Everything about animals

Vegetarian Recipe - Lasagne

2011-06-21T03:08:00.000-07:00

Serves: 6
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 70 minutes

Ingredients
800 grams vine-ripened tomatoes, cut in half
1 cup basil, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled
30 ml olive oil*
500 grams mushrooms, quartered
400 grams pumpkin, cut into small slices
500 grams eggplant, cut into slices
3 zucchini cut into slices
½ cup fresh mixed herbs, (marjoram, thyme, oregano)
4 cups baby spinach
1 cup low fat ricotta*
1 cup low fat milk*
½ tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup parmesan, grated
black pepper freshly ground
12 sheets wholemeal lasagne

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius.
2. Place the tomatoes in one baking tray with the chopped basil and 10ml of olive oil

3. Brush the sliced eggplant and zucchini with the final 10ml of olive oil and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. In another baking tray place the mushrooms and pumpkin with another 10 ml olive oil and some cracked black pepper.

4. Place the tomatoes and eggplant in the oven for 10 minutes
After 10 minutes add the mushrooms and pumpkin and cook all three for a further 20 minutes or until cooked through.

5. Blend the roasted tomato, basil and garlic to a smooth sauce and lay a small amount across the bottom of a lasagne tray.
Arrange a layer of precooked lasagne over the top of the sauce followed by a layer of mushroom and pumpkin and chopped herbs.
Add a layer of eggplant and zucchini and a layer of sauce.
Cover with a layer of spinach and another layer of lasagne.

6. Repeat the process finishing with a layer of pasta. Rinse the blender and combine the ricotta, skimmed milk and nutmeg and pour that over the top.

7. Sprinkle the parmesan over the top and bake in the oven for 40 minutes.

The Bedlington Terrier

2011-06-19T17:48:00.000-07:00

The first dog I have chosen to do a profile on is not very well know, I think they need more publicity, these guys are adorable and so adaptable. Ok yes, they are a little strange looking, but look past the lamb-like appearance and you will have a loyal friend, if I could, I would have a house filled with them.

The Bedlington Terrier, their name comes from the town of Bedlington in North East England, where they were used for ratting in mines, with the body of a whippet, face of a dashound and the coat of a poodle it is easy to see why they say these dogs have the look of the lamb with a heart of the lion. These dogs are very unique in their appearance and personality and there are few registered breeders in Australia and NZ.

Bedlingtons come in either Blue, Sandy or Liver and can have tan points. Blues are born jet Black, and Sandy or Livers are born with a Chocolate Brown coat, but all lose their coat colour which dims to a silvery or mauve when they reach maturity.

Don’t let the ‘Terrier’ title fool you. The Bedlington is known for its good nature and mild manners and are less boisterous than other Terriers. They are the most reliable of the terriers being incredibly smart, attentive and a loyal family member. Of all the Bedlingtons I have seen, they love nothing more than to lie on or with you, in whatever position, and watch television or cuddle – They love to just hang out with you and will quickly become your shadow. As I said earlier they are extremely adaptable and versatile, they are perfect with children and other animals, mine lived with my two cats and many birds and chickens although keep in mind they were bred to hunt game and are extremely agile (I suppose I was just lucky with mine). They are very entertaining dogs, an extrovert with a bit of a clownish personality and are very excitable, yet gentle.

The Bedlington Terrier has a hypo-allergenic coat which doesn’t shed! Although the grooming requirements can become quite tedious, but if you aren’t planning on showing your dog there’s nothing wrong with straying from the typical Bedlington clip for something that requires a little less upkeep, they will however still need regular grooming. They are a smaller dog, perfect to have in the house and are very clean and particular – I once owned one that refused to walk on wet grass! Beware if attempting to keep them confined, while they are a taller dog they are quite slender and somehow manage to squeeze themselves out of almost anywhere, if left alone they can get quite destructive and are notorious diggers although I had no problems with this… Just those odd things that I left lying around that turning up chewed while I wasn’t home!

Bedlingtons love being the centre of attention so yes, they will cause a bit of mischief when left alone but getting them a companion would most likely fix this problem.

These dogs are highly energetic and will need exercise daily, best in the form of a bit of rough housing in the back yard, they are incredibly agile and their bodies were built to be able to make quick turns and chase down the fastest of hares so unless your dog is exceptionally well trained (like mine ;)) I would recommend keeping them on a leash when out. They are suitable for large yards or apartment settings, as long as they are kept physically and mentally stimulated.

The Bedlingtons are very good watchdogs, though quiet the majority of the time if he is unsure about something he will let you know, their bark sounds worse than they look! They are relatively easy to train.

The lifespan of the Bedlington is approximately 13 years although there have been records to show that some have lived for 18+ years. The only major health issue to be aware of is Coppor Toxicosis, which is a Copper Storage Disease that affects the liver, however this disease has been largely eradicated among breeders and most breeders will test their dogs before they are sold on.

