Sweet Success! Vegan Marshmallows by Sweet and Sara

Anyone looking to fill a vegan Easter basket – no need to search any further!  One of my favorite things about this time of year used to be Marshmallow Peeps showing up on the shelves of convenience stores and supermarkets everywhere in.  That was before I realized that, as with all marshmallows, they are made with gelatin, a non-vegetarian substance.  Obviously, these candies were something that had to be given up when I made the decision to stick to a vegan diet.  Although the idea behind gelatin kind of grosses me out, I still missed being able to enjoy this yummy treat and resigned myself to the fact that I’d have to cross it off my list for good (not to mention others like s’mores and rice crispy treats).

What I didn’t know at the time, was that only a subway ride away, Sara Sohn from Sweet & Sara was hard at work developing and perfecting her 100% animal product free marshmallow recipe.  A long time vegan, she was on a mission to recreate one of her favorite childhood snacks, the rice crispy treat.  After being told by food scientists that it would be impossible to reproduce the consistency that gelatin provides in marshmallows, she was even more determined than ever.  After ten months of experimentation she succeeded and boy am I glad that she did!

This year for my birthday, my wonderful sister (thanks Jill!) decided to surprise me with a box full of Sweet & Sara goodies.  I had a curious-looking package waiting for me when I got home from a late night at the office one day this week and what I found inside was definitely the best thing I could have hoped for!  Not only did I get the vegan version of Marshmallow Peeps, called Easter Peepers & Skippers, but I got rice crispy treats, peanut butter smores and rocky road bark.  The Easter Peepers & Skippers are my favorite – creamy, fluffy and have a hint of chocolate flavor, which makes them even better than the originals.

 

Vegans everywhere can take advantage of Sara’s hard work so don’t worry if you are not in the New York City area.  In addition to being sold on Sweet & Sara’s website, their products are available country-wide (and even at several overseas locations) in health food stores, supermarkets, cafes and online shops.  For anyone that is in the New York area, they are also available by appointment at her factory in Long Island City, Queens.  I think a field trip to Queens may just be in the cards for me in the near future.  I can’t think of a happier place on Earth than a marshmallow factory!

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A native New Yorker, Tracey presently works in Manhattan in commercial real estate finance and lives on Long Island. She made the decision to give up eating, wearing and buying all animal products in January of 2008. Though her work schedule is pretty demanding, she strives to maintain a fashion-forward appearance while not compromising her beliefs and strong values about remaining cruelty-free. She is passionate about discovering and spreading the word about new businesses, companies, restaurants, etc. in the New York area that cater to her set of values. Currently, she is the admin of her own recently-started blog on cruelty-free and eco-friendly fashion at compassionforward.com. In her spare time, she also enjoys snowboarding, mountain-biking, reading, music, running and spending time with her husband and two cats. Stay tuned for her e-boutique, set to launch in August 2011, which will offer an array of hand-picked, stylish shoes, bags and other accessories that are produced without unnecessary harm to animals or the environment.