Yes, we have these awesome Vegan Meyer Lemon Bars for you today but... could you help us out with an issue we're dealing with?
Vegan Meyer Lemon Bars ... And A Moral Dilemma
A few days ago, we found one of our recipes (written word for word, pictures included) posted on the website of a so-called fitness celebrity, who took full credit for. We contacted them and asked them to please either remove the post or give us credit for the recipe. We received a response apologizing for what happened. The explanation they gave us was that someone who no longer works on their team was responsible for posting the recipe, and they assured us it would never happen again.
Something didn't sit right with me, especially after receiving that response, so I started browsing through the website, looking at the recipes posted. Just as I suspected, I found a lot of work from other bloggers and, just as happened with us, they did not get credit for it. Some were just images, some were full recipes, copied to a t.
I found myself getting more and more enraged, the more unaccredited recipes I found. How could someone who is supposed to be a "role model" for a healthy lifestyle, do something like this? How can someone blatantly take another person's work and pass it as theirs? In my eyes, that is no different than going into a store and walking away with something without paying for it. It is no different than stealing.
This whole thing has been eating at me for days, and I've been asking myself why that is. They did what we asked for after all, so my not just let it go? Here's why: because it's wrong. And because it's unfair. It's unfair because as food bloggers, every recipe and every picture we post requires hard work, time and dedication. And for someone to take the easy road and use it to their benefit, is just wrong. But the main reason why I can't let it go is because yes, we were able to catch it and stop it. But what about all the other bloggers out there who have no idea this is happening? Shouldn't they have the right to know, so they can decide what to do?
So here's my "moral dilemma": do I try to contact these bloggers and let them know what's going on? Or do I just let it go since we got what we asked for? And please understand, I'm not trying to be vindictive here. I just want to do what is right and what is fair.
Any input would be greatly appreciated... Thank you for listening!
Have you ordered Tahini and Turmeric, our Vegan Middle Eastern Cookbook?
Vegan Lemon Bars
- Total Time: 2 hours 55 mins
- Yield: 8 bars
Description
Creamy, rich, tangy and delicious vegan lemon bars. Have them for dessert or as a snack. They are a treat you'll fall in love with! Check out some of our other vegan recipes
Ingredients
- For The Shortbread:
- ½ cup coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
- ½ teaspoon natural vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon water
- Pinch of salt
- For The Lemon Curd:
- 1 cup canned light coconut milk
- ½ cup Meyer lemon juice (about 2 large)
- 3 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 ½ tablespoon corn starch
- Pinch of turmeric (optional, just for color)
- Pinch of salt
- 2-3 tablespoon confectioners' sugar (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1-2 teaspoon natural vanilla extract (to taste)
Instructions
- To prepare the shortbread
- Preheat oven to 325F. Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper
- In a medium bowl, cream together coconut oil and granulated sugar for about one minute. Add confectioner's sugar and vanilla and continue beating for another minute, until creamy
- Reduce speed, add flour, water and salt and mix until just incorporated
- Using your hands, pull the mix together to form a dough
- Press the dough as evenly as possible onto the lined pan, so it slightly comes up the sides. Prick the dough with a fork several times (this will prevent it from bubbling up)
- Bake at 325F for about 30-33 minutes or until lightly golden. Set aside to cool completely
- In the meantime, prepare the lemon curd. Combine coconut milk, lemon juice, maple syrup, corn starch, turmeric and salt in a small sauce pan and whisk well. Place the saucepan on the stove over medium heat and cook until it thickens ( this should take about 5-6 minutes), whisking often
- Remove from heat and whisk in confectioners' sugar, coconut oil and vanilla extract. Set aside to cool, about 10 minutes
- Pour the lemon curd over the shortbread crust and refrigerate for 2 hours or until set. Cut into bars
Notes
Creamy, rich, tangy and delicious vegan lemon bars. Have them for dessert, as a snack, They are a treat you'll fall in love with!
- Prep Time: 2 hours 20 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Category: dessert
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: vegan
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 286
- Sugar: 11
- Sodium: 295
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 17
- Unsaturated Fat: 3
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 2.5
- Cholesterol: 0
Yael @ Nosherium
First off, these lemon bars look delicious! Secondly, this kind of abuse is pretty rampant. I would be inclined to contact the celebrity's team again and tell them to audit their posts, because you recognize some copyrighted content in other posts. If you don't receive a favorable response, you can let individual bloggers know, or just tag some of them in a social media blast about it. Thank you for being vigilant!
Vicky & Ruth
We have a feeling the "someone who doesn't work here anymore did it" was just an excuse... We will do something about it, one way or another. Thank yuo for your input!
Renee Glass
Regarding the issue of recipes being copied from other sites. I agree with you that it's not moral. But, having said that, there is no such thing as copyrite on the net and unfortunately people can do as they please. They have to live with themselves.