To get a Bedlington within Australia or NZ they are usually between $1000 - $1500 from reputable breeders but worth every cent.

Dog Breed Profiles

2011-06-19T17:45:00.000-07:00

Thinking of getting a dog? Only have a small yard? Do you have small children or livestock? When choosing a dog you must consider the desired temperament, size, exercise, training, grooming and time requirements among others. Each breed of dog has different traits which need to be considered.

I will post a ‘Dog Profile’ once a week to try and assist with your decision making, if you have any questions or would like a particular breed to be covered just let me know.

Lea xoxo

Vegetarian Recipe - Greek Filo Pie

2011-06-19T16:28:00.000-07:00

Preparation Time

20 minutes

Cooking Time

40 minutes

Ingredients (serves 8)

Olive oil, to grease
750g frozen spinach, thawed
80ml (1/3 cup) extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch spring onions, ends trimmed, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
2 eggs, lightly whisked
2 tbs chopped fresh mint
2 tbs chopped fresh dill
2 tbs chopped fresh coriander
200g feta, crumbled
30g (1/3 cup) coarsely grated parmesan
4 sheets filo pastry
Greek yoghurt, to serve
Tomato & basil salad, to serve

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C. Brush a 3cm-deep, 23 x 30cm baking dish with oil to lightly grease. Use your hands to squeeze excess liquid from the spinach.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over low heat. Add the onion, garlic, ground coriander and cumin and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the onion is soft.
Stir in the spinach. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl. Stir in the egg, mint, dill, fresh coriander, feta and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.
Place the filo on a clean work surface. Cover with a clean tea towel, then a damp tea towel (this will prevent the filo from drying out). Brush 1 sheet of filo with oil. Top with another sheet and brush with oil. Repeat with another sheet of filo and oil. Line the prepared dish with the filo stack, allowing the sides to overhang.
Spoon the spinach mixture over the filo in the dish. Brush remaining filo sheet with oil and fold in half. Place over the spinach mixture. Press to enclose filling. Fold over edges to seal. Brush with oil.
Bake the pie in oven for 25-30 minutes or until crisp and golden. Cut into slices and divide among serving plates. Top with a dollop of yoghurt and season with pepper. Serve with tomato & basil salad.

Vegetarian Recipe - Miso Soup

2011-06-10T15:24:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

4 cups water
1/3 cup miso
3 green onions (scallions), chopped
1 tbsp shredded nori or wakame seaweed
1/2 block firm silken tofu, cut into 1 inch cubes
dash soy sauce (optional)
1/2 tsp sesame oil (optional)

Preparation:

Bring water to a slow simmer and add seaweed. Allow to simmer at least 5-6 minutes. The longer you simmer the seaweed, the less of a salty fishy flavor it will have. Reduce heat to very low and add the rest of the ingredients. Stir until miso is well dissolved. Its best not to boil the miso, as this will ruin some of it's healthy properties as well as change the flavor of the soup. Makes 4 servings.

Animals Are Our Future

2011-06-06T20:33:00.000-07:00

Time for a rant…

I am sick and tired of hearing the way people talk about animals, after seeing the footage from Indonesia someone has actually told me that they don’t care how it gets there, as long as it ends up on his plate! I have asked and asked and still haven’t had an answer to this question… Why is an animals’ life less important than ours? Are our appetites more important than the happiness and welfare of a living being?

What gives man the right to treat an animal, or another human being, with such malice and hate?

We have all heard the stories that have surfaced so far this year, the Singapore law student who stomped an Ibis to death because it approach him while he was eating, the derelicts that dragged that poor pony down the road behind their car, the reckless man who purposely jet-skied over a black swan, the man who you-tubed a video of his ‘mate’ an eclectus parrot, attached to the wind screen wipers of his car whilst driving on a highway, not to mention the thousands of stories that aren’t brought to the attention of the public or go completely unnoticed, but are any of these people in serving time?

Many of them get away with nothing more than a fine or a suspended sentence and no criminal record. I am finding it hard to understand how the legal system can fail us in such a big way, they need to pay attention to the cries of the citizens and be more in touch with their fellow man because we will NOT stand for these outrages acts of violence! Australia needs to explore new alternatives in the way of animal cruelty charges and not continue to let these criminals escape punishment from this horrific crime. For people like this to change their habits and their attitude toward animals a more serious punishment needs to be introduced in Australia.

An animal, like a human being, can feel physical and emotional pain, just because their minds aren’t as evolved as ours emotionally doesn’t mean they should be subjected to this torment. They are still living, breathing, loving beings and should be protected from abuse. It is unfair to assume that an animals’ feelings are less important than our own. We as humans need to speak up because animals are unable to speak for themselves, they aren’t vindictive, spiteful or filled with hate they act how you teach them to act, much like your own children, they are loving and giving and don’t deserve this abuse.

