Warmth & Care A Veggie Mijas Austin Zine Project Recipes + Reflections on a Central Texas Winter April 2021
Veggie Mijas is a people of color plant-based collective. Our mission is to create sacred spaces for folks to share their relationship with food through an intersectional lens. The Veggie Mijas Austin Chapter is committed to supporting and building community among plant-based, vegan, and vegetarian BIPOC in Austin in a shame-free and justice-oriented framework. Veggie Mijas Austin centers and uplifts the leadership of trans, femme, and queer people and women of color.
Dear Reader, Thank you. Whether you are holding this zine in your hands or holding space for these words on a computer or phone screen, you are an active participant in our celebration of love & community. This zine project was born of our desire to build and sustain community connection during a particularly isolating time. Winter can already be a mentally and emotionally harsh time (hello seasonal depression!), but this year has been particularly brutal for many of us. We felt alone. We felt scared for ourselves, worried for our loved ones. We felt overworked, burnt out. We missed our friends. We experienced collective trauma, state violence, and structural neglect. We needed to mourn but somehow we forgot how. Then we remembered. We grieved. We cried. We leaned on each other. We found rest. We slowed down. We got creative. We showed up for each other. We survived. This zine is by and for people of color. It is a reflection on the warmth and care that got us through the winter. We asked our community simply, “What kept you warm this winter?” and we were moved deeply by the answers. We are grateful for everyone who has contributed to this project and hope that this brings you, dear reader, a bit of warmth and comfort. With love, Ucha Abbah & Maya Luna Guevara Veggie Mijas Austin chapter organizers
https://www.instagram.com/veggiemijas/ veggiemijas.com
Warmth Kat Lopez @princesa_kata
I didn’t realize how worthy I was Until they all came to me Showing me love Love that I’d given many times before I am worthy of the warmth My community Has given me and continues to So relentlessly Reciprocity is no longer an idea Reciprocity is an action Reciprocity is them
Recipe to Feel Warm & Cared For Len Kassa @lenontheartside Ready in Divine Timing Serves You and whomever you choose to share this with! Ingredients - A playlist that lets you shake off energies that do not serve you - Journal and Markers - 1-2 Cozy blankets - Stuffed toy - Affirmations and a mirror - A hot cup of my favorite drink - My homemade body butter Preparation 1. To begin I lay out my cozy blanket. I make sure it is a place where I take a comfortable seat on the floor. Most times in a position where I can have my back supported. 2. I then sweetly say “Hey Google, Play My Frequent-Seas Playlist on Spotify” I like to sing a low hum along with the tracks. 3. As I feel into my chosen vibration I begin my Danyacharia or cleansing process. I tidy and arrange the whole space and system to be ready to recharge and take in the care I am giving myself. 4. In short, Danyacharia includes brushing teeth,tongue scraping, showering, and bowel movements. I also include my skincare routine, as well as smudging my body and room.
5. After the cleansing portion, I move on to getting intouch with my body using the mirror and my homemade body butter. Most days I’ll stand in front of the mirror and moisturize my skin, I gaze into my own eyes and acknowledge my presence. There is warmth in the intentional touch, the eye-gazing, and the cultivation of a sacred moment to care for myself. 6. This action of intentional eye gazing with self in the mirror is a practice called mirror-work. It’s sensational and essential for me, especially in the winter where I have a tendency to feel a reoccurring wave of depression come through. 7. I then gather my hot cup of something delicious. My current favorites include cacao with oat milk, to connect the heartmind-body, and ginger-lime tea. Ginger-lime tea brings me a boost of alkalized energy, great to wake up the organs. 8. Next I’ll get out my markers, journals, stuffed-bear aka PoohBear, and I head to the cozy blankets I set out for my sweet self. 9. By this time I feel warm, cared for, and more intune with myself. I then move through the intentional activity for myself. I write thoughts in the form of a word web. I then color and draw in my journal making it super cute. (whatever that means to me in the moment lol) Gentle Reminders: This is my process and I invite you to ask yourself when was the last time you intentionally made time for yourself to color in a child-like manner? If it has been a while, I offer you to allow this recipe to be the reminder to tend to your inner child who lives in your heartspace. And so it is. With love & harmony ~Len Kassa
An Ode to Grilled Cheese Ucha Abbah Sometimes I wonder if I have kids, what will I pass down to them? Will it be my grandmother’s green thumb, my father’s dry wit, or my affinity for strange noises. As I search for comfort and familiarity in a new place during a strange time, it becomes clear what I will pass on—my mother’s love of grilled cheese. I have to give credit where it is due. This love I have wouldn’t exist without my mother. While grilled cheese seems incredibly ordinary and is on most kids’ menus, I’d argue that is what makes it special. When I think of grilled cheese, I think of drive-thrus after dance practice, trips to pick up my brother, or my mother coming home with a bag I always knew had something for me in it. As I heat tomato soup, I think about how simple this is. How the meals I’ve been struggling to make don’t bring me half as much joy. Sometimes I get fancy and add pesto or use brioche, but it would be just as great without. I send photos to my mother in another city who always loves to get a picture. Sitting on the floor of my apartment, I realize this is what I’d like to pass on. The kind of love that makes the ordinary feel special.
