Fredericksburg UU Vegetarian Group

Green Gift Wrap and December Meeting Goodies

2009-12-05T13:43:00.000-08:00

(Scroll down to the bottom of this post for new about our exciting January meeting!)

It's hard to believe that the year is almost over, but it is. And with December comes several holidays that many people find themselves in a tizzy over. Stress over spending, waste, and errands can runneth over this time of year. But if you use a little savvy, a little creativity, and a little thrift, you can save time & money, reduce the enormous environmental impact of the holidays, and have fun, too!

As vegetarians, vegans, and earth-conscious people (not everyone is veg who attends!), we are always thinking about how we can step more lightly on the planet. Our December presenter is a lifelong gift-wrapper extraordinaire, who demonstrated how to use things from around the house, the recycling bin, and even the near-trash, to make holiday (and really, year-round) gift-giving fun and practical! The first photo shows how she uses old maps (like the ones that you get automatically when you travel places or stay in hotels, etc.) as well as the bags that cover newspapers, to make a pretty package.

Sturdy liquor bottle containers are wonderful when reused as wine bottle gift boxes. Our presenter found a way to make faux leather on one. The other wine bottle is covered by a shirt sleeve! The rest of the shirt is cut up for cleaning rags.

If you hate those helium balloons, what better way to reuse them than to cut them apart and use them as shiny gift wrap! Some of them will already have the perfect message printed front and center.

There were a plethora of other ideas, from paper bag reindeer coverings, to sheet music for CDs, to mesh onion bag stockings. She even reuses toilet paper rolls like those Christmas crackers with tissue paper, and finds Kleenex boxes to be ready-to-go packaging! One neat way to reuse old holiday cards is to cut out the images and reuse them as gift tags or to cover store names on nice bags. Needless to say, we were all inspired by our presenter's creative, beautiful ideas and thirty ingenuity. May we all do some green gift wrapping this season!

Now, on to the food! The best part of every monthly Veg Group meeting is the goodies we share before our presenter or discussion. Despite the snowy day, we had a slew of yummy things to fill our plates.

First up was this Raw Slaw made from beets, carrots, red cabbage, and raisins, with a Dijon mustard sauce. Wow! Sweet and tangy. Raw, gluten-free and vegan!

This vegan, gluten-free dish was a delicious blend of sweet potatoes, quinoa and edamame.

Another gluten-free (vegan) casserole featured rice, veggies, almonds and lots of great spices! MMMmmmm...

A creamy pumpkin pudding by a new member hit the sweet spot on the dessert table!

These peppermint bark bites had a layer of regular chocolate beneath. They filled the room with delicious smells. Temptation!

Mini blueberry muffins with whole wheat flour were so cute! Also brought by a new member.

Cookie dough scoops were best straight from the freezer. Vegan and gluten-free, they prove that the best part of being vegan is...you can eat the batter! Recipe from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar, by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.

Warming up our tummies were these wonderful roasted sweet potato bites. Ahh...... (vegan and gluten-free, of course!)

A new veggie loaf recipe (Bulgar Walnut Loaf) was filled with amazing, moist flavor! Recipe from the Friendly Foods: Gourmet Vegetarian Cuisine cookbook. It came in late but got rave reviews. Great alongside the fresh green salad that I forgot to get a photo of - sorry! Vegan, not gluten-free loaf.

Last, but not least, red beans and rice rounded out the meal. This perfect combination of amino acids doesn't remind you of a chemistry equation - it just plain tastes good! Vegan and gluten-free.

Of course, you're already planning on coming to the next Veg Group meeting, featuring the wildly popular Food, Inc. documentary, right? Join us on Saturday, January 2nd, from 11:30-1:00 (we'll start the movie promptly at 11:30) at the downtown Headquarters Library. We'll get some grub, start the film, finish eating and discuss. This movie discusses the answers behind the question, "Where does your food come from?" and doesn't focus on just the meat industry, but all of the groups that control what we eat, how we eat it, and much, much more. Issues tackled include: pesticides, cloning, farm worker rights, factory farms, diabetes, obesity, local foods, organics, genetic engineering, and fast food/restaurants. According to their site, "You'll never look at dinner the same way."

Veg Feast to Remember!

2009-11-10T04:41:00.000-08:00

November 7th was a meeting to remember! In honor of the upcoming Thanksgiving celebration, various members shared dishes that had been made vegetarian or vegan (or even raw!) for the occasion.

First up, S. shared her new skills with raw foods and delighted us with two raw apple pies! A nut base topped with honey, apples, dates and (in one case) coconut was truly delectable! S. says that it was a tasty "burden" to taste test all the variations until she came up with these winners!

We had some fun getting them out of the pan...

