December 2022 news, events, & more

In this issue: UPCOMING EVENT: Westside Vegan Potluck, Dec 18, Peter Spendelow: Consciousness and Emotion in Fellow Animals  HEALTH: Issues with Gluten ANIMALS: Animal Minds MAKING CHANGE: More Good News in the Vegan World RESTAURANT CORNER: The Sudra, Rabbits Café, Lilla DID YOU KNOW...?: Dogs Can Thrive on a Vegan Diet SEEKING... : Do You Like Movies? EVENT: Hillsboro Orenco Vegan Potluck, Jan 8 EVENT: Eastside Vegan Potluck, Jan 15 RECIPE: Nourishing Turmeric Tea

Westside Vegan Potluck Sunday, December 18, 2022 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM West Hills Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (WHUUF) (map) Join us for our Westside vegan potluck at 5:00 PM or the program at 6:30 PM. Our after-potluck speaker will be Peter Spendelow, past President of Northwest VEG, speaking on a topic he loves - Consciousness and Emotion in Fellow Animals. For the 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. A donation of $2-5 is suggested to help cover the cost of the venue rental. WHUUF is located at 8470 Southwest Oleson Road, Portland, OR, 97223.

Issues with Gluten Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, spelt, Kamut, and triticale. It is the sticky, stretchy component of bread dough, holding bread together. That is why gluten-free breads tend to be crumb-y and crumbly, and fall apart more easily. Approximately 1% of the population, or over 3 million in the U.S. alone, have celiac disease. Gluten destroys the proper functioning of their intestines, and must be avoided for life. It is thought that another 10% are gluten-sensitive, which does not involve that specific type of damage to the intestines, but does have a range of sensitivity. Symptoms may include bloating, pain, cramping, and diarrhea or constipation, as well as “iron-deficiency anemia (fatigue, weakness, lack of concentration), joint pain, muscle disturbances, osteoporosis, leg numbness, migraines, and sinus problems.” Consult your health care practitioner regarding concerns or testing. Gluten-free grains include oats, rice, corn, quinoa, wild rice, millet, buckwheat, teff, amaranth, and sorghum. Source: Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina, Becoming Vegan, Comprehensive Edition, (Book Publishing Company, 2014), pp. 170-171.

Animal Minds by Peter Spendelow past Northwest VEG President

If you hid 30,000 pine seeds in the dirt over a few square miles, could you remember where you hid them and come back 6 months later to find nearly all of them, even if the ground is now covered in snow? The Clark’s Nutcrackers that live up near Timberline can. If you were to go to South America and had to find your way back on your own, with no Google maps or directions, could you find your way home? Our migratory birds that spend their winters in South America can. Can you use your sense of smell to detect if a person has cancer? Some dogs can. Most of us have the idea that humans are the smartest, most capable species on Earth, but it turns out that there are other species that have some mental and sensory capabilities far beyond ours. Consider this memory test. You are in front of a computer screen, and suddenly the numbers 1 through 9 are flashed on the screen for a second, and then are replaced by solid squares. Your task is to remember where those nine digits are, and to touch the squares on the screen in order from where 1 through 9 had appeared. Humans might on average get 5 right, before they forget where the others are. But chimpanzees who have been taught about the digits 1 through 9 can touch all 9 in order about 90% of the time. You can see that in this video. On Sunday, December 18, I’ll have the pleasure of being the speaker immediately after the Northwest VEG Westside potluck, talking about a subject I love: animals. I’ve always been interested in animals, which is why I studied biology in college and zoology, specializing in ecology, as a graduate student. But back then, students of animal behavior were discouraged from comparing animal behaviors to our own human behaviors. The thought was that researchers should be objective, and not anthropomorphize the animal behavior. But in doing so, the researchers lost valuable insights into why animals behave the way they do, and why many of their behaviors are so much like our own. So come to the potluck on Sunday, and stick around afterwards if you want to hear some interesting stories about animals, and what they can think, feel, and do with their minds.

