Lovers of chocolate single and coupled, likely take advantage of Valentine’s Day as an excuse to indulge. Why go for the same old sampler? Variety is the spice of life. Fire up your taste buds with some sweet treats. There’s something for everyone!

For the animal lover: Rescue Chocolate: 100% of the net profits go to benefit animal rescue organizations.

Last day to order for Valentine’s Delivery: Today! (Feb 5th)
For those in NYC, you can purchase at the Vegan Shop Up on Saturday, Feb 9th at Pine Box Rock Shop in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

Pick: A gift box lets you try them all

For art lovers: Lagusta’s Luscious: Organic and handmade, Lagusta pays attention to the details. Each piece is like a little work of art.

Last day to order for Valentine’s Delivery: Today! (Feb 5th)

For those in New York, you can visit the shop in New Paltz, NY

Pick: Hand-painted chocolate love birds…maybe too pretty to eat

Gone Pie

Last day to order for Valentine’s Delivery: This Friday! (Feb 8th)

For those in NYC, you can purchase at the Vegan Shop Up on Saturday, Feb 9th at Pine Box Rock Shop in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

Pick: Chocolate covered PB crispy hearts

Obsessive Confection Disorder

Last day to order for Valentine’s Delivery: This Friday! (Feb 8th)

Pick: Naught Bites

Gnosis

Last day to order for Valentine’s Delivery: By Noon This Friday! (Feb 8th)

Pick: Passion Truffles

Allison’s Gourmet

Last day to order for Valentine’s Delivery: request delivery by Feb 13th and they’ll try to accommodate.

Pick: Cherry Chocolate Brownies

Vegan Treats

Last day to order for Valentine’s Delivery: ASAP! They’re selling out fast.

Pick: Large candy box so you get the vegan Twix

NYC Special Pick!
Chickpea and Olive

For those in NYC, you can purchase at the Vegan Shop Up on Saturday, Feb 9th at Pine Box Rock Shop in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

Pick: All their truffles are delicious, but definitely try the Sesame.

Mercy for Animals’ undercover investigators have again brought to light animal cruelty at Butterball turkey facilities in North Carolina. According to the nonprofit organization, abuses documented last month included:

• workers kicking and stomping on birds, dragging them by their wings and necks
• throwing turkeys onto the ground or on top of other birds
• serious untreated illnesses and injuries, including open sores, infections, and broken bones

This new footage comes on the heels of a guilty plea, in August, for felony animal cruelty by a former Butterball employee. The latest footage echoes the cruelty of last year. Butterball is the world’s largest producer of turkey meat, responsible for “30 percent of the 46 million turkeys who are killed for Thanksgiving.”

Ahead of the holiday, MFA felt strongly about promoting awareness of the footage. In the initial days following its release, their main website, MercyForAnimals.org, redirected to a special investigations site, ButterballAbuse.com.

MFA encourages leaving turkeys, as well as other animals, off your holiday menus. Get some great ideas at ChooseVeg.com.

Celebrate life this holiday by not taking it. Reportedly, more than 45 million turkeys will be killed for Thanksgiving day meals. (Source: PETA)

Instead, start a new tradition with Farm Sanctuary. Your $30 gift helps the organization care for the rescued animals, the few of many.

You can help so many more, by choosing to leave turkeys and other animals off your plates.

If you’re in the NYC area, get ready for the holiday with A Very Vegan Thanksgiving hosted by U.S. Veg Corp. This feast will take place this upcoming Monday, November 19, 2012 at 7pm. At $45 a ticket, this three course meal will be well worth it.

If you’ve never had the pleasure of eating at one of Blossom’s newest restaurants on Carmine Street, this is a great opportunity. The night’s event benefits for the Animals Sanctuary in New Jersey to help support their efforts to care for rescued farmed animals.

There is limited seating, so get your tickets before they sell out!

If you’re not in the NYC area, be inspired by the menu for your compassionate Thanksgiving meal!