J.E. shared her favorite meatless loaf, consisting of nuts, grains, eggs, veggies and spices. Flavorful and delicious were the comments I heard! J.E. also shared the techniques of opening a pomegranate, and we all savored the sweet, tart seeds. (Tip: score the skin, submerse it in a large bowl of water, then open it fully and seeds will fall to the bottom while pulp and throwaway stuff floats to the top to be skimmed off!).

C. shared her story of sweet potatoes. As a Yankee visiting friends in the South, she didn't taste this veggie until college! Years later, she "veganized" a Cooking Light recipe to create her Thanksgiving favorite, Streuseled Sweet Potato Casserole (follow the link for the recipe!).

Here is a link to a similar recipe that calls for the streusel to be mixed in as well...decadent!

As usual, N. didn't have a recipe to share, but more her adventure in creating this dish. She started with coconut milk and ended up adding garam masala, an Indian blend of spices, among other things to this dish of sliced sweet potatoes. Savory and yum! (She always leaves the skins on for nutrition if she can - yeah!).

After that, it was time to get to the feast! Here's what other members brought to round out the meal...

Potato salad (vegetarian) - creamy and good any time of the year!

Pasta Fazool - lots of veggies and extra gluten-free pasta!

Chili beans and sweet potatoes are a neat mix! (vegan)

N.'s other dish of brown rice, mushrooms and goodies was a hit! (vegan)

A wonderful vegan mix of eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and olives served over...

The ubiquitous brown rice...gluten-free! :)

A melange of lentils, beans and tomatoes hearty enough for the fall! (vegan)

S.'s other contribution - our favorite raw broccoli salad! (vegan)

What would a meal be without a gluten-free dessert! (vegetarian) Crustless Pumpkin Pie! Yummmm.....

And of course, what would our meeting be without Bob's Famous Rosemary Focacia Bread? We're hoping to make this baby gluten-free by the next meeting! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Our next meeting will be on Saturday, December 5th, from 11:30-1:00 (see UUFF info on the left for link and directions to our temporary building). The topic will be "Greening Your Holiday Gift-Giving." Our presenter will teach us how to use everyday things to make reusable, recycled gift wrap and packaging. This keeps with the idea that many vegetarians have a heightened awareness of the environment. Did you know that vegetarians and vegans have a smaller carbon footprint?

A Really Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-01T13:33:00.001-08:00

For many people, Thanksgiving is a day to spend with family, eat comfort food, give thanks for the year's blessings, and watch a little football. Many also affectionately call this day, "turkey day." Vegetarians and vegans, however, see this day in a whole other light. I'm not going to make this post all about the horrible (short) lives of turkeys (although I encourage you to visit this link and this one to learn more), but I do hope that people think more about what "turkey day" means to the turkeys.
If you're having a vegan/vegetarian friend or family member over for this special day, you might worry, "what will they eat?" Well, think carefully now. The bird is only one of the many "dishes" served on this day. Most people also gorge on sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, roasted root veggies, green bean casserole, stuffing, corn bread, pie, cookies, corn, green beans, cranberry sauce and more. What will they eat? -Just about everything! If you're up for some tips and a yummy meal, join The Vegetarian Group of the UUFF (that's us! - this blog!) for our monthly potluck and a meal to remember. From a main dish that omnivores will drool over, to bundt cake, to sweet potato casserole (most are gluten-free and there will even be some raw dishes!), various members will teach us how to "veganize" our favorite holiday dishes or make them vegetarian friendly. Remember to bring a vegetarian or vegan dish to share (or a small donation!) and we will provide dishes, friendship and laughter. Saturday, November 7th at 11:30 (until about 1:00) at the temporary UUFF building on Route 3 West, Fredericksburg (see links on left for more info and directions). In the meantime, visit http://www.farmsanctuary.org, to learn about some turkeys who've survived Thanksgiving and how you can adopt one!

Welcome Back!

2009-09-11T08:38:00.000-07:00

We welcomed back a great crowd of regulars and some fun newcomers for our first meeting of the "year." After a summer off, it was clear that we didn't take the time off from finding new and delicious recipes. Of course, many came for Bob's famous Rosemary Focaccia Bread, pictured here, which in itself would make a wonderful meal. (Several of us are working on gluten-free versions, sinc we have so many Celiacs or gluten-sensitive folks!).

We ate first, followed by speaker Tom Miller, of Green Thumb Growers and the FACSAP who spoke on preserving the summer bounty, specifically canning. He began with an overview of the many preservation options and, following the green trend of the times (although to he and many others, it is merely a lifelong lifestyle) calculated the carbon footprint, energy cost, and financial cost of freezing and canning versus store bought. It was estimatedly cheaper to can, because of the electricity cost of refrigerators/freezers, which, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, uses more electricity than all other appliances (except for a pool pump or a spa pump and heater) in one year. Once you boil the water for the cans (which typically are glass jars, not metal), your energy use is done and they can last for years (although they won't be as nutritious or tasty).

