|
In this issue:
-
VEGAN MONTH EVENTS: Happy World Vegan Month!
-
ANIMALS: Turkeys Are Friends, Not Food
-
ANIMALS: Music—For the Animals
-
RESTAURANT CORNER: KaTi
-
RECIPE: Special Mushroom Gravy
EVENTS:
-
Compassionate Thanksgiving, Nov 19
-
Tofurky Trot, Nov 23
-
Climate Cafe, Nov 23
| | |
Northwest VEG is holding its two largest events of 2023 in November. The first is our annual Compassionate Thanksgiving (Nov 19), a perfect opportunity to reconnect with fellow vegans for a potluck feast and entertainment, including Tofurky roast generously donated by Tofurky. Just $5 for members and $10 for everyone else. Register here and celebrate a Compassionate Thanksgiving!
Next is our annual Tofurky Trot, an easy 5K (3.1 miles) fun run/walk on Nov 23. Participants can buy a T-shirt for just $5! Volunteers can enjoy a free breakfast when they arrive which includes a Snackrilege sandwich (made with Tofurky), fruit—donated by Cherry Sprout Produce, Barbur World Foods, and Rubinette Produce—and a Shoofly Bakery cookie. Thank you so much to all our food and drawing prize donors and to our wonderful volunteers. So whether you're running your hardest to make your best time, or you're dressed as an avocado pushing a stroller admiring the fall leaves, or you're helpfully directing the trotters along the course, register now to enjoy a fun, kind, and healthy Thanksgiving event!
See the event listings further below in the Events section for more info on our Compassionate Thanksgiving and Tofurky Trot.
Lastly, there is a month-long restaurant event for those who dine out often, presented by Veganizer PDX. NW VEG is publicizing this event in order to help support our local vegan restaurants and the individual nonprofit organizations that each restaurant is supporting in November. Plus, dining at multiple locations gives you a chance to win restaurant gift cards! For more info about this World Vegan Month event, please visit https://wazwu.com/veganizer/.
| | |
Turkeys Are Friends, Not Food
Photos and text by Beth Lily Redwood
| | |
“May we create compassionate Thanksgiving rituals that reflect the fact that neither our values nor an animal have to be sacrificed in order to celebrate this holiday.” –Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
We are a nation of so-called “animal lovers” and yet at Thanksgiving we contribute to the horrific suffering and mass slaughter of 46 million innocent, young turkeys. Each individual was someone who wanted nothing more than to live in peace, safety, and maybe to share a sweet hug with a human friend.
It doesn’t have to be this way. With countless ways to give thanks for the blessings in our lives without depriving someone else of theirs, we can choose a plant-based holiday roast, veganize traditional recipes, join with friends and family at compassionate Thanksgiving gatherings—like Northwest VEG’s potluck on November 19. We can also support a farm animal sanctuary where rescued turkeys live happily with kindness and respect, and they show us the many reasons why turkeys are our friends, not food.
Read article
| | One way to honor and celebrate animals is through music. Daniel Redwood, one of our beloved NW VEG members and newsletter contributors, has just released a short album of animal rights music called For the Animals, which includes a Thanksgiving-themed song, “Turkey Visions,” and is currently available on various streaming services. You can also listen to Daniel’s songs for free on his website, www.danielredwoodsongs.com. | | |
When Sarah Jansala, owner of KaTi, a Thai restaurant on SE Division Street, was asked what makes her food so delicious, she said that the secret was in the special sauce she makes. Sarah learned to cook from her mother who had a restaurant in Thailand, but it was her vegan dad who influenced her mom to make the restaurant vegetarian. For years her mom had cooked two types of meals every night—one vegan for her husband and one not vegan for the rest of the family. Sarah moved to the U.S. in 2006 after finishing high school and then to Portland in 2016 to find a job. With the help of her parents who were already here, she opened KaTi. Her mom helped her set up the kitchen, order supplies, and gave her recipes. And then Sarah sent her parents back to Thailand to relax and enjoy their life in the land they loved.
KaTi made it through the pandemic years by switching to takeout and creating a strong repeating customer base. Takeout continues to be 50 percent of their business today.
“KaTi” means coconut milk in Thai, and it is a very important ingredient in their cuisine. At the restaurant it is used in over 50 percent of the dishes. The special sauce Sarah makes is soy based (either soy sauce or tamari), and Sarah works to make it taste like traditional sauces but without the use of fish or oyster sauce and without a heavy soy flavor. Eggs are an option in a couple of dishes like Pad Thai, as that is the traditional way to make it, but everything can be made deliciously vegan. About 40 percent of her customers are not vegan, but they do not miss the meat. Since Thai food is mostly vegetables, it’s easy to make it vegan and authentically Thai. The menu is extensive, and when you look at the gorgeous photos of the food online, it is hard to choose, but from this author’s personal experience and from reading restaurant reviews, there are no bad choices.