And to all those pet owners out there, most of you mean no harm… little do you know that your ignorance is harming your pet and the lives of many other animals. PLEASE, I cannot stress this enough, do the appropriate research before deciding to adopt an animal. Buy a breed of dog that suits the needs of your home, don’t expect a border collie or similar to live in a small yard and then hand it to the RSPCA after you decide it has behavioural problems, separate your guinea pigs if you do not wish for them to breed, don’t buy a fighter fish with the impression that they can live in a damn cup! Keep your cats inside of a night time to protect them and our wildlife, provide an adequate diet for your pet and above all else DESEX YOUR ANIMALS! I don’t care if it’s ‘expensive’ to feed your animals a diet of premium food or if it costs money to desex and animal and keep its flea treatment and vaccinations up to date, if you can’t afford an animal don’t buy one. They are not second class citizens, they deserve the best care we can provide for them. If I’ve offended you, suck it up, at the end of the day I’m more interested in the animals’ welfare than the effect it has on your pocket. Humans have ruined this land and raped it of all its gifts, it’s time to start giving back.

Vegetarian Recipe - Tofu Summer Rolls

2011-06-05T19:20:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

Makes 8 rolls
150g dried rice vermicelli
200g block of marinated tofu, sliced into 1cm batons (I like the Soyco brand available at Woolworths)
½ small iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 carrot, finely grated
½ bunch Vietnamese mint, leaves picked
8 x rice paper rounds

Optional: peanut dipping sauce

Instructions
1. Soak the rice vermicelli in boiling water (from a kettle is fine) in a large bowl for ten minutes until softened. Drain and rinse under cold running water.
2. Set up a workstation with the tofu, lettuce, carrot and mint in separate bowls or piles on a bench. Fill a bowl larger than the rice paper rounds with warm water and dip one of them into it for ten seconds or so to just soften.
3. Place a softened rice paper round on a clean damp tea towel and top with the lettuce, then vermicelli, carrot, mint and tofu. Fold both ends in and roll up tightly. Place on a plate and cover with another clean damp tea towel while you repeat with the remaining rice paper rounds and ingredients. Serve as is or with peanut dipping sauce, if you like.

Variation: Try substituting poached and shredded chicken or cooked prawns instead of tofu.

Vegetarian Recipe - Trifle

2011-06-03T16:51:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

Sponge:
4 free range eggs, at room temperature
2/3 cup (140g) caster sugar
2-3 Tbsp (30g) gluten free dairy free custard powder
1 ½ Tbsp soy flour
¾ tsp gluten free baking powder
½ cup sweet sherry (optional)

Fruit Filling
420g canned apricot halves, drained, roughly chopped, liquid reserved
420g canned peaches, sliced, drained, roughly chopped, liquid reserved

Custard
2 ½ cups Vitasoy Soy Milky Vanilla
¼ cup (50g) caster sugar
½ cup gluten free dairy free custard powder
2 tsp vanilla essence

Topping
1 packet strawberry jelly crystals

Instructions

To Make the Sponge:
Preheat oven to 160^oC. Grease two round sandwich pans 19cm diameter. In a large bowl, beat eggs with electric beaters for 8 minutes or until thick and foamy. Beat in sugar until all dissolved.
Into a separate medium bowl, sift together dairy free custard powder, soy flour and baking powder. Fold into egg mixture with a metal spoon, ensure well combined. Pour into two prepared sandwich pans, bake 15-20 minutes or until it springs back to touch. Allow to cool for 3 minutes in pan then invert onto wire rack to cool completely.

To Construct the Trifle:
Cut each sponge in half to make 4 thin disks. Then into large pieces and press firmly into the base and sides of a 2.5L glass bowl. Slightly overlap the pieces of sponge. Drizzle sherry all over the sponge and allow to soak in. Fill the centre of the prepared base with chopped tinned fruit to approximately 2/3 full. Pour in enough reserved juice to soak the sponge.

Next, make the custard. In a small bowl, combine ½ cup of Vitasoy Soy Milky Vanilla and dairy free custard powder to form a smooth paste. Set aside. In a small saucepan, heat remaining Vitasoy Vanilla Soy Milky and sugar over medium-high heat until almost boiling. Reduce heat to low. Stir paste into heated Vitasoy Soy Milky Vanilla mixture, stirring until well combined and custard very thick. Remove from heat and pour over fruit in prepared sponge base shell. Place in refrigerator for one hour to allow to cool whilst preparing the jelly.

In a heat-proof container, prepare jelly according to packet directions, however using only 3/4 the recommended quantity of water. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature, then place in refrigerator to become firmly set. When jelly is set, scoop out of the container and fully cover the custard with a rough topping of jelly. Place in refrigerator until serving.

