Through December 31, 2021, you can give a gift membership to The Vegetarian Resource Group (includes a 1-year subscription to Vegetarian Journal) for $15 each. Offer is valid in the USA only!

This is a terrific way to share the vegan message, as well as support VRG outreach. Gift subscriptions can be done online by simply typing in your message and the name and address of each gift recipient in the comments field. Go to: www.vrg.org/donate 

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the world’s largest organization of nutrition and dietetics practitioners, publishes the Nutrition Care Manual® This manual, which may also be referred to as a diet manual, is used by many hospital nutrition departments and dietetics practitioners. It is a web-based publication that includes comprehensive information about different diets (including diets for those with kidney disease, diabetes, heart disease, and many other conditions) as well as nutrition education materials. Nutrition education materials include sample menus that can be given to clients to help them visualize the foods that are included in their diet. While the Nutrition Care Manual has included a section on vegan/vegetarian diets for a long time, there were no resources for those needing to modify their diet so that it was both vegan/vegetarian and suitable for use with conditions like allergies, hypertension, or stroke. That has changed. The Nutrition Care Manual now has vegan and lacto-ovo vegetarian menus for every type of sample menu. So, for example there is a sample menu that is vegan and that meets the needs of someone with a wheat allergy, one that is vegan and suitable for someone with chronic kidney disease, and so on.

This resource is available for purchase. Many hospitals subscribe to it so hospitalized vegans can suggest that their dietitian check the Nutrition Care Manual if they have questions about how to combine a vegan diet with a diet to treat a medical condition.

 For more information, go to the Nutrition Care Manual website.

If you’re visiting Israel, you might want to dine at Meshek Barzilay. This vegan restaurant offers a wide variety of delicious dishes. Appetizers include Tempura Vegetables, Avocado Panjabi, Indonesian Salad, and much more. Main dishes include Seitan and Cashew Cheese Pizza, Masala Dosa, Lasagna, Veggie Burger, plus more. Dessert options are Drunken Pear, Tiramisu, Cocoa Fantasy, and more. They also have a separate kid’s menu, as well as an outside patio area.

For information see: https://www.meshekbarzilay.co.il/en/ or https://www.facebook.com/meshekbarzilay/

Here is a video a friend made showing how to make a tempeh sausage. It’s a very easy recipe that anyone can try.  –Shared by Betsy Shipley

For other vegan cooking videos (produced by The Vegetarian Resource Group, see: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvSyCToa_i9fA4D5CLCAFWw

This children’s book conveys warmth, welcome, and reassurance for little vegans as they navigate a non-vegan world. Vegan Family brings the familiar alphabet format into play with cute, vibrant illustrations by Broussard which embrace the expected, like V is for vegetables, but also integrating true vegan ideals, like E is empathy. Children of varying ethnic backgrounds are represented, giving Vegan Family a sense of inclusivity and Bonica also tackles emotional challenges, like feeling different or alone. Child readers will find this book upbeat and encouraging–I found it to be those things and I’m well past the target age group! 

Vegan Family (ISBN: 978-1-6657-0010-8) is published by Archway Publishing. It has 28 pages and retails for $11.99. Reviewed by Rissa Miller/Senior Editor

Due to the generosity of an anonymous donor, The Vegetarian Resource Group each year will award $20,000 in college scholarship money to graduating U.S. high school students who have promoted veganism/vegetarianism in their schools and/or communities. Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish, or fowl. Vegans are vegetarians who do not use other animal products such as dairy or eggs.

One award of $10,000 and two awards of $5,000 will be given. Entries may only be sent by students graduating from high school in spring 2022. Deadline is February 20, 2022. We will accept applications postmarked on or before February 20, 2021. Early submission is encouraged!

Applicants will be judged on having shown compassion, courage, and a strong commitment to promoting a peaceful world through a vegan/vegetarian 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.

