News from the Toronto Vegetarian Association

Discount Profile: Vegan Danish Bakery

Discount: 10% off  Veg Status: All vegan Where: 2 locations! 7718 Yonge Street in Thornhill, and 1312 Queen Street West in Parkdale I’m no stranger to Vegan Danish Bakery, and have probably written several profiles about them before. But every time I go, they seem to have new surprises that I just had to share with you! This beautiful, rather fancy bakery, will wow you with their huge selection of decorative cakes, cupcakes, and of course danishes. But having had the pleasure of enjoying those items in the past, on my recent two visits I opted to try all new items! On the first visit, I had an apple turnover that was topped with giant crystals of sugar and a vanilla glaze, and a classic chocolate croissant. That may sound like enough but how could I possibly resist the gigantic, gooey pecan caramel sticky bun staring back at me from the case? We were getting our items to go, and the owner kindly let us know we should warm the items in the oven before eating them. Was she ever right! That sticky bun fresh out of the oven was the perfect way to cozy up on… Read More

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Food and Recipe of the Month: Microgreens

Care of Andrea Howe, of Glowing On Greens Microgreens are an exciting, fairly new ingredient to add to our meals. Due to their small size, they are more concentrated, meaning they have higher levels of vitamins and antioxidants when compared to their mature, full grown counterpart. Microgreens come in different varieties, including alfalfa sprouts, broccoli shoots, amaranth, and watercress. They are a crunchy and delicious ingredient to add as a garnish, or to include in salads and sandwiches. Microgreens have become popular due to their beautiful addition to meals, and their nutrient profile. Studies of microgreen have found they have up to 40 times higher the antioxidant level compared to their more mature versions. Higher levels of antioxidants in the diet can lower the risk of many chronic diseases and cancers, including heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. These crunchy greens also contain fibre, which can help to lower the risk of various diseases and cancer. Along with benefits to your health, microgreens are a fun way to add an extra element to your dish, along with added benefits to your health. Try using them as a garnish to your soup, stew, or in this Warm Sweet Potato Couscous… Read More

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Veg Out 492: Vegan Facts & Foibles for February

Your friendly hosts have been collecting fun facts and foibles and want to share them with you, our listeners! With Veganuary having just wrapped up, a lot of folks are talking veganism, which is great! What’s not-so-great is the misinformation that’s often shared in the media or dominant conversations (beware of soy! vegans don’t get enough protein! plants have feelings too!). We take a lighthearted look at some of the better-proven facts, from brain size-to-intelligence ratio to fish feelings to phytoestrogens (not the same as animal estrogen), and explore a few of the weird/wild/wacky things the food industry does to appeal to customers, often leading to less-than-nutritious products. Why not share your own facts and foibles at TVA Lunch Club? It’s a low-key way to take a lunch break and socialize while we’re all cooped up at home. https://veg.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/VegOut20210206.mp3 Download episode Links TVA Lunch Club Adam Ruins Everything – The Awful Truth About Salmon and Tuna Credits Hosts: Sarah, Steve and Sweta Editing: Sweta Write Up: Sarah Bradley Theme Music: Matt Judge… Read More

Filed under: News News from the Toronto Vegetarian Association Resource Centre Toronto Vegetarian Podcast

Food and Recipe of the Month: Roasted Beet and Potato Salad

Care of Andrea Howe, of glowingongreens.com  Beets take the prize for the prettiest and brightest vegetable. Their bright red colour and earthy taste can be a great addition to salads, juices, or roasted on their own. Beets are a root vegetable and are generally harvested at the end of the summer and late fall. Like other root vegetables, they can be stored for many months and be a great addition to our diet in the winter months. Beets have an impressive list of nutrients that provide many benefits to our health! Their bright red colour comes from a pigment called betalain, a unique antioxidant not found in many other red fruits and vegetables. These antioxidants have been seen to have anti-inflammatory effects, and to reduce oxidation in the body. Basically, they can help fight harmful factors in our body that can lead to the development of disease. Beets are also exceptionally high in nitrates, which play a role in lowering blood pressure, enhance exercise performance, and reduce inflammation. Finally, beets are packed full of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that is important for immune function and skin repair. While beets contain many benefits, their antioxidant content is what is… Read More

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Veg Out 491: Animal Justice Academy with Kimberly Carroll

Ana and Jeanette are thrilled to be joined by Kimberly Carroll on this episode of Veg Out! Kimberly has an extensive background in animal rights activism, including co-creating the “why love one but eat the other” transit ad campaign, as well as co-founding Mercy for Animals Canada. She is also a campaign strategist for Animal Justice, Canada’s only national law advocacy organization working on behalf of animals. As a coach for changemakers, she empowers and helps leaders and activists in the veg community. And if that wasn’t enough, she is also a director with the Toronto Vegetarian Food Bank.  Kimberly joined us to talk about the upcoming Animal Justice Academy, which is a 6 week online bootcamp that will empower you to make a better world for animals. The Academy takes place Jan. 25-Mar. 5, 2021. Enrolment is open now at https://animaljusticeacademy.com/ https://veg.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Veg-Out-Kimberly-Carroll.mp3 Download the episode. TVA Events! Join the TVA Lunch Club! Every Thursday at noon you can bring your lunch to a Zoom call with other vegetarians and… Read More

