Starter Guide

Congratulations! You’re on your way to living a healthier life, helping animals and protecting the planet. In this guide, we’re going to give you heaps of helpful tips, recipes and information so that you’ll see how easy it is to choose a cruelty-free life. It’s easier and more fun than you imagined!

A veggie dietA vegetarian diet means not eating any animals, including cows, pigs, sheep, chickens, fish and crustaceans such as lobsters and shrimp. A vegan diet means not eating animals or animal products, such as milk, eggs, cheese and honey. This guide will give you information and tips on doing both. Changing to a

compassionate lifestyle can be exciting, inspiring and rewarding. But don’t feel discouraged if you find it difficult at first. Remember that every journey begins with a single step, and every person, no matter how small, can make a positive difference.

“Now I can look at you in

peace; I don’t eat you anymore.”Franz Kafka

“We all love animals.

Why do we call some ‘pets’ and others ‘dinner?’”

k.d. lang

“Nothing will benefit human health

and increase the chances of survival of life on earth as much as the evolution to

a vegetarian diet.”Albert Einstein

A few famous vegetariansAbraham Lincoln . Albert Einstein . Alicia Silverstone Anna Paquin . Anne Hathaway . Aristotle . Barry White . Brad Pitt . Casey Affleck . Christian Bale Dustin Hoffman . Elijah Wood . Emily Barclay Epicurus . George Bernard Shaw . Gin Wigmore Ian McKellan . Joaquin Phoenix . Leonardo da Vinci Orlando Bloom . Pamela Anderson . Paul McCartney Plato . Plutarch . Pythagoras . Ringo Starr . Samuel L Jackson . Socrates . Tobey Maguire

“To my mind, the life of a lamb is

no less precious than that of a human being. I should be unwilling to take the life of a lamb for the sake of

the human body.” Mahatma Gandhi

“The time will come when men

such as I look upon the murder of animals as

they now look upon the murder of men.”

Leonardo da Vinci

“If any kid ever realised what

was involved in factory farming they would never touch meat again. I was so moved by the intelligence, sense of fun and

personalities of the animals I worked with on Babe that by the end of the film I was a

vegetarian.” James Cromwell

“If slaughter-houses had glass walls, everyone would be a

vegetarian.” Paul McCartney

“Animals are my friends... and I don’t eat

my friends.” George Bernard

Shaw

Choose Your HealthHere’s to you! By following a veggie diet you have just chosen to lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and osteoperosis.

Veggie diets are naturally low in saturated fat, high in fibre, and full of vitamins, minerals and cancer-fighting compounds. Meat, dairy products and eggs, on the other hand, are low in fibre and loaded with saturated fat and cholesterol which can make us overweight and lead to clogged arteries and heart attacks. The National Heart Foundation of New Zealand reports that vegetarians “have a lower risk of heart disease and other diseases of affluence such as diabetes, obesity and some cancers.”

How will I get my iron, protein and calcium?According to a study by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vegetarians are no more likely to have iron deficiency than meat eaters. Iron is found in numerous plant foods, including beans, nuts, whole grains and leafy vegetables.

With the traditional Western diet, the average New Zealander consumes about double the required protein. Additionally, the main sources of protein consumed tend to be animal products, which are also high in saturated fat which can contribute to kidney disease, colon cancer, osteoporosis and kidney stones through increased calcium excretion.

Plant sources of protein, however, contain no cholesterol and are low in fat. Another advantage of plant protein is that in most cases it is high in fibre, which is great for your digestive system.

By eating calcium-rich vegetarian foods, including leafy green vegetables, white beans, fortified soymilks and juices, and a variety of fruits and vegetables, you can obtain all the calcium your body needs. But keeping your bones strong and avoiding osteoporosis depends on more than calcium intake - you also need to keep calcium in your bones. Exercise and vitamin D help keep the calcium in your bones, while animal protein, excess salt, caffeine, and tobacco can cause calcium loss.

Moroccan chickpea and kale soup

Get the recipe at www.safe.org.nz/recipes

What About Fish?Fish and shellfish readily absorb mercury and other toxins from contaminated food and water ways. These toxins can then enter the food chain. In humans, mercury poisoning can cause irreversible damage to the central nervous system and can harm a developing fetus.

In 2009 a review by the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) found high levels of mercury in New Zealand fish, as well as high levels of cadmium and arsenic - both highly toxic. Plant foods such as walnuts and flax seeds contain the essential fatty acids that we need without the harmful toxins found in fish.

