Vegan in Bellingham

A Very Special Vegan Pie Crust

2012-01-29T14:51:00.000-08:00

One more video treat for you today. A special thanks to Yan from Piebird in Ontario for sharing this with me! If you have been wondering how to make a perfect vegan pie crust, then this video is definitely for you. And, if you have been trying to convince your wife for some time now that you really should adopt some goats (this is a special shout-out to my brother-in-law), then this video might help you plead your case more effectively. Either way, enjoy!

A Life Connected

2012-01-29T14:41:00.000-08:00

A Life Connected: VEGAN from NonviolenceUnited.org on Vimeo.

A recurring theme that comes up frequently in my classes is how we are all connected. Not only are we connected to each other, but we are connected to every living thing on the planet. Everything we do affects something else. As David Suzuki has said, there is no "us" over here and "the environment" over there; we are the environment. I think that is one of the reasons being vegan just feels so right to me. I came across this video that illustrates this exactly, and so I thought I would share it with you guys.

"Evidence for a Vegan Diet" and Jorge Garcia's Fun Blog

2012-01-22T14:03:00.000-08:00

Two things to share with you briefly--one a really great article published in The Atlantic about being vegan by James McWilliams called "Evidence for a Vegan Diet." It is worth checking out and will make you feel good.

And second, over the past few months, I have become a fan of Jorge Garcia's blog: Further Dispatches. Yes, I originally loved him because of Lost, but now I just love him because he seems like such a cool guy. His blog is funny and fun to read, and sometimes he even writes about vegan stuff (see today's post on nutritional yeast, or the one on how to make your own almond milk). And, since he is only in Vancouver, maybe if enough of us ask, he might consider coming to one of our potlucks someday? I am sure he has plenty of other things to do, but one can always dream. . .

Oly Vegan Cruelty Free Shop: 313 5th Ave. A, Olympia WA

2012-01-21T18:25:00.000-08:00

Oly Vegan was open on Saturday 1/14 and I felt very lucky indeed!

In my opinion, the world can't have too many vegan stores! There is something so fun about wandering through a place knowing that if you so desired, you could actually purchase anything in it without having to worry about whether or not it is vegan. And most of the people you meet working or shopping at vegan stores are always so nice and and so happy to be there. I absolutely adore Karmavore in B.C., Sidecar for Pigs Peace in Seattle, and of course the vegan mini-mall in Portland. (I am still waiting to check out Sarah's Place in Victoria too) And now I can add another special place to my list : Oly Vegan in Olympia!

Vegan jackets and T-Shirts!

A labor of love, Oly Vegan was opened only about a month ago by Olympia vegan Lesli Baker, and has also had some support from local volunteers. I had the pleasure of talking with a volunteer named Lisa when I popped in last Saturday. Lisa told me that she met Lesli at a screening of Forks Over Knives, and that they really clicked. Lisa was also very friendly and enthusiastic about the store, and she graciously answered all my questions. She explained that she was impressed with how much Lesli managed to accomplish without a huge budget, as was I.

The store itself is super-cute, and has a lot of fun stuff to browse through, from wonderful vegan purses and bags, to fun vegan T-shirts, to vegan snacks and chocolates, and a variety of really cool vintage-y things. Lisa also told me that new merchandise will be arriving regularly, as Lesli expands the selection and the store grows. I can't wait to go back and check it out again!

Super-cute purses and bags

The Sunday after my visit, the store was also holding a blanket drive for the city's homeless, followed by a vegan potluck. Unfortunately we had to get back to B'ham on Sunday and couldn't make it, but it looks like the blanket drive was a success! Another thing that impressed me about Lesli that Lisa told me is that she is very community-minded, and hopes to hold more events to support social causes or local needs in the future. Lesli also really wants to create a gathering space for vegans, and she plans to host more vegan potlucks in the future.

A vegan store with a community-centered focus--what could be better? I know, I know--all my local readers are thinking: "If it was in Bellingham?" There are definitely a few vegan-friendly places in Olympia that make me envious! And yes, I am talking to YOU, Bearded Lady! But really, when you think about it, Olympia is not that far away. And, it's a very fun destination for the next time you are planning a day of vegan-feasting, with plenty of fabulous veg-friendly restaurants to choose from, (including the soon-to-be-reviewed-by-me Tofu Hut...)

I am still regretting not buying the orange fondue pot to make some vegan fondue. It's so cute too!

While the hours for Oly Vegan are currently Sunday - Wednesday from 11 am to 7 pm, you might luck out like I did and happen upon a Saturday when they are open as well. So if you are in the area, it's definitely worth stopping by to shop, converse, and show them some vegan love. For more info, be sure and check out their website and Facebook page. And I will begin planning my next trip down as well, hoping that by some miracle the orange fondue pot is still there waiting for me!

No Snow Days at WWU

2012-01-21T18:19:00.000-08:00

My post from last week seems like it was written a lifetime ago now. The days that followed were hectic and generally horrible, and I am glad they are over at last. I enjoy the beauty of a snowy day as much as anyone, but there is a difference between having the capacity to appreciate nature in the snow, and having to fight treacherous conditions to get to work in a city where nearly everything else is shut down, only to deal with being incredibly short-staffed in a stressed-out environment because most people couldn't make it in at all.

In summation, last week was not my favorite. I could go on and on, but I would rather move on to something more fun, and at long last re-visit my recent trip to Olympia. But first I just wanted to say I hope everyone else managed to get through last week ok. I know Olympia was hit really hard, and I am of course thinking about you guys as well. May this next week be better than the last!

Snow Day

2012-01-16T19:21:00.000-08:00

Me outside Oly Vegan Store

Happy Martin Luther King Day to you all! Hope you have been enjoying the wonderful winter weather. I had the pleasure of going to Olympia with my husband this past weekend to visit two of my favorite people, and while there I had breakfast at the always-tasty QB, got to check out the Oly Vegan, (the great new vegan store), and eat dinner at the very vegan-friendly Tofu Hut (which, by the way, also carried yummy cupcakes from the Bearded Lady!)

Whatcom Falls

It was an awesome weekend and I have lots to share with you, but since I was so busy feasting and enjoying myself, I am afraid my 3 day weekend is drawing to a close with not much time left for blogging. So I will leave you with some snowy pictures from our lovely walk through Whatcom Falls Park today, and a promise to return later with lots of vegan goodness from Olympia to share with you. And, if you can do me a favor and somehow persuade the Powers That Be to have WWU declare an official closure due snow tomorrow, then I promise I will spend at least part of the day updating my posts. It's worth a shot, right? :)

Mallards in the snow

Derby Pond

Snowy Trail

Quinoa Chickpea Salad

2012-01-08T15:49:00.000-08:00

Quinoa Chickpea Tomato Parsley Salad: Quick and Easy Goodness!

It's been a little while since I have talked about how much I love Ali Sergersten and her wonderful cookbook and blog. But today I was reminded of how much I really love her recipes when I was searching for something tasty and easy to make after coming home hungry from a four mile hike and before I jumped into my homework for this upcoming week.

There are certain ingredients that are staples for me, things I buy every week and usually have on hand, like lemons, onions, garlic, parsley. Those four ingredients can be used in any number of dishes, and are pretty much impossible to substitute out with something else if you want the flavor profiles to be the same. I also always tend to have chickpeas and quinoa on hand, so I was pleased to find the recipe for the "Composed Salad of Quinoa, Chickpeas, and Tomatoes," a recipe that sounded delicious and didn't look like it would take up too much time to make.

However, I did not leave my salad in its recommended state, as separate ingredients on a platter waiting to be mixed together, (hence the "composed" salad. I guess that would make mine "uncomposed?") No, I threw everything together and mixed well, wanting to save time and dishes, and motivated by both hunger and time constraints. And, I also made a couple of minor alterations, based on the ingredients I had on hand. But I think the essence of the salad was the same, and the flavor combinations were fantastic, as they always are in Ali's recipes.

Here are the basics for my quick version of this salad (which is a meal of a salad--very tasty and filling!)

Rinse and cook 2 cups quinoa.
Combine:
A couple of cans of chickpeas
1 small onion, finely diced (Ali calls for a red one, but I only had a yellow, plus some green onions that needed to be used up, so that's what I used).
1 cup chopped fresh parsley (packed tightly--I was generous with the parsley)
1 cup of olives (I didn't realize I was running low on olives and had less than one cup--will add more next time I make this!)

Lemon Tahini Dressing:
Whisk together 1/2 cup tahini, 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, 1/4 cup olive oil, 3 tablespoons water, 2 cloves crushed garlic, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, and 1 teaspoon salt.

Combine the dressing with the quinoa and other ingredients and mix well. That's it! Fast, simple, and delicious! And, it makes so much, I have plenty leftover for work lunches this week.

Mark Your Calendars! Next Vegan Potluck is scheduled for 5:00 pm, Saturday February 18, 2012.

2012-01-08T14:37:00.000-08:00

I have a list of people who have already emailed me that are interested in the next potluck, and I plan on sending you all an email with more info later on today. If you haven't contacted me, or if you have any questions or need any other info, feel free to email me at veganinbellingham@gmail.com.

I will also post a reminder about the potluck once the day gets closer, I just wanted to make sure that those of you who sometimes have plans or work on Saturdays have time to arrange your schedules because I really want you to be able to come!

We have talked in the past about having a theme, but I think for this one we are just going to leave it open again, so everyone feel free to bring one of your favorite dishes. I am sure there will be a variety of great food to eat! I am also planning to add a little prize drawing for some vegan goodies to the mix, just to make it even more fun. If you want to know what the prize is, you will just have to come and see for yourself...(not that I am saying you need any bribing.) :)

Rosemary Walnuts

2012-01-01T15:44:00.000-08:00

Rosemary Walnuts

I hope everyone had a fantastic time ringing in the New Year! I know that traditionally this is the day when people begin to focus on healthy eating and making up for the indulgences of the holiday season, but despite this, I have one last holiday-ish recipe to share with you. Because one thing I definitely believe in is moderation over deprivation, finding that balance between decadent living and healthy eating, and I think there is nothing wrong with indulging from time to time, whether it be Christmas Day, New Year's Day, or another special day of your choosing.

I love the sharing of food-based family traditions, and one of my favorite holiday treats is my mother-in-law's Rosemary Walnuts. How can something so simple be so amazing, so tasty, (and despite my talk of moderation), so addictive? This past Christmas, I enjoyed whipping up a few batches of these babies to share with family, friends, and co-workers as Christmas gifts, and they were very well-received. If you would like to give these a try yourself, the recipe is quite simple. I think my mother-in-law originally clipped it from a magazine, but it has quickly made it's way into my own personal cookbook as a special festive favorite.

Walnut presents

Simply melt 1/4 cup of vegan butter (I used Earth Balance) and add to it 4 teaspoons of dried rosemary, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Pour over 4 cups of walnuts and mix well. Spread the walnuts on a cookie sheet or flat baking pan and bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Let cool and then voila!

My favorite presents are usually the home-made ones, and so if you are like me and are thinking of something gifty for next year that you could make yourself, then when the time comes next December, you could always do what I did and re-purpose some glass jars, decorate them with Christmas paper and ribbon, and then fill them up with these delicious treats. And if you can't wait until next year, give these a try sooner than that. They are particularly perfect when you are craving something salty and savory. And they are also great for when you have company, be it a little party, a football game, a potluck--just put some of these in a little bowl and watch what happens!

Seriously Funny Vegan Video

2011-12-29T07:35:00.000-08:00

Whenever I find something like this that cracks me up, I know odds are you have probably already seen it, but in case you haven't, I feel the need to share. I love it when vegans can poke fun at themselves, and Ari Solomon does a great job with this short clip.

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-20T17:42:00.000-08:00

So I must begin by apologizing for not writing anything this past weekend. We had some friends visiting from out of town and while we had a lot of fun, I did not find the time to update this blog in the midst of everything. These friends, I should add, enjoy eating great food as much as we do, so of course we had to take them to the Soy House for dinner one night, followed by D'Annas the next! The food was as fabulous as ever, and I am still as in love with the Soy House as is probably humanly possible!

After realizing the weekend had gotten away from me, I intended to write a little something yesterday, but then I got really sick. :( However, thankfully, today I am on the mend, so I thought I could at least pop online briefly and wish you all a wonderful holiday season. I hope you are well and happy, and in case I don't get another chance to write again until after Christmas, let me wish you a Merry Christmas now while I have the chance!

Re-visiting Giuseppe's

2011-12-11T16:51:00.000-08:00

Vegan Pasta Dish from Giuseppe's in November 2011

And just so you have some food-related news this weekend, I added some info to my original Giuseppe's post , in case you are interested.

Update from Whatcom County Planning Commission Meeting last Thursday, December 8, 2011

2011-12-11T16:26:00.000-08:00

So last Thursday we post-poned our weekly dinner with my mother-in-law to attend the public hearing that I mentioned last week. It was heartening to see that there were a number of concerned people in attendance who were ready to listen to the presentation, submit their comments, and participate in this process.

Unfortunately, we were not able to stay for the entire meeting, (which I later heard ran well past 10 pm), but luckily the Coal Trains Facts site posted a summary from Salish Land Policy Solutions, which summarizes the end result of the hearing.

In summation, the Whatcom County Planning Commission decided to table consideration of the Birch Bay Management Plan, at least until its next public meeting on January 12, 2012. The record has been left open for the submission of additional public comments. However, the Commission also voted 9-1 not to adopt amendments submitted by staff that were suggested in response to the concerns raised by the community, and they also expressly left the Gateway Pacific site in the mix.

Basically, it doesn't matter if the Planning Commission says this proposal has nothing to do with SSA Marine's/Gateway Pacific's proposed coal shipping terminal if they are making decisions that expressly involve SSA Marine's ability to push their agenda forward, which would essentially undermine the community's ability to be part of this process. As much as I hate to use a tired cliche, sometimes it is what fits best, and in this case, "Actions speak louder than words." The optimistic part of me is hoping that perhaps they are waiting to vote on this because they want to make sure everyone has the chance to submit their comments, and that eventually they will do the right thing.

So let's take advantage of that hope by please taking the time to submit your comments. It doesn't take too much energy to write up a quick email, and it is important that the County Council and the Planning Commission hear from as many of us as possible.

Please submit your comments to:

pgill@co.whatcom.wa.us

council@co.whatcom.wa.us

PDS_Planning_Commission@co.whatcom.wa.us

Below is the text of the email that my husband and I submitted. Feel free to use this in whatever way is helpful. If you need more help in putting your thoughts together, you can also look at the info posted at Coal Train Facts, the comments by Tom Ehrlichman on Jean Melious's post on this topic, and the piece written by Wendy Harris posted at Northwest Citizen, all of which we borrowed and acquired insight from when drafting our emails:

To the Whatcom County Council Members, the Planning Commission, and Peter Gill,

Having attended the Planning Commission Hearing on December 8, 2011, we would now like to offer additional comments to accompany our original statement submitted via email on December 8, 2011.

We are aware that in response to community concerns, staff proposed amendments that:
(a) Made clear the fee-in-lieu program could not be applied within the Cherry Point Major Industrial Urban Growth Area;
(b) Removed a loophole allowing non-LID (low impact development) projects to use the fee program.

It is surprising to us that these proposed amendment were not adopted when they were proposed in the hopes of addressing public concerns. We ask that the Gateway Pacific Coal Export Facility not be allowed to further reduce buffers for streams and wetlands through payment of the “fee in lieu” allowed in the proposed ordinance. Even if the Cherry Point UGA were excluded from the program, extensive railroad improvements on Terrell Creek and in identified “restoration” wetlands could result in reduced wetland and stream buffers, unless railroad uses are also expressly excluded, so we ask that they be excluded as well.

To reiterate our concerns from our original email, we are still asking that the County clarify in writing how this plan would apply to industrial development, and also how it would apply to projects that are partly inside and partly outside the Birch Bay watershed, especially since there is a portion of the Cherry Point Industrial area located within the Birch Bay watershed, which includes the SSA project site and the rail line.

Despite Planning Staff assurances that industrial development does not qualify for low impact development, and therefore, the offsite mitigation program, we remain concerned. If there is a loophole in the offsite mitigation proposal that might allow SSA to reduce stream and wetland buffers along rail lines within the Birch Bay watershed, then this is unacceptable. Proposed rail improvements on the coal export facility property and on tracks owned by BNSF leading to the property will occur within the Birch Bay Watershed. Those improvements include crossings of streams (Terrell and California Creeks). This rail work would likely involve extensive disturbance of a major wetland system characterized under the Birch Bay Watershed Pilot Study as having “good restoration potential.”

If a reduction in buffers could be allowed even without engaging in low impact development, and the only criterion for judging whether this provision has been applied properly by staff is whether the project as a whole has “minimal effects,” not whether the reduced buffer would have a minimal effect on the stream or wetland in question, then under such a loosely defined standard, it would be almost impossible to overturn the staff’s discretion.

