How-To Make A Vegan Rainbow

If you're not seeing rainbows behind your eyelids by now, you're not paying attention. I'm anti-marriage of any kind personally, but I do believe that if one person should be allowed to make that mistake, then everyone should, lol. Seriously, marriage benefits discriminate against single folk, and yes, there are people who choose to remain single, and they shouldn't be penalized for it. Until it's as quick to get divorced as it is to get married... well, anyone who's been there knows what I'm talking about!

But yay for people being allowed to love each other and express it however they choose. I'm all for that. And rainbows. And rainbow unicorns. And married rainbow unicorns are fine too.

Being vegan is about recognizing every animal's right to choose how to live (humans are animals too). Also, once viably alive, every individual has a right to stay alive (yes, I am avoiding big topics like abortion and capital punishment for now). Enough of the social politics... we want vegan rainbows!!

It's often said that a healthy diet means eating a rainbow. Hmm. Not too many blue foods out there in nature. Most lean towards the violet end of the spectrum, or, once chewed or squished on your white t-shirt, turn into the color of a blushing albino rhinoceros. Smurfberry Crunch and that hideous Gatorade that looks like windshield washer fluid don't count.

Almost 7 years ago, I posted a list of rainbow-colored vegan foods. I was often creating colorful bento lunches for my children, as were others like Jewelmaker and Bentoriffic. As cute as some are--like this breakfast cereal bento by Start Happy--I try to avoid artificial coloring and sugar overload. Once in awhile, especially on birthdays, I throw those guidelines out the window.

Here are some ideas if you want to skip the food coloring:

• Top a cake with stripes of rainbow-colored fruit, ie. strawberries, mandarin orange slices, sliced bananas, kiwi, blueberries, and purple grapes. 

• Use similar fruit to create a dessert pizza or raw nut-creme pie topped with circles of fruit. 

• Make rainbow fruit skewers (I've got my own recipe for this fun project in my upcoming cookbook). 

• Freeze some rainbow fruit popsicles.

Share and enjoy!