To contact the other bloggers - well, it's ok, but makes no difference.
I collect cookbooks and can't tell you how often I've come across recipes that have clearly been plagiarised. It certainly cheapens the book in my eyes, but once again, nothing one can do about it.
I love your recipes, especially since they are all kosher.
Thank you so much
Renee
Sydney Australia
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Renee!
Yes, we agree with you, there isn't much we can do about them copying the recipes. But when we contacted them and asked them to give us credit for our work, they did (my guess is, they saw some people posting comments about it on social media and wanted to take care of it right away). So, if the bloggers affected contact them and ask the same, they might get the credit they deserve also...
Thank you for your input and for the love!!
Dana @ Foodie Goes Healthy
Photos are copywritten, as is unique text, like the story told about the recipe. A list of ingredients is not copywritten. Simple, basic instructions are not copywritten, but if instructions use unique language and descriptions, then they could have copy rights. A collection of recipes is copywritten. People have had good luck fighting infringements by filing DCMA take downs with Google, hosting companies, and sometimes with Facebook. Or by sending bills for use of photos. So, if a blogger wants to pursue it, there is recourse. Some bloggers say that recipe theft is rampant, but they get tired of the time and energy it takes to fight it. A bit like whack-a-mole, another one always pops up.
Vicky & Ruth
That is very useful, great information Dana, thank you so much. A lot of us are faced with these kinds of situations often, and we are not sure what to do. All these recipes were copied word by word (typos and mistakes included!!), and some posts just had pictures from other people, where no credit was given. Thank you again for your input.
Blue Wren
@ Renee Glass: Actually, you are wrong. There is absolutely "such a thing as copyrite (sic)" on the interenet, it's just very difficult to prosecute it and most people can't afford the lawyers to pursue it. It becomes further complicated by different laws covering different countries and even jurisdictions within countries.
I think you have a moral and social responsibility to alert the bloggers whose stolen work you found on this website. I would go further and post about it on social media and encourage your followers to repost thereby slowly shutting down their business model by revealing these thieves as the disingenuous scammers they are. Most people seeking to live healthier, happier lives have a moral compass that would make them shun such a shoddy website if they knew the truth.
Blue Wren
Sorry but all this talk of stole recipes has overshadowed the lovely recipe you have offered here.
These bars look delicious. I'd love to see you use sweeteners other than sugar, but that's ok, I know how to make substitutions.
Thanks for the lovely recipes that you post. Although I can't use many of them directly because of problems with sugar and wheat, I find that with a few minor substitutions I can make them work and you seem to have an approach that is somewhat different to what I find on many other vegan sites. Your efforts are much appreciated - I can't imagine how much work it is not only to come up with new recipes all the time, but then to test them, then make a picture perfect batch, then the styling and photos...makes me tired just thinking about it!
Donna Barstow
As the authors here know, recipes have never been copyrighted, and there is no such thing as plagiarism for them. Photos and ALL other content are totally copyrighted, though! Just one word or one line drawn on paper or online is immediately copyright- protected.
I say call the host or server. It's illegal for theme to have stolen work on their equipment! And of course post on social media.
Denise
Of course let the other bloggers know! Theft is theft.
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you Denise. We totally agree with you on that!!
Wendy
Yes I would definitely let them know
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you Wendy. We feel it's the right thing to do too!
Paula Zevin
Dear Ruth and Vicky, your recipes are so good and you two are great! I say, if you have any questions about whether to contact the bloggers who "borrowed" photos and recipes, get some legal advice first. While anyone's first impulse might be to go ahead and do it, there may be ramifications you didn't think about. Plus, with solid legal advice and support, your case may be even stronger than you think. I hope that you keep sharing your creations and thoughts with us for a long time to come!
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Paula,
Thank you for your comment. That is definitely a great suggestion and we 're working on it. Thanks for the love!
Donna Reich
I was so sorry to learn what happened to you. Personally, I love reading and trying out your great recipe suggestions because they work! You are very much on target and so very delicious!!!
Take the "high" road! Your site is a winner! You have a supportive and loyal following.
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you for the love and support Donna! <3
CINDY
I think you should inform the other bloggers about the situation... this is not a kosher situation that you are faced with!
Vicky & Ruth
Not kosher at all Cindy. We would want to know if it happened to us...
Diane Gauley
You are taking 'the high road' by not releasing the celebrity's name. And what you want is to treat other bloggers as you would like to be treated yourself. I would say trust your instincts.....they seem quite worthy of trust.
Hanna
Firstly, these bars look amazing and you know why? The photography!! My mouth was literally watering looking at them. That takes talent to create a picture that makes your mouth water. No way someone else should post your art on their site without your permission. The problem here is that this "star" or the person responding for them, should have looked at every recipe on the site to be sure this didn't happen anywhere else. Now, lets presume the former employee didn't inform anyone of where they got the recipes. Knowing what you do, you should either contact the person who apologized and tell them you know these other recipes belong to other bloggers and ask them to remove them as well or contact your friends and let them decided.
