As a long-time vegetarian and food lover, Mexican restaurants have always held a special place in my heart. Rich, full flavors, lots of customization options, and relative ease in making meals vegetarian or vegan. When my vegetarianism got serious, however, and I started to dig a little deeper into what I was eating, it became obvious that Mexican food wasn’t always the vegetarian paradise I’d imagined it being.

The main issue for vegetarians and vegans in regard to Mexican food, just like with many types of ethnic cuisine, is that animal products can be well-hidden. Beans, both refried and loose, are often cooked with lard, meat stocks, or meat flavorings. Rice, more often than not, is cooked with a chicken or beef stock. Taco shells, tostadas, and chips may be fried in lard for flavor. Traditional sauces may have meat stocks or flavorings added. Tamales, even “vegetarian” ones filled with cheese, can contain lard. And flour and corn tortillas can be made with lard or other animal shortenings.

There are sneakier places animals products can hide, as well. Cheese can be made with animal rennet. Fajitas (often the only outwardly “vegetarian” option on the menu)

June/July 2010Vol. XIV Issue 4

In this issue ...

© 2010 Vegetarian Network of Austin

www.VegNetAustin.org

The Newsletter of the Vegetarian Network of AustinAustin Vegetarian Living

Eating Vegetarian or Vegan at Mexican Restaurants

By Michael Doss, www.TofuFighting.com

Do you want to receive

your very own copy of

Austin Vegetarian Living?See Page 9 for details.

can be grilled with lard or animal fat (or share a grill with items that are). Tortillas used in any dishes can be dipped in the hot fat fryer to soften them up, giving them a nice coating of lard. Even if the restaurant uses a vegetable oil, one fryer might be used for everything, meaning your chips, tacos, papas and tortillas are cross-contaminated with oil used to cook a variety of meat dishes.

What does this leave for the strict vegetarian or vegan? Not much. One of my most memorable outings as a

new vegetarian was going to a local Mexican joint with friends, and having to order a salad and grilled cheese sandwich from the children’s menu, as every entry (and nearly every Mexican

ingredient) had an animal component. Unfortunately, the more “authentic” a Mexican restaurant (think Mom & Pop vs. Taco Bell), the more likely it is to use animal products in some or all of their ingredients.

Now that you’re thoroughly convinced that you should never eat out at a Mexican place again, there’s good news: there are exceptions to the rules, and plenty of places have great dishes for both vegetarians and vegans. Just like at all restaurants, the

See Mexican Restaurants, page 7

About The VNA .........................2

Vegetarian Cooking Show ......3

An interview with Katie BrannonBook Review .............................4

Food Rules by Michael PollanNews Bites ...............................5

Thai Fresh expandsNew indoor farmers’ marketNew “dirty dozen” produce listConAgra modifying sweet potatoesWeb Sitings .............................6

Best Vegan Summer Sweets in AustinHappy Vegan BakerKala’s Kuisine Chutney and SalsasVegan Hair Products AustinVegEZ iPhone appCommunity/Nat’l Calendar ......8

Greenhouse Indoor Farmers MarketBrendan Brazier local appearancesSave the Seed Benefit DinnerNatural Epicurean Kitchen openingReal Ale Brewing Anniversary PartyVegetarian SummerfestLocal cooking classesLocal Mexican Restaurants ....9

Mexican Cuisine Recipe .......10

Baked Tempeh EnchiladasMembership Form ................11

Classified Ads ........................11

VNA Event Calendar ..............12

Monthly potlucks, restaurant visits, and bi-monthly board meetingsPeak Produce List ............... 12

Austin Restaurants Respond!

We sent questionnaires to Mexican restaurants

in Austin. See page 9 to see

how they responded.

Austin Vegetarian Living is published bi-monthly by the Vegetarian Network of Austin, P.O. Box 49333, Austin, Texas 78765-9333.

Subscriptions are mailed to paid members.

