FriendBurst Blog

How to Live Cruelty Free

Advocate for Saving Dogs™

Animal Rights

♥We♥Are♥All♥Connected♥

One Voice

How to Live a Cruelty-Free Life

Living a cruelty-free life is most often defined as avoiding animal-based products as much as possible, as well as avoiding manufactured items that are tested on animals

Step One

Go vegan.. The best way to begin a cruelty-free life is to not eat animal-based foods, including eggs and dairy products

Step Two

Buy products that say they are cruelty-free.. This means they have not been tested on animals.. Read the labels.. This includes cosmetics, toiletries, household cleaners and laundry products..

Step Three

Avoid buying anything not labeled cruelty-free unless you know for a fact that the manufacturer does not test on animals..

Step Four

Use leather alternatives.. They’ve come a long way, and many look and feel like the real thing..

Step Five

Avoid anything made of real fur.. This includes clothing and novelty items.. Pet toys are sometimes made with real fur.. Check before you buy..

Step Six

Read labels carefully.. Animal-derived ingredients appear when least expected.. Collagen, for example, is normally derived from animals

Step Seven

Look it up.. If you’re unsure about the origin of an ingredient, there are several books on the market to assist consumers in deciphering ingredients.. You can also find relevant information on Web sites..

Step Eight

Stick with companies that you know do not use animal-derived ingredients and do not test their products on animals

Step Nine

Avoid down products.. Synthetics are very advanced now and tend to be warmer, lighter and less allergenic than goose or duck down..

Step Ten

Accept the fact that you can’t avoid all animal products.. For example, you may buy a chair that was manufactured using glue made partially from an animal-based ingredient..

Step Eleven

Do the best you can..

Tips and Warnings

There are hundreds of companies making everything from hair dye to shoe polish that do not test their products on animals.. Many also do not use animal-derived ingredients in their products.. In addition to being cruelty-free, these products tend to be less toxic to both people and the environment..

Let companies know why you are not using their products.. Tell them you only buy cruelty-free products.. This will make a difference.. More and more companies are getting away from animal testing..

Click the bunny below for a listing of
cruelty free products.

One Voice

Now What Do I Eat? For Beginning Vegans

Advocate for Saving Dogs™

Animal Rights

♥We♥Are♥All♥Connected♥
( I dug into the VAULT I had stored to find this gem! hehehe)

Now What Do I Eat? For Beginning Vegans

*♥♥*Garden of Vegan*♥♥ *

Date: 18 Sep 2008, 19:06

As you begin your transition to a more wholesome diet, remember that tastes for foods are learned.. You may want to begin slowly, by replacing high-fat dairy products with fat-free versions and eating meat less often.. However, making a complete break from animal foods is so rewarding that it’s actually easier for most people..

All your needs for protein, calcium and other vital nutrients are easy to satisfy if you eat enough calories each day from a wide variety of foods.. It’s that simple! The only nutrient deserving extra consideration is Vitamin B-12, which, since it is made by bacteria, is not naturally present in plants (or meat).. Your B-12 requirements can be easily met by including a cereal or soymilk fortified with B-12, or a B-12 supplement twice a week..

Step 1
Reduce or eliminate red meat, poultry and fish.. Replace with health-supporting grain, legume and potato-based dishes. Or, start by giving yourself larger servings of rice, potatoes and vegetables at meals — and ever smaller portions of meat..

Step 2
Increase intake of calcium-rich vegetables — broccoli, kale, collards, mustard and turnip greens, bok choy, black beans, chick peas, calcium-processed tofu, calcium-fortified soymilk, calcium-fortified orange juice and blackstrap molasses.. Choose more raw fruits and vegetables: cooking destroys nutrients.. Try for 50% of your daily intake as uncooked foods and gradually increase the proportion.. Buy organic..

Step 3
Reduce the “luxury” fats. Hydrogenated oils (like margarine) are artificially thickened vegetable oils that can damage your arteries and have been linked to some cancers.. Gradually eliminate both butter and margarine from your diet. Reduce your use of cooking oils and oil-based salad dressings. Switch to nonfat (or low-fat) versions of prepared foods (and dairy products, if you still eat them).. Read product labels.. Replace eggs in baking with two tablespoons of water per egg — or try Ener-G egg substitute..

Step 4
Replace dairy products with non-dairy foods.. Delicious milks, cheeses, and frozen desserts based on soy, rice, nuts and seeds are available in health food stores and many grocery stores

Step 5
Reduce refined carbohydrates (white flour, white sugar, white rice, etc..) By choosing whole grain products and natural sweeteners (fruits, juices, maple syrup, etc..)

It’s easy – There is an endless supply of fabulous vegetarian recipes from many cultures – A wide variety of cookbooks are available in bookstores and health food stores

There are several lines of fast foods — pilafs, falafels, humus, “burgers,” “tofu-helpers,” etc — for sale across the country – If you can’t find them in your store, ask your grocer to carry them — she or he is always looking for suggestions – Ask your favorite restaurant to serve vegan burgers, past dishes, etc

Here are some more ideas for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Drinks and Snacks:

Breakfast

Cereal Lovers – Try hot or cold whole grain cereal or granola with soy milk and fruit

Use maple syrup or honey instead of sugar – Try apple juice on granola — it’s great!

