TVA in Action

Upcoming Events

Nimisha Raja will present our first Healthy Eating Talk, Heart Healthy Eating, on Tuesday, February 24th at 6:30 pm, at the Ontario Vegetarian Food Bank (2370 Midland Avenue). Come find out how a vegetarian diet can not only prevent, but also reverse heart disease, and keep you on the path to reaching your optimum heart health.

Vegan Rock is almost here! One of TVA’s dedicated volunteers is hosting this fundraising event and concert to raise money for the Toronto Vegetarian Association.

The event will be on February 26th at 9 pm, at the Boat in Kensington Market. The line-up includes Hush Money (myspace.com/hushmoneyband), More Than Breathing (myspace.com/morethanbreathing), Jacqueline Rendell (jacquelinerendell.com) and Luxury Pond (myspace.com/luxurypond).

In addition to hearing some great music, you can also look forward to purchasing treats at a vegan bake sale, provided by some of the Totally Fabulous Bakeoff winners themselves!

TVA Group Events

TVA’s York Region/North York Vegetarian Group will be holding their next social dinner at Lotus Pond Vegetarian Restaurant (3838 Midland Avenue, Unit 121 in Scarborough) on Wednesday, February 18th at 7:00 p.m. RSVP by February 16th to Howard and Amy Yarmolinsky at 416-412-3140 or yorkregion@veg.ca.

The TVA Dinner Social Group will hold their next meeting at Udupi Palace Vegetarian Restaurant (1460 Gerrard St E, W of Coxwell) on Thursday March19, 7pm. Please RSVP at 416-544-9800 or dinnersocialgroup@veg.ca.

Find other veg-related event listings at veg.ca/events.

TVA Donations at Work

The 2009 Healthy Eating Lecture Series has arrived! Starting this month, we will be holding monthly talks discussing the positive impact that a vegetarian diet can have on the reduction of diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Led by qualified professionals in the health care industry, these talks will bring credibility to the argument that adopting a plant-based diet is the first step in leading a long and healthy life.

Don’t miss our first lecture on February 24th – see details under events above.

Since the last issue of eLifelines, the Toronto Vegetarian Association has continued to inspire people to choose a healthier, greener, more peaceful lifestyle by reaching out to wider audiences and distributing informative literature in new places. The Ontario Vegetarian Food Bank has been quickly running low on their supplies of our vegetarian nutrition and myth-busting fact sheets, and Lifelines, which they have been distributing not only to users of their food bank, but also to local lawyers, business offices and police stations.

TVA volunteer Nimisha Raja also spread the word to members of the Divine Light Awakening Society, where she was a guest speaker discussing the connection between vegetarianism, and health and the environment. Nimisha reports that approximately 70 people attended, who showed great enthusiasm and interest, and received Vegetarian Starter Kits and information about the Veggie Challenge. We look forward to being invited back to future events!

Find out more about our partnership with the Ontario Vegetarian Food Bank.

Durham Lakeside Vegetarian Group Helps the Durham Humane Society

Following a devastating fire that occurred at the Durham Humane Society on December 17, 2008, TVA’s Durham Lakeside Vegetarian Group was one of the first to respond with an email just hours following the event. At a recent social dinner, the group raised $100 for the shelter, and hopes to get more involved as they rebuild. This active TVA group is also planning a Durham Vegetarian Festival – stay tuned for more details!

Join one of TVA’s social groups.

Recent Media Appearances

TVA’s very own Director of Operations, David Alexander, was recently quoted in Food and Hospitality Magazine. The article was concerning increased options for healthy eating in restaurants, and he was specifically asked about the addition of vegan chicken to Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Pamela Anderson trying KFC’s vegan chicken sandwhich. Photo courtesy of Vegetarian Star: Celebrity Vegetarian Gossip and News

In the News

Study Reveals Stats on Vegetarians

A recent federal study in the United States, conducted by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, has found that approximately 367,000 American children are vegetarian, with numbers for teens being even higher. That translates to approximately 1 in every 200 American children leading healthier, greener, more compassionate lives. Read the full article.

Nutrient of the Month

Vitamin D – Shine on!