Serves 8-10

Vegetarian Recipe - Asparagus & Feta Omelette

2011-06-03T04:28:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

Preparation: 10 minutes Cooking: 5 minutes

Serves: 1
3 asparagus spears
2 medium eggs
2 tbsp Vitasoy Calci-Plus
½ tsp oil
20g reduced fat fetta cheese

Instructions

Step 1
Steam or microwave the asparagus spears until tender.
Step 2
Whisk the eggs with Vitasoy Calci-Plus and season with pepper.
Heat ½ tsp of oil in a non-stick frying pan; pour egg/soy milk mixture into the pan.

Step 3
Once the egg is almost set, lay the asparagus down one side and crumble
fetta cheese over the top. Step 4 Fold over one half of the omelette to cover the filling and thereafter heat all the way through.

Step 4
Serve with a salad of spinach leaves and fresh tomatoes.

Great choice for:
Weight Management
Active Males can serve with toast
Active Females can serve with toast

This recipe is:
Vegetarian • Gluten free (Substitute Vitasoy Calci-Plus for Vitasoy Soy Milky Lite)

Nutritional information
Energy 1021kJ Protein 20.4g Total Fat 16.5g Saturated Fat 5.4g Carbohydrate 3.4g Sugar 2.7g Sodium 371mg Calcium 176mg

Vegetarian Recipe - Creamy Mushroom Pasta

2011-05-28T16:00:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

Preparation: 10 minutes Cooking: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
500g penne pasta
1 tbsp dairy-free margarine
1 brown onion, chopped
200g mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp flour
1 tsp vegan stock powder, salt reduced
1 ½ cups Vitasoy High-Fibre
100g baby spinach leaves

Instructions

Step 1
Cook the pasta according to packet directions. Heat a large frying pan, melt margarine,
add onion, mushrooms and cook until onion transparent.

Step 2
Sprinkle flour into the pan and stir, cook for 2 minutes while continuing to stir, then
crumble stock cube and add Vitasoy High-Fibre to the pan. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat
and simmer until the mixture thickens.

Step 3
Stir in baby spinach leaves and continue to cook until the spinach is wilted.
Serve immediately on the cooked pasta.

Nutritional information
Energy 2281kJ Protein 20.0g Total Fat 7.0g Saturated Fat 1.3g Carbohydrate 95.0g Sugar 3.3g Sodium 263mg Calcium 155mg

Great choice for:
Active Males
Active Females

This recipe is:
Low fat (2.1g per 100g) • Lactose free • Dairy and Lactose free • Vegetarian • Vegan

Vegetarian Recipe - Dairy Free Banana Bran Muffins

2011-05-27T19:34:00.001-07:00

Ingredients

1 ½ cups bran
1 cup standard flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup sugar
1 banana, mashed
1 tablespoon margarine, melted (or *non-dairy margarine)
1 tablespoon honey, melted or runny
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
¾ cup milk *(or *Vitasoy Calci-Plus Soymilk)

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease a muffin tray.
Step 2: Mix flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and bran. Separately mix baking soda with Vitasoy Calci-Plus Soymilk and egg until well mixed, and then add spread, honey and banana and stir. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients and stir only until combined.
Step 3: Spoon into muffin tray and bake in oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown (if they bounce back when you press the centre of the muffin, they’re ready).
Step 4: Remove from oven and leave to sit for 5 minutes.

Recipe Information
Portions: makes 6–8
Time to make: 40 minutes
Dairy-free
Low fat

Goldfish

2011-05-26T01:29:00.000-07:00

Every family has owned a goldfish at some point for a short period of time, it may surprise you to learn that a goldfish’s' life span is estimated to be 10 - 15 years with some breeds reaching up to 30 years! Unfortunately, fish are kept in inadequate environments and often don't live to their full potential.

Try to gather as much information as you can about an animal before purchasing one as a pet, as trivial as it seems a goldfish is an animal and are capable of feeling pain.

The first problem I need to address is the myth that goldfish will only grow to the size that suits the enclosure they are provided, Goldfish can actually grow quite large and you need to keep this in mind when deciding on a tank. When goldfish are placed in a small bowl it may grow slowly compared to when given adequate space but as you can imagine, stunting your fish’s growth isn’t good for his health. The bigger the tank the better, like us, fish need exercise too!

To go with your decent sized tank you will need to purchase a good filtration system as goldfish produce a high amount of waste, any pet shop should be able to give you advice on what filter would suit your aquarium, I would also recommend an aeration system such as air stones to better oxygenate the water. To optimise your pet’s health change NO MORE THAN 10-25% of water weekly, remove waste from the tank using a gravel siphon and avoid placing the aquarium in direct sunlight as this promotes algae growth. Only rinse the filter once a month or when the filter gets clogged, washing the filter more often than needed and/or replacing too much of the aquariums water when cleaning will wash away beneficial bacteria which is necessary to break down the ammonia from the fish’s waste into nitrates which are less harmful.

Another helpful tool is a simple test kit, regularly test ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels and keep an eye on pH, KH, GH and water temperature.

