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Street Food | Vegan Recipe Club | July 2024
Join us on July 16 from 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm for the July Vegan Recipe Club—either in person or online. The cookbook and recipes for the month will be Street Vegan (2015) by Adam Sobel
Click here to download the recipes for this month.
If you are curious about vegan cooking, this club is for you! Each month participants make three recipes from popular cookbooks then share their reflections with the group. This month will feature an in-person discussion and potluck as well as the usual zoom option. Bring one of the dishes from the cookbook to share with other participants over a great discussion. Novice to expert cooks are welcome, as are interested non-cooks. Registration not required.
Health and Longevity | Vegan Recipe Club | June 2024
Join us online June 18 from 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm to discuss the cookbook for the month: Ageless Vegan (2018) by Tracy McQuirter.
Download recipes here.
If you are curious about vegan cooking, this club is for you! Each month participants make three recipes from popular cookbooks then share their reflections with the group. Novice to expert cooks are welcome, as are interested non-cooks. Registration not required.
What is the focus of this cookbook?
The publisher describes the book:
“Harness the healing power of plant-based foods for vibrant health and longevity. Vegan lifestyle expert Tracye McQuirter teams up with her mother Mary to share their secrets for maintaining radiant health for more than 30 years (hint: it’s all in the greens), and 100 of their favorite plant-based recipes that have kept them looking and feeling ageless. They break down the basics of nutrition, how to build a vegan pantry, and how to make sure you’re getting the best nutrients to promote longevity and prevent chronic disease. They also provide a 14-step guide with practical, easy-to-follow advice on how to transition to vegan foods, jumpstart your healthy eating habits, and how to up your game if you’re already a vegan. Their 100 fresh, simple, and flavorful recipes are based on everyday whole food ingredients… Ageless Vegan helps you kiss diet-related disease and fatigue goodbye and gives you the information, inspiration, and affirmation you need to live a long, glowing, and healthy life you love.”
Distribution of Garden Boxes in North Minneapolis
Join one of our community partners for the distribution of Garden Boxes in North Minneapolis.
The event is taking place Saturday, May 18th 10am – 5pm at Oak Park Community Center 1701 Oak Park Avenue N. Minneapolis.
Please let Michael Chaney (contact information below) know if you would like to volunteer to garden during the event. Also, if you live or work in North Minneapolis there is an opportunity to have your own raised garden by sponsoring these boxes. Details will be shared at the event and coordination with Michael will continue after this event.
There are over 400 beautiful garden boxes that will be deployed throughout the metro community as a symbol of our commitment to planting the seeds of change, operationalizing the sustainable development goals, implementing climate mitigation solutions and collectively crafting a food focused future.
Contact: Michael Chaney, Project Sweetie Pie (763) 227-4881
Continuing Your Compassionate Journey for the Long Haul
April 17, 2024
As those of you who are already eating more compassionately can attest, it’s a journey of a lifetime. It’s sometimes challenging but always rewarding — for you, for the planet, and most importantly, for the animals.
CAA supports you on your journey
CAA’s support doesn’t stop with the end of Veg Week. Compassionate Action for Animals is in it for the long haul. We will continue to offer a variety of events, tips, and resources throughout the year.
Most importantly, we are a community of like-minded individuals, ready to enthusiastically support you in any way we can. After all, each one of us has seen how important support is.
One of our community members shared an important aspect to keep in mind as you continue on this journey: “Take it slow, give yourself grace.” -Allison Gamble
Fuel Your Journey: Books, Films, and Blogs on Vegan Topics
April 17, 2024
Whether you’re just starting out or have made a longer commitment to dietary change, it’s always good to keep learning. Getting more details on issues related to plant-based eating can help cement your resolve to continue down that pathway. It may also help in answering questions from friends and family. Facts are important — and they are on our side.
Throughout the year, CAA offers regular opportunities to learn about the impact of diet on nonhuman animals. This includes tours of sanctuaries, petition campaigns, and outreach events. We also periodically sponsor events that promote the health benefits of a plant-based diet such as our recent talk by Dr. Greger. He spoke about his book How Not to Age, which details the health benefits of a whole foods plant-based diet.
Another area where CAA provides information is on the environmental issues related to plant-based eating. We hope you caught our Documentary and Social Action Night on April 14. Or perhaps you were able to check out our booth at the Eden Prairie Eco Expo on April 20. Stay tuned for more throughout the year.
