Vol. XIV Issue 4 June/July 2010 Austin Vegetarian Living The Newsletter of the Vegetarian Network of Austin In this issue ... About The VNA.........................2 Vegetarian Cooking Show ......3 An interview with Katie Brannon Book Review.............................4 Food Rules by Michael Pollan News Bites...............................5 Thai Fresh expands New indoor farmers’ market New “dirty dozen” produce list ConAgra modifying sweet potatoes Web Sitings .............................6 Best Vegan Summer Sweets in Austin Happy Vegan Baker Kala’s Kuisine Chutney and Salsas Vegan Hair Products Austin VegEZ iPhone app Community/Nat’l Calendar......8 Greenhouse Indoor Farmers Market Brendan Brazier local appearances Save the Seed Benefit Dinner Natural Epicurean Kitchen opening Real Ale Brewing Anniversary Party Vegetarian Summerfest Local cooking classes Local Mexican Restaurants ....9 Mexican Cuisine Recipe .......10 Baked Tempeh Enchiladas Membership Form................11 Classified Ads ........................11 VNA Event Calendar ..............12 Monthly potlucks, restaurant visits, and bi-monthly board meetings Peak Produce List............... 12 Do you want to receive your very own copy of Austin Vegetarian Living? See Page 9 for details. www.VegNetAustin.org © 2010 Vegetarian Network of Austin Eating Vegetarian or Vegan at Mexican Restaurants By Michael Doss, www.TofuFighting.com As a long-time vegetarian and food lover, Mexican restaurants have always held a special place in my heart. Rich, full flavors, lots of customization options, and relative ease in making meals vegetarian or vegan. When my vegetarianism got serious, however, and I started to dig a little deeper into what I was eating, it became obvious that Mexican food wasn’t always the vegetarian paradise I’d imagined it being. can be grilled with lard or animal fat (or share a grill with items that are). Tortillas used in any dishes can be dipped in the hot fat fryer to soften them up, giving them a nice coating of lard. Even if the restaurant uses a vegetable oil, one fryer might be used for everything, meaning your chips, tacos, papas and tortillas are cross-contaminated with oil used to cook a variety of meat dishes. What does this leave for the strict The main issue for vegetarians and vegetarian or vegan? Not much. One vegans in regard to Mexican food, of my most memorable outings as a just like with new vegetarian many types of was going to a ethnic cuisine, Austin Restaurants local Mexican is that animal joint with Respond! products can friends, and be well-hidden. having to order We sent questionnaires a salad and Beans, both to Mexican restaurants refried and loose, grilled cheese are often cooked sandwich from in Austin. with lard, meat the children’s stocks, or meat menu, as See page 9 to see flavorings. Rice, every entry how they responded. more often than (and nearly not, is cooked every Mexican with a chicken or beef stock. Taco ingredient) had an animal component. shells, tostadas, and chips may be Unfortunately, the more “authentic” fried in lard for flavor. Traditional a Mexican restaurant (think Mom & sauces may have meat stocks or Pop vs. Taco Bell), the more likely it flavorings added. Tamales, even is to use animal products in some or “vegetarian” ones filled with cheese, all of their ingredients. can contain lard. And flour and corn tortillas can be made with lard or Now that you’re thoroughly convinced that you should never eat other animal shortenings. out at a Mexican place again, there’s There are sneakier places animals good news: there are exceptions to products can hide, as well. Cheese the rules, and plenty of places have can be made with animal rennet. great dishes for both vegetarians and Fajitas (often the only outwardly vegans. Just like at all restaurants, the “vegetarian” option on the menu) See Mexican Restaurants, page 7 The Vegetarian Network of Austin Austin Vegetarian Living is published bi-monthly by the Vegetarian Network of Austin, P.O. Box 49333, Austin, Texas 78765-9333. Subscriptions are mailed to paid members. Leadership Team Acting Chairperson..................................................................................................................................................Dennis McDaniel Secretary...........................................................................................................................................................................Rupert Hazle Treasurer..........................................................................................................................................................................Craig Warner Communications