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Try Veg this Twin Cities VegWeek (April 7-13)
Twin Cities VegWeek 2019 is Sunday, April 7 through Saturday, April 13!
At the heart of your VegWeek experience is the Twin Cities VegPledge. It’s YOUR chance to try out more plant-based eating and become a better animal advocate!
Take the Twin Cities VegPledge today!
Get started with a pledge to go either vegetarian or vegan for the week of April 7. If you’re already vegan, pledge to get at least five friends to take the VegPledge.
Twin Cities Veg Living Issue 5 is Here!
Minneapolis was named the City of the Year in Veg News’ 2018 Veggie Awards and it’s no wonder––the Twin Cities compassionate community has experienced tremendous growth over the past few years.
Want to learn about the health benefits of a plant-based diet? How to get a mentor to support you while going veg? The work sanctuaries around the Twin Cities are doing? Learn about many of the all-vegan businesses that opened and the businesses that went vegan in 2018 alone?
We’ve got the scoop on all of this and more for you in the new issue of Twin Cities Veg Living, our annual outreach magazine. Read it online or grab a physical copy for yourself and a friend who might be considering going veg at any of our events throughout 2019.
If you know of a place that could host some magazines, let us know. We’re happy to get some there, or work with you to distribute them. Join us in making 2019 another Year of the Vegan!
Time for thanks
We want to extend a huge thank you to the following individuals who wrote, took photos for, edited, and proofread this year’s magazine: Laura Carroll Photography, Jacquelyn Cortopassi, Coco and Lala, Erin Hudson, Emily Kampa, Julie Knopp, Laura Matanah, Marina Nyberg, Carol Ottoson, Suzy Sorensen of Move2Veg Nutrition Counseling, Laura VanZandt, and Theresa Zingery.
We’d also like to thank the following vegan businesses and sanctuaries for contributing photos and supporting this issue: Crepe & Spoon, Fig & Farro, The Herbivorous Butcher, Little Acorn Sanctuary, Seed Cafe, Trio Plant-based, and Vegan East.
Read TCVL Issue 5!
If you want to support the creation and distribution of Twin Cities Veg Living and other CAA outreach tools, please make a donation to CAA today.
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Update: It has come to our attention that Radical Eats MN was launched in 2018, So Good So You opened a new location in 2018, and that a St. Paul vegan business was re-branded as a bodega in 2018. The owner of the third business, which we have promoted in the past, has asked that we not mention his name or his business again. We are not mentioning his name or his business here out of respect for his wishes.
We have worked to resolve concerns related to the magazine with the parties involved and plan to have a board member be part of the magazine’s review process going forward.
The 2018 Annual Report
Read all about what Compassionate Action for Animals accomplished this past year in our 2018 Annual Report!
The annual report gives you a broader view of our 2018 programs, events, activities, and impact. Through a combination of outreach, education, and community building we encourage people to embrace their empathy and move toward a plant-based diet, and we achieved remarkable success in 2018. The annual report also includes a financial statement, showing our income and expenses for the year, and an acknowledgment of all of our top donors.
Thanks to all of you who support our work through donating, volunteering, and participating in our events. We truly could not do so much without our community of dedicated animal advocates.
The movement made explosive progress in 2018 and this year is being called the “Year of the Vegan,” but there is still work to be done. The animals need us to raise our voices and do what we can together so that their stories are heard. Together, let’s continue to live more compassionately and grow our movement in 2019 and beyond!
Volunteer Shoutout: Meet the U of M CAA Chapter Co-Presidents!
Meet Jessica and Maya, co-presidents of the University of Minnesota CAA Student Group. Between studying for classes, leading CAA student group meetings and events, and more, these two are working toward making their dreams for themselves and the animals happen! Get to know a little bit more about both of them below.
Jessica Burks
What are you studying at the U? I am majoring in Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies.
What drew you personally to veganism? I was a vegetarian for many years, and I was drawn to veganism when I learned that cows, like all mammals, only produce milk in response to pregnancy. (I grew up thinking that cows just made milk—because that’s what cows were “for.”) As a very passionate feminist, I was motivated to go from vegetarian to vegan because of my strong belief in body autonomy—I don’t believe that animals bodies exist to produce dairy and egg products, and I believe that it is a gross violation of animals’ rights to have their bodies used and exploited for profit.
How did you get involved with CAA? I first learned about CAA when I saw the painting on the Washington Ave bridge! I attended my first meeting as a freshman and loved the sense of community that the student group provided.
What are three tips you would share with a friend transitioning to a plant-based diet?
- Start slow—in my experience, a slower transition is more sustainable long term than an overnight switch (although all ways of transitioning to veganism are valid and commendable)! I recommend giving yourself some time to explore vegan options and find out what you like so that you’re prepared to make the transition in a healthy and manageable way.