The following are correct water parameters according to the RSPCA

Ammonia <0.1ppm

Nitrite <0.2ppm

Nitrate <50ppm (<110ppm tolerance)

pH 6.5-7.5 (tolerance range: 5.0-9.0)

KH KH 70-140 ppm

GH GH 150ppm

Temperature 20-24^oC (tolerance range: 8-30^oC)

Please be advised that the above only applies to goldfish, specific fish require different water conditions.

Provide lots of aquarium plants, both real and fake, for your goldfish as they are naturally prey animals and prefer to have somewhere to hide, real plants also provide some environmental enrichment and extra nutrients.

After you have created a lovely space for your goldfish to live you may want to get him some friends, fancy goldfish are unable to swim as quickly as others and are therefore prone to being picked on. It is advisable to keep fancy goldfish by themselves and goldfish with a single tail such as comets with likewise. Try to feed a variety of specialised goldfish flake & granules and supplement this with a mixture of frozen brine shrimp, daphnia and veggie mix, only feed as much as your fish will eat within 30seconds to reduce waste.

Vegetarian Recipe - Avacado & Cheese Dip

2011-05-26T00:15:00.000-07:00

Preparation Time

10 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

1 ripe avocado, halved, stone removed,
70g (1/4 cup) thick natural yoghurt
20g (1/4 cup) cheddar cheese, finely grated
rice crackers, to serve

Method

Place avocado in a small bowl and use a fork to mash until almost smooth. Add yoghurt and cheese, and stir until the mixture is well combined. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with rice crackers.

Keeping Guinea Pigs

2011-05-23T17:11:00.000-07:00

Guinea pigs are usually thought of as the 'low maintenance' pet, people buy them without doing the appropriate research which means the pets aren't given the best care possible. So let's get back to basics with a general guide to keeping guinea pigs.

Housing

Guinea pigs don’t take up much room, they can be kept almost anywhere in the house. The best place to keep them is in a wooden hutch with a strong wired bottom and sat on the grass outside, or kept inside in an enclosure with a plastic bottom. Keep in mind, they may be small but they too need regular exercise, the preferred measurements for enclosures are 1.4m x 70cm for two guinea pigs, 1.6m x 80cm for three guinea pigs.

Temperature Control

Guinea Pigs should not be kept in places where the temperature exceeds 30°C as they could suffer from heat stroke, keep them in shaded areas or inside and in hot weather put a frozen water bottle inside your pet’s enclosure, they will lick it and lie on it to cool themselves down if needed, cold watermelon is also a great treat on summer days. In the colder months try to provide your Guinea Pig with extra bedding, drape a towel over the cage and a hot water bottle, be sure to allow room for them to get away from the hot water bottle if they need to. Your Guinea Pigs’ appetites will increase during the colder months and they will require higher doses of vitamin c to help keep away colds and pneumonia, Oats are great to add to your Guinea Pigs’ pellet mix to keep up their condition.

Bedding

Bedding can consist of Fresh hay, wood shavings, breeders choice kitty litter or shredded newspaper. Be aware of crystal kitty litter as this can be poisonous to your guinea pigs. All substrates will need changing regularly.

Temperament

Guinea Pigs can be very social animals, but like all rodents, should be handled from an early age if they are to be regularly handled. They love to be held and love company. It is recommended to house sows (female guinea pigs) with other sows, boars (male guinea pigs) when housed together tend to be aggressive.

Diet

Guinea Pigs are strict herbivores and should not be fed dairy or meat products. Their diets should consist of fresh fruit and vegetables, grass, commercial Guinea Pig pellets, fresh hay which aids in digestion and of course they require fresh water. Guinea Pig pellets should consist of at least 16% crude fat and the same, or more fibre.

While Guinea Pigs are easy to care for they do have some special requirements in relation to diet - Guinea Pigs are unable to store vitamin c in their bodies and therefore need to be given vitamin c daily, Choko, Capsicum and Parsley are good sources of this. Their teeth constantly grow so they will need some suitable items to chew on to help wear them down such as commercially bought wood chews, carrot, hay etc.

Worming

Guinea Pigs need to be wormed regularly, small animal wormer can be bought either at your veterinarian’s or in a pet store.

Grooming

Try to bathe your guinea pig at least once every 3 months, long hair Guinea Pigs will require regular grooming and bathing once every 2 months as well as regular coat clips. Nails need upkeep also, keep an eye on them and trim them when needed.

If you feel that I have missed anything out or have any questions feel free to leave a comment and I will get back to you.

Vegetarian Recipe - Tomato, Basil & Feta Spaghetti

2011-05-23T15:47:00.001-07:00

Ingredients (serves 4)

400g dried spaghetti pasta
100ml extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
500g grape or mini roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 cups roughly-torn basil leaves
150g Greek feta cheese, crumbled

Method

Cook spaghetti in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, following packet directions, until tender. Drain spaghetti and set aside.
Return saucepan to medium heat. Add oil, garlic and tomatoes. Season well with pepper. Cook, tossing, for 1 to 2 minutes or until tomatoes are hot. Add spaghetti, basil and feta. Toss gently for 1 minute or until heated through. Serve.