Leadership TeamActing Chairperson..................................................................................................................................................Dennis McDanielSecretary ...........................................................................................................................................................................Rupert HazleTreasurer ..........................................................................................................................................................................Craig WarnerCommunications Director ............................................................................................................................................Brendan GoodEvents Director ..............................................................................................................................................................Bruce KravitzNewsletter Editor, Online Cookbook Manager, Librarian, Historian ..........................................................................Stevie DudaLSVN Liaison .......................................................................................................................................................................Liz Bruns

Sponsoring Members:

Stanley and Erika Rogala • Chris Delevoryas • Marsha and Randy Streu

website: www.VegNetAustin.orgYahoo! Group: groups.yahoo.com/group/VegNetAustin

RecipeZaar: www.recipezaar.com/member/585141

Facebook: www.VegNetAustin.org/facebookMeetup.com: www.Meetup.com/VegNetAustin

Twitter: @VegNetAustin

2 Austin Vegetarian Living—June/July 2010

Newsletter AdsAustin Vegetarian Living is published six times per year, in February, April, June, August, October, and December. The print run is 500 copies. The newsletter is mailed to registered members and is distributed to restaurants, grocery stores, and other locations in Austin.Advertisements run by the issue or for an entire year with a one-third discounted price. Below are ad sizes and rates. To purchase an ad or for more information, e-mail our Communications Director at vna_commdir@yahoo.com.

About The VNAMembership in the Vegetarian Network of Austin (VNA) is open to anyone interested in a vegetarian lifestyle. Our organization meets regularly for food, fun, support and to exchange information and ideas. We host monthly vegan potlucks and patronize local vegetarian-friendly restaurants; non-members are welcome to attend. We also meet for social gatherings and public outreach.Our website, www.VegNetAustin.org, lists activities and events in which the group participates, as well as contact and other information. We communicate to members and other interested persons by e-mail via our Yahoo! Group. You can also join our online communities on Facebook and Meetup, and follow us on Twitter. We also maintain a vegan cookbook on RecipeZaar. See below for the addresses.We periodically advertise and promote special events, such as the annual Lone Star Vegetarian Chili Cook-Off, and sponsor special guest speakers.The VNA is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization consisting of an elected, all-volunteer Board of Directors and dedicated members like you. Donations are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law.We and our activities would not exist without your membership dues. Thank you for your support!

Find the VNA online:

Quarter page: $25 per ad or $100 per yearHalf page: $45 per ad or $180 per year

Three-quarter page: $70 per ad or $280 per year

The Vegetarian Network of Austin

Please help us with our Austin Vegetarian Living newsletter!Email your submissions of all kinds to vna_newsletter@yahoo.com

(please start your subject line with “NEWS” to stand out from the spam):

• Articles (find or write)• Restaurant Reviews• Event Photos

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• Web links• Recipes• Cartoons

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3Austin Vegetarian Living—June/July 2010

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Interview with Katie Brannon, Vegetarian Cooking Show ProducerAustin vegetarians will soon be able to watch a cooking show with their interests at heart—and it’s shooting right here in Austin. On May 31st, we interviewed Katie Brannon, a local vegetarian who is currently in production on a new vegetarian cooking show.

VNA: Tell us about the cooking show and how you’ve gotten started to this point.

Brannon: Sure, it’s called “Veggin’ Out With Katie”. I’m going to be cooking whole, real foods, fresh foods... that do happen to all be vegetarian. For those that are interested a little bit further, they do include some dairy. But they’re strictly vegetarian meals. My whole point is simple, exceptional foods. It’s not hard to do. It’s real food, it’s fresh, and anyone can do it.

VNA: Now you were talking earlier about how you want to orient this show in such a way so that people who are not vegetarian would be attracted to it. What’s your strategy?

Brannon: I want to reach everyone, I want to appeal to everyone. In fact, the way this whole show started, I have dinner parties pretty regularly. None of my friends that come to my house to eat dinner are vegetarian. Yet they keep coming, they keep eating it, and they keep going back for more, they love it. Because basically I’m just cooking real, fresh foods. So I want to appeal to the mainstream, to your neighbor, my neighbor. And I just want to introduce how simple and easy it is to eat real, healthy foods, and feel good about it.

VNA: Do you feel like your show would have any kind of particular agenda in promoting vegetarianism, or are you going to soft-play that in favor of just trying to get people to try as many of your recipes and your foods?

Brannon: I think simply the fact that I’m making great food that happens to be vegetables and fruits, I think that in itself promotes vegetarianism in its simplest form. I’m not using processed foods, and what I mean by that, I’m not using wheat, I’m not using tofu...

VNA: So you’re really starting from scratch ingredients.

