Each issue of Vegan Journal includes the Nutrition Hotline column by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD. In the recent issue we covered the latest news on saturated fat.

Read the column here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2022issue2/2022_issue2_nutrition_hotline.php

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

The Vegetarian Resource Group maintains an online Guide to Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants in the USA and Canada. Here are some recent vegan restaurant additions. The entire guide can be found here: http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

To support the updating of this online restaurant guide, please donate at: www.vrg.org/donate

Here are some new additions to VRG’s guide (Note: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic many are doing take-out and/or delivery now):

Cake Thieves, 1602 E. Houston St., San Antonio, TX 78202

Cake Thieves is a vegan bakery and eatery. The menu consists of mixed berry pop, strawberry milk pop pastry, pop tarts, cranberry orange scone, blueberry cornbread, and more.

Crossroads Kitchen, 3000 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89109

From celebrity chef Tal Ronnen comes an all-vegan restaurant and bar. Crossroads Kitchen serves plant-based, innovative, and seasonal cuisine in a stylish and beautiful atmosphere. They specialize in small plates and Mediterranean foods. Reservations are accepted.

Fare and Just, 2628 Main St., Brewster, MA 02631

Fare and Just is an animal-friendly restaurant that serves a take-out menu that includes cauliflower piccata, bbq burger bowl, falafel bunny bowl, bunny brussels bowl, lentil cakes, and other items. Everything is made from seasonal ingredients and, whenever possible, local purveyors. Friendly and efficient phone ordering and window pick up. Prices are reasonable, and portions are generous.

Native Foods, 9996 Commons St., Lone Tree, CO 80124

Enjoy vegan dishes such as Spicy Cauliflower Dippers, BBQ Brisket Burger, Buddha Bowl, Chicken, Bacon, Avo Club, Meatball Sub, and Taco Salad. They also offer sides including steamed kale and sweet potato fries. And of course, there’s dessert options including Oatmeal Crème Pie, Peanut Butter Parfait, and Chocolate Chip Cookie.

Omakaseed, 1204 Broadway, New York, NY 10001

With Instagram photos worthy of a museum exhibit, Omakaseed’s sushi bar is venturing into relatively unchartered territory in the vegan restaurant world. With a focus on the omakase style of Japanese dining, in which the diners leave it to the chef to select their menu, Omakaseed emphasizes the use of minimally proceed, seasonal, and local ingredients. This focus leads to beautiful, artistic creations such as their potato velouté with a matcha foam, a smoked pineapple nigiri, and a finale of cold melon with whipped almond ricotta and nori. Their cocktail menu is almost as much fun to read as it is to drink from, with concoctions including “Who’s Your Edamame?” (a haku vodka and edamame milk mixture) and “Feel the Beet” (el tesoro blanco tequila and beet juice).

Possum Pizza, 1516 Tinnin Ford Rd., Austin, TX 78741

This pizza truck, found behind the Buzzmill bar on Tinnin Ford Road in Riverside, serves thin crust pizza with both classic and creative toppings, along with rotating specials often focusing on indulging in vegan junk food. The “Ulta-meat-um!” has four kinds of vegan meat, and the “Bc’n Mac” has Mac N Cheese, Bac’n, and buffalo ranch, although you can also get healthier options like the “Veggie!” With kale, olives, mushrooms, and peppers.  Their cheese is the soy- and nut-free Follow Your Heart, and in addition to pizza you can get sides such as chik’n wings and mozzarella sticks.

Cajun Chick’n Nuggets photo by Rissa Miller

In the latest issue of Vegan Journal Chef Jay Staten shares vegan recipes that can be made using an air fryer. But don’t worry, if you don’t own an air fryer, he also includes oven directions. Enjoy preparing Crispy Broccoli, Vegan BBQ Ribz, Jay’s Black Bean Burgers, Maryland Seasoned Fries, and Cajun Chick’n Nuggets.