We ask that the Planning Commission revise the offsite mitigation program to specifically prohibit its use for industrial development, thus eliminating any potential loophole for SSA. This revision would add clarity to the proposal. We request you revise the ordinance consistent with the Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve and the County’s shoreline program.

If the Planning Commission or staff continues to recommend the ordinance as originally proposed without these amendments, industrial and railroad developments within the watershed could use the fee in-lieu or reduced buffers. In that case, we are concerned that the County has not completed an EIS to determine how reduced buffers for industrial and railroad areas would affect the Birch Bay Watershed and the Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve. We thought it was well established that the smaller the buffers the more water quality problems you got from development. If these amendments were facilitated by the “MAP” team and County staff reviewing the proposed coal export facility, as emails suggest, there is even more reason to conduct an EIS that takes into account how these amendments might be used for the well-described coal export facility.

In addition, it seems clear to us that the impacts of industry and railroads using these provisions should be studied as part of the Birch Bay pilot study and environmental review. Now that County staff has produced a map showing the coal facility property is within the watershed, it seems appropriate for staff to post further notices of these amendments and any others on the Gateway Pacific website to inform us and the public of available hearings.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the proposed amendments to the Critical Areas Ordinance (WCC 16.16), changing buffer widths for streams and wetlands in the Birch Bay watershed and the adjacent Cherry Point Urban Growth Area.

Quick and Easy Smoky Chickpeas

2011-12-04T14:32:00.000-08:00

Smoky Chickpeas

This is one of my favorite Crockpot recipes because it is quick, easy, cheap, and tasty!
All you need are:

2-3 chopped onions (3 if they are small)
3 large carrots, sliced
4 cloves minced garlic
2-3 cans chickpeas (depending on how big a batch you want to make--I usually use 3)
4 tspns chopped cilantro
1-2 cans diced tomatoes (again, depending on how big a batch you are making. I prefer the organic S&W diced tomatoes because they hold up well in terms of flavor and consistency when slow-cooking)
1 tspn salt
1 tspn thyme
1tspn smoked paprika
Also, if you don't use 2 cans of tomatoes and are worried about how much liquid is in the pot, or if you want more of a "soupy" dish, you could add some vegetable broth as well. I sometimes add about 1/2 a cup of broth for more liquid, and then serve the chickpeas over some brown rice once it is cooked.

Pre-cooking some of the ingredients

I like to pre-cook some of the ingredients just a little bit before putting them in the Crockpot, to jump-start some of the flavor combinations. So if you want to try it the way I make it, then on the stovetop, saute the chopped onions, carrots, garlic, and cilantro, in a little olive oil (or in a bit of water), cooking until softened, just for a few minutes. Add thyme, salt, and tomatoes, and cook for a bit longer, then throw everything into the Crockpot along with the chickpeas, and cook on high for 4 hours.

The chickpeas get sort of soft and creamy, and the smoked paprika flavor goes really well with the carrots and tomatoes. This is one of those dishes that is great for lunches at work during the week when you want something warm and rich in flavor.

Important meeting related to the proposed coal shipping terminal this Thursday 12/8 at the Whatcom County Courthouse

2011-12-04T14:05:00.000-08:00

Here's a video made by Columbia RiverKeeper that I found on the Power Past Coal site that highlights some of the problems with the proposed coal terminal. If you haven't already seen it, you should check it out--it's only a few minutes long.

Also, I want to share with you some information that I recently received about a meeting this coming Thursday evening at 6:30 at the Whatcom County Council Chambers:

ATTEND THURSDAY 12/8: The Whatcom County Planning Commission will consider regulation changes that would allow an additional 10% reduction in buffers on wetlands and creeks in the Cherry Point Industrial Zone (compared to what is currently allowed). There is confusion over whether this draft reflects the staff interpretation that buffers could even be reduced further to zero width. Reductions in buffer widths in any amount would impact water quality for Cherry Point if SSA were allowed to develop under these new, lax standards. Please attend the meeting and ask the Commission to "amend proposed code section 16.16.920E, so that the new reduced buffer widths are not available for the Cherry Point Industrial District and UGA."

This is the first public hearing of any kind concerning the site for the proposed coal export facility. Your voice can help send the message that the community supports maximum preservation of water quality in the Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve.

For more information about this issue, please check out the latest great post over at "Get Whatcom Planning." Once again, circumstances have made it very clear that we need to stay informed and involved because something happens nearly every day that could affect the outcome of this project. Yes, it may end up being a long process, but that doesn't mean that we can afford to stop paying attention during this time.

If you can't make it Thursday, (or even if you can), you can also write or call to share your thoughts:
Becky Boxx, Coordinator
Whatcom County PDS
5280 Northwest Drive
Bellingham, WA 98226
Phone: (360)676-6907
Fax: (360)738-2525
Email: PDS_Planning_Commission@co.whatcom.wa.us

Tune in tomorrow at 10:00 am to radio station KGMI AM 790 for a debate about the proposed coal terminal

2011-12-02T19:23:00.000-08:00

SATURDAY 12/3: SSA's representative Craig Cole, labor leader Chris Johnson, North Sound Baykeeper Matt Krogh, and local doctor Jan Dank will debate the coal terminal for two hours on Mike Kent's radio show. It's a call-in show in Bellingham. Please call in!!

10 am to noon on KGMI AM 790 Call in: 676-KGMI

Sunday Thanksgiving wrap-up

2011-11-27T17:35:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving plate 2011

I had to laugh when I realized that my Thanksgiving plate from last year and my Thanksgiving plate from this year were almost identical! (Except for the lemon-zested garlic green beans in place of spinach with pine nuts and lemon & garlic asparagus.) I guess I know what I like. :) I hope you and yours had a wonderful holiday and had ample time to ponder all that you are thankful for while relaxing and enjoying yourselves. I am assuming by now leftovers have been consumed and people are, like me, gearing up for the work week ahead. I can't believe how fast the days have gone by.

Just to let you know, in response to Lyle's comment about the vegan pumpkin pie from the Co op listing "butter" as an ingredient, I have emailed the Co op and will let you know what I hear back. I am hoping they meant that they used the Earth Balance vegan butter, as is usually the case...

Thanksgiving plate 2010

In other blog-news, I have added a few new article links to the Bellingham Beyond Coal: SSA Marine/GPT page in case you are interested. And, I have posted my review of Gardein Savory Stuffed Turk'y over on my Vegan Product Reviews site.

One holiday regret that is currently with me is that I forgot to get a picture of the gluten-free meatless loaf that I made based on Fat Free Vegan's recipe! I think I was just so excited about it completely slipped my mind to photograph it--something that doesn't often happen. But let me assure you, I will be making it again--it was DELICIOUS! If you have never tried it, you totally should. (And just a hint--you can find quinoa flakes at most stores in the bulk foods section--I got mine at The Market on Lakeway.)

And that about wraps it up for me for now, so until later...

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-23T21:44:00.000-08:00

Payton from the Farm Sanctuary website

Best wishes to everyone for a very happy Thanksgiving tomorrow. I am pleased to say I am looking forward to a very happy one myself. I have spent the day preparing for tomorrow, finishing up school assignments, cooking, cleaning, and enjoying the company of my omnivorous best friend (who is back in town after being gone for nearly a year!) and who is going to celebrate Thanksgiving vegan-style with my husband and me tomorrow.

Today I attempted to bake a gluten-free "Thanksgiving Meatless Loaf" for a certain gluten-free person in my life, recipe courtesy of everyone's favorite Fat Free Kitchen blog, and that will be one of the main dishes at our table tomorrow, along with, of course, the traditional Tofurky, something my husband always looks forward to and enjoys. Speaking of Tofurky, Ginny Messina, author of The Vegan R.D., wrote a very nice piece entitled: "A Vegan Thanksgiving Celebrates Good Food, Activism, and Hope," and since tomorrow marks my 22 year anniversary of when I stopped eating meat, I found her post to be particularly meaningful.

Another article you should really check out is about the proposed coal terminal, and it is called "The Coal Pipeline: In Pacific Northwest, a Local Battle Has Global Fallout." Writer Lynne Peeples points out that this proposed plan could "drive up carbon dioxide emissions more than the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline." As I have mentioned before, there are still plenty of opportunities to get involved with this important issue, and it is gratifying to see that we are beginning to receive more and more national attention.

In a somewhat-related subject, I thought I would share with you one of the projects I have been working on that has been keeping me so busy these days--(which is one of the reasons I bought a pre-made vegan pumpkin pie for tomorrow from the Co op! A certain someone caught me in the act and expressed her shock, so I thought I would come clean before she left a comment calling me out...) I recently finished a presentation for my class that explored the relationship between food consumption in the United States and the environment, and I have uploaded it to slideshare again, in case you are interested:

Population and consumption

View more presentations from veganinbellingham

I really enjoyed the process of researching this subject and I hope to develop some of the ideas I touched upon briefly into something more substantial in the future. One of the key points that became very clear to me the more I researched was that it is very important that we become informed about the implications of our food choices, and that we all make sure we are educated about where our food comes from. Vegan or omnivorous, this holds true for everyone.

Well, I said I would write a pre-Thanksgiving post, so I guess this is it. I will definitely return to the other subjects I mentioned earlier at a later date. In the meantime, I hope your holiday is happy and wonderful and filled with good food and happy family and friends. I should be off for now--I need to go and adopt my turkey from Farm Sanctuary!

A Slight Delay . . .

2011-11-20T18:23:00.000-08:00

While I normally update this blog on the weekends, this Sunday I find myself pushing my update to Wednesday, at which point I will write a pre-Thanksgiving post! Due to competing obligations and time constraints, I find myself consumed with schoolwork at the moment and unable to spend much time on much else, but that will shortly be resolved, (for awhile anyway), at which point in time I will be able to write about some of the things that have been on my mind. Watch for upcoming posts on:

A visit to Giuseppe's at the waterfront location.
An update on local efforts and new articles/information regarding the proposed coal shipping terminal project.
An interview with Bellingham's own amazing and talented environmental photographer Paul Anderson.
A great recipe for a cheap, easy, and delicious smokey chickpea, carrot, and tomato crockpot dish.
Two New Product Reviews: One for Gardein "Savory Stuffed Turk'y" and another for Sophie's Kitchen vegan breaded "fish" fillet (BTW: Happy Discovery of the Weekend: Sophie's products are now available locally at The Market on Lakeway!)
A new Powerpoint Project that examines the relationship between meat and dairy consumption and environmental health.
And, hopefully, information regarding the next vegan potluck!

So check back in a few days, and in the meantime, thanks for reading, commenting, and being patient with me.

Power Past Coal Meeting Tomorrow, November 14, 6:30 pm

2011-11-13T15:58:00.000-08:00

Just passing on an invitation to join the Sierra Club, ReSources, and the Power Past Coal campaign for a meeting of volunteers to take place tomorrow evening, Monday, November 14th, from 6:30-8:30 pm at the Bellingham Public Library. Hope you can make it and that I see you there!

Veganism: It's Not Just Tofu and Leafy Greens

2011-11-12T11:50:00.000-08:00

Photos by Rhys Logan/University Communications

Thanks again to everyone who made it to my presentation on Tuesday. I had such a fun time and it was so nice to feel the support of so many wonderful people. I always enjoy talking about food and getting to connect with people about veganism, and I feel really fortunate to have had this opportunity.

Rhys Logan, (who is a fabulous photographer with Western Washington University's "University Communications"), took some really great pictures of this event. I have posted a couple but there are also some more here. (And, if you have a few minutes, you should also flip through his lovely pictures of the gorgeous Fall colors at WWU and see for yourself what a beautiful season we have been enjoying here in Bellingham.)

I have had a couple of requests to share my Powerpoint, so I have posted it here in this blog entry. Unfortunately, it is lacking the transitions between slides, (which I had so much fun playing with and geeking out over when I created the Powerpoint!), and it is also of course lacking any narrated context, so please feel free to email me if you have any questions after looking at it.

Veganism

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During the presentation, I explored some of the reasons why people choose to become vegan, knowing that those reasons are different for everyone. There is one particular slide where I talk about Emily, a childhood pet, and if you are curious about the context, I originally wrote a piece about her in 2009, which touches on some of what I talked about during the presentation. I also talked about the Thanksgiving I decided to stop eating meat, and here again there is another post I wrote in 2009 which can be viewed as an accompaniment to the Thanksgiving slide.

Photos by Rhys Logan/University Communications

I really loved the question and answer session after the slideshow, and I wish I had been able to write down the questions I was asked because there were some really good ones! I am trying to remember them all now because they would make great topics for future blog posts. Lyle asked me what some of my favorite cookbooks are, and I of course listed the Veganomicon, a must-have in any vegan cookbook collection, but I also talked about Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker. Those are definitely two of my favorites, and then there is also this page I can refer you to for a few more recommended titles. One of these days I will publish a longer list--I did admit during the presentation that I am a cookbook junkie, and I just love scouring through my cookbooks for inspiration.

I was also pleased to hear from a number of people that the food pictures made them hungry! Yes,the presentation was during the lunch hour, but I am very happy to think that the pictures of so much yummy vegan food appealed to an audience of both vegans and omnivores alike. I really hoped people would come away with a new or enhanced view of how vegan food can also be delicious food.

All-in-all, the event surpassed my expectations, and left me feeling very happy, lucky, and content. Thanks again to the wonderful people at Western Libraries, Village Books (esp. Dave and Christina), University Communications (esp. Rhys Logan for taking such great pics), and to everyone who made it possible through your interest and support! It meant a lot to me that people would take time out of their busy schedules to come join me for this event, and I will always gratefully and happily remember it as being a very special and meaningful day.

Cookbook Review: Eat Vegan on $4 a Day: "Chocolate Surprise Cake"

2011-11-06T11:42:00.000-08:00


Vegan Chocolate Surprise Cake

While preparing for my presentation on Tuesday, I have been thinking a lot about common vegan myths and misconceptions, one of which is that it is expensive to eat a vegan diet. It has been my experience that this is not the case. If you buy whole foods, bulk foods, fresh and frozen produce, and if you do most of the cooking yourself, you can actually eat foods that are healthy, delicious, and inexpensive. Last week I received a new vegan cookbook to review which explores this very topic, by Ellen Jaffe Jones, which has the intriguing title of Eat Vegan on $4 a Day.

For anyone just beginning their exploration into the world of vegan cooking who is interested in finding simple and inexpensive ways to eat healthy, this would be a great book. It would also be a helpful cookbook for college students on a budget who don't have a lot of cooking experience, free time, or much money. There is a lot of useful information in this book about shopping for organic produce, buying local, budgeting, and cooking staples that you can buy in bulk. I tend to rely heavily on canned beans because they seem to save time for me when I am in a hurry, and so I was interested in Ellen's helpful suggestions for using dried beans. She recommends soaking beans overnight and then throwing them in the slow cooker to cook before you go to work so that they will be cooked once you get home. I use my slow cooker all the time for stews and soups and other tasty dishes, but it never occurred to me to also use it just for cooking beans!

Out of all the recipes in the book, the one I just knew I had to try as soon as I read it was for the "Chocolate Surprise Cake." You may remember I have a fondness for sweet treats that are also healthy. Well this tasty, moist, and flavorful cake uses dates and other fruit for its sugars, and is also full of carrots, beets, and zucchini. A vegetable chocolate cake, you ask? Why yes, and it is quite delicious!

To make this amazing cake, preheat your oven to 350, and then mix together:

1 and 2/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder

In a blender, combine until smooth:

3 cups whole pitted dates
8 ounce can pineapple chunks
1 cup applesauce
1 banana

In a large bowl, mix together:

1 cup shredded beets
1 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup shredded zucchini
1/2 cup coarsely chopped dates (I ran out of dates, so I substituted 1/2 cup raisins)

Combine flour mixture with shredded veggies etc and stir in:

1 cup vegan milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Add the blended date mixture and mix well. Pour batter into a 9x13 inch cake pan and bake for 1 hour.

Ellen also includes a recipe for a nut-based frosting, but I happened to have a little vegan chocolate icing leftover from an earlier cooking project, so I just used that up on the cake instead. I also cut the baked cake in half and stacked it to make a layer cake.

This recipe is a keeper for me, and it has definitely piqued my interest in exploring the world of baking desserts out of vegetable ingredients. I have known for awhile now that carrot cake and zucchini bread can be amazing, but this chocolate cake was definitely a surprise for me.

An Upcoming Event, and, Happy World Vegan Day!

2011-11-01T19:24:00.000-07:00

As you may already know, today is World Vegan Day! I hope yours has been a good one. I wanted to take advantage of this day by inviting you to join me next Tuesday at noon at Village Books where I will be giving a little talk called "Veganism: It's Not Just Tofu and Leafy Greens," as part of a speaker series offered by Western Libraries and Village Books. I hope to see you there!

