orillia vegetarians

November 2010 - Holiday potluck

2010-11-12T15:04:00.000-08:00

Our November potluck is scheduled for Sunday Nov 28th at 1pm. The location will depend on the number of RSVP's so please contact us at orilliaveg [at] gmail.com to let us know if you plan to attend. Then we can confirm the location closer to the date.

Visit this posting for information about how the potluck events work. Hope to see you there!

Orillia Vegetarians - community display

2010-11-10T11:39:00.000-08:00

Just in case anyone is curious about the display we set up at various community events - here's a photo of it! If you have any great ideas for making it better, or if you know of an event where this display would be welcome, please email us at orilliaveg [at] gmail. com !! It is usually accompanied by a simple food item to entice visitors, and the recipe is given out on a card with our contact details. The recipe featured here was "Better than Tuna" chickpea salad with rice crackers.

This particular photo was taken at the Transition Community Fair that was held Nov 12-14 at St Pauls United Church. For more information on Transition Town Orillia, please go here. Also, a note of gratitude and recognition is always posted to acknowledge that the display board itself is on loan from Hospice Orillia - a local community organization who had an extra!

2010 Potluck Dates

2010-01-06T06:01:00.000-08:00

On these dates, we'll get together around 5pm, with one potluck item per adult, a printed copy of the recipe and a $2 donation for use of space.

The location changes from month to month, and sometimes meetings are cancelled due to low numbers, so email us at orilliaveg [at] gmail.com if you plan to attend and we will let you know where to be.

Jan 24
Theme: Spicy Night
Location: Email us to find out!

Mar 28
Theme: Green foods
Location: Email us to find out!

May 30 (this is the 5th weekend, because the 4th is the May long)
Theme: Spring!!
Location: Email us to find out!

Sept 26
Theme: Harvest Time
Location: Email us to find out!

Nov 28
Theme: Holiday Fare
Location: Email us to find out!

Info re: the Orillia Veggie Potluck

2010-01-05T05:55:00.000-08:00

These are just some of the things you need to know about our Potlucks... let us know if you have any questions!

The location of our potluck changes each time (or it might get cancelled) depending on numbers, so it`s important to RSVP and someone can confirm location for you.

Please bring one potluck item per adult if possible.

Don't forget to bring some copies of your recipe.

This is a vegetarian group, but there are many vegans who attend. Also, nut and wheat allergies are common. If it is possible to leave such items "on the side" for your dish, please do so. If not, please be sure to bring a small sign to leave out next to your dish indicating that it contains an ingredient such as wheat, cheese, eggs or nuts. If you have questions about this request, just email beforehand for clarification :)

Thanks!

How our diet can affect our health

2009-11-11T11:42:00.000-08:00

Read this interesting article called "Taking a bite out of cancer".

in the news

2009-10-29T09:51:00.001-07:00

October 26, 2009

Most choose vegetarian diet for their beliefs

Jennifer Adamson
For the News-Leader

Adam Pruett is a registered dietitian and coordinator of the Nutrition Center at St. John's Regional Medical Center.

Question: In general, what is a vegetarian?

Answer: A vegetarian is an individual who does not consume any animal-based or animal-derived foods.

Q: How many different types of vegetarian diets are there?

A: There are four main classes of vegetarians: vegan, lacto-ovo, ovo and lacto.

- Vegans consume strictly plant sources of nutrients. They eat no meat, eggs or dairy.

- Ovo-lacto-vegetarians, who consume dairy and egg products, but no meat.

- Ovo-vegetarians, who eat eggs, but not meat or dairy products.

- Lacto-vegetarians, who eat dairy products, but no meat or eggs.

Q: In your opinion, why do people choose to become vegetarians?

A: Usually, the main reason for following the dietary practice is for philosophical reasons. Many individuals feel this dietary choice allows them to be harmonious with their surroundings.

Sometimes, following the dietary parameters of vegetarianism provides optimal care for underlying health conditions. When the vegetarian diet is followed appropriately, it can provide great health benefits to the individual.

Q: What are the health benefits associated with being a vegetarian?

A: Following the diet will provide vast amounts of vitamins and minerals needed by the body. Also, intake of dietary fiber will increase exponentially compared to the typical American diet.

If portions are still controlled and the individual consumes appropriate amounts of protein, carbohydrates and plant-based fats, they can lose/maintain a healthy weight without the risk of deficiencies.

Q: Are there any health risks, especially with being on a raw food diet?

A: The major health risk associated with vegetarianism involves various vitamin/mineral deficiencies.

If the dietary plan is not followed appropriately, the individual may suffer from a lack of proper amounts of protein, vitamin B12, calcium, zinc, iron and vitamin D. Symptoms may include muscle wasting, nerve-tissue damage, tongue deformities, osteoporosis, poor wound healing, anemia and lethargy.

Any time you deal with raw food, you must be extra careful with preparation. Make sure all utensils, the preparation area and storage tools are clean prior to use. Also, wash your hands as much as possible to avoid cross-contamination.