Brannon: I’m thinking about nutrition. I’ve been a vegetarian for twenty years, and I’ve eaten a lot of things that didn’t make my body feel good. And there are people all over who might be really happy to introduce really great healthy food into their diet, and feel good about it. But as far as we vegetarians are concerned, if they eat another meal that doesn’t include meat, more power to us. So I think it’s a win-win for everybody.

VNA: What do you have planned so far for how the show will be distributed? Will it be online?

Brannon: Yes, we are definitely going to edit it down and YouTube it. We’re going to make it viral. And we’re going to reach out to every group we’re associated with to distribute it. We’re also going to submit it to all the national cooking shows and travel shows around the country. And of course we’d love to have it shown locally on ChannelAustin.!

Please see www.VegNetAustin.org/podcasts to listen to the rest of this interview on your computer or download it to your digital audio device. And see www.VegginOutWithKatie.com to get more information, learn about the first three guests she has lined up, and get updates on when and where her show will debut.

4 Austin Vegetarian Living—June/July 2010

Book Review: Food Rules by Michael PollanBy John Bassett

Does eating food have to be as complicated as it seems to have gotten? Not so long ago it would have been rare to hear someone talk about “antioxidants”, “omega-3 fatty acids”, “polyphenols”, “probiotics” and many other similar words now in common usage.

Michael Pollan who has written five previous books on food including the best seller In Defense of Food does not think so.

A few years ago, feeling as confused as everyone else, he decided to get to the bottom of a simple question: “What should I eat?” Michael was just a curious journalist and not a nutrition expert or scientist. He says that usually when he embarks on such an investigation he quickly discovers that matters are much more complicated and ambiguous than he realized going in. Not this time. The deeper he dived into the confusing thicket of nutrition science the simpler the picture gradually became. He learned that nutrition science, which got started less than 200 years ago, is about where surgery was in 1650 and scientists know a lot less about nutrition than we might expect.

He learned volumes about all we don’t know about nutrition and also a small number of things we do know about food and health. He learned that there are basically three facts we need to know about the link between diet and health. These three basic facts are not in dispute. All the contending parties in the “nutrition wars” agree on them. But, oddly enough, they are not the center of our nutritional research or public health campaigns.

Fact 1: Populations that eat a so-called Western diet (lots of processed foods and meats, added fat and sugar, refined grains) invariably suffer from high rates of “Western diseases” (obesity, Type A diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer).

Fact 2: Populations eating a wide range of traditional diets generally don’t suffer from these chronic diseases.Fact 3: People who get off the western diet see dramatic improvements in their health.He had a somewhat unsettling moment when, after spending several years researching nutrition for his last book, he realized that the answer to the incredibly complicated question of what we should eat could be boiled down to just seven words: “Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly Plants.”In this short, radically pared down, book he “unpacks” these seven words into a set of simple and easy to remember “rules” or personal policies designed to help us eat real food in moderation and get off the Western diet.Here are a few of the sixty-four rules in his book: EAT (REAL) FOOD:

Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother would not recognize • as food.If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don’t.• Eat only foods that will eventually rot.•

NOT TOO MUCH:Buy smaller plates and glasses.• Spend as much time enjoying the meal as it took to prepare it.• Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a pauper.•

MOSTLY PLANTS:Eat mostly plants, especially leaves.• Eat your colors.• Don’t eat breakfast cereals that change the color of the milk.• !

News BitesThai Fresh doubles in sizeThe popular Thai deli in South Austin, Thai Fresh, has expanded next door, adding twenty seats to the dining room, as well as a tea bar and bakery case. They’re also offering coconut milk-based ice creams made with seasonal fruits from farmers’ markets.www.Thai-Fresh.comSubmitted by VNA member Candace d’Obrenovic

New indoor farmers’ market opens in South AustinMarketplace Austin Westgate has opened a new indoor farmers’ market at their South Austin location. It’s open every Friday from 3 pm to 7pm. See their ad on page 4.www.Wix.com/mandalamaker/Farmers-Market

New list of “Dirty Dozen” produce items to buy organicThe Environmental Working Group has released the new list of the “Dirty Dozen”, the twelve produce items grown with the most pesticides. www.TinyURL.com/DirtyDozenProduce