Date: Tuesday, November 8, 2011 from noon to 1:00pm
Location: 1200 11th St. (Fairhaven) Bellingham, WA

Craig Cole and trusting "the process" for the Gateway Pacific Coal Shipping Terminal at Cherry Point

2011-10-30T17:23:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday, Western's AS hosted a panel discussion regarding the proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal at Cherry Point, and in case you missed it, I wanted to share with you some of my impressions. The panel consisted of: Craig Cole, the spokesperson for the Gateway Pacific Terminal, Chris Johnson, representing Labor, Jack Delay from Communitywise, Bob Ferris from RE Sources, and Jean Melious, from WWU who is also one of the writers of the wonderful local blog: Get Whatcom Planning. (She also wrote an excellent post on this topic that you should read).

Having attended a number of these events, this was my first one where Craig Cole was also present, and I was curious to hear what he had to say and see how he responded to the various questions surrounding this issue. I found his approach to be friendly, casual, and a little smooth. Knowing his audience, he began by introducing himself as a former Fairhaven College student, wisely associating himself with something as vastly different as you could ever imagine from a wealthy businessman focused on making a profit. (Although at one point during the evening, he did declare rather vehemently that he did not care what the terminal shipped, whether it was coal or anything else, which sort of reinforced the businessman over the Fairhaven-student identity. Implications of shipping coal to China be damned if there is money to be made!)

When asked to declare his response to any question pertaining to potential negative environmental implications that would result from this project, he was fairly consistent, more or less sticking to his script, which was essentially something along the lines of: "I can't answer that but I am aware of your concerns and what I do know is that there is a process in place for exploring these issues. I trust the process, the science, the facts--all I am saying is if we can address the concerns that come from this process and provide mitigation, then just give us a chance to bring these jobs to this community."

I am of course paraphrasing. I did not have a tape recorder and am working from a memory that is several days old at this point, but this pretty much summarizes my impression of what he said whenever he was faced with questions based on "science" or "facts."

Basically, he didn't want to answer any question that he was not forced by law to answer, and any logical conclusion the community drew at this point in time based on "science" and "numbers" that they had researched themselves were outside what he considered to be "the process" that he trusted so much, which meant he saw no reason to respect or consider them.

This process has served him well so far. One need only see how well SSA Marine has fared despite their illegal "land clearing" and wetland destruction, which he casually referred to as "a screw-up" (and that is a direct quote), to see why Mr. Cole believes in this process.

Mayor Dan Pike showed up to ask the question about why Craig kept promoting the idea that trains going to Canada were inevitable etc (see my post of October 15 for my thoughts on this issue) and what was interesting to me was that here was the one place Craig Cole expressed an awful lot of certainty. He KNEW this was going to happen because it was going to happen, and he's talked to people "in the industry" who know it's going to happen. Now, he can't be certain that there will be any problems from the coal trains or from us shipping coal, or even if GPT will indeed be shipping coal at all because it could be other products as well--it is after all, a shipping terminal--he was always careful to not call it a coal terminal but rather emphasize the "shipping" aspect of it. All this uncertainty, all this waiting for "the process" to determine the outcomes, and yet, he was absolutely positive the coal would be coming up through Bellingham to go to Canada no matter what. I found that fascinating.

Make no mistake, the permit pending is for a COAL shipping terminal, not a shipping terminal. And not just a coal shipping terminal, but rather the largest coal shipping terminal in all of North America. I thought Jean and others did a pretty good job of making this clear, despite Craig Cole's frustrating smooth-talking.

One other highlight of the evening occurred when well-respected community member Dr. Frank James asked Craig if he would support an independent comprehensive review of the health impacts of this project, and rather than answer Dr. James thoughtfully and respectfully, he instead questioned the credibility of the Whatcom Docs report because of the number of doctors who live near the railroad tracks. The audience was quite shocked, and Dr. James was quick to point out that this assumption was not true, at which point Craig Cole offered to make a friendly wager on whether or not it was. Unfortunately, it became clear that Craig was being rudely dismissive and would not answer Dr. James' question, at which point Dr.James left.

Craig Cole's response to Dr. James raised two interesting points: 1) So what if the doctors live by the tracks? Shouldn't that make them all the more concerned? How does that discredit them or their findings? and 2) If Craig was trying to call into question the integrity of the doctors by implying that they are concerned about decreasing property values, then Craig Cole is admitting that property values would go down as a result of increased train traffic, something he could earlier in the evening not be certain of until the "process" explored all of the issues. And, if we are going to talk about vested interests and integrity, which person on that panel has the most to gain personally from this project being approved? That's right: Craig Cole does.

One major takeaway from this panel event is that the importance of community involvement in this "process" is now even clearer than ever before. Things are heating up and we still have a long road ahead of us, but that doesn't mean something is not happening every day along the way. We do not need to wait for Craig's official process to begin in order to be involved. Our process starts now, and there is nothing stopping us from doing our own research and finding out the facts for ourselves, and doing whatever it takes to be part of the process that Craig trusts so much.

Potatoes "Au Gratin" Casserole

2011-10-23T15:52:00.000-07:00

Now that I am in school again while still working full-time, I find myself cooking more and more on the weekend so that I can menu plan quick, easy, inexpensive, and tasty meals for the busy week ahead. I have to really budget my time these days, and so of course, my Crock Pot is one of my best friends, as is any great casserole recipe.

Today I made a potato casserole that I found in The Everything Vegan Cookbook, which I modified slightly. I doubled the recipe so I would be sure to have plenty of leftovers, added a lot of fresh parsley, changed the amounts of some of the ingredients, and baked it a little longer than suggested. It turned out delicious. This works great as a side dish that you could easily pair with some kind of green veggie and a protein of your choice.

The sauce:

Melt 2 tablespoons margarine over low heat and stir in 3 tablespoons of flour.
Add 4 cups unsweetened almond milk.
Stir in 3 teaspoons onion powder, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, and 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast.
Stir in 2 teaspoons lemon juice (I may have added a little more than 2 teaspoons) 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika.
Whisk over low to medium heat until thickened.

Preheat oven to 375 and spray a rectangular casserole pan with non-stick spray. Peel and thinly slice 8 or 9 small to medium sized potatoes, and chop two onions. In the casserole dish, begin arranging potato slices, onions, and parsley. Pour sauce on top over the first layer,and then add another layer of potatoes, onions, and parsley. Add more sauce, and then more potatoes etc, and then more sauce etc, and repeat process until all the ingredients are used up. Sprinkle some breadcrumbs or french fried onions on top if desired, and then it's ready to go.

Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Then uncover and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes. Enjoy!

The Latest on Cherry Point and the Myth of Trains to Canada

2011-10-15T21:31:00.000-07:00

It's been a little while since I have written about one of Bellingham's most pressing issues, the proposed coal shipping terminal at Cherry Point. Last week I attended a couple of different events that got me thinking about this issue once again, (although to be honest, it is never very far from my mind).

The first event was one organized by the wonderful Folletts, (who I am sure you know by now if you have gone to any of the local meetings), and it was held at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal this past Wednesday. It featured Mayor Dan Pike, Matt Krogh, Frank James, and Fred Felleman who answered questions about the Gateway Pacific Terminal and increased coal trains in Whatcom County.The second event I attended was a lecture given by Bob Ferris of ReSources at WWU this past Friday. Bob's lecture wasn't necessarily supposed to be about the proposed coal terminal, but of course the subject came up. As always, his answers and explanations were informed, clear, and articulate.

One thing that continually surprises me is that this question is still being asked: If Bellingham says no to this terminal, won't the trains come through Bellingham on their way to Canada anyway, only we will miss out on the opportunity for jobs by saying no? I am continuously surprised that this argument is still being proposed after it has been proven baseless so many times. So in case anyone asks you this same question, I will summarize briefly the answer that I hope will become common knowledge:

Shipping terminals in Canada are at capacity. At this point in time, they cannot handle any more coal. If they expand, as some have proposed, they would be expanding to handle the coal from Canadian markets, not American. In addition, even if they wanted American coal (which they don't), they would only be able to expand to handle about one third or less of what SSA Marine is proposing to ship, which means these shipping terminals would not be a viable option. On top of that, communities in Canada don't want their communities turned into coal exporting communities any more than we do, which means they are also currently protesting expansion attempts, so any expansion is far from being a done deal. We have the opportunity and the ability to stop this project and the export of coal from the Powder River Basin to China.

Another thing that has become abundantly clear is that this is NOT about jobs for Bellingham. The only jobs that have been verified according to SSA Marine's own permit requests is around 200 over the course of 15 years. The health costs for our community alone do not outweigh the benefits of 200 possible jobs that take a decade and a half to produce, and that's not even talking about the costs to our environment, (both local and global).

If you haven't already, I encourage you to please become informed and get involved. There is a lot of information out there and many ways to help. If you have questions, they can be answered. I have started a page to organize relevant information regarding this issue all in one spot. Hopefully it is helpful. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have anything you would like to add or if you have any questions. For the latest local action taking place and how you can help, please see this page for more information.

Mi Casa Mexican Food: 505 32nd St Ste 103

2011-10-08T18:42:00.000-07:00

Chochoyotes and Wild Mushrooms

Long, long, ago when I was a poor hard-working-yet-broke college student, I lived on 32nd Street in a cheap teeny apartment with a 2x2 foot kitchen and paper thin walls. Because I walked everywhere and had limited funds, and I would have given anything for some place nearby that served good food for those rare occasions when I could afford to splurge and eat out. At that time, 505 32nd Street had a weird pizza place and a funky laundry mat where you could play an arcade bowling game, rent a mailbox, or get key copies made. And that was about it--back then there was nothing like the wonderful food choices that have since cropped up, including QQ Li, Mediterranean Specialties, and last but not least, Mi Casa.

I have been hearing good things about Mi Casa for awhile now. I even sent them an email asking about vegan options back in March, and their response was very helpful and sounded promising. Last night my husband and I finally had a chance to eat dinner at Mi Casa, and based on that experience, we will definitely be returning.

We were greeted very warmly as soon as we arrived, and all of my questions about vegan options were easily answered. One thing they made clear was not to let the lack of the word "vegan" on the menu dissuade you because the majority of the items on the menu could easily be made vegan. They do use chicken stock in their rice, but they can always sub out a tasty cabbage salad instead of rice, which I prefer anyway. The enchilada sauces are vegan, and they offer tofu and/or veggies with a number of items. The food is cooked fresh and made to order, so your meal feels and tastes home-cooked, not like a fast food or chain restaurant. (They can also make the majority of their menu items gluten-free.)

Since I was not sure what to order because of so many possible choices, and because there was a special on the menu that used mushrooms (which you may know I always have a weakness for), I decided to try the "Chochoyotes and Wild Mushrooms," which was a dish of handmade corn masa gnocchi with sauteed vegetables, wild mushrooms, and spinach, finished in a white wine sauce and served over black beans with fresh guacamole.

While we waited for our food, I took the opportunity to discreetly observe the other diners in the restaurant. The space is pleasantly small and somewhat intimate, and my husband had a perfect view of the kitchen behind me where he could watch my meal being prepared. The couple next to us spoke to each other about how much they liked Mi Casa, and how they were glad to see it was full. The couple behind us were just receiving their food and my husband noticed that as they were served, they were also informed that the tomatoes and yellow squashes were from the restaurant's own garden. The mother and child to our left also seemed happy with their meal, ordering non-dairy dishes with no problem.

I was very satisfied with my dinner choice and would definitely order it again. Everything tasted garden-fresh, especially the tomatoes, and the guacamole was particularly flavorful. I liked the masa gnocchi a lot, and the mushrooms in wine sauce were perfect. My only critique has to do with the black beans, which were a bit undercooked, dry, and under-seasoned, (which is nothing a little salt and slower-cooking or longer pre-soaking in water couldn't fix). Other than that, it was a fabulous dinner and I look forward to dining at Mi Casa again sometime soon. It's nice to find another local vegan-friendly place to add to my ever-expanding list, especially one with so many choices. (And thanks to Serena for recommending we check out Mi Casa--you were right, it's great!)

Vegan Macaroni and Cheese! (A Shout -Out to Binary Vegan)

2011-10-08T17:31:00.000-07:00

vegan macaroni and cheese yummy-ness

Trish over at Binary Vegan posted a fabulous recipe for mac 'n "cheese" awhile back, and I finally had a chance to try it last weekend. I agree with her that it turns out delicious and is definitely a recipe worth keeping! It also got me thinking about all of the other veggie combos I could try out with this recipe some time. If you want to give it a shot yourself, she posted the recipe here. (I followed it pretty closely, although I think I used a bit more tofu and only 1/4 cup olive oil).

Thanks again for sharing your recipe Trish!

Brandywine Kitchen: 1317 Commercial Street

2011-10-01T18:56:00.000-07:00


Sloppy Jane and French Fries

I finally had the pleasure of dining at Brandywine Kitchen last night and I am so glad I went when I did. They happened to offer a "special" that I hope they will consider adding to their menu permanently. The "Sloppy Jane" is a wonderful sandwich made with a tofu-based filling covered in a flavorful tamarind tomato sauce and fresh herbs over fresh arugula served on a yummy crusty baguette-type bread. Both the texture and the flavor of this sandwich was really really good. The Sloppy Jane was originally supposed to come with feta cheese, but it could easily be made vegan by leaving it off, and while I might be a little biased, I didn't think it needed cheese at all!

French Fried Goodness

As you may remember from some earlier post comments, Brandywine Kitchen confirmed for me via email that their french fries are really and truly vegan! Made from fresh potatoes, cooked in peanut oil in a separate fryer with no meat contamination, we vegans in Bellingham can now eat vegan french fries at an actual restaurant in town! In the past, I have only ever been able to eat french fries at vegan restaurants in Seattle or elsewhere, limiting my french fry consumption to perhaps once a year. And while this lack of local vegan fries may have been healthier for me, I am pleased to know that if I ever do get a craving for salty french fried goodness, I finally have a place to go that doesn't require a long drive out of town. And, I should add, these aren't ordinary fries--they have a wonderful authentic potato flavor, and they aren't anything like the greasy fries you find at some horrible fast food place. These fries are pretty awesome.

Brandwine Kitchen itself is in quite a nice space, with high ceilings and a roomy open feel. Unfortunately, while the brick walls are attractive, they also amplify sound so it can get quite noisy when you are trying to converse with your dinner mates and the restaurant is crowded. Although, the same can be said of any number of places in Bellingham, and generally that is not a deterrent for me when it comes to going somewhere to eat delicious food. The staff was also quite nice and didn't mind when we asked if we could push two tables together to accommodate our group. And while the person at the counter was not completely knowledgeable about vegan options from the start, he was very good about going to the kitchen to get the answers to my questions for me.

I recommend giving them a try if you haven't already. Currently, the only regularly offered vegan-izeable options at Brandywine are: the portobello sandwich, the green salad with the rosemary-balsamic salad dressing, and the french fries. But maybe you will be lucky like I was and go there on a night where they have a fantastic dinner special like the Sloppy Jane. I plan on sending them an email and letting them know it was a winner, and hopefully they will consider letting it stick around as a regular option.

Vegan Beef-less Stew

2011-09-25T15:59:00.000-07:00

Crock Pot Vegan Beef-less Stew

Ah, the Crock Pot. One of my favorite time-savers. I LOVE my Crock Pot. It is one of the best purchase I ever made. And now that I am not only working full-time but also in grad school, I need even more help saving time and money without sacrificing flavor or an overall sense of yummy-ness. This weekend I made one of my husband's favorites: "Beef" Stew. I didn't write down what I was doing as I did it, so what follows is a rough approximation.

Start by sauteing 1 chopped large onion, 2 cloves garlic, 3 stalks sliced celery, and about half a bag of chopped baby carrots in a pan in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over low to medium heat. I did this for a few minutes, and then threw in some chopped sage leaves from my sage plant, some parsley, a little sherry, a little salt and pepper, and then finally 6 chopped small baby portabello mushrooms. I covered this with a lid and let it cook down a little longer, and then I stirred in one small can of tomato paste and covered it again, this time turning the heat off.

Meanwhile, I peeled and chopped two potatoes into big stew-sized chunks, and put them in the Crock Pot with some vegetable broth that I needed to use up (from one of those big cartons--it was probably 3/4 full). I then dumped the contents of the pan into the Crock Pot, added some Merlot that was not quite good enough to drink but would taste great cooked down (not sure how much--probably about a cup?), and turned the Crock Pot on low for maybe six hours or so.

When I thought things were close to being done, I tested a potato to make sure it was cooked, unplugged the Crock Pot, added about 1/2 a bag of frozen peas and 1 bag of frozen Gardein Beefless Tips. I stirred everything up, put the lid back on, and let it sit turned off. The trick is to add the Gardein and the peas last because the heat from the cooked ingredients will cook them without over-cooking them. You can let this sit out for a couple of hours for the flavors to blend even more and it will still stay hot, even turned off.