Every November, Sarah hosts a benefit for Wildwood Farm Sanctuary and Preserve. This year on November 4th, 40 percent of the proceeds from all food ordered between 4:30pm and 8:30pm will go to the sanctuary. You can order takeout or eat in. Due to the popularity of this event, Sarah recommends ordering online at katiportland.com before arriving at the restaurant.
Sarah said that growing up, she never imagined that she would be in the restaurant business, but now she just loves it. She works to make her restaurant a place where her team feels like they are part of a community and love coming to work. And if you visit, Sarah would love to chat and answer any questions you may have!
| |
Special Mushroom Gravy
By Linda Tyler
the Gracious Vegan
This is my go-to gravy for special occasions. It’s a must on Thanksgiving and goes so well over vegan mashed potatoes and other main dishes. The herbs and the final flavor additions (sherry, tahini, and miso) are what make this gravy so special. I like to blend it until ultra-smooth, but others like to leave it chunkier. It’s hard to believe there’s no oil or butter in this sauce.
Makes about 3.5 cups of gravy
Water-sauté the following ingredients in a large saucepan on medium-low heat until the onions are translucent and most of the liquid released by the mushrooms is evaporated, about 8-10 minutes.
- 1 small or half large onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped or minced
- 8 ounces mushrooms (white button, portabella, or cremini), sliced or chopped
Add the following ingredients, stir until they are well incorporated (add a little water if needed to prevent burning), and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes.
- 1/4 cup flour (whole wheat or all-purpose)
- 1.5 teaspoons fresh (chopped) or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1.5 teaspoons fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Add in mushroom broth gradually while you stir or whisk (to avoid lumps), bring to boil, then turn down to simmer and let it cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
-
3 cups warm or hot mushroom broth (Pacific Foods mushroom broth comes in quarts; Better Than Bouillon is available in mushroom flavor; for homemade, see my Mushroom Broth)
Add the following ingredients, stir them in, then blend with an immersion blender to your liking, smoother or chunkier.
- 1.5 Tablespoons dry sherry, dry white wine, or white wine vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon tahini
- 1 Tablespoon yellow or white miso, Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, tamari, or soy sauce
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Optional: salt to taste
The gravy is ready to serve. It will keep for about a week in the refrigerator and can also be frozen for several months.
| | |
Compassionate Thanksgiving
- Sunday, November 19, 2023
- 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
- Seventh Day Adventist Church of Beaverton
- 14645 Southwest Davis Road
-
Beaverton, OR 97007 (map)
Amazing food. Music. Community. Some new surprises this year.
This is the biggest vegan potluck of the year in Oregon. Join us at the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Beaverton for a shared compassionate pre-holiday meal, including Tofurky roast. This event is the Sunday before Thanksgiving.
For this potluck, please bring a plant-based (no animal products, including honey) main dish, salad, or dessert; a card listing its ingredients; and plates and utensils for your use. If you come alone, figure the amount to serve 4-6; increase the amount 4 servings for each additional person in your party/family.
There are a limited number of spaces remaining. Register today to save your spot.
| |
- Thursday, November 23, 2023
- 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
- Oaks Park Dance Pavilion
- 7805 Southeast Oaks Park Way
-
Portland, OR 97202 (map)
The Portland Tofurky Trot is back again! Check out the new course across and back on the Sellwood Bridge!
| |
Kick off Thanksgiving morning celebrating compassion, fresh air, friends, and gratitude with the annual Portland Tofurky Trot. This event welcomes the whole family, including strollers and friendly pups, to run/walk a 5K (3.1 miles) at your own pace. Profits from the Trot go to support local farm sanctuaries as well as Northwest VEG. Thank you to Tofurky for being our title sponsor.
Ready to run/walk? Register here
Looking to get involved? Volunteer here (We especially need course guides! Free breakfast for volunteers.)
| | |
Partner Event: Climate Café Plantsgiving Potluck
Climate Cafe will hold a “Plantsgiving” potluck on Thanksgiving Day at Hillsdale Community UCC. Everyone is invited. Just bring a plant-based dish to share and enjoy the camaraderie of others. Utensils, water, and dishes are provided and donations are welcome. Learn more about this Meetup here.
| | |
Save the Date for these upcoming NW VEG events:
-
December 7, 2023: Vancouver Vegan Potluck
-
December 17, 2023: Westside Vegan Potluck and Northwest VEG Talent Show
-
January 14, 2024: Orenco Vegan Potluck
-
January 21, 2024: Eastside Vegan Potluck
-
January 25, 2024: Vancouver Vegan Potluck
| | |
NORTHWEST VEG | nwveg.org
| |
| | | |
