Schedule – 2012

Join us for the opening of the 28th Annual Vegetarian Food Festival at 4pm and enjoy fantastic food, great music and informative presentations through until 9pm. 

See a mouth watering cooking demonstration by raw vegan chef Doug McNish, author of Eat Well, Eat Raw (6pm), a performance by music folk legend Ken Whiteley and bassist Ben Whiteley (6pm) and an engaging presentation by Michael Greger, M. D. Director of Public Health and Animal Agriculture at the Humane Society of the United States (7pm).

Our opening panel event featuring Wayne Roberts takes place at 8pm in the Lakeside Terrace, you don't want to miss this engaging discussion about food in Canada and how it affects the rest of the world. Can the world really be vegetarian?

5:30pm - Inspiring Compassion: The Plight of Farmed Animals in Canada with Anna Pippus of Mercy for Animals Canada
Learn who farmed animals are, how they are treated in Canada, why the law doesn't really protect them, and what you can do to help.

7:00pm - Uprooting the Leading Causes of Death Part 1 with Michael Greger, M.D.
Dr. Greger has scoured the world's scholarly literature on clinical nutrition and developed this brand-new presentation on the latest in cutting-edge research presented in a special 1-hour seminar. Focusing on studies published by just over the last year in peered-reviewed scientific medical journals, Dr. Greger offers practical advice on how to feed ourselves and our families to prevent, treat, and even reverse chronic disease in an engaging interactive quiz show format.

6:00pm -  Easy Gourmet Raw Food Recipes Using Everyday Kitchen Equipment with Douglas McNish
Executive Vegan Chef Doug McNish, author of Eat Raw, Eat Well, will demonstrate easy raw food recipes, speak on his personal experiences of what a vegan lifestyle means to him and how it has changed his life. Doug will be signing copies of his new book Eat Raw, Eat Well after his demo.

8:00pm - Opening Panel - Beyond the Mainstream: Making Vegetarian Food Accessible to Everyone with Wayne Roberts
Join Wayne Roberts and other Toronto political food speakers for an engaging discussion about how food works in the city of Toronto and the world around us. How can the system change to promote healthier food options? Can the world really be vegetarian?

6:00pm - Ken Whiteley
Performance by music folk legend Ken Whiteley and bassist Ben Whiteley

Join us Saturday in the Studio Theatre for presentations by Caroline Dupont, an expert on fitness, nutrition, yoga and meditation (4:30pm) and Rich Roll (Finding Ultra), a passionate and inspirational ultra-endurance athlete (6pm).

See a cooking demonstration by fabulous vegan chefs Lisa Pitman and Nichole Axworthy (12pm), add two cups of comedy to your day with a cooking performance by YouTube sensation Vegan Meal Time (1:30pm), discover flavorful dishes from the Caribbean islands with Taymer Mason (2pm) and classic Greek food gets a vegan makeover with Terry Hope Romero  (6pm). Come by the Studio Theatre and meet Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, an exhilarating speaker and talented chef (1:30pm) and enjoy a screening of the documentary Peaceable Kingdom (7:30pm).

12:00pm - Uprooting the Leading Causes of Death Part 2 with Michael Greger, M.D.
Dr. Greger has scoured the world's scholarly literature on clinical nutrition and developed this brand-new presentation on the latest in cutting-edge research presented in a special 1-hour seminar. Focusing on studies published by just over the last year in peered-reviewed scientific medical journals, Dr. Greger offers practical advice on how to feed ourselves and our families to prevent, treat, and even reverse chronic disease in an engaging interactive quiz show format.

1:30pm - From Excuse-itarian to Vegan: Addressing the Blocks and Excuses that Keep Us from Making Changes with Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
An inspiring and information-packed lecture that provides responses to everything from “I don’t have time to chop vegetables” and “I tried being vegetarian, but I just craved meat” to “I could give up everything, except cheese" and “How will I get enough protein?”

3:00pm - The Power of a Plant Based Diet with John Pierre
Lecture on the benefits of a plant based diet. Discussion on why a plant foods are optimal for health, fitness, and well-being. How to make the plant based diet work and how to address unique challenges and concerns people encounter with switching to a plant based diet.

4:30pm - Taking Your Vegan Diet to the Next Level with Caroline Dupont
What are the choices that make the biggest positive difference on a plant-based diet? What at the biggest mistakes on raw and vegan diets? How can we avoid the most common deficiencies? How do we learn to listen to our bodies, and take our diets to the next level? Author of The New Enlightened Eating, Caroline Marie Dupont will share from her 25 years of exploring healing through plant and living foods, and teaching thousands of students, nutritionists and clients.

