PHOTOS
Alicia Grega-Pikul
It's a sign of the times that poor American children consume more meat each week than their wealthier counterparts. *
It is cheaper to feed a family on fast food dollar menus and processed convenient store foods than to keep the family supplied with a variety of freshly prepared dishes boasting healthy fresh fruits and veggies.
Happy to celebrate the possibility of renewal and a fresh start promised by this new Year of the Rat,
ec/dc joined the Wyoming Valley Vegetarians for an eight-course healthy vegan feast presented by Peking Chef in Dallas on Sunday.
Owner Eric Lee conducted the remarkable affair in which his efficient staff kept heaping plates of food from the restaurant's specialty vegetarian menu coming long after most guests had eaten their fill. While items such as Buddha's Delight, General Tso's Tofu, vegetable dumplings, vegetable lo mein, vegetable lettuce wraps, and Bean Curd Supreme are a part of Peking Chef's regular, reasonably priced menu, a few others will be added in upcoming weeks, Lee informed his inquisitive guests. A spectacularly seasoned and satisfying mushroom dish that boasted button, black, shitake and portabella mushrooms in a rich brown sauce received rave reviews.
A surprise dish of steamed Chinese broccoli served between courses was devoured almost on contact. Comprised of broccoli, carrot, onion and green beans, the plate of vegetable tempura, which kicked off the meal, was particularly popular among the kids.
The generous charge of $16.95 per person included tip as well as tax, and was partly responsible for attracting a crowd of approximately 55 people. College students were eligible for a discounted $10 deal. Sunday's dinner was the second the nonprofit group has had at the Asian restaurant, which has won awards for its stringent commitment to healthy standards of preparation, informed WVV board member Arlene Sindaco.
Lee not only insists on fresh ingredients and avoids MSG, extraneous oils, sugar and salt, Sindaco said, but he also actually hired a special chef to oversee onsite production of broths prepared from scratch and handmade noodles and dumpling dough that incorporate vegetables. The restaurant's dedication to making such healthful alternatives a satisfying and tasty option can be seen down to the last kernel of plump, delicately seasoned brown rice. Served just before dessert - a petite mandarin orange - the noodles and rice thoughtfully arrived with the nutrients derived from several courses of vegetables.
The energetic Mark Hetman of Happy Patch Organics (
happypatch@copper.net) near Sugar Notch was the evening's guest speaker, providing sensible, science-grounded tips on how to "feng shui" a garden and hydrate the ground, as well as one's self. He was invited to deliver an "Ask the Farmer" segment to the group this summer when Sindaco became one of many clients who enjoys weekly baskets of fresh organic produce delivered to her home.
The Wyoming Valley Vegetarians broke off a group called The Vegetarian Way two years ago to better embrace the approaches members had toward wellness, Sindaco shared. Describing herself as a flexitarian, she said the new group invites vegetarians and non-vegetarians into a social and supportive group with which they can explore a variety of paths toward increased health and wellness.
In addition to catered dinners, the group holds three to four potluck events a year and hosts periodic field trips to restaurants out of the area, such as
Veggie Heaven in Parsippany, N.J. Guest speakers have addressed topics from traditional and alternative medicines to alternative health management techniques in addition to nutrition and diet concerns. The Vegetarians' next big dinner outing is being planned for April. While they have a lengthy list of speakers lined up finding restaurants willing and able to cater the quality kind of meals the group requires is a challenge, said Sindaco.
"They can't just dump a bag of meatballs in a pot of sauce. And we're not just about salads, like some people think" she laughed. "Like it or not you do become satisfied. And you don't have to be strict. No one's going to beat you if you stray here or there."
Send e-mail to
wvvpres1@verizon.net for more information.
*
Harper's Index (Jan. 2008) presented USDA statistics comparing 2.1 pounds of meat consumed a week by poor U.S. children to 1.7 pounds consumed by wealthy U.S. kids.