Alexia’s back from holiday, refreshed and raring to go. I had lots of fun relaxing in the Devonshire countryside, ahhh … Kudos to Goldsmith for looking after the blog last week, but it’s now safely back in my hands, muahahaha.

And what great news to return to. Following an International Whaling Commission meeting last week, Greenland has been denied approval to expand its whale slaughter. Excuse me for a moment while I stifle a triumphant yelp (*$@&woo!). Whales die a horrible, long and painful death during harpooning, and some take hundreds of bullets to eventually lose the battle and breathe their last breath.

There’s a whole lot of detail to go with this story at the BBC, and a cute ‘design your own whale’ widget you can check out here.

Oh my goodness! I love it when someone sends me one recipe let alone 8!!! I totally have to share these with you – my personal favourite is the vegan quiche – sooooo nice! Without further ado, go and get breakfast made. What are you waiting for!! (you can of course invite me – only good cooks need apply!)c

Vegan Quiche

Vegan Quiche

1 onion
6 mushrooms
1 pepper
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp cooking oil to fry the veggies
250 g shortcrust pastry (try JusRol frozen pastry)
250 g plain or smoked tofu
Splash of soya milk
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/3 block vegan cheese (try Redwood’s or Sheese)
7 cherry tomatoes, halved

• Preheat the oven to 400°F/205°C.

• Chop the vegetables and garlic finely and fry in the oil over low heat until soft. Roll out the pastry or press into a quiche dish with your fingers. Blind bake in the oven for 5 minutes.

• Chop the tofu roughly and blend, along with the soya milk, salt and pepper, into a smooth paste in the blender.

• Remove the veggies from the heat and the quiche dish from the oven. Pour the blended tofu into the pan with the veggies and stir. You will see liquid rising from the vegetables, diluting the tofu mixture. Grate the soya cheese into the mixture until it stiffens. (Smoked tofu will require less “cheese” to stiffen than plain tofu.) Dollop the mixture into the pastry-lined quiche dish and garnish with the cherry tomatoes. Bake for about an hour or until brown on top.

Variations: Use any veggies you like. The recipe above is just a basic quiche. Try adding chopped faux bacon for extra flavour. If you prefer crunchy veggies, don’t precook them.

Sosmix Fry-Up

This English breakfast is easy and delicious – enjoy it after a night on the town or for a Sunday brunch.

1 small bowl of Sosmix (sausage substitute mix available at any whole-food shop), ready-mixed with water
1 onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. oil
2 tomatoes, quartered
6 mushrooms, chopped
2 pkgs Redwood Cheatin’ Rashers
1 small can baked beans
2 slices whole-wheat bread
Margarine (for the toast)

• Allow the Sosmix to stand for 10 minutes, then roll into “sosages” and set aside.

• Fry the onion in the oil in a frying pan. Add the tomatoes and sosages.

• Add the mushrooms and the Cheatin’ Rashers (if you can find any room!).

• Gently heat the beans in a separate pan.

• Toast the bread and spread on some margarine.

• Serve the fry-up on the bread. Enjoy!

Vegan Eggs Benedict

Create a gourmet breakfast with this vegan twist on a French classic.

For the Vegan Hollandaise Sauce:
6 ripe yellow tomatoes
50 ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for tossing with the tomatoes
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Pinch of white pepper
2 Tbsp white vinegar or wine vinegar
2 Tbsp vegan margarine
2 tsp arrowroot mixed with 60 ml cold water

• Preheat the oven to 300°F/150°C.

• Toss the tomatoes in some olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes. Flip over and roast for another 30 minutes.

• Remove from the oven and place in a blender, pulsing to chop. Slowly add the 50 ml oil and the mustard, white pepper and vinegar, blending until fully emulsified. Strain through a sieve.

• Place the sauce in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the vegan margarine and the arrowroot mixture and whisk until thickened. Taste and adjust the seasonings. (To save time, make the Vegan Hollandaise Sauce a day in advance and reheat for serving.)

For the ‘Eggs’ and ‘Bacon’:
3 Tbsp unbleached white flour
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
Pinch of turmeric
Garlic powder, to taste
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
450 g firm tofu, cut into 6 flat rounds (6 mm thick)
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
6 slices veggie bacon

• In a bowl, mix the flour, nutritional yeast, turmeric, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Dredge the tofu in the flour mixture and shake off any excess.

