Armchair activism - good people CAN make a difference.

Here's my latest collection of campaigns to support this week. It'll take just 5 minutes for you to sign and could make all the difference. Please tweet this page and pass it on to all the people you are connected to.

Much love and thanks.

Chantal xx

peace


Stop the UK badger cull - this will soon be the largest online petition in the UK - ever. Add your name to it if you havent done so already.
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/38257 

Live exports of animals has been resumed in the UK - use this CIWF page to fight against it...
http://www.ciwf.org.uk/what_we_do/live_transport/take_action/default.aspx

Stop baby elephants being stolen from the wild to live in hell hole Chinese zoos...
http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/No_more_baby_elephants_captured_for_Chinese_zoos_1/?twi

Fight to end live animal exports and full invertion slaughter methods...
http://www.banliveexport.com/egypt

Improve legislation with tougher sentencing to reduce animal abuse...
http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/hm-government-ministry-of-justice-improve-legislation-with-tougher-sentencing-to-reduce-animal-cruelty?utm_campaign=twitter_link_action_box&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=share_petition

Brought from the brink of extinction only to be put at risk again - save the black footed ferret...
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/364/426/529/save-the-endangered-black-footed-ferret-from-extinction/

Ask Beyonce to stop using exotic animal skins...
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/123/599/293/ask-beyonce-to-stop-using-exotic-animal-skins-to-make-shoes/

Protect the RSPCA's right to prosecute illegal hunters...
http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/prime-minister-david-cameron-rspca-must-retain-its-powers-to-prosecute-hunters-who-break-the-law

End the endangered fin whale masacre...
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/edeka_and_the_whale_slaughter/?wEPCocb

Help save a rare river dolphin from iminent extinction...
http://forcechange.com/27797/save-rare-river-dolphin-from-imminent-extinction/#.UcsIiRWljlU.twitter

Ban wildlife snares in England and Wales...
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/290/102/875/?z00m=20541764&utm_source=buffer&utm_campaign=Buffer&utm_content=buffer7cb19&utm_medium=twitter

Stop the RedBull advert that promotes and mocks rhino poaching...
http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Stop_the_airing_of_Red_Bulls_rhino_poaching_commercial_in_South_Africa/?fJKcBdb&pv=4

Recipe: 16 minute 'Chilli non Carne' ...

Yep - that's right- in just 16 minutes I made a delicious (if I say so myself) Vegan chilli non carne. Who says fast food has to be unhealthy?

Having spent all day trotting round the Devon County Show - with little sustenance on offer for Vegans (no shock really) belly rumbles spurred me into a bit of 'power' cooking.

Now I've been making chilli con carne for years and loving it, but since going veggie (now Vegan) all I really changed was the meat and stock content, and, guess what - I think the flavour of this Vegan version is better! And with no nasty saturated fat and dead cow in the pot it's a total win win.

Now I do have my own perfect secret recipe filed somewhere - but this was my quick fire version and it turned out pretty well, so I'm jotting it down here for you while I think of it.

'Hola'! deliciousness...

 [Serves 6 - so it's really good value]

Gather:

1 tbsp oil (I used olive)

1 large brown onion - finely chopped

good squirt of garlic puree (or 3 - 6 cloves of fresh, finely chopped garlic)

1-2 fresh chillies - finely chopped (I used one 'medium heat' red one)

2 bell peppers (1 red & 1 green) - chopped into small squares

1-2 tsp chilli powder (I used 1 tsp of hot chilli powder)

1 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tbsp dried oregano

2 vegetable stock cubes (or 2 tsp vegetable bouillion powder)

3 tbsp tomato puree (approx - I just squeezed the tube 3 times!)

1 pack meat substitute (such as Tesco frozen Vegan soya mince 454g)

1 x 400g tin chopped plum tomatoes

1 x 200g tin cooked red kidney beans (I never use a whole tin, as I only like a few)

boiling water to make up the vegetable stock

Create:

Set your timer...ready, set, go!

1. OK - fill the kettle and put on to boil, run around demented and grab your ingredients while you heat the oil in a large pan on a medium heat.
2. Chop the onion, throw in the pan and while you gently fry the onion chop the fresh chillis and the peppers.
3. Add the garlic puree, chillis and peppers to the pan and fry a little more.
4. Add in all of the spices and the stock cubes/powder, mix well and cook gently for a minute or so.
5. Add the 'meat', tomato puree, tinned tomatoes and kidney beans and then add boiled water to the level of the top of the mix.
6. Give it all a good stir, bring to the boil and then turn down to a gentle simmer.

Phew!

This should take you up to the 16 minute stage (or thereabouts).

You can simmer the chilli for another 10-30 minutes until it reduces down and the sauce thickens beautifully. (Don't be tempted to thicken with cornflour, as, in my opinion you need the sauce to be lovely and rich - so reduction is better than thickening a weak sauce.) Have a little taste and add some salt and pepper to your liking.

Meanwhile get your rice/tacos/tortillas/nachos and condiments ready and prepare for some hot mouth-tingling food action!

Enjoy! 

On this occasion I cheated and microwaved some Veet basmati ready-rice and served with some homemade coleslaw I already had in the fridge from dinner the night before.

But the other picture above was of more of the chilli making an appearance a couple of days later, along with some homemade nachos and a dip.

The final batch will get used on a baked potato with some Vegusto Vegan 'cheddar cheese' I would think!
Great accompaniments include Vegan sour cream, guacamole and some jalapenos as well if you love it super spicy!

