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Volunteer Opportunities in June
Events
Volunteer for the June cooking class at Van Cleve Community Center on Thursday, June 19 at 7:00pm. The theme is simple vegan Mexican food. Volunteer positions include the transporting of supplies to and from the CAA office, setup, welcome team, assistance for the instructor during the class, and cleanup.
Volunteer for the June Potluck and Bonfire at the home of Jennifer Swick in Roseville on Friday, June 27 at 6:30pm. The theme is “Fiesta!” Attendees will bring Latin American dishes. Volunteer positions include setup, maintenance during the event, washing dishes, and general cleanup.
If you’re interested in offering your time to help make either of these upcoming events a success, contact justin@exploreveg.org.
Outreach
Outreach volunteer work involves talking to members of the general public about animal agriculture and the work of Compassionate Action for Animals. Volunteers should be friendly, knowledgeable about the issues and our mission, and comfortable interacting with strangers. Leafleting and tabling are both very effective forms of outreach.
Leaflet at Rock the Garden, a summer music festival at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden on Saturday, June 21 and Sunday, June 22.
Table at the Minneapolis Pride Festival, a celebration of the LGBT community at Loring Park on Saturday, June 28 and Sunday, June 29. At this event, volunteers will offer festival attendees one dollar to watch a five-minute segment of Mercy for Animals’ hard-hitting documentary “Farm to Fridge”.
If interested in volunteering at either of these outreach opportunities, contact grace.vansusteren@exploreveg.org.
It’s a fiesta!
Join us for a festive potluck and bonfire at the home of Jennifer Swick in Roseville on Friday, June 27 at 6:30pm. The theme for this event is “Fiesta!” Get inspired by the fresh and flavorful world of Latin American cuisine, and bring a vegan dish to share. These monthly potlucks are an excellent way to sample new vegan foods and to connect with a community of like-minded individuals.
We’ll gather around a blazing bonfire in Jennifer’s backyard. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, we’ll have a game night instead. In that case, bring your favorite games to play.
Looking for recipe ideas? Consider a maize-based dish, such as tamales, tacos, or enchiladas, along with a complementary condiment, like salsa, guacamole, or mole. Or how about a beverage? Mate, hibiscus tea, and horchata are all great options. And don’t forget dessert! Who wouldn’t love to try a vegan version of tres leches cake, flan, or ride pudding?
Now are you wondering where to find a vegan version of these delectable dishes? Simply google it! You may also visit International Vegetarian Union’s website for a large selection of tantalizing options. Options abound on the internet, and our Facebook event page will be updated with recipe ideas so that you’ll be sure to have plenty of inspiration if you need it.
Please RSVP on the Facebook event page or via email. If you prefer to RSVP by phone, call 612-276-2242.
Mistress Ginger Cooks!
Were you unable to come to the release party on Sunday? No problem! The book is available for purchase on Amazon. Here’s a description:
This is not the typical culinary compilation! Foodies of every persuasion will be enticed by Mistress Ginger and her follies in the kitchen. Here is a saucy showgirl who knows that anyone can make and enjoy fabulous vegan food whether it’s a longtime vegan who wears a bunch of kale as a badge of honor or a self-described carnivore who doesn’t know a radish from a rutabaga.
Filled with practical tips for eating better amid a hustle-and-bustle life with recipes that will please anyone, Mistress Ginger Cooks! presents a veritable plant-based paradise for busy people who want to be healthier. Guided by the irrepressible and irresistible Mistress Ginger, readers will learn simple, everyday dishes bursting with flavor as well as a few more elaborate recipes for extra-special occasions. From tips on planning balanced meals to putting together knock-out themed menus, the kitchen has never been so much fun.
Recipes include Par-tay Pate, French Kissed Toast, Blueberry Stud Muffins, Bodacious Tortellonni, Flaming Stir-Fry, and Titillating Tapenade. Best of all, the book features Ginger’s bawdy, good-natured humor, as well as gorgeous color photos of the Mistress herself, throughout.
