A Vegan Afternoon…

On November 9th, our Hawaii location was filled with excitement and enthusiastic attendees for “A Vegan Afternoon.” The event was chock-full of informative talks/videos, delicious food and resources to help people embrace the vegan way of life.

Upon arriving, guests had the opportunity to sample a selection of hors d’oeuvres, as we showcased a number of great vegan companies and recent developments in vegan snacks, as well as some of our own world-famous vegan recipes*. And this year we added local Hawaiian Grown Macadamia Nut cheese to the menu, which was a hit!

*Tofu “Eggless” Salad and Cashew-Carrot Paté being two of the favorites.

All of the above were served on a selection of breads and crackers from our sponsors, including California Whole Wheat Lavash, Food for Life Brown Rice Tortillas, and Ener-G Seattle Crackers (which are outrageously good and gluten-free!) Our guests were also highly impressed with Beanfields Nacho Chips, which went beautifully with Heidi Ho’s Chia Cheese, a tasty dip with a decent bite to it. And let us not forget the delicious Boulder Canyon Kettle Chips!

Iced Tulsi-Peppermint Tea, from Organic India, was enjoyed throughout the day as a soothing and tasty refreshment.

While guests were arriving and gathering, they were able to peruse a selection of educational literature, while also taking a look at our display of vegan household and bath products (as well as nutritional supplements such as Marine Phytoplankton and CellFood) to demonstrate how easy it is to replace animal-based products with plant-based alternatives.

After the hors d’oeuvres, Gentle World Outreach Director Angel Flinn presented a program that explored the many different ways that veganism is good for the planet and for human health, while at the same time bringing to light the fact that veganism is, in its essence, a social justice movement, intended not only to help us and our environment, but primarily to bring about an end to the exploitation of other animals.

As explained in the presentation,

“Because we want to see an end to all animal exploitation everywhere, vegans make our lives into an example of what it would be like if our society moved beyond using any animal products at all. We do not use or wear leather, wool, silk, down, fur, or any other fabric that comes from animals. Nor do we ingest milk, honey, eggs, or any other ingredients of animal origin. We also abstain from using cosmetics, toiletries and pharmaceutical products that are made using animal ingredients or animal testing. In addition, we don’t support any form of ‘entertainment’ that involves animals, including circuses, rodeos, marine parks, zoos, safaris, animal racing or fighting, and hunting.

Some people might think that it sounds difficult to live this way, but it’s really not. Once upon a time it was, when no one knew what the word ‘vegan’ meant, and before anyone knew that vegan ingredients can be used to make practically anything. Nowadays, there are vegan alternatives to just about everything you could possibly want, from pizza and lasagna to cupcakes and pastries.”

We concluded the main part of the program with a slideshow answering the question, ‘What Does a Vegan Eat’, after which it was time to prove that last statement… with lunch!

Guests were treated to a veggie-burger from either Wildwood Organics or Sunshine Foods, on Rudi’s whole wheat buns, with or without Woodstock Organic Ketchup and/or melted cheese from either Daiya, Follow Your Heart or GoVeggie! The kind folks at Follow Your Heart also contributed not only their incredibly amazing Vegenaise, but also their Thousand Island and Ranch Dressing that are both mind-blowingly good. With a fresh garden green salad and Gentle World’s own creamy coleslaw, the menu was both nutritious and delicious!

After a brief conclusion and closing comments, we served a selection of sweet treats, including home-made Navitas chocolate, our ‘out-of-this-world’ Banana Bread and Outrageous Mac Nut Cookies.

All in all, it was a fantastic day, with good food, enlightening conversation, and inspiration for all. We want to send out a big thank you to all our wonderful volunteers, as well as everyone who attended, making the day feel that much more special. Last but not least, we want to express our sincere appreciation to all of our sponsors for helping us to show how easy and enjoyable it can be to live a vegan life!
…