Some ethnic markets make a jello-ish dessert with agar agar, and Whole Foods carries a gelatin free one as well. I'm vegan and can reccomend some cookbooks, if you're interested. Anything by Isa Moskowitz (Vegan with a Vengence AND Vegan Cupcakes Take OVer The World are faves) or the Vegan Lunchbox (Jennifer McCann) . They're all easy to read, easy to make, and not too preachy.