- Don’t be afraid to try new things! While vegan substitutes are great (vegan burgers, anyone??) I encourage people to step out of their comfort zones and discover the huge and delicious world of vegan cuisine! A few of my favorite vegan cooking channels on YouTube are The Happy Pear, Sweet Potato Soul, and Caitlin Shoemaker/frommybowl.
- Know why you’re doing it. For me, my dedication to reducing animal suffering has kept me strong and devoted to my vegan lifestyle.
Do you have a favorite CAA event? I love the bake sales! We have such a good time getting together to bake vegan goodies (and of course taste testing to inspect quality). Maya and I love being creative with icing and decorating cookies and cupcakes.
What are your plans for the next year? Next year will be my senior year since I’m graduating a year early. I’m hoping to have a career in the nonprofit field after graduation, specifically within advocacy and anti-oppression based work. As for the student group, I hope that we continue to grow, recruit new members, and spread the vegan love on campus!
Maya Ulrich
What are you studying at the U?I am majoring in psychology and art and minoring in sociology and social justice.
What drew you personally to veganism? I was drawn to veganism because of its environmental sustainability. I knew I wanted to do as much as I could to reduce my carbon footprint, and I love animals!
How did you get involved with CAA? I had a friend who was in CAA and invited me to join. My first actual event was the May Day parade that we marched in.
What are three tips you would share with a friend transitioning to a plant-based diet?
- Don’t quit if you cheat or accidentally eat something that isn’t within the parameters of your plant-based diet.
- If you’re ever struggling with maintaining your plant-based diet, make a list of why you chose to do it in the first place.
- Find your community! It makes it so much easier to maintain if you have friends who are plant-based too.
Do you have a favorite CAA event? My favorite event by far was the Vegan Chili Cookoff. It was so much fun and the turn out was really great. I also love the weekly meetings.
What are your plans for the next year? I’m just going to continue to stay active on campus, and I hope to continue to grow our student group through both activities and people.
Are you a University of Minnesota or Augsburg student? We have CAA chapters at both schools and you’re welcome to join! Visit our student group page to learn more about meeting times or our volunteer page to get involved.
Your Sneak Peek at the 2019 Annual Banquet Silent Auction!
If you’ haven’t heard yet, we’re throwing a party on March 23—Drake’s Drinks Celebrating 21 Years of Compassionate Action for Animals to be exact—which will include delicious food and drink, gorgeous views of the St. Paul skyline, and a silent auction benefiting our future work for the animals––to encourage others to embrace their empathy and move towards a plant-based diet.
From our Bridges of Respect humane education program (now in its 20th year!) to our annual Twin Cities Veg Fest, we reach tens of thousands of people every year with a message of compassion. As a result, more and more folks are making everyday choices that ultimately have a profound impact on the lives of farmed animals.
Photos from the 10th Annual Vegan Chili Cook-Off
The 10th Annual Vegan Chili Cook-Off was a blast! Over 250 attendees savored vegan chilis of bean and meatless meat varieties and were introduced to animal protection, environmental, and food waste issues.
Many thanks to all of the contestants (including those in our brand-new Professionals category) for providing amazing vegan chili for all to share while enjoying friendly competition. You showed how delicious, satisfying, and easy to prepare vegan food can be.
The three winners of this year’s Cook-Off by category are:
Bean Based : Jenny Newgard aka Contestant 9- Meatless Meat: Marina and Liberty Kirkeide aka Contestant 13
- Professional: Reverie Mobile Kitchen aka Contestant 6
This event would not have been the success it was without the support of our stellar volunteers and Chili Cook-Off planning team. Thank you for your support with planning, setting up, cleaning up, making extra chili, and more––THANK YOU!
Thank you to Reverie Mobile Kitchen and Farmaste, who generously donated to the evaluation gift basket. We’d like to extend an additional thank you to Farmaste, Spring Farm Sanctuary, SoulSpace, Little Acorn, Fur Free Minneapolis, Mighty Earth, and the Food Recovery Network for their support of the event and information they provided to guests!
Finally, thank you to everyone who came to join in the fun. Whether you are new to vegan food or have been a part of the local vegan community for a long time, we hope you found inspiration and support in moving further down the path of compassionate living.
We hope you’ll join us at our Annual Banquet, otherwise known as Drake’s Drinks Celebrating 21 Years of Compassionate Action for Animals at the Clarence W. Wigington Pavilion at Harriet Island Park on Saturday, March 23. With a gourmet vegan dinner catered by Gorkha Palace, delicious certified-vegan cocktails by Drake’s Organic Spirits, and cupcakes from Vegan East (it wouldn’t be a party without cake!), you won’t want to miss this. Get your tickets today!
