Cherry Point Proposed Coal Shipping Terminal Update: Mark Your Calendar!

In case you have not yet heard, despite the fact that SSA Marine has still not turned in their required permit application, the County will be holding a meeting to present information about the environmental review process for this project on March 20.

Meeting details:

Project: Proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal at Cherry Point
What: Information meeting on environmental review process
When: 6 – 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Where: Bellingham High School theater, 2020 Cornwall Ave.

Representatives from Whatcom County and the Washington Department of Ecology will outline the environmental review process and answer questions about it. A representative from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be on hand to answer questions about the Corps permitting process and federal requirements.

RE Sources' North Sound Baykeeper Team and Power Past Coal will be hosting a Community Rally at Bellingham High School on March 20th at 5pm, just prior to Ecology and Whatcom County's presentation on the Environmental Review Process.


From RE Sources:
"We need to show the permitting agencies and the public at large that we are extremely concerned about this project's impacts to the health of our community and our environment, and that we will be carefully scrutinizing how this permitting and EIA process are handled.


Join us to listen to inspirational speeches from local community members including elected officials, tribal and commercial fishermen, small business owners, and grassroots activists who believe in the power of ordinary people just like you and me to make positive change in our communities and our world. As Margaret Mead said, 'Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.'"

Please come if you can. I will for sure be there. The more of us that can come out for this, the better.

Also, be sure and check out the Get Whatcom Planning blog for a number of great, well-written, informative pieces regarding what is happening with this process, who is responsible for paying for this process, and what we should know going into this.

Coal Terminal Update: We're Throwing a Party!
Coal Port News: What Didn't Happen in March 2012
Coal Port News: Just a General Discussion of Some Stuff
Coal Port News: A 2% Solution to Heavy Rail Traffic and At-Grade Railroad Crossings

And, I also recommend that if you haven't already been out to Cherry Point, that you go and see for yourself the area we are talking about. Nothing brings this home more than actually standing at that site and imagining the largest coal shipping terminal in all of North America. Currently, this strip of beach that is home to a number of birds, fish, and other wildlife, is open to all of us as public access, which is something that would definitely change if SSA Marine has their way. It's a really beautiful area that has already had to deal with more than its fair share of impacts from industry, impacts that affect us all in ways I am only just beginning to learn about.

Here are the directions:
Head west on Grandview Rd (exit 266)
Go left on Kickerville Rd.
Right on Lonseth Rd.
Left on Gulf Rd.
Go to the end of Gulf Rd. to park and there you are.

"By renewing our vision of the land, we discover where it is we truly dwell. Whatever the place we inhabit, we must invest ourselves there with our full powers of awareness if we are to live responsibly, alertly, wisely."
--Scott Russell Sanders--

Cafe Curry: 4260 Cordata, Suite 108

Takeout from Cafe Curry

A little over a month ago, my husband and I were down at Boulevard Park when we ran into some friends we hadn't seen in awhile. As is frequently the case with us, our catch-up conversation soon turned to the topic of food and restaurants, and they encouraged us to check out Cafe Curry, which we had been meaning to do for some time now. Once our conversation drew to a close, we exchanged goodbyes with our friends and continued on our way. As we walked along the Boardwalk, we realized we were trying really hard not to think about how hungry we were, or about how great Indian food sounded, but the harder we tried, the more all we wanted to do was go eat! So we did the sensible thing and used food as incentive to walk that much faster back to our car, at which point we headed straight to Cafe Curry for our takeout dinner.

Vegan Veggie Pakoras: AMAZINGLY Delicious!

As soon as we walked in the door, a wave of appetizing and mouth-watering smells wafted towards us, and we knew we had chosen wisely. We were greeted by a very nice man who answered all of my questions about what was vegan and what was not. We let our appetites be our guides and each of us chose the largest of the dinner specials, which came with two entrees, rice, naan, and a salad. And, we also decided to split an order of pakoras, which are entirely vegan and not fried with any meat items, something our friends told us we couldn't do without.

Chole and Basmati Rice

If you have never had pakoras before, you are missing out. Basically, they are some of my favorite veggies (like spinach!) breaded and fried and served with dipping sauces, which in this case were the most delicious green and red chutneys. The pakoras at Cafe Curry are some of the best I have ever had. The very first bite transported me back in time to being 12 years old and sitting with my best friend eating pakoras that her mother and grandmother had made for us. I fell in love with them then and have never had anything remind me of such goodness until now.

