October 2022 news, events, & more

In this issue: EVENT: Portland Eastside Potluck, Sunday, October 16  ENVIRONMENT: Three Things You Can Do HEALTH: Vitamin B12 ANIMALS: Learning the Truth about Dairy MAKING CHANGE: Senior Spotlight DID YOU KNOW...?: The Hidden Ingredient EVENT: Vancouver Indoor Picnic and Presentation EVENT: Tofurky Trot RECIPE: Plant-Based Sour Cream

Portland Eastside Potluck Join us Sunday, October 16 for our first indoor Eastside Northwest VEG Potluck in 31 months! This month our after-potluck presentation will feature a live food preparation demonstration with Linda Tyler, The Gracious Vegan. Come to the potluck at 5 PM, Linda’s presentation at 6:30 PM, or both. We’re trying out a new venue this month that has a great kitchen and eating area at the Stone Tower Seventh Day Adventist Church, 3010 NE Holladay Street in Portland. Learn more here.

Three Things You Can Do  Are you feeling helpless to affect climate change? Maybe you can’t afford an electric vehicle, but have you considered your gasoline-powered lawn mower or leaf blower? What about your natural gas stove, furnace, or water heater? Is it time to replace any of them?   In another realm, the sources of our food are also a climate-related concern. Although in the U.S., transportation contributes more to global warming than animal agriculture does, it’s the other way around, worldwide. So what you eat can make an even bigger difference.   Lastly, since carbon dioxide is a major contributor to climate change, and all growing plants draw carbon dioxide out of the air, the bigger the plant you can grow, the better.   Below are three things you can do to have an impact: 1.     Reduce or eliminate consumption of animal-based foods. 2.      Reduce or eliminate use of fossil-fueled vehicles and appliances. 3.      Plant trees.

Vitamin B12 Vitamin B12 is possibly the most important nutrient for vegans because, although essential for health, it cannot be obtained by eating only plants. Legitimate sources include supplements, nutritional yeast (such as Red Star Vegetarian Support Formula), and fortified foods (e.g., some nondairy milks and other foods—check the labels).   Do not skip this crucial nutrient! Symptoms of deficiency include: fatigue, weakness, decreased stamina, shortness of breath, palpitations, and skin pallor resulting from megaloblastic anemia; confusion, depression, irritability, mood fluctuations, insomnia, inability to concentrate, tingling/numbness in fingers, arms, and legs, difficulty with balance, lack of sensation, and eventual paralysis resulting from nerve damage; sore tongue, reduced appetite, indigestion, and diarrhea resulting from gastrointestinal effects; and heart disease and stroke resulting from elevated homocysteine levels.   Traditional blood tests to check Vitamin B12 status are not reliable indicators of deficiency because inactive B12 analogs are counted as real B12. In other words, you could get a false high reading. Newer testing methods are an improvement in ascertaining true B12 status, and adding an MMA (methylmalonic acid) test is advisable to provide a fuller picture.   Supplements are the best way to ensure that you are getting the B12 you need. Recommendations for dosage and frequency vary considerably, but one common recommendation is to take 1,000 micrograms (mcg) twice a week. Some experts recommend taking this amount daily.   Source: Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina, Becoming Vegan, Comprehensive Edition, (Book Publishing Company, 2014), pp 214-222.

Learning the Truth about Dairy by Donna Reynolds

The dairy industry has done a fantastic job of suggesting that all dairy products come from happy cows grazing contentedly in bucolic meadows. I didn’t question this idea for most of my life because 1) the dairy industry was so good at promoting their positive message, 2) society embraced this beneficial message so wholeheartedly, and 3) frankly, I didn’t want to believe anything else! But after watching various vegan documentaries, I learned that ignoring the truth about dairy was not only incredibly harmful to the cows, it was detrimental to my own health, and also hugely damaging to the planet. And although there are some small family farms out there that treat their animals well before slaughtering them, factory farms—where profit rules over compassion—provide 99 percent of the country’s meat, dairy, and eggs. The more I learned about the cruelty in the dairy industry, the easier it became to pass up even the most delectable dairy treat. Knowing that the bond between a mother and her baby is one of the strongest in nature, it was heartbreaking to realize that all baby calves are taken away from their mothers shortly after birth so we can drink the mothers’ milk that was meant for their calves. Many mother cows bellow and grieve for days after their calves are taken from them. If the farm is small and there isn’t additional space to separate the calf from its mother, a sharp, spiked muzzle is put on the calf so if it tries to get milk from its mother, the mother will get jabbed from the spikes. So instead of nuzzling, feeding, and bonding with her new baby, she’s forced to get away from her own calf to prevent injuring herself. Advertisers certainly don’t show you this, and because most people would react so negatively to information like this, “ag-gag” laws were created so you can’t see the painful truth about animal agriculture. Although it was hard to learn these very unpleasant facts about the dairy industry, I am very glad I did. Because now I can make the educated and easier choice to forgo dairy products from these farmers whose practices I don’t agree with and happily support the methods and products from the more compassionate and plant-based farmers instead.