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you!!!! It is pretty obvious to us that they were blaming the former employee instead of taking responsibility. There are SO many recipes... I can't believe only one person was in charge of posting them. We contacted them again asking to refrain from posting the entire recipe, or use photos without permission in the future. They assured us it would never happen again...
ReenaTeena
I would let any bloggers know. You would want to know, so I assume others would , too. I know this kind if thing happens quite a bit, but perhaps if enough bloggers complain to this so-called fitness celebrity , it might happen less. I'm thinking "tweeting" to the celebrity might be overdoing it and might invite negativity.
Vicky & Ruth
Yes, we absolutely would want to know. That's why we feel strongly about letting the other bloggers know. And we agree, doing it privately is the way to go. Our intention is not to cause any harm, we just want to be fair. Thank you for your input!
Dianna Fine
Sometimes I just have to answer a question by asking another question!! If some other blogger had found your recipes on the fitness celebrity's website, would you want them to let you know about it? That's probably your answer!! And if your recipes are copyrighted, what happened was illegal - otherwise, it's just immoral. Either way, it doesn't feel good to be "ripped off!" Apparently, this fitness celeb, believes s/he can just keep getting away with this. You may want to round up the other bloggers and all start calling and complaining but s/he will just find another blogger to rip off!. If the celeb is required to be certified, you can probably file a complaint with his/her licensing board. And you can have an attorney send the celeb a letter with a complaint. It just depends on what you believe you need to do to feel better about this!
*** LOVE your recipes!!!
Vicky & Ruth
Big fat yes, we would want to know!! I guess we were looking for suggestions on the best way to approach the issue. The thing is, regardless of what we decide to do, the bloggers involved should have the chance to handle it however they see fit. That's why we feel like they should know. Thanks for your comment and for the love!
Raquel
That's a really tough dilemma! They don't have any right to take your recipes that you worked very hard on, I would tell different bloggers and see if they care. But if enough of you can get up and make some noise than hopefully you could stop them from stealing!!! btw- love the lemon meyer bars 🙂 Good luck!!
Vicky & Ruth
We agree!! Last thing they want is to look bad in front of their followers, believe me! And yes, these are awesome, but not as good as yours!! 😉
Jeannie
I would let the other bloggers know. They may not be aware of what happened. Wouldn't you want someone to contact you with that information. What they do with it is up to them. It's a professional courtesy.
Vicky & Ruth
Yes, absolutely. Which is why we feel they should know. Like you said, so THEY can decide what to do about it. Thank you for sharing your opinion with us 🙂
Jordyn
Yes, you should contact the other bloggers. Just as you deserve the recognation for your work, these other people deserve it as well. They should be given the option of telling the site whether they want the recipe/pictures removed or credit given. This is your work/your livelihood. Don't ever apologize for doing what is right for you.
Vicky & Ruth
Agreed 100%. They absolutely deserve the recognition and the right to decide what to do! We work very hard every day to put out these recipes and photos, so it's only fair. Thanks for your input 🙂
Esther Hausman
Yes. You absolutely should tell the other bloggers if you can identify them. It's like getting your stolen bike back from someone who supposedly didn't realize it was stolen then watching that person walk over take your neighbors bike. I would even go so far as calling out this "superstar" on his/her deception. You all work very hard to give us awesome FREE pictures and recipes. The LEAST one can do is give you all credit. Good luck and keep us posted! From a fellow Sepharadit
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you Esther. One of the things that got to us the most was reading "This is MY recipe for XXX " on her site... And even though I don't believe anyone can copyright a recipe, this is OUR work. For someone to copy it word by word and even use pictures, and take credit for it, is just wrong. We will definitely keep you posted. Thank you!!! 🙂
Baker
We are a household that loves lemon bars, and we love this one! I even made it gluten free, by substituting a gluten-free flour blend, and it was also great.
And for the "moral dilemma", if you really "just want to do what is right and what is fair," than go ahead, you had the answer all the time. - Zomick's
Vicky & Ruth
That sounds great!!! Glad it worked out 🙂 ... And yes, we did have the answer all along. Thank you!!
Arjan Khalsa
Addressing the dilemma that you're facing... I also have my own website and post bi-weekly health tips. I don't mind people using my things, but I really appreciate when they ask or, at least, leave my name and website in the credits. Conversely, when I'm reposting someone else's information, I always ask the blogger. I usually receive a response from them , but, if I don't, I may or may not post it, but I ALWAYS give credit to the person' who originally posted the recipe. It's the absolute right thing to do. You ladies work hard, and it's important that you're credited with any copies of your work. Thank you for all of your amazing recipes! My family loves the ones I've made and I'm looking forward to vegan lemon bars.... I love them so much and haven't been able to find vegan ones. Woohoo!
