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| Business Partner Spotlight on Proper Eats |
2010-08-31 |
I live near the Gateway to the Columbia River Gorge, so I don't make it to North Portland all that often, but when I do, I enjoy visiting Proper Eats, one of my favorite veg eateries in Portland. Each time I walk into Proper Eats, I feel like I've stepped into a 1950's hip jazz club, a quaint coffee shop, and an old-timey country store all rolled into one very pleasant establishment.
Proper Eats, located in the historic St. Johns business district, opened their doors for business in 2006 and has played an integral role in the North Portland community ever since. Owner James Hayes appreciates that deep connection. "I love the interactions with farmers and people in the community. Being able to order directly from a family farm and develop a working relationship with the producers of our food is very empowering," says Hayes. "Also, seeing customers time and time again and then meeting them in the neighborhood really makes me feel like I belong to something special. The continued support we get from so many people really makes it all worth it!" Click here to read more... |
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| VegFest Chef Demos are all the Rage |
2010-08-31 |
Our chef demonstrations have always been one of the most popular features at VegFest and this year is no exception. NW VEG is excited to have onboard, Chef Al Chase, who honed his chef skills at the Culinary Institute of America. Chef Al's focus is on a farm/garden-to-the-kitchen seasonal approach to bringing nutrient-dense, delicious organic, plant-based cuisine to the table. He offers trainings, workshops, and consultations through his organization, Culinary Awakenings.
Raw food guru Jennifer Cornbleet is transforming the way people think about raw. Through her nationwide lectures, classes, hands-on workshops, and consultations, Jennifer promotes her passion for healthy, vegan, raw food. Her books include Raw Food Made Easy for 1 or 2 People and Raw for Dessert. Her recipes have been featured in publications from the Chicago Tribune to the New York Press to Cooking Light magazine.
Click here to read more... |
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| An Interview with Vegan Chef to the Stars, Tal Ronnen |
2010-08-30 |
NWVEG: What led you to your passion for cooking healthy, tasty vegan food?
TR: I was frustrated with vegan options when eating out. I grew up in and around NY and had two parents that were foodies. We were exposed to amazing food growing up. After I became veg, I missed the dishes I ate growing up and wanted to create food that was just as good as the non-veg food I had enjoyed.
NWVEG: After cooking for celebrities like Oprah and Ellen and finding The Conscious Cook on the New York Times best-seller list and as a top 10 cookbook for Epicurious.com last fall, you've become famous. What are you most excited that your celeb status has allowed you to do? Click here to read more... |
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| Quinoa, Avocado, and Sweet Potato Timbale with Roasted Tomatillo Dressing |
2010-08-30 |
I made this dish for the reopening of a Fort Lauderdale restaurant called Sublime, and it became one of the best-selling salads there. Sublime is a great place owned by animal activist Nanci Alexander-she gives all the profits to organizations that promote animal welfare and a vegan lifestyle. This salad is hearty, thanks to the sweet potato and quinoa, and also makes an impressive presentation. Click here to read more... |
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| Fascinating Health Professionals to Speak at VegFest |
2010-08-28 |
This year's two-day Portland VegFest features six fascinating health professionals who rock the world of veg living: Dr. Michael Klaper, Dr. Milton Mills, Brenda Davis, RD, Dr. Michael Greger, Dr. Gordon Saxe, and Dr. Richard Heitsch.
"Changing our diet also means freeing ourselves from the powerful taste addictions we have acquired to the fast food and processed foods that are cheap and loaded with salt, sugar, fat and other taste seducers that keep us craving them. Not an easy extrication to effect..." -Dr. Michael Klaper
Our keynote speaker, Dr. Michael Klaper, earned his medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine, and after working Click here to read more... |
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| Quick and Easy Asian Salad Rolls |
2010-08-24 |
In this video, Pete from Portland's Vege Thai restaurant shows you how to successfully roll up tasty ingredients in rice paper to create one of their popular appetizers. Just watching this will make you want to try it. Salad rolls go great with Thai peanut sauce for dipping.
Pete will also be doing a cooking demo at this year's VegFest, where he'll be sharing lots of hints about Asian-vegan food preparation.
Stay tuned to our new 'Quick and Easy' demos for great ideas to make your vegan cooking successful!
Click here to read more... |
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| Unbaked Blackberry Cobbler |
2010-08-19 |
This cool cobbler is perfect for a hot summer day - or any time of year, really! Mix it up and add any berry that you like and top it with some non-dairy vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups blackberries (or other berries) (fresh or defrosted)
- 1/2 cup medjool dates (pitted and packed)
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup almonds (or other nuts)
- 1/2 cup medjool dates (pitted and packed)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4-5 Tablespoons water
- In a food processor, place 2 cups of blackberries, 1/2 cup of medjool dates and the lemon juice and process until smooth.
- Spoon the blackberry mixture into an 8 x 8-inch (or similar sized) glass dish. Add the remaining 2 cups of blackberries to the dish, and stir well.