Q: Is there an age up until which a child needs the nutrients in meat, poultry or fish to grow properly, or is being a vegetarian acceptable at any age?

A: Any age can follow the vegetarian diet if the dietary plan provides adequate nutrition to prevent deficiencies and promote appropriate growth.

Typically, children following a vegan diet if they are under 5 years of age can obtain enough nutrition to maintain growth, but it will be slower and in the low-normal category.

Resource for New Vegetarians

2009-08-29T06:01:00.000-07:00

This past week I've been spending time pulling together some resources for a Display Board that the Veggie Group can use at various community events in and around Orillia. Specifically, we've been asked to put up a display at the Kids for Turtles Dragonfly Festival later today.

In gathering materials, I came across this great resource kit for people wanting to move to a vegetarian diet - or at least increase the amount of vegetarian food they eat & reduce their meat consumption.

I have printed one copy to put with our display, but otherwise, it's in PDF so is easy to share electronically. Enjoy!

In the news

2009-07-29T15:38:00.000-07:00

Some interesting articles were published today.

The Baltimore Examiner had a blurb in their "Health Spot" section that states the American Dietetic Association has updated its position in support of vegetarian diets claiming they can be “healthful [and] nutritionally adequate,” and citing a decreased risk of heart disease, cancer, hypertension and type 2 diabetes. Apparently we are at risk for vitamin and iron deficiencies, however, so it's recommended that we take supplements just to be safe. Give me a break. What about the possible vitamin deficiencies in omnivores? Most meat-eaters don't eat the recommended 5-10 fruits and vegetables a day....wouldn't they have some deficiencies??

And the Washington Post had a great article, written by a non-vegetarian, which explains why reducing meat consumption matters for the environment. My favourite excerpt reads "The visceral reaction against anyone questioning our God-given right to bathe in bacon has been enough to scare many in the environmental movement away from this issue." This is a good read!

Getting together in JULY

2009-07-10T14:23:00.001-07:00

We are currently scheduled to meet up on Sunday July 12 at 4:30pm at Couchiching Beach Park (behind the greenhouse - on the lake side), same as last year.

Since it seems lots of people have trouble getting together on summer Sundays, I thought I'd suggest the CRAZY idea of getting together on a weeknight instead.

Would anyone be interested in having a potluck next Thursday (July 16) instead of this Sunday? Please email orilliaveg@gmail.com with your thoughts.

Berry Grain Salad

2009-06-15T04:45:00.000-07:00

The Orillia Veggie group had a display table at Orillia's Arts for Peace festival this summer. We brought a sample dish for people to taste, and decided to go with a favourite - Berry Grain Salad.

Made with quinoa, which is a bit of a miracle grain (the only grain which is a complete protein), it also has walnuts and flax oil to get some Omega 3 fats as well.

This salad by the way has no dairy, honey, eggs etc - completely vegan.

Berry-Grain Salad

1 1/2 cups dry quinoa (may substitute with millet, kasha, rice, or a combination)
3 cups water
1/2 cups chopped walnuts
1/2 cups dried cranberries or cherries
2 medium stalks celery, chopped
1/4 cups sunflower seeds (roasted or raw)
1/4 cups chopped green onions
1/4 cups chopped parsley or cilantro

Dressing

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp flax or hemp oil
3/4 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup orange juice or 2 tbsp (or more to taste) lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Pour water into a pot and bring to boil over high heat. Rinse quinoa well and add to pot. Reduce heat to low, then cover and simmer without disturbing for 20 minutes. Uncover (all the water should now be absorbed) and let sit until cool - put in fridge to cool faster. Fluff with a fork and turn the quinoa into a large bowl.

Add remaining salad ingredients and toss lightly.
In a separate bowl, mix together all the dressing ingredients with a whisk. Pour over salad and toss to coat evenly.
May be served immediately or covered and refrigerated overnight.

Picnic time! - OUR JUNE PICNIC IS POSTPONED

2009-05-31T17:36:00.000-07:00

It's that time again! I know, it's hard to believe that May is already over....

We haven't booked a location for our June 7 potluck because we are HOPING that the weather will be nice enough to have a picnic in Couchiching Beach Park. If you weren't around last year, we gathered at a picnic table near the Greenhouse and enjoyed our potluck there.

Everyone is responsible for bringing their own plates/bowls, cups and utensils. Also, best to bring a drink for yourself. And as always, bring one potluck item (per adult if possible) and a copy of your recipe. We'll plan to meet up at 4:30.

My cell phone number is 705-238-0799 if you have trouble finding us, or if the weather is crappy and you want to find out what the rain plans are!

An RSVP is required if you are planning to come... please and thank you. You can email us at orilliaveg@gmail.com or call the cell number above.

-Annalise

May on Old Muskokie

2009-05-17T17:44:00.000-07:00

Just thought I should post some photos from our May 2009 potluck. In the summer months we usually move around and make the most of the lovely Orillia weather. This month we met at mine and Chris' place and enjoyed the day AND all the food. The theme was "What Mom used to make" so we had cabbage rolls and apple crisp and a tofu casserole and a couscous salad and some homemade pita crisps and, and, and.....

