Got plans for the weekend, Austin? This weekend is the (fourth? fifth?) biannual Gathering of the Tribes in Austin. Twice a year, the disparate veg groups in Austin get together at Pease Park for a giant potluck.
Austin has a lot of different vegetarian and vegan organizations, some social (Vegans Rock Austin, Vegetarian Network of Austin, Progressive Vegetarians), some health-oriented (Engine 2 Potlucks, Raw Meetup), and some animal-rights (Austin Pets Alive!, Action for Animals). Not to mention lots of local vegan businesses, tweeters, and bloggers. It’s nice for everyone to have an opportunity to share a meal together and talk shop.
But listen, dear potlucker. Make an effort. Bring a yummy dish that you’re proud to share. And bring lots of it. And make it yourself. Because I can’t handle another potluck like the last one.
If you’re looking for an easy, inexpensive potluck dish, try one of these:
- Celery, Apple, and Fennel Salad: Great if you’re trying to eat healthy, don’t have a kitchen, or want to avoid common allergens
- Roasted Carrots: Pretty much any vegetable tastes great roasted, and it’s one of the easiest things in the world to make. If you’re a moneybags, bring roasted asparagus to impress everyone.
- Spicy Peanut Noodle Salad with Cucumbers, Red Peppers, and Basil: Despite the long name and ingredient list, this is still pretty easy and inexpensive to make. Cucumbers and bean sprouts are two of the cheapest vegetables out there. Be sure to use sugar, not honey, to keep the dish vegan.
- No Cook Berry Crisp: Raw and appropriate for the Engine 2 folk among us!
- Trattoria Pasta Salad: I won’t tell if you replace the shallot with onion. Fancy, filling, and Engine 2-appropriate.
- Banana Bread: no explanation necessary
- Dijon Potato Salad: Martha Stewart-approved
- Lenti Tabbouleh: I found the one tabbouleh recipe in the world that doesn’t contain parsley. (Am I the only one who thinks parsley taste like grass?) But the traditional recipe is great, too. If you like grass.