April 15, 2024
The latest edition of CAA’s annual Veg Living magazine is now out, and it’s a special one – it marks the tenth anniversary of this publication! The issue is packed with articles that aim to inspire and inform you about various aspects of compassionate living, all designed to support you on your veg journey.
How we selected our topics
Our team carefully selected the topics for this milestone issue based on feedback from our community. We discovered that many of you were keen to learn about the connection between diet and climate change, as well as our efforts to introduce more plant-based meals into schools through our Wholesome Minnesota program. Additionally, there was a strong interest in understanding how to maintain a healthy plant-based diet. The magazine addresses these topics and more, offering many insights from our experts.
In this edition, you’ll also find inspiring stories. One is about the impact of our popular Twin Cities Veg Fest as a catalyst for societal change. We also delve into how new policies are reshaping factory farming and the pivotal role CAA plays in this transformation. For those always on the lookout for great places to enjoy vegan food, as well as book and movie recommendations, and of course, recipes, we’ve got you covered too with a variety of fun and informative articles.
What’s in this issue?
- Beyond Food: Twin Cities Veg Fest as a Catalyst for Societal Change, by Lydia Green
- Soy: Myth Vs. Reality, by Lauren Plunkett, RDN, LD CDCES
- Tips and Tricks for Tasty Tofu, by Robin Asbell
- Fighting Climate Change With Students, One Meal at a Time, by Jodi Gruhn (Wholesome Minnesota Director)
- A Vegan Culinary Journey: East & Southeast Asian Eats in the Twin Cities, by Laura vanZandt
- East & Southeast Asian Cuisine: Wonderful Vegan Options in Greater Minnesota, by Theresa Zingery
- From Horror to Hope: How New Policies are Transforming Factory Farming, by Julie Knopp
- Book and Movie Recommendations to help Cultivate Compassion, by Hannah Milos
We’ve also included a delectable recipe from George Stiffman: Mediterranean Cherry Tomatoes and Chickpeas with Spongy Tofu. It’s a great opportunity to put your new soy and tofu knowledge into practice!
Get your copy now!
This month, CAA donors received the magazine in the mail. Now it’s available to pick up in the community and from our advertisers as listed below. We’ll have information on Duluth and St. Cloud pick-up spots in the coming weeks. You can also access it electronically with these links:
Read this issue of Minnesota Veg Living online now as a Flipbook or PDF.
For past issues check out this link.
Want to get your hands on a paper copy of the magazine? You can pick one up for FREE at these participating locations:
* Herbie Butcher’s Fried Chicken
Social media contest
Once you have your copy, post a photo of yourself with your magazine on social media. Tag us @exploreveg with your post on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok before April 30 and you could win a $25 gift card to one of the restaurants above!
Thanks and appreciations
Thanks to our authors for their generous contributions of time and talents to share this important information with us. We also appreciate the CAA Board of Directors, especially Julie Knopp, Julie Reiter, and Hannah Milos — as well as past board member Chris Homsey for their eagle-eyed proofing of the magazine. Theresa Zingery, editor, and Sara Beth Olson, graphic designer, along with our Executive Director Laura Matanah were the dedicated team producing this year’s issue.
More about the authors and contributors
Lydia Green has been vegan for over seven years. During this time, she has volunteered with several animal rights organizations in various ways. Recently, she was the co-chair for the 2023 Twin Cities Veg Fest. Lydia also serves as the board secretary for the CAA Board of Directors. She currently resides in Hawai’i, where she manages a farm sanctuary and works full-time with rescued farm animals.
Lauren Plunkett, RDN, LD, CDCES, described as a “plant-based powerhouse,” is a thought leader in the realm of nutrition education. With professional experience in pediatric endocrinology, performance nutrition, virtual primary care, and certified in type 2 diabetes remission, she has provided plant-predominant nutrition education to thousands. An avid public speaker and the award-winning author of Type One Determination, Lauren has lived with type 1 diabetes for 30 years.
Robin Asbell is the author of 11 cookbooks, focusing on plant-forward global foods, and she developed the recipes for #Eat Meat Less, for the Jane Goodall Institute in 2021. Her most recent cookbook is Vegan Meal Prep: A 5-Week Plan with 125 Ready-to-Go Recipes (Robert Rose). A veteran of both restaurant and bakery work, she develops recipes for both corporate clients and print. She lives in Minneapolis, where she teaches cooking classes and appears often on local television. Follow her Instagram and Facebook pages @robinasbell. for more food and fun.
Jodi Gruhn is a Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach certified in plant-based nutrition and is a licensed Food For Life Instructor with the Physicians’ for Responsible Medicine. As the Director of Wholesome Minnesota, she fiercely advocates for plant-based options in Minnesota schools. Her small business, Borealle, helps people find + align with their health to prevent, improve and reverse chronic disease.
Laura vanZandt is the social media manager for The Herbivorous Butcher, Herbie Butcher’s Fried Chicken, and J. Selby’s. Find vegan guides for the Minnesota State Fair and Mall of America, Twin Cities vegan pizza and ice cream guides, and restaurant and product reviews on her blog BiteSizedBeet.com. You can also follow her on Instagram @BiteSizedBeet.
Julie Knopp has been vegetarian for 20+ years. Attending a Compassionate Action for Animals (CAA) event eight years ago inspired Julie to commit to an entirely plant-based diet and to start volunteering to advocate for animals. Today she serves on the board at CAA. In her free time, Julie likes to cook vegan Italian food, play pickleball, and hike in Minnesota State Parks.
Hannah Milos has been vegan since 2019. She started volunteering with CAA in 2022 and currently serves as Treasurer on their Board of Directors. In her free time, Hannah enjoys playing guitar, baking vegan treats, and exploring antique shops.
George Stiffman studied the craft of tofu making under Luo Zhongda, a fifth-generation tofu master from Guizhou, China. The experience was eye-opening. Having grown up with conventional American tofu, he hadn’t realized there were 27+ other varieties! His current work involves promoting Chinese tofus that taste like cheese, fish cakes, bread, and more to Westerners. Learn more about George’s research and writing at www.brokencuisine.com.
We hope you enjoy this anniversary edition of Minnesota Veg Living and find it both inspiring and informative. May it support you as you continue on your veg journey.