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you for the kind words! We hope you enjoy the bars!! And you are absolutely right. We make sure to ALWAYS give credit when we use someone's work, so we expect others to do the dame! It is the right thing to do. Thank you again for your comment 🙂
Nancye Smith
I feel you have a right to inform these people that they are impersonating the Author which is ethically wrong. Secondly I would report them to whoever is responsible for your site copyright. To me it's like using someone else's credit card!! Those guys should be reprimanded severely...
Good luck...
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you for your feedback Nancye. We started informing other bloggers.
Agness of Run Agness Run
Fantastic recipe for a dessert! Love lemons, plus when combined in a dessert, prefect!
Deli posts
I made these last night, and they were awesome! Thank you for sharing this great recipe. May God bless you.
Tara
Hey - just wanted to let you know that I made these lemon bars tonight and my kids loved them! Just curious - mine were white, not yellow, and I followed your recipe exactly. How did yours come out such a lovely color?
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Tara,
We added a pinch of turmeric while cooking the lemon curd (after adding the corn starch), and totally forgot to include that step on the recipe. So sorry about that! Thank you for bringing it up to our attention. So glad to hear your kids liked them!! 🙂
Kales
Oh my gosh, where was this recipe during Christmas time!? It's similar-ish to what I was making (I mostly winged it) but it's nice to actually have a nice recipe from someone who knows what they're doing. I'm very excited to try this, it's likely loads better than the last two batches I made.
Vicky & Ruth
Hi there!! So glad you found this recipe! We really hope you enjoy it 🙂
Kt
Hello!
The lemon bars look delicious!
I want to bake them for a friend's birthday but I don't have access to maple syrup in the markets nearby. Is there any way I can use sugar/ honey to make these gorgeous beauties?
Vicky & Ruth
Hi there!
You can definitely use honey here. You can also use agave nectar if it's available near you. Hope you like them!
Kt
Thank you for the advice! Can you also tell if the proportion of honey will vary from that of maple syrup? Will post my experience once I make them!
Many thanks
monique smith
Rat them out. Totally tel on them. They are being lazy. And it's BS that they didn't know.
Gwendolyn Mercer
Tell the food bloggers about the recipes. My grandmother always said "people can only treat you as bad as you let them". People work and are kind enough to share the fruits of them labor. No one should steal their thunder! That being said, I'm about to try making these vegan lemon bars
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you for your feedback. We ended up reaching out to as many bloggers as we could. Let them take take it from there. It was the right thing to do.
Hope you enjoy the bars! 🙂
Samantha
Could you freeze these bars?
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Samantha, we don't think these bar will freeze well. However, if you try freezing them, we would appreciate if you let us know the results. Thanks
Just Me
Can these squares be frozen????
Vicky & Ruth
We don't think they can be frozen, sorry
Ana
First of all, can't wait to try this recipe for a friend who has several allergies and just loves lemon squares but hasn't had one in years.
Regarding your dilemma, I totally agree with you but as someone else mentioned, be very careful. My first thought was that if you start telling others about this particular website, they in turn could turn around and file a defamation suit against you. So please follow your heart but get some legal advice first.
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you so much for your comment. You are absolutely right, it's always better to act with caution in situations like this one.
Hope you and your friend enjoy the bars!
Alessandra
Drag themmm. They didn't work for those recipes. They didn't put in the time, money, or frustration to figure out how to cook those dishes. It's stealing plain and simple.
dynise
Hi, First this recipe looks delicious. I'm including it (with proper citation 😉 in my newsletter next month. Second, as the author of 3 vegan cookbooks, I share your pain. You have every right to feel this way. It is, in a sense, stealing. You do the work. Others take the credit.
Recipes are not protected by copyright, and people often "borrow" and change one teeny ingredient, A famous example is the vegan mozzarella that Somer McGowan (of VegdgedOut.com) invented. The young woman who runs Doesn't Taste Like Chicken basically swiped it, changed 1/4 tsp of garlic powder to 1/8 tsp (or something like that), then started publicizing it as her own creation. Worse yet, when Somer respectfully called her out on it, she did not apologize and instead defiantly defended herself. Sadly, lots of her readers took her side without even bothering to learn the facts.
I've had famous vegan authors do the same thing to some of my recipes. Frankly, it's partly why I ended up taking a years-long sabbatical from blogging. I personally believe giving credit where credit is due--even if only to say, "this recipe is based on..." is the right thing to do. Most recipes are iterations of other recipes. Anyway, I also believe in karma. Good luck!
Melinda J Martinez
YOU DEFINITELY SHOULD MAKE OTHER BLOGGERS AWARE. GOOD FOR YOU. IT'S OBVIOUS YOU ARE NOT BEING VINDICTIVE AT ALL. YOU ARE STANDING UP FOR WHAT'S RIGHT. DON'T STAY SILENT.