This is our table laden with goodies:

And this is my PLATE laden with goodies!

Yummmmm....

-Annalise

curry & cauliflower. yum.

2009-04-28T16:35:00.000-07:00

what is it about curry and cauliflower together that makes such a great match? i don't really know exactly, but what i DO know is that when you add coconut milk into the mix, it becomes simply irresistable. that's why this quick and easy dish has become a standby at our house. it comes from How it All Vegan, one of my first and still most often used vegan cookbooks.

Creamy Curried Veggies (HIAV, p. 106)

WHAT YOU NEED:
1 large onion
2-6 cloves garlic, minced
1-3 large carrots, diced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
1.5 cups cauliflower florets, diced
6-8 mushrooms (or some other veg), sliced
1 Tbsp curry powder
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp tumeric
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 cup coconut milk (I actually just use the whole can)
1 cup peas (frozen, but thawed a bit)
3 Tbsp soy sauce (or Braggs)

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:
1)Fry up the onions, garlic and carrots in oil on medium-high for few minutes
2)Add the potatio, cauliflower, mushrooms (or other veg) and spices. Stir together and cook for 2-4 minutes stirring often so the spices don't stick to the pan

3)Add the milk, stir, cover and reduce the heat to medium low. Simmer for 10-20 minutes, stirring occassionally.
4)Once the potatoes can be pierced easily with a fork, add the peas and the soy sauce (or braggs). Stir together and turn up the heat to medium-high. Cook for a few more minutes until the peas have had a chance to cook.
5)Serve over rice or noodles. Makes 2-4 servings.

-Annalise

The Meeting House

2009-04-05T15:00:00.000-07:00

The Orillia veggie club has been in operation for just over a year now, and except for a few special trips - this has been our home base for the pot-luck gatherings. It's the Friends Meeting House.

March 20 - La Journée Sans Viande

2009-03-19T16:32:00.000-07:00

This is a pretty good story from the Miami Herald about the March 20 Meatout day organized by F.A.R.M. (Farm Animal Rights Movement)). It includes a nice quick summary of all the reasons that vegetarianism makes sense.

--------------

How can you stretch your dollars and prop up your spirits? The folks at FARM (Farm Animal Rights Movement) have the answer: ``Change Your Diet, Change the World.''

Get ready to celebrate, save money, show compassion and affect global change all in one go -- Friday marks the 25th annual Great American Meatout.

In 1985, the national nonprofit FARM set aside March 20 to promote animal compassion and veggie ways. Since then, countless Americans have celebrated spring by going meatless. The Meatout is now an annual event in 20 nations including France, where it's La Journée Sans Viande (The Day Without Meat -- everything sounds better in French).

Being vegetarian is kind to animals -- and that includes you. According to the American Dietetic Association, a meatless diet lowers risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer.

Being vegetarian is kind to your palate, too. It's about abundance, not deprivation. There's no hardship in eating whole wheat pasta with vegetables, lemon and mint (see recipe). Chocolate is vegetarian. So is champagne.

Being vegetarian is kind to the planet as well. According to Environmental Defense, just one meatless meal per week per person would save as much carbon dioxide as taking half a million cars off the road.

Finally, being vegetarian is kind to your wallet. Vegetarian sources of protein -- dried beans, nuts, tofu, even cheese -- are way cheaper than their animal equivalents.

If those aren't reasons, go meatless for the next generation. Ohio State University reports that despite all the news about skyrocketing childhood obesity and the importance of eating produce for health, kids don't get their recommended daily dose of veggies. Show 'em how it's done.
--- Ellen Kanner of the Miami Herald

who said vegetables are boring?

2009-02-06T19:22:00.000-08:00

We spiced things up last week with our "Spicy Night" potluck! Some new members joined us for the wonderful meal.

One of the spicy dishes was made by Chris.

Quick and Easy Chickpea Curry

1 med onion
2 cups veggies (mushrooms, peppers, cauliflower, whatever)
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Patak's Biryani Curry Paste (medium)
1 can of diced tomatoes (28 oz.)
1 cup water

-fry the onion in oil until golden brown
-add veggies and 4 Tbsp of curry paste
-cook and stir for a few minutes
-add chickpeas and stir to combine
-add tomatoes and water
-add about 4 Tbsp more paste
-stir to combine and let simmer on low-med heat until water significantly evaporates

And a sweet (not spicy) dessert was made by Gary. You can see a video of this dish being prepared if you click here.