Director............................................................................................................................................Brendan Good Events Director ..............................................................................................................................................................Bruce Kravitz Newsletter Editor, Online Cookbook Manager, Librarian, Historian ..........................................................................Stevie Duda LSVN Liaison.......................................................................................................................................................................Liz Bruns Sponsoring Members: Stanley and Erika Rogala • Chris Delevoryas • Marsha and Randy Streu About The VNA Membership in the Vegetarian Network of Austin (VNA) is open to anyone interested in a vegetarian lifestyle. Our organization meets regularly for food, fun, support and to exchange information and ideas. We host monthly vegan potlucks and patronize local vegetarianfriendly restaurants; non-members are welcome to attend. We also meet for social gatherings and public outreach. Our website, www.VegNetAustin.org, lists activities and events in which the group participates, as well as contact and other information. We communicate to members and other interested persons by e-mail via our Yahoo! Group. You can also join our online communities on Facebook and Meetup, and follow us on Twitter. We also maintain a vegan cookbook on RecipeZaar. See below for the addresses. We periodically advertise and promote special events, such as the annual Lone Star Vegetarian Chili Cook-Off, and sponsor special guest speakers. The VNA is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization consisting of an elected, all-volunteer Board of Directors and dedicated members like you. Donations are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. We and our activities would not exist without your membership dues. Thank you for your support! Find the VNA online: website: www.VegNetAustin.org Yahoo! Group: groups.yahoo.com/group/VegNetAustin RecipeZaar: www.recipezaar.com/member/585141 We Need Your Help! Facebook: www.VegNetAustin.org/facebook Meetup.com: www.Meetup.com/VegNetAustin Twitter: @VegNetAustin Please help us with our Austin Vegetarian Living newsletter! Email your submissions of all kinds to [email protected] (please start your subject line with “NEWS” to stand out from the spam): • Articles (find or write) • Restaurant Reviews • Event Photos • News items • Web links • Calendar items (non-VNA events) • Recipes • Volunteer for a Member Profile • Cartoons Newsletter Ads Austin Vegetarian Living is published six times per year, in February, April, June, August, October, and December. The print run is 500 copies. The newsletter is mailed to registered members and is distributed to restaurants, grocery stores, and other locations in Austin. Advertisements run by the issue or for an entire year with a one-third discounted price. Below are ad sizes and rates. To purchase an ad or for more information, e-mail our Communications Director at [email protected]. Quarter page: $25 per ad or $100 per year Half page: $45 per ad or $180 per year Three-quarter page: $70 per ad or $280 per year 2 Austin Vegetarian Living—June/July 2010 Interview with Katie Brannon, Vegetarian Cooking Show Producer Austin vegetarians will soon be able to watch a cooking show with their interests at heart—and it’s shooting right here in Austin. On May 31st, we interviewed Katie Brannon, a local vegetarian who is currently in production on a new vegetarian cooking show. Brannon: I think simply the fact that I’m making great food that happens to be vegetables and fruits, I think that in itself promotes vegetarianism in its simplest form. I’m not using processed foods, and what I mean by that, I’m not using wheat, I’m not using tofu... VNA: Tell us about the cooking show and how you’ve gotten started to this point. VNA: So you’re really starting from scratch ingredients. Brannon: Sure, it’s called “Veggin’ Out With Katie”. I’m going to be cooking whole, real foods, fresh foods... that do happen to all be vegetarian. For those that are interested a little bit further, they do include some dairy. But they’re strictly vegetarian meals. My whole point is simple, exceptional foods. It’s not hard to do. It’s real food, it’s fresh, and anyone can do it. VNA: Now you were talking earlier about how you want to orient this show in such a way so that people who are not vegetarian would be attracted to it. What’s your strategy? Brannon: I want to reach everyone, I want to appeal to everyone. In fact, the way this whole show started, I have dinner parties pretty regularly. None of my friends that come to my house to eat