• In a medium pan, heat the vegetable oil over high heat. Fry each side of the tofu rounds until golden. Remove and place on paper towels to drain.

• In the same pan, cook the veggie bacon for 1 to 2 minutes on each side and set aside.

To Assemble:
6 whole-wheat English muffins
1 Tbsp vegan margarine
3 Tbsp minced fresh chives

• Toast the English muffins and spread with the vegan margarine. Top each half with one tofu round and one slice of the veggie bacon. Place on serving plates.

• Spoon the Vegan Hollandaise Sauce on top. Sprinkle with the chives and serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings

Breakfast Burritos

Making breakfast for picky eaters? Customise these burritos with salsa, soya cheese and shredded lettuce for a healthy, protein-packed start to your day.

6 whole-wheat tortillas
4 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 onion, finely diced
450 g firm tofu, crumbled
1 handful chopped vegetables of your choice (try green onions, tomatoes, mushrooms and bell peppers)
1/8 tsp turmeric
Salt and pepper, to taste
Veggie sausage, crumbled
Tabasco or other hot sauce, optional

• Place the tortillas between two wet paper towels, wrap them in foil and heat them in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes at 200°F/93°C.

• In a large frying pan, heat 2 Tbsp of the vegetable oil over medium heat.

• Add the garlic and onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tofu, vegetables, turmeric and salt and pepper and continue to cook over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes.

• Meanwhile, in another frying pan, heat the remaining oil, add the faux sausage and cook until the “sausage” is browned.

• Add the “sausage” to the tofu mixture and stir to combine.

• Scoop the mixture into the tortillas, fold them up and serve immediately.

• Serve with hot sauce.

Makes 6 servings

Tofu Scramble

1 packet firm tofu, drained and crumbled
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
125 g green pepper, chopped
125 g onion, chopped
75 g fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric
75 to 125 ml barbecue sauce (optional)
50 g Bac-o-Bits (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste

• Sauté the crumbled tofu in the oil until dry. Add the remaining ingredients and continue to cook for 5 to 10 minutes.

Makes 4 servings

Creamed ‘Beef’ on Toast

Start your day off right with this hearty recipe.

2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp non-dairy margarine
1 small onion, finely diced
100 g flour
1/2 litre soya milk
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 pkg faux ground beef
8 slices whole-wheat bread, toasted

• In a large sauté pan, heat the vegetable oil and non-dairy margarine over medium heat, add the onion and cook until the onion is translucent and soft. Add the flour and stir until it thoroughly coats the onion. Add the soya milk, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce and whisk until the mixture is thick and bubbly.

• Reduce the heat to low, add the faux ground beef, stir, and cook for several minutes until the “beef” is heated through.

• Serve the creamed “beef” over slices of toast.

Makes 4 servings

Easy Peanut Butter Breakfast Wrap

Take five minutes in the morning to make a healthy meal to start your day.

6-8 Tbsp crunchy peanut butter
4 whole-grain flour tortillas
2 bananas, sliced
1 apple, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp raisins

• Spread one-fourth of the peanut butter on 1 tortilla. Layer one-fourth of the remaining ingredients on top.

• Roll tightly. Slice in half on a diagonal.

• Repeat until all the ingredients are used.

Makes 4 servings

Breakfast Parfait

Crunchy granola paired with creamy yogurt makes a delicious and healthy start to your day.

2 handfuls whole-grain granola
1 container vegan yogurt (vanilla or fruit flavoured)
1 banana, sliced
Sliced strawberries or raspberries

• In a tall glass, layer some of the granola, yogurt and fruit. Repeat until the glass is filled or all the ingredients are used.

Makes 1 serving

Your “vegan ingredients put together in a perfect combination” loving Matt!

Today is my last day writing for the blog, at least for a while, as Alexia is back on Monday raring to go.

As such, here is a little light hearted entry for you. I think it’s important now and again to take stock of our companion animals, why we love them and why we should look after them.

This is my housemate Cheech – he resides in our house (but totally doesn’t pay his way – which is unfair in my opinion seeing as how he’s treated like the King of the house!), feral from birth; he was rescued from the Mayhew Animal Home where my other housemate works.

He’s a happy, healthy 1 ½ year old cat who just loves the ethical pet food list that Alistair our Senior Research and Campaigns Coordinator has compiled on our website, he also loves making a disconcertingly loud miaow only when he even suspects food is on the way!