Cuban-Style Beans (vegan) Dianelys Fuentes @ecofriendlycuban Ingredients - 1 can of red kidney beans (or black beans) - 1/2 can of tomato puree - 1 tbs of cooking oil - 1/3 cup of onions - 2 cloves of garlic - 1/3 cup of sweet pepper - 1 tbs of sugar - 1 tsp of vinegar or lime - 1/8 tsp of cumin - Salt & pepper to taste Recipe Heat up the oil in a saucepan, cook onions until translucent then add sweet peppers and cook. Add the garlic and let everything cook for a minute. Add the tomato puree plus 2 cups of water then add beans, vinegar, and spices. Let simmer for about 4 minutes. Serve with a side of rice or quinoa.
Calabasitas con Col Humberto Ramirez La calabaza mexicana es una de las calabazas que me encantan mucho. Desde joven, la comí en sopas, fideos, hecho en la sartén y más. Mi madre cocinaba la calabaza más y más mientras que yo crecí. Ahora, es una de las verduras deliciosas que necesito en la cocina. En mi tiempo cocinando, mi forma favorita para cocinarlas es en la sartén con tomates, col y especies que dan tanto sabor a esta comidita. Durante mi tiempo de sembrar comida, me dio gusto apreciar la calabaza butternut. Era una verdura que nunca pensé comer, pero cuando ayudé a cultivar la calabaza butternut con mi beca de Urban Roots, me encanto que tan sabrosa era. Mi primer tiempo, tuve que aprender cómo preparar la verdura para cocinarla. Fue una experiencia donde yo aprendí cómo pelar la calabaza y explorar las maneras de usar butternut en casi todo lo que cocine. Me alegré de aprender algo nuevo e incorporar más la calabaza butternut en mis recetas. Ahorita les comparto mi receta de calabacitas. Para Cuatro Personas - 2 grandes o 3 calabacitas mexicanas - Una mitad de calabaza butternut cortada en dados - 3 o 4 hojas de col rizada cortada en rajas - 1 tomate roma en dados - ¼ taza de cebolla en dados - 1 taza de tomates cherry cortadas en mitad - 2 cucharas de aceite de oliva - 2 cucharas de consomé de pollo (substituir con las especias del consomé para ser vegano) - 1 cuchara de pimiento (o al gusto) - ½ cuchara de chile en polvo (o al gusto) - ½ cuchara de cayena (o al gusto) - ½ cuchara de ajo en polvo (o al gusto) - ¼ cuchara de sal (opcional)
Como hacer la receta Tiempo total: 45 minutos Elaboracion: 20 minutos Coccion: 25 minutes 1. Calienta el aceite de oliva en la sartén a medio fuego. Cuando el aceite esté caliente, saltea la cebolla y el tomate hasta que la cebolla sea translúcida. 2. Agrega las calabazas y las especias en la sartén y tapa. Cocine las calabazas durante 7 o 10 minutos mientras mezcla de vez en cuando. 3. Después, incorpora la col rizada y los tomates cherry con las calabazas y cocina hasta que la col empiece a marchitarse y las calabazas queden suave. 4. Servir las calabacitas con cualquier comida le da gusto. Me encantan las calabacitas con tostadas de maíz y frijoles negras, servidas con pollo o simplemente con quesadillas de queso monterey. Buen provecho!