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you so much for your feedback. We believe that letting the affected bloggers know what was happening was the right thing to do. We, for sure would like to know!
Roschelle
Yes, you should
tell them...like you said, “they are stealing.”
Margaret
I love lemon bars, really most anything lemon. I made these Meyer lemon bars. I am not vegan, yet because my son has been over twenty years, I have made many vegan recipes. The photo shared with these bars looks nothing like the end result of the recipe I followed. While the flavor is good, the texture is more like creamy yogurt and the color is more like Grade A butter or Earth Balance. I added turmeric for color though it was optional and that did not make the custard the bright lemony yellow I associate with lemon bars.or that is featured in your photos. It begs me to ask if you used food coloring? I also believe lemon zest is an essential ingredient in lemon bars.
I will not make this recipe again.
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Margaret,
Thank you for your comment. We're very sorry this recipe didn't work for you. We never use any artificial coloring in our recipes. The only thing we used for color here was turmeric. We will retest the recipe to check the consistency, in case there was an error in the ingredients.
Thanks again.
Tree Jay
This review is just about the lemon bar themselves. I would give them 3.5/5 stars.
They turned out pretty tasty. Some comments though... The shortbread turned out very hard (baked it for 31min) in an 8x11 pan. It wasn't overcooked or too thin though, in fact it was pretty thick! Flavor was good. The curd portion tasted good but the texture was more reminiscent of pudding/jello. It was more loose/watery than curd/custard like. I would love to find a way to make the texture closer to that of a non-vegan lemon bar.
Vicky & Ruth
Hi!
Thank you so much for your feedback. We retested the recipe for the third time, just to make sure our measurements were correct and didn't make a mistake. Our curd came out pretty thick, and close to a non-vegan curd consistency (maybe not as rich). Other people have given us the same feedback as you, so we are not quite sure why this is happening.
Rebecca
I also followed the recipe exactly and my curd never thickened or set in the fridge (even though I left it on the stove for at least twice as long as the recipe called for). I ended up pouring that off and just eating the crust, which was delicious, but I am also at a loss for why that hapoened...
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Rebecca,
Thank you for you message. We retested the recipe, and It worked again. We are really not sure what’s happening! Did you use canned coconut milk, and not beverage? Also, did you add the confectioners sugar and coconut oil at the end? These are the only things we can think of. Otherwise, we are at a loss too!
Eileen
I love this recipe & look forward to making it
One question is I do not use coconut oil or any coconut milk. Is there a replacement
I sure hope so
Thanks
Eileen
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Eileen, thank you for your question. You can replace the coconut oil with vegan butter if you are vegan or regular butter if you are not. You can replace the coconut milk for unsweetened non dairy creamer (or one with little sugar) if you want to make it vegan or light cream if you are ok with dairy.
Marie
I'm not seeing where is says melted or unmelted coconut oil.
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Marie,
On step #3 of the recipe you cream the coconut oil, not melted.
On step #9 you also add more coconut oil, not melted, since it will melt with in the hot vegan lemon curd.
Eileen
Delicious! Thank you so much for the vegan option! Love the real use of lemons. Yummmm.
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you co Eileen, we are really thrilled that you loved our vegan lemon bars!
Brigitte
I will make this recipe today , I was trying to get some feedback about the recipe but the only feedback was not on the recipe . people are using recipe to blog it would be nice to find out from other viewers if this recipe was successful I like to read comments about a recipe before I make it . Sometime they give you some tips . Well I will report soon after I am done . I am planning on using your custard with somebodyelse’s crust. I found a very low fat oats almond crust .
Thank you
Brigitte
I am just done making this lemon curd , the taste is really nice and healthy I ommited the oil and I used tapioca flour for the cornstarch and that’s why maybe my curd was set but still need it to be thicker it’s fine that’s all I had . I am eating it more like a yoghourt on my almond oat crust which I love. Thanks I will try again with arrowroot .
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Brigitte,
Thank you so much for trying the recipe and for the feedback. Some people have left comments saying that the curd didn't set, while others were very happy with the consistency. We have retested the recipe a few times, and it worked, so we're not quite sure why. Adding the oil at the end definitely helps to thicken it. We love the idea of the almond crust!
Joy
Thanks you for posting this! A friend just sent me a box of meyer lemons; life is looking good! As for your dilemma: I'd contact the other bloggers so that you can work together to shut this theft down. This site stole your work, your effort, your investment of time. It's wrong, and if it goes unpunished, it gives a green light to the behavior.
Good luck.
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Joy,
Thank you so much for your feedback. We totally agree! We ended up contacting them and emailing other bloggers involved. Enjoy the Meyer lemons and we hope you like our recipe!!
Caiti
Made these heavenly lemon bars today. Such a great recipe, I love the coconut cream ‘custard’ I used the reg, canned coconut cream (non light) and they were delicious!