Vegetarian Recipe - Cheesy Potatoes

2011-05-21T21:37:00.001-07:00

Ingredients (serves 4)

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon oil
3 large Sebago potatoes, peeled, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups grated tasty cheese

Method

Heat butter and oil in a 26cm (base) non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Once sizzling, remove pan from heat. Arrange half the potatoes, overlapping slightly, over entire surface of frying pan. Repeat to form 2 layers.
Sprinkle potatoes with cheese, and salt and pepper. Return frying pan to stovetop over low heat. Cover with a lid or foil. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Remove lid. Cook for a further 10 minutes. Invert onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges. Serve.

Companies That DO Test on Animals

2011-05-20T03:42:00.000-07:00

Pledge to be Cruelty Free!
The list of Companies to stay away from.

GlaxoSmithKline

Schering-Plough

Bic Corporation

Blue Buffalo

Colgate-Palmolive Co.

Dial Corporation

L'Oreal USA

Mead

Melaleuca

New Dana Perfumes

Church & Dwight

Bausch + Lomb

Merck

GlaxoSmithKline

Johnson & Johnson

Clorox

Unilever

S.C. Johnson

Reckitt Benckiser

Procter & Gamble

For a complete list and more information visit PETA

Vegetarian Recipe - Zucchini, Artichoke & Aparagus Frittata

2011-05-20T00:11:00.000-07:00

Ingredients (serves 2)

1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 zucchini, cut into thin matchsticks or coarsely grated
1 eschalot, finely chopped
6 asparagus spears, woody ends trimmed, sliced into 5cm lengths
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
5 eggs, lightly beaten
2 artichokes (80g) in brine, thinly sliced
80g buffalo mozzarella (see note) or 3 bocconcini, torn
Torn sage and basil leaves, to garnish

Method

Preheat grill to high. Heat 2 tsp oil in a 26cm ovenproof frypan over medium heat. Add zucchini, eschalot and asparagus and cook for 1 minute until eschalot softens. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Transfer to a bowl.
Return pan to the heat with remaining oil. Once hot, add the eggs and cook for 1 minute or until starting to set. Scatter over zucchini mixture and artichokes and cook for a further 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle with mozzarella and place under grill for 2 minutes or until golden and mozzarella has melted. Scatter over basil and sage leaves. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and serve immediately.

Notes

Buffalo mozzarella are available from delis and gourmet food shops.

Why Go Veg?

2011-05-18T19:13:00.000-07:00

So you’re taking steps to improve your pet’s life… What about yours?

You’ve probably heard it all before but take a few minutes to read the facts, our appetites are harming more than just our own health.

Save the planet, reduce animal suffering, and improve health in one simple and empowering step!

Going Vegetarian is beneficial to:

You

‘Eating animals is bad for our health, leading directly to many diseases and illnesses, including heart attacks, strokes, cancer, diabetes, and obesity.’ – GoVeg.com

Vegetarians are 50% less likely to develop heart disease, can have a life span 6 – 10 years longer than those that eat meat, have a body weight 3%-20% less than meat eaters, are 9 times less likely to become obese therefore less likely to develop diabetes or have a stroke, and are 40% LESS likely to develop Cancer.

The Environment

Switching to a plant based diet is the single most effective choice that an individual can make to combat the effects of climate change. – Animals Australia.

Livestock, farming and production are responsible for 18% of Global Greenhouse Gas emissions, livestock production is responsible for more greenhouse gases than every single source of transportation put together. Livestock alone are the largest producers of Methane gas which is 21 times more harmful than carbon emissions. A single dairy cow produces 500-700 litres of methane a day.

Livestock production requires more land, water, fossil fuels and other resources than the production of edible crops and is also one of the biggest contributing factors to global warming, loss of fresh water, rainforest destruction, spreading deserts, air and water pollution, acid rain, soil erosion, loss of habitat, 70% of the deforestation in the once mighty Amazon; 64% of all the acid rain-producing ammonia; and 15 out of the 24 global ecosystems that are in decline can be attributed to the effects of livestock production.

In Australia, 58% of the land is used for agriculture, World-wide, livestock now use 30% of the earth’s entire land surface. To create grazing land, trees and vegetation must be cleared, and habitats must be destroyed. Livestock trample or eat any remaining native vegetation. 75% of soya bean crops in Brazil are exported to feed sheep, cattle, pigs and chickens in the Western world. It takes 7kg of soya bean crops to produce just 1kg of meat! To produce animal products, approximately ten times the amount of land is needed than to produce the same amount of vegetable product.

Globally, livestock now produce 130 times the amount of waste that humans do! For example, a farm with 5,000 pigs produces as much waste as a town of 20,000 people and yet this waste remains untreated. This in turn pollutes the soil, surface water, runs off into oceans and pollutes underground drinking water.

