February 9, 2011

A Vegan Valentine 2011

Ideas for vegan valentine sweets, food, and gifts for the one you love this Valentine's Day, February 14!

Recipes & Menus:
Have A Vegan Valentine’s Feast
Valentine's Day Cocktails
Chocolate and Strawberry Napoleons
V e g a n D a d: Happy Valentine's Day
Top 5 Recipes for a Romantic Valentine's Dinner
VegWeb Valentine's Day
Vegan Crimson Velveteen Cupcakes
Raw Cacao Walnut Fudge
Pom Ice Cream Pops
Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes
Pomegranate Jam Hearts (use vegan butter)
Hearty Ravioli
Valentine's Treat: Chocolate Cookies Two Ways
♥ dark & white chocolate raspberry truffle cake ♥
Valentine Peppermint Truffles
Vegan Valentine’s Day Love: Cookies n’ Cream Cupcake Recipe
Fiery Chili Chocolate Red Velvet Cake Pops
Chocolate-Chili Truffles
Chocolate Pudding
VegWeb Valentine's Day
Valentine's Pie (use vegan cream cheese)
Heart-Shaped Foods
Various Valentine's Day Recipes
VegWeb Valentines Special
Vegan Valentine: Healthier Sweets for Everyone
5 Good Vegan Valentines Day Recipes
Vegan Chocolate Cake Recipe For Valentine's Day
Vegan Valentine's Day Recipes
Top Ten Vegan Valentine’s Day Recipes
Creamy Heart
Raw Cashew Dreamcake
Vegetarian and Vegan Valentine's Day Food Ideas
For My Valentine
Vegan Meals For One Or Two A Valentine's Feast For Vegetarians
Valentine Dinner Menu
The Stupendous Vegan Valentine's Banquet!
Menu for St. Valentine's Day

Gifts & Chocolates:
Vegan Gifts
Vegan Shopping
Vegan Valentines Amazon
Vegan Valentine's Day Candy
Valentine's Day Gifts
Vegan Valentine's Day 1/2 Lb Coconut Brittle Box
Vegan Valentine's Day Chocolates
The Sweetest Tweets: PETA's Valentine's Day E-Cards
Organic and Vegan Valentines Day Chocolate
Rose City Chocolatier
Vegan Valentine’s Day Truffles
About Vegan Valentine's Chocolates & Candy
Pangea Valentine`s Day Gifts
Vegan Light Chocolate... NO Whey!
Vegan Valentine’s Day Gifts
VeganEtsy Vegan Valentine's Day
Vegan Valentine's Day!
Large VEGAN Valentine's Day Gift Basket

Flowers:
Eco-friendly Flowers
1-800-Flowers
ProFlowers
Flowers Guide
Florists Directory
Locate-A-Flower-Shop
Find A Florist
Directory4Flower

Romance Ideas:
Tips for an Unforgettable Raw Vegan Valentine's Day
A Very Vegan Valentine’s
Vegan Valentine's Day Dinner
A Vegan Valentine's Day
5 Unconventional Ways to Say “I Love You”
Edible Flowers
Top 10 Veg Pick-up Lines
Vegan Alcohol
Cruelty-free Candles
How To Love Your Body Raw
Vegan Children: A Very Vegan Valentines Day
Vegan Valentine's Day
Care2 Valentine's Day eCards
123Greetings Valentine's Day eCards
Love, Vegetarian Style
Kaboose Valentines
If you are single and want to meet others you can on social networks & dating sites.

Adults:
Vegan Aphrodisiacs
Vegetarian Aphrodisiacs
VeganErotica
Sensual Vegan
Sex & Romance Links
Vegan Condoms
Glyde & other Vegan Condoms
About Vegan Condoms
Ethical Sex

Remember to check back here often for new post, I try to update at least once a month. Look at my past blog posts for vegan information, resources, and links. E-mail me me if you have any suggestions for new posts, questions on this blog or veganism or questions regarding this post or know any more sites relating to this post.




February 5, 2011

Vegan Super Bowl Foods 2011

Vegan Food and Tailgating Ideas for Super Bowl XLV, Green Bay Packers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers.

