2010 Worcester Vegetarian Fesitval

It was a rainy Saturday morning and after a late night spent at the warehouse unpacking a new shipment of sneakers, we awoke and made our way West. This past Saturday was our very first Worcester Vegetarian Festival. Vegetarian Festivals are always a good time and we often sponsor them, such as the Boston and Richmond Vegetarian Festivals. Who wouldn’t want to spend their Saturday with free food samples, live music, and fashion?! We lucked out with this event, as it was only miles from Boston and still had a great turnout. Plus their stylish Veg Worcester shirts are supplied by a Fair Trade Fashion company you may have heard of.

It was held at the Student Center on the Worcester State College, however, the event attracted people of all ages in Central Massachusetts. Luckily, we were instead, as a New England storm raged outside, still not keeping people away. We met a few loyal AP fans as well as new faces and had a chance to talk to local vegetarian communities. The booth next to us was a great organization called Worcester Earn A Bike, which is a local non-profit providing education on bicycle safety and maintenance and allows people to earn a bike through volunteer service. Plus they gave us a neat bike patch!

In another room, live local bands and speakers filled the day with entertainment and education. Also, in this room were many local vegan and vegetarian restaurants with free samples. We enjoyed samples of free mock meats form Buddha Hut and stir fry from other local spots. However, much to our disappointment we missed the free vegan Jamaican/Soul food samples from Belmont Vegetarian Restaurant. Luckily, the owner, who is very nice and excited about veganism, stopped by our booth. We decided to make a detour by their restaurant before heading back to the city. The spot is a little take-out joint with a couple of tables to eat in. The menu items change daily and you are able to order from 1 to 5 dishes in small, medium, or large. Examples of menu offerings include Pepper “Steak” Tofu, Vegan Mac ‘n Cheese, and Curry “Chicken.” Since we had been working all day (and up all night the night before), we decided to get a couple of mediums to go and headed back to Boston. We ended up trying the Vegan Lasagna, BBQ “Chicken,” and Veggie Stew with Rice. Even though the flavors seemed as if they wouldn’t normally go together, they were delicious and a nice array of what the restaurant offers. The BBQ “Chicken” was unique and delightful and all three dishes really hit the spot after a long day at work. We highly recommend stopping by the Belmont Vegetarian Restaurant next time you are in Worcester, heck, it is even worth a trip out there!

With our bellies full of vegan delights from Belmont, we headed back to Boston. We sure enjoyed everything about the Worcester Vegetarian Festival! It as nice to catch up with AP fans and meet new folks. We are excited for next year’s Worcester Vegetarian Festival and look out for us at our next big veg fest in Richmond, VA in June! We can’t wait to meet everyone and of course eat all the yummy food!

-Gina Williams & Jeremy Pearson

 

Vegan Recipe of the Week: Vegan Lasagna

Earlier this month, the Groundhog predicted 6 more weeks of Winter! Now that we are near the end of February, I guess that leaves us about 4 more weeks of cold weather, snow, and pouring rain. The up side of all the terrible weather is keeping dry and warm with some delicious comfort food.  One of my favorite winter treats is lasagna. It is warm and tasty and makes the ice melt outside! This recipe can be made with or without soy meat or cheese.  So curl up in your favorite blanket and grub down on some vegan comfort food!

Vegan Lasagna

Prep Time: 30 Minutes    Bake Time: 40 Minutes    Serves: 8

1 Box of Organic Lasagna Noodles
2 Jars of Organic Pasta Sauce (or homemade sauce)
1 Cup Organic Mushrooms
1 Cup Organic Zucchini
1 Cup Spinach
1/2 Cup of Onions
3 Gloves Garlic
2 Cups Crumbled Organic Tofu
3 Tbls of Nutritional Yeast
3 Tbls of Veggie Broth
6-8 Ounces of Vegan Mozzarella Cheese (Vegan Gourmet or Daiya)
2 Tbls Olive Oil
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Basil
1 tsp Pepper
1/2 tsp Salt
10 Ounces Vegan Soy Crumbles (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 F. In a large pot, boil water with a splash of Olive Oil and salt. Once the water is boiling add in the lasagna noodles and boil until firm but not overcooked. Meanwhile cut up all veggies and in a skillet warm up the olive oil, garlic, and onions. Add in the mushrooms and zucchini. In a large bowl mix together the crumbled tofu, oregano, basil, pepper, salt, Nutritional Yeast. Once this is mixed add in the soy crumble, if choosing to use them. Add this mixture and the spinach to the skillet. Cook for ten minutes or until the veggies are a little soft.
In a casserole dish cover the bottom in pasta sauce and sprinkle vegan cheese. Lay down a layer of lasagna noodles and a thick layer of the skillet mix, followed by a layer of noodles, sauce, and cheese. Make several layers until all ingredients are included. Finish with a layer of pasta sauce, cheese, and a dash of nutritional yeast, oregano, basil, and pepper. Place in oven for 40 minutes. Let it stand for at least 10 minutes before serving.