For details on the contest, see: http://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm

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):

5am Drip, 1201 Eans Ave., Ste. 101, Fort Worth, TX 76104

Smoked bandito sandwiches, breakfast tacos, avocado toast, fantastic coffee, lattes, and much more are on the current menu.

Barvida, 879 Post Rd., Darien, CT 06820

Avocado toast served with sourdough whole wheat bread (gluten-free alternative), Buddha bowl, Tex Mex bowl, salads, wraps, cold brew, and more are on the menu.

Guud & Evul Vegan Eats, 21 Main St., Tonawanda, NY 14150

Guud & Evul Vegan Eats quickly moved from serving its American comfort foods on a food truck to a brick-and-mortar location in September 2021. Their menu offers a variety of burgers, including The Loose Cannon (a vegan spin-off of a patty melt) and Hell over Evul, which includes jalapeno cheese and “Hell sauce.” Sauces are another specialty of theirs and include a Bernaise and a Mornay. The playfulness of the menu continues with “This ain’t chicken strips” (made from Portobello mushrooms) and “Crack Rolls” (wonton-wrapped apple pie filling with icing)—an addiction that customers seem happy to adopt.

Morning Nights, 4150 McGowan St., Unit 1, Long Beach, CA 90808

Enjoy dim sum including dumplings, scallion pancake roll, sticky rice lotus leaf wrap, dan dan noodles, and mapo tofu. They also have a craft bar. Outdoor seating available.

Old Abe & Co., 832 Seventh St. NW, Rochester, MN 55901

Located near downtown at Cooke Park in the city’s Design District, Old Abe & Co. serves vegan dishes including Grilled Cheez, Banh Mi Sandwich, Kung Pao Bowl, Citrus Ribs Bowl, plus smoothies, coffee, and more.

Primary Plant Based, 161 W. Girard Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19123

Jackfruit Medianoche, Mushroom & Eggplant Umami Burger, Char Sui Brussels Sprouts, Yuba Noodle Salad, Masa Ball Soup, Chocolate Chia Pudding, and many other dishes are on the menu.

The Leaf and Seed Café, 116 10th St., Toledo, OH 43604

Mediterranean wraps, taco salads, tofu scrambles, Brussel sprouts, and other comfort foods are available. The interior is stylish and you can also eat on the terrace.

Vegano Italiano, 530 N. Huron St., Ypsilanti, MI 48197

Pesto pizza, eggplant cutlets, cauliflower wings, veggie lasagna, and so much more are among the menu’s features.

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS

The Vegetarian Resource Group recently received a request from an online reader about Domino’s Pizza Ingredients.

So we reached out to Spencer Breidinger, Manager of Global Product Quality and Regulatory Compliance – Supply Chain Services at Domino’s. We asked him about the dough conditioner L-cysteine present in most of their crusts:

“Is L-cysteine in your pizza crust dough derived from feathers or hair? If not, what is the source of L-cysteine?”

(Readers should note, as we’ve reported in articles over the years, that most L-cysteine in commercial food products today is derived from poultry feathers or human hair.)

Spencer Breidinger replied:

“…All L-cysteine in any dough product is synthetic and not derived from any animal sources. This has been our standard for over 20 years.”

The VRG followed up by asking for more clarification on the term “synthetic” as it relates to L-cysteine.

In response, Spencer forwarded us a statement dated January 15, 2020, from Steve Lutes, VP Global QA & Health/Safety at Domino’s Pizza. Here it is in its entirety:

“The L-cysteine and enzymes in all our dough and crust varieties are microbial and/or vegetable-sourced. We do not source these ingredients from animal sources. Our dough does contain sweet dairy whey, which is a derivative from cow’s milk. Our gluten-free crust does not contain L-cysteine or any of the 8 FDA-recognized allergens, including milk. While there is no animal by-product (other than whey) in any of our crusts, we do have products in our stores which contain them (such as pepperoni and cheese). We make all our products in the same kitchens; and even as clean as we keep them, there may be those items present. Therefore, we cannot guarantee that pizzas made are entirely free from animal by-product.”