The hazards of eating chickenBy 1999, 57 per cent of all antibiotics used in New Zealand were used on animals – two-thirds administered with feed given to factory-farmed chickens to increase growth rates and combat disease caused by over-crowding. Such practices encourage the spread of antibiotic resistance and new strains of bacteria and endanger human health. Because chickens are now bred to grow so large, chicken flesh today contains three times as much fat as it did just 35 years ago.

Despite the use of antibiotics, animal products are still a common source of food poisoning - the best known bacterial contaminants being E-coli, salmonella, listeria and campylobacter. With the rise of factory farming, the risk of infected animal products has risen even more.

“Even one fish meal a week is likely to push

the intake beyond the World Health Organisation’s ‘Tolerable weekly intake.’”Sue Kedgley, Green

Party Food safety spokesperson, after a

2009 NZFSA review found Dunedin fish had high levels of mercury.

Som tam piquantThai salad

Get the recipe at www.safe.org.nz/recipes

Butter 100% fat

Cheddar cheese 74% fat

Whole milk49% fat

Fat content of dairy products Based on percentage of calories from fat

Source: Physicians Committee

for Responsible Medicine

OceansForest & Bird assessed all 75 New Zealand fisheries, and it found that none had a management plan and most caused significant habitat damage. Some fishing areas were severely overfished and many commercial fishers killed seabirds or marine mammals as they went about their business.

According to the United Nations, many global fisheries are also overfished or on the edge of collapse.

The livestock industry is one of the largest contributors to environmental degradation worldwide. Modern practices of raising animals for food contributes on a massive scale to land degradation, deforestation, loss of topsoil, air and water pollution, climate change, the overuse of resources including oil and water, and loss of biodiversity.

Choose the Earth

DeforestationOver 50 per cent of land in New Zealand, much of it once pristine forest, is taken up by animal farming. With the recent increase of dairy farms, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry reports that some 455,000 hectares of forestry land are at risk of being converted to farms. This is the equivalent of over seven times the size of Lake Taupo.

Globally, one-third of our planet’s landmass has been cleared to farm animals. The livestock industry is still the leading cause of deforestation around the world.

Land degradationThe Ministry of the Environment reports that animal farming is causing contanimation, erosion and compaction of New Zealand soil. This can also lead to desertification - literally turning healthy land into a desert - because plants have difficulty growing in contaminated soil.

Drinking waterThe modern meat industry wastes a huge quantity of water. It takes only a fraction of the water used for meat production to make an equivalent amount of plant protein.

Then there is the pollution from the excrement of all those animals. The Ministry of the Environment reports that runoff from factory farms is so toxic that it is contaminating surrounding groundwater and streams.

In 2010, The Reids piggery in Carterton, owners of the Premiere Bacon brand, were prosecuted and convicted for pumping what

essentially amounts to raw sewage into

waterways.

Land useThe world is feeding over 50 billion farmed animals, while millions of people, disproportionately children, starve to death. In The Food Revolution, John Robbins asserts that by using 2.5 acres of land to grow potatoes, we can feed 22 people. If we use the same land to raise cattle, we would only support the energy requirements of one human being.

Global warmingReports by the Ministry of the Environment show that farmed animals are a major contributor to New Zealand greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, New Zealand is rated eleventh in the world for greenhouse emissions per capita compared to China (72nd) and the United Kingdom (36th).

Worldwide, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation reports that animal based agriculture causes 18 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gases, greater than that caused by all forms of transportation on the planet combined.

“You can make a bigger contribution

to cutting greenhouse gases by becoming

vegan than by buying an eco-friendly car”

Jonathon Porritt, chairman, Sustainable

Development Commission, UK.

1kg of potatoes=75L of water

640g of CO2 emissions0.2m2 of land

1kg of beef=15,500L of water

32kg of CO2 emissions 29m2 of land

Choose LifeBy switching to a veggie diet you can save more than 100 lives each year and send the message that you refuse to support the following cruel practices.

ChickensNew Zealand farms 81 million meat chickens that spend their entire lives in ammonia-laden sheds that house tens of thousands of birds. They are bred to grow at an unnaturally fast rate causing many birds to become crippled due to being grossly overweight or can suffer organ failure. In nature, chickens can live up to 10 years of age, but meat chickens are slaughtered between 6-7 weeks of age. They are transported to slaugther where they are shackled upside down and electrocuted before having their throats slit.