One in three people are affected by malnutrition—a factor in at least half of the 10.4 million child deaths each year. Yet, one third to one half the world’s edible harvests are fed to livestock. Conservative estimates predict that a 50% reduction in meat consumption in developed countries could save 3.6 million children from malnutrition. When these estimates are projected to all people in extreme poverty it is estimated that 33.6 million people could be saved from malnutrition.

If Australians alone reduced their meat intake by 1 day per week the savings in greenhouse gas emissions would be the equivalent to the greenhouse gases emitted from seven million plane trips between Brisbane and Perth!

The Animals

The range of abuses that are inflicted on famed animals could warrant animal cruelty charges if they were to happen to cats or dogs. Pigs’ ears and tails are mutilated, Chickens’ and Turkeys’ beaks are cut off and animals are castrated without pain killers. Animals also suffer from being kept in appalling conditions and cages that are too small. Federal laws regarding animals on factory farms aren’t adequate.

On factory farms, animals are crammed by the thousands into filthy windowless sheds. They will not feel the sun on their backs until the day they are loaded into trucks bound for slaughter. More chickens are raised and killed for food than all other farmed animals combined, yet not a single federal law exists to protect the chickens from abuse.

Millions of cows go through the slaughter process kicking and screaming, they are often skinned and dismembered while still completely conscious!

Piglets on factory farms are castrated, have their tails chopped off and have chunks of flesh torn from them all without pain killers.

Fish are dragged from the ocean depths and undergo excruciating decompression, which often ruptures their swim bladders, makes their eyes pop out, and pushes their stomachs through their mouths.

By living on a vegetarian diet you will be saving around 100 innocent lives per year.

Give it a try, to get a FREE Vegetarian/Vegan Starter Kit Or
Try the 30 Day Go Veg Pledge

Poem - Animal Refugees

2011-05-18T15:31:00.000-07:00

The Animal Refugees

I’m the only elephant in Phnomh Penh
No more of my kind you’ll see
My wife ran off from the killing fields
She’s an animal refugee

I’m a Mekong crocodile from Vietnam
When the napalm scorched each tree
I swam to Laos at dead of night
I’m an animal refugee

I’m a slithery snake from Angkor Wat
Where the mountains churned the sea
Now tourists squat in my habitat
I’m an animal refugee

When people’s homes are ripped apart
There’s appeals on world TV
No one saves us. There’s little fuss
For an animal refugee.

Sheena Blackhall

Vegetarian Recipe - Asian 'slaw with crispy noodles

2011-05-18T15:12:00.000-07:00

Ingredients (serves 6)

4 cups shredded baby wombok (Chinese cabbage – see note)
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, peeled, grated
1 cup beansprouts, trimmed
100g snow peas, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves
1/4 cup peanut oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
100g packet crunchy noodles

Method

Place wombok, onion, carrot, beansprouts, snow peas and coriander in a large bowl.
Whisk oil, lime juice, sugar and sesame oil together in a bowl. Pour over cabbage mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Sprinkle with noodles. Serve.

Notes

You'll need about 1/2 baby wombok.

Variation: For a spicier version, add 1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce in step 2. Serve with panfried fish cakes, pork fillet or cooked prawns

For more Vegetarian Recipes Click Here!

Vegetarian Recipe - Herbed Vegetable & White Bean Soup with Garlic Toasts

2011-05-17T02:12:00.000-07:00

Preparation Time

30 minutes

Cooking Time

25 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

1 tbs olive oil
1 leek, pale section only, washed, thinly sliced
2 celery sticks, trimmed, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, peeled, finely chopped
2 green zucchini, ends trimmed, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1L (4 cups) vegetable stock
2 strips lemon rind, white pith removed
1 x 400g can cannellini beans, rinsed, drained
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh continental parsley
1 tbs coarsely chopped fresh oregano
Freshly ground black pepper
4 thick slices sourdough, toasted
1 garlic clove, extra, peeled, halved
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Method

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the leek, celery, carrot and zucchini and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute or until aromatic.
Add the stock and lemon rind. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Discard rind.
Add the cannellini beans and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until heated through. Remove from heat. Add the parsley and oregano, and stir to combine. Season with pepper.
Rub toast with garlic. Ladle the soup among cups and drizzle with oil to serve

For more Vegetarian Recipes Click Here!

Household Products That Could Kill your Bird

2011-05-14T20:43:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe something as simple as cooking a stir-fry could kill your bird! But it can.

While working in a Pet Store a lady came to me with a question about her cockatiel. She had a gathering of friends over for a BBQ, while sitting around and having a chat her cockatiel became quite noisy and the group were laughing and thought this chatty bird was marvellous... seconds later he died. I had the unfortunate task of informing her that the BBQ had actually killed him and he was being 'chatty' because he was being poisoned by the fumes from the BBQ.

The list of toxic things that you commonly use in your household is huge, I will try to name as many things as possible.