ConAgra working to ‘reinvent’ the sweet potato Agriculture megacorp ConAgra is targeting sweet potatos for higher sugar content and a more uniform shape, to make it easier

to process them into french fries for restaurants and the frozen foods section. They’re working with scientists at the Louisiana State University Ag-Center to make them sweeter, deeper orange throughout, and less knobby and twisty in shape so that processing machines will waste less potato flesh. ConAgra is also building (in Louisiana) North America’s first plant dedicated specifically to sweet potatoes. www.TinyURL.com/DirtyDozenProduce

Startlingly, Hardee’s promoting vegetarian optionsHardee’s, the fast food chain known for their “Monster ThickBurgers”, has been trying more to please vegetarians and animal-rights activists recently. In 2007 they started instituting some animal welfare practices (little ones—“2% of eggs from non-battery-caged hens”, “25% of pork from non-gestation-crated pigs by 2009”). Now they’re actively promoting the vegetarian (and gluten-free and low-carb) options they offer. But they aren’t actual menu items—they’re just regular menu items with meat removed. So they’re still not very healthy. But even baby steps can help move our society closer to healthy, cruelty-free, environmentally-sound diets.www.Hardees.com/menu/indulge/www.GoVeg.com/f-CKE_restaurants_victory.aspwww.TinyURL.com/HardeesNotHealthy

5Austin Vegetarian Living—June/July 2010

Please email news submissions for this page to vna_newsletter@yahoo.com.Start your subject line with “NEWS” to stand out from the spam.

6 Austin Vegetarian Living—June/July 2010

The Best Vegan Summer Sweets in Austin A run-down of where to find the best vegan desserts locally, including Beets Cafe and Counter Culture.www.TinyURL.com/BestVeganSummerSweets

The Gluten-Free Vegan cookbookA review of a new cookbook with 150 recipes that emphasize whole ingredients and natural sweeteners.www.VegParadise.com/vegreading1004.html

Happy Vegan BakerAn article about and interview with Inge Jorgenson, whose vegan desserts are available at the Austin Farmers’ Markets and Bouldin Creek Coffeehouse.www.TinyURL.com/HappyVeganBaker

Kala’s Kuisine Salsas and Chutney A review of Kala’s Kuisine’s Mango Chutney, Curry-Chipotle Salsa, and Mirchi-Masala Salsa, all three of which won prizes at the Austin Hot Sauce Festival.www.TinyURL.com/KalasKuisineReview

Web SitingsLazy Smurf’s Guide To Life: Veg Tex Mex An Austin blogger’s recipes and restaurant recommendations, including a SXSW Vegan Guide.www.LazySmurf.WordPress.com

Meatless TweetsA compilation-in-progress of organizations, news sources and individuals sharing random tweets with a vegetarian, vegan or eat-less-meat focus.www.TinyURL.com/meatlesstweets

Vegan Hair Products AustinAn online resource for local vegan haircare products.www.HairByHelene.com/Austin/Vegan

VegEZ iPhone app A collection of 50 recipes by Toni Fiore, host of the Totally Vegetarian TV show. This app for the iPhone includes access to 32 videos for the recipes as well.www.DeliciousTV.com/vegez

Please email web link submissions for this page to vna_newsletter@yahoo.com.Start your subject line with “NEWS” to stand out from the spam.

Mexican Restaurants, continued from page 1

7Austin Vegetarian Living—June/July 2010

only way to know for sure what you’re eating is to ask. Even this can be trickier at a Mexican restaurant, though —a problem specific to some ethnic restaurants is the language barrier. It’s much harder to get your point across to someone when you don’t share the same language or cultural meanings: asking if an item is “vegetarian” or “vegan” may not be enough - to some people, if it doesn’t have large chunks of meat, it’s vegetarian.

So what do you do? Here’s a few things you should remember next time you’ve got a hankering for south-of-the-border delights. Many of these tips apply to all types of restaurants, too:

Ask as you always would, but know • that you might have to be a little more specific: Instead of asking if a dish is vegetarian, ask if the tortillas contain lard, or if the rice is made with a chicken stock. And ask about cooking oil before you dig into those chips on the table!

Ask multiple people your questions: • Sometimes the waitress is new. Sometimes the line cook prepares the food but doesn’t open the packaging. It always helps to talk to more than one person about your issues, if for no reason other than to see if they’re all on the same page. In a big restaurant, no one person knows all the answers.