Super Bowl premiered first in 1967, and is now one of the most-watched American television broadcast. Super Bowl Sunday is the second-largest day for U.S. food consumption, after Thanksgiving Day.

Recipes:
For Green Bay Packers Fans:
Packers Salad With Vegetarian 'Green Gods' Dressing (use vegan yogurt)
Pecan Parsley Pepper Cheese Log
Cheeze Ball
Cheeze Ball, Smokey Cheddar
Cheeze Ball, Original Flavor
Vegan Bratwurst
Beer-Basted Vegan Brats
Cheese Bratwurst
Vegan Beer Cheese Soup
Beer "Cheese" Soup
Beer Cheese(ish) Soup

For Pittsburgh Steelers Fans:
Pierogies with Cabbage and Onions
Cabbage Rolls
Mom’s Veggie Ham BBQ
Vegan Kielbasa and Cabbage Recipe
Pittsburgh Potatoes (use vegan cheese & sour cream)
Vegetarian At-Home Primanti Style Sandwich

Other Recipes:
Tailgating
VegNews Vegan Tailgating
Veggie Tailgating
Vegan Football And Tailgating Recipes
Vegan Tailgating for Dummies!
Tailgating Party Picks

Chili
Super Bowl of Chili
Make a Vegetarian Chili for Super Bowl Sunday
Super Bowl Vegan Chili and Nachos
Ultimate Vegan Chili
Andrews Power-Packed Vegan Chili Recipe
Smoky Vegan Sausage Beer Chili with Quinoa
Top 10 Vegan Super Bowl Recipes

Ribs
Vegetarian Ribs
Dragonfly's Vegan Ribs
Barbecued Seitan Ribz
Frankie’s Vegan Spare Ribs

Sticks
Vegetarian Tofu "Fish" Sticks
Tofu Fish Sticks
Teese Vegan Mozzarella Sticks
Teese Vegan Mozzarella Sticks 2
Daiya Vegan Mozzarella Sticks
Parmesan Pretzel Sticks (use vegan honey & parmesan cheese)
Ice Cream Drumsticks
Baked Sweet Potato Sticks

'Chicken'
Jamaican Jerk-Spiced Tempeh Nuggets
Vegan Chicken Nuggets
Fried “Chicken” Fingers
Spicy Seitan Buffalo "Wings"
Vegan Boneless Chickenless Hot Wings
Paneer Lollipop (use vegan paneer)
Vegan Buffalo Wings with Creamy Blue "Cheez" Dressing and Celery Sticks

Pizza
English Muffin Pizzas
Quick and Easy Vegan Pizza Bagels
Bagel Pizza
VegWeb Pizza

Various Snacks
Super Bowl Treats
VegWeb Sandwiches
Accidentally Vegan
Vegan Dips
Inari (Football Sushi!)
Vegan Chile Con Queso
Potato Skins
Grilled Potato Skins
Easy Vegetarian and Vegan Super Bowl Snacks
Super Bowl Appetizers: Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes
Ideas for Vegan Super Bowl Party Snacks
Healthful Super Bowl Party Snacks
Vegetarian Super Bowl Snacks
VegWeb Appetizers
Fried Plantains
Food Network: Fried Plantains
VegWeb Sandwiches
VegWeb Snacks
Vegan Nachos
Vegan Nachos with Avocado Buttermilk Dressing
chooseveg: vegan snack recipes
Pesto Pups
The Pigs are Safe in the Barn
Vegan Brownies
Buffalo Fried Tomatoes
Vegan Southern Fried Tofu
Low Fat Onion Rings
Vegan Soft Pretzels
No-Queso Quesadillas
Vegetarian Junk Food: PERFECT for Green Super Bowl Parties
Vegan Super Bowl Snacks from gardein
Vegetarian Super Bowl Party Food
Oven-Roasted Garlic-and-Herb Cauliflower Bites
Vegan Munchies
Peanut Butter Pretzels
Vegan Soft Pretzels
Vegan Cheese Crackers
Italian Breadsticks