Easy Tortilla Strip Soup Ru Arana @queerfriendlybarber Makes 4-6 servings - 1 can black beans - 1 can diced tomato w green chili - 1 bag of frozen corn - 1 container veggie broth (top off w water as needed) Heat up on stove top to your liking. Add any of your favorite garnishes. I love avocado, cilantro, cheese (vegan or not), and tortilla strips! YUM!
Vegan Arroz con Leche Nieves Vazquez @plantsbynieves history: It’s important to acknowledge that arroz con leche is a staple in the winters across Turtle Island and present-day Latin America because of the contact of African culture with Indigenous cultures. Every culture makes it differently, and the arroz con leche I know today is an adaptation of a combination of European, African, and present-day Mexican influence. memories: This dish keeps me warm in the winter and reminds me of my grandma. I love to make it for my friends and chosen family as a show of love and appreciation. It can be a snack or breakfast, depending on how you feel and how sweet you choose to make it. ingredients: 4 cups of soy milk 2.5 cups of water 1.5 cups of rice 16 oz of sweetened soy condensed milk raw cinnamon sticks 3 tbs of brown sugar (or to taste) recipe: boil water with cinnamon sticks add white rice, let boil and soften add soy milk to boiled rice add soy condensed milk to taste add brown sugar to taste
Avena de Amor Hearty Oats Ru Arana @queerfriendlybarber Heat on stovetop or use mason jars to split up the following; (~2 servings) 1 cup of oats 1 can of coconut milk Heat up for 5 min first, then add the following to your hearts content; Almond Butter (1 tbsp) Dark Chocolate Chips Hemp Seeds and/or Chia Seeds (Try 1 tbsp) Fruit - I like to add Banana and when I’m needing more, blackberries as well. Cinnamon Enjoyed best warm!
Winter of Injustice
Jelly - Angelica Erazo @secretivo
When I think about the cold, and all the thoughts that cross my mind, I look at the year and wonder about the time Like where did the time go, am I wasting it at all Why did I just spend all that money at the mall I am forced into this capitalist structure and feel like I’m suffocating And spend my time on Facebook simply debating With people who make no sense, and who disregard my humanity Hoping that I could just knock some sense into them so rapidly But when the city sleeps and the sirens churn When APD kills another black men and their mothers yearn When someone calls me that they can’t afford the rent When someone gets displaced again I try to take a moment to breathe And I consider drinking alcohol to help me go to sleep I pray to God to please forgive me And take a moment to journal to help me think clearly The world is so hard, I just want to eat I want to eat sweets while staring at the busy streets And drink one of them cheap $1 dollar McDonalds drinks And remind myself that I deserve peace
Montaje
Jasmine Herrera
A short poem that encapsulates the embodiment of earth’s natural systems when emerging the self, all the while illuminating the assemblages that represent the birth of dear friendships; Amistades that nourished mi alma, la tierra y nuestra comunidad.
Al sentir el viento me recuerdo de los atardeceres del verano se acercan los momentos con mi padre con las herramientas de la sierra Al sentir el nacimiento de nuevas amistades me despego de lo normal se forma un montaje de generaciones con nuestras venas y líneas de vida Al sentir la transmisión me entrego con humildad se vienen las caricias del sol con un cariño único y seguro Al sentir la ternura de la tierra me desconecto de estructuras falsas se llena mi mente de aprecio con una certeza de su belleza Al sentir la fuerza del entorno me siento pequeña y frágil se vienen las incertidumbres de nepantla con los regalos de los cosmos Al sentir las raíces me detengo de su naturaleza se despegan los besos del aire con los elementos en mi piel morena Al sentir la encarnación me libero de las presiones se derrota mi alma hacia la luz con la dulzura del alimento.