More Good News in the Vegan World by Susan Hanson Would you like to eliminate all animal cruelty in Oregon - and not just for your pets? There is a ballot initiative for 2024 that would do just that. This initiative would remove many of the current exemptions from Oregon’s animal cruelty laws against animal abuse, animal neglect, and animal sexual assault. This would include farm animals, lab animals, and animals that are hunted or fished. Read more about it here and how you can help by signing the petition or by helping to gather signatures. Oregon would be the first state to do this. The organizers know that it may not pass the first time around, but it will certainly get the conversation going. https://www.yesonip3.org/about   Every five years Congress has to pass a new farm bill, and the current one expires in September 2023. Senator Cory Booker, a vegan and longtime advocate for ending factory farming, has proposed the Farm System Reform Act (FSRA), a bill that aims to transition animal agriculture away from factory farming. It would start by banning new CAFOs (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations). You can read more details below, and you can contact your senators.  https://vegnews.com/2022/11/cory-booker-banning-factory-farms-bipartisan Here is Farm Bill 101 if you want to learn more about it and why it matters to all of us.  https://www.hklaw.com/en/insights/publications/2022/03/farm-bill-101-what-you-need-to-know-about-its-reauthorization   Do you like to travel and check out vegan restaurants? Happy Cow just came out with their list of the Top 10 vegan-friendly cities in the world. Portland was not in the top 10, but we were a close runner-up. It’s just so wonderful to see so many plant-based restaurants opening up all over the world! https://www.happycow.net/vegtopics/travel/top-vegan-friendly-cities   Wallet Hub ranked Portland as the most vegan friendly American city. Read here which American cities have the most vegan food.  https://vegnews.com/2022/9/5-cities-vegan-food-america-wallethub If you have some good news about the plant-based world that you think we should share—whether it’s worldwide, national, local, political, grassroots, or whatever—please email susan@nwveg.org, and we may include it next time. Thanks!

Restaurant Corner The Sudra, Rabbits Café, Lilla by Susan Hanson The Sudra is many people’s favorite vegan restaurant. So, how did it all begin? Sanjay Chandrasekaran opened Sonny Bowl food cart in downtown Portland in 2009, and it was always busy, serving bowls and smoothies. Chandrasekaran then decided to open a vegan Indian restaurant with bowls and plates, inspired by the food he grew up with in New Mexico. The first Sudra was on NE Glisan Street and was a little indoor space with a counter for ordering and a larger outdoor seating area, almost like a food cart. It was always bustling with young people and families and lots of energy. One restaurant reviewer selected it as the best vegan spot in Portland. In 2019 The Sudra moved to NE 28th to accommodate more diners inside. Just a few months later when COVID struck, they had to close down. Soon after, they were able to offer takeout which turned out to be very popular. People loved it so much that you could always see a few hardy souls sitting along the street with their spicy kale-garbanzo-soy curl bowl and a beer. Two other Sudra locations have opened since then, one on NE Mississippi in 2020 and one in Beaverton in 2022. Turmeric Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Soy Curl Tikka Masala, Lentil Kofta Thali, Kale Infused Dosa—it’s so difficult to choose what to get, but you can’t go wrong. It’s all healthy vegan food (much of it gluten-free) and bursting with unique flavors. Chandrasekaran and the crew are always tinkering and creating new recipes. For those who like to drink, they have a fun menu of beer, wine, cocktails and mocktails, many with tastes of India. If you haven’t eaten there yet, you’re missing a real treat. Chandrasekaran is planning to open a Sudra in Hillsboro with a rooftop bar next spring, and then he is looking beyond Oregon. A customer at Sonny Bowl, his original food truck, once called the food "rabbit food." That place has since closed, but Chandrasekaran embraced the description, naming the new brick-and-mortar version Rabbits Café. You can visit the two Rabbits Café locations in downtown and in northeast Portland that serve delicious brunch, bowls, salads, and smoothies.   And then, if you’re still looking for another place to eat, you might want to try Lilla, his newest endeavor, a vegan Italian restaurant with handmade pasta in southeast Portland. Did You Know...? Dogs Can Thrive on a Vegan Diet by Donna Reynolds Dogs not only thrive when they go plant-based, but according to the Guinness World Records, one of the longest lived dogs was a vegan border collie named Bramble who lived to be 25 years old! Dogs evolved from carnivorous wolves over thousands of years. Humans have bred these dogs to be as small as a 2-pound Chihuahua or as large as a 250-pound English Mastiff. If the dog’s exterior changed that much, it should be no surprise that their interior digestive system evolved from that of a meat-loving carnivorous wolf to that of a carrot-loving omnivorous pup. Transitioning your dog to a vegan diet is as important to the planet and the fish and farm animals as having people go vegan. For if dogs and cats made up their own country, it would rank fifth in the world for the amount of meat they ate, having a huge negative effect on the amount of resources used and the amount of damage done to the planet. Commercial dog food often consists of the lowest quality meat and can include diseased animals and gruesome ingredients. Even with better quality meat-based pet food, toxins can accumulate the higher up you go in the food chain, so when a dog eats the flesh of another animal, toxins can then accumulate in the dog’s body. Also, many dogs have allergies to chicken and beef that cause severe skin issues which can often easily be cleared up when switched to a plant-based diet.