dinner are vegetarian. Yet they keep coming, they keep eating it, and they keep going back for more, they love it. Because basically I’m just cooking real, fresh foods. So I want to appeal to the mainstream, to your neighbor, my neighbor. And I just want to introduce how simple and easy it is to eat real, healthy foods, and feel good about it. VNA: Do you feel like your show would have any kind of particular agenda in promoting vegetarianism, or are you going to soft-play that in favor of just trying to get people to try as many of your recipes and your foods? Veggie Heaven Serving healthy Taiwanese vegetarian meals and bubble teas. 1914A Guadalupe (parking available) www.VeggieHeavenAustin.com 457-1013 Mon-Fri: 11am - 9pm Sat, Sun: 12pm - 9pm Help stop the persecution against Falun Gong in China. 100 million people lost their freedom of believe in "Truth, Compassion, and Tolerance". At least 928 practitioners have been tortured to death. For more info: www.fofg.org and www.falunaustin.org We invite you to discover the extraordinary practice for better health and inner peace. Austin Vegetarian Living—June/July 2010 Brannon: I’m thinking about nutrition. I’ve been a vegetarian for twenty years, and I’ve eaten a lot of things that didn’t make my body feel good. And there are people all over who might be really happy to introduce really great healthy food into their diet, and feel good about it. But as far as we vegetarians are concerned, if they eat another meal that doesn’t include meat, more power to us. So I think it’s a win-win for everybody. VNA: What do you have planned so far for how the show will be distributed? Will it be online? Brannon: Yes, we are definitely going to edit it down and YouTube it. We’re going to make it viral. And we’re going to reach out to every group we’re associated with to distribute it. We’re also going to submit it to all the national cooking shows and travel shows around the country. And of course we’d love to have it shown locally on ChannelAustin.! Please see www.VegNetAustin.org/podcasts to listen to the rest of this interview on your computer or download it to your digital audio device. And see www.VegginOutWithKatie.com to get more information, learn about the first three guests she has lined up, and get updates on when and where her show will debut. Locally owned and operated by Codie Surratt (LMT #108528) Two convenient locations serving both South and North Austin clients and the surrounding areas. 5750 Balcones Drive • 4719 South Congress With specializations that range from Lomi Lomi, deep tissue, pre- and post-natal, to Swedish relaxation, spa services and much more, I work with each client to come up with a perfect balance to aid in total body, mind and spirit wellness. By appointment only: 512.964.3386 www.magnoliabrownmassage.com 3 Book Review: Food Rules by Michael Pollan By John Bassett Does eating food have to be as complicated as it seems to have gotten? Not so long ago it would have been rare to hear someone talk about “antioxidants”, “omega-3 fatty acids”, “polyphenols”, “probiotics” and many other similar words now in common usage. Fact 2: Populations eating a wide range of traditional diets generally don’t suffer from these chronic diseases. Fact 3: People who get off the western diet see dramatic improvements in their health. Michael Pollan who has written five previous books on food He had a somewhat unsettling moment when, after spending including the best seller In Defense of Food does not think so. several years researching nutrition for his last book, he realized that the answer to the incredibly complicated question of what we A few years ago, feeling as confused as everyone else, he decided should eat could be boiled down to just seven words: “Eat Food. to get to the bottom of a simple question: “What should I eat?” Not too much. Mostly Plants.” Michael was just a curious journalist and not a nutrition expert or scientist. He says that usually when he embarks on such an In this short, radically pared down, book he “unpacks” these investigation he quickly discovers that matters are much more seven words into a set of simple and easy to remember “rules” or complicated and ambiguous than he realized going in. Not this time. personal policies designed to help us eat real food in moderation The deeper he dived into the confusing thicket of nutrition science and get off the Western diet. the simpler the picture gradually became. He learned that nutrition Here are a few of the sixty-four rules in his book: science, which got started less than 200 years ago, is about where surgery was in 1650 and scientists know a lot less about nutrition EAT (REAL) FOOD: • Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother would