The Traveling Vegans – return to Kaua’i

It’s been a while since the last Traveling Vegans update. Our time in Europe and on the mainland was incredible. We posted regularly while we were traveling. Visit here for an archive of our European Adventure.

Since we last wrote, our new book, The 30-Minute Vegan has been released. It’s off to a great start and is being promoted at Borders Books nationwide. Check it out at a store near you!

Mark also appeared on CBS 4 Denver to share a few recipes from the book. Visit here to see the video clip.

We have been back on Kaua’i for the last week – enjoying the beaches  and working on recipes for our next book on Asian vegan cuisine – details to follow!

In the cyber world, we have been using Twitter almost daily to post updates on the most up to date vegan news and events from around the World. Please visit here to follow us on TWITTER, so we can share this information in more real time.

Here is a sampling of  the latest greatest twitter posts

• V is for vegan http://bit.ly/WHldu
• Twitter vegan advocacy http://bit.ly/vjfC4
• Please share your reviews of The 30-Minute Vegan on our Amazon page http://tinyurl.com/n7no3j
• Twenty-one day vegan kickstart http://bit.ly/FYI4p
• Vegan wedding series: working with caterers http://tinyurl.com/rdj5×3
• VERY IMPORTANT ARTICLE!! The Meat of the Problem – http://bit.ly/579OP

We are in the beginning stages of our next Vegan Fusion Newsletter.  Please visit here to be placed on our mailing list.

To a wonderful Summer!

Hanalei, Kaua'i

Recipe: Cashew Cream Squares

Image by dr.coop via Flickr

Cashew Cream Squares -
Recipe courtesy Shellee Rae, of Ashland Oregon

7 to 10 minutes / 10 to 12 servings (depending on size)

Ingredients
3/4 cup raw organic cashews
1 1/3 cup raw organic walnuts
1 1/4 cup shredded (sugar-free) coconut
8 good-sized soft pitted dates (Medjools are my favorite)
1/4 Tsp Celtic sea salt
2 1/2 Tbl raw amber agave nectar

Loving preparation
1. In A 7-cup Cuisinart (Preferably),process cashews and walnuts until crumbly. Add dates, salt and 3/4 cup of coconut, blend for a minute or so, then add the agave nectar.

2. Turn on the food processor and watch carefully – once the oil begins to separate from the nuts
- about 3 minutes (you’ll see it start clinging to the sides of the processor) the ‘batter’ is done.

3. Press the batter down into a 4×9 glass pan (the oil will rise to the top – do not pour it off!)
Then sprinkle the remaining coconut over the oil-topped batter and place in refrigerator…once the oil congeals the coconut becomes the ‘frosting’…you can add more coconut until all of the oil is absorbed.

Once chilled, cut into Squares.

Serving suggestions:

Serve room temperature or chilled alone with one of the following:

-fresh raspberries blended with a little agave and drizzled over the top
-cashew cream drizzled over the top (cashews agave and a tiny bit of water in the vita-mix until smooth)
-fresh strawberries and cashew cream drizzled over the top (It’s like Strawberry
Shortcake!)

Go Green with Vegan Cuisine this Earth Day Part 3

After reading our first article on Going Green with Vegan Cuisine this Earth Day you might be convinced that including more vegan foods in your lifestyle is good for you and the planet. After reading our second article, you may feel empowered to introduce some of these foods. But where to begin?

Here we reveal one of the secret weapons in your efforts – dessert! Perhaps in no other category of food preparation does the light of vegan cuisine shine so brightly. Visit your local health food store or pick up a vegan cookbook to discover the bounty of rich and decadent sweets that can be created without using dairy or eggs. There are even several incredible brands of plant based ‘ice cream’ which are soy, rice or coconut based. Be sure to sample a few until you find your favorites.

Vegan baking has come a long way. Cow’s milk can be replaced with soy, rice and almond milk. Eggs can be replaced with ground flax seeds, applesauce and even blended silken tofu. For more information on vegan baking, check out our book, Vegan Fusion World Cuisine.