This is a homage to all of his relaxation techniques, including one that would even make a contortionist water at the eyes.

“Vampire Cat”: The protruding tooth is a soul and body balancing technique, also tells people to watch out even when he’s sleeping!

The “Comforter”: both front legs wrapped around the human equivalent of a pillow and then “relaaaax!”

The “Long Cat”: also known as the “ground based relaxed pounce” (carpet needs hoovering – ack!)

Finally, we have the most common, but most difficult for a human to imitate – the “All in one Bendy-cat“

Never one to be outdone, I’ll gladly carry this theme on if you wish to send me cute photo’s of your rescued housemates, let me have them at Mattg@peta.org.uk along with a note to tell everyone about your furry friend.

Your ‘I’m sure I used to be a cat in a former life but now I’m signing off….sob…’ Matt

A historic moment in animal rights is on the cards: Spanish parliament has put forward support for the rights to life and freedom for great apes. This is the first time that any legislation for such rights for non-human animals has been called for at a national level.

Pedro Pozas, Spanish director of the Great Apes Project says. “This is a historic day in the struggle for animal rights and in defence of our evolutionary comrades, which will doubtless go down in the history of humanity,”

Despite not using great apes in experiments in Spain, the current laws do not prevent them from happening. While the proposed law is not yet in force, there is majority, cross-party support for the legislation and officials anticipate it will be in full force within a year. Also covered within this legislation would be keeping apes for circuses, television commercials or filming.

More associated with bull-fighting than animal rights, this fantastic, progressive move will go down in the history books as the start of total animal liberation.

Your ‘looking forward to total animal liberation so I can have a lie in’ Matt

Image: BBC News | CC

Just what am I doing.. someone stop me – it’s almost certain death:

RIGHT!! Roll up, roll up – we have secured 5 places in the Great South run – ‘Europe’s Premier 10-mile road running event’. This 10 mile race is so popular that all of the general entries are usually snapped up sharpish, months before the actual race!!

If you’re interested in a place then please send some information about yourself to info@peta.org.uk. Please mention any running events/fundraising you may have done before, why you support PETA, your interests and anything else you would like to share. The places are £40, and you’ll be running on behalf of PETA – that is, any funds that you raise will go towards PETA’s campaigns. We would like everyone to aim to raise at least £400 for PETA. We will be there every step of the way to help you raise this money so that we, together, can help make the world a nicer place for the animals. (The £40 charge is non-refundable - it’s to cover the entrance fee charged by the organisers.)

The run takes place on the 26th October in the streets of Southsea, Portsmouth – there’s a twist however, if we can only fill 4 of those 5 places, I will put myself forward for doing the event myself – “WHOA There Matt” I hear them shout, “10 miles is a long, hard exhausting effort – and you’re hardly Mr Endurance” (they’re very patronising eh!) BUT – I defy them, not only that, I intend to go fully dressed – in one of PETA’s most torturous items of clothing, the chicken costume! This virtual sweat shop on legs has been known to make people pass out with the heat and there’s no scope for toilet breaks either – Did I mention that you should register?? Pretty please with a cherry on top??

Your ‘ever so slightly worried’ Matt

Fast food chains are offering feedbags for lazy customers – check it out:

Your friendly ‘ever so slightly amused, should have left this until April 1st’ Matt

The answer? They all have had something to do with a decision by Wimbledon’s “All England Club” to stop killing pigeons.

Before I confuse you all to heck, let me explain:

Yesterday we had a report that the Wimbledon tennis authority – the All England Club – was engaged in using the services of army marksmen to destroy pigeons that have been inhabiting areas near the tennis grounds - you can read all this in the International Herald Tribune article here. Now, the point here (aside from the dastardly killing of those poor pigeons) is that according to the Pigeon Control Advisory Service (PiCAS)’s legal review of the Animal Welfare Act of 2006 (The Act) “a property owner must use lethal control as a last resort only if it can demonstrate, in a court of law, which non-lethal methods had been used and only if the target species presents a demonstrable risk to public health and safety.” (emphasis added)

So, sounds like it’s probably illegal bruvva! Of course, we sent a fax to the All England Club and advised the Police that we had done so, asking that this be ceased immediately and that the All England Club be prosecuted for their alleged violations of the law. We also contacted PiCAS (The Pigeon Authority) to let them know about our letter.