not recognize than we might expect. as food. He learned volumes about all we don’t know about nutrition and • If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don’t. also a small number of things we do know about food and health. • Eat only foods that will eventually rot. He learned that there are basically three facts we need to know about the link between diet and health. These three basic facts are NOT TOO MUCH: not in dispute. All the contending parties in the “nutrition wars” • Buy smaller plates and glasses. agree on them. But, oddly enough, they are not the center of our • Spend as much time enjoying the meal as it took to prepare it. • Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a pauper. nutritional research or public health campaigns. MOSTLY PLANTS: Fact 1: Populations that eat a so-called Western diet (lots of • Eat mostly plants, especially leaves. processed foods and meats, added fat and sugar, refined grains) • Eat your colors. invariably suffer from high rates of “Western diseases” (obesity, • Don’t eat breakfast cereals that change the color of the milk.! Type A diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer). 4 Austin Vegetarian Living—June/July 2010 News Bites Thai Fresh doubles in size The popular Thai deli in South Austin, Thai Fresh, has expanded next door, adding twenty seats to the dining room, as well as a tea bar and bakery case. They’re also offering coconut milk-based ice creams made with seasonal fruits from farmers’ markets. www.Thai-Fresh.com Submitted by VNA member Candace d’Obrenovic New indoor farmers’ market opens in South Austin Marketplace Austin Westgate has opened a new indoor farmers’ market at their South Austin location. It’s open every Friday from 3 pm to 7pm. See their ad on page 4. www.Wix.com/mandalamaker/Farmers-Market New list of “Dirty Dozen” produce items to buy organic The Environmental Working Group has released the new list of the “Dirty Dozen”, the twelve produce items grown with the most pesticides. www.TinyURL.com/DirtyDozenProduce ConAgra working to ‘reinvent’ the sweet potato Agriculture megacorp ConAgra is targeting sweet potatos for higher sugar content and a more uniform shape, to make it easier to process them into french fries for restaurants and the frozen foods section. They’re working with scientists at the Louisiana State University Ag-Center to make them sweeter, deeper orange throughout, and less knobby and twisty in shape so that processing machines will waste less potato flesh. ConAgra is also building (in Louisiana) North America’s first plant dedicated specifically to sweet potatoes. www.TinyURL.com/DirtyDozenProduce Startlingly, Hardee’s promoting vegetarian options Hardee’s, the fast food chain known for their “Monster ThickBurgers”, has been trying more to please vegetarians and animal-rights activists recently. In 2007 they started instituting some animal welfare practices (little ones—“2% of eggs from non-battery-caged hens”, “25% of pork from non-gestationcrated pigs by 2009”). Now they’re actively promoting the vegetarian (and gluten-free and low-carb) options they offer. But they aren’t actual menu items—they’re just regular menu items with meat removed. So they’re still not very healthy. But even baby steps can help move our society closer to healthy, crueltyfree, environmentally-sound diets. www.Hardees.com/menu/indulge/ www.GoVeg.com/f-CKE_restaurants_victory.asp www.TinyURL.com/HardeesNotHealthy Please email news submissions for this page to [email protected]. Start your subject line with “NEWS” to stand out from the spam. Austin Vegetarian Living—June/July 2010 5 Web Sitings The Best Vegan Summer Sweets in Austin A run-down of where to find the best vegan desserts locally, including Beets Cafe and Counter Culture. www.TinyURL.com/BestVeganSummerSweets Lazy Smurf’s Guide To Life: Veg Tex Mex An Austin blogger’s recipes and restaurant recommendations, including a SXSW Vegan Guide. www.LazySmurf.WordPress.com The Gluten-Free Vegan cookbook A review of a new cookbook with 150 recipes that emphasize whole ingredients and natural sweeteners. www.VegParadise.com/vegreading1004.html Meatless Tweets A compilation-in-progress of organizations, news sources and individuals sharing random tweets with a vegetarian, vegan or eat-less-meat focus. www.TinyURL.com/meatlesstweets Happy Vegan Baker An article about and interview with Inge Jorgenson, whose vegan desserts are available at the Austin Farmers’ Markets and Bouldin Creek Coffeehouse. www.TinyURL.com/HappyVeganBaker Kala’s Kuisine Salsas and Chutney A review of Kala’s Kuisine’s Mango Chutney, CurryChipotle Salsa, and Mirchi-Masala Salsa, all three of which won prizes at the Austin Hot Sauce Festival. www.TinyURL.com/KalasKuisineReview