Read the column here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2022issue2/2022_issue2_air_fryer.php

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

Every 5 years, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) publish the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the nation’s go-to source for nutrition advice. The Vegetarian Resource Group submitted testimony about the scientific questions that will inform the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030. The Dietary Guidelines impact much of the nutrition policy in the country, as well as impacts food service purchasing. Once the questions are decided and the scientific panel develops a document, The Vegetarian Resource Group will again submit testimony. Our comments are here: VRG Comments About the Scientific Questions That Will Inform The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030

According to OU kosher certifying agency, “one may make utensils (e.g. spoons, ladles) from the bones of non-kosher animals and there is no concern, since bones do not impart taste. In our situation, the bones are filters and do not become part of the sugar, and there is no kashrus concern …”

See article at https://oukosher.org/blog/articles/a-closer-look-at-sugar-the-sugar-refining-process/

The contents of this website and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal and Vegan Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.

By Cierra Peterlin, University of Maryland Dietetic Intern

Here are some ideas for zero-waste meals and snacks featuring creative ways to use what you have in order to reduce food waste. These ideas are meant to provide a quick view of what it could look like to eat in a way that is conscious of food waste each day. Since some of these recipes serve 2 or more people, if you are cooking for 1 you will end up with some leftovers. Save any extra portions in the fridge for the next several days or share them with others.

Breakfast Foods:

Mushy Berry and Wilted Greens Smoothie

(1 serving)

1 cup wilted spinach, kale, or other greens

½-1 cup berries (if using strawberries put the whole thing in, green leaves and all)

1-2 Tbsp chia seeds (optional)

½ -1 fresh or frozen banana

½ cup ice

½ cup vegan milk or water

Add all to a blender and blend until smooth.

Stale Bread French Toast

(1 serving)

2 slices of stale bread

½ cup vegan milk

1 tsp vanilla

½ tsp cinnamon

3 Tbsp cornstarch

Combine milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and cornstarch in a bowl. Dip slices of bread in batter until fully coated. Cook battered bread in an oiled skillet for 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown.

PB Jar Overnight Oats

(1 serving)

½ cup of rolled oats

½ cup vegan milk

Almost empty peanut butter jar

Toppings or flavors of choice (i.e. banana, chia seeds, cinnamon, cocoa, berries, vanilla, maple syrup etc.)

Add all ingredients to the peanut butter jar. Shake to combine then refrigerate overnight. Enjoy for breakfast in the morning.

Date Pit Coffee

(1 cup of “coffee”)

8-10 date pits

Roast pits on parchment lined baking tray at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Place pits in a coffee grinder or food processor and grind to a fine powder. Prepare like you would normal coffee grounds.

Oatmeal

(1 serving)

½ cup rolled oats

½-¾ cup vegan milk or water

Any toppings or flavors you have on hand (i.e. fruit, cocoa powder, Craisins, chocolate chips, cinnamon, maple syrup, nutritional yeast, grated carrot, steamed spinach, avocado, salsa, etc.)

Prepare oatmeal by combining milk and oats and microwaving for 1½-2 minutes. Top with sweet or savory toppings of choice.

Browning Banana Pancakes

(Makes up to 2 servings)

1 overripe banana, mashed

1 cup flour

2 Tbsp organic sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp salt

¾ cup vegan milk

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Add banana, milk, and vanilla and mix until combined. Cook on an oiled pan over medium heat for 3-5 minutes each side.

 Lunch or Side Dish Ideas:

Zero Waste Cauliflower Wings over Sautéed Cauli-Greens

(Makes up to 2 servings)

1 small head of cauliflower, cut into florets

Leaves and stems of the cauliflower

2 Tbsp oil (divided)

2 Tbsp cornstarch or flour

2 Tbsp hot sauce of choice

Toss cauliflower florets in 2 Tbsp oil and cornstarch or flour. Place on baking tray and cook in oven at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes or in air fryer at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Once cooked, toss cauliflower wings in hot sauce and 1 Tbsp oil.

Slice cauliflower stems into thin strips. Add cauliflower leaves and sliced stems to a skillet with a drizzle of oil and sauté until soft, 5-10 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste. Serve wings over sautéed leaves and stems.

