Firstly --- Happy 2010!  We wish you all a peace-filled new year.

Secondly -- Sorry for the vanishing act.  We're still here, and still vegan.  Life has been getting in the way of blogging.  We've both been very busy and when we've had a break, neither of us has been motivated enough to blog.

And thirdly -- If you had to fly through Newark tonight, you have our deepest sympathies!

But enough with the excuses already...  Back to the blog.

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While I've been m.i.a. I had the opportunity to read  Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer, and I can't recommend it highly enough.  While none of the information presented was new to me, it was presented in a manner that I found easy to read and entertaining.  Often this material can be very difficult to read.  Safran Foer lays it all out in its gruesome details, but he also alternates that information with stories from his personal life, and his personal experiences with food.

Best of all, I think this book will be easy to read for the disinterested omnivore.  Safran Foer is able to present the information in such a way that the facts are simply that, the facts.  He explores all sides of the argument so that you, the reader, can decide for yourself.  The logic he uses is inescapable.  You cannot consider yourself to be an environmentalist if you eat meat (water, pollution, etc.)  He recounts his decision to stop eating meat, and all that that entails, in an intelligent and non-judgmental manner.  Really, this is one of the better books on the ethics of eating than any other I have come across.  The omnivores in my life will be getting copies of this book to read during the coming year.

Jane and I have been traveling recently.  We were so wrapped up in planning for our trip, getting things ready for us to be gone at work,  and then being away that we cannot get our minds around the fact that it is the start of the holiday season already.  How did that happen?

Normally we plan our meal way in advance as Thanksgiving is "our" holiday.  Our tradition is that we always eat the dinner alone together and "dessert around the world."  One year we visited with four other families for dessert.  The trick to surviving that is to eat the smallest possible amount everywhere. Now we try to limit it to 2 households.  This year, we'll be stopping at one of our neighbors and our cousins who live nearby.

Anyway, because we're so strapped for time this year, and because we are pretty happy with the way our meal turned out last year, we decided to recycle that menu.

So here's what we're making, again:

• Tofurky and Celebration Roast
• Poblano Chili Cornbread Stuffing
• Cashew Gravy
• Cranberry Orange Sauce
• Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• Cumin Braised Brussels Sprouts
• Green Beans with Balsamic Carmelized Red Onions
• Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage

Jane will make her apple pie to bring to our cousins house, and her chocolate truffles for the neighbors.  She's toying with a vegan cheesecake recipe, but doesn't know if she'll have the time.  Anyway, if you're still working on your menu, don't forget, we've got a number of Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes posted.

Whatever you wind up doing, we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!

Tomorrow is World Vegan Day, for some of you around the globe, it is today already.   So what?  Why should you care?   Well, it's certainly not as well-known or celebrated as Halloween is.  But it is a chance to get out and meet with other vegans, to sample vegan fare, to stand up for animal rights, or simply to get our stories out there.

WorldVeganDay.info is asking us all to do just that, to get our stories out there.  To blog, twitter, YouTube, FaceBook, MySpace, or visit forums and get the word out.  Why did you go vegan?  Tell your story, who knows, you may inspire others.

Below is a partial list of activities around the globe.  If you don't see anything in your neck of the woods, check out google, facebook, craigslist, or your local colleges.  The information is scattered, but it is out there.  As for Jane and me, we're going to be making dinner for a few friends who aren't vegan.   Activism through eating.

• If you're in Melbourne, AUS, here's some info on your World Vegan Day celebration.
• If you're in Wellington, New Zealand, here's info on a World Vegan Day Bake Sale.
• If you're in England, near  Croydon, here's some info on your World Vegan Day celebration.  They're saying you should be there, or be without vegan cake and beer.  (Damn, wrong continent!)
• If you're in England, near Ennis Killen and are interested in practicing some yoga, followed by a meal of home cooked vegan fare... visit here.
• If you're in Glasglow, the Univerity of Glasgow is hosting an Animal Lovers Fayre in honor of World Vegan Day.
• If you're in Paris, you should check out  Paris Vegan Day.  I can't tell you exactly what they have planned, but dusting off my High School french, I believe there will be  vegan product representation and vegan food availabe.
• If you're in Montreal, they've got a World Vegan Day Fashion Show planned.  It's billed as an  evening of fashion, gourmet vegan cuisine and musical entertainment.
• If you're in India, the Sthitaprajna Vegan Life Centre near Byndoor, Udupi District, Karnataka, is planning a three-day vegan event (Nov 1 - Nov 3).
• If you're in San Francisco, there's a World Vegan Celebration dinner on Monday night.  Just $15 including tax and tip.  Details here.
• If you're in the Los Angeles area, VegKids is sponsoring a rollerskating event in NorthRidge
• Please note, if you're in the Los Angeles area and were planning on attending the Animal Acres World Vegan Day celebration, IT HAS BEEN CANCELED.
• If you're in Phoenix, AZ, the  Spectrum Mall light rail station is hosting a potluck of vegan goodies.

Mezzetta Southwest Vinaigrette

Jane and I sampled two of the Mezzetta Vinaigretta salad toppings recently.  We tried both the Southwest (pictured)  and Mediterranean toppings.   The product comes ready made in a jar.  Their tag line is "just add lettuce."  Jane loved the idea of the product as something quick to prepare for those days when getting a meal together can be a challenge.  I was  a little leery.  I'm not a huge fan of things like this... I feel that the ingredients all tend to gelatanize over time and become a soft mush.   But I'm not the cook, and if the cook needs to have the occasional quick fixins I'm not going to complain.

We were concerned about the lactic acid and "natural flavors" on the ingredient list.  This is the email we received:

The Vinaigretta is indeed Vegan (except for flavors with honey, which is debatable). Regarding your questions:
1) The lactic acid we use is produced from the fermentation of sugar.
2) The natural flavor is derived from spices.

Let me know if you have any further questions, thanks so much!

So how did it taste?  Neither of us loved the Mediterranean Vinaigretta.  It had an odd taste and was rather oily.  The Southwest Chipotle Lime Vinaigretta was better.  I liked it, Jane thought it was okay.  Neither of us in any rush to run out and buy more, but it makes a nice meal if you don't really want to think about putting together salad dressing and fixings.