That’s no bird brainChickens in the wild exist in stable social groups and can recognise friends by their facial features. Professor Chris Evans of Macquarie University in Australia discovered that chickens have 24 distinct cries, like a language, that communicate a wealth of information. Evans notes that chickens “are good at solving problems…perhaps most persuasive is the chicken’s intriguing ability to understand that an object, when taken away and hidden, nevertheless continues to exist. This is beyond the capacity of small children.”

Approximately 88 per cent of chickens raised for their eggs in New Zealand are kept in small cages. Their wings and legs weaken from lack of use and they can suffer from painful foot problems from standing on slanted cages. Many hens have the tips of their sensitive beaks cut off with a burning hot blade to reduce feather pecking and cannibalism caused by the stressful living conditions. After nearly two years of confinement the birds are sent to slaughter. Male chicks are of no value to the egg industry and are either gassed or minced alive at one day old.

Pig smarts

Professor Stanley Curtis of Pennsylvania State University found that pigs play and excel at joystick-controlled video games. He observed that they were capable of abstract representation, were much smarter than dogs, and did better at video games than some primates. “There is much more going on in terms of thinking and observing

by these pigs than we ever

would have guessed.”

“What I witnessed was absolutely disgusting. The

pigs who have been stuck in these crates for years were chewing on the sow crate bars, frothing at the

mouth and either highly distressed, deeply

depressed, or dead.” Mike King

PigsFactory-farmed sows are confined to stalls and crates that are barely larger than their own bodies; they literally go insane from living in such a barren and cramped environment.

When about to give birth, the sow is put into a farrowing crate, a similarly barren cage where they are deprived the opportunity of building a nest or mothering their piglets properly.

In nature, piglets suckle from

their mothers for 12 weeks, but in a factory farm piglets are separated from their mother at 3-5 weeks, are dosed with antibiotics, have their tails chopped off and their eyeteeth cut without any painkillers. They are then placed in cramped pens with concrete floors to be fattened for slaughter. When fully grown, there is barely enough space for the pigs to lie down comfortably.

The mother sow is impregnated again and returned to the sow stall where the cycle of abuse starts again.

SAFE has been campaigning to have sow stalls and farrowing crates banned in New Zealand. For more information, visit

www.lovepigs.org.nz

Cattleof milk. They are prone to lameness caused by heavy udders and mastitis, which is a painful udder infection.

Cows produce milk for the same reason humans do: to nourish their babies. Calves are traumatically taken from their mothers shortly after birth and are either slaughtered for veal, or for the enzyme in their stomach (rennet to make cheese).

After approximately five years of pregnancy and lactation, the mother cow’s milk production drops off and they are sent to slaughter, having lived only one-third of her normal lifespan.

Many cows are slaughtered prematurely - they will be sent to slaughter earlier if their milk production drops off, or if they fail to get pregnant.

Cows form strong relationships with other cows, spending most of their time in “friendship groups” of 2 to 4 cows who lick and groom each other. Cows are intelligent animals who enjoy challenges and feel excitement when they finish a task or use their intellect to overcome an obstacle. Scientists in the United Kingdom discovered that “the brainwaves showed their excitement; their heartbeat went up and some even jumped in the air. We called it their Eureka moment.”

Calves are taken from their mothers after only days, are dehorned, castrated

and sent to fattening pens.

The dairy industry is closely

integrated with the

meat industry. Up to 55 per cent

of all beef produced is from cattle bred for the dairy industry. Calves have their horns amputated with hot irons or shears, and are castrated with rubber rings that cause their testes to wither and drop off – all without pain relief! Traditionally New Zealand cattle

have lived in reasonably spacious paddocks, however an increasing number of beef cattle are being grazed in intensive systems. The Five Star Beef large-scale feedlot near Ashburton holds up to 15,000 animals at a time in concrete floored pens. On some dairy farms, cows are confined for up to ten months per year inside large sheds where they walk on concrete floors and rest in invididual cubicles.

Modern cows have been bred to produce unnaturally high volumes

Fantastic fishResearch by Culum Brown,

a zoologist at the University of Canterbury shows that the cognitive

power of fish match or exceed those of “higher” verterbrates in many

areas. “Fish can not only recognise individuals, but can also keep track of complex relationships.” Recent research has uncovered fish species that use tools, build

houses, and show evidence of long-term memory.

FishLike other animals, fish feel pain and experience fear. Dr Donald Broom, animal welfare advisor to the British government says, “Anatomically,

physiologically and biologically, the pain system in fish is virtually the same as in birds and mammals.”

