Maryland Vegan Restaurant Week (actually weeks) is happening August 6^th through 29^th this year. What a terrific time to support local veggie restaurants! For details on all the restaurants participating and special events see: https://www.mdveganeats.com/

By Lucia Rivera, VRG Intern

Since Plantega launched, the plant-based program has been partnering with local New York City bodegas to offer their target audience accessible vegan food options.

     “We partner with bodegas in New York City and empower them to sell plant-based foods through our unique grill menu and retail installations. We provide them with all the training, operational and marketing support, and equipment to do it successfully and seamlessly with little to no disruption to ongoing operations,” Plantega lead Nil Zacharias said. “We also work with them to plan and execute special promotions, giveaways, community outreach efforts, and other marketing and promotional activities in and around their location.”

     Plantega expanded to 10 locations over the course of the pandemic, with bodega store owners reaching out to the Plantega team through email ([email protected]) and through Instagram. Zacharias recommended for interested bodega owners to inquire about a partnership through the same methods, with more information also available at the Plantega website. There, entrepreneurs, customers, and activists alike can view the Plantega menu, which features a range of vegan food items.

     Although Plantega does provide stores with items from its standard menu, there is a customized marketing method implemented based on a specific bodega’s community. According to Zacharias, “what we do find we can customize and make unique is the way in which we communicate what our menu items are all about.”

     Additionally, to better connect with Plantega’s various bodegas, the company’s Community Ambassador program allows respective community members to engage bodega owners and customers in relevant ways. “For example in this location [in East Brooklyn] where the majority of the customer base is Spanish-speaking, Community Ambassadors that visit that location speak Spanish. We hand out Spanish language flyers, plus we also find that, depending on the neighborhood, we try to find different sandwich options that we promote outside the store through posters and other signage that we think would resonate more with the neighborhood.”

     For NYC community members interested in promoting the plant-based movement in local stores, one can apply to be a Plantega Community Ambassador on the Plantega website. There, they will find the application searching for “team members that share our passions for health, yummy food, and community wellness.”

     In addition to the help of Community Ambassadors, Zacharias also noted that “in some locations the store owners are sort of the trusted advisors of the customers.” This dynamic leads to an inherently customized marketing strategy for Plantega products. This community-integrated practice model, though, came with specific intentions.

     “We want to be community powered and we want to empower the community. It comes to life in two specific aspects of Plantega. Community powered because we want our team to reflect the community; we want to make sure that the foods and messaging and the branding feels natural and culturally relevant for the communities that we are serving,” Zacharias stated. “We want them to be independent stores and that kind of brings me to my second point. We are here to empower the community because the model we’ve chosen and how we want to distribute our menu and our products is through independent bodegas.

     “We want to empower them to tap into the benefits of the plant based movement and the growth in the plant based food industry. So instead of opening up a restaurant that would compete with independent businesses in these neighborhoods, we intentionally build a model where each of these stores themselves stand to profit and stand to become part of the plant-based movement rather than have it replace them.”

     Plantega works with store owners by recognizing their needs and meeting them with specific plant-based products and meals.

     “We want to make sure that they understand what the value proposition is for them, because we know that they get pitched a lot by a lot of food companies that usually don’t really engage with them, or care about them or get to know them—they’re just looking for another distribution point for one of their products. We want to make sure we do more than that. Frankly, they’re quite confused in the beginning when we talk to them [and] tell them ‘All you have to do is agree to buy products from us, and we will, you know, train your cooks, and then you don’t have to worry about anything. We handle all of it. We will do all the signage; we will do marketing. If the press wants to film the location we will bring them in, we will do social media, we will do free giveaways,’” Zacharias said.

     Local New Yorkers may have encountered one of Plantega’s free giveaways recently, such as their vegan Ben & Jerry’s ice cream distribution that was documented on their Instagram. Efforts like these help Plantega achieve the mission of making plant-based food “accessible to everyone, everyday” through individual bodegas.

     “When we do those special things, the bodegas notice that we are truly invested and committed to their success, and their success will then equal our success. And I find that trust building takes time but once it’s done and we’ve established those relationships, we are really able to get them to cooperate with us, to plan promotions, and do all kinds of things in their stores,” Zacharias explained. “They see the money at the end of the day and that is truly what they value, which I totally understand, and of course they value serving their community, which they are also able to do. […] And of course the customers in those locations are just happy to have some better options on the menu, even if they’re not vegan or vegetarian. They’re just happy that someone’s doing something for their local bodega and that I think in itself is worth all the effort.”

