Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary Thanksliving 2008

Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary Thanksliving 2008.

Thanksliving fund-raiser at the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary with Rory Freedman, Kris Carr and director Jenny Brown. Music - Just Like Heaven - Lullabye Renditions of The Cure by Rockabye Baby! Click through video for larger version on vimeo.

Meet Your Community (it's good for you!)

There is nothing I have found more empowering in my recent past than getting out and meeting my vegan community. If it's something you are passionate about and, maybe, feel isolated once in a while, you will do yourself a great service by mingling, workshopping, vacationing, etc. with your fellow vegans.

I just want to encourage the masses that if you have the opportunity to drive a little further, take a plane or get there however you choose - just do it. I had attended the Boston Vegetarian Festival a couple years in a row and, after being vegetarian for 13 years, sat in on a talk by Erik Marcus and began my transition to becoming vegan. That was 4 years ago. At the end of 2006, I was at the end of an intimate relationship and fell hard into depression for most of 2007. In June of that year, I took a 6-hour car ride with my parents to Vegetarian Summerfest (vegetariansummerfest.org) for a weekend of workshops and sharing meals with the likes of Howard Lyman and Victoria Moran. It helped me through and gave a glimmer of hope in my darkness. The so-called 'celebrities' of the vegan movement seem to always make themselves available because they are passionate about the same things we are and that just serves to bring us all together and make us stronger. It made me feel less isolated in my vegan pursuit and was the catalyst to starting this blog and finding like-minded individuals in my own community. In May of this year, I took a vacation to Portland, Oregon and met up with vegan bodybuilder Robert Cheeke and other members of the vegan bodybuilding forum who were just wonderful, down-to-earth and incredibly inspiring people.

Today, I supported the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary by attending their annual Thanksliving fundraiser with a menu of the most amazing vegan appetizers, main course and dessert. The speakers included the always hysterical Dan Pirraro, Skinny Bitch Rory Freedman and Kris Carr of Crazy Sexy Cancer fame. Before we knew it, Kris was circling our table with video camera in tow and interviewing my mom, my dad and myself for the sanctuary. Dig that ... Kris Carr wanted to ask ME about my vegan journey. I'm sure I didn't say anything too profound but, it was just one of those cool vegan moments that waits for you to just show up. Kris has one of those beautiful energies that you are just happy to be part of for that fleeting moment.

So - take part in your own life. FEED your passions! If you are so passionate about veganism, honor it. Seek out other vegans even if it means taking a trip to meet them. It will be SO worth it - I promise.

PEACE & Vegan Love - David

Veganniversary!

recipe:
2 1/2 Cups cooked basmati rice
2 1/2 cups coconut milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
pinch of salt
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pistachios
1 1/2 tsp rosewater

Simmer rice, milk & sugar on low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 20 minutes, stir in cardamom and salt and simmer 5-10 more minutes until thick and creamy. Turn off heat and stir in pistachios and rosewater. Let cool before serving at room temperature or cool in refrigerator in covered dish.

Find Eric Markus' blog at www.vegan.com. Boston Vegetarian Festival is held toward the end of October, beginning of Novemeber. See more info at www.bostonveg.org/foodfest.

Vegan Chocolate Mint Cake!

Cake:
1 1/2 C flour
1/2 C cocoa powder
1 1/2 C sugar
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2/3 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 C soy milk
1/4 C + 1 TBSP applesauce

Preheat oven 325. Mix flour, cocoa, sugar, salt, baking soda & powder. Mix in soymilk & applesauce. Pour batter evenly into 2 - 9inch cake pans - bake for 30 min.

Mint Frosting:
from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero
1/4 C non-hydrogenated shortening
1/4 C + 1 TBSP soymilk
3 C confectioners sugar [sift if clumpy]
1 tsp mint extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Blend ingredients with an electric mixer adding sugar and soymilk incrementally.

Ganache:
3/4 C soymilk
1/4 C margerine
12 oz choco chips

Microwave soymilk & margerine for 2 min. Pour in chips, stir until completely blended.

Thanksliving 2007 ~ Woodstock FAS

Hi everyone. Just getting around to updating some posts. This short clip is from the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary Thanksliving fund-raiser which took place on November 18, 2007. Enjoy!

Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary

Karma Road, Vegetarian Deli/Cafe, New Paltz, NY