And if you like what you read, follow Compassionate Action for Animals to hear more from Mistress Ginger (aka Justin Leaf). Soon, Justin will be our new Communications and Events Coordinator.
A New Vegan Option at Subway: Hummus!
Over the past few years, Subway has worked to offer more options for health-conscious patrons. In 2012, Subway tested a variety of veggie meats in the D.C. areas and received raving reviews from customers, and in 2013 they rolled out falafel in more than three dozen stores in and around the D.C. area.
Now, Subway announced that they will offer roasted red pepper hummus in 1,000 stores across the country. Currently it is offered at an extra cost, but if the demand is high enough, they will consider putting in stores nationwide.
According to the Associated Press, Tony Pace, Subway’s chief marketing officer said: “It’s something we’ve been talking about for the last three or four years,” saying it has “tremendous potential.” As further noted in the article, Pace suggests that since many customers already order vegetarian subs, offering hummus would expand the meatless choices available to them.
If you’d like to see more veg-friendly options at more Subway restaurants across the country, be sure to add your voice to the conversation and let them know what you’d like to see! More than 13,000 consumers have already let them know they’d like to see more compassionate choices on their menus, so be sure to make your voice heard!
We heard about this awesome news from our friends at Compassion Over Killing.
CANCELED: Vegan Treats from Salty to Sweet at Whole Foods
Update: this class has been canceled.
Join AmyLeo of Vegan Affairs on Tuesday, May 13th for a vegan treats cooking class at the Lake Calhoun Whole Foods store! The class will run from 6-8pm and the cost is $30 per person. Pre-registration is required for this class and you can either register online, in the store at the customer service desk, or by calling 612-927-8141. Learn more about the class below!
Whether you have a few sweet teeth or steer more towards the savory, everyone loves a treat from time to time to enjoy and share. In this class, you’ll learn how to satisfy your cravings for treats using entirely plant-based ingredients like nuts, dried fruits and natural sweeteners. AmyLeo will guide you through whipping up some fresh-baked desserts to sweeten up your day and savory nibbles to keep you company when you desire a wholesome treat that blends crunch, nutty flavor and a little spice.
This class is vegan friendly, with hands on opportunities as desired. On the menu:
- Garlic and Cracked Pepper Cheesy Popcorn
- Chedda-Cheese Delights
- Fig Pumpkin Bread with Maple Cream Cheese icing
- White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Be sure to sign up for the class to learn some new tasty vegan recipes and meet some new friends!
Community Conversation About Animals at Common Ground
Common Ground Meditation Center is having the following discussion. Our long time friend, Mark Berkson will be speaking at this event.
Community Conversation: Humans, Animals, and Non-harming
Please join us for our second annual community discussion examining the ethics of our relationships with animals. Last year, while reviewing various Buddhist traditions and their perspectives on the issue, we discussed large-scale examples of animal cruelty in our culture and our impact on them. This year, we will reflect on the supporting causes of both cruelty and beauty in our personal relationships with the animals in our lives, and on how these tendencies impact our decisions in daily life. We are fortunate to have three community members who have been reflecting on the ethical treatment of animals for many years share their insights with us as we reflect on this delicate, significant issue with compassion and forgiveness. Facilitated by Nicole Taras and Tyler Frank.
Date: Sunday, June 1, 12:30 – 3:30 pm.
Location: 2700 East 26th Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55406.
Phone: 612-722-8260
Vegan Shopping Outing at Seward Co-op
Friends of CAA are hosting a fun vegan night at Seward Co-op where those who are vegan already or who are veg-curious and come eat with other vegans and learn about a plant-based lifestyle. See below for the details! Are you a vegan? Are you interested in meeting other vegans who shop at the Seward Co-op? Perhaps you’d like to find out about the advantages of a vegan lifestyle or just enjoy the camaraderie and wit of other vegans. Then feel free to stop by the Seward Co-op every Friday at 6 PM to join a newly formed group of inquisitive shoppers (in the Seward Co-op cafe area) to meet fellow vegans, dine together, and socialize. No cost other than whatever you purchase to eat. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to learn about veganism and befriend a vegan neighbor!
