The Blog

Today is National Frozen Food Day and I know you’re probably wondering why GrowWNY would even pay attention to this at all. Well, Go Veggie Inc. owner Genga Ponnampalam has some deliciously healthy veggie burgers that are available in freezer sections throughout WNY.

At Go Veggies Inc., their mission is to provide access to healthy, affordable and great tasting vegetarian food to everyone. Almost exclusively gluten, nut, and soy free, our recipes and products are easy to prepare and are inspired by American and South East Asian flavors.

Personally, I make sure I always have at least one box of Go Veggie burgers in my freezer at all times. The problem is deciding on which kind to buy because, they are all equally delectable. Go Veggies offers six varieties of veggie burgers: carrot & kale, black bean, lentil, organic lentil, spicy mushroom and spinach. There is no soy or tofu filler used to make these patties appear like something they’re not. Ponnampalam’s burgers have no additives or sodium; he prides himself on cutting out the junk ingredients. Even the way they cook their burgers, fried in a lightly oiled pan, helps in retaining the vitamins and nutrients.

Do you consider Valentine's Day to be a commercialized Hallmark holiday, but would be secretly disappointed if your partner forgot? Are you of the mind set that you can't green your Valentine's Day plans because you waited until the last minute? Don't worry, planet-friendly procrastinators. This blog is for you. Don’t just “Be Mine” this Valentine’s Day; strive to “Be Green” and show your love and appreciation the eco way! There is no reason that you can’t treat yourself to a Valentine’s delight on this day either.

Gourmet Light Refreshments Photo Credit: Patty DiFrancesco Banning

1. We were honored to have a world-class professional beekeeper – Geri Hens of Hens Honey Bee Farm in Pendleton – as our guest speaker.
2. More than 30 people were in attendance on an evening when Mother Nature was making driving challenging with rain and fog.
3. And we were the beneficiaries of the generosity of our host, Frizlen Group Architects, as well as four businesses donating refreshments: Martin Cooks, Chateau Buffalo, Community Beer Works and Buffalo Cheese Traders, LLC.

For the love of honeybees

In her discussions of her passion for beekeeping and the challenges facing operators of small farms in New York State, Geri Hens made it crystal clear that she is on the same page as our chapter and parent Slow Food USA in advocating for food and farming policies that are good for the public, good for our planet, and good for farmers and workers.

As a follow up to our What is Slow Food? blog from November, we have the details regarding its upcoming public gathering. On Monday January 28th, Slow Food Buffalo Niagara will be holding its first official event that is FREE and open to the public. The inaugural event will be held promptly at 6:30p.m. at Frizlen Group Architects, located at 257 Lafayette Avenue in Buffalo.