Summary of Notes/Events Spring 2013

Things we did Spring 2013:

• Get Involved Fair
• Pay Per View (pay people to watch an AR video) with Mercy for Animals
• Bake Sale to fundraise once a month
• Screen documentary "Forks Over Knives"
• Eat-Togethers once a month (Happy Badger, Aladdin's, potlucks)
• Ann Arbor Trip
• SASHA Farm Sanctuary Volunteer Trip
• Eco Fair
• Surveyed Campus for idea of vegan food co-op
• Worked with Dining Services to plan vegan station Shoots at the Oaks
• Made amendment to our constitution to include all animal products as our focus (not just meat)

Berry Cobbler

Mallory's delicious berry cobbler recipe comes from chooseveg.com, although it seems the authors of that post took it from a book called Healthy Eating for Life for Cancer by Vesanto Melina, M.S., R.D. As we get further into summer, Veg Club suggests looking for fresh berries at the farmers market to use instead of frozen ones.

Ingredients
5-6 c frozen berries of your choice
1 and 1/4 c all purpose flour
1/2 c and 2 tbs sugar
1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 c vegan milk of choice

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375 F
2. Spread berries in a 9 x 9 in baking dish. Mix in 1/4 c flour and 1/2 c sugar, then put the pan in the oven for about 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, mix the remaining flour and sugar, as well as the baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add the milk and combine into a smooth batter.
4. Take out the berry mixture and pour the topping over them. Spread evenly. Then bake until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes.

Pad Thai

This is another Robin Robertson recipe from 1000 Vegan Recipes. Again, we recommend buying this cookbook! There's all kind of great stuff in there!

Ingredients
12 oz dried rice noodles
1/3 c soy sauce
2 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs brown sugar
1 tbs tamarind paste (Miriam used tamarind and date chutney instead)
2 tbs tomato paste
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
3 tbs oil
1 lb extra firm tofu, drained and pressed, cut into 1/4 in thick triangles
4 green onions
1 c bean sprouts
1 c mushrooms (shiitake recommended, Miriam used white mushrooms)
1/4 c chopped cilantro
1/3 c chopped dry roasted, unsalted peanuts

Instructions
1. Follow the instructions on the rice noodle package for preparation. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, lemon juice, tamarind paste, tomato paste, red pepper, and 3 tbs water. Set aside.
3. Heat a skillet or wok and lightly cover with oil. Add the tofu and stir fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to platter and set aside. (For tofu frying help, see Isa Chandra's advice on the subject)
4. In the same skillet or wok, heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Stir fry the green onions and garlic for thirty seconds, then add the tofu and mushrooms and fry for another 5 minutes. Add the noodles and toss to combine until heated through.
5. Stir in the sauce and cook, tossing to coat. If you food's sticking to the skillet/wok, splash in some water too. Serve with the peanuts and cilantro as garnish.

Roasted Asparagus with Herbs de Provence

Veg Club loves asparagus, as evidenced by our quick demolition of Mallory's asparagus dish. This one comes from allrecipes.com. It's simple yet delicious and definitely worth trying at home.

Ingredients
1 bunch of asparagus, fibrous ends trimmed off
2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs herbs de provence
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Put the asparagus in a large bowl and coat with oil, then toss with the herbs, salt, and pepper.
3. Roast in oven until tender, about 12 minutes

Deviled Potatoes

This recipe was inspired by the Post Punk Kitchen. What follows is a cross between Miriam's version and Isa Chandra's (that is, what would have been served if Miriam had followed directions better).

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs yukon gold potatoes
1 tbs oil
1 15.5 oz can great northern beans
1/2 c vegetable broth, plus more if needed to blend
1/2 tsp tumeric
1 tsp kala manak black salt (or 3/4 tsp normal salt)
1/8 tsp asafoetida (optional)
2 tsp lemon juice
black pepper to taste
paprika

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Slice potatoes across the waist and place on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Rub potatoes to coat, and place cut-side down on the baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, until potatoes are tender.

3. Drain and rinse your great northern beans.  Add them to a blender with vegetable broth and blend until smooth.
4. Once potatoes have been removed from the oven and cool enough to handle but still fairly warm, scrape out the centers. Mash the centers until smooth. Then add the bean mixture and the rest of the ingredients and continue to mash. Put in the refrigerator for about a 1/2 hour to thicken.
5. Put the mixture in a pastry bag if you have one, or in a large ziploc and cut about 1/4 in off one corner. Use this to fill the potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika.

3 Bean and Artichoke Salad

Scott's contribution to the potluck on Sunday was this delicious, well-praised, salad. We suspect it's good healthy food for good measure. Here's the recipe!

Ingredients
1 15.5 oz can great northern beans
1 15.5 oz can chickpeas
1 15.5 oz can black eyed peas
1 13.75 oz can marinated artichoke hearts
4 green onions
2 large tomatoes
3 cloves of garlic
3 tbs olive oil
3 tbs balsamic vinegar
1/4 c fresh parsley
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp black pepper

Instructions
1. Drain and rinse the beans and peas. Drain artichokes without rinsing.
2. Chop the artichokes, green onions, and parsley. Dice the tomatoes. Mince the garlic.
3. Mix the beans and peas, artichokes, green onions, tomatoes, and garlic in a bowl.
4. Toss the contents of the bowl with olive oil and the rest of the ingredients.
5. Refrigerate for an hour before serving.

It's The Final Potluck

Yesterday, Veg Club had our last event of the year. We gathered at The Common Good for a delicious vegan feast of bean salad, deviled potatoes, pad thai, asparagus, berry cobbler, and oreo cupcakes (recipes forthcoming). For me, this wasn't just the last Veg Club event of the school year, it was my last Veg Club event as a BGSU student.