The result was perfect and tasty, just right for satisfying a craving for a warm and hearty stew. And if you don't want to use Gardein, then you can always add more mushrooms for your "beef." They are great at absorbing the rich flavor from the red wine as they slow cook.

Another Reason to Visit Victoria

2011-09-24T17:56:00.000-07:00

I don't have a picture of Sarah, so here is a picture of Victoria!

I am so bummed I missed the opening of Sarah's Place by only a couple of weeks! That's right, one of my Favorite Vegans Ever, Sarah Kramer, has opened "the world's smallest" vegan shop. Sarah has also created an awesome Vegan Guide to Downtown Victoria, and I recently discovered a great Victoria Vegan Blog, which has created another wonderful Victoria Vegan News and Resource Guide. Now I really can't wait to go back to Victoria!

Wayward Vegan Cafe: 5253 University Way NE, Seattle, WA

2011-09-18T15:21:00.000-07:00

Wayward Vegan Cafe

Yesterday my husband and I had some plans in Seattle in the afternoon, so on our way there we stopped off for brunch at a place I have been dying to try for ages now: the Wayward Vegan Cafe. I have heard nothing but good things about this restaurant, and after my gorgeously delicious and filling meal yesterday, I can see why.

You may already know that vegans who are used to having only one or two meals to choose from are often confronted with extreme bewilderment once presented with an entire menu of choices, all of which sound amazing. Planning ahead, I printed off the menu before we left Bellingham so I could read the descriptions all of the delectable-sounding dishes out loud to my husband on the drive down, giving us plenty of time to decide what to order and savor our anticipation.


Biscuits Maximus

If you have been reading my blog for any length of time, then you know I have a weakness for biscuits and gravy, so of course when I read the description of the "Biscuits Maximus," my mind was made up: "Two of our house-made herb biscuits topped with sauteed green peppers, onions, and broccoli, covered with mushroom gravy. Served with a side of garlic steamed greens."

It ended up being a mammoth amount of food. The only thing I would do differently next time is change my order from a "Maximus," (two biscuits) to a "Minimus," (one biscuit), because these biscuits were HUGE! I had no idea they would be so large, (although the word "Maximus" should have tipped me off!) The gravy was so tasty and the biscuits were the first biscuits I have eaten at a restaurant that I liked as much as my own homemade ones. They were so so SO good. And, add to that, half the plate was filled with flavorful cooked kale, the perfect complement, in my opinion, to a hearty meal of biscuits and gravy, because you really do need some veg to balance out the starchy goodness. (And kale is one of my Favorite Foods.)

Steamed Garlic Greens

The atmosphere of the restaurant itself was great, mellow and cute and clean. You place your order at the window in front of the kitchen area, and you pay at the same time. Then they give you a number for your table, and someone brings your food to you once it is ready. Customers bus their own tables and clear their dishes to bins sitting on carts along-side the wall once they are finished eating. The place was bustling with people but everything seemed to move along efficiently and successfully, with no one waiting too long for their food and everyone happy and content--it was actually a really good model for running a restaurant with most of the staff being in the kitchen focusing on creating delicious food. I was quite impressed.

The only complaint I have is now I want to go back again and try something else off of their extensive wonderful-sounding menu, and with school starting this week and the ensuing busy-ness, I'm not sure when that's going to happen! But I know I will definitely return, even if it takes me awhile.

Food, Gardening, Amy Pennington, Zucchinis, and Forks Over Knives: sort of a hodge-podge ramble post

2011-09-11T16:34:00.000-07:00

Vegan Ethiopian food from Ambo Ethiopian Cuisine at the Farmers Market

I ran into Trish and Ty at the Farmers Market on Saturday morning, which was an absolutely beautiful sunny morning, perfect for eating Ethiopian food from Ambo Ethiopian Cuisine, (although really I think every day is the perfect day for eating Mulu's food--it is so amazing and delicious.)

While at the market, we stopped by the booth where one of my new idols, Amy Pennington, (author of Apartment Gardening), was doing a cooking demo in honor of Bellingham's Sustainable Connections "Eat Local Month," which I mentioned in an earlier post. While Amy is not vegan, she is vegan-friendly, and after hearing her talk on Friday night at Village Books, it became clear to me that she is also my newest inspiration. We share a passion for food and fresh produce, and she has such a great sense of humor that just makes her even more attractive and approachable. My husband and I found ourselves laughing throughout her presentation, which she ended with a silly picture of her holding a huge zucchini, explaining we were welcome to call her on her zucchini phone "any time."

I am excited to finish reading her book and to learn more about container gardening, something that I am gradually becoming more and more interested in despite my lack of positive gardening experience or green thumb-i-ness, as I know I have referred to before. I found another sign that Amy is the perfect person to teach me in the introduction of Apartment Gardening, where she states:

"People are sometimes inspired by what I do, but I'm not especially gifted in any way. I've killed damn near every houseplant I've ever owned, so I wouldn't say I was born with a green thumb. And I don't have a lengthy resume in agriculture or horticulture. I am no expert at identifying plants, and I certainly don't remember the Latin names. Really, I just like food. A lot. So I want a steady supply of fresh and delicious produce as often as possible. I am motivated by my hunger, and so I grow food."

My resilient and amazing zucchini plant (that is now taller than my deck railing!)

I have been wanting to dive more into this world for some time now, but at the beginning of the spring and summer, I was not sure where to start. Luckily, I have a friend who really is a Beautiful Earth-Mother Make-Everything-Grow type, and she generously gave me a zucchini start awhile back that was destined to thrive because of her magic touch. I have had so much fun watching it grow this summer. It is exciting to see something so small transform into this amazingly huge vibrant being, an entity unto its own self.

Since I had no idea what I was doing, I initially planted it in a big pot that was still way too small, which meant my poor plant had to undergo a transplant to a new pot when it was already rather large. This was a stressful process that took over an hour and involved some swearing and panicking, and me sitting on the floor of my deck trying to hold the pot steady in between my legs while wedging my hands down the sides and twisting and turning to loosen the extensive root system, hoping I wasn't doing too much damage.I am sure I looked absolutely ridiculous and intense at the same time.

I realized then how much I had bonded with my zucchini plant, and how much I wanted it to survive and do well. There is something very strong and almost physical about growing your own food, and I find I am increasingly drawn to that. As you can see, my zucchini plant survived and seems to be doing well now, and it is the prettiest thing on my deck. Every day I am excited to check on it, to see how it is doing, and to watch as the little round zucchinis grow bigger and rounder.

Anyway, being at the Farmers Market, eating good food, meeting Amy and reading her book, has gotten me thinking a lot about food and its awesome and amazing nourishing power, which brings me to the last part of today's post: the movie Forks Over Knives, which I know I have mentioned before because I have been really excited about it finally coming out on DVD.

Thanks to a tip from Trish who informed me that it is now streamable via Netflix, my husband and I finally had a chance to watch it, and it's one of those films I wish everyone could see. If you haven't already seen it, you should totally check it out. I personally found the information they presented so exciting and liberating, because it is really wonderful to realize that you have much more control over your own health and well-being than you may have ever realized. It really all comes down to what and how you eat, which is so empowering.

I guess that's about it for this weekend. I hope to share new recipes and restaurant updates soon. Today is just one of those happy sunny end-of-summer days when I am content just thinking and reflecting and absorbing new info, so I wanted to ramble a bit about it all to you guys.

Afternoon Tea at The Fairmont Empress, Victoria B.C.

2011-09-05T18:06:00.000-07:00

The Empress

Whenever I talk to anyone about going to Victoria, everyone always asks if I have had tea at the Empress. And in the past I have always responded, "No, I'm vegan," since I was under the assumption that there would be either very little or nothing at all that I could eat. So imagine my surprise when my friend Kate discovered that The Fairmont actually offers a vegan version of Afternoon Tea! Yes, it's expensive, and yes it's a splurge, but it is also totally fun and awesome, and in my opinion, worth doing at least once in your life when visiting Victoria.

Despite being assured by the staff when we made the reservation that it was no problem to make something vegan, I will admit I was a bit skeptical at first. I have been to restaurants before that have made me a "special" vegan dish that turns out to be underwhelming and over-priced. Privately we joked about my "special" vegan tea consisting of a cucumber on a plate, and I hoped our joking would not turn out to be too close to the truth.

Fresh blueberries

Upon arrival, I immediately began to appreciate the atmosphere of the tea room, the windows with bright sunlight streaming through them and the elegant place settings. We were greeted very nicely by our server who gently unfolded and placed our napkins on our laps. Once she confirmed that I was vegan, she asked me if I wanted soy milk with my tea, which I appreciated but declined, since I prefer to drink my tea straight.

Vegan Afternoon Tea goodies

I chose the Earl Grey and it was the smoothest Earl Grey I have ever tasted. It was so perfect and the atmosphere was so enjoyable, I found that I drank numerous cups, more than I have ever consumed in one sitting. The tea remained at the exact right temperature, and it was brewed perfectly so that it was neither too strong nor too weak.

Yummy tea sandwiches

There is something about drinking tea, and the ritual of drinking tea, that is attractive to people all over the world. I like a nice cup of tea in the morning, or in the afternoon as a pick-me-up. And there's nothing like unwinding with a hot cup of chamomile after a long day. If you add other attributes to your tea-drinking, like a lovely setting and an assortment of beautiful sandwiches to choose from, combined with the company of good friends, then something that is already special becomes even more so.

Sun-dried tomato and veggie sandwich

Each of us was brought out a starter of fresh blueberries, mine sans cream, and luckily, the only cucumber to be found was a delicately sliced part of one of my wonderful vegan finger sandwiches, of which there were five, each one amazing and delicious. In addition to the cucumber, there was also a hummus sandwich, a roasted veggie sandwich, a sun-dried tomato sandwich, and an open-faced tomato bruschetta. One thing that impressed me was how they successfully created a comparable vegan item for each of the non-vegan items that they normally serve.

Tomato onion bruschetta

The second tier of my little feast contained a vegan scone and a little jar of strawberry jam. I once read somewhere that it wasn't proper ettiquette to slice your scone in half and cover each side with jam before eating it, but that people did that anyway. I can't remember why it wasn't proper, because it seems like the thing to do, and that is exactly how I enjoyed my little scone.

Vegan scone with strawberry jam

The top tier contained a number of sweet treats, including a mango tapioca pudding, a little apple pie tartlett, chocolate cake, and two pieces of dark chocolate with little chunks of fruit inside. I started with the pudding and I really liked how the raspberry complemented the mango flavor.

Mango tapioca pudding

At first glance, I was taken with how dainty and pretty all of the food appeared to be, which I think caused me to not realize how very filling it was as well. As I happily worked my way up the tiers, I realized I would need some help with my feast. Luckily, my husband was able to sample some of my desserts, and he declared the vegan chocolate cake the best thing out of all the desserts, vegan and non-vegan alike. I, too, thought it was a pretty spectacular little cake, rich and moist and just perfect.

Delicious vegan chocolate cake

The afternoon flew by as we ate and talked and joked together, enjoying ourselves over delectable tea treats. As I mentioned earlier, this was an expensive indulgence, but there are some experiences in life that will always remain with you, and later, upon reflection, you will recognize how unique and special they really were. Remembering such moments can serve as a sort of "bookmark," marking place or a time in your life when you were really and truly happy. Such experiences are valuable and hard to put a price on, and I feel so fortunate to have had such an afternoon together with my husband and my friends.

Dark chocolate with fruit inside

Before we left, we were each given a parting gift of a little box of Empress Blend tea to take with us, which my husband and I then enjoyed at home together on that first morning after returning from our perfect trip. Once again, Victoria has cemented its place in my heart as a truly unique and beautiful city filled with happy memories. Thanks to my husband and my friends for making our trip so wonderful, and thanks to The Fairmont Empress for including vegans in your Afternoon Tea, which was an experience I will always remember fondly.

Raptor Ridge Hike and Afternoon Tea in Victoria

2011-09-04T20:17:00.000-07:00

Raptor Ridge

I am back from a lovely 2 night excursion with my husband and friends to Victoria B.C. Victoria was as wonderful as I remembered and all of my fave restaurants that I tried during our last trip were still there and still fabulous. We had a lovely time and even splurged on Afternoon Tea at The Fairmont Empress, which they were able to make vegan! It was delish and I will post details and photos tomorrow.

For now I will leave you with a picture from today's adventure, hiking Raptor Ridge with my husband, something I have always wanted to do. It is on days like today I really and truly appreciate the beauty of living here in Bellingham. Not only are we close to other amazing American and Canadian cities, after our travels, we can always come home to the gorgeousness that is Bellingham. Today was a perfect day for this hike and I can't recommend it enough if you have never before tried it.

Chickpea Fresh Herb Salad

2011-08-28T16:46:00.000-07:00

Chickpea Fresh Herb Salad

One of the things I love most about the summer is how easy it is to grow and cook with fresh herbs. I made this salad last week and it was so simple and yet and so tasty. I modified a recipe from The Everything Vegan Cookbook that originally called for white beans, and the results were delicious!

Ingredients:

2 cans of chickpeas
3 ribs celery, diced
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley I used Italian flat leaf since that's what I have growing on my deck)
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 pint organic cherry tomatoes, some halved
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small can sliced black olives
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a skillet, combine beans, celery, herbs, and olive oil, stirring frequently over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until the herbs are softened but not cooked. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining ingredients, tossing to combine.

It's that easy, and the perfect summer salad when you are wanting something light and fresh that won't leave you hungry.

Two Blogs Worth Checking Out: "Northwest Herbivore" and "Get Whatcom Planning"

2011-08-28T16:26:00.000-07:00

I love it when I come across other blogs that cover topics related to my own special interests, (such as yummy vegan food or local issues), so this weekend I wanted to share with you a couple of sites that I have added to my blog roll since I think they are both worth checking out.

Rhean from Northwest Herbivore has been vegan for 15 years and has recently started a great site with some tasty vegan recipes and helpful restaurant suggestions for the Northwest vegan trying to decide what or where to eat. Although based in Seattle, Northwest Herbivore frequently explores areas north and south of that great city, so there is a little something for everyone in the region. Also, the food photos are fantastic. So check out Northwest Herbivore, although be forewarned, the pictures might make you hungry!

Get Whatcom Planning has been around since last October, and is focused primarily on regional planning issues related to growth management in Whatcom County. It has turned into an invaluable resource for me while I try to stay informed regarding all of the crazy and confusing happenings involving SSA Marine and the proposed coal terminal at Cherry Point. And one of the things I like most about it is that the authors of this blog seem to be writing with the goal of helping the public become informed so that they can choose to be involved with issues that matter to them. They successfully dispel some of the confusion and mystery surrounding many of these processes through their explanations of what is actually happening and what the legal requirements actually are. I encourage anyone living in the county who wants to learn more about how the decisions currently being made will affect you and the community you live in to check out this site.

Bandidas Taqueria: 2781 Commercial Drive Vancouver, BC

2011-08-20T20:47:00.000-07:00

Bandidas Taqueria

Sometimes while I am traveling, I will come across a restaurant that I wish I could take home with me. It's happened in Olympia, (See: Darby's, Quality Burrito, and Vic's Pizzeria), and it has also happened in Vancouver B.C. Most recently, it happened to me at Bandidas Taqueria. This is a place that Bellingham would love. Not only is the food super-delicious, their philosophy is very B'ham--just check out their "about us" statement:

"Bandidas is committed to giving back. We sponsor local community events, contribute to local causes, and hang the work of local artists on our walls. We are dedicated to making Bandidas as environmentally low-impact as we can. We use compostable packaging, only serve local beer & wine, and make you bring your own to-go coffee cups. We try to buy locally and from smaller distributors. We use free-range eggs and organic tofu, tea and coffee. We recycle. We re-use old furniture and equipment when possible rather than buying new items. You might see us riding a bike down Commercial Drive, pulling our large blue cargo trailer(made by Jamie Hooper of Super Champion)loaded up with restaurant equipment or supplies. We welcome you to our restaurant, and are glad you are here."

Ronny Russell, veganized!

Now I am of course in no way implying that they don't fit in Vancouver--it's apparent that they do! I'm just saying they would also be a perfect fit here in the 'Ham. And if they were here, I would start a fan club in their honor. But since they are not, I will have to be satisfied just with eating there when I can, and being happy that at least they are in a city that is not too far away from me.

With an extensive menu where nearly everything can be made vegan, it was hard to decide what to order. But since I always have a weakness for anything involving yams and/or cabbage, I decided to try the "Ronny Russell," which included roasted yams and onions, fresh guacamole, black beans, green salsa, purple cabbage, and toasted pumpkin seeds. And, I am very sorry to say my photo does not do it justice. This burrito was PACKED with flavor, fresh and tasty, and absolutely delicious.

