F: Is for animal free.

Vegan is a philosophy that does not use or consume animal products of any kind. The amount of vegan websites and restaurants in New York means that this is a trend that is not going away, but growing. A transition to a vegan diet is simple as there is no shortage of vegan foods nor recipes. In fact, most of the food we eat is vegan, without us knowing it! To get you started here is a recipe for fudge that sounds amazing. Basically, it's everything you ever dreamed chocolate fudge could be. And no one will believe that there's no dairy, butter, or evaporated milk in here. It can be a bit soft, though, especially if you add the optional marshmallow fluff, so keep it well refrigerated.
4 cups powdered sugar
½ cup cocoa powder
½ cup nondairy milk
2 tablespoons nonhydrogenated margarine
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
½ cup vegan chocolate chips
1 cup cut up vegan marshmallows or ½ cup Ricemellow Creme (optional but sooo good)
½ cup chopped nuts. Spray a 9-inch x 9-inch baking pan well with nonstick spray and set aside. Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder together into a large mixing bowl, add the chocolate chips, and set aside. In a small saucepan, heat the nondairy milk and margarine to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly to avoid burning. When the milk is at a steady, strong boil, pour it over the powdered sugar mixture and stir well with a wooden spoon until everything is well combined and the heat has melted the chocolate chips. Stir in the vanilla, then fold in the marshmallows or Ricemellow Creme and the nuts. Spread the fudge out into the prepared pan(s) and refrigerate for a day or more to solidify.

For those winter nights soon to be upon us, how about a Moroccan stew
2 cups onion, diced
2 t. olive oil
1 T. tomato paste
5 cups vegetable stock, divided
2 cups acorn or delicata squash, peeled, deseeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups butternut squash, peeled, deseeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups turnips, peeled, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups carrot, cut in half lengthwise, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups celery (including the green tops), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 T. ground cumin
2 t. paprika
1 t. salt
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
2 cups cabbage, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups zucchini, cut in half lengthwise, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 - 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup freshly chopped Italian parsley
2 cups couscous
1/2 t. salt
2 T. freshly chopped dill
In a large pot, saute the onion in olive oil for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the tomato paste, stir well to coat the onions, and saute an additional minute to release its flavor. Add 2 cups vegetable stock, acorn squash, butternut, turnips, carrot, celery, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper, and stir well to combine. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the cabbage, zucchini, and chickpeas, stir well, cover, and simmer an additional 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add 3 T. chopped parsley, taste, and adjust seasonings as needed. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, place the remaining 3 cups vegetable stock, and bring to a boil. Add the couscous and salt, cover, remove from the heat, and set aside for 5 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork and stir in the remaining chopped parsley and chopped dill, and fluff lightly to incorporate. Serve individual servings in bowls and top with a sprinkle of additional ground cumin, if desired. Serves 8-10

What with mad cow and the bird flu looming over us, maybe these recipes will help us to stay safe without feeling deprived and that is a F.A.C.T.