We leave you with one of the most popular recipes. You will never miss the dairy or eggs in these cookies and they are a guaranteed crowd pleaser.  Serve them up at your Earth Day Celebration!

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Image by roboppy via Flickr

25 minutes prep/15  minute cook / 8 large cookies

Ingredients

Dry
2    cups                spelt flour
1    cup                vegan chocolate chips- try sunspire brand
1    cup                walnuts – chopped
3/4    cup                rolled oats
1/2    tsp.                sea salt
3/4    tsp.                baking soda
1/8    tsp.                cinnamon
1    pinch                nutmeg

Wet
2/3    cup                maple syrup
2/3    cup                canola oil
2    Tbl.                 filtered water
1    tsp.                peppermint extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F.  Place dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well.  Combine wet ingredients in another large bowl.  Add wet to dry and mix well.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

2. Place 8 scoops on a well oiled baking sheet and flatten slightly with hand. Space evenly so cookies have room to spread.

3. Bake until golden brown, approximately 10 minutes. Allow to cool before enjoying

Go Green with Vegan Cuisine this Earth Day Part 2

We mentioned in our last Earth Day article how important it is for those who care about our environment to look at the impact their food choices have on the Earth’s limited resources. Here are five suggestions for those wishing to include more plant-based foods in their diet as a way to go green.

1. Go Slowly.
It took years for you to develop your current eating habits. Most people are not willing or able to make radical changes overnight. Many times when people do make drastic changes, they find themselves falling back to old ways when the going gets tough. (Some people are of course ready to go cold Tofurky – only you can decide!)
2. Create a plan.
Take a look at where you are at and where you would like to be. You can approach this in several ways. You can commit to having one vegan day a week for a month. Then go up to two days a week the second month, three days a week on the third month…(you get the idea) until you arrive at your desired outcome. Another way is to have vegan snacks for the first month, vegan snacks and breakfasts for the second month, vegan snacks, breakfasts and lunches the next month and so on. An even more gradual approach would be to have one vegan meal a week for the first month, two vegan meals a week for the second month… Make the changes at a pace you are comfortable with.
3. Choose wisely.

Remember the importance of feeling satisfied at every meal. Look for vegan alternatives that come close to the taste and texture of the foods you are craving. There are many plant based products on the market now that can make this a delicious transition for you.

4. Educate yourself.
It’s extremely helpful for sticking to your convictions to learn about the full impact our food choices have upon our health and the health of our planet. Check out the following books for starters: Vegan Fusion World Cuisine, Diet for a New America, The China Study, and The World Peace Diet.

5. Be gentle.
Please don’t beat yourself up if you find yourself falling back into old ways of eating. Simply accept and acknowledge that it takes time to retrain your body and mind to eat in new ways and remind yourself why you are exerting the effort. Stick to your plan as much as possible.

Here is another recipe from that is typically made with animal products. This is for a hearty main course from our book Vegan Fusion World Cuisine that will satisfy ominivores and vegans alike.

Image via Wikipedia

Shepherd’s Pie

45 min prep / 1 hour 10 min cooking / 9” x 13” casserole
10-12 medium Potatoes, ½” cubes (approx 12 C)
1 C Coconut, rice or soy milk
2 Tbl Olive oil
¾ C Onion, diced
1 Tbl Garlic, minced
¾ C Carrots, ½” cubes
½ C Celery, sliced thin
½ C Red bell pepper, diced
½ C Mushrooms, sliced thin
2 lbs Tofu, extra firm, crumbled
¾ C Peas
¾ C Corn, fresh or frozen
¼ C Tahini
4 tsp soy sauce
2 Tbl Basil, fresh, minced (1 ½ tsp dry)
2 Tbl Italian parsley, fresh, minced
1 ½ tsp Sea salt, or to taste
1 Tbl Thyme, fresh minced (½ tsp dry)
1 tsp Sage, fresh minced (½ tsp dry)
2 tsp Barley malt syrup
½ tsp Black pepper, ground to taste
½ tsp Crushed red pepper flakes
¼ tsp Cayenne pepper, or to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place potatoes in a large pot with filtered water. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are soft, approximately 15 minutes. Drain well, place in a large mixing bowl with coconut milk and mash well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

