Cookie Cart is a youth employment program in the Twin Cities that provides teens 15 to 18 years old with meaningful work, life, and leadership skills through paid work experience and training. This year’s stay-at-home requirements meant that youth have been working mostly virtually, and CAA has played a vital role in providing those experiences.
Chef and founder of Root to Rise Kitchen, Heather Klein, is the official Twin Cities Vegan Chef Challenge winner. Heather was awarded a $250 cash prize and trophy, presented at a special awards ceremony at Camden Farmers Market on September 12.
To create her award-winning “wingz,” Heather wraps marinated jackfruit in rice paper, fries them in avocado oil, and serves them on a stick. They’re paired with sweet coconut jade pearl rice, Thai basil-marinated vegetables, and mango/pineapple salsa. You can find Root to Rise’s Jackfruit BBQ Wingz at the Northeast Minneapolis Farmers Market.
Twin Cities Vegan Chef Challenge diners gushed about the flavor, creativity and presentation of the plant-based wings. Some of the comments that came in:
Runners up included Namaste Cafe, the double-dish winner whose two dishes scored second and third, and Reverie, who was the featured classic winner. These were awarded based on diner votes.
The Twin Cities Vegan Chef Challenge encouraged area chefs to offer plant-based dishes at their restaurants throughout the month of August, and diners had the opportunity to cast online votes for their favorite dish, Additional awards were given based on diner comments and committee members’ experiences at the restaurants. Throughout the metro area, 12 dining establishments at 16 locations, each with takeout and delivery available, took part:
The 2020 Twin Cities Vegan Chef Challenge was the biggest challenge yet, garnering a lot of public attention. Here’s a look at the numbers:
Meet Lillie Gardner, our social media volunteer for the Twin Cities Veg Fest and Bridges of Respect.
Read about her start with CAA, all the ways she has helped out, and what keeps her going.
I got involved with CAA after moving back to Minnesota (my home state) following many years on the East Coast. I was a new vegan and I wanted to get connected with the vegan community in the Twin Cities, so I signed up to volunteer at Twin Cities Veg Fest. From there, I learned about CAA’s Bridges of Respect humane education program and began helping out with classroom visits and social media.
While my volunteer roles with Twin Cities Veg Fest have been varied—everything from zero waste to transportation!—I’m currently the social media coordinator for Twin Cities Veg Fest and for Bridges of Respect. This year, social media has been especially important because it’s one of the only ways we have of connecting with people. Twin Cities Veg Fest would have been happening this month and it’s hard not to gather, but CAA has been working on other initiatives like “Veg Up the Market” with Camden Farmers Market and online cooking classes with Tamuno Imbu. Part of my job is making sure these events are promoted to the Twin Cities Veg Fest community and beyond.
It’s wonderful to connect with other veg-friendly people, and I love being part of an organization that is working to make a better world for animals everywhere. Plus, volunteering with CAA means you always have connections to amazing food!
I’m a piano instructor and writer in St. Paul. I write for animal rights as a fellow with Sentient Media, and as a creative writer I write everything from fiction to screenplays. When I’m not teaching music or writing stories, I’m usually reading a book or taking my diva cat, Ava Gardner, for a walk.
Stay true to yourself and your values. Our society is designed to encourage you to not be vegan, and sometimes it can feel difficult to stick with what you’re doing—especially if the people around you aren’t understanding or aren’t vegan themselves. Talking with other vegans and connecting with animals can be validating when you need some extra support. (Luckily, we have a few great farm sanctuaries around like Spring Farm Sanctuary, SoulSpace, and Farmaste!) Above all, with yourself as much as with others, be patient and be kind.
October’s recipes are here! This month, we’re cracking open Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s 2013 classic cookbook, Isa Does It. Start your oven and ready your chopping board…you’re in for some hearty and delicious dishes.
From the publisher: In Isa Does It, the beloved cookbook author shares 150 new recipes to make weeknight cooking a snap. Mouthwatering recipes like Sweet Potato Red Curry with Rice and Purple Kale, Bistro Beet Burgers, and Summer Seitan Saute with Cilantro and Lime illustrate how simple and satisfying meat-free food can be.
The recipes are supermarket friendly and respect how busy most readers are. From skilled vegan chefs, to those new to the vegan pantry, or just cooks looking for some fresh ideas, Isa’s unfussy recipes and quirky commentary will make everyone’s time in the kitchen fun and productive.
Isa Does It, by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. New York: Little, Brown and Company. 2013.
Main recipes:
Optional recipes:
Vegan Recipe Club meets Tuesday, October 20, on Zoom.
Questions? Email info@exploreveg.org or message us on Facebook.
September’s Recipes are here! This month, we’re exploring recipes from Bryant Terry’s latest cookbook Vegetable Kingdom: The Abundant World of Vegan Recipes.
From the Publisher: Food justice activist and author Bryant Terry breaks down the fundamentals of plant-based cooking in Vegetable Kingdom, showing you how to make delicious meals from popular vegetables, grains, and legumes. Recipes like Dirty Cauliflower, Barbecued Carrots with Slow-Cooked White Beans, Millet Roux Mushroom Gumbo, and Citrus & Garlic-Herb-Braised Fennel are enticing enough without meat substitutes, instead relying on fresh ingredients, vibrant spices, and clever techniques to build flavor and texture.
The book is organized by ingredient, making it easy to create simple dishes or showstopping meals based on what’s fresh at the market. Bryant also covers the basics of vegan cooking, explaining the fundamentals of assembling flavorful salads, cooking filling soups and stews, and making tasty grains and legumes. With beautiful imagery and classic design, Vegetable Kingdom is an invaluable tool for plant-based cooking today.
Vegetable Kingdom: The Abundant World of Vegan Recipes by Bryant Terry. Berkeley: Ten Speed Press, 2020.
Main recipes:
Optional recipes:
Vegan Recipe Club meets Tuesday, September 15 on Zoom, from 6:30-7:30pm.
Questions? Email info@exploreveg.org