There are two retirement centers in the Portland metro area suitable for vegans. The one featured in our September newsletter was Willamette View. The one below is Holladay Park Plaza. Senior Spotlight by Tomiko Takeuchi Senior vegetarians and vegans can move into a CCRC (Continuing Care Retirement Center) and enjoy healthy plant-based meals. Let me tell you about my community.    I moved into my apartment four years ago and found a group of neighbors of like mind, or is that stomach? We embrace healthy, whole food plant-based eating, respect all living beings, have concern for Mother Earth, and are willing to work together to improve our dining options. Recently we hired a wonderful chef who joined an amazing sous chef and knowledgeable staff. The team works together well, and they listen to what we have to say. They create healthy recipes, prepare colorful plates, provide vegan options, and include ethnic flavors. It is really exciting to be a part of this, as we "carve out" a new normal and emerge from COVID-19.   At dinner we always have a vegan entree, such as Moroccan chickpea stew or lentil pasta. No worries if a menu item isn't quite what you want, as our fabulous staff can substitute/tweak/create your own special dish. The other day, chicken banh mi (a Vietnamese sandwich) was on the regular menu, but I was able to get it with tofu for my protein. Every day we have tofu and Beyond Burger on hand so meals can be made "my way." So I say "Yahoo!" as the golden years can be awesome.

Did You Know...? The Hidden Ingredient by Donna Reynolds Did you know that marshmallows, Worcestershire sauce, white sugar, and non-dairy creamer all have something unexpected in common? They may contain animal ingredients in the products themselves or in the making of the products! Marshmallows contain gelatin from the bones, cartilage, tendons, and skin of animals; Worcestershire sauce is made from anchovies—small fish from the herring family; some white sugar uses bone char—burnt animal bones—in a filtration process in order to make the sugar white; and despite its name, a non-dairy creamer can often contain a milk derivative such as casein or whey. But don’t despair, because although it may take a bit of searching, as well as a few more coins from your pocket, there are fortunately animal-free vegan versions available for all of these products!

Vancouver Indoor Picnic and Presentation Thursday, October 27, 2022 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (map)

Join us the last Thursday of October for our Vancouver vegan indoor picnic and presentation. We will meet at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church at 16001 NE 34th Street, Vancouver, WA. Bring your own food, plates, and utensils, plus optionally you can bring food to share, if you would like. Come for the picnic at 5:30 PM, the program (to be announced later) at 6:30 PM, or both. Masks are optional, but recommended.

Portland Tofurky Trot Thursday, November 24, 2022 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM Oaks Park Dance Pavilion (map) The Portland Tofurky Trot is back! This event welcomes the whole family, including strollers and friendly pups, to trot or walk a 5K (3.1 miles) at your own pace to benefit Oregon farm sanctuaries. Trot kicks off at 9 AM from the Oaks Park Dance Pavilion. The Pavilion is stroller- and wheelchair-accessible. We are also seeking approximately 60 volunteers to help on the morning of the Trot with both indoor and outdoor positions available. All volunteers will receive a free Tofurky Trot t-shirt and are also invited to enjoy the beverages and snacks. Go here for details and registration. Hope to see you there!

Plant-Based Sour Cream by Linda Tyler  The Gracious Vegan 

Regular sour cream is made by mixing cream with certain types of lactic acid bacteria, which cause the cream to ferment and turn sour and become thick.  For this plant-based version, I use a combination of silken tofu and cashews as the base: not too thick, but with a little richness and silkiness. The lemon juice and vinegar provide the acidic tang, and the garlic powder and dill weed add the sour notes. See below the recipe for uses for sour cream. Makes about 2 cups Blend together the following ingredients in a high-speed blender until completely smooth. (If you cut the recipe in half, I recommend using a bullet blender, because most large high-speed blenders don’t handle small amounts well.) 1.5 cups (12 ounces) firm silken tofu 1/2 cup raw cashews, presoaked (for at least 4 hours in cold water or 20 minutes in hot water) 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed 1/2 teaspoon salt Transfer to an airtight plastic or glass container. It is ready to serve or will last about a week in the fridge and can be frozen (it may need to be re-blended after thawing). Tips for making this recipe: If you're unsure how salty or tangy you want the sour cream to be, use less lemon juice, vinegar, and salt to start. Then taste and adjust after blending. I like the consistency with the ingredient amounts listed here. But if you feel your sour cream is too thick, add a few teaspoons of water to thin it out. If you don’t get a smooth enough texture, keep blending, for up to several minutes. Also, soak the cashews at least six hours the next time if the sour cream is gritty. If you know you’ll be using the sour cream for sweet purposes only (like in a parfait), omit the garlic powder and dill weed and add maple syrup or other sweetener. Ways to use plant-based sour cream Use a dollop or two on: Baked potatoes Chili Soups Borscht Pancakes or crepes Cooked vegetables Tacos, tostadas, burritos, enchiladas, nachos, taco salads Fruit parfaits (with some maple syrup stirred in) Recipes: Twice baked potatoes Potato salad dressing Coleslaw dressing Ranch dressing Spinach dip Onion dip Herb dip Cold cucumber soup Sandwich spreads

NORTHWEST VEG | nwveg.org

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