The decor of the restaurant is very warm and appealing, with local art adorning the walls, great hanging lights in the corners (much like the ones in my first-ever apartment--you know the ones--the glass orange and green-70's ish ones, suspended from chains, the kind you used to could find at Goodwill but now can't seem to find anywhere--LOVE those), and creatively displayed bikes and other decorative homages to cycling.

And, as you may have guessed, the service is also wonderful. Everyone is nice and everyone dining there is welcome. So Bandidas, if you happen to read this and are ever thinking of expanding, please feel free to come check out our fair city--we would definitely welcome you with open arms!

Bellingham: Sustainable Connections

2011-08-20T20:07:00.000-07:00

I recently watched an excellent documentary called The Economics of Happiness, a film which highlighted the importance of localization while explaining and dispelling some of the myths of "globalization." It's one of those films that stayed with me for days, and I can't recommend it enough.

Coincidentally, the same evening that I watched this film, I also stumbled upon a short video clip (see above) from last fall featuring Bellingham and its growing commitment to fostering local and sustainable connections.

Which brings me to my point: September is right around the corner, and Bellingham's very own Sustainable Connections is inviting us to celebrate Whatcom County's first ever "Eat Local month" in September, which is "a flavorful and festive celebration of local food and farms."

The more I learn and read and grow, the more convinced I become of the critically important role that localization plays in developing successful and sustainable connections, (and not just for our community, but for everyone's.) I feel very fortunate to live in Bellingham, where such connections are valued and openly promoted. So check out the calendar and hopefully I will see you around at some of these events!

News, Updates, Info, and Questions

2011-08-14T15:27:00.000-07:00

Hope these summer days have been treating you well! I am returning from a week off from work, during which I was able to get away with my husband up to Whistler and then Vancouver for a few days of fun and sun. Since we have been home, we have enjoyed some nice hikes and time with friends, and now here on this quiet Sunday, I am ready to get back down to business!

Just to share briefly with you a few things:

Cafe Curry:
Bellingham will be getting a new restaurant later this month called Cafe Curry. It will be located out by Whatcom Community College, and according to a Herald piece, will have a mix of both Indian and American food. I emailed the owner to inquire about vegan options, and the response I received was very positive, stating that after the first opening month, they intended to offer vegan options, and that they are open to suggestions and requests. I am looking forward to checking them out!

Veg Express:
I still keep meaning to review Veg Express and I intend to do so sometime in the near future. Meanwhile, I read online that Veg Express will be participating at this year's Bite of Bellingham event, which is on August 20th from 12 to 4 pm.

The Daisy Cafe:
Last month, after reading a review labeling The Daisy Cafe as "vegan-friendly" in WWU's paper The Western Front, I sent an email to the owner inquiring about vegan options. We had an interesting exchange of emails, and while I would not say as the Western Front did that they are necessarily "vegan-friendly," neither would I say that they are vegan-unfriendly. To clarify, yes they do offer vegan Field Roast sausage as a menu item, but other than that, they do not really have an other vegan options at this time. And while they are not necessarily opposed to trying to make something vegan, they are wary of committing to the "vegan" word because they are not comfortable that they fully understand its meaning, and that is not where their focus or passion lies. Here is a quote from one of the emails:

"At the moment, we are moving towards offering our customers purely grass fed, free range chicken eggs and grass fed berkshire pork from a small farm up in Lynden called Farmer Bens (www.myfarmerbens.com). This is more my passion. I love the idea of getting back to eating the way Mother Nature intended us to eat (in my estimation at least, no harm meant to vegans), more seasonal and sustainable. I do commend your for your convictions and hope you all the best. Please continue to ask questions if you have them, and better yet, suggestions. I am open to hearing ideas and seeing things grow. Much thanks."

I did email a menu item suggestion of a potato Field Roast scramble that could be vegan, but I have not yet heard back. It would be great if Bellingham could add another vegan-friendly breakfast place to its list. (Right now I only know of Old Town Cafe, Rocket Donuts, The Bagelry, and The Grace Cafe.) Have any of you been to The Daisy Cafe? If so, what was your experience like? And, are there any other vegan-friendly breakfast places in Bellingham that I am missing?

Brandywine Kitchen:
Another place I am curious to try is Brandywine Kitchen. I sent an email inquiry to them today and I will keep you posted on what I find out.

Cherry Point and the SSA Marine GPT Project:
As you have probably all heard by now, SSA Marine was fined a little over $4,000 for the "unauthorized road-grading work" (aka wetland and forest destruction), and took passive responsibility by saying that "mistakes were made." ( For more info, see the following Crosscut article .) Currently there is an action being pushed forward by a progressive group called FUSE to ask the Department of Natural Resources to launch a more in-depth investigation into SSA Marine's actions and responsibilities. If you are interested, check out this site to send an email in support of this request and add your own comments. While I am glad SSA Marine was found to be in obvious violation, I do not believe the punishment fits the crime, and I am hoping there will be more appropriate repercussions for them since they have definitely proven to be untrustworthy.

Next Veggie Potluck:
I must apologize for not being able to organize a potluck this summer as I originally intended to do. I am looking forward to seeing everyone again and coming together to enjoy tasty food (and hopefully learning to make vegan ravioli if the offer still stands?), but I am afraid that I don't yet have a date for the next potluck. This summer has been busier than I originally expected it to be, and hopefully everyone is still interested and can make the next one, whenever it ends up being! I promise to keep you updated and I will let you know as soon as I find a date that works.

Other Vegan Stuff:
I read online that Forks over Knives is finally out on DVD. I have not yet seen it but am looking forward to checking it out.
Also, Ellen DeGeneres has launched a new site called Going Vegan with Ellen. I have checked it out and it's pretty cool. I do think it's neat that someone who is so much in the public eye is using her celeb to shine the spotlight on veganism. (Now if only she could get Cover Girl to go Cruelty-Free!)

That's all my news for now. Now what about you guys? Any interesting bits of info to share? Have you tried any new restaurants or recipes? I always love your suggestions!

Gone for a few days ...

2011-08-05T20:51:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to let you know I am heading out of town for a few days, but once I return I will have lots of goodness to share with you! In the meantime, I hope you are enjoying these lovely summer days! :)

Road Construction at Cherry Point Has Begun

2011-07-31T13:52:00.000-07:00

My original plan for a blog post this weekend was to write about cooking with fresh herbs since I have successfully managed to grow a little sage plant, some parsley, and a little basil out on my deck. A friend of mine suggested sauteing fresh sage leaves in olive oil and serving it with pasta or some white beans. Yum. I thought it would be nice to write a post about the joys of relaxing and cooking in the summer with good food and fresh ingredients, but now I am afraid that will have to wait because it is really hard to relax with what is going on right now.

In case you aren't yet aware of the latest happenings out at Cherry Point, one of our own local Whatcom County Council members, Carl Weimer, recently discovered while walking his dog that quite a bit of land out at Cherry Point has already been cleared, despite a lack of permits being issued authorizing this work. Please check out his blog post for more details, complete with pictures.

Now when I first read this on Friday, I immediately thought our so-called local newspaper would jump all over this story. I called the Bellingham Herald to leave a tip with the newsroom and was told "Oh, those roads are for something else. But we'll look into it." While I am not a paper subscriber, I checked their website for any updates, and unless I am missing something, there's been absolutely no word at all about this. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Thankfully, Bob Simmons at Crosscut did write a piece covering this issue, in which he was able to get SSA Marine's so-called explanation for their actions.

"The company has not officially applied for the state and federal permits, and the required environmental impact studies have not begun. An attorney for SSA, William Lynn, said Friday (July 29) that the roads are not part of any terminal construction activity, but are required to allow geotechnical equipment on the site. He said there was confusion and disagreement within the Whatcom County Department of Planning on the validity of a Shoreline Development permit issued to SSA 1997, which would have allowed the geotechnical exploration."

Geotechnical exploration. That must be the "something else" the Herald was referring to, which seems to have been enough of an explanation for the Herald. Never mind the fact that we just went through the whole thing where SSA Marine tried to re-use the 1997 permit and they were told they had to apply for a new one, which they have not yet done.

In the meantime, SSA Marine has begun to clear land wherever they see fit, be it wetland or forest, it makes no difference, under the guise of pretending they thought they had prior approval. If they can go this far without any legal permission, what would they do with actual approval? This is what we are dealing with--a company that is going to do whatever it wants no matter the cost to the people in this community and beyond.

Thank goodness for Carl Weimer and his dog, who by the way went exploring again this morning and found even more areas that had been cleared. I am urging everyone who cares about this issue to take the time to spread the word, write letters, make phone calls, please get involved. Please send a letter protesting these roads and the clearing of this land without the proper permits to the Whatcom County Council and to:

Peter Goldmark,
Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands,
PO Box 47000
1111 Washington Street SE
Olympia, WA 98504-7000

I will let you know if I hear anything else, and I ask you to do the same. We are up against even more than I originally thought and we have to stay strong, determined, and informed.

Bellingham Community Food Co-ops, the Swan Cafe, and the Cordata Deli

2011-07-24T15:56:00.000-07:00

Yummy three-salad dinner from Friday 7/15

My husband and I have a weakness for food from the deli at the Co-op. It doesn't matter if we are on a budget and trying not to eat out, and it doesn't matter what we are in the mood for, the food from the delis always sound good and is always a temptation. Sometimes after a particularly hard day, all my husband has to do is look at me and say "Co-op?" and suddenly all is right with the world again.

The thing about the food from the Co-op is not only is it delicious, you can also rest assured that the ingredients they use are high-quality and good for you. It's "fast" food because you don't have to wait around long for it, but without any of the negative fast food guilt. And unlike conventional fast food, you actually feel physically good after eating the food from the Co-op.

They delis offer two great meal deals, either a tofu two-salad option, or a three-salad option. You can eat in or take out, depending on your mood. Before we went to see The Last Mountain at the Limelight, we stopped in for a quick dinner and I was happy to see they had Balsamic Beets, one of my favorite dishes. I also chose the Wild Rice and Kale, and a Pad Thai noodle dish, all three of which were vegan and easily labeled as such.

Just look at those beets!

That's the other great thing about the Co-op--they take the guess-work and the questions out of trying to figure out what is vegan and what is not. Recently I inquired as to what the Co-ops' stance was on cross-contamination between vegan and non-vegan ingredients, something that is always a concern among vegans, and they had this great response:

"We at the Co-op go to great lengths to assure there is no cross contamination between our vegan, vegetarian and gluten free items. We sanitize work surfaces and utensils between the production and/or wrapping of each item. In the case we make sure that the items are in their own serving vessel or lined with a protective barrier, like kale or deli paper."

It was reassuring to me to know they do take this issue seriously, and despite my one frustrating experience regarding the ingredient change with the gluten-free roll, I feel pretty comfortable as a vegan choosing food from the Co-op. In addition to great meal choices, if you are in the mood to indulge your sweet tooth, you will always find something amazing for dessert as well. (The vegan chocolate truffle balls are to die for).

Take-home Take-out from long ago: The Raw Deal, one of my Faves!

I also enjoy the convenience of doing my shopping and then picking up food all in the same place. And, the Co-op is great for special orders if there is anything you need but can't find, or if you want to get something you use a lot of in bulk. (I buy all of my baking soda now through the co-op since I use so much for detergent and household cleaning products.) I can also find vegan products that are more cosmetic in nature, such as hair color, makeup, lotion, etc. They are also great about letting you bring in and re-use your old containers for bulk items, which helps cut down on waste and the abundance of plastic being used.

Also, for those of you who like to cook, they have this great link on their website to some of the recipes of their popular items. How awesome is that? I only recently discovered this, so now I am totally excited to add some new dishes to my cookbook collection.

Member-owned and operated, the Co-op is truly part of our community, and I feel really fortunate to have access to two different locations. I encourage you to become a member and check out their delis if you haven't already. If you ever have any questions about products or ingredients, talk to someone at one of the service desks. I have always gotten great service from them and walked away a happier person with my questions answered.

Vegan in Bellingham Picks of the Week

2011-07-17T13:15:00.000-07:00

First I have to tell you about a very important film that is playing at the Limelight (aka the "old Pickford") right now until July 21st. It is called The Last Mountain, and it is compelling and informative, completely riveting and amazing. My husband and I saw it on Friday, and it is one of those movies that I truly think every American should see.

Vegan Vietnamese pizza from the Soy House

And my second pick of the week is of course food-related. I am afraid my picture does not do it justice, but featured in the photo above is the image of a wonderful Vietnamese pizza from the Soy House, something that has become one of my most recent obsessions. With an attractive and unique flavor combination, a totally vegan cilantro-based sauce, and delicious toppings which include organic tofu, I can't get enough of this pizza. The Soy House has done it again, reaffirming its place in my heart as my favorite restaurant in Bellingham!

Cafe Mundo in Newport, Oregon & Nature's Corner Cafe in Florence, Oregon

2011-07-17T12:31:00.000-07:00

Cafe Mundo: Newport's Historic Nye Beach, Oregon

The danger of waiting too long to write about a place is that the more time passes, the harder it becomes to revisit it and do it justice. And yet, just because it has been a little over a month since my wonderful Oregon coast trip, I don't want to skip mentioning two great vegan-friendly places, for those hungry vegans out there who may be passing through the Newport or Florence area.

The first place you absolutely must check out if ever you are in Newport is the very vegan-friendly Cafe Mundo. With an eclectically artistic and relaxed atmosphere that welcomes you the moment you walk in, not only will you enjoy your meal here because of the setting, but more importantly, you will also enjoy the food. It was at Cafe Mundo where I had the pleasure of eating the best vegan tempeh tacos of my entire life.

The best vegan tempeh tacos in the world!

Tempeh for me is one of those things I have to be in the mood for, and while I don't often crave it, if it always tasted as delectable as it did in these tacos, I would want it every day. The beautiful and friendly server did tell me that there is someone local to the Newport area who makes the tempeh himself, and I knew there had to be something special and unique about it because it had such wonderful rich and smooth flavor. The tacos were served on fresh tortillas, topped with a vegan sauce and fresh cilantro, served with salsa verde and lime wedges. Yum. I am getting hungry again just thinking about it!

Tofu wrap with peanut sauce

The second place on my list is Nature's Corner Cafe and Market in Florence, where I enjoyed a tasty tofu wrap with peanut sauce. The bakery case also had a number of vegan baked goods, including vegan strudels and pies, and Nature's Corner also boasts a pretty extensive and amazing menu of gluten-free items, for those of you who maybe are not vegan, but are looking for something gluten-free.

Nature's Corner Cafe and Market, Florence, Oregon

The women working at the cafe were very friendly and nice, and they also told me that they offered vegan sandwiches with vegenaise, and vegan breakfast burritos. The other cool thing about this cafe is the great little store that is next to the dining area, another good place for picking up vegan specialty items, organic teas, or healthy snacks.

So in summation, don't let the seafood-focused reputation of the Oregon coast worry you--there is plenty out there for a vegan to eat. So start planning your own beach trip and enjoy great meals along the way!

Bellingham's Newest Grocery Store is also Vegan-Friendly: The Market at Lakeway

2011-07-10T15:48:00.000-07:00

Bellingham's new store with an entire vegan section!

I was a bit skeptical when I first read in the Bellingham Herald that The Market at Lakeway was going to have a vegan section. I pictured one little shelf in a refrigerator case. I figured maybe they would have a couple of frozen veggie burgers or something like that. I thought perhaps the use of the word "section" was an exaggeration designed to get my hopes up, but today my husband and I were out and about, so we decided to stop in and see just what this new store had to offer.

Vegan options right on the menu board!

When we first walked in I immediately noticed an area that contained a variety of different types of eateries, including a pizza and also a pasta place, and when I looked at the menu sign for the noodle bowl place, I was so happy and surprised to see that they had marked the vegan choices with a "V," which was my first clue that maybe The Market would surpass my expectations.

Yummy organic produce!

Which it definitely did. Located conveniently next to an area featuring gorgeous local and organic produce is the vegan section. And after wandering through it, I can verify that it is actually a section, not just one teeny shelf in a refrigerator. So had I gotten my hopes up, they would not have been disappointed after all.

One small part of the vegan section

The article in the Herald had mentioned The Market's commitment to offering their customers local and organic produce, and this was evident from both the selection and range of produce, and their signage and videos featuring many of the local farms we are familiar with, such as Rabbit Fields Farm. They also had an absolutely beautiful organic mushroom section.

More vegan products

After browsing through the first part of the vegan section, we continued our exploration and wandered through an extensive bulk foods section, as well as a huge aisle of spices, many of which were also organic, (and two of which are staples for my pantry, a wonderful-smelling berbere, and kala namak,aka "black salt," which is actually pink, and is good for giving tofu scrambles and vegan eggs that "eggy" flavor).