Here are some other links on canning and preserving that might be of interest:
http://www.freshpreserving.com/
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_home.html
http://www.ext.vt.edu/
We all enjoyed Tom's presentation very much, and there were lots of great questions. It's a good thing we had eaten already, or our questions might have been drowned out by hungry bellies! Here's what we noshed on for our first meeting back (feel free to email or comment here if I have made a descriptive/labeling mistake):

A intriguing new take on a favorite summer fruit: Watermelon Salad (feta cheese optional, thank you!)

Whole Wheat Couscous and Tomato salad

A delicious lentil and corn based salad (gluten-free of course!)

A gorgeous dish from a newcomer: hummus surrounded by dipping options - wow!

Gluten-free Peanut Butter Cookies - yay!

Vegan Coconut Snow Drops

Some raw, vegan cookies, these being Pecan Pie flavor (not shown, Trail Mix Cookies). We have more raw foodists in our mix every month!

Garlic and Sour Cream Bread, possibly from Eileen's, the store that bought our old UUFF building (??).

A rich-looking Pineapple-Cheese Casserole

Local, organic watermelon from Tom :)

Of course fresh fruit from many others, all vegan ;)

Another couscous-lentil dish (vegan) - we love warm meals like these and expect more as the seasons change!

A nice, fresh chickpea-tomato-cabbage salad

And the crowd favorite, a raw, vegan broccoli salad, with a dressing made from nuts. We can't wait for this recipe to be posted on the wiki! (Contact us to be added to the wiki).

We are already looking forward to next month's presentation by Jen Z., on Vegetarian Lunches for the Young and the Young at Heart! She will also focus on her experiences raising her two (very healthy!) vegetarian children. See you on Saturday, October 3rd, 11:30-1:00p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Fredericksburg, located on Plank Rd (Route 3) across from Meadow Farms (5044 Plank Rd).

Next month also brings a Vegetarian Month food and information presentation, entitled, "Where's the Meat?" at the Salem Church Library, not far from the UUFF. On Wednesday, October 7th, from 7-8, there will be a delicious hour of vegan desserts, information for those interested in the vegetarians/vegans lifestyle, and cookbooks and meal ideas for anyone who's interested in a healthier lifestyle! Bring your friends!

See You in the Fall!

2009-06-14T11:21:00.000-07:00

We closed out our year of meetings with Downtown Greens' Laura Shephard, educating us about organic gardening at our June 6th meeting! See the end of this post for highlights, links, and pointers. Our next meeting will be on September 5th, with CSA gardener and organizer, Tom Miller, on the topic of canning and preserving. Meanwhile, here is what we shared this time around..
Raw Tacos from Rawvolution cookbook, a party in your mouth!

A fresh from the garden salad...

a raw salad (with an amazingly rich dressing, the name of which escapes me at this moment!...)

some raw onion bread (can you tell that our speaker on raw foods a few months ago really got into our heads?)...

raw vegan cherry chutney with cucumber slices...

a beautiful pasta dish with peppers and tomatoes...

Lemon Walnut Brown Rice casserole...

fresh cucumber salad...

deliciously warm veggie couscous...

Udon noodles with seitan and Thai basil...

and last but not least...dessert! To start, Chocolate Pudding Cups...

adorable mini muffins...

strawberry-coconut macaroons (yes, they're raw, too!) from Ani's Raw Food Desserts...

and raw Cinnamon Girls (from Rawvolution- recommended to keep these in the freezer or fridge right up until serving)...

So, here are the highlights about organic gardening that Laura imparted upon us:
First, intentions matter. If you put pesticides on your soil, they may or may not work. If you have good intentions - treat the soil, water, plants, and everything with care, you will still have "problems" just as much as if you use all the chemicals in the world, but everything is a choice. Make good choices and good things will usually come out of them.

Good soil: compost, don't till let the worms do their work, it's good to have bacteria in the soil (natural)
Good seeds: try different varieties, heirlooms, etc. Growing one kind of seed doesn't help diversity and taste. Rotate crops.
Good water: filtered doesn't always mean it's any good.
Don't use chemicals: pests become resistant, chemicals destroy bacteria in the soil, destroy the soil itself, you ingest them, gets into the water, etc.

Here are some links to articles that she discussed or had on hand:
Get Back to (Grass) Roots (eating local "wild" plants)
USDA National Organic Program
Certified Naturally Grown

Suggested Reading:
The Lost Language of Plants, by Buhner
Spiritual Foundations for the Renewal of Agriculture, by Steiner
The Secret Life of Plants, by Tompkins and Bird
Introduction to Permaculture, by Mollison
www.soilfoodweb.com, by Dr. Elain Ingham
Energy Evolution, by Shauberger
The Humanure Hand Book, by Jenkins
Cradle to Cradle: remaking the way we make things, by McDonough and Braungart
Hepburn Permaculture Gardens - 10 years of Sustainable Living, by Holmgren

Food as Medicine

2009-05-16T08:35:00.000-07:00

At our May meeting, Dr. Patrick Neustatter, MD, led an informative talk about how food acts as a natural medicine. We had a lively discussion of how the medical community in our country is just now becoming more aware of the value of whole foods and a healthy diet, versus the over-medicated world of the pharmaceutical industry.