Apple Crisp with Maple Syrup
5 apples - peeled, cored, and cubed (1/2” pieces)
10 strawberries (raisins - optional)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup sliced almonds
cinnamon
nutmeg
1 pinch of salt (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
2. Place apples and strawberries in a glass baking dish to depth of 2”. Toss with syrup approx 1/4 cup maple syrup and 1/4 cup oil. Add cinnamon and nutmeg to taste. 3. In a separate bowl, mix together oats, sunflower seeds and sliced almonds. Add equal parts ma-ple syrup and oil until mixture is moist but not runny.
4. Cover fruit in glass pan with oat mixture 5. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, until topping is golden brown. Serve warm or at room

Veggie Quotes

2009-01-30T12:31:00.000-08:00

Check out this video on You Tube of funny quotes about being Vegetarian.

Veggie News Online

2009-01-30T07:04:00.001-08:00

I just found this online blog that contains "Vegetarian & Vegan News from around the world, news of vegan fashion, vegan food, vegan people, products, news on projects, vegetarian & vegan news on research providing health solutions, animals & the environment."

Check it out!

some thoughts on vegetarianism

2009-01-04T18:34:00.000-08:00

Click here for an interesting read.

a very veggie Christmas dinner

2009-01-04T14:33:00.000-08:00

My husband and I celebrated Christmas with his family in Bancroft, Ontario. The two of us have been following a vegan diet, to the best of our ability, for almost 2 years now! Over that period of time, his family has become more and more accepting of this choice, and our family dinners always reflect this. When we're visiting, I usually try to add at least one dish to the planned meal for the evening. For Christmas dinner, I added THREE! We started with some "veg-nog" pictured here:

You can now purchase a commercial soy product called "Noel Nog" from major grocery stores and health food stores. I confess...I tried this product once and it was good. But I did so only AFTER making my own from scratch as per the recipe below. The commercial version certainly tastes more "authentic" but I believe it has more non-natural ingredients in it too... not to mention the fact that it's pretty costly. So it depends what you're looking for in your nog!

Vegan Egg Nog (recipe borrowed from TVA)

2 blocks very soft tofu OR 2 packages of soft silken tofu (10.5 oz)
2 cups soy milk or rice milk
4 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup sugar
2 Tbsp brown sugar
¼ tsp ground turmeric
½ – 1 cup rum or brandy (optional)
Nutmeg

Thoroughly combine all ingredients (except nutmeg) in a blender and serve, sprinkling each serving with nutmeg.

As for dinner itself...

...we feasted on tofurkey, mashed potatoes, roasted turnip and a sweet green bean dish. I was pleasantly full, but didn't have the same full to the brim sensation that I used to get from turkey dinners (with all the side effects that usually followed!)

Tofurkey (from How it all Vegan)

1 lb firm tofu, ¼ inch thick

Marinade:
1 ½ cups boiling water
½ Tbsp dill
½ tsp rosemary
½ tsp thyme
½ tsp marjoram
½ tsp sage
½ tsp pepper
1-4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp olive oil

Whisk above ingredients together.

Slice tofu into desired shapes, about ¼ inch thick. Lay slices in a baking dish, cover with marinade and let sit for 1 hour or more (the longer the better). Bake for 60 minutes at 350F, turning slices over at halfway point. Before serving, fry the tofu in a non-stick frying pan until both side are browned. Makes about 10 slices, depending on how you slice it!

Sweet Green Beans (from a random magazine)

2 lbs green beans, trimmed and halved on the diagonal
2 tbsp honey or agave syrup (or maple?)
2 tbsp butter or substitute
1 cup chopped pecans
½ cup dried cranberries
1tsp grated orange zest
salt and freshly ground pepper

Cook beans in large pot of boiling salted water until tender crisp, about 4 minutes. Drain. Melt butter or substitute in a large pan over medium heat. Add beans, pecans, cranberries and orange zest, tossing to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serves 8.

-Annalise

January 4th potluck is CANCELLED...

2009-01-01T14:36:00.002-08:00

Sorry about that, but it seems like the first weekend of the year is a busy one for most people. Our next event will take place Feb 1st (see "Upcoming Meetings" section for more details).

2009 dates

2008-12-22T07:43:00.002-08:00

Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet. ~ Albert Einstein

Just wanted to post the dates for our 2009 potlucks. On these dates, we'll get together around 4:30pm, with one potluck item per adult, a printed copy of the recipe and a $2 donation for use of space. The location changes from month to month, so if it's not posted here, email us at orilliaveg [at] gmail.com if you plan to attend and we will let you know where to be!

February 1
Theme: Spicy Night
Location: Friends Meeting House, 231 Westmount Street South

March 1
Theme: Green Foods
Location: Helping Hands, 210 Memorial Ave, Unit 126B

April 5
Theme: Spring is coming!
Location: Friends Meeting House, 231 Westmount Street South

May 3
Theme: What mom used to make
Location: Chris and Anna's house - details to be shared via email

June 7
THIS DATE WAS POSTPONED DUE TO RAIN/ILLNESS

July 12
Theme: Picnic food
Location: Couchiching Park

August 9
Theme: How to make tofu potsticker dumplings!! (tentative)
Location: Natalie, Nora and Stephen's House - details to be shared via email

Sept 13
Theme: Something New (in honour of the new school year, try a recipe you've never made before)
Location: Friends Meeting House, 231 Westmount Street South

Oct 4
Theme: Harvest Time
Location: Friends Meeting House, 231 Westmount Street South

Nov 8
Theme: Early Holiday Party
Location: Friends Meeting House, 231 Westmount Street South

Hope to see you soon!

veggies on holiday

2008-12-01T19:01:00.001-08:00

I'm sure there are a million posts on a million blogs about being veggie during the holiday season. The tofurkey jokes are already flying around my work and social circles.