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Caiti, so glad you love them! ❤️❤️
Robin
Amazing lemon bars! I had no coconut milk and couldn't wait, so I used soy milk and it worked great. The shortbread base alone is worth 5 stars. Thanks!
Vicky & Ruth
Great substitution! Thank you for sharing another way of making this lemon bars. Thank you so much Robin!
Victoria K
These turned out good! I made a raw crust with walnuts, dates, and a pinch of cinnamon. And I used agave and arrowroot powder instead of maple syrup and powdered sugar. It worked great! I was wondering if you think a different milk would work? The coconut flavor from the milk is very strong.
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Victoria,
That crust sounds scrumptious! We used light coconut milk, because the flavor is milder. You could try using almond or coconut coffee creamer. But you might need to reduce the amount of agave you use, since it's slightly sweet. Hope this helps!
Tom Bardessono
I want to comment on your dilemma. I think you should contact the other people who's pictures, content, and ideas are being used without recognition or compensation. Too many times people turn a blind eye when others are being used, treated unfairly, et.
This of us who work hard and produce goods and services should not be taken advantage from someone who is too lazy to do the right thing. You go girl and give them hell! Tom
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you for your feedback Tom! We contacted the bloggers involved, it was absolutely the right thing to do!
Sheila
I think you should contact the other bloggers. It’s actually not even a vindictive thing to do, even though it might feel like it when you’re angry. Can bloggers copywriter their posts? It’s something to look into.
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Sheila,
Thank you for your feedback. Unfortunately we can't copy write our posts (we do own the images though). We contacted the other bloggers and let them handle it however they saw fit.Thanks again!
Maria Fatima Pais
Don't get upset about people copying your recipe and taking credit for it. That is how life is. Take solace in that most of these people are not in your family or friends circle and that at least there you are the owner of your recipe. Another way to look at it is that you should feel happy that a lot of vegan people or those who do not eat egg will benefit from your sharing your talent and kindness. I haven't tried the lemon bars yet, but I was so happy to see an eggless recipe
Jennifer Tzivia MacLeod
I guess I'm too used to lemon-curd style lemon bars, because these were a disappointment. I was naturally expecting something creamier, with all that coconut milk, but with so many ingredients we love, I figured it couldn't go wrong. The base, first of all, is tremendous and I will definitely use it again. But I'm afraid I must continue in my quest for an eggless lemon topping for these bars. The topping wasn't nearly lemony enough to suit our tastes. I suppose I could tweak to add lemon zest, but even then, I'm afraid it wouldn't be enough. I was afraid to add too much turmeric lest it affect the flavour, so these also came out kind of pallid-looking and lifeless. It was also not sweet enough for our tastes, though I suppose that will vary from family to family. Thanks again for a great crust--we'll keep trying to create perfect vegan lemon bars...
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Jennifer,
Thank you for your feedback. We're really sorry the recipe didn't work for you. As you might be able to see from the other comments, there seems to be a little bit of a mystery surrounding these lemon bars. We've tested the recipe over and over, and got a good result each time. Color, texture and flavor. Some readers have as well. Other's, like you, had weren't happy with the results. We've been trying to figure out what the issue is here!
Maureen
I absolutely Think you should contact the other bloggers. Give them the heads up and let them decide if they want to contact the person copying their recipe. Maybe if they get called out often enough they will stop taking credit for others work. I also agree that they their excuse was most likely BS !
Megan
i would sue. because in this world that is intellectual theft. thus you would probably win the case and you would stop the injustice.
Judy
I would definitely contact the other bloggers and let them know. Like you said, it just isn't right. They should know. Also, there is the possibility that it may restart later, or maybe your recipes are being posted somewhere else and if another blogger learned of it, wouldn't you want them to let you know?
Mim
I think what it comes down to is the same thing I try to tell my daughter;
Life is complicated, sometimes things are malleable rather than concrete. In most situations, you already know what to do if you pay attention to that nagging voice. Eat better. Don't lie, unless it's the gentlest, kindest kind (Santa Clause, etc). Work hard. Stand up for the little guy.
If you hear yourself saying "I would want to know this. Informing people is the right thing to do", then do it. If you're stressing about it or losing sleep, get it off your shoulders and unburden yourself. You're not telling people they HAVE to pursue a course of action, just letting 'em know "Hey, I saw your work here. Heads up".
Good luck, I hope eventually your head gets to hit the pillow with nothing but contentment in it 🙂
Gigi
I made these over the summer and they're absolutely delicious! The whole family loved them! My question now is this: I have a bake sale coming up and I am supposed to cook something that is "nonperishable" in the sense that it can be left unrefrigerated. Would these work? (obviously after the initial setting period)
Vicky & Ruth
Hi there!