Of course, the lively conversation had to be halted as we chowed down on our friends' latest culinary creations. Pictured first is Nancy's dish - yes, that is the name I'm giving it, as Nancy just throws things together and ultimately comes up with the most beautiful, flavorful dishes you can imagine. This one featured barley, white beans, chickpeas, sun dried tomatoes and olives!
Susan went on to challenge her (was this a vegan Iron Chef competition or what?) with these amazing Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Parfait Cups and White Chocolate Strawberry Tofu Fluff Cups. Can you tell by the picture that these were amazing? No recipe, either!

Vegan Twinkies were cute as a button...get the recipe here!

and White Chocolate Blondie Bites (vegan, too!) rounded out the dessert table this time around.

Of course, people were pretty full from these main course dishes already! A beautiful gluten-free Bean Salad was refreshing and gorgeous...

Fresh green beans are a pleasure this time of year!

Who can turn down potato salad? Yum!

And a spicy Curried Chickpea Dish was another big seller...

But of course, no meal is complete without a salad, especially this one featuring greens all from a member's own garden!

And, for those looking for a healthy dessert, this Fruit Salad was picked dry by the end of the meal!

Thanks again, everyone, for a great meal and fantastic discussion! Join us one last time before our summer break, as Laura Shepard, Horticultural Director of Downtown Greens, shares her wisdom on organic gardening - Saturday, June 6th, 11:30-1:00pm, same place - the UUFF on Route 3, across from Meadow Farms. See you there! Oh, and if you've joined our wiki, you can sign up to carpool to some upcoming Vegetarian Festivals and events!

Do It For Your Health!

2009-04-21T17:19:00.001-07:00

Everyone knows that eating vegetarian or vegan is a boon to the environment, but did you know that it's also better for your body? From losing weight, to adding fiber, to providing essential nutrients and healthy fats, you can't go wrong with a veg diet! Vegetarian and vegan diets have also been shown to reverse heart disease and diabetes, reduce cancer risks, and stave off osteoporosis. Come hear Patrick Neustatter MD, speak about Food as Medicine at our next Veg Group meeting on Saturday, May 2nd, from 11:30-1:00pm. We will be meeting at the UUFF Fellowship on Route 3 in Spotsylvania. Check out our website in the link listing to your left and read the articles linked there as well. As usual, bring a vegetarian or vegan dish to share (gluten-free is always appreciated, too!) or a small monetary donation for our speakers. Don't forget your place-setting, too, although we have biodegradable extras.

RAWESOME!

2009-04-05T17:00:00.000-07:00

If there was ever a time when I wished I hadn't forgotten my camera, as well as a time when a camera probably wouldn't have done justice, this past Veg Group meeting would have been it! (I did try taking some cell phone photos, but as I don't have texting in my phone plan, those would have been mighty expensive pics! Here are two raw goodie pics I did take at home, before the event).

Our speaker, Roland Herrmann, a wine-importer (biodynamic - yeah!) and 25-year veteran of the restaurant industry, delighted us with a veritable feast of raw foods. From herbed ricotta cheese, to zucchini pasta with mushroom marinara sauce (the sauce wasn't raw, actually, to prove his point that you can slowly adapt to the raw lifestyle), to guacamole on homemade crackers, and finally to the piece de resistance, (yes, raw!) sweet potato "pie," we were delighted by the food and his presentation. We learned about dehydrators, juicers, sprouters, Spiralizers, and all kinds of nifty toys, but also about the health-side of things. Here are some of the websites he gave us to find more info and buy those cool toys ;) Stick around for next month's meeting info about Dr. Neustatter! Mark your calendars for May 2nd, 11:30 at The Loft in Downtown Fredericksburg.
www.excaliburdehydrator.com
www.omegajuicers.com
www.easygreen.com
www.waterwise-distillers.com
www.organic-composter.com
www.rawguru.com
www.rawgourmet.com
www.rawfoodchef.com
www.alissacohen.com (where to find raw oats, not steamed like most are)

Gluten-Free Gets Gorgeous!

2009-03-08T07:10:00.000-07:00

Our March meeting went off without a hitch at our new location! Frederick's "The Loft," was a beautiful location and felt like we were eating in a real restaurant. Of course, all the delicious food really made the feeling complete!
Our topics this month was gluten-free living, with Shirley Braden, the leader of the King George Celiac and Gluten Intolerance Group. She demonstrated how eating gluten free is easy if you take a "real food" approach. We had a plethora of natural, gorgeous, gluten-free dishes at our meeting. Check them out! (Seen above - Bob's Rosemary Focacia bread - not gluten-free but a must-have at every Veg Group Meeting!)