Our Favorite Plant-Based Meals at Austin POC-owned Restaurants
Ucha’s Favorites
1. Tamale House East Dish: Beans, Rice, & Jalapeno Tamales “These are so delicious and filling. As a vegetarian tamales haven’t been easy to come by, I am somewhat skeptical of the ones you can buy in the store.” https://tamalehouse.com/menus 2. The Doughminican Dish: Empanada Combo “These empanadas are delicious and Melvin, who runs the spot, is incredibly kind. It is honestly impressive how many of these he can make for events.” https://www.thedoughminican.com 3. Clay Pit Dish: Channa Saag “This dish I look forward to after a long month or week. It makes for great leftovers. I have turned my mom into a big fan of this place.” https://claypit.com/austin-clay-pit-food-menu 4. Saps Fine Thai Cuisine Dish: Garee Curry “This was my first time trying Thai food and this particular curry is so good, not too spicy. The menu in general has a lot of options, I am just a bit of a creature of habit.” http://sapsthai.com/
Maya’s Favorites 1. Taqueria Mi Trailita Dish: Breakfast Tacos with potato, bean, and nopales on corn “There’s nothing like a satisfying plant-based breakfast taco. Mi trailita has the hookup, (and they don’t use lard!) I’ve tried this combo at many local trucks, and this one is definitely my favorite. I like to get 2 tacos plus an order of cebolla asada- plus extra green salsa which is deliciously spicy. This is my go-to lazy weekend meal and keeps me full almost all day “ https://www.facebook.com/TaqueriaMiTrailita/ 2. Mr. Natural Dish: Vegan Tofu Migas Plate with Sambazon smoothie “Mr. Natural is a nostalgic east Austin gem and community pillar. Owners Luisa and Jesus Mendoza have a beautiful story and their restaurant still feels like home. “ https://www.mrnatural-austin.com 3. Aster’s Ethiopian Restaurant Dish: Atakelt Beyaynetu “The Atakelt Beyaynetu is a sampling of all the vegan items on the menu (listed as vegetarian, but all are also vegan!) served on injera. Aster’s flavors never disapoint. Aster’s is another place I’ve been going to my whole life, and definitely has a special place in my heart.” https://www.facebook.com/AstersEthiopianRestaurant/ 4. Peace Bakery Dish: Falafel Plate “Nuha and her husband Jihad (both from Palestine) are lovely and their restaurant feels warm, open, and hospitable. Before COVID, this was a staple for my work or personal meetings, and they are a great choice for catering lunches or parties. For sides, you can’t go wrong with their hummus, taziki, dolmas, cucumber salad, or fattoush salad. They also serve many flavors of baklava and other delicious pastries https://peacebakerydeliaustin.com/
Herbal Thoughts:
An Interview with Folk Herbalist, Birth Worker, and Beloved Community Member Elena Colón Who are your people? My people come from Boriken (Puerto Rico) and many other places. I’m a queer, bilingual, Boricua, and I’m a community health worker. What does the term “folk herbalist” mean and look like to you? For me, the term is about an ideology of working with herbs. When making a tincture, for example, you can measure everything out exactly, you can study all the chemistry behind it, and I know a lot of that stuff but my preferred way to make medicine is to use my intuition and trust that, use all my senses, the different ways my body and mind are interacting with the medicine, and use the proportions that my intuition senses and my ancestors are guiding me to use, rather than try to measure things out to create a pharmaceutical- grade medicine. In folk herbalism you work more with subtleties and essences- it’s much more my preferred way to work with herbs. How did you begin to build your relationship with herbs and plants? My father was a nurse and has always been a gardener, he worked with herbs in a lot of ways that just felt like daily life- it was never like “my dad is an herbalist”, he just saw the way that plants and herbs interact with our bodies. I saw so much healing for him through the work that he did, which were his hobbies. When I was a teenager I spent a lot of time running away from home and I did a lot of drugs, I grew up in a very dysfunctional home. I ended up being put on some psychiatric medications. At some point I was looking at how to manage some of my mental health stuff without using those meds and that’s where my dad recommended, “why don’t you try working with some herbs that might help you instead.” That’s when I was introduced to ingesting herbs in a really intentional way