- Wipe out the food processor, add the oats and almonds and process until finely ground.
- Add the remaining dates and salt to the processor and thoroughly process.
- Add the water and process until the whole mixture sticks together. Add more water if needed.
- Spread the oat mixture on top of the blackberries with your hands. It's fine if clumps remain. The pie is ready to be served. Or place it in the refrigerator for later.
Yield: About 4 servings
For more recipes like this, check out www.vegfoodandfit.com. |
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| Catching up with Yassine Diboun: Race for the Animals Men’s 10K Race Winner |
2010-07-29 |
Northwest VEG's inaugural Race for the Animals was a huge success! A whopping 285 folks registered to support and partake in this fun 5K/10K trail run and walk. "I was thrilled to see the turnout," said Race Director, Wendy Gabbe Day. "The weather was great, Forest Park was beautiful, and people of all abilities came out to participate." And thanks to the delicious donations from Dave's Killer Bread, Back to Eden Bakery, Organically Grown Company, Larabar, ProBar, and Whole Foods for refueling the participants.
The men's 10K race was won by Portland's Yassine Diboun in 41:21. Yassine is an ultramarathon runner, a vegan, and an inspiration to us all. Thanks to Yassine for sharing with us some insight into his life.
NWV: What led you to a vegan lifestyle and how long ago?
YD: About two and a half years ago, after watching a documentary by actor/activist/vegan Woody Harrelson called Go Further, a seed was planted in my consciousness about changing my diet and lifestyle. The movie is worth watching in its entirety because, not only is it very eye-opening and informational, it is quite entertaining as well! Click here to read more... |
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| Recipe of the Month: Blueberry Banana Green Smoothie |
2010-07-28 |
Blueberries are ripe for the pickin' this time of year! So let's add 'em to this deliciously sweet and extremely nutritious smoothie. Adding leafy greens is a wonderful way to boost your intake of these nutritional powerhouses!
- 2 medjool dates* (pitted)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup blueberries (or other berries) (fresh or frozen)
- 1 frozen banana (chopped)
- 4 cups spinach or romaine lettuce (packed)
- Add the dates, water, and fruit to the blender. Blend until smooth. Add additional water if needed.
- Add the leafy greens to the blender. Depending on the size of your blender, you may need to add half the greens at a time.
- Blend thoroughly. Add additional water if needed.
Yields: ABOUT 4 CUPS (2 servings)
*If the dates are hard/dry, I'd recommend soaking them in water for a few hours (or overnight), and then using this water in the smoothie. If you've got a heavy duty blender, no need to pre-soak the dates.
For more recipes like this, check out www.vegfoodandfit.com.
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| Supporting Veg Activism at School |
2010-07-28 |
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Northwest VEG is eager to support and inspire veg activism on high
school and college campuses in the Portland-Vancouver area. This might
pertain to a group that focuses on the benefits of a vegan diet, or it
could be one that considers a range of animal protection issues.
Whether a student club is already formed or nonexistent, there is help
available in the form of literature, coaching, speakers, and even
grants. That's right, a limited amount of grant money is available to
fund approved educational projects on campuses. Click here to read more... |
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| 3rd Annual Try Vegan Week |
2010-07-27 |
The 3rd annual Try Vegan Week is set to take place the week of August 14-21. This year features many exciting events including the Vegan Prom of Tomorrow being held at 9 p.m. on Saturday, August 21 at Crush Bar in Portland. Click here to read more... |
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| Warped Tour Leafleting on August 15 |
2010-07-27 |
Can you spare a few hours to help reach thousands of young people with our message of compassion for the animals? On August 15, we’ll need lots of help at the Washington County Fairgrounds distributing leaflets promoting a plant-based diet to Warped Tour attendees. The Warped Tour is a touring
music and extreme sports festival; check it out at www.vanswarpedtour.com. We have special literature prepared just for this event highlighting veg*n band members on the Tour. This is our biggest outreach opportunity of the year.
Not sure you want to leaflet? No problem! We need volunteers to keep leafleters supplied with leaflets and also to pick up any dropped leaflets so that we can re-use or recycle them. Click here to read more... |
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| Outreach for Animals Week |
2010-07-27 |
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Outreach for Animals Week is September 27 to October 1. Help us spread our message of compassion for animals! For this one week blitz, we need volunteers to distribute leaflets educating people about animal suffering on factory farms and the benefits of a plant-based diet. Our goal is to reach as many college and high school campuses in the Portland metro area as possible. Participants can even leaflet some high schools on their lunch break or college campuses in the evenings, so it’s open to people with almost any schedule. Click here to read more... |
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| Local Vegan Author Seeks Zombies |
2010-07-27 |
Try Vegan co-founder David Agranoff has two novels coming out this summer. The first is a dark fantasy novel called Hunting the Moon Tribe, and the second one is a vegan-themed satire that takes place in Portland, titled The Vegan Revolution with Zombies. Not only is it about veganism (and zombies), but the first four months of sales will be donated to Try Vegan PDX. The book will make its world premiere at VegFest and will be on sale at the Try Vegan table.