When they are dragged from the ocean depths, fish

undergo excruciating decompression

– the rapid pressure

change often ruptures their swimbladders, pops out their eyes and pushes their stomachs through their mouths. Then they’re tossed onboard ships, where many slowly suffocate or are crushed to death. Others are still alive when their throats

and bellies are cut open.

Factory-farmed fishAquaculture, breeding fish in overcrowded underwater farms, is as cruel and environmentally destructive as other forms of factory farming. Fish are wild animals and naturally

scared of humans, but farmed fish are routinely netted and moved, causing high levels of stress and physical injury.Factory-farmed salmon are often fed

an unnatural diet of pellets filled with colorants to enhance the pink colour of their flesh, and may be given anti-parasite drug formalin, a cancer-causing agent. Because they are packed in so tightly,

outbreaks of disease are common and the water beneath fish farms is polluted with waste, potentially killing animals living in the vicinity.

Making ChangesIt’s easy to make the change - just replace the meat in your favourite dishes. Try spaghetti with marinara sauce, replace the beef in your burritos with beans and rice, add veggies rather than meat on your homemade pizza and pop a veggie burger on the grill for your weekend BBQ.

Purchase a veggie cookbook, borrow one from the library or go on www.safe.org.nz/recipes to get some new recipe ideas. You will quickly see that there are thousands of exciting, flavourful meals that you can make yourself with everyday ingredients!

Explore the many veggie foods that are popular in other countries, such as hummus (a delicious spread made from chickpeas), falafel, (patties made from a mix of beans), sushi, Thai curries, Indian samosas, Chinese dumplings, Mexican-style bean and rice dishes, and hundreds more.

Get inspired and keep in mind the reasons that encouraged you to make the change. Volunteer for SAFE to get involved in animal advocacy, attend public lectures on nutrition and health and read about the amazing environmental changes you can make by simply choosing a veggie lifestyle.

Have fun! Try new foods, challenge yourself, step outside your comfort zone and think of it as an adventure. By choosing a compassionate lifestyle you will soon be feeling great about your health and the impact you are making on the world around you.

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Soy Works and Bean Supreme veggie sausages, Fry’s veggie burgers, schnitzels, mince, pies and nuggets. Blissful’s wallet-friendly alternatives to pretty much everything including meat balls, Veat ‘chicken’ stir-fry and Sanitarium deli luncheon.

There are dozens of options like Vitasoy, Sanitarium So Good, Get Natural and Rice Dream. As well as plain, there are flavoured varieties such as chocolate, strawberry and vanilla that can be used any way that you’d use cow’s milk. Simply use vegetable oils or try dairy-free margarine Olivani and Home Brand table spread.

Try Bean Me Up plain yoghurt and Kingland soy yoghurt in a variety of fruit flavours.

There’s no need to miss out on ice cream! Sanitarium So Good and Litelicks offer a range of flavours at many supermarkets, and SAFE’s Cruelty Free Shop also stocks Tofutti Cuties ice cream sandwiches, bars and tubs.

Try Sheese’s range of hard cheese, Tofutti cream cheeses, and Cheezly’s meltable cheese perfect for pizza, all available at SAFE’s Cruelty Free Shop. Nutritional yeast has a cheesy taste and can be used for all types of baking.

Try Tofutti’s Sour Supreme.

For baking, use Orgran egg replacer, bananas or mashed potatoes. For breakfast, scramble tofu with veggies and nutritional yeast as a yummy alternative!

Meat

Milk

Butter

Yoghurt

Ice cream

Cheese

Sour cream

Eggs

Try These EasySubstitutes!

Breakfast Ideas

Toast with avocado, dressed with lemon juice and black

pepper

Bagel with jam and lots of fresh fruit

Whole grain cereal with soy milk

Tofu scramble with tomato, onion and capsicum

Blueberry pancakes with banana and maple syrup

Melon and a toasted raisin bagel

Porridge with apple, cinnamon and pecans

Fried tomato on toast with hummus and fresh basil

Wraps filled with scrambled tofu, black beans and diced

tomato

Fruit smoothie with banana and frozen berries

Fruit salad topped with soy yoghurt and desiccated

coconut

Porridge

1 C water Ground cinnamon to taste5 dried pitted prunes, chopped Sugar to taste 1 2/3 C oat bran

Combine water, cinnamon, prunes and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil then stir in the oat bran and boil for 2 minutes.