Celery Leaf Salad

(1 serving)

Leafy tops of 1-2 bulbs of celery

Any other vegetable you have in the fridge (carrots, onion, tomato, cucumber, other greens etc.)

¼ cup Craisins or raisins

¼ cup chopped nuts or seeds

1/3 cup chickpeas or another white bean

Salad dressing of choice

Chop/slice celery leaves and other veggies of choice. Combine all ingredients and toss with dressing.

“What’s in My Fridge?” Wrap

(1 serving)

Hummus, dressing, or other spread of choice

1 large tortilla

Leftover grains

Any veggies you have either cooked or raw, sliced

Leftover beans or tofu

Spread hummus or other sauce/spread on tortilla. Load tortilla with leftovers and roll into a burrito/wrap.

Option: Heat on a skillet until tortilla is crispy and golden.

Leftovers Rice Bowl

(1 serving)

Up to 1 cup white or brown rice, cooked

Any veggies you have in the fridge (cabbage, carrots, peppers, broccoli, etc.)

½ block tofu, cubed

Stir-fry sauce or sauce of choice

Cook rice according to package instructions or used precooked rice from earlier in the week. Coat vegetables and tofu with oil and spices of your choice and roast on a baking tray in the oven at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Combine cooked rice, and roasted veggies and tofu in a bowl, top with sauce, and enjoy!

Zero Waste Potato Soup

(up to 2 servings)

Consider making this soup over the weekend when you may have more time as meal prep for the week.

At least 1 cup veggie scraps (onion and garlic peels, carrot skins, etc.)

1 bay leaf

2-3 potatoes, cubed

1 carrot

1 onion

1 celery stalk

2 cloves garlic

½ tsp salt or to taste

1 tsp pepper

Boil veggie scraps and bay leaf in 6 cups of water for 30-45 minutes to make broth. Strain broth and set liquid aside.

Dice carrots, onion, celery and garlic and sauté in a large pot until soft, 5-8 minutes. Add potato cubes and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, then cook for an additional 5-10 minutes.

Option: Add half of the soup to a blender or food processor and purée then add it back to the pot for a creamy potato soup.

Dinner Ideas:

Wrinkly Pepper Fajitas

(Makes up to 2 servings)

1-2 wrinkly peppers, sliced

1 onion, sliced

1 Tbsp oil

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp salt or to taste

½ tsp paprika

½ tsp garlic powder

One 14-15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

6-8 small flour or corn tortillas

Sauté peppers and onion in oil until soft, 5-8 minutes, then add spices and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Drain and rinse black beans, then add to the skillet with the peppers and onions and warm for 5 more minutes. Serve on tortillas.

Zero Waste Pesto Pasta

(4 servings)

2 cups of carrot, turnip, radish, or beet tops, or wilted greens such as spinach or collards (feel free to use a combination)

¼ cup basil leaves

1/3 cup pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, or other nut or seed (or combination)

3 cloves garlic

1/3 cup nutritional yeast

1/3 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

One package of pasta

Combine all ingredients except pasta in a blender or food processor until smooth. Cook pasta according to package. Serve over pasta and enjoy!

Panzanella

(2 servings with added protein*, 4-6 servings as a side dish)

½-1 loaf of stale or hard bread

1 onion, sliced

1 tomato, sliced or cubed

1 medium cucumber, sliced

1-2 Tbsp vinegar (balsamic or red wine)

1-2 Tbsp oil

Salt, pepper, herbs to taste

Soak stale bread in 1 Tbsp vinegar and ¼ cup water until soft enough to break into chunks (should be less than 5 minutes). Break bread into bite sized chunks and toss together with sliced vegetables. Dress with oil vinegar, salt, pepper, and herbs to taste.

