Ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 and 1/3 cups rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 and 2/3 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup canola oil
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 cup canned pumpkin, or cooked pureed pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
• 1 cup walnuts finely chopped (almonds also work here, or you can leave them out entirely if you are allargic)
• 1/2 cup raisins.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease two large cookie sheets.
2. Mix together the flour, oats, baking soda, salt, and spices.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the other ingredients, except for the walnuts and raisins.
4. Add the dry to the wet in three batches, folding in the raisins and nuts as you go.
5. Drop by tablespoons onto the sheets, about an inch apart. Flatten the tops into a cookie shape. then bake for 16 minutes.
6. Remove and cool on the sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks.

Ingredients:

• 4-5 red potatoes (These are irreplaceable in this recipe)
• 1/3 cup oil
• 2/3 cup water
• 2 cups cooked rice (I prefer brown)
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 large carrots
• 1 head broccoli
• 5-7 mushrooms
• 1 pepper
• 1 cup of black beans
• Chili powder to taste
• Rosemary to taste
• Oregano to taste
• Cayenne to taste
• 1 packet sazon goya.
• Vegan tortillas

Directions

1. Begin cooking the rice, so that it
2. Mix the water and oil together well. Add this to a non-stick or cast iron pan pan, and heat it up to medium high heat with the chopped potatoes. While the potatoes cook, add the rosemary and oregano.
3. Chop up all the other vegetables while the water/oil mixture evaporates.
4. Once the liquid is evaporated, add the other ingredients to the pan, along with the other seasonings to your own tastes. Add a lid and steam the vegetables until they are soft. Serve in the burritos with rice, and maybe some vegan cheese.

Luckily, there’s another use for these apples, and its this recipe. This recipe is from the influential vegan punk cookbook Soy not Oi!, which helped me and likely thousands of other punks go vegan in the decades since it was published. The recipe is as follows, with some comments and tips from the times I’ve made it.

Raw Apple Cake by Audrey Creed

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons Arrowroot powder (or equivalent egg replacer)
• 2 teaspoons water
• 1/2 cup Canola oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 4 medium sized apples, peeled and diced (I find that bruised apples work fine here, and have used up to 8 in this recipe with no ill effects)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional but delicious)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda.

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Mix the arrowroot and water together, this is your egg substitute.
3. Mix all the other ingredients together (I recommend doing this with your hands, because it is sometimes difficult to mash the apples otherwise, and you really have to mush them well. Kids may also enjoy this part!)
4. Put into a pan, either 9×12 or a cake pan. Cook for 45-60 minutes, testing for doneness with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, it’s done.
5. Add icing or not, either way this cake is delicious!

SPREAD THE WORD:  Check in on Facebook. Take photos. Use hashtag #WorcesterVegFest to share updates and photos on Twitter, Instagram, etc.

RSVP TO THE FACEBOOK EVENT INVITE: http://www.facebook.com/events/307308046039609

This Sunday, April 14 from 11am-5pm, join VegWorcester for our big annual vegetarian food festival. We have a beautiful website featuring all the info about the event please check it out:

WorcesterVegFest.com

Join us from 11am -5pm at the Worcester Regional Airport. Free admission, free parking, inspiring speakers. Fun, Fun, Fun

VegWorcester is hosting its first ever benefit show to raise funds to help grow and continue our outreach in the community.  The event is being held this Friday March 22nd, 2013 at The Hotel Vernon – Shiproom in Kelly Sq (1 Millbury St. Worcester, MA) starting at 8pm.  Awesome music planned for the evening will be provided by  Eye Witness,  Joy Rachelle Murrieta, Hayley Sabella, Eric L’esperance, and Austin Troy. A tasty vegan bake sale is happening too – complete with cruelty-free cookies, cupcakes, breads and more! It is part of an event we take part in every year called The Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale.  Entrance is $6, and the event is 21+.

As you may already know, VegWorcester is a not-for-profit, community organization that advocates vegetarian living to the population of Central MA. We organize educational events around veganism, animal rights, and the environmental impact of meat production. We’re involved in a lot of projects and work year-round to build a community of compassion for animals. Some of our projects include distributing a guide to vegetarian dining in Worcester, outreach in local highschools and colleges,  free veg starter kit distribution throughout the city, organizing a monthly social meetup / buffet, and organizing The Worcester VegFest, now in its 4th year. Join us this Friday, or if you’re unable to make it but would like to support VegWorcester, check out our donation information here!

If you’d like to bake vegan goodies for the vegan bake sale, contact info@vegworcester.com

RSVP to the VegWorcester Benefit Show Facebook Event

]]> http://VegWorcester.com/2013/03/19/vegworcester-benefit-show-at-hotel-vernon-shiproom-march-22nd-event/feed/ 0 http://VegWorcester.com/2013/03/14/did-you-know-clark-university-runs-a-meatless-monday-program/ http://VegWorcester.com/2013/03/14/did-you-know-clark-university-runs-a-meatless-monday-program/#comments Thu, 14 Mar 2013 17:40:58 +0000 Drew http://VegWorcester.com/?p=5678 Did you know Clark University participates in Meatless Mondays? Maybe it’s not surprising for a school whose motto is “Challenge convention. Change our world”. Check out Erica Meier’s recent letter published in Clark’s newspaper.