Banana smoothie

1 banana 1/2 C chopped kale 1/2 C soy milk 2 tsp flax seeds 1 tsp maple syrup

Place the banana, kale, soy milk, flax seeds and maple syrup into a blender. Cover and puree until smooth. Serve over ice.

Tofu scramble2 tsp olive oil 1 bunch green onions, chopped 1 can diced tomatoes 1 1/2 C firm silken tofu, drained and mashed Ground turmeric to taste Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and sauté green onions until tender. Stir in tomatoes and tofu.

Season with salt, pepper, and turmeric. Reduce heat and simmer until heated through.

Breakfast

Easy pancakes

2 C self-rising flour 2 tsp white sugar 2 tsp custard powder 2 cups soy milk

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar and custard powder. Mix in the soy milk with a whisk so there are no lumps. Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat and coat with cooking spray. Spoon batter onto the surface and cook until bubbles begin to form on the surface. Flip with a spatula and cook on the other side until golden.

Apple-cinnamon muffins

2/3 C brown sugar 7 Tbsp white sugar 1 1/3 C all-purpose flour 1 1/2 Tbsp baking soda 2/3 tsp baking powder 2/3 Tbsp cinnamon 2 tsp salt 1 C carrots, finely grated 2 apples, peeled, cored and grated 1 Tbsp egg replacer (dry) 1 1/3 C apple sauce 1/3 C oil

Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius. Grease muffin tin or line with paper muffin liners. In a large bowl combine brown sugar, white sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Mix in carrot and apple. In a small bowl whisk together egg substitute, apple sauce and oil. Fold into dry ingredients. Spoon batter into prepared pans. Bake for 20 minutes. Let muffins cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing to rack to cool completely.

Lemon poppy scones

1 C all-purpose flour 1/2 C white sugar 1 Tbsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 3/4 C margarine 1 Tbsp poppy seeds1 lemon, zested and juiced 1/2 C soy milk 1/2 C water

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Grease a baking sheet. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Rub in margarine with tips of fingers until the mixture is the consistency of breadcrumbs.Stir in poppy seeds, lemon zest and lemon juice. Combine the soy milk and water, and gradually stir into the dry ingredients until the batter is moistened, but thick (like biscuit dough.) You may not need all of the liquid. Spoon a quarter of a cup sized dollops of batter onto the greased baking sheet so they are about 7cm apart. Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden.

LunchFrench onion soup

2 Tbsp oil 3 onions, sliced

1/4 C flour4 C water

1/4 C soy sauce In a large pot, sauté onions in oil for two minutes. Add the flour and stir until well combined. Add water and soy sauce and stir. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for

another 10 minutes or until onions are soft. Serve with lightly toasted French bread or croutons.

1 2/3 C spinach1/2 C tofu, crumbled1 vegetable bouillon cube1 Tbsp vegetable oil1 small onion, chopped1/2 C mushrooms, sliced1/2 C canned sweetcorn1/2 pkt vegan Cheezly, grated1 pack Neway puff pastry sheets

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Wash and steam spinach for 2 minutes. Place in a bowl and knead the tofu and

bouillon into the spinach with your hands. The tofu should resemble small flecks. Fry the onion in the oil until translucent. Add the

mushrooms and cook for a further 5-10 minutes. Oil a pie dish and line the base and sides of the dish with the puff pastry. To join pastry

sheets together, simply wet one side and overlay other section. Then in layers - and in the following order - place the spinach mix, sweetcorn

and mushroom mix. Finish off with the grated cheese. Place pastry on top to make a lid, making sure you moisten with water around the edges so it

sticks to the bottom pastry. Using the tip of a fork, press pastry edges together and pierce the top of the pastry. Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden.

Lunch Ideas

Wrap with salad and tempeh strips

BLAT sandwich with faux bacon, lettuce, tomato,

avocado and sprouts

Sushi and miso soup

Salad of mixed leafy greens plus corn, black beans, tomato

and cherry tomatoes

Mediterranean platter with hummus, dolmades, tomatoes and falafel

Portabello mushroom burger with tomato, rocket leaves and

caramelised onion

Minestrone soup with garlic bread

Toasted sandwich with soy cheese and tomato

Corn chips with chilli beans

Vege burger with sautéed mushrooms, soy cheese

and oven fries

Split pea soup

Samosas

Vegan cheese & spinach pie

Sausage rolls

1/2 C pecans, finely chopped1/2 C bread-crumbs1 onion, finely

chopped1 1/3 C silken tofu,

mashed1 C rolled oats1 Massel beef-style stock cube1 tsp garlic powder3 Tbsp soy sauce Ground pepper, to taste3-4 frozen Neway puff pastry sheets Soy milk for brushing pastrySesame seeds