Cooks tip: Add a strip of dark chocolate and melt into the chilli at the very end. This is a genuine Mexican addition that really elevates this dish in a way that you can't quite put your finger on...

p.s. Let me know if you beat my 16 minutes!

Chantal xx

Paws for thought...

Powerful words can translate into positive actions.

Every now and then I come across a piece of hard-hitting writing that really makes me think. Writers who demonstrate this skill have my respect, because we need them to help us break free of conventional thinking and to challenge what is the cultural (brainwashed) norm' - maybe even to think about an issue, in depth, for the very first time.

So, in 'Paws for thought' posts, I want to share with you those words of others that have inspired me to think differently, and, to act differently.

This week:

Kate Fowler [Head of Campaigns at Animal Aid] looks at the question:

'Should society bear some responsibility when slaughtermen kill people?'

In this powerful piece, I came to have a different view (some sympathy) for slaughterhouse workers - who - if you think about it, are doing a job that few people could. The only way that they can, is by becoming desensitised to what they do. CD-H

Animal Aid  

Animal Aid is the UK's largest animal rights group and one of the longest established in the world, having been founded in 1977.

We campaign peacefully against all forms of animal abuse and promote a cruelty-free lifestyle. We investigate and expose animal cruelty, and our undercover investigations and other evidence are often used by the media, bringing these issues to public attention.

What have you read that's inspired you to think and to live differently?

'Legal' ivory - make your voice heard against the perpetuation of slaughter.

I was incensed today to read about a piano manufacturer BECHSTEIN who has made a piano using NEW ivory.

This issue was brought to my attention through @domdyer70 on Twitter following an article in the Guardian here.

You can't fail to have missed the recent news about poaching and slaughter of elephants and rhinos - to the extent where extinction is a real possibility. NOT a word we want to be hearing, ever.

Yet here is a company using, it would appear, what is called 'legal' ivory (something I had never heard of before) to justify its use of the ivory - in a product that has gone to - you guessed it - China.

Regardless of the 'unique' circumstances - there can never be any need for using ivory ever again. Never.

It's use will simply perpetuate the sad, deluded demand and the vicious slaughter.

I have written to the piano-making company BECHSTEIN to express my disgust. Here is my letter - you are free to copy it for a quick email to them or - it's always more powerful to write your own feelings down.

I intend to write something in more detail to them as time allows - but for now wanted to make you aware of this unacceptable situation.

Please let me know of any response/s you get.

TY

Chantal x

LETTER:

Through their auto contact page here:

I am so disgusted and saddened today to read in The Guardian of your use of new, real ivory for a piano. You say in your statement that it was 'legal' ivory - but this is still helping to perpetuate a desire for a product that is - quite simply - going to cause the extinction of one of our planet's most amazing animals.

How will you feel when you have to tell your children about the great animal that was an elephant - rather than be able to show them one in the wild / a reserve? And to know that your company had a hand in helping it to be poached to death - all because someone was inspired by you to either buy a piano with new ivory or an ivory ‘trinket’ because they thought it was still the fashionable thing to do.

Simply saying you used a 'legal' product does not make it right. You are directly contributing to the death of a species.

You clearly are a leader in the field of piano-making so search your conscience and be leaders in compassion and ethics as well.

Armchair activism... start shouting.

Hello to all of you compassionate people. In a week that has seen (yet again) how corrupt and undemocratic our failing government is, it's more important than ever to make our voices heard.

Petitions may seem pointless - but the more people who think that, the less sign, and the less difference can be made. 

Petitions are a very real and easy way of making your voice heard and many voices can shout a lot louder. 

Sign for yourself and remember to share them with other people - friends, family, followers. We are all connected to 1000's of people these days.

Together we can make a positive difference.

Thank you.

Chantal xx

Stop animal research at Imperial College London (following a shocking undercover investigation by BUAV.)
http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/rt-hon-theresa-may-mp-secretary-of-state-home-office-stop-animal-research-at-imperial-college-london

Hundreds of monkeys killed and piled in bins as not complying to the European lab standards. [warning - upsetting image]
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/884/499/721/hundreds-of-monkeys-killed-and-piled-in-bins-as-not-corresponding-to-the-european-labs-standards/

Air India - stop supporting animal testing.
http://www.change.org/petitions/air-india-stop-supporting-animal-testing?utm_campaign=twitter_link_action_box&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=share_petition

Ask Revlon to stop testing on animals.
http://forcechange.com/52179/ask-revlon-to-stop-testing-on-animals/#.UZ1HfPMfaIM.twitter

Demand an end to trophy hunting in South Africa.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/978/066/819/demand-an-end-to-trophy-hunting-in-south-africa/

Against animal testing of any kind.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/8/against-animal-testing-of-any-kind/

Ban the sale of young puppies and kittens without their mothers being present.
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/49528

Stop Georgia marina from importing wild beluga whales for captivity.
http://www.change.org/petitions/noaa-stop-georgia-aquarium-from-importing-wild-beluga-whales-for-captivity?utm_campaign=twitter_link_action_box&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=share_petition

Say no to the killing of innocent geese.
http://www.change.org/petitions/say-no-to-the-cruel-gassing-of-geese-in-the-town-of-north-hempstead 

Allow the RSPCA into the port of Dover to monitor the transport of live farm animals.
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/42002