Super Easy Vegan Cooking Class I

On Sunday, April 15, 2007, between 1:30-3:30 PM, New Tampa Vegans held it's first cooking class in a series at the beautiful home of Joan Zacharias. She taught the class how to make a delicious vegan spanikopita. Kate Wilson demonstrated how to make a delicious vegan picadillo, which was an assortment of grains, veggies, and other unique additions like olives and raisins. Brenda Hay brought a decadent vegan banana pudding pie, and gave instructions on how to make this recipe at home.

Guests were given a folder of information regarding the vegan diet and lifestyle along with informative literature about the truth behind the exploitation of animals for human "use".

Guests were greeted with organic wine, refreshing teas, and vegan appetizers, including tofu "egg" salad sandwiches and the spanikopita that Joan made.

Many of the veggies and food items were prepped before the guests arrived, but class participants were also extremely helpful in assisting with last minute details and cleanup. What an amazing group of people!

The class was very successful and informative. Many people said that it was like hanging out in a friend's kitchen and having a good time while learning something new. One person even went vegan as a result of the class and materials that were given out. We look forward to our next cooking class in this exciting series!

A Very Vegan Valentine's Party: A Celebration of Love and Chocolate

What a lovely evening. It was a brisk night. A dry, cold breeze filled the night air, which encouraged us to stay indoors for most of the night. The sky was clear, and the stars were bright. Rick and Therese Burgess graciously offered their beautiful home for the party, which was lit by magical and warm candlelight. They actually made the soy-based candles themselves. Only about 20 people came to the party, but it certainly was a fun night. It's always a pleasure being in the company of such warmhearted, amazing people. We'd like to thank everyone for attending and for all of your donations. Your donations help fund future events. It is important that we take some time to socialize and relax among like-minded friends. That is what we aim to provide by planning events for vegans and those interested in the vegan lifestyle.

Everyone voted for their favorite in each category, and here are the results:

Sexiest Outfit: Therese
Wickedest Outfit: Trevor
Most Decadent Dish: Connie's Chili
Most Decadent Dessert: Susannah's Chocolate Haystacks
Biggest Chocoholic: Myriam
Sexiest Out-of Context Quote: Rose - "Saucy Weenies"

Each winner received some very sexy prizes.

Thank you to everyone who brought a vegan dish. Everything was absolutely fantastic. Here are some photos of only a few of the many delicious dishes that everyone brought to the party:















Thank you again, and we look forward to seeing you at our next event! :O)

--Brenda

New Year's Eve Celebration 2006

What a fun night! We roasted marshmallows and veggie dogs, and did some drumming, singing, and dancing around the bonfire!


Everyone brought delicious potluck dishes, and there was more than enough food for everyone!




Rose made this salad that came straight from her herb garden at The Natural Health Hut.

Our First Event

Our first Open-Mic Night was held on 10/7/06, between 7-10 PM at The Natural Health Hut . Proceeds were donated to the Animal Coalition of Tampa.
What a wonderful evening this was! We raised $285 for the Animal Coalition of Tampa. So many performers shared their beautiful talents with us. Very impressive! We couldn't have done it without all of the hard working volunteers. So many people stayed after the event to help clean up. That was so nice! Rose Kalajian provided us with her beautiful pavilion and absolutely sublime herbal teas. She is such a sweetheart. She helped set up, and kept everyone calm. I can't forget to mention Liz, our hilarious emcee for the evening. She was so funny! Many people brought vegan dishes, and everything was delicious!