In the month of February, basking in the sun may seem like only a dream, but it’s something to consider seriously if you’re concerned about getting all the Vitamin D that your body needs. Vitamin D is essential for the proper formation of the skeleton, and it regulates the absorption and excretion of calcium (take that dairy commercials!).

However, the unfortunate truth is that there are very few vegetarian food sources of Vitamin D. But do not fret – exposure to sunlight remains the best way to meet your daily requirements, and people who do so on a regular basis usually don’t need any substitutes. An average of 15 minutes of exposure, without sunscreen, is recommended (with those having darker skin or being in older age brackets requiring longer periods), so give yourself some fresh air and nutritional value at the same time by going for a walk at lunch.

The catch is that simple exposure to sunlight in the winter months is not as effective as it is at other times of the year. For the next month or so, you may opt for a vegetarian Vitamin D supplement (made from seaweed, mushrooms or yeast). But most rice and soy milks are heavily fortified with it as well, so we suggest simply starting the day with a bowl of cereal, and topping your dinner with a tasty dessert shake like the one below.

Nutritional information provided by Vegan Outreach’s Guide to Cruelty Free Eating and Melina and Davis’ Becoming Vegetarian.

Find more nutritional information at veg.ca/nutrition.

Recipe: Vanilla Chip Espresso Shake from Ruth Tal’s ReFresh

•    1 dbl. shot espresso or coffee

•    6 oz. vanilla fortified soymilk

•    1 tbsp unsweetened dark chocolate chips

•    20 drops vanilla extract

•    1 tsp sugar

•    1 shake of cinnamon

•    6 ice cubes

                                                                                                                                    Photo courtesy of Rick Audet 

Make the shot of espresso or coffee first. Place the soymilk, chocolate chips, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon and ice in a blender. Start on a low setting, then switch to a higher setting and blend for 2 minutes. Add the espresso and pour into a tall glass.

Find links to more recipes at veg.ca/recipes.

Wear Your Heart on Your Lips

Vegan Valentine's Treats

It can be frustrating at this time of year, constantly walking past delicious looking displays of Valentine’s treats, only to find the vegan options are nil at many places. So, we’ve dug up some items to keep your eyes open for.

PETA has a list of mainstream candy products that are vegan, including Pez, Sweet Tarts and Twizzlers. Their list can be found at www.petakids.com/candy.html .

Photo courtesy of Caro Wallis            

But let’s face it - many of us long for chocolate on this particular holiday. Unfortunately, many mainstream “dark” chocolate bars still contain milk ingredients. But, Zero Dark and Lindt’s 70% Cocoa are two vegan chocolate bars that will satisfy your loved one’s taste buds and conscious. And for something extra special, there's After Eights (note: only the original After Eights - not the After Eights chocolate bars which have milk ingredients) or President’s Choice Dark Chocolate Mint Thins. 

Find more Valentine’s Day ideas.

Reader’s Corner

Have YOU tried the new vegan chicken at Kentucky Fried Chicken? We have, and we’re interested in knowing what you thought. Send in your brief review of KFC’s vegan chicken by February 20th to be included in the next issue of eLifelines!

See a list of other fast food places with vegetarian options at veg.ca/fastfood.
 

Vegan Chili Cookoff a Hot and Spicy Success

Incase you weren't able to make it to the 2nd Annual Vegan Chili Cookoff, hosted by Left Feet, TVA's Lisa Pitman will have a full report on the event in the March issue of Lifelines. Here's a sneak-peak!

What would it take for you to stand outside in -16 C weather for a few hours with a mass of like-minded people?... It seems that in Toronto, all it takes is the promise of hot, delicious chili!...I handed over my donation and received a spoon and a ballot. I quickly worked my way through the crowd to taste every single chili variety. I was surprised that each ladle-full offered a distinct flavour combination. Seriously, who knew that you could really make 16 unique chilis?

Read all about the diverse entries and find out who won in the March issue of Lifelines.

Note: Lifelines is a 16 page, paper newsletter currently mailed to all TVA members bi-monthly. To become a member of the Toronto Vegetarian Association, visit veg.ca/donate.