If you’re not conversational in Spanish, bring along • a friend who is: Better yet, bring along someone you know who’s an expert in Mexican cuisine. In addition to being able to speak to the wait staff and cooks (assuming a language problem), they can also point you toward dishes you might not have considered otherwise.

Go to websites you trust and search for reviews from • other vegetarians or vegans: Many sites specialize in

reviewing restaurants from a vegetarian perspective, and many of these will call owners and managers instead of relying on what the waitress has to say.

Find the vegetarian friendly places: plenty of • restaurants do cater to our crowd, sometimes you just have to seek them out. A Google search for “vegetarian mexican austin” yields many results.

Two more words of warning—I’ve been to more than one Mexican place that has a “vegetarian” section on their menu, but serves a non-vegetarian element with the dishes.

Sometimes it’s the tortillas, sometimes the rice, sometimes something else. Just because it says “vegetarian” doesn’t mean it is. Another thing to remember is that like all restaurants, owners and cooks can change over time, meaning that something that was vegetarian once may be no longer, and vice-versa. Ask your important questions again if you think there’s been a change.

In the end, the sad truth is that many otherwise delicious Mexican restaurants aren’t thinking of the vegetarians and vegans when they put their menus together. But plenty of other places are, and they’ve got food that rivals or outshines their non-veggie-friendly counterparts. Mexican food is a varied, wonderful experience—just make sure you know what you’re getting.!

About the authorMichael Doss created the “Liberal Atheist Vegetarian” blog (lav.freedomblogging.com) for The Orange County Register, writing it for two years, and “TofuFighting.com”, a vegetarian foodie site. He can be reached at michael@tofufighting.com.

8 Austin Vegetarian Living—June/July 2010

Weekly: Fridays, 3:00-7:00 pmGreenhouse Indoor Farmers Market & Bazaar6800 West Gate Blvd. at William Cannon, in the Marketplace Austin Westgate, the new creative cultural marketplace in South Austin.www.Wix.com/mandalamaker/Farmers-MarketSunday, June 13th, 1:00-2:00 pm at Whole Foods MarketSunday, June 13th, 7:00-8:00 pm at Central Market NorthMonday, June 14th, 6:00-7:00 pm at Sprouts-Research Blvd.Wed., June 16th, 10:00 am-noon at Sprouts-Round RockMeet Brendan Brazier, vegan pro triathlete and authorBrazier is hosting four book signings and stimulating discussions on nutrition. You can also sample his Vega line of plant-based foods.www.BrendanBrazier.comMonthly: Second Mondays, 7:00 pmAustin Organic Gardeners MeetingAn educational presentation, Q&A session and plenty of informative conversation. Members often bring seeds or plants to share.www.Main.org/aogMonday, June 14th, 6:00-9:00 pmSave The Seed Benefit DinnerProceeds support the work of MAMAZ to “Save The Maize Seed”. Traditional Oaxacan Cuisine at El Sol y La Luna on 6th St. ($35)www.colectivomamaz.blogspot.comWednesday, June 16th, 12:00-1:00 pmLunch Express: Getting Your Greens cooking classLearn to love fresh greens and cook them to bring out the best of their unique flavors and textures. ($18)www.WholeFoodsMarket.comSaturday, June 19th, 10:00 am-12:30 pmSavory Indian Brunch cooking classLearn to create a typical South India breakfast, including idlis, a savory breakfast dish that is gluten-free. ($65)www.WholeFoodsMarket.comTuesday, June 22nd, 6:30-9:00 pmEveryday Vegetarian: Tapas cooking classCreate a variety of tempting small bites in the Spanish tapas tradition, like Piquillo Peppers, Olive Peperonata, and Papas Pinchos. ($65)www.WholeFoodsMarket.comSaturday, June 26th, 11:00 am-1:00 pmNatural Epicurean New Kitchen Grand Opening CelebrationCome on out for delicious food, fun and giveaways at their new kitchen at 1700 South Lamar.www.NaturalEpicurean.com/public-classesSaturday, June 26th, 12:00-5:00 pmReal Ale Brewing Co. 14th Anniversary Party in BlancoReal Ale, which brews vegan beer, will be unveiling their 14th Anniversary Ale and lots of other special treats.www.RealAleBrewing.com

Wednesday July 7-Sunday July 11Vegetarian Summerfest: North American Vegetarian SocietyThe 36th annual conference in Pennsylvania. Speakers include Caldwell Esselstyn, Brenda Davis, Melanie Joy, Neal Barnard.www.VegetarianSummerfest.org