2. While potatoes are cooking, place oil in a large sauté pan on medium high heat. Add onion and garlic, cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add carrots, celery, bell pepper and mushrooms, cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add water if necessary to prevent sticking. Add tofu and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Place in a large mixing bowl with remaining ingredients except potatoes and mix well.

3. Place tofu vegetable mixture in a well oiled 9”x13” casserole dish. Top with mashed potatoes, using a spatula to create a smooth surface. Score pretty designs on top with a fork. Bake until slightly golden brown and completely cooked, approximately 25 minutes. Cool for 10-15 minutes.

Serving suggestion
Serve with Mushroom Gravy (see below).

variations
Potato layer may be placed on the bottom, topped with the tofu layer. Once refrigerated, this creates a more solid foundation, and allows for different sized pieces to be cut and served individually.

Mushroom Gravy
10 min prep / 15 min cooking / 3 ½ cups

Ingredients
1 Tbl Olive oil
1 medium Onion, ¼” dice (1 C)
¾ C Shiitake mushrooms, sliced thin
1½ Tbl Garlic, minced
2 C Filtered water or vegetable stock
¼ C soy sauce, or to taste
Pinch Nutmeg, ground
Pinch Cayenne pepper

Roux
2 Tbl Spelt flour
2 Tbl Olive oil
1 Tbl Filtered water

1. Create a Roux by placing spelt flour in a small bowl. Add 2 Tbl olive oil and 1 Tbl filtered water and whisk until a thick paste is created. Set aside.

2. Place 1 Tbl of olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium high heat. Add onion and garlic, cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining ingredients except roux mixture and cook for 5 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally. Add roux mixture and cook until gravy has a thick consistency, approximately 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

How To Save Money with Your Food Budget

As a follow up to our post,  Thrifty Vegan – Small Ways to save Big with plant based Foods we decided to ask some of our Twitter followers for their favorite ways to stretch their food budgets.

The Question:  Vegans, how do you save on your food budget? Please share tips. Thanks!

Here are some of the great ideas we received :

( We would love to hear your tips too! )

@blue_rose Buy items I buy often on sale when they are on sale, shop at local farmer’s markets, make my own food and bring it in to work.

@theveggiequeen Vegans save money like others – eat real whole foods and in-season fruits and vegetables. Cook at home. Pressure cooker easy.

@vkareh I mass-cook for the week so that I don’t feel the need to eat out. Rice & beans 2-3 times per week. Don’t allow vegs to spoil.

@JefferyLaGrow I have a heath food store that I shop at with the best organic bulk section.  Buy all of your grains that way if possible.

@VeganGuineaPig Here’s my two cents http://tinyurl.com/cdhota

@alienpmk I’ve never even found it all that expensive, to be honest. Just limit my soycheese, thats about it =D

@veronikag We invested in a large freezer. We make large meals 2 freeze & pull them out later.

@FourtyFour Green Markets!

@janieo veggie spaghetti is THE best! Buy lots of fresh veggies,make ur own sauce ,combine,serve on spaghetti squash. Can rest.

@agoodcleanlife Canning makes a big difference! Freezing produce when its in season (beans, peas, strawberries). Buying dry foods in bulk.

@debiguity re: saving money – i grow as much as i can in my little garden! it is amazing how much can be grown in small places.

@janieo Growing eggplant,shallots,peppers,tomatoes,even potatoes in pots is so easy!

Thanks Twitter peeps for all these great tips!

You can also check out our Thrifty Vegan article for more ideas.