Grow Baby Grow! – Growing Up Vegan Part 1
Written by Suzy Sorensen, RD, LD, CDE
Are plant-based diets ok for babies? You bet they are! The AND says “Appropriately planned…vegan diets…are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, older adulthood and for athletes.” (1)
But, remember that infants are not just little grown-ups! During the first year of life, babies have unique nutrition needs to support accelerated growth and development.
A parent’s milk (breast milk) is the best food for infants and it’s the only food needed from birth until 4-6 months. Balanced vegan diets can meet the needs of older babies.
If baby is not able to breastfeed, commercial iron-fortified formulas should be used. Currently, soy formula is the only reliable, safe vegan option.
At 4-6 months old, babies start to show they are ready to try solid foods! They can keep their heads upright and sit with little support.
The first food is typically baby cereal fortified with iron and zinc diluted with breast milk or formula to a thin consistency. As baby grows, it can be thicker. Often soft fruits and vegetables are added next. These can be pureed or fork mashed at home, and store-bought baby food can be a convenient option.
For safety, add in just one new food every 3-4 days to identify any food sensitivities.
As baby gets better at chewing, pasta and soft-cooked grains, soft bread, sweet potatoes, cereal, and crackers can be added. At 7-8 months, add in cooked and mashed or pureed beans, lentils, tofu, and non-dairy yogurt if desired.
Babies need enough calories and fat to support normal growth. Items like hummus, avocado, tofu, and cooked dried fruits can offer a boost. Calcium can come from calcium set tofu, fortified juice or yogurt, and dark leafy greens like kale and broccoli.
To avoid choking risk, foods like nuts, nut butters, grapes, chunks of veggie dogs, whole beans, and popcorn should not be given to babies.
Infants often need to be fed every hour or 2. After starting on solids, babies will need at least 3 small meals and 2-3 small snacks daily to meet their needs.
Ideally, baby will sit at the table with a parent who can model healthy eating at meal time!
Sample menu for 10 month old vegan baby:
Breakfast: ¼ cup fortified baby cereal with 4 oz breast milk/formula & 2 TBS mashed banana
Snack: ¼ slice soft bread & 4 oz breast milk/formula
Lunch: ¼ cup fork mashed lentils, 2 TBS steamed chopped kale, 2 TBS applesauce, 2 TBS quinoa, 2 TBS mashed avocado, 4 oz breast milk/formula
Snack: 4 oz breast milk/formula
Dinner: ¼ cup cubed tofu, ¼ cup fortified baby cereal, 2 TBS fork mashed sweet potato, 2 TBS peaches, 4 oz breast milk/formula
Snack: 6 oz breast milk/formula
Breastmilk or infant formula should continue during the first 12 months. It is not safe to use plant-milks (like plain soy or almond milk) or homemade formulas as a substitutes. They do not have the right nutrients and do not have enough of many vitamins that a growing baby needs for health.
Supplemental B12 and Vitamin D are recommended for infants along with iron starting at 4 months. Always discuss with baby’s doctor before starting a supplement.
(1) Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Please note: This information, while accurate, does not provide an all-inclusive feeding plan and is not intended to substitute personal medical advice. It is intended to offer guidance only. We recommend working with a registered dietitian to help meet any specific questions you may have.
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Suzy Sorensen is a Twin Cities-based Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator who is passionate about plant-based eating! She has a Certificate of Training in Vegetarian Nutrition from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and opened Move2Veg Nutrition Counseling in 2009 to support those interested in plant-based eating. For more information, visit move2veg.com.
Volunteer Shoutout: Suzy Sorensen, RD, LD, CDE
Suzy Sorensen is a Twin Cities-based Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator who is passionate about plant-based eating! She has a Certificate of Training in Vegetarian Nutrition from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and opened Move2Veg Nutrition Counseling in 2009 to support those interested in plant-based eating. For more information, visit move2veg.com.
This month, the first part of her new four-part nutrition series, Growing Up Vegan, will be published on our blog. The series will explore ideas for supported eating during the four main stages of development. Read on to learn how Suzy’s passions for veganism and nutrition intersect.
What drew you personally to veganism?
A vegetarian friend invited me along to a PETA seminar here in the Cities (nearly 20 years ago). That first opened my eyes to what happens to animals and the choices I can make to reduce suffering. That’s where I connected with CAA! My “aha moment” was very shortly after that. We were visiting friends in Florida and happened to be there for
What drew you to your practice (and study of) nutrition?
