Animal Acres and noted vegan chefs and speakers Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, Rod Rotondi, Lorri Houston, Brian Patton, and Kim Garr celebrated compassionate cooking on Saturday May 1st, sharing amazing recipes and samples, teaching tricks and tips for vegan baking, and connecting for all present that compassion happens a bite at a time every time we sit down for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Guests enjoyed five cooking demonstrations and a special guest presentation by the ultimate Compassionate Cook Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, and then spent time visiting with our animal friends. A book sale of dozens of vegan cookbooks provided the resources to help incorporate vegan eating into daily life more easily, and a light luncheon of Gardein chick'n filet sandwiches and dairy-free coleslaw showed guests that animal product-free food tastes sublime! Thanks to our fabulous chef and food sponsors, and for all the compassionate cooks who joined us for our first Compassionate Cooking Extravaganza!

Our Featured Compassionate Cooks

Raised on a typical American diet of meat, dairy, and eggs, Colleen Patrick-Goudreau was moved by what she learned when she read Diet for a New America at 19. No longer able to justify eating animals and their "products," Colleen began a journey of discovery that continues to this day. Determined to raise awareness about animal suffering, she founded Compassionate Cooks to be a voice for the over 45 billion land and sea animals killed every year in the U.S. for human consumption. A sought-after and inspiring public speaker on the spiritual, social, and practical aspects of a vegan lifestyle, Colleen is the author of two cookbooks (The Joy of Vegan Baking and The Vegan Table; her third, Color Me Vegan, is due out in fall 2010), is the host of the popular and award-winning podcast Vegetarian Food for Thought, has appeared on the Food Network, is a columnist for VegNews Magazine, and is a contributor to National Public Radio.

www.compassionatecooks.com

Founder and Executive Chef, Leaf Organics, tireless traveler and culinary eclectic, Rod Rotondi has used his unique experience and perspective to translate world cuisine into delicious and affordable raw, organic and vegan offerings. Author of the book Raw Food for Real People, Rod demonstrates that going raw isn't hard - in fact, it's fun, easy, and more delicious than you've ever imagined. Changing the world one bite at a time has become Rod's approach to social activism. Rod, who lives in Los Angeles with his wife and baby daughter, takes part in many charity and sponsored events throughout Los Angeles including Save the Bay, The American Heart Association and the Breast Cancer Fund. He also speaks at schools and colleges and has catered the Grammy Awards and other entertainment industry functions. Rod believes that "this is it". Right here and now. There is a consequence for everything, which is why, "Leaf is Life".

www.leaforganics.com

Considered the "pioneer" of the farmed animal sanctuary movement, in 1986, she opened the country's first shelter for farmed animals as co-founder of Farm Sanctuary, at a time when rescuing and protecting farmed animals was unheard of. Over the years, Lorri has directly saved thousands of animals from the cruelties of factory farming, and brought national attention to the plight of animals used for "food production." In 2005, Lorri Houston founded the nonprofit organization, Animal Acres, the Los Angeles Farmed Animal Sanctuary and Compassionate Living Center. In just five years, Animal Acres has grown into one of southern California's premier animal protection organizations, rescuing hundreds of farmed animals and educating millions of people about the plight of animals used for "food production." A native of Wisconsin, Lorri has been fond of cows since she was a child, and she will be sharing her favorite vegan cheeze recipes to encourage everyone to save cows, too. www.animalacres.org

Since 2006, The Sexy Vegan has been educating and entertaining his tens of fans around the world with his culinary offerings and comedic stylings by way of his website: www.TheSexyVegan.com. Once a considerably overweight meat-eater, this, now only slightly overweight vegan, has found purpose since his ethical awakening: making vegan cooking fun and easy. In real life, The Sexy Vegan is known as Brian Patton, mild-mannered chef who recently became executive chef of Vegin' Out, L.A.'s premier vegan delivery service. He likes to let Southern California's bounty of organic, locally grown ingredients speak for themselves, while presenting them in his droll, easy going, style...and if you're lucky, he'll sing you a song.

Kim Garr has loved to bake since she was a little girl, and for three years she worked as a professional baker at Leda's Bakeshop here in Los Angeles. During her time there, she convinced the owner that vegan baked goods don't all taste like cardboard, and she was able to start an entirely vegan line at the bakery. Unfortunately, Leda's closed its doors in 2009, but Kim realized that vegan baking was the path she needed to pursue, and she decided to start her own baked goods company, C'est La V Bakeshop. Kim is passionate about showing people that eating vegan food can be as delicious, if not more so, than eating the standard American diet. In addition to her baked goods company, Kim also has a vegan food blog, cestlavegan.com, full of recipes for both sweets and savories that prove there's no sacrifice in being vegan!

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