Celebration of the Life of Elender Wall, a Remarkable Woman and a Vegan!

On a separate blog, I've posted something on the celebration of Elender Wall's life, but I didn't mention anything about her being a vegan--something that was brought up by her fiance, Chris Hardaker of New Zealand, who met her in Berlin.  He mentioned Berlin's Indian vegan restaurant Sayam and said it was really sensational.  He also said that he'd threatened Elender by saying, "If you go, I'm going to go back to being an omnivore."  He said after his death he did, but now he was promising her to live in the kindest way to the earth, and when I spoke to him during the reception afterwards, he said that, yes, by that he meant he was going back to the vegan diet.

I told him I'd made vegan cookies.  (They're the white almond crescent ones on the far left and the big brownish vegan ones to the left of the punch.  But they were all gone by the time he got around to eating.

Christie Legally of Good Food Institute Explains Alternatives to Meat to UC Berkeley Class

"Can plants taste like meat?/UC Berkeley class offers cash for best attempt" reports Jonathan Kauffman in today's Business Report section of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Christie Legally of Good Food Institute says that animal agriculture produces up to 24 percent of green house gases, uses water and energy more intensively than plant agriculture, and kills 9 billion land animals and 47 billion sea animals (including a lot of shrimp) each year just to satisfy American omnivores.

http://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Meat-substitutes-are-on-the-curriculum-at-UC-10881462.php

Fair Trade Coffee for One Guest and The Kind People Really Like for the Others

Even though I know the kindest people in the world, I sometimes think their desire to offer and consume something other than the vegan dishes is a little bit as if a they said, "I know you like Fair Trade coffee, but most of us prefer the other kind, so when you visit, I'll have Fair trade coffee for you, and I'll offer both kinds."

Given a choice, will anyone want fair-trade?  It couldn't possibly taste as good!

Vegan Amuse-Gueules--like Fair Trade Coffee?

I put all my vegan heart into the amuse-gueules for Chew and View, but some people are wary of anything vegan.  I guess they were willing to try the almond crescent cookies and fruit.  Maybe it was too early in the day for cake!

Sharon brought delicious Myoko "cheese," which really is as good as regular cheese, and I think I was the only one who ate it--except for Sharon.

I wonder whether this works for Fair Trade coffee, too.  If coffee drinkers are accustomed to the brand that's not Fair Trade, would they stay away from Fair Trade coffee?

Opera Plaza Vegan Group Tasty and Interesting

Sweet Mini Rainbow Pepper Pickle & Home-style Carpaccio

Winter Salad with Citrus Dressing

Orecchiette with Greens & Garlic

Braised White Beans with Artichoke, Olive & Caper

Very Veggie Lasagna

Walnut Date Yogurt Dessert

Meyer Lemon Apple-ade and Herbal Tea

This was what we had at the Wellness Vegan Dinner at the Opera Plaza (Mezzanine level) on Wednesday, January 18.  It was delicious!

I also took a couple of minutes to show them my vegan passport from September, and other attendees shared announcements about their activities/concerns.

I liked this statement in the letter they sent out with the invitation (only $15): "{What} tremendous progress veganism has made in the medical field, in fighting industrial muscle in government, and in retail."

This was the video program as announced by the group:

Dr. Neal Barnard shares success stories of fighting corporate influence through the court system--and WINNING! Dr. Michael Greger speaks of the growing acceptance of veganism by some--and residual opposition--within the medical community. Dr. John McDougall brings us up to the minute challenges in combating false advertising in the food and dairy industry.

Patricia is the certified Nutrition Consultant who makes the dinners offered for $15 every Wednesday night.  

Will There Be Vegan Options at the Noe Valley Bakery on West Portal?

Here's a message I just sent to a bakery soon opening on West Portal

I'd like to support your bakery, opening soon in my West Portal neighborhood and within walking distance of my home, and I will support you if you have vegan options.  

I was so surprised that when four of us were seated at Lemonade, just a few doors away from where you will be at West Portal, three among us were vegans!  

It's a movement that can alleviate animal suffering in factory farms and lessen the damage done to the environment from livestock, and it's healthy, too.

Take Delicious Vegan Ginger Cookies Out of the Oven after 10 Minutes, Not When They Test Done

Take Delicious Vegan Ginger Cookies Out of the Oven after 10 Minutes, Not When They Test Done.  That's what I did yesterday because I had a dental appointment (Part 1 of The Crown) and had to take them out and turn off the oven befpre I left.

Today I was listening on Audible books to Paul Beatty's The Sellout, so I was in no hurry.  In fact, I welcomed the opportunity to iron the 9 red cotton napkins I used for the Chew and View group on the Feast of Kings January 6.

But that was unfortunate because I like cookies soft, and these--which I kept putting back into the oven--would probably do damage to Part 1 of The Crown.

So remember this:  Cookies continue to bake if you leave them on the cookie sheet after taking them out of the oven.  So take them out even if they don't test done.  They soon will be.

Vegan Ginger Cookies

By Kimke

   Prep Time: 10 mins

·         Total Time: 40 mins

·         Yield: 1 batch

ABOUT THIS RECIPE

"These cookies are the ultimate ginger cookies with a nice spicy bite from the ginger and a rich molasses body. That they happen to be vegan is just a bonus. From Vegan with a Vengence!"

INGREDIENTS

o    4 tablespoons coarse sugar ( turbinado or demerrera or "sanding" sugar)  (This is to be used at the end, not mixed with wet or dry ingredients.)

o    2 cups flour

o    1 teaspoon baking soda

o    1/4 teaspoon salt

o    2 1/2 tablespoons ground ginger

o    1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

o    1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

o    1/2 cup canola oil

o    1/4 cup molasses

o    1/4 cup soymilk

o    1 cup sugar

o    1 teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS

1.    Sift dry ingredient (except 1 cup of sugar) into a bowl and set aside.

2.    In a large bowl combine wet ingredients, including sugar and whisk or beat on medium until blended.

3.    Stir in the pre-sifted dry ingredients and mix until well combined.

4.    The dough will be quite sticky and you may need to dampen your hands to work with it. Roll the dough into little balls (about 1 Tablespoon) and flatten out to your liking.

5.    The thinner the cookie the crisper it will be - a slightly thicker cookie will yield a crunch on the edges and a slightly chewy interior.

6.       Press the coarse sugar onto the tops of the cookies and bake about 10 minutes at 350 on a greased cookie sheet.