifers are being drained at a tremendous rate, faster than they can be replenished. Add to that, the run-off from animal farms pollute our precious waters. There is a 7000 square mile “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico that continues to grow. Our Great Lakes also have dead zones caused by animal agriculture. One pig farm creates more sewage than the entire city of New York and this waste is untreated. This waste winds up in our lakes, rivers, and our groundwater we use for drinking. When the waste lagoons get too large, some factory farms start to spray the waste water into the air. We know conserving water is important and we want future generations to have access to water. One pound of beef takes 5,200 gallons of water. That is over a year’s worth of showers. Compare that to 24 gallons to make a pound of potatoes or tomatoes. In the US, fracking uses 140 billion gallons of water every year. Animal agriculture uses 340 TRILLION gallons every year.

Overfishing is destroying our oceans.  Fish help to keep the oceans healthy and reduce ocean warming. Many fish species have been depleted to the point of extinction. 80% of the fish caught goes to feeding livestock.

If you want to give up your car, live in the dark, stop taking showers, go ahead, but none of that will stop global warming and our inevitable destruction. We should be mad as heck at the meat, dairy and egg industries. They are wasting our oil and our water. They are poisoning our water and our air. They are destroying our planet and our way of life. This year make it your resolution to do something about it. Show the animal agriculture industry that they cannot get away with making huge profits by destroying our children’s futures. Go vegan. Take away their money, take away their power.  Not only will you be helping to save our planet, lose weight, and be healthier, you will be helping to end the torture and slaughter of 96 billion animals and 3 trillion fish every year.  It is amazing how one simple small step can do so much.

 

 I encourage everyone to read more and learn. Knowledge is the key to making responsible food choices.

My Sources:

“The Sustainability Secret” by Kip Anderson and Keegan Kuhn

“This Changes Everything” by Naomi Klein

“World Peace Diet” by Will Tuttle PhD

“The Food Revolution” by John Robbins

“The Conscious Planet” by Neil Pine

“Comfortably Unaware” and “Food Choices and Sustainability” by Dr.  Richard Oppenlander

epa.gov http://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/gases/ch4.html

http://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/gases/n2o.html

You can change for the better. I am here to help.

WE WERE MEANT TO EAT MEAT

WE WERE MEANT TO EAT MEAT

After years of advocating veganism, one of the arguments that I hear the most is “We were meant to eat meat.”

Looking closely at our bodies and how we function, we can see we were meant to be herbivores, not carnivores.

First, look at our teeth. We have mostly flat teeth meant for grinding, not ripping skin and flesh. Our teeth are small and soft. We have only two pointed teeth and those are incisors, meant for plant food. When you look at a true carnivore’s teeth, like a wolf or a lion, they have all pointed teeth.  Their teeth are meant to rip through skin and raw flesh. Humans are unable to do that. We have to skin flesh first and cook it. Despite what you see on TV, we do not have the teeth that can rip through skin. Our jaws move side to side, while true carnivore jaws clamp down. We are unable to easily tear through fur and skin. We need to cut pieces of flesh off with tools like knives. If humans could only eat animal flesh with our teeth and no instruments, we would all be vegan.

True carnivores have claws that can tear through skin with one stroke. Our nails are soft and without using tools we cannot rip through flesh or fur.

Our stomachs do not have strong acids to dissolve flesh like true carnivores. The acid in our stomachs is weak, meant to dissolve plants. Carnivores have shorter intestines, while ours are longer. We need high fiber diets to keep our intestines functioning properly.  High cholesterol isn’t a problem true carnivores have. Yet, humans suffer from high cholesterol by consuming meat and dairy products. High cholesterol isn’t a problem on a plant based diet either.

If we were meant to eat animal flesh, we would not be getting so many diseases from it. Cancer, obesity, diabetes, are not part of nature. If we were eating the diet nature intended for us, these diseases would hardly exist. They are an epidemic in our society today and studies trace them back to flesh eating. Animal flesh and dairy products have a high acid content. This high acid eats away at our bones. Studies have shown countries with low meat and dairy consumption have lower rates of osteoporosis.

We were born to be peaceful, non-violent creatures. It is very hard for humans to handle violence. Many vets returning from war, come home with PTSD. We don’t like conflict, and the meat, dairy, egg industry takes advantage of that. By pushing their products on us, society has accepted it as the norm. People just follow others, because to be different creates conflict.

Our decision to eat animal flesh was inherited from our parents. We did not make the choice, but we can change. Any vegan will tell you, the only regret they have is that they didn’t start sooner. Going vegan and leaving the violence behind, lifts a great weight off your shoulders.

 

THE HOLOCAUST

THE HOLOCAUST

When I was a child and learned about Hitler and World War II in school, I was curious as to why so many people would allow the Jewish holocaust. It was a wonder why people would inflict such horrors on other people.  Then I read about the Milgram experiment.

In 1961 at Yale University, Stanley Milgram conducted a series of psychological experiments. His goal was to measure the willingness of participants to obey authority figures. It consisted of an authority figure, “a teacher” or someone that obeyed the authority figure, “a learner” or the person who was shocked. The “learner” was someone who pretended to be a volunteer, but was actually acting. The “teacher” would repeat words and the “learner” was to select a match to that word. If the “learner” picked the wrong choice, the “teacher” was ordered by the authority figure to administer an electric shock to the “learner”. Each participant was in separate rooms.  The “teacher” would keep giving stronger and stronger electric shocks to the “learner”. Finally “the learner” would say “I need to stop. I’m going to have a heart attack”.  The authority figure would urge the “teacher” to administer the deadly electrical shock. In 65% of the cases, the “teacher” would reluctantly administer the final shock. Reluctantly yes, but he still flicked the final switch.

This experiment was repeated by the Discovery Channel’s “Curiosity” in 2011 episode “How Evil Are You?” They found that 72% of their subjects would administer the final shock.

This is very disturbing considering we have a holocaust going on today. One that no one wants to see or acknowledge.  Every hour, 6 million animals are killed. They live horrid, tortured lives, and have violent deaths.  I think most horror movie writers base their movies on the lives of farmed animals. 

During the 12 year Nazi reign, about 11 million people, Jews, Gays, etc. were killed.  We do that to animals in less than 2 hours, every single day.

In all the wars total, throughout history, approximately 82 million people were killed. Every YEAR, 96 BILLION land animals are killed and about 3 TRILLION fish.  A holocaust of death every year.

The Milgram experiment is important, because it shows how this holocaust continues.  You allow it. It is wrong, you know this much killing is wrong, and yet you allow it. You are obeying authority. Every day we are bombarded with advertisements “Eat Meat”, “Drink Milk”. We have become to believe we need those things to live.  We don’t. In fact, many researchers have found we are healthier and live longer if we do not consume meat, dairy or eggs. The PCRM (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine) has done many studies that show this. Meat and dairy causes many diseases such as cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, allergies, and obesity. Animal agriculture is also the number one polluter of our planet and number one destroyer of rainforests.

When you put items in your grocery cart, stop and think.  Do I really want to be a part of the holocaust? Do I really want to hurt my health, the planet, and other living beings?

http://www.pcrm.org/health/diets/pplate

http://www.jhsph.edu/news/news-releases/2004/farm-moratorium.html

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.

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.

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!