Curry Jackfruit Stew photo by Rissa Miller

Vegan Journal Senior Editor Rissa Miller wrote a creative recipe piece highlighting dishes made from jackfruit in the most recent issue. Enjoy these recipes: Spiced Breakfast Bars; BBQ Jackfruit and Biscuit Casserole; Sweet and Tangy Jackfruit Meatless Balls; Curry Jackfruit Stew; French Dip Sandwiches; Italian Herb Stuffed Peppers; and Orange Cherry Jackfruit Cake with Pudding Layer.

Read the entire article here: You Don’t Know Jack

To subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA, see: https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

Share this handy poster with family and friends. You can also print it out and post it on your refrigerator. See: https://www.vrg.org/nutshell/VeganDietsinaNutshellPoster.pdf

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Mark your calendar – January 24 is National Peanut Butter Day in the United States! In my opinion, every day should be peanut butter day, unless, of course, you’re allergic to peanut butter. Peanut butter shines both for its versatility and for its nutritional quality.

Here’s what you can expect from 2 Tablespoons of peanut butter (note – this is for peanut butter made only with peanuts and salt and without added oil or sweetener):

• 190 calories
• 8 grams of protein
• 16 grams of fat
• 5 grams of saturated fat (13% of the Daily Value)
• 3 grams of fiber (11% of the Daily Value)
• 2 grams of sugars (0 grams of added sugar)
• 18 milligrams of calcium (2% of the Daily Value)
• 1 milligram of iron (6% of the Daily Value)
• 51 milligrams of magnesium (12% of the Daily Value)
• 9 milligrams of zinc (8% of the Daily Value)
• 4 milligrams of niacin (28% of the Daily Value)
• 6 milligrams of choline (4% of the Daily Value)

In 2018, the most recent year for which amounts are available, according to USDA’s Food Availability Data System, 4.12 pounds of peanut butter were available each year per person in the United States. That’s a lot of peanut butter!

What can you do with peanut butter? Of course, there are PB & J sandwiches but don’t stop there.

• Stir a couple of spoonfuls into oatmeal or other hot cereal
• Blend with plant milk and fresh or frozen fruit to make a smoothie
• Use to add flavor to a tofu/vegetable stir-fry
• Spread on bananas or apples or carrots or any other fruit
• Make my dad’s favorite peanut butter and tomato sandwich
• Create a signature peanut sauce, perhaps with lime juice or rice vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and chili flakes and use to top pasta or rice paper rolls
• Combine with a vinaigrette dressing, thinning with water or balsamic vinegar as needed
• Use to replace tahini in hummus
• Replace some of the oil or plant butter in a banana muffin or banana bread recipe with peanut butter
• Make peanut butter cookies (chocolate chips optional)

To read more about peanut butter see:

Vegetarian Journal’s Guide to Nuts and Nut Butters

Vegan Peanut Butter Noodles from the National Peanut Butter Board

Below is a list of some of the vegan chicken-style products available today.

Alpha Foods offers Original Chik’n Nuggets Sizzlin’ Spicy Chik’n. Chick’n Strips, Crispy Chick’n Patties, and Sizzlin’ Spicy Chik’n Patties. For more details, see: https://www.eatalphafoods.com/products#NUGGETS

BeLeaf produces Drumsticks, Half Chicken, Patties, Nuggets, and Crispy Nuggets. See: https://www.beleafvegan.com/MeatlessProducts.php

Better Chew offers Fried Chicken Nuggets. See: https://eatbetterchew.com/

Beyond Chicken offers Beyond Chicken Tenders. For details, see: https://www.beyondmeat.com/en-US/products/beyond-chicken-tenders

Daring Foods produces Plant-Based Chicken Pieces in several varieties including Original, Breaded, Cajun, and Lemon & Herb. For information, see: https://www.daring.com/

Field Roast sells Classic Nuggets and Buffalo Wings. See: https://fieldroast.com/products/

Gardein offers Ultimate Plant-Based Chick’n Tenders, Chick’n Fillets, and Chick’n Nuggets. They also offer Crispy Chik’n Sliders, Chick’n Patties, Golden Chick’n Nuggets, Nashville Hot Chick’n Tenders, Spicy Gochujang Style Chick’n Wings, and Chipotle Georgia Style Chick’n Wings, Chick’n Strips, Teriyaki Chick’n Strips, Seven Grain Crispy Tenders, Mandarin Orange Crispy Chick’n, Sweet and Tangy Barbecue Wings, Chipotle Lime Flavored Chick’n Tenders, and Lightly Seasoned Chick’n Scallopini. For details on all these products, see: https://www.gardein.com/chickn-and-turky

Hungry Planet produces Chicken Pattie sand Chicken Chipotle Patties. Visit https://www.hungryplanetfoods.com/ for information.