So glad to hear you liked the recipe! Unfortunately we don't recommend leaving them out for a long period of time, especially if the weather is warm. Sorry 🙁
Lizanne
I think I would contact other bloggers. They did what you asked, but the others don’t know and heir hard work is being stolen. One saying something probably won’t stop this person, but five or six probably will. I’m sorry that happened to you.
Lizanne
Elissa B
I made these yesterday and, now over 24 hours later, the curd still has not solidified. I even put it in the freezer after hours in the refrigerator and, once thawed, it goes back to soup.
I followed the recipe exactly, aside from
using regular, not light, canned coconut milk.
Any idea what might have gone wrong?
Thanks!!
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Elissa,
We've been trying to solve this "mystery" ever since we posted this recipe. We have tested it a number of times, and it has worked for us every time. Some of our readers have been happy with it as well. Other readers however, have had the same problem you're experiencing (you'll see it if you read the comments). We're not quite sure why the recipe isn't working for everyone! We would suggest you try making the curd one more time, and see what happens. Sorry we're not able to help more here!!
Tori
Maybe contact the 'role model' and explain that to them. Give them a chance to do the right thing.
Sandra Hunter
I haven't made this recipe but I'm responding to your comments about content stealing. I agree that it's outrageous and I also hate seeing this happen. Very difficult to control online. Maybe contact an intellectual property lawyer?
Joys
I understand your anger and frustration at finding others using the work of bloggers with out any credit given. It is wrong and not fair. It would certainly be a lot of work to sort through and find the bloggers and give them notice. My thought is to make public the name of the site where you found these recipes w/no credit. Let people know what has happened and if you know bloggers whose work has been used without acknowledgement let them know. It's really a tacky thing and I do believe the transgressors should be exposed. No need to protect them
These lemon bars look delicious and I'll be trying them soon! Thanks.
Gail
Very easy to make! Turned out wonderful!
Joe Bruno
Not sure where a reply in re your question about a moral dilemma was to go so I post it here. But first, thanks for the lemon bar recipe. I am here because a guest at a banquet I am cooking for in January asked if we could accommodate a vegan companion. I'm online looking for ideas....But about the moral dilemma, I don't see one. Where is it? What's the moral part. I believe you are using the word "moral" where what this is all about is "proper." It seems you want to know what is proper. I mean, it cannot be immoral to challenge these people further, nor, on the other hand, are you morally obligated to challenge them. And if you don't truly believe your challenge might do some good then all the more reason to opt for the latter and walk away from the matter at this time. (Who knows but that a more propitious moment may not present itself later on?). So this brings us back to proper. If it's only going to start a fight and drag you down then you'd be unwise to press on at this time; you will only get hurt. But if you can help these "health conscious" folks to see things in a healthier light then why not risk it? By way of avoiding a full head-on, at least initially, you might try notifying the other aggrieved parties and letting them ask the offender for the same consideration you asked for, if they so choose. This might have a better effect, get the job done more cleanly, and avoid the horn-locking silliness that gets us all nowhere. Best . Joe Bruno
TIFrysinger
Can't wait to try the recipe.....since I am now Egg free for almost 2 years - it is great to find recipes that are Vegan and actually still come out like the original version. I am sorry to hear that someone used your post and took credit for this - and I feel you did the right thing to make the other bloggers aware of the situation. It is not uncommon these days for others to use other bloggers posts, but they should give you credit and provide a link to your website). Those that take credit for someone else's work should be ashamed. Not sure if you can file legal charges against them for plagiarism. You have documented dates of your blog post and can prove it was yours before they posted it. Even though they removed it from their site - there is still digital imprints on the internet that can not be deleted permanently. Sometimes it takes someone being bold enough to make a point - so others will not do this so easily.
Rev Dr Kathleen Raphael DD LPN
I would let the other bloggers know.
Plagiarism is plagiarism.
Linda Albert
I ran this recipe through My Fitness Pal and the sodium content was 34 mg instead of the the 2000 mg listed in the nutritional info. Huge difference. Especially for someone watching their sodium intake. Thought You might want to kno
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you for letting us know.
vicki smith
I know little about the blogging community, but I would let the other bloggers know. They may not be aware of what happened.If things were reversed, you would want someone to let you know how someone was using your work. They might decide to pursue it and also contact the celeb's team., your site is always a great source of wonderful recipes, and the photography is top qality..... Thanks, vicki
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Vicki,
Thank you so much for your feedback and the kind words. We agree 100%... we ended up contacting some of the bloggers and the "celebrity" as well. It's really sad to see something like this happen.
Thank you again!
Captain Monkfish
the trouble with resentments whether your right or wrong is your the one upset the the one giving you a resentment is sleeping well tonight. Do you chose to be right or happy. I will give credit to AA as I am incapable of original thought
LISA MT
I would contact the other bloggers if you know them or contact the person at the site that is doing the plagiarism and tell them that they need to stop copying others work. Either way, I think it's a good thing to do. That's my 2 cents.
