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A taste of VegWeek 2023: Twelve events and VegPledge attract hundreds
CAA celebrated VegWeek 2023 (April 14-24) with a variety of events and opportunities. The cornerstone was the Veg Pledge which supported 184 people in trying a veg lifestyle or reaching out to invite friends to try one. In addition, we hosted 12 events at locations in the Twin Cities as well as planned events in Duluth and St. Cloud. Virtual offerings were available to people throughout the state.
There were a variety of events to meet every interest. We had a food giveaway, dine outs, potlucks, cooking classes, speakers and a film. We started and ended on particularly high notes. The food giveaway at the University of Minnesota attracted over 588 passers-by. They got tasty vegan food and conversations on the need for plant-based eating. We ended with a speaker from Israel. Rabbi Gersh addressed a crowd of around 40 people on the support for veganism in Judaism.
Those who participated in the VegPledge got a discount at six plant-based restaurants in the Twin Cities. To take part, people pledged to go vegetarian or vegan for a week. Or, if they were already vegan, they could refer two people and snag the discount card. Participating restaurants:
- Coconut Whisk Cafe
- Francis Burger Joint
- The Herbivorous Butcher
- J. Selby’s
- Reverie Cafe+Bar
- SEED Cafe
Those who signed up or referred folks also got a series of supportive emails during VegWeek. They were filled with tips and inspiration to assist them in their veg journey. Check out our blog page to see what we shared.
Run—don’t walk—to Cookie Cart for new vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
by Tamuno Imbu, Compassionate Action for Animals Community Organizer
April 24, 2022
Cookie Cart now has vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies. This is your call to go – run…don’t walk to get this tasty treat! Go visit them in North Minneapolis, East St. Paul or online.
This is their second venture into vegan cookies. After conducting vegan cooking classes for them in my role as CAA’s Community organizer, Cookie Cart first ventured into making vegan sugar cookies. It was a short term flavor but its success and their continued involvement with CAA led them to offer this new cookie. It has been very well received to date.
What makes these cookies extra sweet is the mission and heart behind every purchase. With a yellow bowl and a wooden spoon, Sister Jean Thuerauf, the founder of Cookie Cart partnered with young people to create a space for building community and eating a sweet treat. They would talk about school, celebrate birthdays and make plans for selling cookies to the neighbors. Keeping love at the center, Cookie Cart has evolved and grown to employ thousands of teens in the past 30 years.
While working in the bakery, teens learn about food safety and food handler workplace standards. They also learn about working as a team and build relationships with each other, their managers, and the many volunteers that come to network and help out cookie operations.
Let’s do our part to support this premier youth employer and go eat some Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies! Order 1 dozen, 10 dozen or 200 dozen for home and/or to share at a special event.
Get to know Hilary, Social Media volunteer for the 2023 Twin Cities Veg Fest
April 21, 2023
Hilary Bullock has been following CAA for a few years. She recognized her need for community and in-person engagement with like-minded people. In early 2023, she decided to get involved.
Her first foray into volunteer work was writing. She’s written two Volunteer Profiles for CAA’s newsletter and blog. And yes, she is writing her third one about herself, as requested.
CAA mentioned the need for 2023 Twin Cities Veg Fest volunteers. Hilary agreed to join the effort and is on the small but mighty TCVF Social Media Committee. Fellow members include Theresa Zingery, Julie Knopp, and Joscelyn Sturm. It is exciting to leverage CAA’s social media platforms and spread the word about TCVF 2023 far and wide. Hilary is focusing on Facebook and Linked In.
Future steps on your veg pathway
April 18, 2023
Those of you on a pathway to a more compassionate diet already know that it is a journey of a lifetime. Sometimes challenging but always rewarding. For you, for the planet and most importantly, for the animals.
The support doesn’t stop with the end of VegWeek. 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. All ready to enthusiastically support you in any way we can. After all, everyone of us has seen how important support is.
Cari Lombardi shared this thought: “Feel proud of yourself for doing something that is helping animals, the planet, your health, and give yourself grace as you make changes and learn more. It can sometimes feel uncomfortable to be different from the crowd, but eventually those feelings are replaced with the peace of mind that comes from having mind, heart and actions aligned. You can lend your knowledge and support to others so they too can learn how to lead a more compassionate lifestyle.”
Following are some other tips and words of inspiration from our community. Whether you are a new vegan or have long been plant-based, may they help along your veg pathway.
For continued support be sure to keep connected to CAA. We’ll automatically sign you up for our weekly newsletter if you click here to check out our upcoming events. You can also connect with us on Facebook and Instagram. Take advantage of those opportunities for learning and community. They will see you through.
