Hello, my name is Abi Singstock and I just conducted research regarding the availability of plant-based lunch menu items at public schools in Cincinnati, Ohio. I recently published my paper and would like to allow for more people to see my results. I wanted to share my results with you. I found my paper to be of essential value to me personally since it was the push in my own decision to go vegan. I have found myself in a happier existence with this new lifestyle and would hope that I could help others find what I have found through veganism. I have provided the link below for you to see my paper and abstract. Thank you so much, Abi

See: https://www.jsr.org/hs/index.php/path/article/view/1911

For more information on school food lunches, see: https://www.vrg.org/fsupdate/index.htm

Organic Krush has a vegan menu listed on their website. Among their offerings are Tofu Breakfast Bowl, Sweet Potato Hash, Thai Tofu over Brown Rice, Spicy Korean over Noodles, Avocado Toast, and much more. For more information on this establishment, see: https://organickrush.com/

Vegetarian Journal Senior Editor Rissa Miller wrote an article titled, “On a Roll” in a previous issue. She provides recipes for making the dough (including a gluten-free option) or if you’re in a rush how to use vegan canned crescent-style dough. You’ll also find three sweet roll fillings and three savory roll fillings. Start baking today!

Read the complete article here: On a Roll

Subscribe to Vegetarian Journal in the USA only by visiting 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):

Curbside Comforts, Eastern Promenade, Portland, ME 04101

Curbside Comforts food truck is veteran owned and offers delicious plant-based vegan all-American comfort food, such as Chick’n Patty Sammy, Gravy Comfort Fries, Comfort Burgers, and a variety of Comfort Mac & Cheeses. Be sure to check out their social media pages for their schedule and location. See: https://www.facebook.com/curbsidecomfortsfoodtruck/?ref=page_internal

HipCity Veg 28 E 12th Street, New York, New York 10003

HipCityVeg is a vegan fast food eatery with inexpensive yet delicious fare. Although there are a few tables for dining, the restaurant is mostly for take-out. Enjoy the Ziggy Burger (made with smoked tempeh), Curry Tofu Wrap, or the Classic Veg Burger. The café uses recycled and compostable packaging.

Minglewood Bake Shop, 3337 W. Cary St., Richmond, VA 23221

Minglewood Bake Shop is a bakery that serves delectable vegan delicacies such as pumpkin scones, chocolate chip cookies, soft serve ice cream, cupcakes, and much more. The staff is kind and helpful. The decor is trendy and has a cozy ambiance.

Not Ya Average Leaf, 197 Vulcan Rd., Birmingham, AL 35209

Not Ya Average Leaf is a woman owned vegan food truck service doing pop-ups across Alabama. They serve egg rolls, cheese ranch fries, chik’n sandwich, loaded burger, red velvet cake, and many other items.

Sweet Vegan Bakes, 409 W. North Ave., Chicago, IL 60610

Sweet Vegan Bakes is a plant-based dessert and gluten-free bakery. Wraps, sandwiches, cupcakes, and cookies are among the items on the menu. A part of the shop’s revenues is contributed to local community groups. The location is ideal; it is only around the corner on North Ave from the Brown Line’s Sedgwick stop.

Toma-tis, 796 Mecham Ave., Elmont, NY 11003

Toma-tis is a plant-based restaurant that serves vegan Caribbean food such as Jackfruit BBQ, Vegan Oxtails, Jerk Chicken, Curry chickpeas, Plantains, and more. They only utilize natural products, including spices and condiments. The workers are quite courteous, cheerful, and informed. When placing an order online, the eatery is called “Liv in Vegan.”

Veg-in YYC, 215 6th Ave. SE, Calgary, AB T2G0G4 Canada

Veg-in YYC is a woman-owned and family-run restaurant. The menu offers a wide range of culinary alternatives, including deconstructed samosas, rice bowls, homemade burgers, wraps, flatbreads, and much more.

By Ruby Sturm, VRG Intern

I’m a German-American teen, and I’ve been traveling to Germany every year since I was two. We missed our trip last summer because of the pandemic. This year I became a vegan (after being a vegetarian since I was born). I wondered what it would be like to return to Germany with my new lifestyle. I have to say, it was not what I had expected it would be.

Our trip there in August started out rough. During our 8-hour flight to Zürich, we had nothing to eat. My mom had called the airline before our fight, and whoever answered the phone assured her that they had meals for us. But spoiler alert they didn’t. United Airlines used to let you reserve vegan meals but stopped after the pandemic. At least we had croutons … I remember journaling (at I’m not sure what time in the morning), and writing about the exquisite “flavor” of the croutons. Once we arrived in Switzerland (my Oma’s house in Germany is close to the border) we snacked on overpriced dark chocolate and bread at the airport. Sometimes, you just have to make do. 

