How It All Vegan!: Irresistible Recipes for an Animal-Free Diet (36 page)

ORANGESICLES

¼ cup soft
or
silken tofu

1 cup soy milk

¾ cup frozen orange juice concentrate

¼ cup sweetener

1 tsp vanilla extract

popsicle moulds

In a blender or food processor, blend together all the ingredients until very smooth and creamy. Pour into popsicle moulds and freeze. Remove from freezer 5 minutes before serving. Makes 8-12, depending on moulds.

SMOOTHIE ICE POPS

The coolest summer dessert you can find.

1 cup fruit (e.g., strawberries, blueberries)

1 banana, chopped

1 cup soft tofu

½ cup soy milk

½ cup fruit juice (e.g., pineapple, apple, guava)

popsicle moulds

In a blender or food processor, blend together all the ingredients until very smooth and creamy. Pour into popsicle moulds and freeze. Remove from freezer 5 minutes before serving. Makes 8-12, depending on moulds.

JUICE POPSICLES

Sugar-free and simple to make. My mum used to let me make different combinations, like: grape/apple or orange/papaya. Let them decide!

various juices

popsicle moulds

Pour juice into popsicle moulds and freeze. Remove from freezer 5 minutes before serving.

FEEDING KIDS ON THE ROAD

There’s a simple rule of the road: feed children when they’re hungry. Full tummies make for happier travellers. At rest stops, buy juice and crackers rather than soda, candy, or chips. Avoid salty snacks and sugary drinks. Remember to offer LOTS of water. There may be more pee stops, but it’s important to keep hydrated!

Foods to Pack for an Outing or Trip

• dried apricots, figs, prunes, cranberries

• fruit leathers or fruit roll-ups

• small juice boxes or cans of juice

• small soy milk boxes

• small cans of vegetable juice

• jars of natural baby food

• wheat germ or oat bran (add it to cold or hot cereal, on salads, in soups)

•
trail mix

• tofu jerky (
ORIGINAL PEPPER TOFU JERKY
-
CAJUN JERKY
)

• bottled water

Vegan House
& Home

Today’s market is saturated with house-cleaning and beauty products. Our ancestors lived for hundreds of years without these kinds of products; their houses looked great, and so did they! Most store-bought products do tremendous amounts of damage to our environment, not to mention all the waste due to over-packaging. Some companies offer goods that are “green” and/or animal cruelty-free, but you still have to deal with all that packaging. With the recipes and ideas offered in this chapter, you can look great and live in a clean and safe home environment without harming the planet.

HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS

If you’re looking for alternatives to standard household cleaning products, try some of the following formulas and techniques. They are safer for your home, your children, your animal friends, and the environment. And they cost less!

All-Purpose Cleaner

• Mix vinegar and salt for a good surface cleaner.

• Pour some baking soda and vinegar on a damp sponge. It will clean and deodorize all kitchen and bathroom surfaces.

Deodorizer

• Place partially filled saucers of vinegar around the room.

• Boil 1 tablespoon of vinegar in 1 cup of water to eliminate unpleasant cooking odours.

• Baking soda is excellent for absorbing odours.

Removing crayon marks

• Crayon marks on the floor or table can be removed by rubbing them with some toothpaste on a damp cloth.

Don’t use this on wallpaper or porous surfaces.

Removing grease spots

• Immediately pour salt on grease spots to absorb and prevent staining.

Removing scratches

• Mix equal parts of lemon juice and vegetable oil, and rub against scratches with a soft cloth until they disappear.

Laundry starch

• Dissolve 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in 2 cups of cold water. Place in a spray bottle. Shake well before using. Make sure to label this so you don’t use it for cleaning.

Oven cleaner

• While the oven is still warm, pour some salt on grimy areas. If the areas are dry, dampen with water before applying the salt. When the oven cools down, scrape the grime off and wash clean.

• Spray grimy areas with water or vinegar-water and apply a layer of baking soda. Rub gently with fine steel wool and wipe off. Rinse with water and wipe dry.

Toilet bowl cleaner

• Sprinkle baking soda into the bowl, then drizzle with vinegar and scour with a toilet brush. This combination both cleans and deodorizes.
Note: Do NOT mix this combination with store-bought toilet cleaners. The combination will create toxic fumes
.

Glass cleaner

• Mix equal amounts of water and vinegar in a spray bottle. Wipe the glass with newspaper for a streak-free shine.

44 THINGS TO DO WITH VINEGAR

1. Kill weeds. Spray full-strength on growth until weeds have starved.

2. Kill unwanted grass on walks and driveways.

3. Increase soil acidity. Use ½ cup of vinegar in 1 gallon of tap water for watering plants such as rhododendrons, gardenias, or azaleas.