MENU
Appetizer
~ pumpkin ginger soup, ginger crème fraiche
~ cashew cheese crostini, roasted tomato, sweet onion jam
~ mini cordon bleu, cauliflower puree, dijon mayo, steamed broccoli

Dessert
~ pumpkin pie, cinnamon ice cream
~ apple cobbler, vanilla ice cream

Entree Choices
~ seitan marsala, roasted potato, sautéed spinach, shallots, beets, jalapeno, figs, marsala jus
~ miso mustard risotto, sautéed mushrooms, scallions, white cheese, cashew cream
~ whole wheat penne, sautéed smoked tofu, asparagus, baby spinach, basil, white wine cream sauce, petit lemon arugula salad, fresh avocado, shaved white cheese

Growing up, I looked forward to Halloween. As a child, I loved dressing up and heading out with my pillowcase. Our mom and dad would take my sister and I around our little neighborhood. As we got older, we were allowed to roam with our older brother.

We were ambivalent to the filling of our bags. We loved getting the candy but knew the weight of our bounty would eventually put an end to the night…even before the late fall, northeastern chill.

When we returned home, we’d plop ourselves down in the family room, and assess the .

‘They were stingy.‘

‘Jeez, this is lame.‘

‘Jackpot!‘

Aw, yeah, forget Fun Size; I remember one family on my block that gave out full size candy bars. Boo-yah!

I think my sister and I both looked most forward to Reese’s cups. Seriously, chocolate and peanut butter, who can resist?

Going vegan doesn’t mean going without, though. Reese’s may be a thing of my past, but the alternatives are nothing to slouch at.

The price points are not as low as their major competitor, but participating in the dairy industry is a hidden cost we pay beyond the register.

Indulge smart!

Mission today: keep the memories, but leave the (non-vegan) past behind!

CLEO’s by Go Max Go (Available nationally. Click for locations.)

VEGAN TREATS of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

LAGUSTA’S LUSCIOUS of New Paltz, New York

JUSTIN’S (Available nationally. Click for locations.) {Please note: Only the Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups are vegan.}

Listening to an older episode of the Our Hen House podcast, circa December (so last year), Jasmin and Mariann were talking about how they think it’s okay for non-religious people to take part in religious holidays.

*Pheww* I’m not alone. I’m not really religious. It obviously hasn’t affected my moral campus. I tend to go with a “do as little harm as possible” doctrine.

It’s the not being alone part that I think ties people to holidays. I grew up searching for decorated eggs, getting my frills dirty on the green spring grass. Waking up to a big basket of candy was tops, with all that plastic faux grass. What any of that has to do with the Catholic reason for Easter, umm. Lots of fond memories, though.

Whether you’re religious, like me and not-so-much-but-still-enjoy-the-bonding-aspect, or totally anti-Easter, check out Vegan Cuts Easter Gift Guide. A number of the coupons are for candy but one is for Vegan Essentials, so you can save on, well, your vegan essentials.

“Unless otherwise noted, all codes expire on April 10….“

The traditional Irish diet is heavy on meat and potatoes. If you’re veg*n, don’t fret. The isle’s cuisine also features vegetables like cabbage, curly kale, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, and onions; and fruits such as apples, pears, plums, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, and rhubarb.

Celebrate St. Patrick’s in high spirits with these vegan recipes.

Boxty (Novel Eats)

Champ (It’s Less Important Than You Think)

Colcannon (Choosing Raw)

Colcannon Puffs (Fat Free Vegan Kitchen) – variation on the original

Corned Beef and Cabbage (La Pure Mama)

‘Steak’ and Stout Pie (PETA)

Scott Pilgrim’s Shepherd’s Pie (FunCoast: Cooking Corner: Grace Ellis)

Irish Soda Bread (Hungry Gnomes)

To satisfy your sweet tooth, try mixing up some Irish Potato Candies (just replace the cream cheese and butter with veg varieties like those from Galaxy and Earth Balance to veganize), whipping up some Inside-Out Irish Potato Cupcakes, or blending a Copycat McDonald’s Shamrock Shake.