Peas and Potato Dish

As for the two entrees, one was a chole, which is basically spicy chickpeas cooked in a tomato gravy, always one of my favorite dishes, and the other was a potato and pea curry dish--both items were completely delicious and seasoned perfectly. The naan, which is also vegan, was also amazing. My husband and I realized that we could easily have split a two-item combo, but we were so captivated by the flavors we each managed to eat more or less all of what we ordered. Feeling a little piggy, yet completely satisfied, we quickly determined that Cafe Curry had easily become one of our favorite places in Bellingham. Just writing about it now makes me want to go back for more, and I am not even that hungry!

Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies = YUM!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Goodness

Not too long ago, I was generously given a copy of Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero's Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar. This is one dangerous little book, filled with recipes for the tastiest cookies you could ever imagine. Recently I made the "Peanut Butter Chocolate Pillows" for the vegan potluck, and everyone really liked them. They are tasty and addictive, and full of sugar, so not the healthiest, but soooo tasty and perfect for when you want to indulge in a decadent peanut butter chocolate craving.

This cookie requires mixing two different kinds of dough.

First, for the chocolate dough, combine:
1/2 cup canola or other vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons vegan milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

There's a sweet crunchy peanut butter filling hiding inside!

Mix until smooth, and then sift in:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
(she then calls for 2 tablespoons black unsweetened cocoa powder, but I didn't have that, so I just threw in 2 more tablespoons of regular unsweetened cocoa powder.)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a separate bowl, use a handmixer to beat together:
3/4 cup peanut butter
2/3 cup powdered sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons soy creamer or nondairy milk (I used almond milk)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 and spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray, or line with parchment paper. Divide the peanut butter dough into 24 balls (I think I only did 22), and then do the same with the chocolate dough. Flatten the chocolate dough and then wrap it around the peanut butter balls. Place the dough balls on the baking sheet at least 2 inches apart and then bake them for around 10 minutes (I think mine took 12 minutes). Let them stand for 5 minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

The picture in the cookbook looked way more pillow-y than my cookies--mine flattened out quite a bit--but luckily their shape didn't affect their flavor! This recipe is a definite keeper.

Informed Food Choices

It's a Wednesday evening, not my usual time for posting, but I have a few things on my mind that I thought I might as well share with you tonight. I have talked before about how being vegan is a process, about how I am always looking for ways to become more informed and make improved choices. I will admit that up until about 6 months ago, I didn't always buy only organic produce. I bought *mostly* organic. I did always buy only organic versions of specific items, such as tomatoes, spinach, carrots, or soy. But sometimes I would buy non-organic onions. Or celery. Or things like olive oil. Sure, I signed online petitions in favor of GM labeling, and I registered to be one of the "Millions Against Monsanto." But all along I have also known I could be doing more, and so I have found myself gradually easing towards becoming more informed, and allowing the information that I learn to influence my choices more and more.

Lately, GM foods and the issues surrounding them have been on my mind a lot. Which is why my husband and I decided to begin purchasing only organic produce, and if we couldn't find what we wanted in an organic form, we wouldn't buy it. In addition, we decided to change our investment practices to only support socially responsible investment choices, stipulating that we want to exclude any business that supports what we don't believe in, such as coal-fired energy, or GMOs.

Last Sunday, we attended one of the Bellingham Human Rights  Film Festival showings of a film called Scientists Under Attack. And I left that event with heavy thoughts, pondering  how we have gotten ourselves into this situation, where one huge corporation is allowed to so heavily influence something as fundamental as what we choose to eat, how we grow our food, and what rights we have, not only as farmers and as consumers, but also as human beings.



There is so much to say about this issue, but one fundamental truth that I think most people believe in, is that we all have the right to choose what we want to eat, vegan and non-vegan alike. We have a right to that choice. And we should have a right to make informed choices. And if Monsanto and the FDA (which is affiliated with Monsanto) stands by the safety and integrity of their products, then they shouldn't be afraid to label GM foods, to truly stand by what they are promoting. And if they won't do that, the obvious question becomes: Just what are they afraid of? An informed public? Or their own product?

I see myself returning to this issue in posts to come. I have decided to give up packaged foods that are not organic, and I know this will be a bit of a lifestyle change for me. (Goodbye Blue Diamond Almond Milk!) This may not be an easy transition, but it will be worth it. (Did you know that 70% of all packaged foods in this country contain GM ingredients?)