Do you have some more great ways to save?  Let us know, share them here in our comments.

Thrifty Vegan – Small Ways to save Big with plant based Foods

Image by Jackson Latka via Flickr

We are often asked about ways to save money on a vegan diet. Here are a few suggestions to help your well-earned funds go that extra mile. Remember the hidden savings of going vegan is that by eating a well-balanced diet of plant-based foods we are protecting ourselves from a host of diet related illnesses such as heart disease, obesity, certain forms of diabetes and other diseases that exact a HUGE cost, both for the individual and society as a whole.

1. Learn how to cook. This is a big step to take to reign in your expenses. Going to restaurants is a lovely treat. It’s nice to have the luxury of someone else preparing the food. (Not to mention doing the dishes!) The cost definitely adds up if it’s an every day occurrence. Oftentimes a nice meal at a restaurant can cost as much as a few days or more of food prepared at home. There are so many cookbooks available to get you started. Check in your paper to see if anyone is offering classes locally. It’s a worthwhile investment that pays for itself manifold when you begin creating your own masterpieces in the kitchen.

2. Buy bulk. Buying items in bulk adds up to a huge savings. Spend the extra time soaking and cooking beans instead of using cans. This is good for the planet as well as your wallet. Join a buyers club or coop that allows you to combine orders with other folks to receive closer to wholesale prices. Ask your local natural food store about rates for bulk purchases.

3. Grow your own. Home gardening is a rewarding hobby and a wonderful way to save money as well. There is an abundance of on online resources or check out some books at the library that can get you started. See if you can enlist some friends to join you on your gardening adventure. You grow the lettuce, they grow carrots and then share the bounty. You can start small by growing herbs in pots, or by growing your own clover sprouts.

4. Farmers Market. If gardening is not for you, check out your local farmers market, where produce is generally available at a much lower rate than found at the supermarket. Many times you can find bargains at the end of the market, when farmers are eager to sell their remaining produce. It’s also very fulfilling to meet the people that grow your food. Locally grown food is also typically higher in nutrient value than food shipped across the country, and has the added benefit of supporting your local economy.

5. Keep it simple. Simplifying your diet is another way you can reduce your food budget. If you are craving truffles and champagne, and many processed and packaged foods, prepare to pay for your refined palate. There are countless ways to include a wide range of economical vegan foods without compromising on flavor. Experiment with the different grains and legumes that are readily available. Discover the natural goodness of fresh fruit and vegetables. It’s a never-ending culinary journey. Have fun!

Have a question for the natural chef? Feel free to email us at info@veganfusion.com.

Go Green with Vegan Cuisine this Earth Day Part 1

Commit to Protect and Preserve

Earth Day is the perfect day to commit to doing what you can to help preserve and protect our environment. Many do not realize that making changes to your diet is perhaps the most effective way to lighten our footprint on our fragile planet. Those accustomed to eating meat may shy away from some of the facts surrounding the environmental impact of an animal-based diet. The statistics are staggering and challenging to ignore.

Lower Your Impact with a Plant Based Diet

A UN report entitled “Livestock’s Long Shadow” indicates that livestock production contributes to more greenhouse gasses than the entire worlds transportation industry combined. That’s a lot of gas! In addition to the global warming angle, there is a convincing case for switching to plant-based foods when you consider the following:

The environmental impact of a vegan diet is a fraction of that of a meat-based one. According to Conservation International, the average carbon emissions from an animal product based diet are 11 tons per year per person. The average emissions on a plant-based diet are 6 tons per year. Another interesting tidbit of information is that it takes approximately 3 ½ acres of land and 2500 gallons of water a day to support an animal product based diet. A plant-based diet utilizes only 1/6 of an acre of land and 300 gallons of water a day. According to the USDA, 1 acre of land can produce 20,000 pounds of vegetables. This same amount of land can only produce 165 pounds of meat.