Meal Ideas
How to Have a Vegan Super Bowl Party
Vegan Super Bowl
A Vegan Super Bowl Sunday
Super Bowl Eats
Vegan Super Bowl Soirée
C’est La Vegan Super Bowl
Green and Vegan Superbowl Sunday Party Tips

More Meal Ideas:
Vegan Alcohol/Beer
Popcorn
Vegan Ice Cream
Chips And Salsa Or Vegan Chili Con Queso Or Guacamole
Vegetables like baby carrots, broccoli, celery with vegan ranch dip, Dijon mustard, vegan honey mustard, etc.
Pretzels
Vegan Nachos
Vegan Burgers
Vegan Hot Dogs
Vegan Gumbo

Remember to check back here often for new post, I try to update at least once a month. Look at my past blog posts for vegan information, resources, and links. E-mail me me if you have any suggestions for new posts, questions on this blog or veganism or questions regarding this post or know any more sites relating to this post.




February 1, 2011

Vegan Chinese New Year

Happy Chinese New Year!

The Chinese New Year (農曆新年) is an important traditional Chinese holiday. The festival begins on the first day of the first month in the traditional Chinese calendar and ends with Lantern Festival which is on the 15th day. Chinese New Year is celebrated in countries and territories with significant Chinese populations. The 2011 date is February 3 and is the year of the Rabbit. Celebrations include the Dragon dances/Lion dances, fireworks, friends and family gathering, family meal, giving red envelopes, decorating with duilian.

10 Chinese New Year Food Superstitions
10. Oranges and Tangerines - Two of the most common food symbols of the Chinese New Year are tangerines and oranges. Tangerines represent wealth, and oranges are a popular symbol of good luck. During Chinese New Year, tangerines and oranges are displayed as decorations and are also exchanged among friends and acquaintances. Sometimes, small trees are kept for this purpose. When giving these fruits as gifts, offer them with both hands. It's polite for the recipient to refuse at first, so keep trying. If there are still leaves and a stem attached to the fruit, it also means fertility.

9. Noodles - When served during Chinese New Year, noodles shouldn't be cut or broken into pieces. Long noodles represent a nice long life.

8. Chicken - Whole chicken is a popular dish during Chinese New Year because it represents togetherness and rebirth. It's symbolic of the family and can also signify unity and prosperity as a group. There are vegan whole chickens at certain grocery stores.

7. Chinese Dumplings - A popular family New Year's Eve tradition is to get together and make boiled dumplings (jiaozi). Boiled Chinese dumplings are fun and relatively easy to make, and their fried counterparts, pot stickers, are also a Western favorite. The dumplings are filled with vegetables like cabbage, carrots and spring onion, and plant meats.

6. Pomegranates - Pomegranates are a natural for Chinese New Year. They're filled with colorful seeds for fertility and are a bright vibrant red, which represents happiness and repels evil spirits. They're also good for you, with an abundance of antioxidants and vitamin C to help you recuperate after the celebrations are over.

5. Seeds - Seeds are important in Chinese New Year celebrations because they're symbolic of the harvest, abundance and fertility. They represent the potential for good things to come and appear again and again as the embodiment of hope. Many seed-rich fruits are either used as ingredients in classic dishes or for decoration. Besides the symbolic significance of the seeds in fruits like oranges, tangerines, melons, pomegranates and pomelos, seeds are also used by themselves or as major ingredients. Red-dyed melon seeds are added to candies and offered to guests or children, and the sweet seeds of the lotus are candied, too. Red melon seeds have multiple meanings because they incorporate the significance of red for joy with the potential and hope represented by the seeds themselves.

4. Vegetarian's Delight - A large all vegetable medley is a favorite Chinese New Year's Day dish. This classic is sometimes called Vegetarian's Delight, Jai or Buddhist's Delight. Make sure to use plenty of root vegetables. Chinese New Year is the beginning of the spring planting season, so it's a great time to use up those stored winter veggies and clear the shelves for spring greens. To add a little extra good fortune, be sure to include black moss to attract wealth, lotus seeds for fertility, and bamboo shoots for strength and longevity. Some other common ingredients are tiger lily buds, red dates (jujubes), Chinese cabbage, cloud ears and water chestnuts.