Impossible Foods sells Chicken Nuggets and Wild Nuggies. See: https://impossiblefoods.com/products/chicken

Jack & Annie’s offers Nuggets made from Jackfruit. See: https://www.jackandannies.com/our-products/nuggets/

Lightlife produces The breaded Plant-Based Chicken Tenders and Plant-Based Fillets. See: https://lightlife.com/our-food/?active_filter=chicken

LikeMeat offers Chick’n Wings, Grilled Chick’n, BBQ Chick’n, Chick’n Pieces, and Chick’n Nuggets.
See: https://likemeat.com/us/products/

Lily’s Vegan Pantry offers Ginger Chicken, Chicken Bites, Gong Bao Chicken, Teriyaki Chicken, Lemon Chicken, Smoked Drumsticks, Chicken Nuggets, Whole or Half Chicken, and Chicken Legs. See: https://www.lilysveganpantry.com/Vegan_Chicken_s/1516.htm

Morning Star Farms offers MorningStar Farms® Veggie BBQ Chik’n Nuggets; MorningStar Farms® Veggie Chik’n Nuggets; MorningStar Farms® Veggie Buffalo Chik Patties®; MorningStar Farms® Veggie Original Chik Patties®; MorningStar Farms® Veggie Zesty Ranch Chik’n Nuggets; and MorningStar Farms® Veggie Sweet Mustard Chik’n Nuggets. For details on these products, see: https://www.morningstarfarms.com/en_US/products/chikn.html

Skinny Butcher offers Crazy Crispy Chick’n Tenders and Nuggets. See: https://skinnybutcher.com/

Sweet Earth sells Frozen Vegan Mindful Chik’n. See: https://www.goodnes.com/sweet-earth/products/mindful-chikn/?tag=10951&category=8381

Tofurky sells Chick’n in several flavors including Lightly Seasoned, Thai Basil, Sesame Garlic, and Barbecue. For more information, see: https://tofurky.com/what-we-make/chickn/

VFC Foods offers Chick’n Fillets, Popcorn Chick’n, and Chick’n Bites. See: https://vfcfoods.com/en-us/

Nothing beats a creative salad dressing that’s quick to prepare and toss into your salad mixture. Chef Nancy Berkoff has a few suggestions including Indian Curried Grapefruit Dressing, Thai Peanut-Orange Dressing, Retro Green Goddess Dressing, Italian Sun-dried Tomato-Rosemary Vinaigrette, Chinese Sesame-Soy Dressing, Continental Shallot and Caper Dressing, Southwestern Chili Pepper Dressing, and more.

Read the entire article with recipes for these dressings here: vrg.org/journal/vj2014issue2/2014_issue2_QuickSaladDressings.php

Subscribe to Vegan Journal: vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

Mexican Chocolate Sauce

Are you searching for some new vegan recipes? You might want to try the following sweet and savory dips, gravy, and sauces for winter from Kathleen Byrd. See: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2020issue4/2020_issue4_sweet_savory.php

To subscribe to Vegan Journal, visit: https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

Thank you to more generous donors, in 2023 The Vegetarian Resource Group will be awarding $30,000 in college scholarships! Deadline is FEBRUARY 20, 2023.

We will accept applications postmarked on or before FEBRUARY 20, 2023. Early submission is encouraged.

Applicants will be judged on having shown compassion, courage, and a strong commitment to promoting a peaceful world through a vegetarian (vegan) diet/lifestyle. Payment will be made to the student’s college (U.S. based only). Winners of the scholarships give permission to release their names to the media. Applications and essays become property of The Vegetarian Resource Group. We may ask finalists for more information. Scholarship winners are contacted by e-mail or telephone. Please look at your e-mail.

If you would like to donate to additional scholarships or internships, go to www.vrg.org/donate

Applications

Please click here to download a PDF of the application. However, applicants are not required to use an application form. A neatly typed document containing the information below will also be accepted as a valid application.

Please send application and attachments to [email protected] (Scholarship application and your name in subject line) or mail to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203.

If emailing, please put your essay in a separate attachment with your first name and last initial. A PDF or Word document is preferred, but if you send a Google document, make sure permission is given so readers can access it. For more information call (410) 366-8343 or email [email protected].

