Earlier this week, Rachael Ray showcased one of our all-time favorite treats — delicious vegan marshmallows created by Sweet & Sara. Ray took to her website to declare the company’s Peanut Butter Smores as her “Snack of the Day.” YUMMY!!

Sweet & Sara is a New York City based company and is the original manufacturer of 100% gelatin-free, 100% vegetarian and vegan marshmallows. We’ve had pretty much every flavor of marshmallow they make and can guarantee you’ll love them!

You can find Sweet & Sara vegan marshmallows and smores in health food supermarkets, cafes, and online shops, all over the country, and in several places overseas. You can also purchase the products directly from Sweet & Sara through their website or at their marshmallow factory in Queens. Marshmallow factory? Get the hell out of town!

To learn more about why we can’t get enough of these vegan yummies, visit SweetAndSara.com.

Just weeks ago we announced that Ray had launched Mutt Madness — an initiative to help raise money for organizations that practices no-kill animal wellness. Now, it looks like she’s taking her canine work to the next level.

According to Hamptons.com, the talk show host has “been so upset by the stories of the hundreds of thousands of abused and abandoned animals that have to be taken into shelters each year” that she has created Rachael’s Rescue.

The new campaign is featured on her official website and will spotlight caring organizations that are dedicated to helping animals in need.  Pretty neat!

Now if only we can get her to make the same connection with all animals. Le sigh.

- Rachael Ray discussing why she’s included so many vegetarian recipes in her new cookbook. The people have spoken and we love to hear that they’re asking for more veggie food. Go, Rach! 

via: vegetarianstar.com

photo credit: prphoto.com

For you foodies out there you that missed one of the most tasteful fundraising events of the season that supported NYC’s City Harvest, let me tell you about the evening that took place at Splash Light Studios on Hudson Street.

City Harvest, a non-profit that delivers food to hungry New Yorkers, raised enormous awareness last night during an extremely chic event called Focus: An auction of the finest photography, with special food tastings prepared by many well known chefs from restaurants like Le Bernardin, Victor’s Cafe, and South Gate to name a few. The lobster from Eric Ripert Le Bernardin was out of this world!

There were also special musical performances by the Kevin Bacon’s band, the Bacon Brothers, and the Cringe Band, led by John Cusimano, Rachael Ray’s husband. Both groups put on spectacular performances that had the room rocking.

The event had a silent auction of some of the finest photography donated by some of the world’s most famous photographers; along with jewelry from Judith Ripka which raised much needed funds to help feed the city’s needy. Other sponsors of the evening were FUJIFILM, Interview Magazine, Gotham Magazine, Diageo, and super sweet chocolates from CoCo Delice and Marti Chocolatt.

Rachael Ray, one of the bidders of the live auction, bought a Rolling Stones picture of Mick Jagger singing Jumping Jack Flash which sold for $10K. Rachael, who also sits on City Harvest’s board of directors, reminded the nearly 800 guests how we need to help support this important, 25 year old organization and make sure the region’s needy are not forgotten.

On an eco-friendly point, by the end of 2009 City Harvest will convert their trucks to be hybrid — which should help reduce emissions by 40 percent. City Harvest also uses pedi-cabs to transport food around Manhattan.

The event was produced by Bradford Rand, CEO of Go Green Expo in association with Timothy White, a world renowned photographer who also sits on the board of City Harvest.

For all of your NYers out there who work for big corporate companies or even small companies and have food catered and have lots of left overs, remind your management to contact City Harvest for food pick-ups!

Photo Credit:  Melissa Rosenberg

Adding to the list of projects she’s got her hands in, Rachael Ray is debuting a line of dog food, with proceeds going to fund her charity “Rachael’s Rescue”. The recipes for the Nutrish for Pets line are taken from those Rachael has created for her pit bull, Isaboo. Other pet food and treat recipes are also featured in her magazine, Everyday with Rachael Ray.

“It seemed like not a lot of extra time to donate to something that could potentially raise millions of dollars for championing these little creatures that can’t speak for themselves.” – AP

The website for Rachael’s Rescue has lots of good information, a “Pet Lover’s” blog featuring recipes you can make at home for your furry friends, as well as “Are you ready for a pet?” and tips on common household items that can be toxic to your pets. There are also links to featured organizations like North Shore Animal League America and Bad Rap.

As a pet lover and dog owner, this actually looks like a pretty awesome venture on Rachael Ray’s part. I do have to wonder how much this line of dog food is going to cost, seeing as my Rottweiler eats through a fifty pound bag of dog food in about two weeks. Knowing I’m helping a good cause would probably make it worth the extra cost. Don’t worry, cat owners, there are plans in the works for a line of cat food to follow soon!

Brinkley acted as chair and headliner of the lunch, which was sponsored by the Northeast Organic Farming Association. Following the meal, the afternoon got down to business with a panel discussion that focused on the message: “Organic Food, From Farm to Family.” The session was moderated by sustainable agriculture expert Kathy Lawrence, with panelists Peter Hoffman, chef-owner of New York’s Savoy restaurant; Anna Lappé, co-founder of the Small Planet Institute; Scott Chaskey, the very bearded poet, farmer and educator; and Woodson Merrell, M.D., S.C.D., chairman of Integrative Medicine at the Continuum Center for Health and Healing, in New York.

It would be safe to say that most of the women in attendance spend more time at Bergdorf’s than they do growing organic beets or pondering the perils of GMOs, but that certainly didn’t detract from their clear belief in the benefits of buying non-processed, organic food—particularly produce that has been locally grown within close range of Fifth Avenue or alternately, the Hamptons.

For more on the lunch, visit NewYorkInsider.TV