While all of this information may be persuasive on an intellectual level, when it comes to our food choices we are dealing with a primal instinct that is not so easy to change. At Vegan Fusion we specialize in helping people who want to include more vegan foods in their diet do so in a gentle and delicious manner. Many of our recipes are designed to replicate the tastes and textures of dishes that contain animal products, so there is never a feeling of deprivation. Here is one of our favorites, from our cookbook, Vegan Fusion World Cuisine:

Southwest Tempeh Chili

35 min prep / 25 min cooking / 5-6 servings
¾ C Onion, chopped
½ C Celery, chopped
1 Tbl minced Garlic
1 tsp Jalapeño pepper, roasted, seeded & minced
8-12 oz. Tempeh, cut into 1⁄8” cubes
4 C Filtered water or vegetable stock
14.5 oz. Fire-roasted, crushed tomatoes
1 large Ancho chili, soaked in water until soft, seeded & minced
2 Tbl Tomato paste
1 Tbl Barley malt syrup, optional
1½ C cooked & drained kidney or black beans or one 15-ounce can
1 ½ C Corn, fresh or frozen
¾ C Cashews, roasted, no salt, chopped
6 Tbl soy sauce, or to taste
1 Tbl Lime juice, fresh squeezed
1 Tbl Chili powder
1 tsp Cumin powder, toasted
Pinch Cayenne pepper, or to taste
• Black pepper, ground to taste
• Sea salt, to taste
3-4 drops Liquid smoke (optional)
1½ Tbl Cilantro, minced

1. Place onion, celery, garlic, jalapeño, tempeh and water or stock in a 3 qt pot and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add tomatoes, barley malt syrup, and tomato paste and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans and corn and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining ingredients, remove from heat, mix well and enjoy. Flavor improves over time.

Serving suggestion
Garnish with a small scoop of Vegan Sour Crème (try tofutti brand), additional minced cilantro, and a sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds.

Recipe: Smokin’ Sesame Tacos with Cashew Coconut Sour Cream

This recipe is part of the wonderful collection of delicious and healthy recipes in Waking Up! our new ebook from Vegan Fusion.

Smokin’  Sesame Tacos with 
Cashew Coconut Sour Cream

David    Elberg, Haiku Hawaii

6 Servings / 1 hour

2 cups     hulled sesame seeds food processed for 3 minutes
1 tsp     sea salt
1/2 tsp     cayenne
1 Tbl     cumin
juice     1 large juicy lemon
3 Tbl     olive oil
1/2 medium     yellow onion peeled and chopped
1/2 cup     sauerkraut
1/2 cup     fresh coconut meat
1/4 cup     cashews soaked for 1 hr (1/2 cup after soaking)
2-3 Tbl     fresh coconut water
juice     2 limes
1/2 tsp    shredded lime peel
1/2 tsp     sea salt
1/2 clove     garlic
6 large     Napa Cabbage leaves
2 large     red tomatoes diced

1. For the taco meat put the sesame seeds in the food processor and mix for approximately 3 minutes or until they blend into a fine powder. Put mixture in large mixing bowl. Stir in cayenne sea salt and cumin.  Stir in Olive oil and lemon juice.  Finally add chopped onion and sauerkraut. This is your taco meat.  The mixture should be wet enough to hold together but not dripping.  The cumin should be a dominant flavor when you taste it.

2. For the sour cream: put the coconut meat cashews lime juice and peel sea salt and garlic in a blender.  Add the coconut water slowly as you begin to blend as there should be just enough moisture for the mixture to blend. This should look and taste like sour cream when you’re done! Serve taco meat in Napa cabbage leaves.  About two heaping tablespoons per serving.  Top with cashew coconut sour cream and diced tomatoes.