Once in Germany, the rest of the trip was much different. After only two years of not being there, things had changed so much. At the gas station, a huge ad for Burger King’s plant-based Whopper mentioned, “now with vegan mayo!” Two years ago every swimming pool still sold ice cream, naturally. But now most of them have at least one type that is actually labeled vegan! That’s right, they did the work for you. There was a big green “V” label on any food that was vegan, and it was honestly incredible! I remember the first supermarket we went into after arriving. I started to excitedly run around and photograph everything vegan I saw. And, believe me, there was a lot!  

In the meat-and-cheese-loving southern German town where my father grew up, the grocery stores now seemed to be competing for the largest billboards and posters, announcing, “We have more than 600 vegan items!” “Look at our selection of vegan and vegetarian products!” Heck, Lidl (supermarket) even had a vegan yogurt cup for 75 cents, 75 CENTS! The new vegan products were also highlighted on a full-page insert, in the daily newspaper my Oma got and showed me. At the thermal bathhouse in Überlingen that I’ve visited since I was little, the café had a vegan chicken nugget kids meal! And it cost less than the regular chicken nugget meal.  

Living Vegan with The Family

At my Oma’s house we mainly just ate vegetables. Of course, she didn’t know exactly what to feed us. She bought us a box of chocolate and didn’t realize it was milk chocolate. Oma also wanted to make us Semmelknödel but couldn’t find any packages that were vegan. Eventually, we baked vegan shortbread cookies together and they were delicious! Later, at my aunt and uncle’s house, they and my cousins surprised us with vegetables and rice in a coconut curry sauce, and for dessert, they even baked a vegan cake! It was a really good cake! My cousin Luisa took the photo. It wasn’t always easy to eat vegan while living with relatives, but everybody tried their best to feed us!

Eating Out

Of course, at some restaurants the only choice on the menu is salad and fries. At a café in the Black Forest they made an interesting meal out of this —Pommes mit Hummus und Falafel “fries with hummus and falafel.” I added guacamole. It might seem strange, but it tasted delicious! The only problem was that at first instead of falafel they gave me meatballs. For five minutes, the waitress argued that it really was falafel, just fried differently. Eventually, I got my meal. The funny part was that afterward, the waitress started a conversation with my parents to get tips on being vegan. Apparently, she had tried hard and failed. 

A lot of German restaurants have veggie burgers. You could ask them to take off the cheese to make it vegan. After visiting the Meersburg Castle, on the Lake of Constance, we went to a restaurant on the market square that had tasty, but expensive, homemade veggie burgers. 

To get a break from eating out, when we were in the Black Forest we stayed at a lodge where we thought we’d have our own kitchen. But we didn’t. The lodge did have a vegan soup–but I wasn’t going to live off of soup after having to live off croutons, vegetables, and Pommes so far! We ended up eating out at a lot of places, but we also brought groceries back home to cook at my Oma’s. The German grocery stores were amazing! They had so many vegan products that don’t exist or are hard to find in the United States. However, they do have fewer international foods, such as Latin American and Asian. Now that I think about it, a lot of the going-out-to-eat places were overpriced. But I suppose the food was good, so it was worth it. A lot of German supermarkets, like Aldi, Edeka, and Lidl were filled with vegan and vegetarian products that were cheaper than at home. I hope some of the products, such as Lidl’s vegan mozzarella sticks, will come to the United States.

The Shoe Store and More

So this is quite an interesting story. We were shoe shopping and I had bought some Rieker shoes (my new favorite pair) made out of vegan leather and on sale for 20 Euros; what a bargain! My Papa bought sports shoes, and my Mama was at a different shoe store. When we found her she was in a deep discussion with the owner about apple leather. Apple leather is quite interesting. After researching, I discovered that to make it you need to purée and dehydrate apples and mix them with polyurethane. The shoe store owner was explaining that the apple leather shoes weren’t selling well yet because the price was high (120 Euros) and many people didn’t trust the material well enough. After we all had bought some new vegan shoes, we left the plaza for the day. We ate lunch and then took a walk. While we were wandering the streets we saw some local political signs posted around the square advertising candidates for the upcoming September elections. The signs were for a local vegan political party! That’s right, in addition to the Green Party, Germany now has a Vegan Party, V-Paretei3!  It was founded in 2016. They are still new and I have no doubt that this year they probably didn’t do well. But Germans are very environmentally aware, so who knows what will happen in the next four years?

I asked former VRG Intern, Alicia Hückmann, from Germany, for her input. “In the big cities, vegan products in supermarkets are the usual standard, and restaurants usually have at least one vegan option,” Hückmann said. “But I am not so naive to think that in a few years every person in Germany will be vegetarian or vegan. People might be ready to not eat meat and animal products once a week. But to fully give it up, only a few would do that. Also, the trend doesn’t really seem to be happening in rural areas and with older folks. Because meat is still a big part of German cooking and culture, deeply rooted, and still counts as a symbol of masculinity and strength.” Hückmann says that the German vegan movement is being led by the young. “Things are changing for the better, mainly thanks to the younger generations who are second-guessing the status quo, and loudly fighting for our planet!”