Winner of "The most beautiful dish" award went to this Persian sweet rice dish, in honor of International Women's Day (March 8th, actually) and the Persian new year (Nawrooz - March 21st). The saffron and caramelized nuts made it pop!

There were two beautiful salads with gluten-free dressings on hand. This one had fresh pears in a slightly sweet dressing. Yum!

These peanut butter (?) chocolate chip cookies were vegan and gluten free!

A hot pasta tossed with tomatoes and peas!

Lentils with Maple Syrup - a stew with potatoes, tomato paste, carrots, onion, garlic and spices! Made with Bragg's Liquid Aminos instead of soy sauce, which often contains wheat.

This chickpea-eggplant bake was a big hit!

These curried carrots and kale were another popular dish - in a beautiful serving dish as well!

Couscous is not gluten free, as it is actually a tiny pasta, but it certainly is vegan! What a springlike dish!

This Chickpea-Tomato curry is a beautiful example of a hearty winter dish!

Quinoa is a popular gluten-free grain, which contains all the amino acids, making it a complete protein. Easy to cook and work with, it is often paired with black beans, as seen in this yummy dish!

This crockpot was bursting to the seams with stewed beans and onions - yum!

Baked Beans are always a popular dish!

Halvah is a traditional Turkish dessert. A fudge made with tahini and pistachio!

And last but not least, amazingly delicious raw onion crackers from our resident raw foodist. Speaking of which, Roland will be next month's guest speaker! Join us on Saturday, April 4th, 11:30-1:00 (please be prompt!), to learn about eating raw foods, including juicing and dehydrating. There are links to raw food information on the side of this blog. Here's the newsletter block, describing our next event:

It’s Raw-some!

As spring has finally arrived, many of us are digging into our gardens, checking out the farmer’s markets, or looking forward to the first produce from our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). But how to cook so many fruits and veggies? Well, what about not cooking them at all?

On Saturday, April 4^th, from 11:30-1:00, Roland Hermann will share the benefits of a raw food diet for our monthly potluck meeting. As a 25-year veteran of the restaurant business, including co-creating and running a juice concept, Roland has been juicing for over 15 years and eating raw for 2-3 years. He will discuss the health aspects of juicing and raw foods as well as his new interest, Bio-dynamic wine. Roland will bring a juicer, dehydrator, and other equipment commonly used by raw foodists. Proponents of this lifestyle state that cooking alters and depletes the enzymes in food, thereby decreasing the amount of nutrients absorbed and forcing the body to work harder during digestion. So, plan on leaving our meeting, feeling lighter, happier, and healthier . . . just in time for spring!

As always, we encourage members and visitors to bring their own place settings, although we always have extras on hand! Donations are accepted in lieu of potluck vegetarian or vegan dishes. In honor of our speaker, we encourage raw dishes! Check out http://www.rawfoods.com/recipes/ to start. Please remember our location change! Frederick Heller, of Frederick’s restaurant on Princess Anne St. in downtown Fredericksburg (across the street from Hyperion), has graciously offered his Loft above Frederick’s for our meetings!

Gluten-Free at The Loft

2009-03-02T10:28:00.000-08:00

Next meeting! This Saturday, March 7th, 11:30-1:00, at The Loft, Princess Anne Street, downtown Fredericksburg.

With March ushering in National Nutrition Month, the Vegetarian Group will be hosting a speaker this month on the topics of celiac disease, gluten intolerance and gluten free living. Eating low gluten or gluten free diets can actually be a way to focus on more natural, healthy foods. Shirley Braden, the leader of the King George Celiac and Gluten Intolerance Group, will discuss how eating gluten free is easy if you take this “real food” approach. Shirley has been gluten free since 2003 and believes that many health issues can be resolved by taking gluten out of our diets. To learn more about this guest speaker and find some recipes, visit her website, Gluten Free Easily, at http://glutenfreeeasily.com.

Because so many members of our Veg Group and even the Fellowship are finding that they have gluten sensitivities, we always welcome gluten-free dishes at our monthly potluck meetings. However, because of this month’s topic, we encourage everyone to try to make a gluten-free dish to share! Two other websites of interest include www.eatright.org, where you can find a celiac and vegetarian friendly registered dietitian in our area, and www.vegiac.com, an online vegetarian and vegan celiac disease community.

As always, we encourage members and visitors to bring their own place settings (so we don’t have paper or plastic waste), although we always have extras on hand! Donations are accepted in lieu of potluck vegetarian or vegan dishes. Please note our location change! Frederick Heller, of Frederick’s restaurant on Princess Anne Street in downtown Fredericksburg (just a short distance from the old Fellowship and across the street from Hyperion) has graciously offered his Loft above Frederick’s for our meetings! Meet us upstairs at 11:30-1:00 for a delicious and informative time! Wondering what to bring? Read on for some ideas!

