Vegan 101 Cooking Class

If you care about the environment and want to learn how to build a sustainable community both locally and globally, the New Haven Bioregional Group is the organization to join.  Each month they offer free or low-cost "skill shares" teaching attendees about gardening, energy conservation, bicycle maintenance, and GMOs.  I have been fortunate to attend and learn from several of their programs, and I was happy to offer one of my own recently on vegan cooking.

I spoke about using seasonal ingredients such as arugula, dandelion greens, and wild chives in recipes and discussed the health benefits that these superfoods offer.  I also addressed the perennial question, "where do vegans get their protein/calcium/iron?" The recipes I demonstrated answered all of these concerns.

During the presentation I demonstrated how to make a simple Mediterranean Quinoa Pilaf using arugula, fresh oregano, kalamata olives, sundried tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, and lots of garlic.  NOTE:  arugula and other greens are high in calcium.

For dessert I prepared Cinnamon Spiced Date Nut Hemp Truffles rolled in cocoa powder and coconut.  These decadent little morsels packed a punch of iron, protein, and heart healthy omega-3 oil.  It was a healthy, yet delicious, ending to a lovely light lunch. NOTE:  Dried fruits such as dates, figs and raisins are high in iron, and hemp seeds are a complete protein.

Thank you, Maria Tupper, for the photos, and the Bioregional Group for hosting this presentation.  Thank you also to all those who came to learn about vegan cooking!