Check out these Community Quotes
Want to learn more about the differences your food choices make? Check out our resource recommendations
April 18, 2022
Whether you’re just starting out or have made a longer commitment to diet change, it’s always good to keep learning.
If you and/or your friends are interested in environmental issues we strongly recommend that you join us for our screening of Eating Our Way to Extinction on April 22 at the Trylon Cinema at 3pm. It’s a beautifully made, powerful film. And we’ll follow it with a discussion of how factory farming is impacting Minnesota’s environment.
Getting more details on animal/vegan issues may help in answering questions from friends and family. Facts are important—and they are on our side.
Luckily, there are lots of books and films out there that can provide the information you seek, and the learning can always continue. A quick internet search will bring you to lots of them. We also have other recommendations in the Resources section of our website. Below are some suggested by our community.
Make sure you are on our email list so you get notified when we have another film screening or book discussion coming up. You can sign up on our website. Following our social media on Facebook and Instagram @exploreveg will also keep you updated!
Check out these Community recommendations:
Getting questions about your veg diet? Here’s how to answer
April 21, 2023
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.
Trent Nelson recommends, “Focus on the positive. Don’t worry about “winning” an argument… just tell your story.”
More suggestions from our community are below. And you can also hear from people firsthand! CAA is having a vegan potluck coming up on Sunday with a themed discussion of this topic. It will also be a great opportunity to test out some of those cooking skills you may have gained this week, plus you can taste the yummy vegan food brought by others. The potluck is Sunday, April 23 from 1-2:30 pm at our community space 2100 1st Ave S, Suite 200 – Minneapolis.
One tip that may be helpful is to keep in mind when talking to others is the inspiration that got you started in the first place. Share that feeling with your friends and family—personal stories are powerful. You will probably find that most people want to be understanding as long as they aren’t feeling judged.
Cookbook and restaurant recommendations from the community
April 18, 2023
Here’s our community’s recommendations for recipes and restaurants!
Blogs and Websites:
* PlantYou, Shane & Simple, Minimalist Baker
* Everything by Plantiful Kiki
* Mac ‘n Cheese recipe
Cookbooks:
* Some of Isa Chandra Moskowitz‘s cookbooks are good at not relying on access to specialty stores and stuff. Mostly her earlier books; not “Veganomicon.” [There’s recipes on the site, as well as her book listings!]
* I recommend “Cooking Crunk: Eating Vegan in the Dirty South” to anyone else who grew up eating a standard american diet. Lots of familiar comfort foods.
* “Blue Zones Kitchen,” by Dan Buettner, “Mistress Ginger Cooks”, “ The Plantpower Way” by Rich Roll, books by Neal Barnard of PCRM (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine), such as “Get Healthy, Go Vegan”
Vegan eating can be cheaper? You betcha!
April 18, 2023
Today’s topic is affordability: one top of mind issue for many who are exploring a more plant-based diet.
Hand-in-hand with the myth that vegans don’t get enough protein is one that vegan food isn’t affordable. Allow us to 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.
Eating whole plant-based food is not only more healthy but it can also help keep your costs down. All packaged vegan foods are pretty expensive, including yummy vegan versions. These can be kept as a treat. Eating foods in their most intact form is often the cheapest option. That includes fruits, vegetables and dried beans.
“How do you get your protein?” and other things you always wanted to know about vegan nutrition
April 15, 2023
We know that most people considering a vegan diet have one main concern: nutrition. Specifically, protein.
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.
The secret to healthy nutrition for any diet is to eat whole foods based meals. Especially ones that are mostly vegetables, fruits and legumes. Read this great article from our recent issue of Minnesota Veg Living. In it, registered dietitian Suzy Sorensen, spells it out for you. And if you’d like a good visual of what to eat, see this plant-plate. There are now lots of vegan options that don’t fit this model—which is great. But you don’t want that to be the bulk of your diet. Save them for tasty treats.
Support and inspiration for your veg journey
April 14, 2023
We’ll tackle a variety of issues in our blogs this week including: vegan nutrition, affordability, resources, and more. These practical emails will share input from members of our compassionate community about what’s useful to them. Here’s our first:
“Having connections with other vegans has been vital. For a long time I oscillated between being vegetarian and vegan. Having connections with other people making the same changes has made veganism sustainable” Abbey Feola
As Abbey says, connections with others are key. Join Compassionate Action for Animals (CAA) for one of our VegWeek events or an event in May. We have both in-person and virtual opportunities. You’ll get information and good food. And you’ll meet others who are part of our vibrant, supportive community–maybe even Abbey herself!
If you’re exploring more compassionate living, it’s a big deal! By committing yourself to 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.