All geared up for a battle, we called the All England Club today (Wednesday) who actually confirmed that they will no longer be killing pigeons and will instead enlist the services of a hawk to deter the pigeons from the grounds. This is not a long term solution and it encourages the horribly violent activity of falconry (booo), BUT it will ensure that no more pigeons die at the tennis tournament, and we will be working with PiCAS and the All England Club to ensure that a sensible and ethical procedure is taken on board for the future.

Your “slightly chuffed with a happy outcome” Matt

P.S. Check out our “Fun Facts About Pigeons“

Yet again the “Freedom Food” scheme has come under heavy criticism, this time backed by video evidence and a Five News report – a recent investigation by our friends at Hillside Animal Sanctuary and Five News unearthed evidence of gross neglect of chickens at a farm in Norfolk.

The RSPCA’s Freedom Food scheme is sold to consumers as protecting the welfare of our feathered friends, it is unquestionably a big step up from the standard abuses of most factory farms; the thing that shocks me the most is that the RSPCA were so blasé about the whole affair and only yesterday removed their Freedom Food endorsement from the farm in question. Tell me if I’m wrong but aren’t the RSPCA supposed to be behind undercover investigations and the like, to prevent cruelty to animals?

Good job I wasn’t the undercover reporter or I may have failed to remove my foot from the farm owners’ behind! This kind of blatant mistreatment of animals – only uncovered through clandestine filming – happens daily throughout the nation. While it’s important for this case to be highlighted, I wouldn’t want people thinking that this is a one off thing, which it clearly isn’t – this is still a lot better than all the battery farms around the country. That should turn us all off eating eggs and chicken, at least.

Your ‘desperate to help chickens in need’ Matt

When will people learn? I’m referring to yesterday’s Independent article reporting that tuna are in dire need of conservation, or we may see the last of this majestic creature.

The article is focussing on sustainability, on preserving stocks so the human race can satisfy its greed for years to come, however – I do need to point out that the only real solution, for environmentalists and anyone who cares about animals – which would save us money and improve our health – is to go veg! It’s a bit of a no-brainer really..

There is also an associated problem with the possibility of no tuna in our oceans, and I can’t help but think that nature is having a payback moment in this: it seems that there is now an increase in activity around the Mediterranean resorts from “mauve stingers” – cute looking jellyfish but quite dangerous – and what are the mauve stingers’ natural predators? Yep – tuna!

Your friendly ‘would rather have less stings and more fish in the oceans’ Matt

Very, very angry this time..

So the Mail and the Independent printed an absurd story about a woman who fed her kids a nutritionally deficient, raw food diet. Okay, now that’s not unacceptable. Where I get angry is when they call it a VEGAN diet. C’mon, 99 percent of vegans eat cooked foods and every responsible medical and dietetic body in the world, including the British Dietetic Association, agrees that vegan diets are healthy for children and that studies indicate vegetarian and vegan kids tend to be healthier than meat-eating kids. They are far less likely to be overweight and are far more likely to eat their veggies, an essential part of good nutrition.

It has been reported on before about child obesity – relating to meat based diets – and there is no denying that the UK is going through an epidemic of childhood medical problems – this is happening daily yet one person doesn’t follow a diet properly and because people choose to see vegans/raw foodies as “holier than thou” for some bizarre reason, the article makes it into a national online newspaper (with a factually incorrect title I might add) What is this? Attack vegans month or something?

If this lady wanted to try to raise her kids on a raw diet – (although personally I think there’s no beating a cooked meal on a cold winter evening!) – shouldn’t she have done a better job of researching it? Rule one – if you are going to seriously take on a lifestyle - and raw food, vegan food, vegetarian living is a lifestyle, not a faddy diet - then the first step is to research – let’s face it, you wouldn’t drive a car without lessons, would unlikely be a genius with CRM’s, CMS’ or at CSS (Matt’s geekspeak!) without intensive training, you wouldn’t assume that something written in another language is the gospel truth without first understanding the language..  So why, OH WHY, would you have such a lax attitude towards implementing your dietary choice?

Anyway, are the Indy and the Mail in cahoots (or more likely, can you not find any other unhealthy vegans, guys – I mean c’mon??) Call me a cynic, but the whole thing smacks of poor observation of dietary requirements and an effort to somehow put down the vegan diet again, yawn…..zzzzzz

Your friendly ‘Knows 20+ year healthy vegans so there’ neighbourhood Matt

P.S. Not long to go now with the Morrissey tickets giveaway!!