6:00pm - Finding Ultra with Rich Roll
Despite recovering from a desperate state of alcoholism, Rich Roll nonetheless found himself on the precipice of his 40th birthday 50 pounds overweight, depressed and staring at certain heart disease. He decided to make a change.  Adopting a 100% plant-based diet, Rich resumed a fitness regimen and found himself just 2 years later contending amongst the fittest athletes in the world in the Ultraman World Championships.

7:30pm - Peaceable Kingdom: The Journey Home Screening with Harold Brown in Attendance
A riveting story of transformation and healing, PEACEABLE KINGDOM: THE JOURNEY HOME explores the awakening conscience of several people who grew up in traditional farming culture and who have now come to question the basic assumptions of their way of life.

12:00pm - 10 Super Secrets That Make Eating Vegan Cheap, Fast & Fun with Lisa Pitman and Nicole Axworthy
Join Nicole and Lisa to learn the fantastic tips and techniques they've discovered over decades of thriving on plants. Check out their amazing ideas for making the most of your ingredients and putting your appliances to work. If you're new to plant-based eating, or simply looking for more ways to stretch your time and money, you'll walk away with some new insights and sensational samples!

2:00pm - Caribbean Vegan with Taymer Mason
Caribbean Cuisine is not all pineapples and coconuts. Learn the secrets of the sauce. Learn Caribbean cooking techniques and sample the flavorful dishes from the Caribbean islands with Caribbean Vegan author Taymer Mason

4:00pm - Know Your Roots with Isa Chandra Moskowitz
The fall harvest is in full swing, and it's time to elevate those bountiful roots to delicious new heights. Join Isa in preparing a creamy spicy Carrot Bisque, spiked with chili and lime. And then we'll focus our spatulas on the humble beet, turning it into a juicy savory Beet Burger. Let's enjoy all the vibrant hues and sweet earthy flavors of the season! We'll also discuss prepping techniques of other common roots, like celeriac and rutabaga.

6:00pm - Opa! Homemade Seitan Gyros & Cashew Tzatziki with Terry Hope Romero
Classic Greek street food now with a full vegan makeover! Come watch Terry Hope Romero show you how to turn easy homemade olive-flecked seitan into a luscious handheld meal in a pita topped with tangy dairy-free tzatziki cucumber dill sauce.

8:00pm - Fitness Panel hosted by Lisa Pitman with Rich Roll and John Pierre
Join Lisa Pitman of Vegan Culinary Crusade as she is joined some of the fittest vegans on the planet. Whether you're a pro-athlete or current coach potato, this is sure to be a lively discussion on health, nutrition and how your choices impact the world.

1:30pm - Helping Animals Through Photography with Jo-Anne McArthur
A picture can speak a thousand words. Learn key skills in taking great photos of animals, be it at sanctuaries or during investigations.

This will be a highly interactive workshop. Please bring your questions and samples of your work for discussion and critique.

3:00pm - Vegan Parenting Workshop with Toronto Veg Families 
Join Angela Sandrowicz and Toronto Veg Families for a discussion on bringing up your kids vegan. Can it happen? Absolutely! Come discover what these parents have done to make it work for your home, school and "sleepover at a friend's home" life.

4:30pm  - How to Start a Vegan Business with Ashley Wittig of Bunner's and Doug McNish of Eat Raw, Eat Well
Join us for a workshop with Ashley and Doug and learn their personal success stories of making it big in vegan Toronto.

12:00pm - Meditation Toronto
Meditation Toronto will give a Hatha Yoga Class and enlivening group meditation.

1:30pm - Vegan Meal Time
Explosive cooking with two cups of comedy!

4:00pm - Larra Skye
Larra Skye is a singer / songwriter from Toronto, Ontario. Her album of original music, The World Disappears was the #1 bestselling independent jazz album of 2006 for national retailer HMV. She’s working on the follow-up.

5:30pm - Animalia
Low-fi, bittersweet, melancholy.

8:30pm - Forks Over Knives with Del Sroufe
Join Del Sroufe, author of the new Forks Over Knives cookbook for a screening of the documentary that the world has been buzzing about. If you have any doubts that plant-based isn't the way to go, this film is for you.

Join us Sunday and get  your afternoon off to peaceful start with Yoga by Duncan Parviainen (1:30pm) or be serenaded by the folk-pop sounds of singer-songwriter Larra Skye (1:30pm)

Heat things up with Terry Hope Romero's spicy chocolate desserts demo (2pm) and get inspired with a cooking presentation by Marni Wasserman (6pm).

Head on over to the Studio Theatre and check out Main Street Vegan, a funny and inspirational presentation on dining and living by Victoria Moran (1:30pm), and get motivated with a talk by John Pierre, nutrition and fitness consultant.