Vegan Hair Products Austin An online resource for local vegan haircare products. www.HairByHelene.com/Austin/Vegan VegEZ iPhone app A collection of 50 recipes by Toni Fiore, host of the Totally Vegetarian TV show. This app for the iPhone includes access to 32 videos for the recipes as well. www.DeliciousTV.com/vegez Please email web link submissions for this page to [email protected]. Start your subject line with “NEWS” to stand out from the spam. 6 Austin Vegetarian Living—June/July 2010 Mexican Restaurants, continued from page 1 only way to know for sure what you’re eating is to ask. reviewing restaurants from a vegetarian perspective, Even this can be trickier at a Mexican restaurant, though and many of these will call owners and managers —a problem specific to some ethnic restaurants is the instead of relying on what the waitress has to say. language barrier. It’s much harder to get your point across to someone when you don’t share the same language or • Find the vegetarian friendly places: plenty of restaurants do cater to our crowd, sometimes you cultural meanings: asking if an item is “vegetarian” or just have to seek them out. A Google search for “vegan” may not be enough - to some people, if it doesn’t “vegetarian mexican austin” yields many results. have large chunks of meat, it’s vegetarian. So what do you do? Here’s a few things you should Two more words of warning—I’ve been to more than one remember next time you’ve got a hankering for south- Mexican place that has a “vegetarian” section on their of-the-border delights. Many of these tips apply to all menu, but serves a non-vegetarian element with the dishes. Sometimes it’s the tortillas, sometimes types of restaurants, too: the rice, sometimes something else. Just • Ask as you always would, but know because it says “vegetarian” doesn’t that you might have to be a little mean it is. Another thing to remember more specific: Instead of asking is that like all restaurants, owners and if a dish is vegetarian, ask if the cooks can change over time, meaning tortillas contain lard, or if the rice that something that was vegetarian is made with a chicken stock. And once may be no longer, and vice-versa. ask about cooking oil before you Ask your important questions again if dig into those chips on the table! you think there’s been a change. • Ask multiple people your questions: Sometimes the waitress is new. Sometimes the line cook prepares the food but doesn’t open the packaging. It always helps to talk to more than one person about your issues, if for no reason other than to see if they’re all on the same page. In a big restaurant, no one person knows all the answers. • If you’re not conversational in Spanish, bring along a friend who is: Better yet, bring along someone you know who’s an expert in Mexican cuisine. In addition to being able to speak to the wait staff and cooks (assuming a language problem), they can also point you toward dishes you might not have considered otherwise. • Go to websites you trust and search for reviews from other vegetarians or vegans: Many sites specialize in Austin Vegetarian Living—June/July 2010 In the end, the sad truth is that many otherwise delicious Mexican restaurants aren’t thinking of the vegetarians and vegans when they put their menus together. But plenty of other places are, and they’ve got food that rivals or outshines their non-veggie-friendly counterparts. Mexican food is a varied, wonderful experience—just make sure you know what you’re getting.! About the author Michael Doss created the “Liberal Atheist Vegetarian” blog (lav.freedomblogging.com) for The Orange County Register, writing it for two years, and “TofuFighting.com”, a vegetarian foodie site. He can be reached at [email protected]. 7 Community and National Calendar For VNA Events (monthly vegan potluck dinners and restaurant visits, board meetings, and special events), see back page. Weekly: Fridays, 3:00-7:00 pm Greenhouse Indoor Farmers Market & Bazaar 6800 West Gate Blvd. at William Cannon, in the Marketplace Austin Westgate, the new creative cultural marketplace in South Austin. www.Wix.com/mandalamaker/Farmers-Market Wednesday July 7-Sunday July 11 Vegetarian Summerfest: North American Vegetarian Society The 36th annual conference in Pennsylvania. Speakers include Caldwell Esselstyn, Brenda Davis, Melanie Joy, Neal Barnard. www.VegetarianSummerfest.org Sunday, June 13th, 1:00-2:00 pm at Whole Foods Market Sunday, June 13th, 7:00-8:00 pm at Central Market North Monday, June 14th, 6:00-7:00 pm at Sprouts-Research Blvd. Wed., June 16th, 10:00 am-noon at Sprouts-Round Rock Meet Brendan Brazier, vegan pro triathlete and author Brazier is hosting four book signings and stimulating discussions on nutrition. You