The UUFF celebrated the beginning of its annual pledge campaign this year with the Gourmet Gala, an evening of food, friendship and fun! Each table was headed by two hosts, who coordinated the potluck dishes for their table within a theme. This table was the vegan, gluten-free one (one of several vegetarian ones that night) with a Mediterranean theme and what a spread we had! Homemade hummus and gluten-free crackers (especially Mary's Gone Crackers) started us off, along with a Greek Salad.

Roasted, sauteed and spiced veggies accompanied a Mediterranean stew and a North African one (flavored with peanut butter - yum!) along with perfect rice, iced tea, dried dates and almonds, and fresh fruit.

Of course, you can't have a great meal without a great dessert! Gluten-free desserts can be difficult, but, like vegan desserts- they just require some label-reading, substitutions, and extra thought.

This pistachio-chocolate halvah (a Turkish fudge featuring tahini) was a sweet ending to the night, as was the dessert pictured above and here...

A gorgeous (gluten-free, vegan, of course!) chocolate cake, topped with fresh raspberries. Wow!! Everyone kept stopping by our table to admire our desserts. Next year, I envision more competition to be seated at this table!

A Greek Currant Cake, made with lots of extra-virgin olive oil (I refuse to use Rachel Ray's acronym - ugh), was also made gluten free with a gluten-free flour mix by Bob's Red Mill. It is readily available at most local grocery stores now.

Here are some beautiful roasted veggies from our January meeting....

As stated above, remember that our new location for our monthly Veg Group meetings will now be held at The Loft, above Frederick's in downtown Fredericksburg. Frederick Heller, owner of both establishments, is eager to create a new menu of vegan, gluten-free and healthier options and has offered his space for the next year of Veg Group meetings, as our own fellowship building is being constructed. I leave you with a shot of that North African stew - come with an empty stomach and open mind!

Diet for a New America

2009-01-05T17:19:00.000-08:00

Yum! Check out N's gorgeous and delicious vegan baklava-like treats! She did it without a recipe, of course. What a great way to start the new year for our Veg Group! We are in our fourth year and growing every month!

To celebrate, this past meeting (January) we showed the film that was shown at the first meeting: Diet for a New America, by John Robbins (follow the link to learn more about John and his current work - several people were curious about what he's doing now, as the film is somewhat dated). Interesting enough, the information and data in the film are still all accurate (although I'm sure the statistics on health and the environment have worsened) and it's scary to think that we've had this information for two decades and done so little with it. At any rate, it was a good refresher for our group - to remember what it is we stand for, and why. It even helped some of us commit to a vegan diet for the first time!
We had a plethora of amazing dishes this time around - and many were gluten-free. This was a beautiful tofu and rice dish. Look at that presentation!

We know how good our greens are for us, and we love them, too! Thanks for this delish spinach and strawberry salad!

This spicy peanut stew was another gluten-free hit with rice!

Roasted veggies are always welcomed in the winter!

Another rice stew, this one with some peas and green onions. Mmmmm....

Rasta Rice and Beans, from Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook

Black beans are a great source of iron!

You'd never guess that these B.J.'s chocolate cups are gluten-free and vegan! So is the vanilla pudding inside. Who says vegan desserts aren't good?

Potato pancakes hit the spot!

We all need our Vitamin C during these dark months - fresh fruit hits the spot!

A chickpea stew rounds out the hot meals.

Candy-cane flavored "Oreos" (Joe-Joe's - Trader Joe's brand) are vegan!

A bean salad makes everyone happy!

See you next month (February 7th) at 11:30 at the downtown library (where we'll be from now on)! Our speaker will be a local nutritionist. We'll be in the small room off of the main meeting room from now on, as well. Don't forget to bring a veggie/vegan dish or donation, AND a plate, utensil and cup if possible!

Sweets to the Sweet!

2008-12-07T15:19:00.000-08:00

It was a presentation of treats that rounded out the 2008 year of the UUFF Veg Group! I was lucky enough to be the presenter this time, with tips on how to veganize your desserts, from replacing eggs to swapping out dairy products. With general baking tips and cool cooking implements, everyone was ready for the holiday baking season! (Thanks to everyone for being kind despite my nerves!)

Here are the Peanut Butter Chocolate No Bakes from The Joy of Vegan Baking, which didn't last long....(all recipes will be on the wiki, remember?). This is a great book overall, with recipes from bar cookies to biscotti to pies! But these particular gluten-free (vegan) treats are certainly the easiest (although not the lightest!) treats in the bunch.

Also tempting palates were the Fudgy Wudgy Blueberry Brownies, from Veganomicon, by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romano (also authors of Vegan with a Vengeance and Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World). You can't taste the blueberries much but they definitely are fudgy!
Unfortunately, I didn't have time to take a picture of the Sparkle Ginger Cookies, from Vegan with a Vengeance, because they were gone so quickly! The last sweet was a veganized box mix of spice cake from Duncan Hines. Nothing easier than subbing Ener-G-Egg replacer for the eggs! You can even find vegan canned icing, if you so choose, right on the supermarket shelves.