By Julia Comino, VRG Intern

When most people think of southern food, veganism would most likely not describe the images of dishes conjured. Even my own view of southern classics, as a vegan Deep South native, was not very inclusive of plant-based diets until I learned to cook vegan southern recipes myself. However, I had never found a fix to my cravings for southern classics until I visited New Orleans’ Breads On Oak.

Breads On Oak is a vegan restaurant and French Patisserie with two locations in New Orleans, Louisiana. The first location opened in uptown New Orleans on the historic Oak Street ten years ago, and since then, the owners have branched out with another location in downtown New

Orleans. See the rest of Julia’s article at https://www.vrg.org/blog/2022/09/23/vrg-intern-interviews-owner-of-breads-on-oak-vegan-restaurant-in-new-orleans/

In this video, Julia interviews one of the owners of Breads on Oak. Go to https://youtu.be/eEn8O69XIlc

To find vegetarian and vegan restaurants around the United States and Canada, go to https://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Zinc is an essential mineral. We need to get it from food and/or supplements in order to stay healthy. Zinc has many roles in our bodies including helping enzymes work properly, supporting the immune system, helping to make DNA and proteins, promoting growth and development, helping wounds heal,  and supporting the senses of taste and smell.

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for zinc is:

Birth to 6 months: 2 milligrams/day (this is the Adequate Intake rather than the RDA)

7-12 months: 3 milligrams/day

1-3 years: 3 milligrams/day

4-8 years: 5 milligrams per day

9-13 years: 8 milligrams/day

14-18 years: 11 milligrams/day (male); 9 milligrams/day (female)

19 years and older: 11 milligrams/day (male); 8 milligrams/day (female)

Pregnancy: 12 milligrams/day (14-18 years); 11 milligrams/day (19 years and older)

Lactation: 13 milligrams/day (14-18 years); 12 milligrams/day (19 years and older)

Many whole plant foods supply us with zinc.

10 Good Sources of Zinc for Vegans

1. Vegetarian baked beans 2.5 milligrams of zinc in ½ cup
2. Wheat germ 2.5 milligrams of zinc in 2 Tablespoons
3. Pumpkin seeds 2.2 milligrams of zinc in 2 Tablespoons
4. Tofu 2 milligrams of zinc in ½ cup of firm tofu
5. Fortified veggie “meats” 0.8-1.4 milligrams of zinc in 1 ounce
6. Chickpeas 1.4 milligrams of zinc in ½ cup
7. Tahini 1.4 milligrams of zinc in 2 Tablespoons
8. White beans 1.2 milligrams of zinc in ½ cup
9. Lentils 1.1 milligrams of zinc in ½ cup
10. Sesame seeds 1.1 milligrams of zinc in 2 Tablespoons

Zinc is often found in whole plant foods along with substances called phytates that reduce zinc absorption. There are ways to help zinc to be better absorbed.

8 Ways Vegans Can Promote Zinc Absorption

1. Choose more yeast-leavened and sourdough breads in place of breads leavened with baking powder like biscuits and muffins.
2. Sprout dried beans and grains/eat more sprouts.
3. Eat foods that supply zinc along with foods containing citric acid like citrus fruits.
4. Eat foods that supply zinc along with foods such as sauerkraut and plant-based yogurt that contain other organic acids.
5. Soak dried beans and grains before cooking and discard the soaking water.
6. Choose yeast-leavened or sourdough breads and rolls in place of unleavened products like crackers.
7. Choose fermented soy foods such as tempeh and miso.
8. Eat foods that supply zinc along with foods that supply protein.

To read more about zinc see:

Zinc Fact Sheet for Consumers (from National Institutes of Health; contains nonvegan sources of zinc)

Veganism in a Nutshell

Every New Year, a lot of people go on a weight loss diet. If you, a friend, or family member fall into that category, here’s a vegan weight loss article from Vegan Journal including recipes and a sample menu that might be helpful: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2006issue1/2006_issue1_weight.php

This article was written to provide suggestions for vegans, or people who are interested in following a vegan diet, who want to lose weight. The weight loss plan is designed for non-pregnant adults. If you have a medical condition such as kidney disease, heart disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure, please consult your health care professional to make sure these ideas will work for you.

Recipes you’ll find in this article are:
•Spinach-Onion Dip
•Spicy Creamy Sauce
•Oven-Roasted Salsa Tofu
•Tofu and Snow Pea Stir-Fry
•Seitan L’Orange
•Tempeh Cacciatore
•Baked Pears
•Glazed Pineapple
•Pineapple Cake
•Banana-Almond Shake
•Orange-Vanilla Smoothie
•Cool Rice Cream with Fruit

To subscribe to Vegan Journal, visit:
https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php