If you’re hoping to head out, VegNews has you covered with a list of vegan-friendly bars if you’re in major cities like Portland (OR), Columbus (OH), or Brooklyn (NY). If you live in smaller towns and are planning to head out for the night, check out Barnivore. Veg*ns concerned with vegan beer, be aware that most Guinness is not; of the offerings from the notable Irish Beer brewer, only the North American Extra Stout.

Even if you’re not Irish, everyone gets a free pass this weekend. Go forth and show your green.

May you live as long as you want, And never want as long as you live. – Irish proverb

Full off of a huge Sweet Potato and Gardein Stuffed Turk’y, I wanted to wish you all a happy, healthy holidays and new years.

Of all the vendors and organizations at the Green Holiday Festival, three brought up some very interesting issues and concepts.

KUR Organic Superfoods

Originally from Denmark, this brand is making its way across the ocean…with a new formulation (sweeter) for our American tastebuds of course. Talking with Lyn of Kur Organic Superfoods made me consider again the issue of veg*nisms non-universality. There seems to be no standard across boarders; other countries even have their own vegan/vegetarian symbols on foods and their own go to organizations.

Gristle Tattoo

We think about the foods we consume, the clothes we buy, but whether the ink you’ve put in your skin is vegan may never have crossed your mind. I’ve been giving some consideration to getting a tattoo for years…and apparently the wait has been for a good reason. Makes you think about everything in your life that may unknowingly contain animal derivatives.

Mr. Ellie Pooh

Yep, it’s as it sounds. This super soft paper is made with elephant dung. Dr. K first saw this paper process while working in Sri Lanka. If they can recycle dung, why can’t many people just find a recycling bin for their plastics or we can’t have more efficient cars?

Today is the day after Thanksgiving, also known as Black Friday. Stores offer sales in an effort to encourage consumers to buy earlier and buy more. There are small movements against the day of spending, encouraging a day free of purchases.

If you eventually decide, yeah, you do need to buy presents, here are some veg*n friendly ideas.

For all:

• Vegan Cuts Holiday Shopping Guide: make this your first stop. I saw this first on Vive Le Vegan. This guide has various sections, including coupons, gifts ideas for men, and recipes. Most of the coupon codes, including one for Vegan Essentials, are good through Christmas!
• Converse: An old-school favorite, the shoe company is offering 20% on select styles through 11/27/2011. While All-Stars tend to be a vegan shoe, the company is not vegan itself; so be mindful while selecting.

For ladies:

• Priti: This brand is my favorite vegan nail polish. It’s glossy and long-lasting…but it’s not the cheapest. So the company has some kits that give you a little extra.
• Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics: Offering three box set (2 for lips and 1 for eyes), this would be for the makeup lover in your life.

For office gifting and stocking stuffers:

Sephora: Isn’t exactly a mecca for veg*n friendly cosmetics and bath. There are several brands worth mentioning, though. Buy on their sites, or if you’re already at the mall, you can tie up some loose ends in one go.

• Last year, the powerhouse owners of Sephora, LVMH, scooped up a large stake in The Body Shop; nearly every product from TBS is vegan-friendly. The company still offers better deals in store or via their website, but if you’re already standing in a Sephora line, it’s at least a safe bet.
• Urban Decay slaps little paw prints on the display for all their vegan products. However, steer clear of their gift sets; they can’t seem to make one that’s all vegan.
• For men, Jack Black offers an array of shaving and skincare products that are vegan; if you decide to buy in store, first go to the site and search ‘vegan’ to get an idea of what’s available.
• Korres: For all bath and skincare products that are vegan or vegetarian, you’ll see it clearly printed on the packaging; they haven’t added this label to their color products yet, but they provide a list of vegan products. Now through 11/27/2011, the company is offering 20% off online purchases with code FF2011. My favorite holiday gift set is their Guava set for $32, which includes full size bottles of body wash and moisturizer…and their super hydrating lip butter.
• Pacifica: 100% vegan, these sets make for great small gifts or breaking them out and making up little goodie bags.