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4 Friday, December 22, 2023 brooklintowncrier.com This time of year, I am frequently asked if I miss turkey. No, I never think about eating turkey and it was probably my least favourite part of Christmas dinner, although I did like and eat it. For me, Christmas is about family, community, food, gifts, and great stories. I love Christmas. This year, I am hosting my family, which makes it easy for me, as a vegan, to prepare plant-based foods. My mother is vegan and my sister has been, so it's simple for them to bring items we can all eat. I always loved the veggies and mashed potatoes with gravy, and still do. It's super easy to "veganize" many Christmas favourites. For example, before I add butter and milk to make mashed potatoes, I remove some cooked potatoes and whip them with Earth Balance, a vegan butter substitute. I also make a vegan gravy (see below). Turkey substitute As for a turkey substitute, I am not fond of fake meats though there are some you can purchase. The best I've found is the Gardien brand stuffed "turkey" breasts, which includes plant- based stuffing and gravy (see below). I found them at a store called Almost Perfect at a reasonable price. There is also Tofurkey, which I've never tried but seems popular. Larger grocery stores generally carry it as well. If you add butter to other recipes, you can replace it with plant-based butter. There are a few great brands. Freshco carries plant-based butter in the same section as dairy butter. Eggs are easy to replace in baking with bananas or chia seeds and there are many vegan baking recipes on the web. I find it easy to find plant- based pre-made apple pies as many are made with vegetable shortening rather than lard. But read the label. Some manufacturers do add egg glaze or milk ingredients. Tasty desserts Plant-based ice creams made with coconut are so tasty. You'll love them even if you're not vegan. There are also plant-based whipped creams. Dark chocolate is generally plant- based, but read the label just in case. The Cupcake Junkie in Brooklin makes amazing vegan cupcakes. I ordered them for my wedding in June and everyone loved them. While some breads and buns also contain milk ingredients, most don't. But again, read the label. My all-time favourite dessert is pumpkin pie yet I've never found a vegan one in a store. I have succeeded with the recipe below and plan on making a few for Christmas this year. https://www.gardein.com/chickn- and-turky/classics/savory-stuffed- turky https://minimalistbaker.com/ easy-vegan-gravy/ https://www.noracooks.com/veg- an-pumpkin-pie/ Sheree's Hack: Put aside your differences and enjoy the holidays. Thank you so much for reading. A Vegan Christmas Dinner Plant-Based Eating by Sheree Nicholson Last night (Dec. 11), Committee of the Whole heard several delegations related to a request from Nova's Ark for an exemption from the Town of Whitby's Prohibited and Regulated Animals Bylaw. Committee voted to end the meeting at 11 p.m. because it was apparent that due to the high volume of registered delegations the meeting would go very late into the night. We want Town staff and Members of Council to have coherent and productive discussions on this important matter, which is challenging in the wee hours of the morning. We also wanted to be considerate of the children in the audience. Delegates and members of Council were informed Monday morning that there was concern about the number of delegations and delegates were encouraged to submit written correspondence in lieu of speaking. The Committee will continue to hear delegations on this request at its meeting on January 8, 2024, and Council is expected to vote on the exemption on January 29. Nova's Ark is a registered charity based in Whitby that provides programs for people of all abilities, including animal-assisted therapy. According to a May 2023 inventory provided by Nova's Ark, there are 355 animals on site, 74 of which violate the A statement from Mayor Elizabeth Roy re: Nova's Ark Town's Prohibited and Regulated Animals Bylaw, including wolves, pythons, a lynx, serval, and bobcat. Town staff have consulted with industry professionals, considered public submissions, and reviewed emergency procedures and response plans from Nova's Ark. The Town also received written submissions from the Toronto Zoo, Reptilia, Zoocheck, and World Animal Protection Agency, which note the prohibited animals pose a risk of serious harm to patrons of Nova's Ark. Town staff have recommended that the bylaw exemption not be granted, however the decision rests with Council. As we prepare to listen to more delegations from community members, I urge the public to become familiar with the facts. I am concerned by the significant amount of misinformation with regards to this issue. There is no intent for Nova's Ark to close or stop offering animal-assisted therapy. Most animals on site, such as horses, donkeys, ponies, ferrets, pigs, parrots, and alpacas are permitted under the bylaw. I also want to address misinformation that suggests animals removed from Nova's Ark will be euthanized. This is not true. The intent has always been for them to be rehomed at safe, appropriate facilities. I look forward to well-informed discussions on this request continuing in January.