I just thought I'd put up a quick note for those of us attending the Orillia Vegetarians first-ever holiday potluck party on December 2, 2008! (for more info email orilliaveg [at] gmail.com).

If you're interested in some recipes, tips and ideas on holiday vegetarian fare, check out the Toronto Vegetarian Association website.

No Animal Food

2008-11-19T13:03:00.000-08:00

A good retort for the dreaded comments about how humans are made to eat meat...

"The gorge of a cat, for instance, will rise at the smell of a mouse or a piece of raw flesh, but not at the aroma of fruit. If a man can take delight in pouncing upon a bird, tear its still living body apart with his teeth, sucking the warm blood, one might infer that Nature had provided him with a carnivorous instinct, but the very thought of doing such a thing makes him shudder. On the other hand, a bunch of luscious grapes makes his mouth water, and even in the absence of hunger, he will eat fruit to gratify taste."

-R.H. Weldon in "No Animal Food"

we're growing!

2008-11-03T12:45:00.000-08:00

We had 17 people at our November potluck yesterday! Woo hoo! I think that's the biggest at one meal since we started getting together last February.

Unfortunately, yours truly forgot her camera but we had quite the spread... I'm surprised we didn't have people lying on the kitchen floor rubbing their bellies after dinner! The menu included Indian spiced potatoes, Balsamic glazed beets, Lentil stew, spicy chickpea and vegetable casserole, wild rice paper rolls, mashed potatoes and veggie gravy... and Benz Balls, Apple Crisp and fresh Honeycrisp apples for dessert!!

I happen to have a photo of the Indian spiced potatoes on file, so here it is with the recipe:

4 large potatoes
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp mustard seeds
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp fresh chilli, chopped
2 tsp lemon rind
2 Tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper (to taste)

-Peel and chop potatoes, then boil until cooked but not too soft (let cool)
-Heat oil in frying pan, cook cumin, coriander, mustard for about 1 minute, stirring
-Add sesame seeds, cook for another 1 minute, stirring
-Add rest of ingredients, stir
-Add cooked potatoes, heat and stir

Veggie eaters band together

2008-10-14T12:06:00.000-07:00

The Orillia Veggie Group made the local newspaper! On Saturday Oct. 11 the Packet ran a front page story titled Veggie-eaters band together (try this link if the other one doesn't work).

From the article:
The 20-person club meets once a month for a potluck dinner, where they socialize and share recipes. There are also “meat-eaters” in the club who joined to learn how to cook healthy dishes.

Losole said she would like to see the group expand and be able to host guest speakers during their monthly meals.

“I’d like to see people coming as a response to not being happy with the food supply. (The club) is a support system and it’s nice to be with people who think the same way,” she said. “It’s all about what is on your plate, where does that come from and what’s in it.”

october 5th

2008-10-03T17:09:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to send a quick reminder about the Orillia Vegetarians monthly potluck this coming Sunday Oct 5th at 4:30pm. We are currently planning to meet at our usual location (231 Westmount Drive South in Orillia).

Please RSVP so that we know how many to expect (if numbers are small we may meet at someone's home instead).

The theme this month was originally scheduled to be "Soup Night"... but I'm not sure if we all want to eat that much soup or not? I am definitely planning on making a soup..... so others can feel free to do that as well, or just bring a "regular" potluck item to feed 4-5 people. Also, don't forget to bring a serving utensil and a printed copy of the recipe for your item. If possible, it's also helpful if people can bring their own plates, cutlery and drinking vessels.

If anyone has resources to share, please feel free to bring them for display!

RSVP to orilliaveg@gmail.com

100-mile diet

2008-09-17T19:30:00.000-07:00

Note: Our next meeting will be a "Soup Night" at 4:30pm on Sunday Oct 5th at the Friends Meeting House (231 Westmount Drive South, Orillia). Please RSVP to orilliaveg@gmail.com

Our first fall potluck of 2008 (okay not technically fall but it was back to school time!) took place on a beautiful Sunday evening, a nice surprise after a day of clouds and rain. We were able to eat outside as planned and both the conversation and meal proved to be scintillating and delectable...on the meal side we had salad with a yummy garlicky dressing, a veggie stew, vegan potato salad and zucchini muffins. The theme was the 100-mile diet, so most of the ingredients came from local gardens.