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Separate frozen pastry sheets on bench and allow to thaw. In a large mixing bowl mix together the filling ingredients. Lightly grease a baking tray. Slice each pastry sheet in half so that it makes two rectangles. Spoon the filling down the centre third of each pastry rectangle. Lightly brush anoth-er third with milk and then roll the pastry, starting from the empty third and tucking it into the brushed third. Slice the roll into halves, thirds or quarters as you wish and place them on the baking tray. Make a couple of diagonal cuts in the top of the roll. Brush the tops with milk and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden and flaky. Serve with lots of tomato sauce!

Caribbean salad1/2 green capsicum1/2 red capsicum4 sticks celery1 can pineapple chunks, drained4 Tbsp coarsely chopped walnuts4-6 Tbsp vegan mayonnaiseA squeeze of lemon juice

Chop the peppers and celery. Combine all the ingredients and serve.

Vegan mayonnaise dressing300g silken tofu1/2 tsp salt1/2 tsp sugar1/2 tsp mustard powder1 Tbsp lemon juice1 Tbsp white wine vinegar

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or

blender and process for 1-2 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste. Chill before serving.

Mediterranean sandwich 1 eggplant, sliced into strips 2 red capsicum 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided 2 portobello mushrooms, sliced 1 loaf focaccia bread

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Brush eggplant and red capsicum with half the olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and roast in oven until tender, about 25 minutes. Roast peppers until blackened. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Heat remaining oil and sauté mushrooms until tender. Peel cooled peppers, core and slice. Arrange eggplant, peppers and mushrooms on sliced focaccia. Wrap sandwich in plastic; place a heavy cutting board on top and weigh it down with some canned foods. Allow to sit for 2 hours before slicing and serving.

Dinner ideas

Pasta with tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant and olives

Burrito with refried beans, salad greens, tomato, salsa and soy cheese

Garlic-roast potatoes with stir-fried leeks and herbed cannellini beans

Mixed vege stir-fry with tofu and brown rice

Pizza with loads of vegetables, capers and olives

Steamed veges with gado gado sauce

Shepherd’s pie made with lentils and lots of vegetables

Vege sausages with mashed potato and sautéed greens with garlic

Baked kumara, steamed green beans and chickpea curry

Dinner

Salt and pepper tofu

450g firm tofu2 tsp salt2 tsp garlic pow-der1 tsp fresh ground black pepper3 Tbsp corn-starch3 Tbsp oil

Place tofu on paper towels on

kitchen bench. Place a heavy

object on top for at least 15 minutes

to squeeze out excess water. Change paper

towels if required. Cut tofu into cubes.

Mix the salt, garlic powder and black pepper together. Coat tofu

cubes and leave for 1-2 hours in refrigerator. Coat tofu with cornstarch. Heat oil in wok or large skillet. Carefully fry tofu in small batches until tofu is golden. Drain on paper

towels before serving.

Potato pancakes6 potatoes, peeled1 Tbsp wholemeal flour1 onion1 garlic clove1 bunch of chives4 Tbsp olive oil2 Tbsp margarine

Coarsely grate potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Leave for ten minutes before draining liquid. Add flour and mix well. Finely chop onion, garlic and chives, and mix with potato mixture. In a heavy pan, heat half the oil and margarine. Place two heaped tablespoonfuls of the mixture into the pan. Gently flatten and fry on medium heat for 4-5 minutes each side until brown. These pancakes go well with a fresh green salad and pickled onions.

Pumpkin and sage risotto1 butternut pumpkin2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 Tbsp olive oilHandful of sage leaves, chopped1 Tbsp margarine1 onion, chopped400g Arborio rice200ml white wine4 C hot vegetable stockSalt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Cut the pumpkin into eight large pieces. Remove seeds and place in a roasting tray with the skin on. Add half the garlic, oil, sage leaves and sprinkle over salt and pepper. Toss together and roast for 40-50 minutes until soft. Once cool peel off skin

and roughly mash pumpkin mixture. Return to the oven on a low heat to keep warm.

In a heavy pan, add margarine, remaining oil and garlic and fry onion until soft. Add the rice and stir for one minute before stirring in wine. Slowly add stock a ladle at a time. Add remaining

sage. Bring to the boil and then simmer while adding more stock as it absorbs into the rice. Regularly stir the rice to avoid it sticking. After about 20 minutes the rice should be cooked. The texture should be thick and creamy. Add extra stock if necessary. Add the pumpkin to the risotto.

