Changing your diet from eating meat, dairy or other products to a strictly vegan diet can put you at risk for deficiencies, if not done in a healthy way. You can visit chooseveg.com/vegan-food-pyramid.asp to view this pyramid. These include rennet, used to make cheese, honey, gelatin, red dye from the cochineal insect, as well as meat, eggs and dairy products. Other foods that often contain animal-derived ingredients include bread, barbecue sauce, wine, beer, maple syrup, margarine, flour tortillas, mayonnaise, many types of sugars and Worcestershire sauce. This site offers "Vegan 101" tips, a community board and thousands of vegan recipes. Fresh fruits and vegetables do not ship very well from an online supplier. Pick up bananas, avocados, leafy greens, fruits, frozen fruits and seasonal vegetables. Avocados and bananas are commonly substituted for baking products, mayonnaise, ice cream and more. They are excellent staples to have on hand. Check in the natural section and always check labels. You should try to buy these vegan foods in a store because they are heavy and will add to shipping costs. Buy nut butters, such as almond, peanut, cashew and walnut butter, at the supermarket. Some supermarkets allow you to crush and make your own at the store, ensuring it is very fresh. Buy flax seed, walnut, canola and olive oil. These rich oils are essential for getting a good supply of omega 3 fatty acids. Buy non-dairy milk in cartons at the store. Most supermarkets carry soy, almond, coconut and rice milk. If you are unable to find them, however, you can order them in cases online. Buy canned foods such as black beans, tomatoes and chickpeas at the store.

Summary: Study the vegan food pyramid to get an idea of what a healthy vegan diet looks like. Research the types of products that should be substituted for vegan alternatives. Join the VegWeb community. Visit your natural food store or supermarkets to find fresh produce. Buy some processed foods in the supermarket, rather than ordering them online.

Certain liquids can be cooked down to then be combined with salt like wet condiments. Wines and heavy liquors are especially good for this purpose due to their sugar content and high smoke point. Grab a bottle of your favorite pinot noir or barrel-aged whiskey and get cooking. Browse a few recipes to see which liquids can be used to make reductions and which can't. Try a dash of maple-bourbon salt on a sirloin steak or homemade caramels. Pour 2-3 cups of your chosen liquid into a saucepan. Turn on the stove top to a medium-high temperature and heat the liquid until it just begins to bubble. From there, reduce the heat and let it continue simmering. The liquid will most likely need to simmer for between 15-20 minutes, but exact times may vary. Keep an eye on it as it cooks down. The process of boiling and simmering the liquid will cook the moisture out of it, causing it to thicken into a condensed syrup. Stir the reduction continuously to keep air moving through it and prevent it from burning or sticking to the saucepan. When it's thick enough to coat the outside of your spoon or ladle, it's ready to be added to the salt. You should be left with 12 tablespoons (14.829.6ml) of syrup after the liquid is fully reduced. Remove the reduction from the heat as soon as it's finished. It can burn very easily if it continues being exposed to heat after it has thickened. Drain the contents of the saucepan onto a nonstick baking sheet. Pour in 1-1 cups of salt and fold the salt into the syrup by hand. Spread the salt mixture thin and place the baking sheet in the oven for about 2 hours at 170F (76.7C). The dried salt can then be broken up and sifted into a different container. That's all it takes! Shake or stir the salt periodically to keep it separated. You can produce roughly 1 cup of salt per batch this way.

Summary: Select a flavored liquid for your salt. Bring the liquid to a boil. Heat the liquid until it forms a reduction. Add the salt and dry the mixture.

After your dog beings consistently pawing at the treat in your closed hand, you can start to introduce your preferred verbal command. Wait until your dog paws at your hand and issue the command while giving him the treat. Your command could be any word, but "Shake" or "Paw" are commonly used. Say your command clearly and loud enough to be heard by your dog. Issue your command at the exact moment the dog paws at your hand. Once you pick a command, don't change it, as this will confuse your dog. Keep any command short. Generally only one word commands will be the best. After you have begun using your verbal command when your dog paws at your hand, it's time to start saying it before it paws. As you move the hand with the treat towards your dog, say your command. This step helps him to realize the verbal command is now the signal to bring his paw up to shake. Ideally, your dog will bring his paw up as soon as you say your command. Only after he shakes should you reward him with the treat and praise him. If your dog doesn't bring his paw up at the command, try again until he does. If he still doesn't after about fifteen minutes, stop for a while and try again later. You don't want to frustrate your dog. Rewarding your dog for any other behavior will confuse your dog. Never reward him unless he has completed the command successfully, or else he might view your rewards as bribes. Avoid improper rewarding by always obtaining your dog's full attention before training. Don't get frustrated and give your dog the treat if he isn't doing the "shake" command as you asked. Giving up like this will send the message that if he sits and ignores you he will be rewarded. Realize that your dog is always paying attention. Any treat given to him will likely be associated with whatever he was doing at the time. Your dog wants to earn treats. Once he makes the connection that a behavior will earn him something tasty, he will be ready to behave in that way. This counts for both good or bad behavior. Be aware of this when you reward your dog.
Summary: Introduce a verbal command. Start preemptively using your command. Reward your dog only when it completes the command.