There are now many different commercial vegan dog foods available and you can check their packaging or website to see if they’re veterinarian-approved and meet all the requirements of the AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials). Many vegans choose to add additional plant-based whole foods to their dogs' kibble, or they provide a meal consisting of all whole foods and add a powdered supplement such as “Vegedog” that contains AAFCO-recommended nutrients. For more information and recipes about transitioning your pet (and you!) to a balanced vegan diet, check out Dr. Pitcairn’s Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats.

Do You Like Movies?   Northwest VEG is planning to start showing movies (online via Zoom) on a regular basis in 2023, with optional discussion afterward. These will generally be movies that focus on: the connection between animal agriculture and climate change the link between our diet and health/disease the treatment of animals raised for human consumption other related themes   Are there movies that you meant to see in recent years but didn’t manage to catch? Alternately, are there movies you saw and would highly recommend to others? You can send your requests and/or recommendations by replying to this email or sending an email to info@nwveg.org with the subject line “movies.” Happy viewing!

Hillsboro Orenco Vegan Potluck Sunday, January 8, 2023 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM Orenco Unitarian Universalist Church (map) 6815 NE Birch Street, Hillsboro, OR

Come for the potluck at 5:00 PM or the presentation at 6:00 PM, or both. Program to be announced--for updated information click here. For the 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. The Orenco Unitarian Universalist Fellowship is located at 6815 NE Birch Street, Hillsboro, and is hosting Northwest VEG with this event.

Eastside Vegan Potluck Sunday, January 15, 2023 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM Stone Tower SDA Church (map) Join us at 5 PM for our Eastside potluck and/or our presentation at 6:30 PM, program to be announced. (For updated information, click here.) For the 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. The Stone Tower SDA Church is located at 3010 NE Holladay Street in Portland. Click on the image above or on the event title for more information, including the building entrance and parking.

Nourishing Turmeric Tea by Linda Tyler The Gracious Vegan I can still remember my first cup of turmeric tea—what a revelation! That gorgeous deep orange color, the subtle chai spices, the creaminess of the (nondairy) milk. I was determined to be able to make it at home any time I wanted to. Lo these many years later I’m sharing my recipe, tested over and over at this point. Finding some of the ingredients might be challenging if you don’t already have them, but once you’ve found them (locally or online), you’ll have them for many cups thereafter. Makes 2 servings Add the following ingredients to a small saucepan and slowly bring to a simmer over low-medium heat. 1 cup water 1 Tablespoon agave nectar (or other sweetener) 1”-1.5” piece of ginger, peeled and roughly grated (using a box grater is fine) 6 black peppercorns 2 cardamom pods, smashed with the side of a knife (or 1/4 teaspoon seeds) 1 cinnamon stick 1 teaspoon dried turmeric 1-2 black tea bags (depending on how strong you want the tea to be) After the mixture simmers about a minute, add milk and bring the mixture back up to steaming, not quite boiling. 2 cups nondairy milk* Take the tea off the heat. Let it steep a few more minutes if you would like it to be stronger. Taste for sweetness and serve hot. * If you have a milk steamer, you can make this a turmeric latte. Add steamed milk to the steeped and sweetened tea.

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