Monday, July 12th, 6:30-8:30 pmSaturday, July 17th, 10:00 am-12:00 pmSunday, July 18th, 2:00-4:00 pmFriday, July 23rd, 7:00-9:00 pmIntroduction to Conscious CookingEnjoy a cooking demo and sample freshly-prepared dishes while learning the principles of conscious cooking and eating. ($45)www.NaturalEpicurean.com/public-classes

Wednesday, July 14th, 6:00-8:00 pmHow Food Affects Your Health And EmotionsA free cooking demonstration, lecture, and discussion. Find out if macrobiotics can be useful to you, to improve your health. (Free)www.NaturalEpicurean.com/public-classes

Thursday, July 29, 6:00-9:30 pmSummer Raw Food DinnerEverything in this class is raw, fresh, and in its most natural form. Come and enjoy how this food tastes and feels in your body. ($56)www.InformalClasses.org

Sunday, July 25th, 10:00 am-12:00 pmIntroduction to Macrobiotic CookingEnjoy delicious dishes prepared utilizing macrobiotic principles. Learn about this healing approach to diet and lifestyle. ($45)www.NaturalEpicurean.com/public-classes

Please email calendar submissions for this page to

vna_newsletter@yahoo.com. Start your subject line with “NEWS”

to stand out from the spam.

Community and National Calendar For VNA Events (monthly vegan potluck dinners and restaurant visits, board meetings, and special events), see back page.

Austin Farmers’ Markets

Saturdays, 9:00 am-1:00pm

Republic Square Park - 4th and Guadalupe

Saturdays, 9:00 am-1:00 pm

Sustainable Food Ctr. Farmers’ Market at Sunset Valley3200 Jones Road

(Turn onto Pillow Road next to Toney Burger Center)

Wednesdays, 4:00-8:00 pm

The Triangle - 46th and Lamar

Saturdays, 9:00 am-1:00 pm

Barton Creek Farmers Market(formerly Sunset Valley Farmers Market)

South Capital of Texas Highway, off Mo-PacBack side of Barton Creek Square mall parking lot

Neighborhood Farm Marketswww.AustinFarmersMarket.org (click on Other Markets)

9Austin Vegetarian Living—June/July 2010

To add a local connection to Michael Doss’ article on our front page, I decided to quiz some of our local restaurants. I started by listing all the vegetarian-friendly Mexican restaurants that were listed as such in the books, The Fearless Critic: Austin Restaurant Guide and Mexican Food in Austin: The Guide. From there, I went to the restaurants’ websites and e-mailed the 18 that gave e-mail addresses. I asked the following questions and got the following responses from Chuy’s, El Sol y La Luna, and Las Palomas. I was surprised to learn that El Sol y La Luna has tofu dishes. They also have vegetarian chorizo grilled with onion, tomatoes, and egg (which can be substituted with black beans or guacamole).

Chips: Are they house made? Are they deep fried? If so, in lard/manteca/shortening or in oil also used for meat dishes?Chuy’s, El Sol y La Luna, and Las Palomas do not use lard at all. Chuy’s fries in soy bean oil only. El Sol y La Luna’s are fried in vegetaible oil that is not used for frying meat. Las Palomas’ are deep-fried.

Tortillas (corn): Are they made with lard/manteca/shortening?Chuy’s, El Sol y La Luna, and Las Palomas do not use lard.

Tortillas (flour): Are they made with lard/manteca/shortening?Chuy’s, El Sol y La Luna, and Las Palomas do not use lard.Cheese: Is it made with animal rennet?Chuy’s queso cheese is, but their shredded cheese is not.

Vegetables: Are they cooked in butter/grease/lard/manteca/shortening?Chuy’s, El Sol y La Luna, and Las Palomas do not use lard at all, but Chuy’s uses butter on their cooktops to sauté vegetables and cook quesadillas.

Sauces: Are they made with beef or chicken stock?El Sol y La Luna’s and Las Palomas’ are not.

Enchiladas: Are the tortillas dipped in oil to soften them? If so, in oil also used for meat dishes?

Chuy’s does not. El Sol y La Luna’s are dipped in oil used for catfish. Las Palomas’ are dipped in vegetable or olive oil, but they have a gluten-free menu that includes enchiladas that are not.