for my mental health. I started making tinctures.... I was a kid, at first I was thinking “let’s make the herbal version of Klonopin”it doesn’t really work like that but that’s what I was trying to do at first. That’s where my journey began, from there I spent time in different programs learning, I made my own medicine, and I deepened my relationship independently. What are your go-to herbs now that you use or recommend? What herbs help keep you warm, nourished, and supported in the winter months? During winter, we’re often talking about warming, soothing, heart blends. But there are medicines I use year-round, they become a baseline for me that then warming elements can be added to. One example is passionflower, another is oats/ oatstraw, in tinctures you often use milky oats. I love harvesting it, I use it year round- it can be really helpful for depression, anxiety, can be great for kids and pregnant people, both of which I work with a lot. You’re not worried about side effects or taxing your liver. I use it almost every day, and I drink oatstraw tea often. During the winter I use things to warm it up- in the summer I might drink that as a cold infusion with lemon, in the winter I might add cinnamon, cloves, citrus peel. I like to start with a base that’s very nourishing to the nervous system, and then add different elements to that. Other than the oats, passionflower is another good base. Peach leaves can be found locally (just the dried leaves of the peach tree) and are soothing and nourishing for the digestive system. They can be great for nausea, like in early pregnancy. I also really like rose- using rose petals in tea or creating a rose-infused honey. Working with flower essences can be very powerful medicine and can be very helpful in working with trauma. There’s an idea that flower essences are gentler or weaker, they are actually very powerful, the body is generally very receptive to them. The act of making flower essences can also be so beautiful and nourishing, it really helps people engage with working with the whole plant. Picking a flower, singing
to your flower, praying to your flower, sitting with it in the sun, can be a beautiful way of connecting with the medicine. Fire cider also definitely kept me warm this season!! I make one that’s not so fiery because I get acid reflux, and it’s also very heavy on the citrus. I also like to add oregano brujo because I love it. Some favorite herbs for tea/infusions : Passionflower Oatstraw/milky oats Tulsi Skullcap Lemon balm Linden Peach leaf Hawthorn berry Favorite flower essences: Passionflower Rose Magnolia Rosemary Yarrow What role can herbs and plant medicine play in serving, sustaining, and strengthening our communities? I’m thinking a lot about the winter storm. At the time we were working with CCU trying to get people what they needed. We were inventorying all of the needs coming in and offering what we had. The whole mutual aid project was very beautiful to watch come together, as well as being very chaotic in the midst of it. One of the biggest things was that we were all cooking for each other, while all in such crisis, and I was doing a lot of offering of medicine too. Food is also medicine, and we incorporate so many herbs into that kitchen medicine as well. Cooking soup for neighbors was something I found myself doing a lot during the crisis, it felt so important, so powerful, pouring love into something for someone else when the need was so
immediate. Offering medicine was a way to help people ground during that crisis and amidst that trauma. The biggest role is how we can nourish each other with herbs and medicine. Everything being very heightened during that time in some ways made things more apparent, but really it’s like that all the time. We’re at a slower pace supporting each other with mutual aid all the time, that’s how communities of color keep each other safe.
Elena is currently serving as a birth companion with Mama Sana Vibrant Woman, as well as practicing as a student midwife with Birthwise Birth Center. She is currently accepting clients for care under supervision by licensed midwives at Birthwise. You can find her on instagram @elenarosecolon. Her venmo is @elena-colon-1
Our joy and celebration does not exist in a vacuum. In many ways it is rooted in our struggle for collective liberation. This year has shown us again and again what our communities have long known- that we must keep each other safe because no one else is coming. During the February winter storm, the State left entire communities to freeze. Community on every level stepped up to provide the mutual aid and care needed. We want to uplift the efforts of a few groups providing on-theground care and community support. If you now or at any time have funds to redistribute, we think these organizations are a great place to start: Communities of Color United for Racial Justice (CCU) https://www.atxccu.org/resn 400 + 1 Instagram: @400and1 Primrose Community Care Instagram: @primroseatx la lucha sigue.
Thank You to Our Contributors for Sharing Your Gifts With Us Kat Lopez Len Kassa Ucha Abbah Dianelys Fuentes Alex Humberto De la Cruz Ramirez Ru Arana Nieves Vázquez Angelica Erazo Jasmine Herrera Elena Colón Design, Layout, and Illustration by Juanita Segovia juanitasegovia.com