Vegan Recipe of the Week: Vegan Latkes (Potato Pancakes)

At the end of this week the Jewish Festival of Lights, Hanukkah begins. The Eight days of Hanukkah will entail gifts, time spent with loved ones, prayer, and the lighting of candles.  But on top of all this celebration, there are of course delicious traditional meals. For many on Hanukkah, there is a tradition of eating fried foods, especially in Olive Oil. For this week’s recipe we have put together a great vegan version of latkes or potato pancakes, which are often served at Hanukkah dinners. This way you can make your holiday meal ethical as well as suitable for your vegan/vegetarian family members. For some Ethical Hanukkah gifts, check out these great Eco-Friendly, Fair Trade, and other Ethical Gift Guides. Happy Hanukkah from AP!!

Vegan Latkes (Potato Pancakes)

Prep Time: 15 minutes    Cook Time: 15 Minutes

6 Peeled and Grated Potatoes (any kind)

1/2 Cup Unbleached Flour or Vegan Matzo Meal

2/3 Cup Oatmeal

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

1 Chopped Medium Yellow Onion

1/2 Tsp Salt

1/4 Tsp Pepper

1/4 Tsp Baking Powder

Peel the potatoes and finely grate them. Also, finely chop the onions and place both ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the flour/matzo meal, salt, pepper, and baking powder into the bowl. In a separate bowl combine the oatmeal and hot water until soft enough to eat. Once the oatmeal is soft enough, mix it into the other bowl. In a large frying pan, heat up the oil at a medium heat. Form the mixture into small patties and fry in the olive oil until golden brown on both sides. You can soak up some of the excess oil with a towel if you choose and now they are ready to serve with Vegan Sour Cream or applesauce. If you want to add a little more flavor to your latkes, try adding in some carrots, spinach, or broccoli. Or if you are feeling even more adventurous, try making them with sweet potatoes instead!

 

Have Yourself an Eco Little Christmas: A Guide to Eco-Friendly Gift Giving for Kids

Being an eco-friendly Santa Clause will not result in drowning in a sea of your child’s tears of disappointment come Christmas morning. Ecological is not synonymous with lame, as these ethical and fun gift ideas more than prove. Unless you make the ill-advised choice of giving the gift of Fair Trade socks- nothing, not even wish giving abilities, can make socks an exciting present to a child – you will be a holiday hero this December!

Solar Powered Robots:  If there is something that both child and adult alike can agree on, it is that robots are totally awesome.  Are you an Aunt or Uncle looking to obtain favorite status, or a grandfather desperately seeking a “World’s Best Grandpa” mug from your grandkids in the near future? Then this may be the gift to seal the proverbial deal. Reasonably priced and available at numerous online retailers, the 6 in 1 Robot Kit can transform into 6 different solar-powered robots. These transformations include an airboat, a windmill, a puppy and two separate planes! Other variations of solar robots are available and found easily through a simple Google search. Your favorite child will be too busy being blown away by the Fonzerelli -like proportions of the robot’s coolness to notice that this gift is oozing with educational opportunities!

Wooden Trains: A train circling a Christmas tree is a classic holiday image. Perhaps more so than a Red Ryder BB gun or the old school present staple of an Etch a Sketch, trains are the gift that most accurately encompass the full spirit of the holidays.  Companies such as Mesko Toys offer trains and train tracks made primarily from tree-cycled wood.

Stuffed Animals:  Holidays are a time to consider those who are less fortunate than ourselves. Make your holiday gifts count for more than the smile on your child’s face by supporting compassionate Fair Trade companies that benefit entire communities this holiday season. One World Projects, a company that imports and distributes fair trade products, features these adorable plush monkeys. In addition to being cute and cuddly, a purchase of these fair trade stuffed creatures helps return illegally trafficked Colombian monkeys back to their natural habitats as well as giving a  number of Colombian women- many of whom are single mothers-  a source of income. A gift that will bring joy to children, monkeys and hardworking single mothers alike will be sure to make even the Grinchiest of hearts grow to three times their normal size.

Fair Trade Sports Balls: For the young athlete on your holiday shopping list, there are Fair Trade Sports Balls. Fair Trade Sports offers balls for various sports including soccer and basketball.  What’s that noise? Oh, that is just the sound of your beloved child cheering your name in appreciation of a gift well bought. Way to take ethical holiday gift- giving to the hoop!

Fair Trade Fashion: A passion for fashion can develop at a very young age. For all the future Vera Wangs and Calvin Clines of the world, looking good is not just an option, it is a necessity.  Your child will not have to sacrifice style in the name of ethics this holiday season; Autonomie Project now features fashionable sneakers, t-shirts, and sweatshirts for children. Your little fashion bug will be the envy of the playground with these stylish fair trade duds. You can also satisfy your frugal side by taking advantage of the free ground shipping, regardless of order size, through December 31^st. Affordable, fashionable and ethical, talk about a winning combination! No, seriously, talk about it amongst yourselves. Go on…now don’t you feel better that you gotten that off your chest!

Recycled Tea Set: Enjoying a spot of imaginary tea is a divine way to spend an afternoon. When the guest list for this gathering includes the likes of the Queen of England and Dora the Explorer, only the finest China should be used.  Recycled Tea sets, such as this one offered by Green Toys,  are made almost entirely of recycled milk cartons. This environmentally friendly purchase will surely impress your young host and their guests alike.

Being Green this holiday gift giving season does not mean stealing Christmas from the Cindy Lou Who in your life. With a little research and minimal effort you can make your child’s holiday wishes come true without compromising your ethics.  As an added bonus, the children in your life will learn that being a conscientious citizen of planet earth does not mean abandoning fun traditions.

Most importantly this holiday season, remember to not to lose sight of what is most valuable this time of year-spending time with the ones you love. Second most importantly, remember, for the love of children, no socks.