This was Alicia’s perspective from a few years ago: https://www.vrg.org/blog/2016/08/03/is-it-reasonable-to-travel-to-germany-as-a-vegan/

Zel Allen’s previous Vegetarian Journal article “Thanksgiving Gone Deliciously Vegan” serves up these delicious recipes: Roasted Butternut Sunset; Harvest Succotash; Yin-Yang Pâté; Pistachio and Sweet Pea Torte with Roasted Tomato Aioli; Chestnut-Smothered Brussels Sprouts; Easy Pumpkin Tofu Cheesecake and Flaxseed Pie Crust.

Find the recipes here: Thanksgiving Gone Deliciously Vegan

Subscribe to Vegetarian Journal in the USA only by visiting https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

By Rissa Miller, Senior Editor Vegetarian Journal

This recipe just tastes like fall and the holiday season! And the burgers are a fast, easy way to make a meal festive.

2-1/2 cups yellow or brown lentils

1 bay leaf

5 cups water or veggie broth

1 teaspoon olive oil 

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped mushrooms

1 cup cooked rice

2-4 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast

1 Tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce or tamari

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried sage

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

pinch black pepper

1/4 cup flaxseed meal

Non-stick spray
1/2 cup ketchup (if making a loaf)

In a large pot, combine lentils, bay leaf, and water or broth. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally until all liquid is absorbed and lentils are soft, about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, warm olive oil in a sauté pan and add onion, celery, and mushrooms. Sauté until veggies are soft and lightly browned, about 7-8 minutes. 

Add cooked rice to a microwave-safe bowl and stir together cooked rice, minced garlic, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, parsley, thyme, sage, rosemary, and black pepper. In a microwave, warm on high heat for about 45 seconds, then stir in the flaxseed meal. Allow to rest for 15 minutes for flaxseed to bind.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. When lentils are done, add to a food processor or high-power blender and process into a purée. If necessary, process in batches. Add smoothed lentil paste to rice mixture and sautéed vegetables and mix by hand until well combined.

Shape to bake. If making burgers, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and form the mixture into 15 patties. Bake burgers for 15 minutes and flip, then bake another 15 minutes on opposing side. Cool for 20 minutes before serving. Pile with your favorite toppings on a toast roll. 

If making a loaf, line a loaf pan with foil and coat with non-stick spray.  Press mixture into loaf pan and top with ketchup. Bake loaf for 50-60 minutes and then cool 1 hour before inverting to serve. If desired, serve with more ketchup or warmed tomato sauce.

Cranberries are often served on Thanksgiving in the USA. Debra Daniel-Zeller shares the following cranberry-based recipes in a previous Vegetarian Journal article she wrote:

Orange-Cranberry “Butter”

Warming Cranberry-Apple Cider

Heavenly Squash, Cranberries, and Rice

Double Cranberry Soda Bread

Cranberry-Apple Cobbler

Cranberry Fruit Salad

Whole Cranberry-Pineapple Sauce

Creamy Cranberry-Apple Whip

Find the recipes here: Crazy About Cranberries

Subscribe to Vegetarian Journal in the USA only by visiting https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

Whole Foods Market is Offering Vegan Thanksgiving Meals. The menu was created by Chloe Coscarelli and feeds two people. Online ordering ends November 23^rd followed by store pick-up. For more details, visit: https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/tips-and-ideas/holiday/vegan-meal  

Here’s what you’ll get:

Cremini Mushroom Roast

Hearty, roasted mushrooms blended with onions, celery, garlic, tempeh and herbs to create a delicious vegan roast for your holiday table.

Mushroom Gravy

Savory vegan gravy made with three types of mushrooms, wine, garlic and herbs.

Miso Creamed Greens

Sautéed lacinato kale tossed in a creamy, white miso cashew sauce with roasted garlic for unforgettable flavor.

Coconut Sweet Potato Casserole

Tender sweet potatoes folded together with coconut milk, winter spices and sweet-tart cranberries — all topped with marshmallows and a crunchy streusel topping.

Jalapeño Cornbread Dressing

A flavorful take on the classic with spicy jalapeños, corn, onions and celery.

Pumpkin Curry Soup

Delicately spiced pumpkin sweetened with apple and puréed with coconut milk.

If you live in Baltimore, Maryland, or will be traveling here soon, be sure to visit NuVegan. This vegan soul food restaurant chain has opened a new location near Johns Hopkins University Homewood Campus. They offer lunch and dinner daily and the food is absolutely delicious! Enjoy tasty dishes like the Chick/n Drummies, Barbecue Tofu with Rice, Black Bean Burger, Lasagna, Macaroni & “Cheese,” Kale Salad, Ginger Collards, and “Crab” Cakes.

For more information on this restaurant, see: www.ilovenuvegan.com