100-mile diet is a relatively new term that refers to a movement which encourages people to buy food as locally as possibly. "In 2005, Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon began a one-year experiment in local eating. Their 100-Mile Diet struck a deeper chord than anyone could have predicted, inspiring thousands of individuals, and even whole communities, to change the way they eat. Locally raised and produced food has been called 'the new organic' — better tasting, better for the environment, better for local economies, and better for your health. From reviving the family farm to reconnecting with the seasons, the local foods movement is turning good eating into a revolution." (From http://100milediet.org/)

During our 100-mile dinner, we were reminded that a great place to buy fresh, organic, local produce is McBride's stand at the Orillia Farmers Market. There is also a full listing of farms in Simcoe County here.

At our meal, the piece de resistance was the vegan chocolate peanut butter pie and mint tea. Unfortunately there are no pictures of these great dishes to be posted but we will try to get the recipe of the chocolate peanut butter pie up shortly.

-Krista M.

A life connected

2008-08-24T08:23:00.000-07:00

A group called Non violence united has released a group of videos called A Life Connected. On YouTube they're broken into three sections - a) why veganism is better for people b) why veganism is better for the planet c) why veganism is better for the animals.

I like them. They're especially good if you can't handle the intense cruelty depicted in PETA style factory farming videos. These ones leave that topic alone, and instead focus on the life-affirming qualities of veganism.

Part 1: For the People, is here.

Part 2: For the Planet, is here:

As this video shows, the natural resources flat out wasted by meat farming, and the C02 emissions caused by meat farming, are simply staggering. It makes you wonder why the "green" movement is so often silent about vegetarianism as a climate change solution.

Part 3: For the Animals, is here.

touring a local market garden!

2008-08-12T18:35:00.000-07:00

Note: Our next meeting is scheduled for 4:30pm on Sunday Sept 7th at the Friends Meeting House (231 Westmount Drive South, Orillia). The theme will be "100 mile diet" so we will all try to bring a dish made from local ingredients.

Our August event took place at Stephen's Organic Market Garden in Severn Township, hosted by three of our "regulars" Natalie, Nora, and Stephen.

We arrived to a scavenger hunt planned by Natalie that had us mapping out the locations of various fruits and vegetables being grown in the garden. Prize for most right answers went to the very knowledgeable John & Kathleen!

For more information about Stephen's Organic Market Garden, please send an email to marketgarden@sympatico.ca

The potluck was full of variety again, including a green salad with mind-blowing "zingy" dressing, two sweet potato dishes, home made salsa, and a beet/carrot/cabbage coleslaw. And we finished off with a Chocolate Cake that was ... shall we say... to die for :) But I'll share that recipe in a future post! For now, enjoy the following recipe for one of the Sweet Potato Salads...

Sweet Potato Salad (pictured in pink bowl above):
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
raisins and/or dried cranberries
sunflower seeds
4 scallions, white and light green parts, finely chopped

Dressing:
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cook sweet potatoes until just tender, 7 to 10 minutes (careful not to overcook). Drain and transfer to large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Pour over cooked and drained sweet potatoes and add the cranberries, seeds and scallions. Mix together. Serve warm or refrigerate and bring to room temperature before serving.

Veggie items in U.S. politics

2008-08-07T10:17:00.000-07:00

A little while back we mentioned how Oprah Winfrey was giving veganism a try, as part of a three week cleanse.
Apparently her buddy, Barack Obama, is up on factory farming issues - with factory farming being one of more common reasons that people turn to the veggie life.

In this post on Vegan.com the writer talks about asking a factory farming related question to Obama at a town hall, and being pleased with his knowledgeable response (although, from what I can tell, all he really says is that subsidies need to be taken away from the big concentrated animal feeding operations).

Anyway, let's hear it for the Democrats. At least they've heard of vegetarianism. Heck, they even had a Vegan who was in the hunt for the presidential nomination for a while. Dennis Kucinich is member of the House of Representatives from Ohio, and might have been an even more interesting nomination for President than Obama.

Here he is, discussing healthy eating with Chris Matthews and Lance Armstrong:

july picnic & a recipe

2008-07-16T09:09:00.000-07:00

Our July meeting took place at Couchiching Beach Park, in the shadow of Samuel de Champlain. Well.... in the shadow of his statue anyway!

We had a nice potluck picnic in the park and, of course, I got so excited about EATING the food that I forgot to take pictures. Oops!

We had White Kidney Bean dip with Nachos, Bulgur Salad, Baked Beans, a Vegan Carrot Cake, and this Yellow Rice and Black Bean Salad -- the only thing left that I could take a picture of once I finally came to after stuffing myself!

This salad basically requires the rice to be cooked in a bit of turmeric and cumin, then cooled. You add some black beans, grape tomatoes, cucumber (remove peel and seeds), red pepper, red onion, jalapeno peppers and fresh cilantro leaves as well. For the dressing, you whisk together the following:

1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander (spice)
1/4 teasponn oregano
6 tablespoons olive oil

Our next event will be on August 10th, and I'll be contacting those on the member list by phone or email with directions. If you'd like to join us, please send an email to orilliaveg@gmail.com

Cabbage Rolls!