can also sample his Vega line of plant-based foods. www.BrendanBrazier.com Monday, July 12th, 6:30-8:30 pm Saturday, July 17th, 10:00 am-12:00 pm Sunday, July 18th, 2:00-4:00 pm Friday, July 23rd, 7:00-9:00 pm Introduction to Conscious Cooking Enjoy a cooking demo and sample freshly-prepared dishes while learning the principles of conscious cooking and eating. ($45) www.NaturalEpicurean.com/public-classes Monthly: Second Mondays, 7:00 pm Austin Organic Gardeners Meeting An educational presentation, Q&A session and plenty of informative conversation. Members often bring seeds or plants to share. www.Main.org/aog Wednesday, July 14th, 6:00-8:00 pm How Food Affects Your Health And Emotions A free cooking demonstration, lecture, and discussion. Find out if macrobiotics can be useful to you, to improve your health. (Free) www.NaturalEpicurean.com/public-classes Monday, June 14th, 6:00-9:00 pm Save The Seed Benefit Dinner Proceeds support the work of MAMAZ to “Save The Maize Seed”. Traditional Oaxacan Cuisine at El Sol y La Luna on 6th St. ($35) www.colectivomamaz.blogspot.com Wednesday, June 16th, 12:00-1:00 pm Lunch Express: Getting Your Greens cooking class Learn to love fresh greens and cook them to bring out the best of their unique flavors and textures. ($18) www.WholeFoodsMarket.com Saturday, June 19th, 10:00 am-12:30 pm Savory Indian Brunch cooking class Learn to create a typical South India breakfast, including idlis, a savory breakfast dish that is gluten-free. ($65) www.WholeFoodsMarket.com Tuesday, June 22nd, 6:30-9:00 pm Everyday Vegetarian: Tapas cooking class Create a variety of tempting small bites in the Spanish tapas tradition, like Piquillo Peppers, Olive Peperonata, and Papas Pinchos. ($65) www.WholeFoodsMarket.com Saturday, June 26th, 11:00 am-1:00 pm Natural Epicurean New Kitchen Grand Opening Celebration Come on out for delicious food, fun and giveaways at their new kitchen at 1700 South Lamar. www.NaturalEpicurean.com/public-classes Saturday, June 26th, 12:00-5:00 pm Real Ale Brewing Co. 14th Anniversary Party in Blanco Real Ale, which brews vegan beer, will be unveiling their 14th Anniversary Ale and lots of other special treats. www.RealAleBrewing.com Please email calendar submissions for this page to [email protected]. Start your subject line with “NEWS” to stand out from the spam. 8 Thursday, July 29, 6:00-9:30 pm Summer Raw Food Dinner Everything in this class is raw, fresh, and in its most natural form. Come and enjoy how this food tastes and feels in your body. ($56) www.InformalClasses.org Sunday, July 25th, 10:00 am-12:00 pm Introduction to Macrobiotic Cooking Enjoy delicious dishes prepared utilizing macrobiotic principles. Learn about this healing approach to diet and lifestyle. ($45) www.NaturalEpicurean.com/public-classes Austin Farmers’ Markets Saturdays, 9:00 am-1:00pm Republic Square Park - 4th and Guadalupe Saturdays, 9:00 am-1:00 pm Sustainable Food Ctr. Farmers’ Market at Sunset Valley 3200 Jones Road (Turn onto Pillow Road next to Toney Burger Center) Wednesdays, 4:00-8:00 pm The Triangle - 46th and Lamar Saturdays, 9:00 am-1:00 pm Barton Creek Farmers Market (formerly Sunset Valley Farmers Market) South Capital of Texas Highway, off Mo-Pac Back side of Barton Creek Square mall parking lot Neighborhood Farm Markets www.AustinFarmersMarket.org (click on Other Markets) Austin Vegetarian Living—June/July 2010 Local Mexican Restaurants Respond By Stevie Duda, Newsletter Editor To add a local connection to Michael Doss’ article on our front page, I decided to quiz some of our local restaurants. I started by listing all the vegetarian-friendly Mexican restaurants that were listed as such in the books, The Fearless Critic: Austin Restaurant Guide and Mexican Food in Austin: The Guide. From there, I went to the restaurants’ websites and e-mailed the 18 that gave e-mail addresses. I asked the following questions and got the following responses from Chuy’s, El Sol y La Luna, and Las Palomas. I was surprised to learn that El Sol y La Luna has tofu dishes. They also have vegetarian chorizo grilled with onion, tomatoes, and egg (which can be substituted with black beans or guacamole). Chuy’s does not. El Sol y La Luna’s are dipped in oil used for catfish. Las Palomas’ are dipped in vegetable or olive oil, but they have a gluten-free menu that includes enchiladas that are not. Tamales: Are they made with lard/manteca/shortening? Chuy’s and El Sol y La Luna do not use lard at all. Las Palomas does not serve tamales. Vegetarian dishes: Are eggs used as a binder in any of them? Las Palomas’ do not. Chuy’s uses butter on their cooktops to sauté vegetables and cook quesadillas. Chips: Are they house made? Are they deep fried? If so, in lard/ Beans: Are they made with meat or cheese? Are they made with manteca/shortening or in oil also used for meat dishes? lard/manteca? Chuy’s, El Sol y La Luna, and Las Palomas do not use lard at all. Chuy’s fries in soy bean oil only. El Sol y La Luna’s are fried in vegetaible oil that is not used for frying meat. Las Palomas’ are deep-fried. El Sol y La Luna’s black beans are non-fat, but their refried beans have bacon grease. Las Palomas’ are not made with meat or cheese. Chuy’s, El Sol y La Luna, and Las Palomas do not use lard at all. Tortillas (corn): Are they made with lard/manteca/shortening? Rice: Is it made with beef or chicken stock or lard/manteca/ Chuy’s, El Sol y La Luna, and Las Palomas do not use lard. shortening? Tortillas (flour): Are they made with lard/manteca/shortening? El Sol y La Luna’s is not. Las Palomas’ is made with chicken broth. Chuy’s, El Sol y La Luna, and Las Palomas do not use lard at all. Chuy’s, El Sol y La Luna, and Las Palomas do not use lard. Cheese: Is it made with animal rennet? Chuy’s queso cheese is, but their shredded cheese is not. Vegetables: Are they cooked in butter/grease/lard/manteca/ shortening? Are there any other things that vegetarians/vegans should avoid (besides meat/cheese dishes)? We received no responses to this question.! Chuy’s, El Sol y La Luna, and Las Palomas do not use lard at all, but Chuy’s uses butter on their cooktops to sauté vegetables and cook quesadillas. Sauces: Are they made with beef or chicken stock? El Sol y La Luna’s and Las Palomas’ are not. Enchiladas: Are the tortillas dipped in oil to soften them? If so, in oil also used for meat dishes? Austin Vegetarian Living—June/July 2010 9 Mexican Cuisine Recipe Baked Tempeh Enchiladas 1 tablespoon safflower or olive oil 1/2 cup minced fresh onion 1/4 cup chopped green or red bell pepper 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder 1 teaspoon cayenne 1/2 cup water 16 oz hot salsa 12 oz tofu sour cream 3 cups chopped poached tempeh (see below) 8 8-inch lard-free whole wheat tortillas (see Mexican Restaurant articles on page 1 and 9) Tempeh Tempeh is made by a natural culturing and controlled fermentation process that binds soybeans into a cake form. Tempeh originated in Indonesia (and is unique among major traditional soy-foods in that it is the only one that did not originate in China or Japan). In traditional tempeh making shops, the starter culture often contains beneficial bacteria that produce vitamins such as B12. In western countries, it is more common to use a pure culture containing only Rhizopus oligosporus which makes very little B12. It is uncertain if this B12 is always present and bio-available. From en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempeh Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick vegetable cooking spray. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cut tempeh into chunks and simmer in water for 5 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cover and cook 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in the chili powder, cayenne, 1/2 cup water, and salsa, and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and add the tofu sour cream. Combine 2 cups sauce and the tempeh. Spoon about 1/3 cup (slightly rounded) tempeh mixture onto each tortilla and roll up. Arrange the tortillas in the prepared dish, top with the remaining sauce, cover, and bake 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 minutes longer until browned and bubbly. Serves 8-10. Posted and reviewed at www.RecipeZaar.com/recipe/Baked-Tempeh-Enchiladas-281711 Adapted from Some Like It Hot: 200 Spicy Vegetarian Recipes from Around the World by Robin Robertson Submitted by former VNA President Ken Jaffe and edited by VNA Newsletter Editor & RecipeZaar Manager Stevie Duda 10 Austin Vegetarian Living—June/July 2010 MEMBERSHIP FORM DATE: Name(s): Questions and Comments: Address: Phone: ( ) - INTERESTED IN HELPING THE VNA? WE WOULD LOVE YOUR HELP! E-mail: Check one: ❑ New member ❑ Renewal Choose method of receiving bylaws: ❑ US mail ❑ e-mail ❑ neither, I’ll download from VNA website Choose method of receiving newsletter: ❑ US mail ❑ e-mail ❑ neither, I’ll download from VNA website Yearly Dues: (circle one) Individual Student/Senior/Low Income Family/Organization Sponsoring Member $25 $15 $30 $50 Mail to: Vegetarian Network of Austin P.O. Box 49333 Austin, TX 78765-9333 The VNA is a group run solely by its members. There are many times we could use your help. Please send this in with your membership payment and let us know if we can call on you for help. I can: ❑ Offer my home for a potluck ❑ Be contact person for events ❑ Volunteer at tabling events ❑ Contribute to the newsletter ❑ Be a member of the board ❑ Help with