THE VEGAN NEWS

SPRING 2006

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In This Issue:

• Recipes
• Vegan Product Review
• Don't Miss! This Month's Article -  Container Gardening
  
• In the Veganic Garden
• Safe Haven for Donkeys in the Holy Land (SHADH)
  
• In the Wildlife Garden  
  
• Web Sites
• Book Review(s)
• The Wildlife Database  

Spring Recipes

Pauline's Veggie Stew

Ingredients

• 1 carrot, chopped into thick slices
  
• 1 medium potato, peeled and chopped into small chunks
• 1 small leek, sliced (optional)
  
• 1 small turnip/parsnip, peeled and chopped into chunks
  
• 3-4 Tbsp fine/medium oatmeal
• Miso (optional, to taste)
  
• 1 Tbsp of tomato puree
• 100g cooked white beans (e.g. soya or haricot beans) (optional)
  
• Small soup pasta shapes/or broken up pieces of spaghetti (optional)
  
• Approx 450ml water

1. Prepare all of the vegetables and place them in a pan.
   
2. Add the tomato puree, oatmeal, pasta and beans. Cover the vegetables with water. Stir well.
   
3. Bring to the boil and simmer until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.
4. Just before serving mix in the miso. Serve with crusty bread.
   

Ingredients

• Approx 100g of cooked white beans (soya or haricot beans work well)
  
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• Approx 120 ml water
• 1 chopped tomato (optional)
• 1 small onion, peeled and chopped (optional)
  

1. Place the beans, tomato puree and water in a small pan.  Add any of the optional ingredients you are using and mix well.
2. Bring to the boil. Simmer gently until heated through and the onion is tender, stirring occasionally and adding some more boiling water, if the sauce becomes too thick.
   
3. Serve on toast, or on top of a baked potato.
   

• 1/2-1 tsp of ready-made mustard
• Chilli powder/or curry powder to taste.

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Spring Product Reviews  

What's Happening in the Veganic Garden this Spring?

For advice on what to plant in March, April and May of this year see the Spring 2004 issue.

• Tamar Organics are now selling leek seed sheets.  Why not try out this easy way to raise leeks?  Contains approximately 270 leek seeds per especially impregnated paper sheet. Just lay the sheet on the soil, lightly cover with soil and the leeks should be ready for transplanting in about six weeks. Price £2.75 per sheet.  Ring 01822 834284 to order, or visit the Tamar Organics website.
  
• Also available from Tamar Organics and worth trying out this year is Speedy, which is probably the fastest growing dwarf French bean around - 60 seeds cost just £1.25.
  
• Suffolk Herbs are now offering an new, improved mangetout variety called Delikett, which is high yielding and only 65cm tall.  Price £1.59 for 200 seeds. If you want to try it out phone 01376 572456 or order online.
• Chiltern Seeds are once again offering Pumpkin Nuts.  These almost black pumpkin seeds can be eaten without peeling.  The pumpkin flesh is also edible. Price £1.90. Contact Chiltern Seeds on 01229 581137 if you would like some.
  
• Finally, Thompson & Morgan are offering four new mini patio vegetables in their 2006 catalogue. These include Aubergine Baby Rosanna, ideal for growing in containers on your patio, Beetroot Pablo F1 - a top quality baby beetroot, Cauliflower Avalanche and Cabbage Redcap F1, a red mini cabbage. Incidently, their complete mini patio vegetable collection was on special offer at the time of writing for £27.99, a saving of £10.33! Phone their orderline on 01473 695225 to place your order.
  

Crops Available this Spring: 

• March: Jerusalem artichokes, Brussels sprouts, leeks, spinach, sprouting broccoli. 
• April:  Asparagus, sprouting broccoli, cabbage, early lettuces.
• May:  Asparagus, broad beans, spring cabbage, lettuce, spring onions, rhubarb, spinach.

Safe Haven for Donkeys in the Holy Land (SHADH)

This UK registered charity is dedicated to caring for sick and unwanted donkeys in the Palestinian Territories.  It is entirely reliant on public support and DONATIONS are vital in order for work to continue. They also run a fundraising lottery, costing just £1.00 a week.  Contact SHADH if you would like an application form - you could win £10,000! Sponsorship forms are also available to people who are willing to hold fundraising events such as coffee mornings, car boot sales, or perhaps even running the London Marathon?! It's also possible to  adopt a donkey for just £4.00 a month.  Other ways you can help include remembering SHADH in your will. To find out more about what you can do, visit the SHADH website.

In the Wildlife Garden  

Verbena (Verbena bonariensis)  

Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum)

Knapweed (Centaurea spp.)

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Other Interesting Websites

The Vegan Society (UK)

Bonnie Lloyd Holistics

October Books

A collection of around 150 recipes, which includes some interesting Thai, Mediterranean, Indian, Japanese and Moroccan dishes. The brief introduction provides general information on the vegan diet and nutrition and some advice on stocking up on vegan ingredients.  Then each recipe has a complete nutrient breakdown, the recipes being divided into starters, snacks and light meals, main courses and desserts.  The book ends with a collection of menu ideas including suggestions for suppers, lunches and picnics.  Earlier recipes tend to involve using deep frying and frying techniques and for some reason the recipe on p. 37 contains butter, which I can only assume must be a misprint! On the whole a varied collection of tasty recipes.  Available from the Vegan Society for £8.99.  ISBN: 84358 023 3

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