Other members brought equally enthralling delights for our potluck. Featured here, organic chocolate chip cookies from Nature's Path. Perfect and pretty!

Another sweet treat: an apple-fruit bake! A great, warm dish to say good-bye to fall.

A warm salad of greens and turnips says hello to winter!

One of the favs of the day: a sesame noodle salad brought by a brand new visitor. Beautiful presentation! (recipe on the wiki!)

You can never get enough greens! A salad with dried fruit and nuts rounds out the meal.

Warm casseroles of rice and veggies are always hearty and popular!

What is more comforting than a dish of pasta and sauce? Ummm.....

And of course, no Veg Group meeting is complete without Bob's rosemary bread....
I apologize for not having everyone's dishes photographed! Presenting and eating and talking make it a bit difficult - I'll do better next time! Speaking of which, we'll see you in the new year, with a viewing of Diet for a New America, by John Robbins. This incredible film is credited with changing many of our own members' lives (turning them veggie or just opening their eyes to their health and the food industry). Join us in our new location at the downtown Central Rappahannock Regional Library's headquarters building, practically next door to the UUF (which we are saying goodbye to as we move to new digs!). Same time (11:30-1), same great people, and more great food! See you in 2009!

November Feast!

2008-11-01T14:36:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Thanksgiving a little early this year, with our own holiday meal, vegetarian-style, of course! The presenters this month were five Veg Group members who veganized (or made vegetarian) traditional Thanksgiving dishes or ones that were family favorites.

First up was this beautiful homemade stuffing, made just this morning with real bread cubes (toasted) and a variety of other seasonings, spices and fruits. Delicious! This was presented after a discussion of the "unsavory" ingredients typically found in a bag of ready-to-make store bought stuffing. The member who made this also brought two Quorn meat-less rolls for us to try (vegetarian, not vegan), which were quite a hit for their meat-like texture. (I forgot to get a photo of them - sorry!)

The second presenter is famous for her "off the cuff" dishes, which always amaze us. This time, she described how she caramelized onions as the base for this dish using wild rice and barley. She typically adds whatever other leftovers she has around when she is cooking at home, such as chickpeas. Slivered almonds were later scattered across the surface for a beautiful display.

The third presenter talked about her father's famous potato salad, and how everyone always begged him to make it every year. Thankfully for them, he always relented! Here is her version of a German potato salad, with far less mayonnaise (Nayonnaise, this time) than her father might have used. Fresh and comforting!

The fourth presenter, a certified chef and local restaurant owner, brought in this dish to share: an apple-flavored stuffing. Soft and creamy! There was plenty to go around! She discussed how she had grown up avoiding meat at Thanksgiving anyway, and we all agreed that side dishes are the best part of any holiday meal!

The fifth and final presenter ended the sharing time with desserts, of course! Here is her Nana's famous apple crisp. The recipe is direct from the school cafeteria where she used to work (although cut down in size!).

She also presented her Nana's easy peanut butter-chocolate no-bake cookies. In fifteen minutes, with no special ingredients, these can be in your mouth (I mean, on your plate) and ready to take to your next holiday gathering!

Of course, all the other Veg Group members (and some newbies - welcome!!) brought their special dishes, too. Everything was devoured!

Here is a rice, bean and corn dish, comforting on a cold fall day!

This rice dish (we make a lot of rice dishes because we have several Celiac members) had a twist of dried fruit and diced veggies.

Our raw foodist of the group brought an amazingly creamy zucchini dip. We can't wait to see what he'll make when he presents in April!

Butternut squash is a fall favorite at many Thanksgiving meals. Mixed with a little sweetener and chili powder, this was another perfect dish!

What would our meals be without Bob's famous rosemary focaccia bread?

A bright and cheery beet salad/slaw gave us fiber and vitamins with every crunchy bite!

A bean and pepper salad was a cool contrast to the other warm dishes.

Of course, what would a feast be without a salad and homemade salad dressing?

(I apologize if I missed taking photos of anyone's dish! I really tried to get them all.)

Then, we all chowed down. See you next month for a presentation on vegan desserts! (N.B. - we may be meeting on the second Saturday in December (the 13th), instead of the first. We'll keep you posted!).

Happily absent was the ubiquitous turkey. Perhaps she was wandering around Farm Sanctuary?

Thanksgiving is Coming!

2008-10-23T18:05:00.000-07:00

Not quite as exciting as this year's election, Thanksgiving is also around the corner for most people! Are you prepared for your family meal? Consider trying a delicious Tofurky this year, available locally at Ukrop's. The "whole meal" comes with an incredible gravy (the stuffing is inside the roast), or you can just buy the roast and make your own extras. Meat eaters will salivate over this meat-like roast, stuffing and gravy - all authentic-tasting, organic, cheaper, and definitely cruelty-free!