12:00pm - Finding Ultra with Rich Roll
Despite recovering from a desperate state of alcoholism, Rich Roll nonetheless found himself on the precipice of his 40th birthday 50 pounds overweight, depressed and staring at certain heart disease. He decided to make a change.  Adopting a 100% plant-based diet, Rich resumed a fitness regimen and found himself just 2 years later contending amongst the fittest athletes in the world in the Ultraman World Championships.

1:30pm - Main Street Vegan with Victoria Moran
Main Street Vegan celebrates dining gently, living wisely, and making a difference in the real world. Whether you're considering the vegan life, or you're a vegan already and wish everybody were, this funny, inspiring, and content-packed presentation will answer your question and cheer you on as you go vegan, thrive vegan, and inspire others to feel compassion, live vibrantly, and leave worries about weight and aging and illness back at McDonald's.

3:00pm  - Being a Joyful Vegan: Experiencing the Benefits of Living Compassionately and Healthfully with Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
Calling on people to align their daily behavior with their deepest values, in this moving talk, Colleen empowers people to make healthful and compassionate choices - even when it feels difficult to do so. Defining what it means to be an Ambassador of Compassion, Colleen inspires people to remain joyful in a non-vegan world. 

4:30pm - How to Make the Plant Based Diet Work for You with John Pierre
John provides 30 years of tips, tricks, and secrets about sneaking in more wholesome foods into the day. He also touches upon the challenges many encounter while transitioning to the plant based diet and how to stay motivated for the long term.

6:00pm Peaceable Kingdom: The Journey Home Screening with Harold Brown in Attendance
A riveting story of transformation and healing, PEACEABLE KINGDOM: THE JOURNEY HOME explores the awakening conscience of several people who grew up in traditional farming culture and who have now come to question the basic assumptions of their way of life.

12:00pm - A Day in the Life Of A Happy Healthy Vegan with Caroline Dupont
Do you really want to be a healthy and happy vegetarian? Do you also believe that life should be simple and fun? Holistic nutritionist and author of the New Enlightened Eating, Caroline Marie Dupont will take you through a typical day of eating healthy, delicious, simple, meals that create the foundation for vibrant health. Find out how to make sense of the various approaches to vegetarianism, what common mistakes to avoid, and how to stay clear of deficiencies. She will make the Go-To Grain and Veggie Bowl from her new book.

2:00pm - Cooking Demonstration with Terry Hope Romero & Isa Chandra Moskowitz
Who are your two favourite authors in the vegan world? Many of you would answer the same thing - Isa & Terry! Join us for the moment you've been waiting for, a cooking demo with both of them on stage! They will be creating a basil peach cobbler right in front of your eyes!

4:00pm - Vegan Cupcakes Take Over Toronto
Join Isa Moskowitz, Terry Hope Romero and six of Toronto's top vegan bakeries go head-to-head in a Cupcakes Wars-style battle to find the answer to the question everyone wants an answer to: who makes Toronto's best vegan cupcake?

1:30pm - Free Vinyasa Yoga Class with Duncan with Duncan Parviainen
Make your Vegetarian Food Festival weekend fantastic. Come flow through a creative sequence of yoga poses. You will leave feeling grounded, strong, relaxed... and simply awesome. Compliment your healthy eating, with healthy moving. Duncan loves yoga. His classes are accessible to all levels, lighthearted, have a pinch of yogic wisdom, and are full of strength, sweat and totally rad fun. We can't wait to have you on the mat! Yeehaw!

3:00pm - Positive Advocacy with Holly Larson & 2012 Compassion Award Presentation
In this presentation, we will identify and discuss the principal benefits of being compassionate in our activism for the animals, the non-vegans, and  ourselves; in addition, we will also identify and discuss major reasons for establishing an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere.

4:30pm - The V Word: Media Representations of Vegetarian Diets with Linda Woolven & Ted Snider
The media is reluctant to use the word “vegetarian” and refuses to recommend vegetarianism even when that is the clear conclusion of the study it is reporting. The lack of responsible reporting contributes to the public’s lack of awareness of the benefits of vegetarianism and is a major roadblock to the spread of vegetarianism. This talk looks at the media’s under- and misreporting of very recent landmark studies of vegetarianism and at what those studies really show. 

12:00pm - "Kirtan Yoga" by Guara Shakti Band, ISKCON
Chanting the ancient Maha Mantra, the transcendental vibration for mediation. This is an interactive form of music performance.

1:30pm - Larra Skye
Larra Skye is a singer / songwriter from Toronto, Ontario. Her album of original music, The World Disappears was the #1 bestselling independent jazz album of 2006 for national retailer HMV. She’s working on the follow-up.

4:30pm - lightsweetcrude
Raga-based mind and mood altering instrumental music.