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4
Aug

Vegan Dining Options in Asheville, NC (Part 2)

The vegan dining scene in Asheville is hoppin’ thanks to a large group of committed chefs, restauranteurs, bakers, juicers, and talented people who want to bring wholesome, nourishing, and delicious plant-based food to Ashevillians and those who visit this western North Carolina city. Below is a continuation of the list of vegan-friendly dining options: Read more »

2
Aug

Vegan Dining Options in Asheville, NC

Dining out is often a challenge for vegans unless you’re in a major city so my expectations for Asheville – a city of about 100,000 in western North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains – were relatively low although many people refer to Asheville as “the Portland (Oregon) of the South” which generally means vegan-friendly.

I thought maybe there would be a half-dozen good options but it turns out there are dozens of dining options for vegans in Asheville. What sets this western North Carolina city apart from other small cities is not the number of vegan restaurants (because there are only a few of these) but how many restaurants offer vegan options or are willing to make vegan options off menu, especially if you hand your dinner selection over to a chef with only a mandate to make the dish plant-based. Read more »

30
Jul

Light Potato Salad

A classic summer dinner menu often includes potato salad – that traditional “all-American” (note: traditional potato salad originated in Germany according to many food historians) side dish that graces our tables more often in the warm months than any other time of the year.

Everyone has their favorite recipe (my husband is still mourning his mother’s mayo and hard-boiled egg version that hasn’t graced his dinner plate in a decade), including me who advocates for a lighter, healthier version with no mayo, very little oil (and no eggs).

At the center of the dish is the potato and it does make a difference which potato you use. The small red potato is best because it holds its shape when cooked. In addition, red potatoes have a low starch content with a creamy, moist flesh that makes it ideal when mixed with other ingredients to make a salad. Read more »

28
Jul

The Girl Who Smiled Beads

I am here. I need you to see me. I need you to see that I am here. You, world, cannot make me crumble. I am alive. I am alive. I am alive.

Clemantine Wamariya was born in 1988 in Rwanda and led an idyllic childhood until 1994, when civil war broke out between the Tutsi and Hutu (the two main groups of people residing in the country). Clemantine, six years old at the time, and her 15-year old sister, Claire were sent to live with their grandmother in the southern region of the country but when the war spread, the two young girls began a 6 year journey migrating through seven South African countries before being granted refugee status in the United States in 2000. Read more »

26
Jul

Where Does $100 to the American Cancer Society Go?

The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) based in Atlanta, Georgia. With 6,679 employees in 2016, the ACS focused on awarding grants, advocacy, education and service. Every year, ACS files a Form 990 – a rather lengthy tax return that provides all kinds of financial information about the organization – which is beneficial to the public and donors.

Many donors often wonder “if I gave $100 to a non-profit, how is that $100 spent?” Readers will find the answer to that question and more in this post. Specifically, there are five areas covered: Read more »

24
Jul

Brown Rice Syrup and Arsenic

If you’re the least bit health conscious, then you’re probably a label reader which also means when looking for ready-made sweets, you search for alternative ingredients to refined sugar, corn syrup, or high fructose corn syrup.  So, when you see brown rice syrup listed as an ingredient in energy bars or other treats, you may be somewhat satisfied thinking you’re making a wiser choice.  But, you need to think again because brown rice syrup has been called out for having “high” levels of arsenic – a chemical element that is often used in the production of pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides (and in the feed for poultry and pigs to prevent disease). Read more »

22
Jul

Uncle Eddie’s Vegan Cookies

What constitutes a really great cookie?  Opinions differ but in my mind, a really good cookie can be soft or crunchy on the outside, moist and chewy on the inside, with a sweet and decadent flavor.  In other words – a truly awesomet cookie has to have both texture and taste, whether the flavor is chocolate chip, peanut butter, oatmeal, cocoa, or molasses.

Traditional cookies made with lots of butter and eggs pretty much hit the mark every time but not everyone wants to eat cookies made with animal products. Nor, do they want to eat cookies with artificial flavors, colors, or ingredients they never heard of. So, the question becomes: Is there a really good ready-made plant-based cookie out there? Read more »

20
Jul

Kale Tempeh Succotash

Traditional succotash is made with sweet corn and lima beans but there are dozens of variations.  In this recipe, succotash is a blend of fresh bi-color corn, sweet Vidalia onion, and fresh green beans. The beauty of fresh succotash is that little seasoning is needed when fresh summer vegetables are used because the natural sweetness of the corn and onion shine through.  A dash of salt complements the sweet flavor (similar to lightly salting a piece of cantaloupe or watermelon). Read more »

18
Jul

Executive Compensation at the Alzheimer’s Association

The Alzheimer’s Association was established in 1980 and is based in Chicago, Illinois although there are 81 chapters in communities nationwide that provide information, referrals, support groups, care consultation, education and safety services to families and professionals.

The Chicago-based organization oversees the chapters and is primarily engaged in raising funds to provide patient and family care information, advocacy, and fund research. The Alzheimer’s Association reported employing 2,307 employees who were compensated $160.8 million in 2016, which equates to an average of $70,000 each. However, 122 individuals received more than $100,000 in compensation with the most highly compensated individuals listed below: Read more »

16
Jul

Frooze Balls

Frooze Balls are plant-powered energy balls that taste amazing, have great ingredients, and are fun to say (“Want a Frooze Ball?”). Created by Jeremy Dixon (in the kitchen of Dixon’s Revive Cafe), a New Zealand-based restaurant owner (Revive Cafes), author (Revive Cafe Cookbooks and Cook:30), and television celebrity chef (Cook:30), Frooze Balls are a wholesome and delicious snack or dessert.

Made with completely plant-based ingredients, Frooze Balls are naturally gluten-free, vegan, non-GMO verified, and kosher with no refined sugars or preservatives, and no processed protein powders. Read more »