the Vegetarian Chili Cook-off (in November) ❑ Provide music at various events ❑ Other: The VNA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Donations are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by the law. CLASSIFIEDS Listings are free for VNA members and $10 per issue for non-members (up to 6 lines; $2.50 for each additional line). Send your listing by e-mail to [email protected]. Graphic and web design Call Brendan Good at 377-9893 Dachshund puppies need home Two available. Contact Yvonne at [email protected] Organic raw superfoods & herbs Call Roy Wilhite at 797-1906 Yoga & meditation instruction Call Lisa Davis at 622-4856 Pet portraits from photos in paint, watercolor, or pencil Call Michelle at 586-5504 Pop art family portraits on archival 100% cotton canvas E-mail [email protected] MEDITERRANEAN CAFE Lots of Vegetarian Choices! All our hummus and baba ganoush have no added oils, and our dolmas are hand-made fresh, not canned! Plus hand-cut french fries, salads and wraps, falafel... and of course our famous tabooley! Monday - Saturday: 7am-10pm — Sunday: 12pm-6pm On the Drag — 2928 Guadalupe St. 512.479.7337 — TomsTabooley.com Austin Vegetarian Living—June/July 2010 11 Austin Vegetarian Living Vegetarian Network of Austin P.O. Box 49333 Austin, TX 78765-9333 Peak Produce Vegetables Baby Bok Choy Cabbage Cucumbers Fava Beans Figs Garbanzo Beans Greens Herbs Mushrooms Onions Bell Peppers Potatoes Squash Tomatoes Turnips Tomatoes Turnips Fruits Blueberries Cantaloupes Charlin Melons Honeydew Peaches Pomegranates Watermelon In July, add: Apples Treasurer’s Reminder www.PickTexas.com Please check your renewal date on the mailing label. If your renewal is due, please mail the form on Page 9 with a check or money order to the address above. VNA Event Calendar Saturday, June 12th, 7:00 pm Vegan Potluck Dinner at the home of Kathy Monte 4519 Depew Avenue, Austin (map on our website), 512-280-0584 You do not have to be a VNA member to attend our monthly potluck dinners. Come meet up with vegetarians of all ages and varieties and share your food and friendship. Bring a VEGAN dish to feed 8 plus a serving utensil, as well as your own plate, utensils, and beverage. Please bring a list of ingredients used, to help those with food allergies. Also please bring a list of ingredients for your recipe. Sunday, June 27th, 11:30 am Vegan Brunch at Casa De Luz 1701 Toomey Road, Austin www.CasaDeLuz.org Casa De Luz, Austin’s long-standing vegan and macrobiotic restaurant, is one of the favorite places of most vegans in Austin, including many in the VNA. The last time we were there was for dinner, but this time we’ll be going for their wonderful brunch— especially their famous Spelt Pancakes with Fruit Sauce. Afterwards, for those who are interested, we have two activities planned. Some of us will be going kayaking on Lady Bird Lake, while others will be going over to Barton Springs for a swim. Be sure to bring your swim suits and sunscreen. You do not have to be a VNA member to attend our monthly restaurant visits. Please RSVP by e-mailing [email protected] (start your subject line with RSVP) to help us and the restaurant plan ahead. Saturday, July 10th, 6:30 pm Vegan Potluck Dinner at the home of Candace d’Obrenovic Board Meeting precedes at 5:30 pm 3808 Arrow Drive, Austin (map on our website), 512-280-0584 Come meet up with our new vegetarian friends and share your food and friendship. If you’re interested in participating in the VNA board meeting, come at 5:30. Members are always welcome to join our board meetings, especially those interested in serving on committees and helping us plan the VNA’s future. Bring a VEGAN dish to feed 8 plus a serving utensil, as well as your own plate, utensils, and beverage. Also please bring a list of ingredients for your recipe. Saturday, May 29th, 12:30 pm Vegan Dinner at Talkhouse Living Foods Café 1221 West 6th Street, Austin www.BorboletaGourmet.com We’re excited to visit John Wegmann’s new vegan and raw foods restaurant west of downtown called Talkhouse (formerly Borboleta Gourmet Living Cuisine). Talkhouse is a cozy eatery, with daily specials including freshly-made juices and smoothies, fresh young coconut water, plus salads, sandwiches, pizzas and desserts. The mock-tuna sandwich, the mushroom fajitas, and the “rawsagna” especially have gotten good reviews on Yelp.com. All 100% glutenfree. BYOB. You do not have to be a VNA member to attend our monthly restaurant visits. Please RSVP by e-mailing [email protected] (start your subject line with RSVP) to help us and the restaurant plan ahead. Always check www.VegNetAustin.org for updated listings, as events are subject to change.
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