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In this issue:

  • MAKING CHANGE: Free Supportive Plant-Based Jumpstarts
  • RESTAURANT CORNER: Obon
  • EVENT: Dineout at Obon, Mar 25
  • RECIPE: Simple Pinto Bean Soup
  • EVENT: Hillsboro Orenco Potluck, Mar 12
  • EVENT: Eastside Potluck, Environmental Impacts of Food, Mar 19
  • EVENT: Westside Potluck, Fundamentals of Storytelling, Apr 16
Free Supportive Plant-Based Jumpstarts

by Donna Reynolds

More and more plant-based organizations are reaching out with a variety of free, informative, and entertaining programs to help people transition to a plant-based diet. Three of these online programs are listed below and offer an assortment of videos, recipes, and information so people can try out a plant-based diet at their own home and at their own pace, but with plenty of encouragement and support.

Once you download the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine’s Kickstart app, a new email will be sent to your inbox every day for 21 days. The emails will give you access to a multitude of new recipes, you’ll see videos and learn tips from nutrition experts, and you can do your shopping via an interactive grocery list.

PCRM also has recipes for Universal Meals—recipes designed to satisfy almost every customer’s dietary choices. They include delicious, whole foods such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, and nongluten grains, like corn and quinoa. There are also Thrifty Recipes priced at one dollar or less per serving.

Veganuary (Vegan + January) was started in the UK to encourage people to eat a vegan diet for the month of January, although you can start at any time throughout the year (and continue and receive emails for 31 days). You can participate from anywhere in the world and in the Veganuary Facebook group, you can meet other new vegans, post recommendations, and ask questions. Some of Veganuary’s extensive resources include a 72-page UK Celebrity cookbook, 21 Budget Meal Plan recipes, 21 One Pot Meal recipes, and a Vegan Starter Kit. They also encourage employers and employees to try a Veganuary challenge at the workplace.

Vegan Outreach offers some of the same features as the other programs, but in a longer format in their 10 Weeks to Vegan Challenge. Once a week for 10 weeks you’ll receive an email with tips and resources to help you make the switch to eating vegan. They also include a welcoming community in their 10 Weeks to Vegan Facebook group and their recipe selection includes some interesting categories such as holiday treats, pizza, casseroles, sauces, and snacks.

So if you want some free support and guidance in going vegan or just want to try some new flavorful recipes, check out the helpful information and friendly communities offered in these vegan Jumpstarts.



a vegan Japanese restaurant
Jason Duffany and Fumiko (Humi) Hozumi, the owners of Obon, met in 2000 while Humi was a sous chef and Jason was a customer at the restaurant where she worked. At the time, Jason worked in IT and Humi was training to be a vet tech, which she later became. They married in 2006. The idea for their future restaurant was conceived during a trip to Japan in 2012. The south of Japan apparently has a different cuisine than the rest of the region, and it was there that the couple discovered tofu misozuke (“zuke” means pickled), the inspiration for their new careers.
 
They moved to Portland in 2014. For years, they sold food at various events such as farmers’ markets, festivals (including Portland VegFest), and night markets, and also did some catering. There were two years in which they didn’t have a single day off. Finally, in February of 2020, they opened their own spot in a food hall, only to be shut down by the pandemic. They switched to delivering their food until partway through 2021, when they were at last able to open their new, permanent location in S.E. Portland, where they are now.
Their most popular dish is the combo, which contains six different items: croquettes made with potato and okara (a byproduct of making tofu); curry korokke (Japanese sweet potato, raisins, curry, panko); market salad with sesame dressing; kakiage (fritter with cabbage, onion, various veggies); potato salad; and onigiri (rice balls with tofu misozuke). Another popular dish is kenchingiru, a stew containing tofu, veggies, ginger, shiitakes, onions, and more. The menu is quite extensive, and they make their own noodles, miso, and curry powder (with 14 spices!).
 