FOODS
Avoid anything high is salt, sugar, and fat content. Alcohol, Apple seeds, Apricot pits, Asparagus, Avocado (entire plant and fruit), Kidney & Lima Beans, Butter, Caffeine, Carbonated beverages, Cherry pits, Chocolate, Dried fruits (containing sulfides or sulphates), Egg Plant, Gatorade, Milk/cream in large quantities, Nectarine pits, Olives, Onions (raw or cooked), Peach pits, Pear pips, Plum pits, Raw Peanuts, Rhubarb, Tobacco, Tomato (entire plant, a little fruit okay), Some Houseplants.

HOUSEHOLD ITEMS
Alcoholic Drinks, Ammonia, AntiFreeze, Ant Syrup or Paste, Arsenic, Asbestos, Austo Products, Bathroom Cleaners, Bleach, Boric Acid, Camphophenique, Carbon Monoxide, Carpet Cleaners, Charcoal Fluids, Chlorine, Chlordane, Cigarette smoke, Clinitest Tablets, Copper/Brass Cleaner, Wart Remover, Doederants, Detergent, Diazinon, Disinfectents, Drain Cleaner, Epoxy Glue, Felt Tip Pens, Flea Products, Floor Cleaner, Garden Sprays, Gasonline, Hair Dye, Hair Spray, Herbicides, Insecticides, Iodine, Kerosene, Lighter Fluid, Matches, Melaleuca Oil, Mothballs, Muriatic Acid, Nail Polish & Remover, Nitrogen Dioxide, Over Cleaner, Over-heated Non Stick Cookware, Paint, Paint Thinner, Perfume, Pesticides, Photo Solutions, Pine Oil, Rodenticides, Scented Candles, Shaving Lotion, Shoe Polish, Snail Bait, Spot Removers, Spray Starch, Strychnine, Sulfuric Acid, Super Glue, Suntan Lotions, Surgical Acrylics, Tea Tree Oil, Turpentine, Wax, Weed Killers, Window Cleaners, Wood Preservatives.
Zinc poisoning comes from new cages and toys etc. Before introducing your birds to either of these scrub them down with water & white vinegar, make sure there are no small clumps of Zinc attached to any of the wire!

Teflon is also a big problem, the fumes from your lovely new teflon frying pan are actually killing your bird, keep them well away from the kitchen area while cooking - this goes for BBQ's aswell!

Avoid using these products around your birds, they are not only toxic if ingested but the fumes can also poison your bird.
If you are ever concerned call your Veterinarian.

If you'd like to add anything to the list or ask any questions feel free to comment =) I'd love to hear your suggestions!

Vegetarian Recipe - Broccoli & Chilli Pasta

2011-05-14T17:54:00.000-07:00

Ingredients (serves 4)

375g dried elbow pasta
400g broccoli, cut into small florets
1/3 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
100g feta cheese, crumbled

Method

1. Cook pasta in a saucepan of boiling, salted water, following packet directions, until tender, adding broccoli for last 4 minutes of cooking. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid.

2. Return pasta and broccoli to pan. Add oil, garlic and chilli flakes. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with feta. Serve.

Notes

· You could use 300g sugar snap peas instead of broccoli, and 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves instead of chilli flakes.

Vegetarian Recipe - Greek Filo Pie

2011-05-10T02:37:00.000-07:00

Preparation Time

20 minutes

Cooking Time

40 minutes

Ingredients (serves 8)

Olive oil, to grease
750g frozen spinach, thawed
80ml (1/3 cup) extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch spring onions, ends trimmed, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
2 eggs, lightly whisked
2 tbs chopped fresh mint
2 tbs chopped fresh dill
2 tbs chopped fresh coriander
200g feta, crumbled
30g (1/3 cup) coarsely grated parmesan
4 sheets filo pastry
Greek yoghurt, to serve
Tomato & basil salad, to serve

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C. Brush a 3cm-deep, 23 x 30cm baking dish with oil to lightly grease. Use your hands to squeeze excess liquid from the spinach.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over low heat. Add the onion, garlic, ground coriander and cumin and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the onion is soft.
Stir in the spinach. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl. Stir in the egg, mint, dill, fresh coriander, feta and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.
Place the filo on a clean work surface. Cover with a clean tea towel, then a damp tea towel (this will prevent the filo from drying out). Brush 1 sheet of filo with oil. Top with another sheet and brush with oil. Repeat with another sheet of filo and oil. Line the prepared dish with the filo stack, allowing the sides to overhang.
Spoon the spinach mixture over the filo in the dish. Brush remaining filo sheet with oil and fold in half. Place over the spinach mixture. Press to enclose filling. Fold over edges to seal. Brush with oil.
Bake the pie in oven for 25-30 minutes or until crisp and golden. Cut into slices and divide among serving plates. Top with a dollop of yoghurt and season with pepper. Serve with tomato & basil salad.

For more Vegetarian recipes Click Here!