Elen Rivas on Bringing Up a Vegetarian Family, Plus Kid-Friendly Vegan Recipes for Mother's Day

Cute alert! Spanish model Elen Rivas and her adorable daughters, Luna Coco and Isla, explain why they love being vegetarian:

Elen, who’s starred in several striking PETA ads and spoken out against bullfighting in her native Spain, also helps animals every day by raising her family on a meat-free diet. It’s a sign that she’s a great mum, as she is teaching her daughters empathy and compassion while reducing their risk of developing child health problems such as obesity and diabetes.

Most kids love animals and are often dismayed when they find out that they are killed to make beef burgers or sausage rolls. Fortunately, it’s easy to raise a healthy, happy family without participating in cruelty.

To mark Mother’s Day, here are some tasty vegan recipes that will please parents and children alike. They’re easy to make, too, so they are perfect for budding young chefs to try in the kitchen (with responsible supervision, of course!).

Dairy-Free Macaroni Cheese

(Adapted from Kids Are Vegan Too!)

1 lb pasta

3 Tbsp flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp turmeric

3 Tbsp vegan margarine

1 1/2 cups unsweetened soya or rice milk

1 cup shredded vegan cheese

1/2 tsp mustard

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a rapid boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. When done, drain and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and turmeric. Set aside.
Melt the vegan margarine in a pan over medium-low heat. Once melted, add the flour and spice mixture to the pan and whisk until combined. Then add the soya milk gradually, whisking as you go along to get rid of lumps. Once all the soya milk has been added, cook and stir for a few minutes until the sauce begins to thicken.
Add in the vegan cheese and mustard and whisk regularly until the vegan cheese has melted into the sauce, about five minutes.
Add the cooked pasta to a casserole dish, pour the “cheese” mixture over the pasta and stir to combine. Bake at 180 ºC for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken and brown slightly.

Makes 4 servings

Sweet Potato Oven Chips

4 sweet potatoes, cut into batons

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
Toss together all ingredients in a large bowl until the potatoes are evenly coated with oil and spices.
Place the potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes.
Serve with veggie burgers and salad or alone with ketchup.

Makes 4 servings

Banana Muffins

3 ripe bananas

1/4 cup oil or melted vegan margarine

1 cup brown sugar

2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional – see other options listed below)

Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Mash the bananas (overripe ones work best), then add the oil and sugar and mix well.
Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together and add to the banana mixture. Mix until the flour is blended (do not beat).
Pour into muffin pans and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 25 minutes.

Optional: Add a handful of walnuts, oatmeal, raisins, chocolate chips, currants or coconut – or all of the above – to the mixture!

Makes 12 muffins

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For more tasty, healthy and animal-friendly recipe ideas, order a free vegan starter kit today!