TOASTED WALNUT PESTO
(Pesto alle noci tostate)
100g walnuts
50g fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
1 clove garlic
50g parmesan, grated
2 tbsp ricotta
270ml olive oil
sea salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to Gas mark 6, 200c, 400f
Spread the walnuts on a baking tray, and toast for 5 minutes.
Remove from the oven and place in a blender with the other ingredients, wizz until the consistency is smooth.
This is delicious spread on freshly baked bread, or added to hot pasta.
To keep for 2-3 days in a fridge, put pesto into a jar, pour a layer of olive oil over the surface this act's as a sealant and stop's the pesto from drying out.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Do you know what "Kosher" meat is?
n 1996, Viva! launched its campaign against the religious killing of conscious animals.
Under UK law, all farmed animals have to be stunned to render them unconscious before their throats are cut.
However, a special legal exemption means that animals slaughtered, “by a religious method” - i.e. for halal or kosher meat - are exempt from this law and can have their throats cut whilst fully conscious.
The terror and pain which these animals experience is immense. They are held in metal crushes or forced onto their backs before having their necks forcibly extended and their throats slashed. Death can take minutes.
How is this allowed ???
Under UK law, all farmed animals have to be stunned to render them unconscious before their throats are cut.
However, a special legal exemption means that animals slaughtered, “by a religious method” - i.e. for halal or kosher meat - are exempt from this law and can have their throats cut whilst fully conscious.
The terror and pain which these animals experience is immense. They are held in metal crushes or forced onto their backs before having their necks forcibly extended and their throats slashed. Death can take minutes.
How is this allowed ???
Invisible Animals
It's not surprising that most young children in America believe that meat comes from supermarkets. Do they ever actually see farm animals, other than in books or on television? Having lived for the past 12 years in America I can honestly say that I have hardly ever seen cattle or sheep grazing in the fields.
Following two weeks of traveling throughout Europe, It was so wonderful to see herds of cattle and sheep grazing happily in the meadows, and farms with animals out in the sunshine instead of caged by the hundreds in dark, filthy, cramped warehouses.
I enjoy eating meat, but having recently discovered the methods used for raising cattle, sheep and pigs in America, I intend to no longer eat any meat produced there.
Why does every single meal have to include meat anyway? When did we all start eating so much meat? There are so many other food choices today, that are healthier, tastier, and don't involve inflicting cruelty to living creatures.
Honestly, meat from free range animals taste's so superior to cage raised, the flavor can't be compared.
If only people would eat a little less meat, it would decrease the demand for it, and farm animals could be raised properly, maybe even enjoy a life before being slaughtered.
The majority of the meat eaters I know don't want to know where their meat comes from, or how it was raised or slaughtered, they don't want to think about it. It's easier to simply ignore it, therefor allowing the daily consumption of meat with a clear conscience. God forbid that the knowledge of the pain and suffering endured by some poor defenseless creature may spoil your meal!
To those of you reading this, can you honestly say you care about where your meat comes from? Would you make a change, or be prepared to do something, anything, however small if you thought it could actually make a difference?
It's so sad that most of our children have no idea where meat comes from, because farm animals are invisible!
Following two weeks of traveling throughout Europe, It was so wonderful to see herds of cattle and sheep grazing happily in the meadows, and farms with animals out in the sunshine instead of caged by the hundreds in dark, filthy, cramped warehouses.
I enjoy eating meat, but having recently discovered the methods used for raising cattle, sheep and pigs in America, I intend to no longer eat any meat produced there.
Why does every single meal have to include meat anyway? When did we all start eating so much meat? There are so many other food choices today, that are healthier, tastier, and don't involve inflicting cruelty to living creatures.
Honestly, meat from free range animals taste's so superior to cage raised, the flavor can't be compared.
If only people would eat a little less meat, it would decrease the demand for it, and farm animals could be raised properly, maybe even enjoy a life before being slaughtered.
The majority of the meat eaters I know don't want to know where their meat comes from, or how it was raised or slaughtered, they don't want to think about it. It's easier to simply ignore it, therefor allowing the daily consumption of meat with a clear conscience. God forbid that the knowledge of the pain and suffering endured by some poor defenseless creature may spoil your meal!
To those of you reading this, can you honestly say you care about where your meat comes from? Would you make a change, or be prepared to do something, anything, however small if you thought it could actually make a difference?
It's so sad that most of our children have no idea where meat comes from, because farm animals are invisible!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Nic Morgan August 4 at 11:13pm
:) love you mum, and your hippy dippy ways. but you are absolutely right. when I buy meat, I try to buy organic and locally farmed meat. its not hard to find out where your food (or the animals that are to become your food) comes from (or the conditions in which they are raised), it just takes the teeniest bit of effort. sadly this is more than most people are willing to give.
