| thanked when it�s life is taken. Plus, nowadays, with the way humans have exploited the earth and environmentally altered it, we are doing some species a favor by providing them with an extra predator. Sure, I�ll go deer hunting with my dad. I might prefer to use a bow and arrow, but I know that fresh, unaltered meat is gonna taste good. I know that hide is gonna look good. And I will have the satisfaction of properly appreciating the animal as well as preparing it myself. Yeah, so I may have shoved some of my beliefs and opinions down some throats, for the most part, I simply informed all who choose to read my article, of the truth. If anyone had a problem with the article, feel free to write me, I�ll listen. However, you better have your information straight, a sound belief system, and not adhere to the hypocritical behavior afore mentioned, before you bash a food preference--not a way of life. So without any further ado, please enjoy my animal-free recipes. They are for everyone. (Except for the Toxic dip, it�s only vegetarian) A small foreword: I know that if you don�t know how to cook these recipes are practically impossible. Do not be discouraged. Go get yourself the Joy of Cooking (preferably the first edition). It is the best explanatory cookbook out there. If you are a self-taught person, there is no reason this cookbook could not teach you how to cook like a professional. Plus, it makes for a great reference. If you are not a self-taught person, hopefully there is someone in your family who not only knows how to cook, but enjoys it, and would probably love to teach you. If that isn�t the case either, take a class. If that doesn�t work, there�s always someone else who might cook for you, such as a chef at a restaurant. My Hummus Many of you are used to what I refer to as �flavorless paste.� To those of you with bland or picky tastes, you won�t like this. First of all one must own a food processor. Take two cans of chick peas, a.k.a. garbanzo beans and stuff �em through the processor. Use the creamy substance, and discard the �waste.� To the chick pea mash add about 2/3 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice, 3 Tbs. of Tahini (it�s like peanut butter, only it�s sesame seeds), 2 tsp. of minced garlic, 1 tsp. of salt, and 2 Tbs. of Olive oil. Mix thoroughly. This is Hummus. Now, The way I serve my Hummus is a little different, but everyone agrees it is terrific. Spread the Hummus out in a 9 x 13 x 2 inch dish. Sprinkle generously with Olive oil and Cayenne pepper. Cover in fresh chopped parsley, and preferably fresh, but canned is also acceptable, diced tomatoes. Salt the top. Serve either immediately or slightly chilled with toasted wheat pita triangles. As fun add-ons, include sliced Cucumber and Onion. Curried Lentils with Rice This is a great vegan dish. I think I got the idea from a Mennonite cookbook, and added an Indian flair. This recipe is the perfect example of complex carbohydrates. By eating the Lentils with Rice, our bodies process the food like a protein instead of a carb. First cook the Lentils according to the package use about a 16 oz./2 c. bag of Lentils. Set the cooked Lentils aside. At the same time in a different pot, cook some Saffron, Basmati, or just plain Brown rice and set aside. In a separate skillet or saucepan, it must be able to hold 3-4 quarts, saut� some thinly diced onions and garlic in olive oil. Add 2 Tbs. of curry powder, and as much of the following as you like: black pepper, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, nutmeg, and any other spice you might add to curry. Turn off the heat and add the Lentils. Mix the Curry into the Lentils. Serve the Lentils over the Rice. Toxic Dip You need a lasagna pan to make this one. First Mix a can of Vegetarian or Fat Free refried beans with a container of reduced fat sour cream and a package of taco seasoning mix. If you have an electric mixer, I highly recommend using it. Then Spread that out in your lasagna pan. Cover with chopped iceberg lettuce. Cover that with drained diced hot tomatoes. Place some small pitted black olives, sliced on top. Place some sliced pickled jalapenos (I recommend the generic brand) on top of that. Cover with finely shredded sharp cheddar. Sprinkle with fresh chopped green onions. Serve with full salt tortilla chips. I know that this dish contains alot of sodium, that is the only down side. However, I do not recommend deviating from the recipe, it has been perfected over time through many trials and errors. back to table of contents |