 I will keep you updated on my journey and on what info I can find out about the food I consume along the way. I will continue to eat out and post restaurant reviews, but I will also start to ask more questions and request organic ingredients, and report back to you what I learn.

If you would like to know more about this issue, a great place to start is the Just Label it site where you can sign a petition requesting that GM foods are labelled. As they so clearly state, we have a right to know.  And when shopping, look for the Non-GMO Project logo. Not only can we choose what we want to eat, but  we can also choose what kind of future we want to create, who we want to support, and what we believe. Food choices are powerful choices on a multitude of levels. And we can choose to be empowered and align our actions with our beliefs, creating the world we want to live in with every bite.

Vegan Potluck!

Vegan Feast!

We have all encountered negative stereotypes about vegans and vegetarians at some point in our lives, but I have to confess I am guilty of positive stereotyping. I know there must be some mean vegans and vegetarians out there--mean people come in all different forms, so it is a possibility and I am not going to deny that--but I can only say that I have yet to meet one. The few vegan-food-centric events I have had the pleasure of being a part of have only supported my experience that vegans and vegetarians are the nicest, friendliest, funniest, and most-food-obsessed people I have ever met.

Lasagna

The potluck was a great success, our biggest one yet with almost 30 people in attendance. The food was absolutely incredible, and my one complaint was that there was no way for me to try everything even though I had planned ahead and purposefully not eaten very much food that day in preparation for the feasting to come.

Vegan Rice Krispy Treats

 There were two different kinds of delicious vegetable lasagnas, Trish and Ty's exceptional macaroni which was a definite hit, a yummy cheesy broccoli rice casserole, several amazing lentil dishes, wonderful chili, tasty breads, a fantastic tomato relish, a tangy cabbage dish, a really great couscous dish, unbelievable vegan rice krispy treats, a berry crumble that looked awesome, pumpkin muffins that were not only vegan but also gluten-free, a tasty mushroom tart that I was lucky enough to be given the leftovers to take home, and even more fabulous dishes that I know I am forgetting--but there was just so much food!

Conversation was easy and fun, and as is usually the case, I learned about some new products and places to check out, like the nut cream that the Co op carries called "Mimicreme" that is so versatile it can be used in any number of recipes, or the Tolkien-themed vegetarian restaurant in Arlington, the  Shire Cafe. We talked about our favorite local restaurants, and I of course once again professed my love for the Soy House. We talked about hidden gems like Mi Casa,  the awesome bagels at The Grace Cafe, (and their "beefless burger," something I still look forward to trying!), breakfast at Old Town Cafe,  and how we are lucky that not only does Brandywine have the best french fries anywhere, but they also happen to be vegan french fries.

I kept trying to remember to take pictures, but I was having such a good time I know I missed some people and some dishes. Everyone is (hopefully) going to send me their recipes, and I will put them all together into one pdf to send out to everyone on the email list. (I know I said this last time, but assuming everyone sends me their recipes, I will really do it this time--I promise!) And to kick things off, my next blog post will feature the peanut butter chocolate cookies that I brought to the potluck.

I had so much fun with all of you and really enjoyed our conversations. I particularly enjoyed the lovely and charming Audrey, who was funny and engaging through the entire potluck, but summed up everything I was thinking perfectly when she looked at the table full of food and proclaimed: "This is like a dream come true!"

In closing, thanks to everyone for coming and for being so awesome and for making the potluck such a fabulous event. Trish over at Binary Vegan has graciously offered to plan and host the next one, and I am forwarding her the sign up sheet from this potluck so she knows who to contact. You can also shoot her an email at trish@binarypeople.net,  or leave her a comment on her blog or facebook page for more info. I will also be sure and post details at some point once we have them figured out. And in the meantime, I have happy memories of great people and fabulous food to get me through until the next one. Thanks again to all of you! I look forward to your recipes!

Reminder: Vegan Potluck is this Saturday, February 18!

Sorry I did not post this reminder sooner! I am looking forward to seeing you all this Saturday!

The potluck starts at 5:00 but it's open and casual, so if you need to come late, no worries. Please email me (veganinbellingham@gmail.com) if you have any questions or forgot the address or anything. And don't forget to bring  one of your Favorite Vegan Dishes, the recipe if you feel like sharing, your own beverage, and your own dishes/cutlery if you can--(we are trying to cut down on waste.) We will have a sign up sheet for those of you interested in attending the next potluck, and there will also be a prize drawing for some vegan goodies. :) Friends, partners, kids etc all welcome to join us, and you don't need to be vegan to come! See you soon!