Create A Vegan Easter Basket

How to Create a Vegan Easter Basket

http://www.ehow.com/how_15638_create-vegan-easter.html

It may seem like an insurmountable task to make an Easter basket for
someone who doesn't eat any animal products, but it's not impossible.
The key is to read ingredient labels and steer clear of milk, eggs
and gelatin.

Steps:

1. Start out by purchasing a woven wicker Easter basket, plastic
Easter eggs and shredded paper grass to line the bottom.

2. Head to your nearest health food store. Although many candies
contain either gelatin or milk (like milk chocolate eggs) you can
find dark chocolate that is milk-free, and hard fruit-flavored
candies that have no gelatin. Candies that use carob in place of
chocolate will also work.

3. Include several pieces of beautiful, ripe fruit. For the best
selection, find a local farmer's market or organic food store. Wash,
dry and polish the fruit before you place it in the basket.

4. Buy a prepackaged bag of trail mix (check to be sure it doesn't
contain milk chocolate, although carob chips are OK), or make your
own by mixing almonds, shredded coconut, carob chips, raisins and
sunflower seeds. Tie a ribbon around the bag.

5. Fill the plastic eggs with small items like herbal tea bags, nuts
and dried fruit.

6. Make sure to include some nonfood items as well, such as a small
potted houseplant, a bouquet of dried flowers, scented candles or a
book on bird watching or local hiking trails.

7. Arrange all these things in the basket, putting the heavier items
(such as the trail mix and plastic eggs) on the bottom and the
lighter ones (the baked goods and fruit) on the top.

Tips:

Watch out for jelly beans and other chewy candies that may contain
gelatin.

You can also make sure your treats are vegan by making them yourself.
Peruse the Internet for recipes for carob chip cookies, peanut butter
cookies, fudge and other vegan treats. Wrap your homemade goodies in
colored plastic wrap and secure them with pastel ribbon or Easter
stickers.