Add Punch to Your Brunch Vegan Cooking Class
Want to spruce up your brunch menu or learn to cook some new, tasty vegan brunch dishes? Join AmyLeo from Vegan Affairs on Saturday, April 26th from 10am – Noon at the Lake Calhoun Whole Foods Market in Minneapolis for the ‘Add Punch to Your Brunch’ cooking class!
The class will be held in the Cooking Classroom at the Whole Foods Market and costs $30 per person. You must pre-register for the event at the Customer Service desk or you can register online.
On the menu for the cooking class is:
- Luscious Vegan Breakfast Scramble
- Savory Seared Tempeh with Rich Garlic Aioli and Fresh Greens
- Ancient Grain Griddle Cakes with Caramelized Fruit
- Molasses Sweetened Multigrain Granola
Each dish will help you enhance your plant-based breakfast routine or help you impress your friends at your next vegan brunch! This compassionate cooking event will have good food, good friends, and good conversation, so be sure to register today!
Vegan Before 6 P.M. Book Review
Mark Bittman has long been supportive of the vegan diet and in VB6 he draws a road map for those who want to move to a more compassionate diet for health reasons. I’m also in the midst of reading Veganomics by Nick Cooney, so forgive me if I pepper a few statistics from Cooney’s book as well: Most people become vegetarian or vegan for either health reasons or to help animals. However, people who successfully stay with a compassionate diet adopt more reasons the longer they maintain their diet. For example, if they started out vegan because of the desire to help animals, they’ll stay vegan because they feel it is healthy and they’ll also realize the environmental benefits of their diet, adding these to their list of reasons. My point is that if you want to become vegan to help animals, not for health reasons, Mark Bittman’s book is still a great read.
Bittman is compassionate and forgiving of the reader by reminding us that changing our diet is not easy. It involves creating new habits, changing our taste buds, and creating strategies that don’t isolate us from others that may not share our dietary convictions but still want to eat out with us. Even as a lifelong vegetarian that knows the value of cooking large quantities of soup that can be frozen into lunch portions and quickly thrown together stir-fry “recipes,” I found his book delightful. Reading it inspired me to set down the cookies and crackers and do some serious meal planning. I loved his tips on what vegetables you can cut and prepare in advance to make cooking in the evening a cinch (celery and carrots – which also make for great snacking!). I took to heart his advice that ‘if you buy it you will be more likely to eat it and cook it.’ My fruit intake has probably tripled since I started reading this book.
There are lots of great vegan cookbooks, but what Bittman did in VB6 is help the reader understand how to switch not only to a vegan lifestyle but also to a healthy lifestyle. I love that all his recipes center on basic easy-to-find inexpensive foods (well, sadly fruit doesn’t always qualify for the “inexpensive” category). And although he does have one chapter on non-vegan recipes (to be eaten after 6 or sparingly), you can always skip that chapter (like I did). Nowhere does he insist that anyone “needs to eat animal products.” The inclusion of that chapter is for those who aspire to reduce the animal products in their diet, but don’t think they can do it full time. I love this inclusive message. As Nick Cooney points out in Veganomics – 10 people who eat only one meal day with animal products have much more significant impact than 5 people who become 100 percent vegan. So whether you fall into the former or latter camp, if you want to eat a healthier plant-based diet, I highly recommend reading VB6.
Chili Cook-Off Recipe
Thanks for waiting patiently. We finally have the winning recipe for the 5th Annual Vegan Chili Cook-Off. There’s no way around it: this recipe is a lot of work! Thanks to Jacob Carrigan to providing his recipe!