Raw Kitchen Cafe - Fremantle

This lovely little cafe is central to Fremantle but is tucked away in the Piazza Arcade so you have to look for it. Having heard good things about it, we had to go and check it out.We already had lunch elsewhere, so we decided to stopped into The Raw Kitchen cafe for something sweet.

My partner ordered the Minty Moment Smoothie which I ended up sipping from. From the first mouthful, we both described it as tasting 'very real'. I know that sounds strange, but after having tasted this raw drink, it makes you realize how fake and artificial big brand, mainstream versions are. This drink contained raw cacao, fresh mint, agave, vanilla bean, almond milk and ice. It was divine!  Checking out the drinks menu, we noticed that none were made with honey, as some raw food places are known to use. Instead, agave is used for sweetening, which makes them vegan suitable. And, for 2 dollars extra you can get superfood boosts included in your smoothie. This includes spirulina, wheatgrass, chia, etc. Oh, and I loved the use of glass straws - something I had not used before.

Whilst my partner sipped his smoothie, I got stuck into a slice of raw vegan cheesecake. The one I had was apple, maple and cinnamon and was delicious! Not sickly sweet, super creamy and a right balance of cinnamon used. I also loved the fresh apple slices on top. They went very well with the cake.

I do hope to be back there again soon, to try out their savories, such as the raw pasta. They also offer raw soup, club sandwich, pizza, nachos and salads. All of their menu items are dairy, sugar and gluten free.
Because I am fairly new to raw food cooking, my mind just boggles at the creativeness of some of these items. The cafe offers raw cooking classes and inside, there is a small selection of specialist raw food ingredients and equipment.

The Raw Kitchen Cafe is open Wednesday - Sunday. Check out their website for opening hours and address.

Manna Wholefoods and Cafe - South Fremantle

I had been meaning to check out this store/cafe for a while now, but living on the other side of the city meant I had to make a special trip down. I am glad I did and I have now been back again and looking forward to my next visit.

The cafe offers all sorts of yummy things - desserts, drinks, salads, patties, wraps, bakes, raw foods, etc. Not all is vegan but they label everything clearly so you can make an informed decision on what to order. Both times my partner and I visited, the cafe was very, very busy. The service, however, was quick and efficient. On my first trip I opted for a vegan bake which was a mixture of pumpkin, seeds, cherry tomatoes, chickpeas and more. Tasty, filling and the serve was generous.

My partner chose the tempeh wrap and a tofu patty. Not being a fan of tempeh, I just tried his tofu patty and was seriously jealous! 

On my second visit for lunch, I opted for a slice of gluten free vegan pizza and a quinoa salad. Again, the portions were generous and the food delicious.

After stuffing ourselves, it was time to check out the store section. I was naturally drawn towards the books on sale. I liked the way in which they were categorized and instantly started pursuing the raw food and the vegan sections. I saw a fair amount of titles there that I had not seen elsewhere.

After the books, we explored the other shelves. Again, I must stress that Manna is not an exclusively vegan store, so shop with some caution. There was plenty of brands and products I recognized from shopping elsewhere, but also came across many others that were new to me. Their shelves were stocked well with products ranging from bulk food ingredients, confectionery, toiletries, cleaning products, etc. There is a meat freezer chest to one side of the store, which I found to be rather sad and distasteful. It just doesn't fit in with the look and feel of the store and I really wish they got rid of it.
Apart from that, I do recommend checking out this store and cafe, even if it means a fair trip to get to it.

Check out their website for their address and opening times.

Product: Simply Organic Italian Herb Spaghetti Sauce Mix

This product is great if you are too tired to make a pasta sauce from scratch. Basically, it is a dry packet mix that is clearly marked as being organic and vegan. Using it is pretty simple - just add water and tomato paste or a tin of crushed tomatoes and you are away. You can also add tofu to it, to bulk it up and put on top of spaghetti. My partner opted for the tinned tomatoes option and paired it with meaty balls, on top of gluten free pasta. It tasted great, with a strong herb flavour. I would suggest, however, adding a pinch of sugar or a few drops of agave to cut some of the sourness from the tomatoes.

I found this product at Manna Wholefoods in Fremantle and have not seen it elsewhere so far. If you can't get to Mana, perhaps look for it in health food shops and organic stores. This company has a few other suitable vegan products available which are listed on thier website.

Event: Animals Asia Roadshow - Perth, 9th June

Details are a bit sketchy at the moment, but I thought I'd pass on this information on so we can all save the date.
Founder and Executive Director Jill Robinson will be speaking at this fundraiser. Her blog is here and you can check out what this group is all about here.

