Tag Archives: ev-vegan-recipe-club

Written by Henry Patterson

Planning on coming to the Vegan Recipe Club on July 16? Here are a few hints for some of the selected recipes to get you started:

Purple Potato Salad with Whole Grain Mustard from “The Vegucation of Robin” on page 136

July is the start of the Potato season, and August is typically the peak but you can still find Purple Potatoes around town.

At this time of the potato season you might find the purple potatoes to be on the small size, so consider doubling the quantity from 4 to 8 depending on the size of potatoes you find.

Check your local farmer’s markets starting June 29 to see if they are readily available.

I found purple potatoes in a variety pack at Lund & Byerly’s (Terrific Trio – Little Potato Company brand). I’ve been told variety packs with purple potatoes are also available at Trader Joe’s. I’ve seen a variety pack from Melissa’s Gemstone Potatoes which also has purple potatoes. You may only find 4-5 small purple potatoes in the variety packs, though. If you can’t find something in the store, check with the produce manager at your local grocery store, they might be able to order for you to pick up locally.

Blueberry Cobbler with Lime and Coconut from “Whole Food Heaven in a Bowl” on page 124 (optional recipe)

The original recipe is vegetarian, not vegan. Here are some substitutions we recommend to make it vegan (and gluten-free!).

Replace the 1/2 cup unsalted butter with one of the following:

• 1/2 cup of Earth Balance
• 1/2 cup of refined coconut oil, softened

Replace the 1 cup of whole milk with one of the following:

• 1 cup of coconut milk
• 1 cup of lite coconut milk
• 1 cup of other non-dairy milk (i.e. almond, soy, rice milk, etc.) look for unflavored or plain varieties

Replace the optional ice cream/whipped cream with one of the following:

• Vegan ice cream, (Soy Dream, Rice Dream or something similar)
• Vegan Whipped Cream, Reddi Whip makes a few non-dairy whipped creams (almond and coconut, etc.)

If you’re planning on making the recipe gluten-free:

Replace the 2 cups of whole wheat self-rising flour with a gluten-free flour blend OR try out this gluten-free flour blend recipe:

• (Whisk together all of the following)
  • 1 cup gluten-free oat flour
  • 1 cup sweet rice flour (Mochiko Sweet Rice Flour works well, and is available at most Asian Markets, and some larger grocery stores)
  • 1 tablespoon tapioca flour (tapioca starch)
  • 2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder 
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Written by Henry Patterson

What is the Vegan Recipe Club?

The Vegan Recipe Club is for everyone—those curious about vegan cooking and those more experienced with it.

It’s a chance to build community with fellow participants and try making some great new food!

It’s also a chance for CAA to connect with folks who might be shy about attending our events but feel comfortable learning about veganism in a library setting.

And we know all the benefits a vegan lifestyle can have. This club will help the animals and the environment, and potentially people’s health.

Recipes are being chosen with an eye toward supporting folks from communities of color who are experiencing health disparities.

The club is also an opportunity to help the East Lake Library branch and the community by participating in and promoting the use of the library collections.

How does it work?

In the month prior to the Vegan Recipe Club Meeting, head on over to the East Lake Library (2727 East Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN) and pick up a copy of the recipes to peruse or check out the cookbooks for use at home.

Try making one or more of the recipes then come to share and discuss what you thought about them with the group.

If you have questions about the recipes or the Vegan Recipe Club before the first meeting, message the Compassionate Action for Animals Facebook page or email info@exploreveg.org.

Who is it for?

The Vegan Recipe Club is for Vegans, Vegetarians, Flexitarians, those who do Meat-Free Mondays, dieters, and everyone else. It’s for non-cooks, novice, and expert cooks alike.

Maybe you want to attend because you:

• Are interested in going vegetarian or vegan
• Have children, family, or friends who’ve gone vegan or vegetarian and you’d like to offer them more than a salad to eat
• Are willing to share veg cookbook recipes and/or web recipes with a group of like-minded people
• Are open to sharing vegan recipes you’ve tried and review cookbooks
• Have questions about a recipe you’ve seen and would like to try out
• Are willing to share tips and discoveries with others
• Have another reason!

When is it?

The Vegan Recipe Club meets on the third Tuesday of every month from 6:30pm – 7:30pm. The sessions planned for 2019 are:

• July 16
• August 20
• September 17
• October 15
• November 19

Where is it?

East Lake Library
2727 East Lake Street
Minneapolis, MN 55406

About the Facilitator

My name is Henry Patterson. Like many, I didn’t grow up as a vegan or vegetarian but did grow up with a love and respect for animals. I am a board member and volunteer at Compassionate Action for Animals.

What drew me to veganism?

My younger brother became a vegetarian first, and after he read Diet for a Small Planet 1971, by Frances Moore Lappé he challenged me to make the switch. It took a little convincing, but I did. I started as a pescetarian (some seafood, but primarily a vegetarian diet). The benefits were improved health, including reducing the risk of colon cancer that runs in my family.

I switched to a 100% vegan diet seven years ago, in June 2012, and haven’t looked back since.

Why the interest in the Vegan Recipe Club?

Like my entire family, I have always loved to cook and have cooked for friends and coworkers for years. My favorite dishes have changed over time, but soups, stews, curries, French Ratatouille, and tofu scrambles remain amongst the ones I love to make and share.

Recipes for July 2019 discussion

The 4th of July Holiday is coming up and it might be the perfect opportunity to try out your cooking skills on family and friends.

Enjoy the recipes and feel free to share photos of your creations with CAA on Facebook or Instagram @exploreveg.

“The Vegucation of Robin”

Find it at the library (Quivers, Robin, and Rachel Holtzman. The Vegucation of Robin, 2013) or on Amazon.

• Marrekesh – Blend Squash Soup, page 126
• Purple Potato Salad with Whole-Grain Mustard, page 136
• Ratatouille, page 182
• Optional recipe: Basic Polenta, page 195

“Wholefood Heaven in a Bowl”

Find it at the library (Bailey, David, and Charlotte Bailey. Wholefood Heaven in a Bowl, 2017) or on Amazon.

• Optional recipe: Blueberry Cobbler with Lime and Coconut, page 124

Thanks to:

• Anna Zillinger and Ayanna Muata, Hennepin County Library staff at East Lake Library branch, for all their work in planning and supporting the program.
• The Vegan Recipe Club is based on the Vegan Cookbook Club which was started in December 2016, at the Mount Royal Branch of the Duluth Public Library (DPL). The Duluth project was initiated by Bonnie Ambrosi and Alicia Peterson and continues thanks to Bonnie’s leadership. Thanks to Bonnie for reaching out to CAA about the idea of starting something similar.
• Compassionate Action for Animals (CAA) for promoting outreach and education programs that support and build an animal-friendly community in the Twin Cities.