Bread Lovers – Try whole grain bread, toast, bagels, non-dairy muffins or specialty breads, with raisins or dates and nuts or seeds – Remember, even soy margarines have just as much fat as butter – Try apple butter, pure fruit jams, nut butters, humus or tahini on your bread or bagel

Egg Lovers – Don’t knock scrambled tofu until you’ve tried it -There are easy mixes put out by several companies, as well as recipes in vegetarian cookbooks – Try sautéing cubed firm tofu with anything you would add to an omelet

Other breakfasts – Treat yourself to waffles or pancakes made with soy milk — try using ½ banana in place of each egg — and smothered in fresh or hot cooked fruit

Make fruit smoothies with everything you can imagine – Use sweet fruit to make breakfast cobbler or pie and you won’t need to add sugar when baking

Lunch or Dinner

Sandwiches – Whole grain breads, avocado, grated carrots, sprouts, lettuce, tomatoes and thinly sliced cucumbers make great sandwiches.. Try nut butters with pure fruit jams or humus with crisp sliced vegetables.. Vegetarian cookbooks have great recipes for spreads.. Falafel is delicious

Salads – Most vegetables can be served raw, chopped small or grated in salads – Cooked beans (garbanzos, kidney, black, lentils, etc ), sprouts, seeds, nuts and avocados are excellent – Try salad dressings with little or no oil and/or flavored vinegars – Stuff your salad into pita bread and add tahini to it

Pasta – Try all those special pastas made with wholesome grains, vegetables and spices -Experiment with marinara, pesto and tomato basil sauces – Try sautéing garlic, onions, summer squash, red bell peppers and tomatoes in a little olive oil — or in a little sesame oil and tamari (soy sauce)

Burritos or Tacos – Try beans (black beans are great), rice or potatoes, avocado, tomatoes, lettuce or crisp shredded cabbage, salsa, soy cheese, etc.. Use soft corn or whole wheat tortillas – Find your own favorite combinations -Nachos con todo (with everything) is a great fast meal

Potatoes – Potatoes can be baked, steamed, mashed or home-fried.. Try them with sauces, salsas, mustard, in soups or salads. Treat yourself to mushroom gravy.. Remember yams and sweet potatoes

Veggie or Tofu Burgers – There are many varieties in stores – They are delicious and easy to bake, fry, barbecue or microwave -Tofu hot dogs are almost indistinguishable from the original – Pile on the lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, ketchup, mustard, tofu mayo and barbecue sauce

Vegetables – Try stir-fried or steamed, served with brown rice, millet, barley or potatoes.. Ad cubed firm tofu and tamari or mushroom gravy for a feast

Pizza – Use whole wheat crust, tomato sauce, spices, soy cheese, and all your favorite trimmings.. Try almonds, garlic, and fresh tomatoes..

Soups – Beans, lentils, nuts, veggies, grains, potatoes, tofu — anything is good in soup – Simmer your favorite vegetables for a few minutes and add a little miso for a quick treat -There are many brands of instant soups made with wholesome an delicious ingredients — just add boiling water, stir and wait

Drinks and Snacks

Milks – Soy, rice, nut or seed milks are perfect substitutes for cow and goat milk-Carob, chocolate and vanilla versions are delicious – Watch out — some have added oils that make them just as high in fat as cow milk

Juices – Many bottled organic juices are available all across the country – Look for local fresh-squeezed brands – Juice your own – Many vegetable juices are just as delicious as fruit juices – Be daring — carrot juice can be habit-forming

Water and Tea – Add sliced lemons, limes, oranges or tangerines to fresh clean water -Try herbal iced teas and hot teas

Snacks – Go for crispy foods like popcorn, pretzels, chips, fresh fruit, carrots, nuts, seeds and celery with almond butter-Enjoy cobblers and pies made from sweet fresh fruit, smoothies, non-dairy cookies and muffins, dried fruit, frozen fruit bars and non-dairy frozen desserts like Rice Dream and Tofutti – Avoid preservatives and buy organic

Eat lower on the food chain –..
it’s healthy, environmentally sound, economical, fun and delicious

People always ask me, like, what do you eat? Well, just about everything else-There’s a lot of things that aren’t meat

— 12th grade student

I hear Bill Clinton talk about the budget and how he wants to help by giving people money for health benefits, and stuff about the hospitals and I just think that if he sent out the word that if you just changed your eating habits just a little bit, it will help your health so much– 10th grade student

I just don’t like eating meat as much because it’s not very good for you and when you know what’s in that you won’t want to eat it either — 6th grade student

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Hold on to your hat – this is VEGAN FOOD LOL!!!!

..
*Most of the food in the video is on my blog.. Bon Appetite : )

Soft Pumpkin Pretzels

Fried Tofu ‘n Biscuits with Gravy

Butter Bean Burger / Penne with Caramelized Cauliflower

Mango Cherry Smoothie / Creamy Cantaloupe Milk

Vegan Baked Ziti

Buffalo Chikn Pizza

Maple Corn Fritters

Vegan Chocolate Chip Brownie Waffles

Creamiest Vegan Mac n’ Cheez EVER

Chinese Take Out Burgers

Double-Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

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Accidentaly Vegan(Things you eat that may already be Vegan)

What the Hell does a Vegan Eat Anyway?

Vegan Lunchbox

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Read about Howard Lyman and why he changed

We’re killing the planet, and ourselves.