2008-06-29T05:36:00.001-07:00

So, when I was growing up, there were all these things I thought I didn't like. Things like tomatoes, mushrooms, beets, watermelon, chocolate cake and....cabbage! But I'm happy to report that I now love all of the above!!! It's like going vegetarian has opened up a whole new world of tastes and textures for me, or at least it made my taste buds more open-minded :)

And yesterday, I was in the mood for an experiment. For the first time ever, I made cabbage rolls, and I thought I'd share a bit about the experience with everyone. I had a huge cabbage leftover from my last Good Food Box, and I thought what better way to use it up than to try some cabbage rolls. So I went searching for a good vegetarian version online, and this is the one I found where I had all but 2 of the ingredients (I had to go pick up some tomatoes and green onions, but everything else I had in stock). Make sure you have a couple of hours to work on this, but have a book handy too so you can chill out during some of the longer cook times.

Enjoy!
-Annalise S.

INGREDIENTS

* Sauce
o 1/2 medium onion, minced
o 2 tablespoon oil
o 6 medium tomatoes, diced or 1 can
o 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
o 2 teaspoon paprika
o 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

* Rolls
o 1 very large head cabbage
o 1 medium onion, minced
o 2 tablespoon oil
o 3 green onions, minced
o 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
o 1/3 cup dry Textured Vegetable Protein + 1/3 cup water or 1 cup veggie mince
o 2 medium tomatoes, diced
o 4 cups cooked rice
o 1/3 cup fresh parsley, minced
o 2 teaspoon salt
o 2 teaspoon paprika
o 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

METHOD
Make the sauce by sauteing the onion in 2 T oil. Add the tomatoes, salt, paprika and cayenne, bring to a boil and simmer for 1 hour.

Remove the core of the cabbage and steam the whole head in a large pot with the core side down until it will separate, about 20 minutes. Remove and let cool. Separate the cabbage leaves. (Note: I found that the filling was enough for about 14-16 leaves, maybe 20+ if you use less filling per roll).

To make the filling, in a large skillet, saute the onion in 2 T of oil for 10 minutes, stirring often. Add the green onions, garlic, TVP, water and tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the rice and spices and mix well. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Take your cabbage leaves and, one leaf at a time, cut out the core pieces. Place some of the rice mixture on each leaf. Leave enough room to fold the sides inward, and roll up the leaves. Place the cabbage rolls in a casserole dish and cover with the sauce. Bake for 30 minutes.

And voila!!

(Recipe is courtesy of VeganFood.Net)

Places to eat in Orillia

2008-06-23T09:48:00.000-07:00

Our June meeting took place at a local eatery, so we thought it would be smart to provide some info about it, as well as some other local restaurants that serve vegetarian fare! 13 of us gathered at Brewery Bay on Sunday June 1st. This local veggie-friendly pub borrows it's name from the property where Stephen Leacock built his summer home in the early 20th century. It is the most well known, and most overtly veggie-friendly restaurant in town. It's a pub, and is owned by a vegetarian, so almost anything on the menu can be made vegetarian (they can substitute veggie meat for real meat in most dishes) and they have a large selection of actual vegetarian choices. It's located right on the main street.

Some other places to try include:

Ossawippi Express Dining Cars
It's a restaurant on train cars! Very unique dining experience and the last time I was there they had 2 veg items on the menu, both delicious. One is the Vegetarian
Wellington and the other is a Pasta dish. It is located at the bottom of
the main street, but it's in the park on Lake Couchiching so it's a lovely
setting, especially if it's a nice enough day to sit on the patio (although
you should definitely check out the inside too).

Quick Bite & Indian Cuisine
There's a small Indian eatery just off Hwy 12 called Quick Bite & Indian
Cuisine. It's farther from the downtown area, in the western section of
town. I've only eaten there once, and it was awhile ago, but it was good.

Oprah & veganism

2008-05-22T07:45:00.000-07:00

Our list of upcoming events is here. Scroll down this page for more information.

I'm not sure if it is this black and white, but wow, it looks like Oprah Winfrey is giving veganism a good try. Check her official blog for Sunday, where she kind of hints at being vegan for ethical reasons:
Conscious eater. That struck a nerve. I had recently come to the conclusion that after spending weeks reading and rereading A New Earth and being on line with Eckhart Tolle that bringing a higher level of awareness to my eating was the solution I'd been avoiding. My idea of a conscious eater, however, was not quite the same as Kathy's.

I thought it meant not allowing yourself to eat emotionally and filling the void of anxiety with food, as I've struggled with for years. I thought it meant taking your time, making healthy choices and chewing slowly—being conscious of every bite and not scarfing down a meal and then thinking about the next one.

That is one level of consciousness. But what she talks about in her book is a higher level. She speaks of "spiritual integrity." How can you say you're trying to spiritually evolve, without even a thought about what happens to the animals whose lives are sacrificed in the name of gluttony?

So this 21-day cleanse gives me a chance to think about it differently and see what my attachments are to certain kinds of foods—and what I'm willing to do to change.

And... check her blog entry for Monday, when she actually uses the word Vegan.