Organic Mushrooms

We also perused their large tea aisle and the freezer section, where there were more vegan offerings, (like frozen pizzas, Gardein products, Amy's dinners, frozen organic veggies, soy ice cream, etc.). In the toiletries area, I spotted products from several vegan-friendly brands, like Desert Essence, Giovanni hair care products, and Alba Botanicals. (I forgot to see if they carried any vegan makeup, so I will definitely have to check that out next time I am there.)

I am excited about The Market at Lakeway and I think it is heartening that Bellingham's newest grocery store has placed an emphasis on giving the consumer what we want: a place to buy healthy, fresh, local and organic food, as well as offering us a huge selection of products that meet a variety of dietary and ethical needs. (And, for you gluten-free people out there, The Market also has a clearly-marked gluten-free section too!) As the national dialogue about food begins to shift to one more focused on understanding the impacts of our food choices, both on our health and also on the environment, it is nice to see a "regular" grocery store so responsive to our needs.

Kam Meng Chinese Restaurant: 4424 N Coast Hwy Newport, OR

2011-07-04T13:03:00.000-07:00

Kam Meng Chinese Restaurant

One of the things that made Kam Meng Chinese Restaurant so interesting to me, besides the fact that the online reviews all seemed to express agreement that the food is really good, is that one of the owners, Huiya Chen, is also an artist, and you can tell from her story on their website that she is very passionate about her artwork. I was therefore looking forward not only to trying the food, but also to seeing some of her water colors in person.

Although the website states they are open 7 days a week, they unfortunately were closed on the Monday we first tried to dine there. When we returned however on the following Tuesday, they were open and ready to go, and the food was definitely worth the wait. Huiya Chen greeted us herself when we first arrived, and she was very friendly and nice right from the beginning. She was very familiar with what I meant by "vegan" when I started my usual list of questions, and she recommended the pumpkin hot pot when I asked her what she liked best out of all of the vegan options.

Vegan pumpkin hot pots covered with a layer of fresh spinach, yum!

Kam Meng offers a number of dishes that can be made vegan, including the vegan "pumpkin" hotpot (made with acorn squash), and one of the cool things about the hot pot is that all of the ingredients cook inside the pot together, (which means the vegan ingredients cook by themselves with other vegan ingredients). Based on her description of the hot pot, both my husband and I were eager to try it, and I am so glad we did because it was absolutely delicious. The acorn squash was rich and melty, and all of the fresh veggies and the tofu had wonderful flavor. We probably could have split one between the two of us, but since we had each ordered our own, we ended up taking home leftovers.

Hot pot veggies and tofu served over steamed rice

Another way Huiya Chen impressed me was by bringing out re-useable takeout containers for us to use for packing up our leftovers. She explained that she encouraged people to bring the containers back the next time they returned so that they could be re-used, and together we could contribute to cutting back on the waste generated by using disposable containers for takeout and restaurant leftovers. I thought that was a brilliant idea.

Her watercolors were also quite lovely, and I really enjoyed looking at all of the beautiful pictures that hang on the walls of the restaurant. The entire dining experience was wonderful, from the food itself to the atmosphere of the place, to the friendly and kind service from a wonderful artist. I look forward to eating at Kam Meng again the next time we are in Newport. (And I will remember to bring my container for leftovers!)

Catching up: Vegan on the Oregon Coast

2011-07-04T12:31:00.000-07:00

Anniversary Sunset on North Beach

This summer continues to pass by quickly, and I now finally have time to share with you info about our anniversary trip to the Oregon Coast. While being vegan on the Oregon Coast can sometimes be hard, with a little planning, it's also a lot easier than you might think. We began our trip with a quick stop by The Grace Cafe here in Bellingham to pick up some of their fabulous Everything Bagels to take along for breakfast for some of the mornings to follow. The bagels traveled well, kept well, and made our car smell utterly delicious.

Tofu mushroom scramble with organic tomatoes & vegan cream cheese on a Grace Cafe Everything Bagel

Then in Olympia, we stopped by Trader Joes and filled our little freezer bag with produce, hummus, and other goodies. We stayed at a place in Newport that did have a little kitchen, which made preparing our own food easier. My main thought was that I wanted to make sure we had tasty breakfast/brunch meals, and I knew I would probably fare better making our own in-house rather than eating out.

Fresh veggies from Trader Joes

Having done a bit of research online before our trip, I knew there were a few places I wanted to check out. We had eaten at the Savory Cafe in Newport back in 2009, and I had also enjoyed a terrific pizza at the Roadhouse 101 in Lincoln City while on that same trip, but this time I hoped to check out a few new places. I like to add to my list of vegan-friendly restaurants whenever I take a trip, and luckily this time I was able to do just that.

The first place we were excited to try was a Chinese restaurant in Newport called Kam Meng. Unfortunately, they were closed the evening we arrived, so we decided to try again the next evening and prepare something for dinner in the meantime back at our place. Luckily, we had lots of tasty meal options, and when we returned to Kam Meng the next afternoon after a day of enjoying the beach, they were open.

Pelicans at the beach

All in all, we had an amazing anniversary getaway, and yet again the Oregon Coast cemented itself in my mind as being one of my favorite places on the planet. We filled our days with beach walks at different beaches, too numerous too count. There are so many gorgeous and amazing state parks with long stretches of coastline that you have almost all to yourself.

Happy Anniversary to us!

While in Newport, we also explored a cute little co op called Oceana Natural Foods that was pretty well-stocked and made me think you could live there as a vegan pretty easily. They had a great bulk foods section and even carried a few boxes of my vegan hair color. They had a nice little soup, salad, and sandwich selection, and they also stocked many of the products I think of as being essential.

We also ate at Cafe Mundo, and a little place in Florence called Nature's Corner Cafe. I would have to say just like anywhere, the Oregon Coast is vegan-friendlier than you might think at first glance. If you are looking for a nice romantic trip, I could not recommend it more. Stay tuned for more detailed restaurant reviews to come...

Upcoming Events regarding the Gateway Pacific Terminal Project at Cherry Point

2011-06-26T10:58:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share with you some upcoming dates that I received via email this week from the Sierra Club. As many of you probably already know, it was decided that SSA Marine would have to apply for a new permit, rather than use the one from 1997 like they wanted to, which was originally for a much smaller facility, made no mention of coal, and was bound by different environmental restrictions than those currently in place today. This is very good news indeed, although the fight is still far from over.

In case you are looking for ways to become more involved:

July 7: If you missed the one in Bellingham, there will be another "Coal Hard Truth Forum" at 7:00 pm, at the Lincoln Theater in Mount Vernon: (712 S. 1^st Street Mount Vernon). If you are interested in learning more about these issues with a focus on Skagit County, please consider attending. The one I went to in Bellingham was very informative. (There will be free parking for 300 cars on the revetment side of the Skagit River, one block further west on Kincaid.)

July 13: Come to the Sierra Club's Mt Baker Group meeting at 6:30, at the Bellingham Central Library Lecture Room to learn how you can get more involved with the Coal-Free Washington campaign.

In the meantime, if you wish to volunteer time to help stop the coal terminal, there are many ways you can do that. E-mail: robin.everett@sierraclub.org or mattk@re-sources.org with your name, address, and phone number, and let them know you would be interested in helping. I have already emailed the Sierra Club and am planning to volunteer as much as possible throughout the summer.

If this is not something you would like to do but you still want to be involved, you can also call your elected officials and make your voice heard:

Whatcom County Executive: 360.676.6717
Governor Gregoire: 360.902.4111
Public Lands Comissioner Goldmark: 360.902.1004

And don't forget to sign up for updates from ReSources here. As usual, I will continue to keep you posted as I find out new info.

Georgetown Liquor Company: 5501 B Airport Way South, Seattle

2011-06-26T10:16:00.000-07:00

I have wanted to check out Georgetown Liquor Company since I first read about it on Tofu Hunter's blog back in January 2009.Vegetarian and vegan-friendly, with vintage video games and pinball machines, and a sci-fi themed menu: what more could I ask for?

Because this place had been on my mind for quite some time, my husband and I decided to have lunch at Georgetown Liquor Company after our inspiring Green Fest experience. The place has a fun and relaxed vibe that becomes apparent when you first walk in, which was very inviting and appealing. The staff was incredibly friendly and nice, and the food was super-tasty.

After some deliberation between the FRAC and the Picard, my husband and I both decided to order the Picard: a lentil-sage Field Roast sandwich with roasted red onions, vegan cream cheese and roasted garlic spread, served on a toasted ciabatta. It was served with a vegan au jus dipping sauce on the side, and was sort of a vegan version of a french-dip sandwich.For my side I chose the house salad, which included a really fresh and tasty selection of mixed greens sprinkled with nutritional yeast for that yummy tasty flavor.

The Picard was fantastic and I would definitely order it again. I love Field Roast products and I have been missing the apple sage sausage sandwiches that I used to get at Pastazza ever since they closed down here in Bellingham. I definitely recommend Georgetown Liquor Company and plan to return as soon as I can. Although we were there for lunch, I think it would also be a fun evening hang-out spot, and I am envious of the locals who have such a place to call their own.

Speaking of Field Roast products, for you Bellingham locals, my bargain of the week was at Costco where I bought a 12 pack of the smoked apple sage sausage for $10.89! It may be awhile before I can go back to Georgetown Liquor Company, so in the meantime I must make due with my own version of this tasty sandwich, which will have to get me through until the next time I am back in Seattle. (BTW they also have a killer-sounding, mouth-watering brunch menu that I MUST try at some point. Mmmm... vegan biscuits and gravy, you will be my downfall...)

Green Fest Seattle, May 20-21 2011: eco-friendly cat litter, vegan cleaners, vegan fertlizers, and more!

2011-06-19T13:52:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to share with you my experiences at Green Fest in Seattle back in May for quite some time now. This has become my Favorite Event Ever, and I plan to attend every year from now on. Unfortunately, my husband and I could only go to the Saturday session, so we missed out on seeing Amy Goodman and Dennis Kucinich, but it was still an amazing event, and I whole-heartedly recommend that you check it out next year.

I learned so much and it was truly inspiring to talk with so many kind, friendly, smart, and passionate people who are out there in the world on a daily basis trying to educate their community and empower us to make informed choices that have long-lasting positive impacts. To quote Dennis Kucinich, "The power of the consumer is extraordinary."

Some of the non-profit groups that I learned about at the festival are:

I also talked to a lot of vendors about some great products, like Swheat Scoop cat litter* which is made from wheat and is biodegradable and flushable, and way better for the environment than the clay based litters. We have totally switched our cats over to this litter now and it works great and clumps fine.*(please see comment at the end of this post--I have since switched to World's Best Cat Litter, which is corn-based, because it works much better than Swheat Sccop.)

I found out that Bon Ami products (remember those cleaners from long ago that your grandma used to use?) are not only still around, but that they are also totally vegan and eco-friendly.

I met a man from Seattle Natural Mattress who was so nice and helpful, and our conversation made my husband and I regret ever buying our Tempur-pedic mattress--please if you are considering buying one, talk to Seattle Natural Mattress first! Their beds are more comfortable than the Tempur-pedic, way less expensive, completely chemical-free, natural and plant-based as opposed to petroleum-based, and not sprayed with horrible chemicals that will need to "off-gas" before you can sleep on it. (Seriously, these beds are amazing and gave me the biggest case of buyer's remorse imaginable...)

I also found out about a really wonderful plant food/fertilizer that is completely vegan called Eco-Feed. All natural, plant-based, chemical- free and totally organic and vegan, a little bit goes a long way and if you are interested in organic gardening or are searching for a way to feed your containers when the soil gets depleted, this stuff is perfect. I do not have a green thumb at all, but I am ready to give some small containers on my deck a shot, and now I no longer have to wonder and worry about how to feed my soil. The gentlemen in the photo above were so friendly and helpful--I encourage you to contact them if you have questions or want to order some of this fertilizer for yourself.

Another thing worth noting is that the food court at the event also offered a lot of vegan and vegetarian food. My husband and I didn't eat anything because we were saving room for lunch at Georgetown Liquor Company, (another subject for a future blog post), but had we wanted to eat there, we would have had a variety of options to choose from.

On a local note, Bellingham's own ReStore had a booth, and the Sierra Club was out in full force trying to spread awareness about the Gateway Pacific Terminal/SSA Marine proposed coal deal. They were also encouraging people to join the Beyond Coal campaign. There were countless other exhibitors and lectures I wish I could share with you, too much to recount here. Just remember to check out Green Fest next year--you will come away from the event inspired, informed, and actually feeling hopeful about what you can personally do to create a better future.

Time Flies . . .

2011-06-11T18:09:00.000-07:00

How is it already the middle of June? Seems like it was only the beginning of May a second ago, and there I was, talking about having the next veggie group get-together at the end of June. And now here we are and I am afraid the days have been flying by a bit too fast for me to get it together. Hopefully it's ok with everyone that it will now more than likely be sometime towards the end of July. I will let you know as soon as I have a date confirmed. (Serena, I hope you and Kyle are still up for teaching us all to make vegan ravioli!)

Next week my husband and I are off to the Oregon Coast to celebrate our anniversary, and once we've returned, I will be sure and report back on any good food experiences we have along the way. Hope your summer is off to a good start and that you are finding some happy ways to enjoy your days!

Update on the Cherry Point Gateway Pacific Terminal Coal to China Project

2011-06-05T14:51:00.000-07:00

For those of you who couldn't make it, Bill McKibben delivered a great and inspiring talk this past Tuesday at the Village Green. He spoke about how through a combination of circumstances, we here in Bellingham are now situated in time and place to take a stand against the usage of coal and its contribution to global climate change.

It is clear that this concern is not just local but rather has global implications, and we have an opportunity to act in a way that will have long-standing positive affects not only for Bellingham, but also for the entire world around us. We have the opportunity to participate in a movement of global proportions and leave a legacy of a better world for generations to come.

On the good news front, the turn out for this past Wednesday evening's meeting with the mayor was high, and the effect was positive. This past Friday, Mayor Pike released a statement explaining he will support the efforts to oppose the current plan for the Gateway Pacific Terminal. His press release is below:

"My administration has for months been focused on information gathering about the proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal at Cherry Point. While much about this proposal remains unknown or unclear, I am clear today that I need to take a stand: a stand for protecting Bellingham, a stand for health, safety and quality of life, a stand for welcoming new businesses that provide clean jobs to our local communities.

We have examined the benefits proponents say this operation will bring to our community and have considered the risks. While every resident of this county certainly agrees that more local family-supporting jobs would be a good thing, those same wise locals would also add, "But at what cost?"
Our research has focused in particular on the possible impacts the transportation of cargo to the terminal could have as it passes through our city. Examination of the "But at what cost?" factor includes not only economic calculations but also costs associated with residents' health, safety and quality of life, which are the primary reasons most of us choose to live here.

My team and I met recently with representatives of SSA Marine and their main business partners, the Burlington Northern/Santa Fe Railroad. I hoped they would bring to the conversation recognition that their proposed project would have multiple downsides for our community. I hoped they would make a commitment to provide meaningful mitigations -- or even better-- a willingness consider other commodities, and not rely exclusively on coal exports for the terminal's financial engine.

Instead, these proponents brought denial of any potential harms and blatant defiance that they should change their plans in any way. In fact, it has become public knowledge that they have signed a multi-year deal with Montana's Peabody Coal to ship at least 24 million tons of coal from our sensitive shores as their major focus of business for the foreseeable future.
That is not a future that I want to see. By any calculation, the proposed coal-dependent terminal at Cherry Point does not add up.

I will, therefore, work with citizen groups, other elected officials, businesses and the health care community to oppose the current plan for the proposed Gateway Pacific Terminal. This will be done through official Environmental Impact Statement processes and other means, including those authorized by the Bellingham City Council, as necessary.

In the end, it is my job as Mayor to protect Bellingham and protect it I will. I have not come to this decision lightly. I have consulted with many, heard from hundreds in person at my recent listening session and received nearly a thousand emails and calls at my office. I have heard a lengthy list of concerns from City department heads about the likely impacts the proposed terminal could have on City assets and operations. The costs in many forms by far outweigh the promised benefits.

I remain open -- as I have for decades -- to a reasonably sized, responsible spectrum of port- and marine-based enterprise for our community, including at Cherry Point. It is our history and it can be our future, if done right.

Bellingham and Whatcom County have a robust base of business and industry, and the public and private sectors will continue to make investments that increase prosperity in our region. In partnership with the Port of Bellingham and others, the City of Bellingham will move ahead with plans to start, expand, retain and welcome new businesses and the jobs they will bring to our waterfront and other areas.