The dates are:
Hobart: Saturday 2 June
Canberra: Sunday 3 June
Sydney: Monday 4 June
Melbourne: Tuesday 5 June
Adelaide: Friday 8 June
Perth: Saturday 9th June
Brisbane: Tuesday 12 June


There is also a date for new Zealand:
Auckland: Wednesday 13 June


Watch this space for more info as it comes to hand...

Live Animal Export Protest - Fremantle docks, 4th March 2012

I woke up to some exciting news this morning - members of Forest Rescue were able to board the Ocean Shearer, which is the world's largest live animal export ship. This abomination can carry up to 125,000 sheep or 23,000 cattle and it was docked at the Western Australian port of Fremantle. One member chained herself to the ship and refused to leave.

Protesters flocked to the docks to show their support for this protest. It was all very last minute and sudden, so social media was the main way we came together. Our numbers were small but that was not surprising considering the suddenness and the fact that it is a long weekend here.

Media attended and banners were displayed. We stood and watched the ship on the other side of the water and then suddenly noticed a lone sheep that had gotten away. He was running for his life. We were shocked and appalled when we saw a worker throwing himself at the sheep, in what could only be described as a rugby tackle. It was cruel and disgusting. Add to this, the awful stench coming from the ship and the heat of 35 degrees Celsius. It all must be a terrifying, hellish experience for the animals.

Whilst on the dock, we had the opportunity to chat to passers by who were curious as to what was going on. Some even joined us in the protest, holding banners, posing for photos and offering encouragement. We also had Lynn Maclaren MLC attending, which was great.

It is important that the pressure is kept up, so that is why I dropped everything and rushed to the docks to participate. Please consider join the fight to end this barbaric 'trade' once and for all in Australia. Stay informed by checking out Stop Live Exports for local news and events, and Animals Australia for a national perspective.

Event: Keep Talking 2012 Event - Update

Late last year, I posted about this event and then did an update on the event's all vegan menu. Time for another update, with added details:

Keep Talking is back in 2012 bigger and better 
Come and join us for an afternoon of good food, inspirational speakers, fashion and fantastic prizes.

Date: 22 July 2012

Place: Hyatt, Perth

Tickets: $100 (includes a 3 course vegan Lunch + Tea and coffee. Alcohol can be purchased at the venue)

RSVPs: By 15 June 2012
All tickets to be purchased by the 1 July 2012 (limited seats available, first come first serve basis)

Confirmed Speakers include:

Dana Campbell - CEO, Voiceless. Master of Ceremonies
Lyn White - Campaign Director, Animals Australia
Dawn Lowe - Australian Representative of Animals' Angels
Carole de Fraga - Australian Representative of Compassion in World Farming
Kris Farley - Live Export of Greyhounds (tentative)

We have huge sponsors, great prizes and wonderful food. What are you waiting for put the date in your diary and make sure you grab a ticket!!!!!

All proceeds from this fundraiser will go to Animals Australia, Voiceless and Stop Live Export.

Please send us an email for payment details and further information.
Contact: keeptalkingfundraiser@gmail.com

Sponsors:

Houndstooth Photography
Tree of Life
Waggy Dog Bakehouse
Red Balloon
Vegan Style
Lisa Baker MP, Inglewood
Andersen Cacoa Creations
Sweet William
Synthesis 345
Australian Ethical Insurance
Designmine Pty Ltd

Menu:

Entrée
...
Carpaccio of Silken Tofu

Marinated asian mushrooms,heirloom tomatoes,fennel,rocket,toasted pinenut granola, pink grapefruit dressing.

Main

Tagine of Butternut Squash and Autumn Vegetables

Truss tomato,chick peas,ginger,saffron,coriander,fresh date and almond cous-cous
Black pepper roti,lemon oil and minced mint.

Dessert

Chilled White Tea and Peach Chai.

Lychee,mango,sago pearls,almond gelee,coconut sorbet,salted caramel grissini.

Coffee or Tea

Cashew Brittle petit four

*Menu could be subject to change, we will let you know if that happens.

Book: Vegan is Love by Ruby Roth

Ruby Roth is one talented woman, with real heart. A little while back, I posted about her previous children's picture book "That's Why We Don't Eat Animals". The good news is that she has a new book for kids coming out in April, called "Vegan is Love: having heart and taking action", which she has written and illustrated.

Here is an uplifting video that shows the author talking about the book and veganism. For more information on this book and this author, you can check out the website.