I have a degree in education and taught science for 7 years. I was looking for a change and took a career development class. I shadowed a dietitian, took an intro to nutrition class, and it was love at first sight! I realized that food is powerful medicine, much more than just “fuel for the machine.” Food plays a critical role in health and disease. I still consider myself a teacher, but with a new subject matter—nutrition! Later, when I became vegan for compassionate reasons, I was driven to learn about plant-based nutrition to take care of myself and my family. It didn’t take long to realize that there was a lot of misinformation out there among my friends and my patients! That’s what prompted me to start Move2Veg, there is a need for accurate, evidence-based, individualized nutrition information. With that, we can be our best plant-based selves!
What are three tips you would emphasize to a friend transitioning to a plant-based diet?
1) It does not have to be complicated or difficult to move to a plant-based diet. There aren’t “rules” or a “right way” to do it. We each need to do what works best for us to reach our goal.
2) Make connections, you aren’t alone! Go to pot lucks, dine outs, other social events, connect with a mentor, meet with a plant-based dietitian! We can learn from and be inspired by others.
3) Forgive yourself—learning something new takes time and practice, there will be moments where it doesn’t go quite as planned but tomorrow is another day.
Do you have a favorite food trend?
Easy, plant-based! The research shows more people than ever are giving it a try! Specific food trend? SO many new vegan cheeses, I’m always curious to check them out. L
Do you see a shift happening in public perceptions of nutrition?
Absolutely! I work in
To read more from Suzy, follow her new four-part nutrition series, Growing Up Vegan, released monthly on our blog starting March 6.
Celebrate our 21st with a Delicious Vegan Feast!
We’re turning 21, and you’re invited to celebrate these years of advocating for animals with some amazing vegan food!
Join us at the Clarence W. Wigington Pavilion at Harriet Island Park on Saturday, March 23 for Drake’s Drinks Celebrating 21 Years of Compassionate Action for Animals and enjoy a delicious vegan dinner catered by Gorkha Palace, an organic restaurant specializing in conscientiously prepared Indian, Nepali and Tibetan foods. And since it’s CAA’s 21st birthday, there will also be three vegan-certified cocktails from Drake’s Organic Spirits and cupcakes from Vegan East. You won’t want to miss this!
Meet the Chili Cook-Off Planning Committee!
Meet the team behind the 10th Annual Vegan Chili Cook-Off!
Emma Cameron
What’s your role on the Chili Cook-off Committee? I’ve been coordinating the volunteers, making regular posts to the CAA and TCVF social media pages (e.g. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook) advertising the event, and otherwise doing tasks that come up!
What’s your favorite outreach event outside of the chili cook-off? I’m not sure that I have enough experience to say yet, but I imagine it will soon be the Twin Cities Veg Fest!
Do you have a favorite kind of chili, topping, or side? If I make chili, I love to add some type of corn chip topping, and I prefer to stick to the bean-based varieties, as opposed to those with mock meats. I also think it’s absolutely essential to serve cornbread with chili!
Luna Guo
What’s your role on the Chili Cook-off Committee? Marketing consultant and helping to plan the overall event.
What else have you been up to this winter? Everything! Dancing, horses, skating––I’m always doing something. I like to keep myself active and busy.
What’s your favorite outreach event outside of the chili cook-off? Twin Cities Veg Fest is kind of amazing, and by kind of I mean really. I love having all the delicious food in one spot and connecting with other people and the different organizations at the event.
Do you have a favorite kind of chili, topping, or side? I love making chili with all sorts of mock meats. You can have toppings and sides? I’ve been eating it all wrong then! [A note from CAA: We’d like to assure you that there is no wrong way to enjoy chili, whether you enjoy with toppings, sides, or sideless.]
Maya Ulrich
What’s your role on the Chili Cook-off Committee? My role is student outreach and general communication between the student union and CAA.
What else have you been up to this winter? My life as a student is pretty active. I have been running all over campus trying to keep up with all of my commitments. I am working at the Weisman Art Museum, volunteering with Friends of the Free Arts, Big Brothers Big Sisters, The Aurora Center, and I’m an intern for Take Action MN. Honestly, staying busy has been the only thing keeping me warm in these cold winter months.
What’s your favorite outreach event outside of the chili cook-off? I really have enjoyed bake sales on campus in the past, but tabling and pay-per-view is always pretty great. You really get to connect with the Compassionate Action for Animals community.
Do you have a favorite kind of chili, topping, or side?I really like doing simple bean-based ones, because they are cheap and easy to make. Sometimes I’ll throw in some tofu too!
Volunteers make the Chili Cook-Off happen (and get in free)! Sign up here to get involved as a volunteer or get your ticket here to this year’s cook-off. See you on Saturday, February 23 at 6:00 pm!