Click here to read more... |
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| PETA Rates Portland Second Veg Friendliest City |
2010-07-27 |
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Portland’s done it again! We’re a top-ranking veg friendly city, second only to Washington D.C., in PETA’s recent list of the Top 10 large North American cities for vegans and vegetarians. Local favorites like Papa G’s Vegan Organic Deli, Red and Black Café and Blossoming Lotus all got a shout out. Hurray for the Portland veg scene! Click here to read more... |
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| Volunteer at VegFest 2010! |
2010-07-26 |
VegFest is coming up on September 18 & 19, 2010 at the Oregon Convention Center. We'll need over 250 volunteers to make it an even greater success than last year's VegFest! Here are some ways you can be involved:
- Volunteer at VegFest on Saturday and/or Sunday, Sept. 18/19 (morning, mid-day, & early evening shifts available - 3 hour shifts - many different roles!)
- Post a VegFest yard sign in your front yard (we'll supply the sign)
- Distribute VegFest posters and postcards to businesses/coffee shops/libraries etc. in your neighborhood (early September)
- Assist with set-up at the Convention Center on Friday, Sept. 17
All volunteers get into VegFest free, and your help is essential in making this a wonderful event! Please let us know the roles you're able to assist with and the day/time you prefer at VegFest.
Please email VegFest Volunteer Coordinator with your preferences and contact info:
volunteer@nwveg.org
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| NW VEG Announces Professional Conference |
2010-07-26 |
Northwest VEG and Adventist Health have teamed up to co-sponsor a conference where health care professionals (MDs, NDs, DOs, RNs, RDs, etc.) can learn about caring for patients via plant-based nutrition. Four world-renowned physicians -- Michael Klaper, Michael Greger, Milton Mills, and Gordon Saxe -- will present the latest clinical research on preventing and treating diabetes, prostate cancer, colon disorders, and other ailments. Plus, an internationally recognized dietitian (Brenda Davis) will present a "how-to" session on designing plant-based diets for patients.
This unique conference, entitled "Enhancing Health with Plant-Based Nutrition," will be held from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Friday, September 17 at Adventist Medical Center located at 10123 SE Market Street in Portland.
We need the help of all NW VEG members to augment our publicity efforts by getting information about our professional conference out to their personal health care providers. Please direct them to www.nwveg.org/health_conference.php for more information and to register. Although this conference is aimed at the medical community and the sessions will be quite technical, attendance is open to all. However, due to space limitations, only the first 100 registrations can be accepted. A fantastic vegan lunch, designed to "win over" the omnivores in the crowd, is included with the modest registration fee. Discounts for "early-bird" registrations apply. The National College of Natural Medicine is a supporting sponsor for this event.
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| An Interview with Dr. Michael Klaper |
2010-07-26 |
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Dr. Michael Klaper earned his medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine, and after working with patients, he began to realize that many of the diseases they suffered from were caused by the foods they ate. In his video, A Diet for All Reasons, he tells a story about reviewing a blood sample taken from a 290-pound patient. He was startled when he discovered the top of the vial contained thick, white fat. When Dr. Klaper asked the patient what he'd eaten that day, it became apparent that meat, dairy, animal flesh and fats were the cause of the alarming blood sample. As a result, for the past 30 years, Dr. Klaper has studied the links between diet and disease. Click here to read more... |
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| Free Loaf of Silver Hills Bakery Bread |
2010-06-23 |
Northwest VEG is excited to announce that Silver Hills Bakery has recently become a Northwest VEG business partner. Silver Hills sprouted breads are not only scrumpdillyicious, but super nutritious as well, as the company is passionate about making breads that truly enrich your health.
The wonderful folks at Silver Hills are also mindful about Mother Earth’s health as well. They get the wheat for their breads from an organic farm that runs on wind energy. They use only the finest grains, seeds and other pure ingredients. All of their breads are vegan, Kosher certified, high in fiber, and packaged in biodegradable bags.
Click here to read more... |
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| Volunteer Spotlight: Yvonne LeGrice |
2010-06-23 |
Yvonne LeGrice is an inspiration and an instrumental player in spreading compassion all around the area. She recently coordinated a successful "Outreach for Animals" leafleting week, and is co-coordinating the upcoming "Race for the Animals" on July 10. We are so grateful for all that she does. Thanks, Yvonne!
How long have you been veg and why?
I became vegetarian in the early 90s after living in Japan and becoming interested in Buddhism with its emphasis on cultivating compassion for all sentient beings. Then back in the U.S., one day by chance I saw a copy of Peter Singer's book Animal Liberation in the local library. Intrigued (liberated from what, I wondered), I read it, learned about the horrors of factory farming and animal testing and immediately went vegan. That was in 1996, and I’ve been vegan ever since.
Click here to read more... |
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