My name is Miriam, and Veg Club was the first student organization I joined as a freshman. I went to Campus Fest that year specifically hoping to find such a group, as I still wasn't sure where I fit at BG and I thought a good place to start building community would be among vegetarians. I was right. Veg Club is the one place that I've known I belonged. At Veg Club, I could always find like-minded people. For all that the membership has changed many times in these last four years, Veg Club has been like a family to me at BGSU.

It is through Veg Club that I was introduced to the Community Gardens and The Common Good, where I have participated and volunteered throughout my BG career. At Veg Club I've met a slew of wonderful people, including three livingmates past and present and my partner of over two years. Veg Club gave me the opportunity to realize my leadership capacities when I ran for president my freshman year with no notion that I would actually win. I've test driven a few recipes on Veg Club and I've discovered a number of good ones through its members. I've seen challenges, when membership has been low or members disagreed about plans or rules. I seen through very successful events and I've seen them fall through. I'm very proud of Veg Club, and I'm very happy to have been involved for so long.

At the potluck yesterday, we went around in a circle and talked about our favorite memories from the year. We remembered trips to animal sanctuaries and to Toledo as well as other potlucks. We remembered playing hangman and vegan board games at meetings. And we remembered check-ins: the beginning part of meetings during which we go around and talk about anything veg-related we want. Looking back now, I also fondly remember arguing heatedly over whether otters or red pandas are cuter before one of our documentary showings (otters surely!) and our Ann Arbor trip, with our discovery of Jazzy Veggie and some serious shopping.  These are all important because they're how we get to know each other. These are how Veg Club comes to feel like a community, a family. I wish Veg Club all the best for next year. Stay idealistic. Stick together.

Spring Rolls

Yesterday Veg Club had a table at the BGSU Eco-Fair.  We made a poster, pamphleted, argued with some folks, supported EAG's efforts to convert BGSU to all renewable energy, and passed out spring rolls. Here's the recipe for spring rolls: (It is an original by Miriam)

Ingredients
8 oz  extra firm tofu

1 tbs soy sauce
1/2 tbs hoisin sauce
1/2 tsp ginger powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 c shredded cabbage
4 oz shitake mushrooms
1 green onion
1 large carrot
2 tsp oil
14 spring roll wrappers


Instruction
1. Drain tofu and and press water out: I wrap the tofu in towels and set a large book or two on it for an hour.
2. Combine soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, and garlic in a medium sized bowl. Add about a 1/3 cup water. Stir will. Cut the tofu into 1/2 inch strip and marinate in the mixture for about 30 minutes.
3. Chop all the vegetables. Heat the oil on medium heat, then add the vegetables and begin stir frying. After a few minutes, add the tofu with the marinade and fry until the vegetable are done to your liking: I prefer to keep some crunch.
4. Take the vegetables off the heat and drain off the liquid. Let cool.
5. Fill a shallow bowl with warm water (I used a pie pan). Dip one spring roll wrapper in the water for a couple of seconds. Then place it on a flat work surface. Place a couple of spoonfuls of filling at the bottom of the circle. Roll it up some, not more than halfway up the circle, and fold in the side of the circle. Then roll the spring roll the rest of the way up. Repeat for all 14 spring rolls.
6. Put the spring rolls in the refrigerator for a few hours. The wrappers will dry out and harden again so you have some crunch.

Minutes for Apr 9

Veg Club Minutes from April 9, 2013

1.)    Eco Fair: we will be having a booth at the Eco Fair on April 17 from 11:00-3:00 PM in the Student Union

-          We will be creating our poster for the event at this week’s meeting at 9:00 PM in Olscamp 206. Come by if you want to help with the poster or the Eco Fair itself!

2.)    Eat Together: we will be having a potluck dinner April 20^th at 6:00 PM at The Common Good (113 Crim St.). All are welcome.

"Cheesy" Spinach Biscuits

At Veg Club last week, Miriam brought in these biscuits stuffed with tahini-nutritional yeast "cheese".  The dough was taken from The Bread Machine Cookbook III by Donna Rathmell German and the filling was an original recipe by Miriam. Note that the ingredient quantities for the filling are approximate--Miriam suggests tasting it as you go until you get something you like.

Ingredients
for the dough:
4 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 c cooked spinach
1 c warm water
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/3 tbs lemon juice
1 1/3 tbs olive oil

For the filling:
1/3 c tahini
1/3 c vegetable broth
2 tbs oil (vegetable oil, olive oil, vegan margarine, whatever you like)
3 tbs Nutritional Yeast Flakes
2 tsp dry basil

Instructions
1. Process your cooked spinach in a food processor or a blender. You can use some of the warm water to help if you're blending it. Add the lemon juice and olive oil as well.
2. Combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Mix it up and let it sit. Make sure the yeast starts bubbling.
3. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Then add the blended/processed ingredients and the water/yeast mixture. Mix together and kneed for a few minutes.
4. Cover the dough with a moist cloth and set aside somewhere warm for 1 hour.
5. While you're dough is rising, you can begin working on the filling. Heat a skillet over medium heat.
6. Add the tahini and stir until it melts.
7. Slowly add vegetable broth while stirring. The mixture should be a liquid, but still quite thick.
8. Add the oil and mix briskly. The mixture should get crumbly as it combines. Add a little more oil than will combine.
9. Stir in the nutritional yeast and basil.  Keep adding nutritional yeast until you're happy with the taste/texture.
10. Take off the heat and let cool.
11.  When the filling is cool enough to touch and your dough has risen, preset the oven to 450 degree F and oil a baking sheet.
12. Break off dough into fist sized pieces. One at a time, use your thumbs to make a large hole in the center of each ball and add some filling. Then pinch the hole closed and place the ball on the baking sheet, hole-side down.
13. Bake for 10-15 minutes.