Readers with additional questions about menu items or ingredients at Domino’s should contact the restaurant chain directly.

For information about other chains, see https://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php

For information on veg restaurants, go to https://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

The contents of this posting, our website and our other publications, including Vegetarian 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.

The Vegetarian Resource Group is a vegan activist non-profit organization that does outreach all-year-long. For example, VRG has been participating in numerous virtual events throughout the USA by providing speakers on a wide variety of vegan topics. We also send literature free of charge to other groups/individuals doing educational activities in schools, hospitals, camps, restaurants, libraries, offices, etc. Our ability to continue doing this depends on people like you! Your donations allow us to promote the vegan message whenever we’re called upon for assistance. Please consider becoming a monthly, quarterly, or single-time donor to The Vegetarian Resource Group.

Thanks so much for your support. You can make a donation online here: www.vrg.org/donate    

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):

Allah’s Kitchen, 24 Hinchey Rd., Rochester, NY 14624

Allah’s Kitchen uses natural and organic foods and is influenced by Jamaican and Indian cuisine. The Culture bowl, curried seitan, and many other vegan alternatives are available on the menu. The ambiance is cool, cozy, and stylish with outdoor dining.

Coco N’Ice, 3407 S. Mac Dill Ave., Tampa, FL 33629

Enjoy acai bowls, smoothies, homemade and one-of-a-kind desserts, delectable ice cream, and personalized cakes.

Greenhouse Canteen, 1011 W. 5th Ave., Columbus, OH 43212

Dine on Cauliflower Wings, Korean Rice Cakes, Eggplant Moussaka, Chickpea Fettuccine, Pecan Pie, and so much more!

Guru’s City Vegan, 509 S. Highland St., Memphis, TN 38111

Guru’s City Vegan is a black-owned restaurant that serves vegan soul food such as ribs, fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, candied yams, and black-eyed peas. They also have a juice and smoothie bar.

Papi Ali’s, 2323 Main St., Tucker, GA 30084

Plant-based Latin influenced cuisine with southern flavors are served at Papi Ali’s. They provide mushroom bacon, baked empanadas, and a variety of other delectable dishes. You may customize the menu by selecting the sort of bread you want for your sandwiches and wraps.

Rawish, 2000 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20006

Located in the sleekly refurbished Western Market food hall, three blocks West of the White House, this mostly raw, entirely vegan and soy -free establishment offers fresh, innovative, and healthy food and drinks. They have a long list of different juices, smoothies and smoothie bowls, each with a carefully chosen combination of ingredients, such as the refresh juice, which features pineapple, mint, apple and spirulina; and the Green Goodness smoothie bowl, with Avocado, Banana, Moringa, Spirulina, Agave, Coconut Water, Granola, Hemp Seeds, Strawberries, and Goji Date Sauce. They also offer a choice of salads, toasts, Buddha bowls, and cheesecake. Find a table in the attractive Western Market to eat your food, or take it to go.

Shayna B’s By the Sea, 631 Boston Post Rd., Westbrook, CT 06498

Shayna B’s By the Sea offers fantastic music and V-eliciously amazing gluten-free cuisine including soups, salads, bowls, wraps, pizza, and more. They may also personalize the cakes and cookies. Great inside and outdoor eating with a beautiful view; you can also dine in the park across the street.

Taqueria la Venganza, 597 15th St., Oakland, CA 94612

Fresh pressed tortillas and aguas frescas produced with ultra-ripe fruit are among the delicious dishes on the menu. The vegan meats are made entirely of plants, with a flavor and texture that is as near to the real thing as possible.

Vegan Bodega, Parkville Market, 1400 Park St., Hartford, CT 06106

Vegan Bodega is a vendor in Hartford, Connecticut’s Parkville Market. Their menu includes salads, empanadas, drinks, meal platters, pastry tarts, and the mac & cheese with fried chick’n is tasty and cheesy, among other wonderful alternatives. It features both indoor and outdoor eating areas, as well as a warm ambience.