If you don't know what else to make (because really, it's all about the sides!), come to our next meeting, Friday, November 1st at 11:30a.m. A few Veg Group members will be bringing their family's favorite Thanksgiving dish ... veganized or made vegetarian, of course! They will share the background of the dish, as well as the recipe and lots of tastes! From apple crisp to wild rice, you won't be disappointed. Bring your own favorite holiday dish (vegetarian or vegan, of course!), or anything your heart desires, and join us for good times, good eats, and happy animals!

And, don't forget to adopt a turkey from Farm Sanctuary while you're at it! The photo above is Feathers, from last year. Below, is Serendipity from this year's crew. You can choose from several beautiful birds, and get an adoption photo and info to grace your table as well. Cheers!

Neither Wind nor Rain nor Hurricane

2008-09-06T11:25:00.000-07:00

Despite the remnants of Tropical Storm Hanna blowing visitors around, we still managed to have a good turnout for our first meeting of the year! Our presenter was Debbie Bennett, a well-known vegetarian speaker and cook, who does monthly presentations (also including meditation) at one of our local library branches. The topic was, "Meals on the Go," and Debbie didn't disappoint with her great ideas! From fruit on a lunch-box sized skewer, to quick hummus spreads for sandwiches, to health information about proteins, we sure were hungry after she finished! Everyone shared their ideas for lunch or quick meals as well as some recipe ideas and restaurant discussion. Here are the delicious dishes we shared today!

H. began the festivities by slicing up her watermelon, straight from the local CSA - juicy!

Tabouli - what beautiful presentation! (Vegan)

A vegan pesto-pasta made from just-picked basil and a secret ingredient - miso!

A crunchy Waldorf salad (vegan), with yogurt on the side (vegetarian). MMmm...we're getting all the fresh fruit we can while the season hangs on!

A nice whole grain bread - rye?

A gluten-free, vegan chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting (natural PB, not the sugary kind!) with chocolate ganache.

A gluten-free, vegan corn and bean casserole. Nice spices!

A hot bean and tomato dish - great on a rainy day! (vegan)

A pretty shell pasta dish (with pesto?)

Bob's famous rosemary focacia bread! Some of us come to the meetings just for this! (vegan)

Tomato, fresh mozzarella and basil - Caprese! (vegetarian)

Can't go wrong with chocolate chip cookies! (vegetarian)

Rice and beans - a vegan staple!

Gluten-free, vegan chocolate cake with Coconut-Pecan frosting - sweet!

One of the questions that came up this week was what to eat here in Fredericksburg when you're going out to eat. There is a great website called the Happy Cow (click on the words for a link) that can show you veggie places around the globe and everyone knows about Sammy T's, but perhaps readers of this blog could leave some comments about other good local places? For one, I love the Guru, an Indian restaurant where the waiters really know their stuff, can tell you exactly what's in each dish, and know what "vegetarian" and "vegan," mean! Thanks for a great first meeting and don't forget to go to our wiki to post your recipes! See you on October 4th for our next meeting, with speaker Gloria from the Two Kings restaurant here in Spotslyvania, with a topic of vegetarian and vegan soups - yum!

September Meeting!

2008-08-31T10:43:00.000-07:00

Next Saturday, September 2nd, is our first Veg Group meeting of the season! Non-UU members are ALWAYS welcomed with open arms! 11:30-1p.m. at the UU Fellowship, downtown Fredericksburg.

The topic will be "Lunch and Meals on the Go," with guest speaker, Debbie Bennett, who has been teaching vegetarian cooking and meditation for years. With our children back to school (and some of you teachers back to!) and with people eating lunch on the run so many days, why can't it be yummy, healthy and vegan, too? This is a shot of Tuna-Free Salad, from VegNews magazine (sorry, no link to the recipe!), which really mimics the taste and texture of tuna fish spread! With all kinds of wrap breads and lunch containers available nowadays, I know that everyone will have something delicious to share on Saturday. Of course, if you can't contribute vegetarian food (doesn't have to be with the theme) to the potluck, you are welcome to bring a cash donation - hope to see you there!

Welcome!

2008-08-11T10:42:00.001-07:00

The Fredericksburg Universalist Unitarian (UU) Vegetarian Group was formed three years ago, as a way to bring UU members together, share the joys and trials of vegetarianism and veganism in today's world, and most of all to enjoy good food!

We have a number of Veg Group members who are by no means vegetarians, but enjoy the company and food that each month's meeting brings. From newbies to life long vegans, we each have something to share and learn from each other.

Monthly meetings begin with a guest speaker or topic of discussion, ending with a potluck lunch. Those who can't bring a dish are welcome to contribute a few dollars towards the cost of the speaker and/or food.
There will be much more to come on this delicious and fun blog, so stay tuned!