*For extra protein, add in one 14-15 ounce can of chickpeas or white beans, drained and rinsed

Wilted Greens Pasta

(Makes up to 2 servings)

2-4 oz pasta of choice

2 cloves garlic, chopped

½-1 cup tomato sauce

Wilted greens (as many as you have)

Leftover beans (optional, if you have them on hand)

Cook pasta as directed on package. Heat tomato sauce in pot with garlic. Add cooked pasta and greens and warm in the sauce for 3-5 minutes.

Banana Peel Tacos

(2 servings)

6 banana peels

½ onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced

2 Tbsp oil

2 tsp cumin

1 Tbsp oregano

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp black pepper

1-2 Tbsp lime juice

6-8 small tortillas or taco shells

Taco toppings of choice

Cut off the stem and end of the banana peels and scoop the fibers off of the peel with a spoon. Shred the peel into long strips with a fork.

Sauté onions, garlic, and jalapeno in skillet with oil until soft, 5-7 minutes. Add shredded banana peels and spices to skillet and stir, then add soy sauce and lime juice. Cover and cook on medium to low heat for 30 minutes until banana peels are soft. Add more soy sauce or salt to taste, if needed. Serve in tortillas or taco shells, topped with your favorite taco toppings!

Option: For added protein consider adding black or pinto beans to the tacos or serve with a side of vegetarian refried beans.

Snack Ideas:

Fruit Leather

(Makes up to 4 servings)

3 cups mushy but not moldy berries, mango, or other soft fruit (or a combination)

1 Tbsp chia seeds

2 Tbsp maple syrup or agave

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Bake on a parchment lined baking tray at 175 degrees for 4-6 hours.

Veggie Skin Chips

(1-2 servings)

1½-2 cups of peels of potatoes, beets, carrots, eggplants, etc.

Drizzle of oil

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp paprika

½ tsp black pepper

Place veggie peels on baking tray and drizzle with oil. Add spices and toss peels to evenly coat with oil and spices. Cook in the over on 300 degrees for 20 minutes or air fry on 300 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Citrus Peel Candy

(8 servings)

2 cups of peels from oranges, lemons, limes, and/or grapefruit

Water to cover peels

1 cup water

1½ -2 cups vegan sugar

Scrape excess pulp/fruit off of peel (the white layer is okay) and slice citrus peels into desired shape and size. Boil peels in a pot with water, then strain. Add peels, 1 cup of water, and sugar to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 1 hour. Place cooked peels on a wire rack and let sit for 24 hours. After 24 hours roll in more granulated sugar and enjoy!

Note: Save the extra syrup from the pot after removing the peels and use it as a simple syrup for fun cocktails and mocktails!

 Roasted Pumpkin/Squash Seeds

(4-8 servings)

1-2 cups pumpkin or other gourd-like squash seeds (or as many as you get from seeding the squash)

1 Tbsp oil

Salt, pepper, and spices to taste

Thoroughly rinse and clean seeds. Coat in oil and spices. Spread evenly on baking tray and cook for 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees.

 “All My Avocados Ripened at The Same Time, Now What?” Brownies

(8 servings)

2 ripe or overripe avocados, peeled and pitted

¾ cup organic sugar (brown sugar, coconut sugar, or other sweetener)

½ cup cocoa powder

½ cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

Vegan chocolate chips (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth. Pour into a greased 8- x8-inch baking pan (top with chocolate chips if using) and cook at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until knife inserted in the center of the brownies comes out clean.

The contents of this posting, our website, and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal and Vegan Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.

Congratulations to The Vegetarian Resource Group Nutrition Advisor Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, who has been selected by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics as the recipient of the 2022 Excellence in Community and Public Health Practice Award. The award will be presented to Dr. Mangels at the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo™ (FNCE®), October 8-11, 2022, in Orlando, Fl. at the “SNAP Benefit Modernization: Historical Context and Community Stories” session on Monday, October 10 at 1:30 p.m.

If you are attending the FNCE conference, please come by The Vegetarian Resource Group booth and say hello.

To support VRG outreach, please join at https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php or donate at www.vrg.org/donate

Are you searching for vegan work boots? The following online stores offer safety work boots, including some with steel toes.