Smokin’  Sesame Tacos with 
Cashew Coconut Sour Cream
David    Elberg, Haiku Hawaii
6 Servings / 1 hour
2 cups     hulled sesame seeds food processed for 3 minutes
1 tsp     sea salt
1/2 tsp     cayenne
1 Tbl     cumin
juice     1 large juicy lemon
3 Tbl     olive oil
1/2 medium     yellow onion peeled and chopped
1/2 cup     sauerkraut
1/2 cup     fresh coconut meat
1/4 cup     cashews soaked for 1 hr (1/2 cup after soaking)
2-3 Tbl     fresh coconut water
juice     2 limes
1/2 tsp    shredded lime peel
1/2 tsp     sea salt
1/2 clove     garlic
6 large     Napa Cabbage leaves
2 large     red tomatoes diced

1. For the taco meat put the sesame seeds in the food processor and mix for approximately 3 minutes or until they blend into a fine powder. Put mixture in large mixing bowl. Stir in cayenne sea salt and cumin.  Stir in Olive oil and lemon juice.  Finally add chopped onion and sauerkraut. This is your taco meat.  The mixture should be wet enough to hold together but not dripping.  The cumin should be a dominant flavor when you taste it.

2. For the sour cream: put the coconut meat cashews lime juice and peel sea salt and garlic in a blender.  Add the coconut water slowly as you begin to blend as there should be just enough moisture for the mixture to blend. This should look and taste like sour cream when you’re done! Serve taco meat in Napa cabbage leaves.  About two heaping tablespoons per serving.  Top with cashew coconut sour cream and diced tomatoes.

This recipe was born in the jungles of Costa Rica amongst a little known colony of raw foodists.  With such an emphasis on traditional Central American Cuisine with all of the meat cheese and frying antics we were looking for a healthy vegan alternative that would tantalize the pallet.  The first batch was made in a cabin at the bottom of Cascada Diamante (diamond falls) the largest waterfall in the country during a full moon by candle light. After consumption a wild swimming and howling frenzy ensued.

Waking Up! Your guide to health realized!

A Doctor’s Advice – A Vegan Lifestyle

Waking Up to health, prosperity and happiness. Waking Up is now available. Filled with recipes and stories of people who have transformed their lives.

Joseph Teel, MD 
Middletown, Connecticut

A Doctor’s advice

We are living at a time of great historical importance. The world’s current populace and leaders have the ability to improve this world, or continue us on the current path of environmental, social and personal destruction. As we look around our world, one can see ravaging of our biosphere, religious and cultural intolerance and worsening global health. Luckily, a few individuals are trying to change the tide. A small number of people across the globe are making choices to halt environmental destruction, improve their personal and communal health and foster a sense of tolerance for others. These goals are accomplished, in part, by choosing a vegan diet. These same individuals must now expand their circle of influence to span the globe through word of mouth and print. The environmental, personal, spiritual and cultural health of the world must be improved.

Since the dawn of the agricultural revolution that allowed humans to farm, we have dominated our environment. This dominance accelerated with the dawn of the industrial revolution and our need for raw materials, including fossil fuels. Today, we have further hastened this consumption, partially driven by a growing world population and partially driven by an endless need for a higher standard of living. This higher standard also brings a desire to eat richer foods, such as meat. Unfortunately, this wealth and new food choices come at a striking environmental toll. Meat and dairy production are tremendously inefficient, wasteful and polluting processes.

The energy required to produce one pound of meat is fifteen times that needed to produce one pound of grain. We are, therefore, clearing countless numbers of acreage worldwide for unnecessary grain production simply to feed livestock. This livestock production also carries the further damaging side effect of local environmental pollution. Dairy and meat farms contribute a huge amount of noxious run-off to local streams and rivers, contributing to algae blooms and other damaging processes. A view of the Chesapeake Bay prior to the modern protection efforts stands as testament to the damaging effects of dairy/livestock farms upstream. Modern civilization has to take these changes to heart and realize how their daily dietary decisions impact their environment. People must also make a change for their own health.
Heart disease is the number one killer in the United States and is on a marked rise in countries undergoing Westernization. While other factors, like smoking and sedentary lifestyles, play a large role in this pattern, diet and its link to obesity is one of the strongest influences within our society. Americans are unbelievably overweight. More than half of the country is overweight and a large percentage fall into the obese or morbidly obese category. This alarming rise in overweight adults and children is tied to an ever-increasing dependence upon fast, cheap, nutritionally deficient food; most of which is heavily based upon meat and dairy. We have to reclaim our health.