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Discount Profile: bloomer’s in Bayview Village

Discount: 10% off  Veg Status: All vegan Where: 3 locations! This profile features the location in Bayview Village Shopping Mall, but they also have one at 715 Queen St. West and 873 Bloor Street West. Unless you are brand new to Toronto, by now you should be familiar with one of Toronto’s longest-standing all-vegan bakeries. bloomer’s has been delighting Torontonians for years with their array of donuts, muffins, sandwiches, and more. But now, those living north of the downtown core can enjoy their treats too, and even more! On my way to visit my parents, I decided to stop in to perhaps grab a donut or two. I had no idea how large this new location of theirs was and was blown away! In addition to their cases of freshly baked goods, there was an entire wall of freezers packed with all kinds goodies! There are homemade bagels, cream cheeses, pot pies, and ready-to-go full sized cakes. I grabbed a couple of everything bagels which were almost gigantic, as well as a mini curry pot pie which was just perfect heated up on a cold winter’s night the following week. After oohing and… Read More

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February 2021 Social Group Events

TVA Reads is holding their next Zoom book club on February 17th at 6:30 pm. They’ll be discussing the book Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead. Email tvareads@veg.ca for more info and to RSVP. The Toronto Starch Solution Group meets the first Friday of each month at 7 pm on Zoom. Their February meeting is Friday, February 5th. If you are interested in learning more about health promotion and maintenance through whole foods, plant-based eating, join them, bringing your questions, struggles, or success stories to share. Email starch.tva@gmail.com for the Zoom link.  … Read More

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Job Opportunity: Bookkeeper/Accountant

Position Overview: The Toronto Vegetarian Association (TVA) is an inclusive, pro-vegan non-profit organization that inspires people to choose a healthier, greener, more compassionate lifestyle through plant-based eating. TVA is seeking a detail-oriented bookkeeping professional to provide bookkeeping and certain accounting services. The Bookkeeper/Accountant will assist in the execution of a variety of financial duties including the preparation and maintenance of all financial records. The organization is seeking to fill this role through a service agreement with an independent contractor. Responsibilities Bookkeeping  Post deposits, supplier invoices and payments  Prepare weekly deposits  Prepare electronic or manual cheques for paying supplier invoices  Prepare bank reconciliations and other account reconciliations  Reconcile donations database against payment processing statements and bank transactions  Prepare manual bi-weekly salaried payroll cheques and monthly source deduction remittances  Prepare monthly financial statements for the Executive Director and Treasurer for presentation to the Board of Directors Accounting  Prepare annual T4, T4A and T4NR4 slips and summaries  Prepare annual HST return  Prepare annual charity return  Prepare month-end and year-end adjusting entries  Preparing for and managing… Read More

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Farewell to Denyse Mehta, Executive Director

Care of Nital Jethalal, President, TVA Happy 2021 everyone! 2020 was certainly a challenging year, and one that I know we will not soon forget. On behalf of the TVA Board of Directors and staff, I want to thank you for your continued support not only of TVA, but of veg businesses and the veg community in the Greater Toronto Area and beyond. Thank you, thank you, thank you! While there have been many heartbreaking stories over the last year, there have also been reasons for hope — from so many people wearing masks and taking precautions to keep ourselves and each other safe, to new veg-friendly businesses opening up during the pandemic, and news that vaccines are on their way. We’re not out of the woods yet, but hope you share our enthusiasm about what 2021 can hold for all us. I’d like to update you on a few developments at TVA. First, after three and a half years with the Toronto Vegetarian Association, Executive Director Denyse Mehta has decided to leave the organization. Her last day with TVA will be January 15, 2021. Denyse has made many important contributions to TVA during her time with the organization. Read More

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Veg Out 490: Getting Healthy With Dr. Shane Williams

New year, new opportunity to build healthier habits! We wanted to kick off another year of the Veg Out podcast with an episode featuring Dr. Shane Williams (originally from Newfoundland and now based in Bracebridge, ON), a community leader and cardiologist with in-depth knowledge about the power of plant-based nutrition to prevent cardiovascular and other chronic diseases. You’ll hear from Dr. Williams about common myths (“but where do you get your protein?”), the China Study (which demonstrates how nutrition affects cardiovascular diseases), why social connection and community is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle, and the fine art of convincing and leading by example. https://veg.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/VegOut20210109.mp3 Download Episode Links Dr. Williams Cardiology Science Fictions – The Book The China Study Credits Hosts: Steve, Ana, and Sweta Guest: Dr. Shane Williams Editing: Sweta Write Up: Sarah Bradley Theme Music: Matt Judge… Read More

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