Navigating Questions and Comments: Discussing Your Vegan Lifestyle With Others
April 17, 2024
Today’s topic is fielding questions and comments about your food choices. Sometimes these come from genuine curiosity. Sometimes it feels like someone is challenging your choice.
Kim Milligan from our community suggests: “Keep the channels of communication open without judgment and share what being a vegan means to you personally and how your life has changed since becoming a vegan…people will tend to be more open and receptive to what you’re sharing”
We love Kim’s thoughts on this important topic. More suggestions from our community are below. And you can also hear from others firsthand at one of our upcoming events.
Resources for Plant-Based Eating: Community-Recommended Blogs, Cookbooks, Recipes, and Restaurants
We know that a compassionate vegan diet is a new way of eating for many and you may be looking for some guidance. There are lots of books, cookbooks, and recipes available to assist you in your veg journey. Find these resources on the CAA website or through a general internet search. Our community has also stepped up to share some of their favorite resources for cooking and eating plant-based:
Recomended vegan blogs and websites:
Affordable Vegan Eating: Busting the Cost Myth
April 17, 2024
Today’s topic is affordability: one top-of-mind issue for many who are exploring a more plant-based diet.
The myth that vegan food isn’t affordable
Hand in hand with the myth that vegans don’t get enough protein (see our previous blog) is one that vegan food isn’t affordable. Today, we will explode this myth as well. We know that inflation has been particularly hard on food costs. Plant-based foods are not immune to these price increases. However, they have fared better than many non-vegan options (for example the Avian Flu has not only caused great suffering for birds, but it has raised prices for eggs and chickens). And there are ways to minimize the impact of inflation.
“Do more home cooking! Vegan foods such as rice, pasta, vegetables, and legumes are easy to afford. It’s easy to look for recipes online or in cookbooks to find something that piques your interest, without the financial stress.”
-Beatrix Olson
Eating whole plant-based food is key
Eating whole plant-based food is not only healthier but it can also help keep your costs down. Many packaged foods can be expensive, including yummy vegan versions. These can be kept as treats. Eating foods in their most intact form is often the cheapest option. That includes fruits, vegetables, and dried beans.
Navigating Nutrition on a Plant-Based Diet: It’s Easier Than You Think!
April 17, 2024
We know that many people considering a vegan diet have one main concern: nutrition. Specifically, protein.
The protein myth
Just last week, I once again had someone ask me how I get enough protein. You’ve probably thought this or heard this as well. Well, worry not — it’s easy to get enough protein on a plant-based diet. We have been brainwashed by our society that only a big slab of meat with each meal will do the trick. But that is not the case at all.
‘When I make a meal, I make sure there is a protein, vegetable, grain, and some healthy fat. I try to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables and eat mostly whole foods. I drink fortified soy milk for B12 and other supplements, and eat chia seeds for omega 3s.’
—Grace Prins
Every food has protein in it. Per calorie, broccoli has more protein than beef! Especially rich protein sources include soy, nuts, seeds, beans, and lentils. This year’s issue of Minnesota Veg Living has a registered dietitian, Lauren Plunket, talking about the protein in soy products.
Inspiration and Support for Your Veg Journey
April 17, 2024
We’ll tackle a variety of issues in our blogs this week including: vegan nutrition, affordability, resources, and more. These practical blog posts will share input from members of our compassionate community about what’s useful to them. They were originally written as emails to support people taking the Veg Pledge. Since many of us are on a compassionate journey, we thought they would be more broadly helpful as resources available for all. Here’s our first:
The benefits of exploring compassionate living
If you’re exploring more compassionate living, it’s a big deal! By committing to one week of vegetarian or vegan eating, you are opening yourself up to a changed lifestyle — one that is better for the planet while sparing animals from lives of suffering, and can improve your health. And if you got here by referring friends, you took the next step in making a compassionate, sustainable, healthy future possible.
Wow! That’s a lot of benefit coming from one act. We wish we could say it was a simple one. It is for some, but for most people, it comes with challenges. That’s why we’re providing this series of resources. If you’re trying to move further in a veg direction, we think you’ll probably want some tips and tricks to ease the transition. And no matter where you are on your veg journey, we think you’ll enjoy seeing the responses from community members at the bottom of each post.