For more info, see the event listing below for the March 25th dineout, or simply register HERE. Pre-registration is required due to limited seating.
Dineout at Obon

  • Saturday, March 25, 2023
  • 11:45 AM
  • Obon Restaurant
  • 720 SE Grand Ave.
  • Portland, Oregon
Voted the best new vegan restaurant in 2022 (VegOut magazine)
 
Obon is a tasty bit of Japan gone vegan. The restaurant is warm and the staff welcoming. Don't expect the usual sushi, but you can't miss with an onigiri (rice ball). If you want to try something different, their okonomiyake (Japanese pancake/pizza) is a must. Their homemade curry is bold and loaded with flavor. Bring a friend or two (or more!) and share the dishes.
 
Register HERE for the dineout. Pre-registration is required due to limited seating.
 
The word “obon” (pronounced oh bone) refers to a summer celebration honoring ancestors.

Simple Pinto Bean Soup

by Linda Tyler



The recipe for this healthy soup came about in my quest to get more beans into my diet. Soup seemed like a great solution, and I had some pinto beans, so…. I could have added a lot more to it (vegetables, grains), but I really like the simple, deep flavor—the red wine vinegar at the end is the key. The seasoning isn’t complicated, and you can add more heat with chili powder, sriracha, or other hot sauce. Stovetop directions at bottom.

Makes 7 servings

Add the following ingredients to the Instant Pot.
 
  • 1 pound (about 2.5 cups) dried pinto beans
  • 7 cups water
  • 1 small or medium onion, chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
  • 1.5 teaspoons cumin
  • 1.5 teaspoons oregano (or Mexican oregano)

Lock the lid, turn the knob to “Sealing,” and cook on high pressure (“Manual,” “Pressure Cook,” or “High”) for 30 minutes, then wait for at least 10 minutes before releasing, but you can basically wait as long as you like—it will be fine on Low.
 
Vent any remaining pressure. Remove the Instant Pot lid and add the following ingredients. 

  • 2-3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1.5 teaspoons salt

I like to use a stick (immersion) blender (or scoop some of the soup into your regular blender—be careful of hot soup in the blender—don’t fill it more than 1/3 full) to create a creamy base for the soup. Garnish each bowl of soup, if desired, with:


The soup will keep for about a week in the refrigerator. It also freezes well.

Stovetop directions

Increase the water to 8 cups. Soak the pinto beans overnight, then drain and rinse them. Put everything together in a soup pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer, cover the pot, and start checking for doneness after an hour. It may take up to two hours, depending on your beans, water, heat. After the beans are soft, follow the directions above.

  • Sunday, March 12, 2023
  • 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
  • Orenco Unitarian Universalist Church (map)
  • 6815 NE Birch Street, Hillsboro, OR
 
Come for the potluck at 5:00 PM or the presentation at 6:00 PM, or both. Program to be announced. For the potluck, please bring a plant-based (no animal products, including honey) main dish, salad, or dessert; a card listing its ingredients; and plates and utensils for your use. If you come alone, figure the amount to serve 4-6; increase the amount 4 servings for each additional person in your party/family. The Orenco Unitarian Universalist Fellowship is hosting Northwest VEG with this event.

  • Sunday, March 19, 2023
  • 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM
  • Stone Tower SDA Church (map)
  • 3010 NE Holladay Street, Portland, OR

Come to our vegan potluck at 5:00, or to hear Dr. Julie Sinistore’s presentation on the Environmental Impacts of Food at 6:15, or both. Dr. Sinistore will examine the impacts of food choices from production through consumption and ask tough questions about if being vegan is enough to ensure the protection of endangered ecosystems. Learn more about Dr. Sinistore here and what to bring to the potluck.

  • Sunday, April 16, 2023
  • 5:00 PM – 7:30 PM
  • West Hills Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (map)
  • 8470 Southwest Oleson Road, Portland, OR
Come for the potluck at 5:00 or the presentation at 6:15, or both. Janet Liu, longtime Northwest VEG member, is a storyteller and will lead us through some fundamentals of telling stories, such as being clear about the story you want to tell, taking your listeners on a journey, and bringing them home safely. Learn more about the presentation and what to bring to the potluck.
Northwest VEG


We appreciate your support!
NORTHWEST VEG | nwveg.org