3. White Foods - Although you'll see tofu in some Chinese New Year recipes, serving white ingredients is usually considered bad luck during the 15-day celebration. White represents bad fortune and even death, although in other areas of Chinese life it can mean purity, too. Color is often symbolic during this time, and foods that are red, orange, green or gold are considered particularly auspicious. This is one of the reasons tangerines, oranges, red melon seeds and pomegranates are popular food gifts. Their colors are believed to represent the following:
* White - bad luck, death, loss, mourning
* Red - happiness, purity, celebration, health, luck
* Orange - happiness, luck
* Gold/Yellow - happiness, prosperity
* Green - luck, harmony

2. Prosperity Tray - The Chinese New Year prosperity tray is usually a hexagonal or round dish that contains eight traditional candy varieties. The number eight represents prosperity, and each candy has symbolic significance. Made from traditional ingredients, like red melon seeds, peanuts or candied melon, these treats are offered to children and guests. When an adult takes a candy from the tray, he replaces it with a red envelope, or Lai See, that contains a money gift for good luck. The amount of the gift usually ends in an even number, often an eight. The eight traditional candies are:
* Candied melon - good health
* Coconut - togetherness
* Kumquat - prosperity
* Lychee nuts - family ties
* Longan - fertility (for bearing sons)
* Lotus seeds - a large family
* Peanuts - long life
* Red melon seeds - happiness, truth

1. Fish - It's traditional to serve a whole fish on Chinese New Year's Eve and save half for the next day. The Chinese word for fish is similar to the word for plenty, and saving part of the fish for later consumption insures symbolic abundance for the future. There are vegan fish at certain grocery stores and can be made at home with chickpeas or tofu and seaweed.

Other Chinese New Year Food Superstitions:
* Peaches, mustard greens - long life
* Pears - prosperity
* Snow pea shoots - money

Recipes:
Chinese New Year Cocktails
Buddhist’s Delight
Buddha's Delight
VegWeb Spring Rolls
Spring Rolls
VegWeb Wonton Rolls
VegWeb Lettuce Wraps
VegWeb Stirfry with Noodles
Vegetarian Steamed Dumplings
Epicurious Vegetarian Dumplings
Jin Deui (Sesame Seed Balls)
Absolutely Pho-bulous Vegetarian Pho (Phở Chay)
Chow Vegan: Chinese New Year Feast
Chinese New Year Vegetarian Recipes
Hoisin-Braised Tempeh and Chinese Vegetables
Crispy Five-Spice Tofu with Black Bean Relish
Baby Bok Choy with Chinese Mushrooms
Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Goji Berries
Sesame Noodles with Napa Cabbage
Vegetarian Pho (Pho Chay)
Vegetarian-Style Congee (Xi-fan)
Black Sticky Rice Pudding
Thai Mango Sticky Sweet Rice Dessert
Black Sticky Rice Pudding with Bananas, Raisins, and Spice
Black Sticky Rice Pudding
VeganYumYum: Wonton Soup
Chow Vegan: Wonton Soup
Colorful Wonton Soup (Vegan)
Vegan Turnip Cake or Daikon Radish Cake
Chinese New Year Chocolate Candy
Super Easy Stir-Fried Cabbage
Crispy Sweet and Sour Seitan
Sweet and Sour "Chicken"
Chinese Steamed Buns (Mauna Pua)
General Tao's Tofu
Sesame Asian Tofu Stir-Fry
106 Vegan Chinese Recipes
Vegan Chinese New Year

Guides and Fun:
Kaboose Chinese New Year
123Greetings Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year: Superstitions and What to Eat
The History of Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year at The Holiday Spot
Chinese New Year Wikipedia
How Stuff Works: Chinese New Year
Religion Facts: Chinese New Year

Remember to check back here often for new post, I try to update at least once a month. Look at my past blog posts for vegan information, resources, and links. E-mail me me if you have any suggestions for new posts, questions on this blog or veganism or questions regarding this post or know any more sites relating to this post.