Tamales: Are they made with lard/manteca/shortening?Chuy’s and El Sol y La Luna do not use lard at all. Las Palomas does not serve tamales.

Vegetarian dishes: Are eggs used as a binder in any of them?Las Palomas’ do not. Chuy’s uses butter on their cooktops to sauté vegetables and cook quesadillas.

Beans: Are they made with meat or cheese? Are they made with lard/manteca?El Sol y La Luna’s black beans are non-fat, but their refried beans have bacon grease. Las Palomas’ are not made with meat or cheese. Chuy’s, El Sol y La Luna, and Las Palomas do not use lard at all.

Rice: Is it made with beef or chicken stock or lard/manteca/shortening?El Sol y La Luna’s is not. Las Palomas’ is made with chicken broth. Chuy’s, El Sol y La Luna, and Las Palomas do not use lard at all.

Are there any other things that vegetarians/vegans should avoid (besides meat/cheese dishes)?We received no responses to this question.!

Local Mexican Restaurants RespondBy Stevie Duda, Newsletter Editor

10 Austin Vegetarian Living—June/July 2010

Mexican Cuisine Recipe (see Mexican Restaurant articles on page 1 and 9)

Baked Tempeh Enchiladas1 tablespoon safflower or olive oil

1/2 cup minced fresh onion

1/4 cup chopped green or red bell pepper

1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic

1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon cayenne1/2 cup water

16 oz hot salsa

12 oz tofu sour cream

3 cups chopped poached tempeh (see below)

8 8-inch lard-free whole wheat tortillas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick vegetable cooking spray.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cut tempeh into chunks and simmer in water for 5

minutes. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cover and cook 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in the chili

powder, cayenne, 1/2 cup water, and salsa, and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and

add the tofu sour cream. Combine 2 cups sauce and the tempeh. Spoon about 1/3 cup (slightly rounded)

tempeh mixture onto each tortilla and roll up. Arrange the tortillas in the prepared dish, top with the remaining

sauce, cover, and bake 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 minutes longer until browned and bubbly. Serves

8-10.

Posted and reviewed at www.RecipeZaar.com/recipe/Baked-Tempeh-Enchiladas-281711

Adapted from Some Like It Hot: 200 Spicy Vegetarian Recipes from Around the World by Robin Robertson

Submitted by former VNA President Ken Jaffe and edited by VNA Newsletter Editor & RecipeZaar Manager Stevie Duda

TempehTempeh is made by a natural culturing and controlled fermentation process that binds soybeans into a cake form. Tempeh originated in Indonesia (and is unique among major traditional soy-foods in that it is the only one that did not originate in China or Japan). In traditional tempeh making shops, the starter culture often contains beneficial bacteria that produce vitamins such as B12. In western countries, it is more common to use a pure culture containing only Rhizopus oligosporus which makes very little B12. It is uncertain if this B12 is always present and bio-available.

From en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempeh

11Austin Vegetarian Living—June/July 2010

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Check one: ❑ New member ❑ Renewal

Choose method of receiving bylaws:❑ US mail ❑ e-mail ❑ neither, I’ll download from VNA websiteChoose method of receiving newsletter:❑ US mail ❑ e-mail ❑ neither, I’ll download from VNA website

Yearly Dues: (circle one)

Individual $25Student/Senior/Low Income $15Family/Organization $30Sponsoring Member $50

Mail to: Vegetarian Network of Austin

P.O. Box 49333

Austin, TX 78765-9333

DATE:

Questions and Comments:

INTERESTED IN HELPING THE VNA? WE WOULD LOVE YOUR HELP!The VNA is a group run solely by its members. There are many times we could use your help. Please send this in with your membership payment and let us know if we can call on you for help.I can:

❑ Offer my home for a potluck❑ Be contact person for events❑ Volunteer at tabling events❑ Contribute to the newsletter❑ Be a member of the board❑ Help with the Vegetarian Chili Cook-off (in November)❑ Provide music at various events❑ Other:

The VNA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Donations are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by the law.

CLASSIFIEDS

Listings are free for VNA members and $10 per issue for non-members (up to 6 lines; $2.50 for each additional line). Send your listing by e-mail to vna_newsletter@yahoo.com.