Thai spiced tofu balls300g firm tofu2 tsp ginger, grated2 Tbsp fresh chives, chopped4 Tbsp red onion, finely diced3 Tbsp fresh coriander1 Tbsp fresh mint2 garlic cloves, crushed2 Tbsp red capsicum, diced2 tsp sweet chilli sauce2 tsp lemon grass, finely chopped (white part only)2 C brown rice, cooked1/2 C sesame seedsOlive oil Put all of the ingredients, except the sesame seeds and oil, into a food processor and blend until combined. Roll the mixture into approximately 16

balls or patties as desired. Coat each ball in sesame seeds and place in fridge for 30 minutes. Cover a frying pan with about 1cm of oil over a low-medium heat. Once hot, add the tofu balls in batches and fry for 5-10 minutes, turning regularly, until golden brown. Place on paper towels to absorb any excess oil.

Pasta tempeh2 C dried pastaOlive oil1/2 eggplant, cubed1 clove garlic, minced1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated1 zucchini, cubed 1 C mushrooms, cubed1/2 broccoli, chopped 1 block tempeh, cubed1/2 C olives Soy sauce

Boil pasta until al dente. Sauté eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, broccoli and tempeh in oil and garlic until tender. Add ginger, a splash of soy sauce and olives. Mix with pasta sauce and heat slowly. Serve over cooked pasta.

DessertsChocolate chip cookies2 C flour2 tsp baking powder1/2 tsp saltCinnamon, to tasteDark chocolate chips1 C raw sugar1/2 C canola oil1 tsp vanilla1/4 C water1-2 Tbsp peanut butter

(optional)

Preheat oven to 180 degrees

Celsius. In a large bowl mix the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Mix in the chocolate chips and make a well in the centre. Set aside. In a medium-sized bowl, mix the sugar and oil. Add vanilla, water and peanut butter if desired. Mix well with a fork. Add to dry ingredients and mix together. Spoon small spoonfulls of cookie dough onto an oven tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Flatten slightly with a fork and bake for 5-7 minutes or until slightly golden.

Fudge6 Tbsp margarine3 1/2 C icing sugar1/2 C cocoa powder, sifted1 tsp vanilla extract1/4 C soy milk1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Lightly grease a 12cm x 20cm pan using a little of the margarine. Place the remaining margarine, sugar, cocoa, vanilla and soy milk in a heatproof mixing bowl or the upper part of a double boiler (small bowl or pot in a large pot with water). Place the bowl or boiler over simmering water and stir until smooth. Add nuts if desired. Pour the mixture quickly into the prepared pan. Chill thoroughly and cut into squares. Makes 2-3 dozen squares.

Chocolate pudding300g silken tofu (firm), crumbled2/3 C castor sugar1/3 C cocoa powder2 tsp vanilla extractpinch of salt Place all the ingredients in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until smooth, creamy and thick. Transfer into a serving container and chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

Dessert ideas

Banana cake Shortbread

Rice pudding with soy milk

Ginger crunch Fruit salad

Strawberry, banana & blueberry sorbet

Berry compote Ice pops

Anything! All your favorite desserts can be made without animal

products!

Jaquie Brown’s chocolate cake 1 3/4 C fresh brewed coffee 2/3 C cocoa 1 1/2 C brown sugar 1/3 C rice bran oil1/3 C stewed apple, blended1/4 C custard powder 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp almond extract 2 C all-purpose flour1/2 C ground almonds1 tsp baking soda 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Heat coffee in a saucepan. Remove from heat. When at room temperature, whisk in the cocoa until dissolved. In a mixing bowl whisk together sugar, oil, apple and custard powder for about two minutes. Then add extracts and coffee-cocoa liquid. Sift in rest of dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Pour into a tin lined with baking paper and bake for about 45 minutes. It tastes even better the next day after it’s been in the fridge overnight.

Cheesecake3 Tbsp margarine1 packet Nice biscuits, crushed1 punnet Tofutti soy cream cheese4 C mixed berries1/4 C sugar1/4 C fruit juice4 Tbsp flour1 tsp baking powder

Mix biscuits and melted margarine together and then press firmly into the well-greased base of a springform tin. Gently heat berries and sugar in a covered pot. Whip the cream cheese before adding to berry-sugar mix. In a bowl, combine flour and baking powder before adding fruit juice. Stir until smooth. Once berries start to boil add to flour mix, stirring constantly. On medium heat, return ingredients to pot and stir until mixture bubbles and thickens (careful - mixture very hot!). Pour onto base. Put into the fridge until chilled. Remove from tin and serve.