As a physician, I talk to my patients daily about the link between their health and the food choices they make. I explain the need for wholesome, nutritious, low-fat, organic food as a mainstay within our diets. Unfortunately, most people have never experienced this type of food in their lives. They need education and resources; resources including cookbooks like Vegan Fusion World Cuisine. I explain with great enthusiasm the fun and great tasting experience people can have making dishes such as Acorn Squash with Wild Rice Pilaf, or Split Peas and Roasted Parsnip Soup. I want all of my patients to experience the health related and physical benefits of a vegan diet through weight reduction, cholesterol control and improved blood pressure. I also believe people feel better about themselves in the knowledge they are contributing to the health of the world through their daily actions.

Most people in this world want to be good people. We all want to make the world a better place and there are many ways to do this. Some people give their lives to service through social causes, religious organizations, or though their own families and neighborhoods. By doing this, we enrich the lives of those around us and fill our lives with joy and positive emotions. I set forth the adoption of a vegan diet as another personal way to enhance this feeling of positive energy. The knowledge that one’s daily decisions have a direct impact on the world around them is empowering. It reinforces itself. It makes us want to do more good. Starting with ones food choices, we can inspire people to make this world a better place through environmental initiatives, or simply accepting other individuals as equal.

Our world grows smaller daily. Multiculturalism is becoming the norm. Even within the smallest most remote towns or villages across this globe, we see an infiltration of knowledge and ideas. This can sometimes be accepted with open arms, but it can just as easily be rejected. Cultural heritage must be preserved, but we all have to realize the richness foreign influence brings. It adds perspective, tolerance and richness to our lives. This is seen in literature, art and food. Vegan Fusion World Cuisine is a perfect example of this. It exhibits the benefits of cultural exchange and how enriching a variety of influences can be for one’s life.

We are all responsible for our own health and the health of the world around us. While, at times, it may seem an unobtainable goal, we can make this world a better place. We have the power to make changes in our own lives which benefit other humans, animals and the environment. One powerful change we can make is the adoption of a vegan diet. It is an obtainable goal.

Waking Up to health, prosperity and happiness. Waking Up is now available. Filled with recipes and stories of people who have transformed their lives.

Recipe: Moroccan Soup

This is one of the featured recipes in our new book Waking Up.

Moroccan Soup

Susan    Brudner, Northampton Massachusetts

6 servings / 30 minutes prep / 30 minutes cook
1 1/2 cups     Spanish onion chopped
2 cups     cooked garbanzo
2     Butternut squash — 8-10 cups
1 1/2 cups     red pepper chopped
2 Tbl     olive oil
1- 12 oz can     coconut milk
1 cup     raisins
2 Tbl     curry powder
1 Tbl     cumin
pinch      cayenne
1/4 cup     tamari
1/2 cup     orange juice
2 cup     sweet potato or regular potato chopped
2 quarts     water
salt and pepper to taste

1. Peel and chop squash boil until fork-tender then puree. Peel and chop potato boil until fork tender

2. In a large pot, sauté onions in olive oil and tamari until onions are translucent. Add red pepper and sauté for a minute. Add potatoes curry and cumin.

3. Mix in pureed squash 1 qt water coconut milk and chick peas turn to low a let simmer 10 minutes. Add raisins cayenne, orange juice, salt and pepper. Add more water if too thick. It should be thinner than a stew and thicker than a soup.

Best when left to sit an hour. Garnish with cilantro. Can be served over a whole grain. This recipe knocks the socks off of our customers at our vegan cafe in Massachusetts.

Waking Up!  All You Need for Health, Prosperity and Health