Stacy Sobel
I definitely think you should let the other bloggers know. Then they can do what they think is best. Stealing is stealing. And by the way- the photos on your site are absolutely gorgeous (I just found it today so I haven't had a chance to try any recipes). You obviously put in tons of effort into your recipes and posts- no one should be able to use them without your consent. Keep up the good work!
Naomi
If the person really was no longer with them (which I doubt) then the minute you contacted a reputable company would have audited their site. So I would alert the other bloggers they have a right to know. I would also have no problem naming the website/person responsible. As to some people saying their is no copy write on the website that is BS. It is just harder to police.
Katrina
Um, absolutely you should say something. Maybe I am late to the game here but what is even the purpose of not naming them in this post? Why do you care at all about protecting the person responsible for your work being stolen? Don't you at least care slightly more about the other people in your position? I don't even see how this is a dilemma, this is more of an issue you seemed to have answered yourself and the only question is what is even stopping you? (Or what stopped you, if you have since gone through with calling the person out.) Have their been any updates out of curiosity?
Anna
The best vegan lemon bars!
K
(Response to moral dilemma) they know what they're doing is wrong. They should absolutely rectify the situation by providing links and credits and by getting in touch with the people who have created the content they're using. They've taken an easy road and avoided a lot of hard work chasing down content creators or creating content themselves. I don't see why we shouldn't expect them to do some work. Let them know that you know what is going on, tell them that they're going to have to start cleaning up their act. If they are not responsive and don't start crediting people then you should probably name them publicly so that other content creators have the opportunity to check that their rights ain't being infringed. Some people create this kind of content for a living and it's not fair if their hard work is being ripped off.
Louise Madison
Unlike recipes, moral dilemmas are rarely clear, even here. Does one know for sure that Celebrity X knew the recipe's original source? Perhaps the person giving it to her, or the one who gave it to that person, etc. shared it as a recipe that had been in the family for ages. It would be impossible to establish proof of anyone's knowing the original source. Thus, I applaud your silence on the Celebrity's name. A word of malice once spoken can not be undone any more than feathers loosed to the wind from a pillow can be recaptured.
Trying to sue would be difficult because no damage occurred. The only ones to benefit from legal action would be the lawyers.
Further, given that recipes can not be copyrighted, what does constitute a new or original recipe? The difference of 1/8 teaspoon of an ingredient? Change of cooking time? Using a substance in another form, e.g. dried vs. fresh?
What has already happened can not be changed; only your reaction to it lies within your control. Striking back verbally is still a form of violence, born of anger; try turning anger on its head to convert it to kindness. The thief is transformed into a disciple, So, if/when a similar situation occurs, perhaps it would do to publicize it and encourage readers to write about how the other's recipe appears to be exactly like yours - so, of course, the recipe is great. Isn't it wonderful that someone else appreciated your recipe so much as to post in for even more people to see?
Sarah
The perfect balance of sweet and tangy. They set beautifully, thank you for the recipe Vicky and Ruth!
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you so much Sarah!
Cara
I have made this recipe several times and it worked out perfectly every time. Thank you!
Vered
This is just a comment about your "theft". If the pictures were not yours and the recipes were slightly modified, we would call this plagiarism. It is work, it is creative, and it is somewhat malicious. You can argue but you'd waste your time! But taking your pictures and your recipes to a "t", there is no work involved (except copying), it is pure malice and deceit, and it is indeed theft. I would suggest to all of you bloggers the following:
1) Innocently comment on their on blog: "Wow, this looks exactly like (address of the link!), did you copy it?" That should shame them;
2) Do inform the bloggers that have been copied;
3) Ask the thieves to remove immediately the post (like a lawful cease and desist).
Hopefully, these actions would deter others.
I happened to find your blog as I was looking for inspiration, preparing for my Rosh Hashana meal. Bravo! Beautiful pictures, great sounding recipes.
שנה טובה ומתוקה!
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you so much. Shana Tova!
Kirsten Acosta
Just a question on the recipe...is the sodium count correct on the nutrition facts? 2000mg of salt in one bar? Can you clarify?
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Kristen, we are so sorry about the mistake. These lemon bars hace 295gr of sodium not 2000.
Betty Blake
My daughter tried the recipe last evening and the lemon never really set well. They are tasty though! Can you tell what maybe could have chosen wrong with the lemon curd?
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Betty,
Thank you for your feedback! For some reason, this recipe works great for some people, but other people have had trouble with it. We have tested it several times, and the curd has set for us, every time. Make sure to use canned coconut milk (not coconut beverage, as it's too watery), cook the curd long enough so it thickens, and don't forget to add the coconut oil at the end. These are some of the things that might affect the consistency. Please let us know if you have any more questions. Thanks again!