Erica Meier, executive director of Compassion Over Killing and Clark Alumna (Class of ’96) just published a letter entitled, “Meatless Mondays: Starting the week off right” in The Scarlet–Clark’s newspaper. Her letter is an interesting reflection on how Clark played a role in her becoming a leading voice in the animal rights movement.

Erica Meier speaking at the 2010 Worcester VegFest

Her name may sound familiar to you for another reason. Erica was a featured presenter at the 2010 Worcester VegFest. Stay tuned for updates about the speakers at this year’s WorcesterVegFest, which is taking place on Sunday, April 14 at the Worcester Regional Airport.

“Meatless Mondays: Starting the week off right”

Read Erica Meier’s letter, “Meatless Mondays: Starting the week off right” on The Scarlet’s website:

“As an alumna of Clark University, I was thrilled to learn that campus dining services implemented Meatless Monday a few years ago and students are now offered a wide range of delicious meat-free options on the first day of each academic week.

“Why am I so excited to learn about Clark’s participation in Meatless Monday?

“It was while living in the Heart of the Commonwealth – and studying at Clark – that I developed a strong interest in speaking out for those who could not: farmed animals. Though I was already a vegetarian since high school, it was through meeting other students at Clark that I discovered the true horrors of meat, milk, and egg production. It was the first time I saw images of egg-laying hens crammed inside tiny wire cages barely able to move – it’s an image that I will never forget and it’s motivated me to join the campus vegetarian club. I was soon handing out veg-friendly information to fellow students at Red Square, setting up educational tables in the UC, and talking with dining services about offering more meat-free meals. It’s a passion that has turned into a life-long commitment…”

read the rest of her letter…

Want to meet some of the people involved in Compassion Over Killing? COK will have a table at Worcester VegFest. Stop by and hi.

What is Worcester VegFest?

A FREE festival that brings together Worcesterites to celebrate vegetarianism–an animal-friendly, environmentally sustainable, and healthy lifestyle. Our event features socially responsible businesses, inspiring speakers, performers, and free samples of vegan food and products. This year’s event will be awesome, and we’ll keep you updated along the way as we announce this years speakers and presenters!

WHAT: 2013 Worcester VegFest
WHEN: Sunday April 14th, 11am-5pm
WHERE: Worcester Regional Airport, 375 Airport Dr  Worcester, MA 01602

Get Involved! Volunteer!

Would you like to volunteer to help with tasks related to planning this years event? Check out our weekly volunteer work party schedule, and sign-up to get involved! The next volunteer meeting is on Tuesday, Feb 26th. We need a full flight crew to make this event happen. (Note: The airplane jokes are just beginning, so stay tuned for more wit as the days fly by leading up to this year’s VegFest.

“I want my business or organization to sponsor or exhibit”

Worcester VegFest is seeking sponsors, exhibitors and product donations to help us make this event amazing. Fill out the sponsor/exhibitor form (pdf) and sign up now. Early registration discount if you send it in before March 1, 2013.

Vegan chili credit to busbeytheelder

Ingredients
6 cups cooked kidney beans
1 cup raw Bulgur wheat, coarse cut
1-cup tomato juice or V8
4 cloves crushed garlic
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 cups diced celery
1 1/2 cups diced carrots
1 cup diced green pepper
2 1/2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1-teaspoon cumin ground
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon Chile powder-you choose the heat level
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons dry red wine
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure
Heat tomato juice and pour over bulgur wheat and cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 15 minutes, or till wheat is soft. In a sauté pan heat the olive oil and add the onion and garlic, sauté till soft. Add the carrots and celery and sauté 7 minutes till vegetables are tender. Add the peppers and sauté 5 minutes more. Now add the beans and all the spices. Taste and adjust for heat. Add the bulgur wheat and taste again. Serve hot topped with some chopped red onion and chopped raw tomato and some shredded cheddar cheese. This recipe serves 8-10 people

WHERE: 126 Eastern Ave, Worcester, MA
WHEN: Saturday, January 26, 2013 at 5:30pm

Last year there were 26 entries, so there will be a ton of dishes to sample from. You are welcome to come just to taste the dishes and vote on a winner, or you can prepare a dish and enter the competition. This event is a fundraiser for the Worcester VegFest so we are suggesting a $10 donation at the door. Don’t sweat it too much though, because no one will be turned away.

Prizes & Voting System

The first place winner of the MacDaddy wins a blinged-out “MACNCHZ” belt buckle:

Other prizes include items donated by Daiya and Go Veggie.

How do you win? Every attendee gets a ballot to vote for the best dish. So bring your friends and get them to vote for you. Details of voting will be explained at the event.

3 Simple Rules for Entries

1. All dishes entered must be vegan. That means don’t use any animal products. Forego dairy, meat and eggs.  See below if you need some tips on cooking.
2. Dishes must include some kind of pasta and some kind of cheese-like thing. The rest is up to you. Let’s see some really creative and delicious dishes.
3. One entry per person. You can only enter one dish in the competition.

more info: VegWorcester.com/MacDaddy

facebook event: facebook.com/events/465431613517881/

Download the flyer (PDF 9Mb)