Though you’ve been able to find a few vegan or vegetarian items at Target Field in Minneapolis in the past, such as popcorn, peanuts, and pretzels, they’ve upped their game this season with lots of delicious veg options that will surely make you want to head out to Target Field – and maybe you can even watch the Twins play, too!

New vegan and vegetarian options this year include Field Roast veggie dogs and burgers, which are both vegan, a baked potato bar, hummus with pretzels, veggie taco, veggie kabobs, and veggie burritos. Now you can stop sneaking in those Larabars and enjoy true ballpark food while taking in a game this summer!

Before you head out to Target Field, make sure you check out their entire list of the veg options available as well as the directory  to where you can find all of the delicious plant-based foods throughout the stadium. They also have a ton of gluten-free options, so you’re sure to find something the whole family can enjoy!

I’m happy to announce we’ve hired Justin Leaf as our new Communications and Events Coordinator.

A long time Compassionate Action for Animals volunteer, Justin has helped plan the Their Lives, Our Voices conference, raised funds, distributed literature, helped with administrative tasks, and much more. He has written a vegan cookbook, Mistress Ginger Cooks, which is being released next month.

Justin has been a professional dancer, a singer, a performer, choreographer, and a yoga instructor. He has organized numerous events and has extensive experience in communications including email newsletters and videos.

Beyond his experience, what excites me about hiring Justin is his commitment to gently helping people embrace compassion.

Kicking off on Meatless Monday and the day before Earth Day, Compassion Over Killing’s US VegWeek 2014 (April 21-27) is a weeklong celebration exploring the benefits of vegetarian eating. This year’s celebration will be bigger and better than ever!

Join the fun! Thousands of Americans nationwide are taking the 7-Day VegPledge. Sign up now to get your FREE Vegetarian Starter Pack. You can also get free recipes, dining tips, discounts, and other info via email to keep you smiling and help make your week a shining success!

We’ll be hosting our Vegan Food Showcase on Friday, April 25, from 1 to 4 pm in front of Coffman Memorial Union at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, as a part of US VegWeek.

Are you wondering about Compassionate Action for Animals’ Veg Week, our week-long celebration of events? We will not be hosting Veg Week this year because of the timing of Twin Cities Veg Fest 2014, but we expect to host our next Veg Week in the spring of 2015.

Here are some of the recipes from last Thursday’s 10th Annual Banquet. If you enjoyed the food, you can make it again! If you missed the banquet, you can make the dishes yourself!

Hors D’ouevres

• Bean and Sauerkraut Dip with Crackers
• Satay Turnovers
• Phyllo Knishes

Main Dish

• “Beef” and Veggie Skewers
• Garlic Tarragon Mayo
• Soy Hoisin Sauce

Soup

• Tomato Basil Soup

Sides

• Twice Baked Potatoes
• Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
• Ginger Carrots

In a recent undercover investigation, Mercy for Animals went to a turkey factory in Canada called Hybrid Turkeys. From December 2013 to February 2014, an investigator worked at the factory and documented the terrible cruelty turkeys suffer within the facility.

Throughout their investigation, the investigator saw workers punching, throwing, kicking, and beating turkeys. They also saw them crushing their spines and bashing their heads with shovels and other metal objects. Beyond the outright cruelty, the investigator also documented instances of wounded turkeys with infections left without proper care as well as inhumane breeding practices that caused the turkeys to grow so quickly they were crippled under their own weight.

To learn more about the investigation and what you can do to help, visit this website by Mercy for Animals Canada. Additionally, if you’d like to learn more about moving towards a plant-based diet you can visit our resources page. You can find cruelty-free dining options at VegGuide.org.

The Animal Rights National Conference is an excellent opportunity to meet fellow animal advocates, learn skills to become a more effective activist, and have a great time! Compassionate Action for Animals will have a table at the conference, and we’d like your help.

The conference will include:

• 100 sessions on animal abuse, organizing, tactics, and issues
• 80+ speakers from 60 organizations
• Eyewitness reports on key campaigns
• 90 free exhibits
• Video premieres
• Newcomer Orientation
• Nightly networking receptions
• Awards Banquet on Saturday evening

The conference will be held July 10-13 in Los Angeles. We will be able to provide hotel accommodations to a limited number of volunteers. Please let me know if you’re interested.

She’s one of the best and most prolific vegan cookbook authors, but with Isa Does It, Isa Chandra Moskowitz hits an undeniable, mouthwatering groove. Isa Does It features easy, everyday recipes that are satisfyingly delicious with ingredients you probably already have at home. I had the good fortune of meeting her at a book reading for this cookbook in Minneapolis last year, and it was obvious this was the cookbook of her dreams and for good reason. Brightly colored photos excite your imagination’s taste buds while the approachable recipes comfort your practical, time-conscious mind.

The cookbook features an introduction with tips for kitchen tools, pantry staples and modifications for allergies. The section on “Vegan Butchery” may seem tongue-in-cheek amusing, but you’ll probably learn something new like I did in prepping the tofu for her “Cast Iron Stir Fry with Avocado, Basil and Peanuts” (pg. 175.) The heart of the cookbook is the eleven sections of recipes; including soups, salads, handhelds, stir fries & sautés, Sunday night suppers, basic proteins, breakfasts, and desserts.

My favorite recipe was the “Cheddary Broccoli Soup” (p. 53) with its lick-the-bowl deliciousness from the mouthwatering umami of white miso, cheesy nutritional yeast and creamy cashews. It was the perfect thing to combat this Minnesota winter. A robust salad section satisfied with “Sesame Slaw w/ Warm Garlicky Seitan” (p. 58) that was a meal in itself with a feel good amount of fiber-rich red cabbage. After a long day at work, curl up with one of her meals in a bowl recipes like the “Good Gravy Bowl with Broccoli and Seitan” which creates a creamy, flavorful gravy with lentils which can be ladled over mashed potatoes, greens, sweet potatoes or whatever else you can imagine.

The recipes in Isa Does It seem solidly Midwestern to me. Not too fancy or pretentious, just solidly delicious, satisfying and accessible to most homes. The “Lentil-a-roni” (pg. 134) with its cashew creamy tomato sauce and meaty lentils nestled in the nooks of the curly fusilli noodles was reminiscent of childhood Chef Boyardee meals but more delicious, healthy and humane. Her “Puffy Pillow Pancakes” (pg. 253) grew like fluffy miniature skyscrapers on my cast iron griddle and the “Muffin Pan Mini Omelets” (pg. 247) were a quick grab protein for breakfast sandwiches throughout the week.

All in all, Isa Does It is a great staple cookbook for your bookshelf that you’ll return to time and time again to make easy, every day meals that appeal to a broad audience.

Isa Does It: Amazingly Easy, Wildly Delicious Vegan Recipes for Every Day of the Week

by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
First Edition: October 2013
Little, Brown and Company