-----Original Message-----

From: The Vegetarian Resource Group <vrg@...>

To: vrg <vrg@...>

Sent: Tue, Jan 24, 2012 12:44 pm

Subject: PRESS RELEASE: Spice up this Valentine's Day with some special vegan

treats!





For Immediate Release January 20, 2012

Contacts: John Cunningham; (410) 366-8343; vrg@...

or Sonja Helman (410) 366-8343





Spice up this Valentine's Day with some special vegan treats!



Valentine's Day evokes thoughts of something unusual and exotic. Food with spice

and decadent chocolate, represents the holiday of love.



For tips on throwing a party whether it be for two or ten check out Vegans Know

How to Party by Nancy Berkoff. She gives great party advice, sample menus, and

recipes from drinks to desserts and everything in between.



Some entree recipes that follow the standards of unusual include a "Spicy

Mandarin Chickpea" recipe from Conveniently Vegan and a "Sweet Indian Rice with

Carrots and Dates" from Vegan Meals for One or Two. These recipes are not only

exotic with spices and unique ingredients but are also quick and easy.



No other dessert better represents Valentine's Day than chocolate cake. In the

book Vegans Know How to Party the recipe for "Moist Chocolate Cake" is a winner.

To keep the decadence flowing finish off this chocolate cake with a "Vegan

Caramel Sauce" from Vegans Know How to Party. And for those non-chocolate lovers

or those short on time use the vegan caramel sauce recipe and a "Cream Cheese

Spread with Fruit" recipe from the same book to turn up the romance. How do you

go about pushing the love level into overdrive? Use these sauce and spread

recipes as dips for fresh fruit and you and your significant other can practice

the art of love by feeding each other. So whether you have plenty of time or are

short on time and whether you are cooking for two or six, spice up this

Valentine's Day with some special vegan treats!



SPICY MANDARIN CHICKPEAS

Serves 4

From Conveniently Vegan

By Debra Wasserman



Ingredients:

Two 19-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Two 10.5-ounce cans mandarin oranges, drained

1/4 cup strawberry jam

2 Tablespoons spicy brown mustard

1/2 teaspoon cayenne



Method of Preparation:

Heat all ingredients in a medium sized pot over medium heat for 10 minutes.

Serve warm.





SWEET INDIAN RICE WITH CARROTS AND DATES

Serves 2

From Vegan Meals for One or Two

By Chef Nancy Berkoff, RD



Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons vegan margarine

1 cup matchstick cut peeled carrots

2 Tablespoons chopped dates

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

3/4 cup uncooked white or basmati rice



Method of Preparation:

Melt margarine in a large pot. Add carrots and dates; cook and stir until

carrots are soft, approximately 5 minutes. Add broth and spices, stir, and bring

to a quick boil. Reduce heat and simmer until rice is cooked and all the liquid

is absorbed, approximately 20 minutes.





MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE

Make one 9- x 13-inch pan (8 large servings) or 24 cupcakes

From Vegans Know How to Party

By Chef Nancy Berkoff, RD



Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar (use your favorite vegan variety)

2 Tablespoons baking soda

1 Tablespoon salt

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

2 Tablespoons white vinegar

2 cups water

Vegetable oil spray



Method of Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350. Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and then add the wet

ones, and mix until smooth and well combined. Spray pans and pour into a 9- x

13-inch pan or 24 cupcake tins. Bake at 350 for approximately 20-25 minutes

(cupcakes) or 50 minutes (9- x 13-inch pan). Test with a toothpick to make sure

center is baked. Cool cake and ice with your favorite frosting.





VEGAN CARAMEL SAUCE

Makes 1 1/2 cups

From Vegans Know How to Party

By Chef Nancy Berkoff, RD



Ingredients:

1/4 cup soy or rice milk

3/4 cup sugar (Use your favorite vegan variety)

1/3 cup maple syrup or brown rice syrup

1 Tablespoon water

1 Tablespoon arrowroot

2 Tablespoons vegan margarine

1 Tablespoon vanilla





Method of Preparation:

Place the milk, sugar, and maple in a small saucepan and whisk well to

combine. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, while whisking occasionally.

In a small bowl, whisk together the water and arrowroot, and then whisk the

mixture into the saucepan. Cook the mixture, while whisking constantly an

additional 2-3 minutes or until it thickens. Remove the saucepan from the heat

and whisk in the remaining ingredients. Serve warm as a topping for cakes,

desserts, non-dairy frozen desserts or as a dipping sauce for fruit. Store in an

airtight container in the refrigerator, and reheat as needed.





CREAM CHEESE SPREAD WITH FRUIT

Serves 8-10

From Vegans Know How to Party

By Chef Nancy Berkoff, RD



Ingredients:

1 cup vegan cream cheese

1 teaspoon fresh orange zest

1/2 cup fruit preserves

1/4 cup fresh fruit



Method of Preparation:

Place cream cheese in a medium-size bowl. If necessary whisk with a fork to

soften.  Add remaining ingredients, except fresh fruit, and mix well to combine.

Place in a bowl and serve as a fruit dip or spread on a cooled cake, muffins, or

cupcakes.



Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish, or fowl. Vegans are vegetarians who also

don't use other animal products such as dairy or eggs. The Vegetarian Resource

Group is a non-profit which educates the public about vegetarian and vegan

diets. It publishes Vegetarian Journal and the book Vegans Know How to Party,

offers two $5,000 college scholarships to high school seniors who have promoted

vegetarianism, maintains a national restaurant guide at

[http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php ], and sponsors an e-mail list for

parents of vegetarians [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vrgparents/ ]. For more

information, call (410) 366-8343; e-mail vrg@..., write to VRG, P.O. Box

1463, Baltimore, MD 21203; or visit  [ http://www.vrg.org ]. Books are available

at [ http://www.vrg.org/catalog/ ]



For poll information about those the number of vegetarians, see

[ http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/faq.htm#poll ]



If you no longer wish to receive email press releases from The Vegetarian

Resource group, please send an email to vrg@... requesting that you be

removed from the email press list.



Please support our outreach and assistance to others!

Join VRG: http://www.vrg.org/journal/subscribe.htm

Donate: https://www.givedirect.org/give/givefrm.asp?Action=GC&CID=1565

Free email news: http://www.vrg.org/vrgnews/index.htm#subscribe



vrg@...             http://www.vrg.org



The Vegetarian Resource Group / Vegetarian Journal

P.O. Box 1463 / Baltimore MD 21203 US

(410) 366-8343

The VRG is an educational non-profit group providing

information on vegetarianism & veganism.