Some may seek to leverage my decision to oppose SSA Marine's proposed plans into a claim that Bellingham is anti-business. Bellingham residents know differently. Our welcome mat for responsible corporate and small business remains out, but we will not sacrifice our health, safety and quality of life to lure them here."

Please take a moment to call Mayor Pike at (360) 778-8100 to say thank you.

What we can do now:
As you know this is good news but it is far from being over. We still need to be persistent in our efforts. Check out the ReSources blog, Climate Solutions, and Communitywise Bellingham for more info.

We can also keep talking to our friends and coworkers about this issue, we can write letters, make phone calls, and support the ones who support this cause, and we can stay informed and engaged. (There was a great piece by Floyd McKay last week which is worth checking out.)

For addresses to some of the local representatives, check out the ReSources page here.

We can contact the Whatcom County Council, but I recommend doing this by postal letter because of the following statement: "Our office cannot guarantee that all e-mail messages received will be opened, or that all messages sent will be received. If your correspondence is of an urgent nature, we suggest that you hand deliver the document to our office. We apologize for any inconvenience."

So to be on the safe side, send your letter to this address:

Whatcom County Council
311 Grand Avenue, Suite 105
Bellingham, Washington 98225

Mail guidelines: To send mail to all council members, include eight (8) copies. (One copy goes to each council member, and one copy should be addressed to the council as a group as it will go into the official record.)

	Bill Knutzen
	Kathy Kershner
	Tony Larson
	Ken Mann
	Sam Crawford
	Carl Weimer
	Barbara Brenner

We can also make phone calls and let our elected leaders know that we do not support the coal exports to China out of Cherry Point:

Whatcom County Council: (360) 676-6690
Whatcom County Executive Kremen: (360) 676-6717
WA Public Lands Commissioner Goldmark: (360) 902-1004
Governor Gregoire: (360) 902-4111

I will continue to share info with you as it comes my way. As always, please feel free to leave comments or contact me with any additional info or questions at veganinbellingham@gmail.com .

Nimbus: 119 North Commercial Street, 14th Floor

2011-06-04T08:39:00.000-07:00

I have been excited for awhile now to write about our local vegan-friendly Nimbus restaurant, where I spent an enjoyable evening with friends several weeks ago, and now it saddens me to learn that it appears they may be closing in July. A letter was posted on their Facebook page explaining that they will be closing for two months, and that they may not be able to return at the end of that period. I hope they can find some way to return, because it's nice for Bellingham that Nimbus is so committed to supporting local farmers and businesses, while making tasty and creative dishes that accommodate a range of dietary needs.

On the night that we dined at Nimbus, I decided to order one of the "Plates for Sharing," the vegan tapas plate, as my entree. It consisted of falafel with vegan tzatziki, pickled veggies, a pea shoot and white bean hummus, and a papadum (which is a type of flatbread). Everything at Nimbus is fresh and made-to-order, and the flavors are consequently powerful and wonderful. They do have a talent for combining complementary ingredients in satisfying ways.

I hadn't tasted tzatziki since before I went vegan, but prior to my vegan days it used to be one of my favorite things, so not only was I really happy to try some, I was also incredibly impressed with the taste and texture, and it went so well with the falafel, which in it of itself was also delicious.

I know this menu item was titled a plate for sharing, but I am afraid I didn't do much sharing. Although several people had a taste of the lovely hummus, which was rich and creamy and totally yummy. (As I write this, it is Saturday morning and I have not yet had breakfast, and remembering this meal is making me hungry all over again!) I am definitely getting a craving for Nimbus, and I know for sure my husband and I will be going back before they close in July.

If you have not yet been to Nimbus, I encourage you to check them out and enjoy the lovely views of Bellingham over a drink and some tasty food. Nimbus frequently updates their menu, so the dish I had the night I went is a little different than what you would get this time around, but they still have something for vegans, and I have been told if you call ahead, you can even arrange a vegan version of their special tasting menu.

The prices may be a little higher than standard fare, but the quality ingredients they use, the lovely dishes they make, and their consistent support of local farmers and Bellingham businesses make it worth it. They do offer some pretty great happy hour and other specials, so check out their website for deals. Plus, there's nothing like enjoying a sunset over good drinks and delicious food with that beautiful view from the fourteenth floor, so do it while we still have the chance!

Ralf's Bavarian Bakery: Vegan Pretzels at the Farmers Market

2011-05-29T12:37:00.000-07:00

It was probably about a month or so ago that my husband, brother, and I ran into Trish and her husband at the Farmers Market. We were there for breakfast (of course), and then lucky for me, Trish shared with us that they had seen a sign for vegan pretzels at Ralf's Bavarian Bakery, and that the pretzels were really good.

What I didn't realize at first, is that these are no ordinary pretzels. They are authentic Bavarian style pretzels, and they are made with local and completely organic flour from Fairhaven Flour Mill.

I was quite full and satisfied after my yummy food from Ambo's, but I couldn't pass up the chance to get a genuine Bavarian pretzel. Besides, I figured I could always save it for later. The sun was shining and it was a really lovely day. I figured a pretzel from Ralf's could only make our Saturday more perfect. And I was right.

The woman working at the counter was so friendly and nice. She explained that everything was vegan except for the pretzels with obviously non-vegan toppings, like cheese or chocolate, etc. The three of us each bought a pretzel and went on our merry way, and I managed to have enough self-control to save most of mine for later, but only after a nibble or two because it was just too tempting when still fresh and warm right in my hand. It was perfect and delicious and made me wish I had some gourmet mustard to dip it in, which is what I plan to do next time because they keep quite well if you do end up saving yours for later.

For those of you not in Bellingham, Ralf's will ship their pretzels, and you can easily order them online. For those of us in and around the Bellingham area, not only do we now have another vegan-friendly place at the Market, Ralf's is also open Tuesday through Saturday, which means we don't have to wait for the market to be open if we get a pretzel craving during the week!

Something Fun

2011-05-28T08:58:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't seen this yet... (uploaded from Parry Gripp's YouTube channel)

An Update on the Cherry Point Gateway Pacific Terminal project, and Why Coal Trains are Bad for Bellingham and Beyond

2011-05-22T15:37:00.000-07:00

I would like to share with you all what I have learned from attending the “Coal Hard Truth” information forum held at Bellingham High School on May 4^th, and also what I learned from attending a smaller meeting at Village Books, which offered me a chance to get to know some of the other local residents who want to come together to stop the coal trains and the Gateway Pacific Terminal development at Cherry Point.

The more I learn about this issue, the more convinced I am of how critically important it is that we all join forces as a community to stop this potentially devastating project from being approved. I am sharing with you below a summary of the information I have collected from online sources as well as the meetings I have attended. This summary is not comprehensive—it is only the beginning. There is a wealth of information out there and online for us to find and verify for ourselves. What is vitally important is that we look beyond the SSA sponsored ads we can find in the Cascadia and elsewhere, or the radio spots touting more jobs for Whatcom County, so that we can critically examine and discover what the real issues are.

Who:

Goldman Sachs/SSA Marine/Peabody Coal. As of right now, SSA is getting most of the press because of their intensive PR campaign and because of their request for permits, but Peabody as an important partner in this venture is also worth examining.

"Peabody Energy has been tagged as a major offender of environmental degradation en route to becoming the worldwide leader in low cost energy. It has a long history of opposing efforts to mitigate the negative environmental effects of coal production and combustion. It was an active opponent of efforts to enact a strong Clean Air Act in 1970, of acid rain provisions in the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, and throughout the current efforts to significantly strengthen mercury provisions."

What:

A deal that would involve the transportation of 24 million tons of coal from Wyoming and Montana (double the amount of coal at Westshore where 715 tons of coal dust come off that facility every year) and use 80 acres of land, in order to export this coal to China.

The Bad News:

SSA has a lot of money, and they are launching a very intense propaganda campaign. They are not talking about coal, they are talking about jobs. And they are not talking about how their “jobs” fluctuate in number from 20 to 3600, a number that changes every day and cannot be verified. And the majority of these jobs would not be jobs for people of Whatcom County, but imported jobs that come with imported employees.
SSA is not talking about how they are a wealthy multi-national corporation based in Seattle and funded by investment that comes from Goldman Sachs, they are instead saying how they are “local.” And, they are not talking about their long history of anti-labor union activity. They are presenting themselves as caring about the hardworking people in our community.
SSA is not talking about the environmental devastation they would bring to the Northwest that would stretch beyond our borders and have international implications--they are talking about how they won an environmental award. This award was not granted by any actual environmental organization, but rather by a group of other companies that make up the Washington Business Association, the same group currently supporting anti-union legislation to cut worker’s compensation here in Washington. I am sure if the fast food industry wanted to, they could give McDonald’s an award for their commitment to healthy food, but that wouldn’t make their French fries any better for you.

The Good News:

Something a community organizer named Carol said the other night is that “People count more than money.” I believe she is right and that together we can make sure this stays true.
If we can counter the campaign of mis-information by educating our co-workers, our friends and family, our community, and bring our energy and our voices together, then we have a fighting chance. This deal cannot go through without Whatcom County Council approval, and a lease from the Department of Natural Resources. If the Whatcom County Council rejects the permit, then the deal is off.
We are fortunate that the Sierra Club is also working hard to make this a national issue. They had a strong presence at GreenFest in Seattle this past weekend, and they are launching their own educational campaign. There are also a number of other groups working very hard (RE Sources, Climate Solutions, and CommunityWise Bellingham to name a few). There is the potential for a lot of collaboration and cooperation among all of these groups so that together we can multiply the effect of all our efforts.

Implications, questions, and point to consider:

Wetland destruction: Various companies have been trying to develop a shipping terminal at Cherry Point for years now. In 1992 there was a proposal to export 8 million tons of wheat from this station. That deal, which was not approved, would have involved the destruction of 5.8 acres of wetlands. The current proposal involves the shipping of 24 million tons of coal and would destroy 162 acres of wetlands.
Local impacts regarding the trains: What about rail traffic? With 125 cars per train, and at least 30 miles of trains going through Bellingham, (and this is a low number that keeps changing) we can expect traffic to be stopped for 5 to 8 minutes of every hour at the train crossings.
What are the implications of emergency transportation vehicles, trying to get through?
What about the increased risk of train-related accidents and deaths? We know we have a number of unsafe train crossings already. What about the risk of train collisions and derailments? Potential accidents cannot be “mitigated” or planned.
Geological impact of the trains: with at least 20 full trains a day weighing 15,000 tons, the heaviest weight-bearing trains—what would be the impact on homes in the area, especially those along Eldridge Avenue in Bellingham?
What about the impact of the trains running all across the state and along the coastline, stretching beyond Bellingham?
Health impacts: What about our air and water quality? With at least 36,000 new engine trips through Bellingham every year, a higher concentration of cancer-causing particulate matter would be released into the air, which would cause an increase in cancer rates—(and we aren’t even talking about the coal—this is from the pollution caused by the trains themselves. Add to that the impact to the water and air quality from the coal dust and it’s even worse.)
Impact of coal dust: It doesn’t matter if the coal trains are covered—coal dust cannot be completely contained—ask anyone who has ever lived in a coal town and you will see. And what about the coal dust from the unloaded coal at Cherry Point waiting to be shipped? Ask the residents of Tsawwassen or Point Roberts, dealing with the Westshore facility—a facility that is much smaller than the proposed site at Cherry Point—how they feel about coal dust.
Impact of coal dust on sea life—sea grasses and herring: The Cherry Point herring run is equal to all of the other herring runs in the state—it is the largest by far in the state. The herrings provide nutrients to everyone—the Chinooks, seals, birds, whales, etc. There is also a direct correlation between the increase of the ship and dock use and the decrease of the herring population. Herrings are also particularly vulnerable to the compounds found in oil, and there are additional problems with hydrocarbon exposure for herrings which causes spine disease and other malformations.
When a ship docks in the harbor and refuels, oil and other matter leaks into the bay. There might be mitigation to prevent leakage, but the mitigation is only as good as the enforcement—(the commitment from the group responsible for the mitigation is as important as the mitigation itself.)
What about potential for shipping collisions and oil leaks?
What about the increase at Cherry Point in Capesize vessel traffic? How would an increase in these Capesize ships affect the local marine environment at Cherry Point, in addition to congesting traffic for other commercial boats?
What about the potential to introduce invasive species from other parts of the world to the Cherry Point area through transfer of water?
Economic impact: What about the potential loss to property values in Whatcom County?
Economic impact: What about the decreased access to waterfront development and the negative impacts on Bellingham’s waterfront development plan, a plan which would actually create more jobs in the long run, jobs that would be local and sustainable?
What about other job losses? There are already jobs associated with the protected environment and the Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve--how would those jobs be affected?
What about treaty obligations?
What about the morality of shipping coal to another country so that they can burn it when we are trying to phase it out here in our own state and country?
What about our contribution to the proliferation of greenhouse gasses?
What about our contribution to the increase of acid rain, to an increase in pollution in both the air and water quality both in China and consequently here? What about the increase of mercury in our water that will be a direct result of shipping this coal to China?
What about our commitment to investing in and creating a sustainable future?

This is not just a Bellingham issue, this is an issue for Washington state; this is a national issue. There are regional and national implications. Coal burning causes 32% of all carbon emissions, more than all of the cars and trucks on the road. The Powder River Basin Coal Reserves contain 800 billion tons of coal. 40% of all the coal in the U.S comes from the Powder River Basin.

The U.S. has more coal that any other country. We have a moral, ethical, and environmental responsibility not to ship it out. Mitigation is not the answer. We need to stand together as a community to make sure this project is not approved. SSA does not have our best interests at heart. They are not a non-profit, they are a profit-driven company. The issue is not jobs for Whatcom County, it is more money for an already rich and powerful business. They may have had local roots at one time, but they are now a multi-national corporation seeking to profit from our degradation.

Where we are right now:

There are 2 permits that need to be issued:

1)The “Substantial Shoreline Development Permit”

2) The “Major Project Permit” (which is required for projects over 5 million dollars)

What you can do to help:

Become informed and speak out. Share your information, write letters to the editor, help spread the word. And please try to do everything you can to attend the following events. We need a public display of numbers in order to demonstrate our strength.

There will be a public hearing on Wednesday May 25, 2011 at 7:00 pm in a meeting room at City Hall. Public testimony will be taken on the November 2009 Shoreline Master Program after brief presentations by Department of Ecology's Bellingham Field Office and City of Bellingham Planning staff.

Please take the time to write letters and submit your responses. The written public comment period will be open from May 16th until June 24th. Submit your letters directly to: WA State Dept of Ecology, ATTN: Bellingham SMP, 1440 10^th Street, Suite 102, Bellingham, WA 98225. Written comments may also be emailed to: bwen461@ecy.wa.gov ATTN: Bellingham SMP.

On Tuesday, May 31^st at 5:00 pm, RE Sources for Sustainable Communities will host New York Times bestselling author and 350.org founder, Bill McKibben. The event is at the Fairhaven Village Green, and starts at 5 pm, with a concert by local favorites Millie and the Mentshn. Bill will begin his talk on coal, climate change, and activism at 7 pm. There will also be an information fair from 5pm-9pm, which will feature local organizations working to prevent climate change and coal exports from Cherry Point.

On Wednesday June 1^st at 6:00 pm there is a meeting scheduled in the large courtroom at Bellingham Municipal Court. This meeting will be hosted by the mayor with the purpose of collecting shipping terminal comments and provide area residents a preliminary chance to identify impacts that should be studied during future review of the proposed project.

I will be at all three of these events and I hope to see you there.

Please feel free to email me with any questions or comments at veganinbellingham@gmail.com.

For more information about this issue, check out the following:

“How to Stop Worrying and Love Coal Trains,”

Res ources report on the “Gateway Pacific Terminal.”

Watch the Bellingham City Club report here:

Check out the RE Sources Fact Sheet for ideas of talking point to include in your letters.

Please forgive me....

2011-05-20T19:59:00.000-07:00

...for my long over-two-week silence. I have never done that before, and I hope to not do that again. I am so sorry for not updating without a word but a few things came up that kept me pretty busy. I am back now though and I have lots of good stuff to share.

Coming soon: vegan pretzels from Ralph's Bavarian Bakery, an evening at Nimbus and some vegan tapas, a report from Seattle's Green Fest, and an update on the coal/Cherry Point issue....

"Coal Hard Truth" Forum tonight has moved to Bellingham High School

2011-05-04T14:16:00.000-07:00

I just received a voicemail that tonight's "Coal Hard Truth" event has changed locations in order to accommodate a larger group, and will now take place at the Bellingham High School, (2020 Cornwall Ave.) It is still at 7:00 pm. Hope to see you there!

