Us, our map, our food budgets and a new discount!

Our project is growing by leaps and bounds---- we're adding 7 new cooks to the circle this time! Gigi is joining us from Washington, D.C. and Susan Glogovac from Providence, Rhode Island, a new state for us. Mary Rankin and her husband started the Full Moon Sangha (what a beautiful name!) in Farmington, Maine, another new state for us. She heard about us through George's message to the Earth Holders.Chris Parsons is a writer living in Bristol, U.K., who sent us an article on a novel food item: chickpea meringue----who would have thought of such a thing? I'm adding it to our Active Discussions on the Home Page. Three of our newcomers--- Michelle Maitland, Marj Huyck, and Bev, ---haven't told me where they are, but I hope they will so I can add them to the map.

Our "group picture" is the map on our website, with an upside-down teardrop for each of us. It's wonderful to see how we are spreading around the world and to know at least one thing about each other --- our spot on the planet. Some of us are willing to be better known and have let me add a name and sometimes a link to a web presence to the teardrop. Chris Parsons is one of those ----- click on the map, then find Bristol by clicking around on England or going to the end of the list to the left of the map ---- click on Bristol and you will see the link to his website. Take a look --- there are several articles about food. Start here: http://mindfulcooking.org/

I hope you will have fun browsing around on the map. I see we are in 100 towns now. An asterisk by a town name means there is someone there you can know by name. If any more of you would like to add your name ( a way of waving "hi" to the group) just let me know. If you want me to add a link, I can do that too.

This week's recipe--- Mashed Squaliflower mit Garlic (what a great name)--- was invented by Joe, here in Portland. I made it without oil and added that version as a comment. It was really tasty!
http://mindfulcooking.org/recipes/mashed-squaliflower-mit-garlic

Debbie's question last week about how to be vegan on a limited budget drew many suggestions:
Benita in Hillsboro (near here) offered:
Cheap Vegan is a very helpful website for low budget vegan cooking!
http://cheapveg.tumblr.com/
This is another website for the frugal vegan. I'm learning a lot from these. I simply must try the chocolate cupcakes! Yum yum!
http://m.cookeatshare.com/popular/easy-cheap-vegan-recipes#CES
People are even finding vegan foods at the Dollar Store and Grocery Outlet!
http://dollarstorevegan.blogspot.com/?m=1

Christel in Germany also had many ideas:
Hi All, maybe I can contribute with some links to answer Debbies question:
Vegan on a budget links
https://www.google.de/search?q=vegan+on+a+budget&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_r...
Plantbased on a budget ( Toni Okamoto ):
http://plantbasedonabudget.com/plant-based-on-a-budget-challenge-1-perso...
Happy Herbivore ( Lindsay Nixon ):
https://www.getmealplans.com/blog/2013/07/26/10-ways-shrink-your-grocery...
http://happyherbivore.com/2015/01/plant-based-vegan-money-saving-tips/
http://happyherbivore.com/2010/08/vegan-15-day/
http://happyherbivore.com/2011/11/eating-healthy-budget/
Jeff Novicks simple recipes
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.204432390124.260255.177550385124
And...
http://mywholefoodlife.com/eating-healthy-on-a-budget/
http://local.tdn-digital.com/Discount_Grocery_Stores_Wheeling_WV-p156786...
Maybe there is a possibility for Debbie to contact Grow Ohio Valley for low-income fresh food access:
http://www.growov.org/food-access.html

Changing the subject here:
A little tea ceremony for December:
I made an Advent calendar this year with teabags from all our different kinds of tea collected over some time,
many of them nearly forgotten in the depths of our cupboard,Fennel tea, black tea, Jasmine tea, Woman's energy tea etc.
Happy Advent
Christel

One more message from Christel: she made a connection with Heather Nicholds, a holistic nutritionist who is offering us a 15% off coupon for her cooking programs!
Here is Christel's message, followed by Heather's:
Dear Eve,
Heather Nicholds ( http://www.heathernicholds.com/healthy-eating-blog/ ) is one of my favourite nutritionists and she has a special offer for
our group. Here is Heathers You Tube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/healthyvegan
Yours,Christel

Hi Christel,
How sweet of you, I love the site! Mindful cooking sounds right up my alley...
I've gone ahead and created a coupon code for you to share in your community - I've made the code EVE, and anyone can simply enter it on checkout to get 15% off any of my programs.
I think my online cooking course might be a good fit, as it focuses on the mindful and intuitive side of healthy cooking: http://www.heathernicholds.com/cooking-classes/program
Heather

One more message -- for Portland people --- from Cathy with details on the 22 Day Veg Challenge that starts next month:
i Eve,
I just want to give you updated information about Northwest VEG’s upcoming 22 Day Veg Challenge to share with the rest of the Mindful Cooking group. An important part of the challenge involves pairing people who want to become vegan (mentees) with experienced vegans (mentors). Experienced vegans are encouraged to sign up to be a vegan mentor here: http://nwveg.org/mentor. People who would like a vegan mentor can sign up for the challenge here:http://nwveg.org/veg-challenge. Once they start filling out the form, they will be given the option to sign up for a mentor.
Thanks!
Cathy

Thanks, Cathy, for organizing that, and thanks to Heather for the discount and to Christel for bringing that about, and Christel and Benita for all your suggestions, and Chris for the chickpea meringue, and all the new people for joining us!

Happy cooking,
Eve

P.S. Just for fun ---- here is a way to relate to cows, other than eating them ---- sent by Terri in Florida:
https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/lXKDu6cdXLI?rel=0