Amblers Safety from the UK offers some vegan safety shoes: https://www.amblerssafety.com/collections/vegan

Ethical Wares out of Wales in the UK offers three types of safety boots: https://www.ethicalwares.com/footwear/safety-footwear/

RockFall out of the UK offers a lowcut and a midcut safety boot: https://www.rockfall.com/products/tesladri/

Stitchkraft located in Australia offers a wide variety of safety shoes and boots: https://www.stitchkraft.com.au/collections/vegan-friendly-work-boots-shoes

The Vegetarian Site from the USA offers two types of safety boots: https://store.thevegetariansite.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=84_100

Veganline located in London, England offers a safety shoe and boot: https://veganline.com/safety-boots-shoes

In addition to the myriad of meat and dairy alternatives that have been around for thousands of years (like tofu, tempeh, beans, etc.) and newly processed alternatives such as Beyond Burgers, there is now increasing development of alternatives based on animal cell DNA, with the technology having many variations. But how should these new products be labeled?

To get a glimpse of people’s thoughts about labeling, we commissioned a poll to find out the number of vegan and vegetarian adults in the U.S and the number that ate vegetarian and vegan meals.

We then asked additional questions about labeling the new cell cultured alternatives as vegan, vegetarian, animal free, and plant-based.

To see rest of article, go to: https://www.vrg.org/nutshell/CulturedMeatYouGov2022.pdf

Manuel wrote: “The smell of chuleta (pork chops) filled my small New York City apartment. Every morning, I would wake up to my mom flipping tortillas on our black rusty stove. This would bring me back to my birth country, Honduras. Before my mom brought me to the United States, I lived in Honduras in a sea coast town where Mother Nature was prevalent around me. When I moved to Queens, New York, I felt like I was in limbo. NYC will always be my city, but I always felt my connection with nature was limited. My body felt like it was covered in chains and I could only stretch so far. My mom would tell me that when I was young, I would play with baby chicks and jump on dogs. Although I had a more intimate connection with nature back in Honduras, I wasn’t going to let my urban environment limit my passion. For me, the quickest and easiest way to feel a bond with Mother Nature was to change my eating habits. I personally felt eating a carcass wasn’t very appetizing. This was conflicting at the time because I also didn’t want to have the culture disconnect since a lot of the foods from my country incorporated different types of meat. One night I truly thought about this new lifestyle I wanted to convert to. I realized that my favorite cultural foods were already vegetarian: sopa de frijoles, baleada, etc. I was finally able to begin this new way of life.”

Manny created a club in high school to promote vegetarianism. He wrote a newsletter that included a vegetarian recipe and information about environmental issues. In addition, he promoted vegetarianism through the school Model Congress Debate Club. A reference wrote that in one debate, “He ended by saying that ‘What makes my life more valuable than those birds?’ I can’t say he turned the room into vegetarians, but what I can say is he left the room questioning why humans are superior and other species are inferior. I began thinking to myself, “Why do humans get a pass on taking life away?” The Reference continued, “Anytime I ask for help at our food pantry, Manny is the first person to help unload hundreds of heavy boxes filled with fruits and vegetables for our community. He is the type of person who takes action rather than complaining about his problems, and is extremely eager to help others.”

Manny wrote, “Veganism to me is giving an animal another chance at life … This scholarship will give me the opportunity to change the life of my family. I will have the chance to walk down an American college campus, something my ancestors would kill for. Of course, I don’t mean to actually kill as that would be counterintuitive to my lifestyle. Being vegan to me is synonymous with humility and humbleness, and knowing that we aren’t superior to other species…”

Manny is enrolled in Animal Science at Cornell University. He is participating in the Cornell Speech and Debate team and will be doing an informative speech on vegetarianism for the next semester. He said, “I plan on going to graduate school to receive my Doctor of Veterinary Medicine licenses and PhD.”

For information on other scholarship winners and applying for the next Vegetarian Resource Group college scholarship contest, see https://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm Deadline is February 20th of each year.