:) love you mum, and your hippy dippy ways. but you are absolutely right. when I buy meat, I try to buy organic and locally farmed meat. its not hard to find out where your food (or the animals that are to become your food) comes from (or the conditions in which they are raised), it just takes the teeniest bit of effort. sadly this is more than most people are willing to give.
Monday, August 2, 2010
One Day One Life
My daughter who is currently studying animal science, came home from college today having just watched yet another graphic video of the everyday cruelty and slaughter inflicted upon farm animals, and is now determined to become a vegan.
Her experiences over the last 5 years within her animal science classes have already converted her to a vegetarian lifestyle, but having witnessed the cruelty milk cows and chickens are subjected to she now intends to give up all dairy products.
I personally am not against eating meat, in fact (other than veal, which I have never eaten) I really enjoy it, but then I was brought up on a farm (40 + years ago) where humane farming conditions were in practice, where cows, sheep, pigs and chickens roamed freely in the green pastures, and were humanly slaughtered following a peaceful life grazing the hillsides. Unfortunately this is no longer the case today.
The public demand for meat has grown to such astronomical proportions, its created cramped, caged, inhumane, cruel conditions for the animals that are over bred to fill our supermarket shelves, and along with that goes cruel inefficient and careless slaughtering practices.
Listening to my daughter today talking about becoming a vegan, I have so much respect for her, but as we all know, one person giving up meat and dairy is not going to change the world, in fact it won't make any difference at all, other than being able to sleep at night with a clear conscience.
So, I got to thinking about whether it would be possible to create a site where people who believe as we do that animals deserve a cruelty free life, would perhaps be prepared to do something as a larger group and could maybe actually make a difference.
I'm not suggesting we give up eating meat, just that we eat it less frequently. When I was a child, we only ate meat on a weekend, but today people expect meat with every meal. The demand is huge, if the demand for meat was less, there would be less call for these massive caged facilities, maybe farms could possibly revert over time back to how they used to be, with animals allowed to graze in pasture's, and farmers producing more fruit and vegetables instead.
I know I'm probably pissing in the wind here with this, and everyone reading this will think I'm high on something, but I truly believe that if enough of us really cared, we could actually make a difference.
I come from a farming background, and I enjoy eating meat, but having learnt what I have about the terrible conditions these poor creatures endure, I am prepared to give up eating meat as a sign of my determination to do something.
One suggestion is for a "Vegetarian Day
I would like anyone who cares to add their thoughts, information, and or vegan/vegetarian recipes to this site, or just forward this onto anyone you know who may be interested in doing something.
Thank you for your time reading this, I pray we will all be able to make a difference, even a small one is a start.
Her experiences over the last 5 years within her animal science classes have already converted her to a vegetarian lifestyle, but having witnessed the cruelty milk cows and chickens are subjected to she now intends to give up all dairy products.
I personally am not against eating meat, in fact (other than veal, which I have never eaten) I really enjoy it, but then I was brought up on a farm (40 + years ago) where humane farming conditions were in practice, where cows, sheep, pigs and chickens roamed freely in the green pastures, and were humanly slaughtered following a peaceful life grazing the hillsides. Unfortunately this is no longer the case today.
The public demand for meat has grown to such astronomical proportions, its created cramped, caged, inhumane, cruel conditions for the animals that are over bred to fill our supermarket shelves, and along with that goes cruel inefficient and careless slaughtering practices.
Listening to my daughter today talking about becoming a vegan, I have so much respect for her, but as we all know, one person giving up meat and dairy is not going to change the world, in fact it won't make any difference at all, other than being able to sleep at night with a clear conscience.
So, I got to thinking about whether it would be possible to create a site where people who believe as we do that animals deserve a cruelty free life, would perhaps be prepared to do something as a larger group and could maybe actually make a difference.
I'm not suggesting we give up eating meat, just that we eat it less frequently. When I was a child, we only ate meat on a weekend, but today people expect meat with every meal. The demand is huge, if the demand for meat was less, there would be less call for these massive caged facilities, maybe farms could possibly revert over time back to how they used to be, with animals allowed to graze in pasture's, and farmers producing more fruit and vegetables instead.
I know I'm probably pissing in the wind here with this, and everyone reading this will think I'm high on something, but I truly believe that if enough of us really cared, we could actually make a difference.
I come from a farming background, and I enjoy eating meat, but having learnt what I have about the terrible conditions these poor creatures endure, I am prepared to give up eating meat as a sign of my determination to do something.
One suggestion is for a "Vegetarian Day
I would like anyone who cares to add their thoughts, information, and or vegan/vegetarian recipes to this site, or just forward this onto anyone you know who may be interested in doing something.
Thank you for your time reading this, I pray we will all be able to make a difference, even a small one is a start.
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