Whether or not you're an Oprah fan - if she officially adopted a "pro vegan" stance, it would advance the veggie cause dramatically.

top ten reasons to go veggie!

2008-05-21T17:37:00.000-07:00

In celebration of World Vegetarian Week (May 19-25), you can find PETA's Top Ten reasons not to eat meat here.

Enjoy!

photos from the May 4th meeting!

2008-05-12T07:44:00.000-07:00

Thirteen people, big and small (and one on the way), attended our May 4th meeting of the Orillia Vegetarian Club. We had some great conversations and some great food! Here are some of the photos.

Also, our next meeting will be dinner at Brewery Bay - a local Orillia hotspot. We're meeting at 4:30pm on June 1, 2008.

Please RSVP to orilliaveg@gmail.com by Sunday May 25th.

A delicious salad with chickpeas, red onions, mandarin oranges, spinach and more.

Ben's Black Bean Salsa from How it All Vegan cookbook

Veggie Shepherd's Pie

Chana Masala and Aloo Gobi

Natalie, Jocelyn, and Emmy - chowing down :)

Veggies & protein

2008-05-10T09:14:00.000-07:00

The list of upcoming events for the Orillia Veggie group is here.

I don't personally get asked the where do you get your protein from? question very often, but it is something that omnivores tend to ask. It's actually pretty ironic, because when you read the literature, you know that most North Americans actually get far too much protein.

As Mark Bittman (who isn't a vegetarian) wrote in the New York Times recently...

Americans are downing close to 200 pounds of meat, poultry and fish per capita per year (dairy and eggs are separate, and hardly insignificant), an increase of 50 pounds per person from 50 years ago. We each consume something like 110 grams of protein a day, about twice the federal government’s recommended allowance; of that, about 75 grams come from animal protein. (The recommended level is itself considered by many dietary experts to be higher than it needs to be.) It’s likely that most of us would do just fine on around 30 grams of protein a day, virtually all of it from plant sources.

Anyway, even high level athletes can get the protein they need from a vegetarian or vegan diet, and if you want to make a power-packed soup of lentils and chick peas, try this Moroccan Lentil and Chick Pea Soup recipe.

May meeting

2008-04-24T11:33:00.000-07:00

The May meeting of the Orillia Vegetarian Club will be on Sunday May 4th, from 4:30 to 6:30p.m.

It will be held at the Friends Meeting House, at 231 Westmount Drive South.

Please bring a potluck dish - enough to serve yourself and 5 others (and please print off and bring copies of the recipe!). You are also asked to bring your own drinks, as well as $2 per person to help cover the cost of the venue (kids exempted).

If you need recipe ideas, there are some vegetarian recipes here, and loads more online - just do searches like vegetarian recipes or vegan recipes.

If you have any questions, just email orilliaveg [at] gmail.com.

future meetings

2008-04-23T19:33:00.000-07:00

Please save these dates and plan to join us for one (or all) of our monthly gatherings! The locations and themes are tentative at this point -- so please let us know if you have any special requests or suggestions :)

Note: The monthly event is held on the first Sunday of every month, starting at 4:30pm. Please email orilliaveg@gmail.com or check back here for changes (if the first Sunday is a holiday weekend, we will meet on the second Sunday instead).

May 4th - potluck at Friends Meeting House (no theme)

June 1st – dinner at Brewery Bay in Orillia

July 13th (alternate date because 1st Sunday is Mariposa!) – potluck at Couchiching Beach park (meet at the greenhouse)/bring your own plates, cups, cutlery and lawnchairs

Aug 10th (alternate date because 1st Sunday is long weekend) – potluck and farm tour at Nora, Stephen and Natalie's/bring your own plates, cups, cutlery and lawnchairs. Email us for directions.

Sept 7th – potluck at Friends Meeting House/theme: 100 mile diet

Oct 5th – potluck at Friends Meeting House/theme: Soup Night

Nov 2nd – potluck at Friends Meeting House/guest speaker: Sprouting?

Dec 7th – potluck at Friends Meeting House/theme: Holiday party

Eat food, not too much, mostly plants

2008-04-23T16:21:00.000-07:00

Michael Pollan is not a vegetarian. He is however a journalist who has written some powerful pieces that explore, and support, the vegetarian argument.
In his January 2007 New York Times article, Unhappy Meals he uses nearly a dozen pages to prove his opening thesis that we'd all be better off if we ate "food" (real food - apples, not apple derivatives), and only a little bit, and stayed as far away from meat as possible.
His 2006 book The Omnivore's Dilemma examined the different types of meals available to North Americans - a fast food meal vs. an "organic meal" vs. a completely self grown & cooked meal. It was at it's most powerful when examining the factory farming system, and part of this can be read here.

Really interesting reading, especially if you haven't given much thought to food issues & and industrial agriculture before, and want to be introduced to the field by a fairly neutral, but very critical, omnivore.

Thanks to Debris for the picture.

welcome to our blog!

2008-03-30T17:17:00.001-07:00