4. Deter ants. Spray vinegar around doors, appliances, and along other areas where ants are.

5. Polish car chrome. Apply full-strength.

6. Remove skunk odour from a dog. Rub fur with full-strength vinegar and rinse.

7. Keep cats away. Sprinkle vinegar on areas you don’t want the cat walking, sleeping, or scratching.

8. Keep dogs from scratching their ears. Use a clean, soft cloth dipped in vinegar diluted with water.

9. Floor cleaner. Mix 1 cup white vinegar with 2 gallons hot water.

10. Freshen wilted vegetables. Soak them in 2 cups of water and a tablespoon of vinegar.

11. Soothe a bee or jellyfish sting. Dot the irritation with vinegar to relieve itching.

12. Relieve sunburn. Lightly rub on white vinegar. You may have to reapply.

13. Condition hair. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to dissolve sticky residue left by shampoo.

14. Relieve dry and itchy skin. Add 2 tablespoons to bath water.

15. Fight
dandruff
. for recipe.

16. Soothe a sore throat. Pour a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water. Gargle, then swallow.

17. Treat sinus infections and chest colds. Add ¼ cup or more of vinegar to a vaporizer.

18. Deodorize the kitchen drain. Pour a cup down the drain once a week. Let stand 30 minutes and then flush with cold water.

19. Eliminate onion odours. Rub on your fingers before and after slicing.

20. Clean and disinfect wood cutting boards. Wipe with full-strength vinegar.

21. Remove fruit stains from hands. Rub with vinegar.

22. Cut grease and odour on dishes. Add a tablespoon of vinegar to hot soapy water.

23. Clean a teapot. Boil a mixture of water and vinegar in the teapot. Wipe away the grime.

24. Freshen a lunchbox. Soak a piece of bread in vinegar and let it sit in the lunchbox over night.

25. Clean the refrigerator. Wash with a solution of equal parts water and vinegar.

26. Unclog a drain. Pour a handful of baking soda down the drain, add ½ cup of vinegar, and close with plug for 20 seconds. Rinse with hot water.

27. Clean and deodorize jars. Rinse mayonnaise, peanut butter, and mustard jars with vinegar when empty.

28. Clean the dishwasher. Run a cup of vinegar through the whole cycle once a month to reduce soap buildup on the inner mechanisms and on glassware.

29. Clean stainless steel. Wipe with a vinegar-dampened cloth.

30. Remove stains from pots. Fill the pot with a solution of 3 tablespoons of vinegar to a pint of water. Boil until stain loosens and can be washed away.

31. Clean the microwave. Boil a solution of ¼ cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water in the microwave. Will loosen food particles from microwave walls and deodorize.

32. Dissolve rust from bolts and other metals. Soak in full-strength vinegar.

33. Eliminate cooking smells. Let simmer a small pot of vinegar and water solution.

34. Unclog steam iron. Pour equal amounts of vinegar and water into the iron’s water chamber. Turn to steam and leave the iron on for 5 minutes in an upright position. Then unplug and allow to cool. Any loose particles should come out when you empty the water.

35. Clean a scorched iron plate. Heat equal parts vinegar and salt in a small pan. Rub solution on the cooled iron surface to remove dark or burned stains.

36. Remove lint from clothes. Add ½ cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle of the washing machine. This also helps to brighten fabric colours.

37. Freshen the washing machine. Pour 1 cup of vinegar in the machine and let it run through a regular cycle (no clothes added). Will dissolve soap residue.

38. Remove tough stains. Gently rub vinegar on the stains before placing in the washing machine.

39. Eliminate smoke odours from clothes. Add 1 cup of vinegar to a bathtub of hot water. Hang clothes above the steam.

40. Remove decals. Brush with a couple coats of vinegar and allow to soak in before washing off.

41. Clean eyeglasses. Wipe each lens with a drop of vinegar.

42. Freshen cut flowers. Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar and 1 teaspoon of sugar for each litre of water.

43. Extinguish fires. Throw on grease fires to arrest flames.

44. Feel good. A teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water, with a bit of sweetener added for flavour, will give you an overall healthy feeling.

HEALTH & BEAUTY PRODUCTS

Here are a few beauty products you can make in your own kitchen. It will save you some money, save the animals, and save your skin! Remember: these recipes have no preservatives, so the recipes are for small amounts. Use them up quickly and ALWAYS label your bottles so there won’t be any accidents! Also, be sure to test a small area for skin sensitivity before using any mixture. Dab a little on the inside of your wrist or underside of your arm and let sit for 30-40 minutes. Wait 24-48 hours and see if it causes a reaction such as a rash. If not, you’re free to use it!

MAKEUP REMOVER

Apply vegetable oil, shortening, or Vitamin E oil to skin and tissue off. This is a simple and effective makeup remover.

NORMAL SKIN CLEANSER

2 tbsp lemon juice

6 tbsp vegetable shortening

In a blender or food processor, blend together the lemon juice and vegetable shortening until well mixed.

Apply to your face and tissue off. Store in the refrigerator in a clean, dry jar with a tight-fitting lid.

FRUITY FACE CLEANSER

For oily or combination skin. Tomatoes are highly acidic, so be careful using this cleanser if you have sensitive skin.

½ cup apple

½ cup cucumber

½ cup tomatoes
or
peaches

In a blender or food processor, blend together the apple, cucumber, and tomatoes or peaches. Store in the refrigerator in a clean, dry jar that with a tight-fitting lid. Use 1 teaspoon as a cleanser. Apply to face, wait 15-30 seconds, and rinse with warm water.