Graphic and web designCall Brendan Good at 377-9893

Dachshund puppies need homeTwo available. Contact Yvonne at yellis77@gmail.com

Organic raw superfoods & herbsCall Roy Wilhite at 797-1906

Yoga & meditation instructionCall Lisa Davis at 622-4856

Pet portraits from photos in paint, watercolor, or pencilCall Michelle at 586-5504

Pop art family portraits on archival 100% cotton canvasE-mail artsytipe@yahoo.com

Monday - Saturday: 7am-10pm — Sunday: 12pm-6pm

On the Drag — 2928 Guadalupe St.

512.479.7337 — TomsTabooley.com

Lots of Vegetarian Choices! All our hummus and baba ganoush have no added oils,

and our dolmas are hand-made fresh, not canned!

Plus hand-cut french fries, salads and wraps, falafel...

and of course our famous tabooley!

MEDITERRANEAN CAFE

Austin Vegetarian Living

Vegetarian Network of Austin

P.O. Box 49333

Austin, TX 78765-9333

VNA Event Calendar

Always check www.VegNetAustin.org for updated listings, as events are subject to change.

Please check your renewal date on the mailing label. If your renewal is due,please mail the form on Page 9 with a check or money order to the address above.

Treasurer’s Reminder

Saturday, July 10th, 6:30 pmVegan Potluck Dinner at the home of Candace d’ObrenovicBoard Meeting precedes at 5:30 pm3808 Arrow Drive, Austin (map on our website), 512-280-0584Come meet up with our new vegetarian friends and share your food and friendship. If you’re interested in participating in the VNA board meeting, come at 5:30. Members are always welcome to join our board meetings, especially those interested in serving on committees and helping us plan the VNA’s future. Bring a VEGAN dish to feed 8 plus a serving utensil, as well as your own plate, utensils, and beverage. Also please bring a list of ingredients for your recipe.Saturday, May 29th, 12:30 pm Vegan Dinner at Talkhouse Living Foods Café1221 West 6th Street, Austinwww.BorboletaGourmet.comWe’re excited to visit John Wegmann’s new vegan and raw foods restaurant west of downtown called Talkhouse (formerly Borboleta Gourmet Living Cuisine). Talkhouse is a cozy eatery, with daily specials including freshly-made juices and smoothies, fresh young coconut water, plus salads, sandwiches, pizzas and desserts. The mock-tuna sandwich, the mushroom fajitas, and the “rawsagna” especially have gotten good reviews on Yelp.com. All 100% gluten-free. BYOB.You do not have to be a VNA member to attend our monthly restaurant visits. Please RSVP by e-mailing vna_rsvp@yahoo.com (start your subject line with RSVP) to help us and the restaurant plan ahead.

Saturday, June 12th, 7:00 pmVegan Potluck Dinner at the home of Kathy Monte4519 Depew Avenue, Austin (map on our website), 512-280-0584You do not have to be a VNA member to attend our monthly potluck dinners. Come meet up with vegetarians of all ages and varieties and share your food and friendship. Bring a VEGAN dish to feed 8 plus a serving utensil, as well as your own plate, utensils, and beverage. Please bring a list of ingredients used, to help those with food allergies. Also please bring a list of ingredients for your recipe.Sunday, June 27th, 11:30 amVegan Brunch at Casa De Luz1701 Toomey Road, Austinwww.CasaDeLuz.orgCasa De Luz, Austin’s long-standing vegan and macrobiotic restaurant, is one of the favorite places of most vegans in Austin, including many in the VNA. The last time we were there was for dinner, but this time we’ll be going for their wonderful brunch—especially their famous Spelt Pancakes with Fruit Sauce.Afterwards, for those who are interested, we have two activities planned. Some of us will be going kayaking on Lady Bird Lake, while others will be going over to Barton Springs for a swim. Be sure to bring your swim suits and sunscreen.You do not have to be a VNA member to attend our monthly restaurant visits. Please RSVP by e-mailing vna_rsvp@yahoo.com (start your subject line with RSVP) to help us and the restaurant plan ahead.

www.PickTexas.com

Peak ProduceVegetables FruitsBaby Bok Choy BlueberriesCabbage CantaloupesCucumbers Charlin MelonsFava Beans HoneydewFigs PeachesGarbanzo Beans PomegranatesGreens WatermelonHerbsMushroomsOnionsBell PeppersPotatoesSquashTomatoesTurnipsTomatoes In July, add:Turnips Apples