Anyone know how to make some good vegetarian marshmellows without using gelatin that still hold their shape? Has anyone used pectin for this?

Re: marshmellows without gelatin
I found this recipe from a Google search - haven't tried it myself:
http://www.cs.indiana.edu/~connelly/marshmallows.html
Vegetarian Marshmallows

This recipe uses agar agar, which is vegetarian, instead of gelatin. If you want to use gelatin, use 4t of gelatin for every 1 t of agar agar (2T for this recipe).

Finally, my boys can have marshmallow treats... and they're better than store bought! Substitute vanilla with candy oils (peppermint is my favorite) and add food coloring for a nice touch. You can make whatever shapes you want: I like snowflakes for Christmas! They keep for over a week in tupperware. The longer you have them, the crunchier they get, making them perfect for hot cocoa.
1 1/2 t. agar agar 1 t. pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 C sugar vegetable-oil cooking spray
2/3 C light corn syrup
1/8 t. salt corn starch
Coat a 12 x 17 inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Set aside.
Place 1/3 C cold water into bowl of electric mixer. Sprinkle with agar agar. Let mixture soften for 5 minutes.

Place sugar, corn syrup, salt and 1/3 C water in small to medium saucepan (if you use to large of a saucepan, the themometer will not be covered by mixture). Cover. Bring to a boil. Remove lid. Cook, swirling occasionally until syrup reaches 238 degrees (soft ball stage) (~5 minutes).

With mixer on low speed, whisk agar agar mixture while slowly adding syrup in a steady stream down the side of the bowl. Gradually increase mixer to high. Beat until mixture is thick, white and has almost tripled in volume (~ 12 minutes). Add vanilla (or other flavoring/food coloring) and beat 30 seconds more.

Pour mixture into baking sheet and smooth with spatula sprayed with cooking oil. Let sit (uncovered) overnight.

Cut out with cookie cutters or cut with kitchen scissors, sprayed with cooking oil. Roll marshmallows in corn starch to keep them from sticking to each other. Store in air tight container, with wax paper between layers.

Thank you so much for that nice recipe. Sounds Great! I can't wait to try it. If anyone else has another recipe for marshmellows, feel free to post it. I don't think we could get too many of these, especially for those of us who like to experiment. May I post this in our recipe section?
-Melinda

I was in Iowa this last week and some friends from the KC Missouri area came to visit. We were chatting and the Greenmomscoastside website came up. The "green mom" had used this marshmallow recipe to make marshmallow for her children, who can't have any artificial ingredients. Her 6 year old son, upon tasting them, commented "mom, these are the best marshmallows I've ever tasted. Make some more." sooooooo you are appreciated nationally (lol).