Vegan Except Chicken Soup

Have you read 'Vegan Before 6?' I haven't, yet, but I gather that the gist of this bestseller by New York Times food writer Mark Bittman, is that if you eat a healthy diet before dinner (i.e. most of the time), you can eat whatever at the evening meal, and still maintain (or recover) a healthy weight. I enjoyed the interview here, and seriously doubt it would work for me, but I do admire the author's optimism!

So I'm calling this table runner 'Vegan Before Soup'. It describes the cognitive dissonance that happens during my vegetarian intervals, when I, or someone I love, gets sick. Noble veggie instincts fly out the window, replaced by the fierce conviction of my Eastern European ancestors that the patient's last best hope is chicken soup. It's in my blood. Literally.

So, a couple of weeks ago, at a needlework conference, I happened upon this awesome fabric:

Sold here, among other places. There's a red-and-white version - for Xmas? - as well as sober the b-and-w above. 

Despite having more food fabric than I knew what to do with, my tribal unconscious would not let me pass by this fabric; I went crazy and bought a yard.

Only a yard because, if you read my last installment, you know I also recently experienced a massive influx of colorful, hyperrealistic, and best of all, free, fruit-and-vegetable fabrics.

At home, a careful reading of the fabric recipe revealed that I also had fabric depictions of several key ingredients: Carrot, onions, garlic, and various greens. So I added 2 1/2" strips of them to either side.

Above and below the chicken soup panel, those are 2 1/2" strips of fabric with tiny inexplicably  blue chicken heads.

I also happen to own magnificently hideo-beautiful vintage African fabric with giant green-and-burgundy roosters, gifted to me by a kind and generous friend. (If anyone knows what the rooster symbolizes on African fabric, I'd love to know.)

So my question now, is whether to leave the front as it is, above, or to add a witness:

What do you think? Giant green chicken or no? Vote in the comments!

For the back, I stuck with a purely healthy vegetarian theme. These are also 2 1/2" strips.

This table runner, or placemat, would be a great present for anyone who believes in the magical healing powers of fruits, vegetables, and, of course, chickens.