Peanut butter cookie ice cream cakeCrust:20 Oreo cookies1/4 C margarine, melted

Filling:4 C vanilla SoGood ice cream, softened1/2 C peanut butter2 Tbsp maple syrup1/4 C salted peanuts, finely chopped

To prepare the crust: Lightly oil a 23cm springform pan and set aside. In a food processor, process the cookies until fine. Add melted margarine and process again until well combined. Press firmly into the bottom of the pan and refrigerate for one hour. With an electric mixer or food processor, blend together the ice cream, peanut butter and maple syrup until well mixed. Spoon filling evenly into pan and sprinkle the top with peanuts. Place in freezer for at least one hour. Remove from freezer five minutes before serving, pop open the pan and cut into slices.

Eating OutFast foodMany of your favourite fast food restaurants may already have veggie options! For a start try Burger Fuel’s fantastic range of vegan burgers, Hell Pizza’s Sinister pizza made with beans and avocado, or Subway’s fresh sand-wiches.

Go exoticAn easy way to try new foods is to go to restaurants that offer a variety of veggie entrees. Chinese: Try bean curd and vegetable dishes or ask for vegetable fried rice and garlic eggplant. Mexican: Order bean burritos, tacos and tamales. Indian: Try the fabulous vegetable curries, lentil soups, potato-filled samosas and other delights. Japanese, Middle Eastern, Thai and other ethnic restaurants also offer delicious vegan and vegetarian items.

If you’re stuck at a behind-the-times restaurant without many vegetarian options, ask if the chef can whip up a veggie entrée. Most restaurants will gladly accommodate special requests and you’ll be surprised at the creativity of some chefs!

Special eventsIf you’re attending a catered affair, ask the host or caterer ahead of time if veggie op-tions will be served – most catering companies are accus-tomed to serving veggie dishes.

Veggie airline travel couldn’t be

easier. Request a veggie option before flying

and not only will you avoid the rubbery airplane meat, you get served before

everyone else!

Pot lucksWhen dining at someone’s house, let your hosts know in advance that you are a vegetarian or vegan. Offer to bring a veggie dish to share (This is a great way to introduce others to animal-free eating!)

Fire up the grillDon’t give up backyard barbecues just because you’re not eating meat. There are lots of great veggie burgers, hot dogs, chicken patties and other mock meats that taste terrific straight from the grill. Simply baste vegetable

kebabs with marinade then grill them until the

vegetables are slightly blackened,

and you have a delicious

summer treat.

www.GoVeg.co.nzKeep an eye out for SAFE’s newest campaign to help New Zealand go veggie!

www.SAFE.org.nzEverything you’ve ever wanted to know about animal rights in New Zealand.

www.ChooseCrueltyFree.org.nzYour one-stop cruelty-free shop.

www.QuitMeat.org.nzExcellent links to pages about how vegetarianism benefits animals, people, and the earth.

www.Vegetarian.org.nzThe New Zealand Vegetarian Society with links to restaurants, shops and groups you can join.

www.VeganSociety.co.nzThe New Zealand Vegan Society shares recipes and resources to make veganism easy and fun. www.PCRM.orgThe Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine which advocates plant-based nutrition for better health.

www.VegWeb.comThousands of vegan recipes ready to inspire your next meal.

Earthlings DVDGraphic undercover footage showing how animals are used and abused by our society for

food, entertainment, clothing and science. Viewer discretion advised.

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Vegan Living Beverly Lynn Bennett

Easy-to-read manual giving you all the information on vegan food, clothing and transitioning to a new lifestyle.

Skinny BitchRory Freedman and Kim Barnouin

International bestseller showing how

switching to a vegan diet will make you look and feel better than ever!

The China StudyT. Colin Campbell

Shows the link between nutrition and

illness and how a plant-based diet can improve your health.

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Being VegetarianFrankie Wolfe

Great sourcebook

for everything vegetarian, including health, nutrition, recipes and more.

Skinny BastardRory Freedman and Kim Barnouin

What’s good for the bitch

is good for the bastard. A tough-love guide to all guys wanting to shed pounds and get fit the compassionate way.

Additional Resources

PO Box 13 366, ChristchurchPhone: +64 3 379 9711 Fax: +64 3 379 9711

safe@safe.org.nzwww.safe.org.nz