"Coal Hard Truth Forum," Wednesday, May 4th

2011-05-02T20:06:00.000-07:00

I hope you will join me at a meeting this coming Wednesday evening at 7:00 pm at the Bellingham Public Library. In case you haven't heard, efforts are currently under way to turn Cherry Point into a "Gateway Pacific Terminal," where coal that has been strip mined in other states would then be transported to Whatcom County, unloaded, stored, and then shipped overseas so that China and other countries can use it to fuel their power plants.

Three groups have coordinated their efforts (The Sierra Club, Climate Solutions, and ReSources) to present a public forum entitled "The Coal Hard Truth," on Wednesday May 4, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Bellingham Public Library Community Room. The room only holds about 100 people, so I also recommend getting there early. According to the press release, "The forum will consist of brief presentations on a range of topics related to the impacts of the proposed terminal to the Bellingham community, followed by a panel session with opportunities for the audience to pose questions to the speakers."

And if you can't make it but you would like to sign the petition, click on the link here.

Also, for more info about this issue, check out the following:

Reminder: Vegan Potluck is Tomorrow

2011-04-29T19:50:00.000-07:00

Looking forward to seeing you guys! Email me if you need address info or if you have any questions, veganinbellingham@gmail.com.

UPDATE: Gluten-free rolls from the Co op are no longer vegan

2011-04-26T19:57:00.000-07:00

I left an update on my original Swan Cafe post from 2009, but in case you don't see that right away, I wanted to make sure you were aware of a change to the gluten-free rolls that you can find at the deli in either co op. I emailed the co op as soon as I first heard about this change just for clarification and received the following response:

"Unfortunately for you the gluten free rolls are no longer vegan. Once upon a time they were. I am really bad with time and can’t tell you exactly when the switch happened. Anyways we were having some issues with our rolls turning out and there was an egg replacer drought (these things happen). Faced with the choice of no gf rolls or gf rolls with chicken eggs we decided to try eggy rolls. They turned out great and we didn’t look back. Please know that you can special order a dozen or more gf rolls w/o egg (they freeze well)."

I apologize to any readers who may have tried these rolls based on the info I shared with you from the original information given to me by co op employees. As far as I know, their focaccia bread is still vegan, at least for now, (although you may want to ask each time you order them because evidently things can change with no warning.) Please know I will always keep you posted on such matters as soon as I learn about them.

Little Tokyo: 2915 Newmarket Place

2011-04-22T19:22:00.000-07:00

I love love love good vegan sushi. I am a huge fan of happy hour at Kyoto, and think their sushi is very yum. Their rice is absolutely perfect. Unfortunately, they don't have a huge selection of vegan sushi to choose from. Ever since my wonderful meal at Futaba in Victoria B.C., I have been dreaming of sushi with mushrooms, spinach, asparagus, or other creative elements that are a clear departure from the standard avocado and cucumber fare. Don't get me wrong--I love a good avocado roll--but there is so much more that can be done in the world of veggie sushi.

This past Tuesday I had the pleasure of joining some friends to check out the classic Ozu film, Tokyo Story (part of the Masters of Japanese Cinema Series) at the fabulous new Pickford theatre, and in keeping with the evening's "theme," we decided to stop for sushi at Little Tokyo over in Barkley before the film. In preparation, I first looked at Little Tokyo's menu online and saw that they seemed to have a nice selection of "vegetarian" sushi. I then called just to make sure that the veggie sushi could also be made vegan and spoke with a really nice staff person who assured me that most, if not all of the veggie sushi, was or could be vegan.

I was instantly interested in the marinated mushroom and avocado roll, and I also of course ordered a couple of the old stand-bys. Everything was super-tasty and the young woman serving our table was very nice and helpful. She even made sure that the wasabi was vegan (because sometimes it contains milk protein), and if she did not know the answer to one of my questions, she very agreeably offered to find out.

It's nice to know I have a vegan-friendly sushi place in my neighborhood, and I will definitely check it out again sometime. (And in case you were wondering, the movie was fabulous and the new theatre is amazing--if you haven't stopped by the new Pickford yet, you totally should!)

VegNews responds to photography controversy

2011-04-17T08:25:00.000-07:00

I am sure everyone has heard by now about the controversy raging around VegNews' decision to use stock photos of non-vegan meat-based dishes in their magazines. My friend Sean emailed me a link giving me a heads-up when this story first broke via quarrygirl's blog, and today I was curious to find out how VegNews would respond. Now you all know I am a fan of this magazine and I always like to see where I can pick one up when traveling, like I did last summer while visiting Whistler. I have always enjoyed reading it, sharing tips from it, reading their email subscription newsletter. And while I understand that using stock photos is a standard practice in the publishing industry, it still saddens me that VegNews resorted to doing this while not disclosing what they were doing, whether it is "industry standard" or not. There are an awful lot of things in this world that are "standard" that vegans don't agree with and go out of their way to do differently if the "standard" conflicts with their values.

I also understand that VegNews is under financial constraints--I really do. And I appreciate that they are trying to produce a high-quality magazine despite those constraints. However, as vegans we are constantly telling people how great our food is, how easy it is to make, how it's just as tasty if not tastier, than meat-based non-vegan options, and then we can't even photograph an example of this? It seems like we are not supporting our perspective very much at all if we can't even get a picture of what we are trying to share. Give me an amateur photo or even no photo of a dish any day over a mis-represented meat-based photo in my "vegan" magazine.

And, the fact that there are so many great food photographers out there--you can tell just by looking at the blogs--and they are telling us that really, really, there are times when there isn't anyone who can photograph the vegan dish they are featuring? I just find that so hard to believe. It seems to me like if it is a priority, VegNews could make it happen. Which means it's not a priority. Which bums me out because I think it does cast a shadow on things. At the very least, it's a distraction because now if I am ever looking at their magazine, I will wonder about the photo and whether or not it is depicting a truly vegan dish or if it contains ingredients from a dead animal.

VegVews does claim that they hope to someday use only pictures featuring vegan food. I hope so too, especially since that's what we already thought they were doing all along.

Electricity, light bulbs, and veganism

2011-04-15T22:30:00.000-07:00

One of the things I love about VegFest in Seattle is the tables they have in the back of the Exhibition Hall that feature a wide variety of books about food, cooking, nutrition, health, and environmental issues, all for a reasonable price. During this last Veg Fest I picked up a really fabulous book called Going Green: A Wise Consumer's Guide to a Shrinking Planet, by Sally and Sadie Kneidel. It's not one of those books that overwhelms you with so much information that you begin to feel like everything is impossible or hopeless. I have encountered a few of those and they leave me not knowing where to start or if I can start anywhere at all. Instead, this book is chock-full of practical tips, easy to understand statistics and personal stories, and advice that empowers you as you begin to recognize the major impact your everyday choices have on the world around you. Sometimes small things can really make a tremendous difference.

For example, one way to remind yourself to do the simple little things, like say, turning off the lights when you no longer need them, is to really think about how much energy is required in order for one bulb to burn, and where the energy to power that one light bulb can come from. If you leave ten light bulbs on for one hour, then you have consumed one kilowatt of electricity. According to Going Green, the average house in the "coal-burning southeast" uses 36 kilowatt hours each day. And then when you consider that:

". . .eight pounds of West Virginia mountain terrain are blasted and removed to obtain each kilowatt of coal-fueled energy, those numbers start looking pretty ugly." (p.51)

For some reason, this sentence had a major impact on the way I look at how I use electricity. Sometimes I will leave a light on in a room when I am getting ready in the morning as a reminder to myself that I still need to get something from that room--it's a little visual shortcut for me, a heads-up when I am tired to help me remember that I need to go back and finish whatever it was I started. But if I stop and think about it, using lights in this way, even if it's only for a short period of time, really starts to seem like a luxury that I am taking for granted, something that I am thinking of as "mine," to "use" without consciously considering the cost of my usage to the environment, to the world around me, to the coal miners, to the children living close to factories that expel pollution in order to produce electrical resources, to the animals, the oceans, the air, the other humans yet to be born, etc. (I could go on and on...)

And I know not all electricity comes from coal, but symbolically, even if mine does not, picturing each kilowatt of used electricity as being represented by one pound of coal that needed to first be mined and then burned really put things in perspective for me. If I had to mine and burn a pound of coal myself each day in order to use the lights that I want to use, it would be a whole other world. And yet, that is essentially what I am doing every day without realizing it.

And even if our energy is not fueled by coal, then it still comes from petroleum oil, natural gas, or nuclear power, and none of those are any better. According to this book, 23% of the nation's energy comes from coal, while about 40% comes from oil and another 25% comes from natural gas. 8% comes from nuclear power, and only 3% is from hydroelectric dams. And no matter how we get our energy, it comes from a source that causes damage to the world around us. And as a vegan, I try to live under the principles of doing the least amount of harm. Which brings me to the question: Do I really value the energy I am consuming?

What if I treated electrical energy as something scarce, rare, and amazing? I mean, really who hasn't truly felt this way when confronted with a temporary power outage? That is when you can't help but realize how utterly dependent we are, how much we don't even really think about what we are using almost every minute of every day.

And the good new is, there really is so much we can do. A simple start is to replace your regular light bulbs with compact fluorescents. They use only 1/5 of the amount of energy as regular light bulbs and they also last much longer.

"In the course of its lifetime, each compact fluorescent bulb will prevent more than 450 pounds of emissions from a power plant. If every American home replaced just one incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent bulb, it would save enough energy to light more than 2.5 million homes for an entire year, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of nearly 800,00 cars." (p.51, footnotes from this site)

So, I can change my light bulbs, I can turn of lights I am not using, I can lower my thermostat a couple of degrees, I can make sure my appliances are as energy efficient as possible, I can run my dishwasher on the energy saving cycle, I can make sure I don't leave clothes in the dryer overnight and then use the dryer to "de-wrinkle" them the next day, I can unplug appliances I am not using, I can turn my computer off when I am finished with it, etc. And, I can support green energy efforts locally and in my community.

We may not be able to stop corporations from wasting energy or causing too much pollution, at least not individually and not overnight, but we can make choices that are moving us in that direction by deciding what we are going to purchase, what we are going to use, and how we are going to use it. After all, we really are consumers in just about every aspect of our life--we consume information, we consume food, we consume products, and we consume energy. The impact of all of our choices as consumers is huge, which means it is important that we are informed consumers who make deliberate choices that mesh with our values and ideals so that we can live lives that are in harmony with what we believe, which when I really break it down for myself, is one of the reasons I became vegan in the first place.

Bellingham Farmers Market and the Next Vegan Potluck

2011-04-09T20:24:00.000-07:00

It's official: the next B'ham vegan potluck has been scheduled in the same location as before, same time as before (5-ish), on Saturday, April 30th, and everyone coming should feel free to bring your own beverage along with one of your fave vegan dishes.

Again, please try to bring your own plates, cutlery, etc. so that we can keep this get-together as eco-friendly as possible by not having tons of disposable dishes to throw away afterward. (Although if you absolutely can't bring your own, there is a limited amount of dishware at the potluck location that we can use and then wash afterward, so we can probably make do.)

Last time was tons of fun so I look forward to catching up with those of you who made it before, and hopefully we will also see some new faces! Everyone is welcome and you of course don't have to be vegan to come, (although your food does). If you couldn't make the last one but would like to come this time, drop me an email at veganinbellingham@gmail.com and I can send you info on the location.

In other B'ham news, I can personally verify that the Farmers Market is as wonderful as ever, that Ambo Ethiopian Cuisine is everything I remembered and longed for during this long dark winter, and that the chocolate cupcakes from Icing on the Cake are still absolutely amazing! I am starting to feel like Spring is finally coming around at last.

Vegan Cupcakes in Bellingham Saturday April 9

2011-04-03T12:53:00.000-07:00

The Farmers Market is finally open again! Yay for Mulu Belay's amazing Ethiopian food for breakfast! Yay for fresh local veggies! And I have it on good authority that next Saturday, Icing on the Cake will also have available their fantastic vegan cupcakes. Maybe I will see you there?

The Wallflower: 2420 Main Street, Vancouver BC

2011-04-03T12:42:00.000-07:00

So go ahead and mark The Wallflower down on your list of places you Absolutely Must Try while in Vancouver. Pictured above is my superb birthday dinner, the Best Biggest Juiciest Awesomest Portobello Burger I have ever tasted (and having been a vegetarian for over 20 years, trust me I have had my share of mushroom burgers)! In addition to having a separate vegan menu, The Wallflower also won me over because they let you choose to "half and half" the side salad and fries option if you can't make up your mind which way to go, so that way you are getting the best of both worlds. Ingenious!

My burger also came with a wonderful eggplant spread in lieu of mayo, and I think that might be what helped transform it into the remarkable burger that it was. So many terrific flavors! So huge and yet so tasty I ate the whole thing! And then they told me about their fantastic vegan chocolate cake, and with it being my birthday and everything, well I am sure you can imagine why I could not refuse, so my husband and I ordered a piece to share. The cake was almost like a brownie, so rich and chocolatey with a wonderful velvety chocolate sauce oozing and dripping all over the cake, paired with a fresh strawberry perfect for dipping.

Like The Naam, The Wallflower also has a really nice and comfortable atmosphere with a friendly and attentive staff. In addition to having a separate vegan menu, they also have a separate gluten-free menu, and they can even make some things both vegan and gluten-free. They are very gracious about accommodating different dietary needs, and they have come up with a fantastic menu which proves it can be done both tastefully and successfully.

The "Thunder Fries" at The Wallflower also come highly recommended, and knowing that the fries are not cooked with meat and in fact aren't even fried, makes it possible to indulge without any worries. It's nice to have the option of eating at an omni place where you don't have to worry about whether or not there will be something for everyone. The Walflower is definitely all-inclusive, a place where food can bring people together.

The Naam: 2724 W. 4th Ave, Vancouver B. C. (Kitsilano district)

2011-04-03T11:42:00.000-07:00

It's not hard to find a yummy vegan breakfast in Vancouver. Behold this amazing breakfast feast that I enjoyed at The Naam Restaurant, a full-service vegetarian restaurant that is open 24 hours a day. I ordered the Vegan Pancake Platter, which came with these fantastic home made vegan sausages that contained an assortment of tasty veggies including corn, carrots, peas, red pepper, and herbs and spices. My meal also came with fresh home fries made out of Yukon Gold potatoes from the Fraser Valley cooked with fresh parsley and green onions and paired with the most amazing miso gravy I have ever tasted in my life.

The pancakes were absolutely HUGE, and I have to admit I couldn't even finish one of them, let alone the two that came with my meal. The service was great and the people who worked there were very friendly and welcoming. The interior is really cute and comfortable, with local art displayed on the walls and a couple of cozy nooks to hide away as well as a number of tables and chairs throughout. We grabbed a nice little window seat so we could enjoy people-watching outside as we ate. The restaurant is well-lit due to lots of windows which lets in the natural light.

I am definitely interested in checking out Naam again sometime for lunch or dinner as well. Their menu is very vegan-friendly, and if their other dishes are anything like the breakfast I had, then I am sure I would enjoy them as well. They even have vegan desserts on their menu. What more could I ask for?

Karmavore the Vegan Shop: 610 Columbia Street, New Westminster, BC

2011-03-27T16:30:00.000-07:00

Karmavore The Vegan Shop

From the moment we first decided that we were going to Vancouver to celebrate my birthday, I knew that I was most excited about stopping by Karmavore The Vegan Shop. Now, after having visited the store in person, I can safely say it is one of My Favorite Places. Not only were the people who worked there SO NICE, it was also awesome to be in a store where I didn't have to wonder about whether or not the items I enjoyed browsing through were vegan.

From shoes to wallets to lipstick to nail polish, from belts to handbags, from vegan cheese to household cleaners to vitamins, from vegan croissants to yes, even vegan condoms--being able to consider my purchases on the basis of what I needed or wanted without any worry about ingredients or material was a fun and wonderful thing. I of course found a bag that I absolutely fell in love with, which my generous husband then bought me for my birthday, making it my Favorite Purse Ever.

Happy me outside Karmavore with my birthday present

The morning that we were heading back to Bellingham, we swung by one last time to pick up some croissants for breakfast at home the next day, and they were so very yummy I almost melted as that first taste of light flaky pastry dissolved in my mouth. I hadn't had a croissant in something like 15 years, so I really cannot fully express how heavenly it tasted.

Next time you are in BC, be sure and stop by this fabulous store. And if you can't make it to Karmavore in person, you should check out their website. (Another cool thing about them is that they donate 10% of all their profits to animal charities, so not only are you buying a cruelty free product, some of your money is also going to support good causes.)

yummy vegan croissants

As you have probably assumed, much of the rest of our trip also involved eating wonderful vegan food. I will be posting updates on some pretty amazing dining experiences in the near future....

"Vegan Myths Debunked" by Jonathan Mann and Ivory King

2011-03-27T15:09:00.000-07:00

You guys have probably already seen this, but just in case you haven't I wanted to share it. Check out Jonathan Mann's site here for more fun songs.