     For NYC customers who want to “get Plantega at a bodega near” them, the company also recommends them to send an email to [email protected]. One can learn more about Plantega at eatplantega.com 

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.

For vegan information in Spanish, see vrg.org/nutshell/information_in_Spanish.htm

Surprise! Dairy Queen is now offering a vegan option. Their Dilly Bar is gluten-free, dairy-free, and plant-based, made with a coconut cream base and finished with a crunchy chocolatey coating. Enjoy one as a special treat!

More information can be found here: dairyqueen.com/en-us/menu/non-dairy-dilly-bar/

Franchia offers both outdoor and indoor dining on Park Avenue in New York City and their Asian fusion vegan cuisine is delicious! They also offer pick-up and delivery service.

     We recently dined on their Kale Dumplings, Penang Noodles in Spicy Curry & Coconut Broth, and Drunken Basil Noodles. We especially loved the Penang Noodles dish due to its presentation, taste, and various food textures found in the bowl. Each bite was a treat! Be sure to stop by when visiting New York, NY.

More info on this restaurant can be found here: franchia.com

Recent topics brought up include:

– In a video, Julia Comino (VRG intern) gives her ideas for inexpensive vegan meals

– List of 25 Ideas for Hot Weather Meals

– Read about what vegan foods are the favorites of The Vegetarian Resource Group’s Interns

– Vegan Dinner Held in Northern New Jersey

https://www.facebook.com/groups/VRGparentsandkids is intended to be a group that offers support for families raising children on vegan diets and for vegan kids around the world. We envision it as a place to get advice about a wide-variety of topics: pregnancy, birthday parties, school lunches, Halloween, non-leather apparel, cruelty-free products, summer camps, and more. Please use it as a place to share your wisdom, seek advice, or just find a sympathetic ear. The goal is to offer support.

Consequently, any profane, defamatory, offensive, or violent language will be removed. Feel free to disagree, but do so respectfully. Hateful or discriminatory comments regarding race, ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or political beliefs will not be tolerated. We expect that posts should relate to vegan diets and lifestyles. The Vegetarian Resource Group reserves the right to monitor all content and ban any user who posts in violation of the above rules, any law or regulation, SPAM, or anything otherwise off topic.

Please share this information with any veggie families that you know! Thanks.

Chef Nancy Berkoff’s article Andiamo! Creative Pasta Dishes features several vegan recipes including:

Puttanesca Spaghetti
Pasta Roll Ups with Spinach Ricotta
Avocado Lasagna
Vegan Mac and Cheese
Squash and Mac

Read the entire Vegetarian Journal article here and start cooking:
Andiamo! Creative Pasta Dishes

To subscribe to Vegetarian Journal, visit: Subscribe to Vegetarian Journal

Vegetarian Journal previously featured a vegan recipe piece by cookbook author and photographer Hannah Kaminsky called “Keep Your Cool! Refreshing No-Bake Desserts.” Recipes include Peaches and Cream Icebox Cake, Orange Dream Ice Cream Bars, Raspberry White Chocolate Macaroons, Root Beer Float Pie, and Bananas Foster Crème Brûlée.

You can find the entire piece here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2019issue3/2019_issue3_keep_cool.php

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

Beyond Sushi presently has 4 locations open in New York City and offers vegan sushi, dumplings, and more. All the dishes are beautifully presented and you don’t have to worry about any fish products in your meal.

     We sampled their Shiitake Truffle Dumplings, as well as their Five Spice Chick’n Dumpings. In addition, we ordered the Spicy Mang Sushi and the Mighty Mushroom Sushi. Everything tasted fantastic!

     This is a great restaurant to take someone on their birthday! Also, weekdays they offer a luncheon special. See: beyondsushi.com

What can you pack for a vegan lunch? Whether you’re going to school, work, a picnic, or on a road trip, you need options for lunch. Check out 50 ideas to fill your lunch bag!

See this Vegetarian Resource Group Video at https://youtu.be/kqoFDjQO2fs

More videos at:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvSyCToa_i9fA4D5CLCAFWw
https://www.vrg.org/veg_videos.php

Broke Bank Vegan highlights Mexican cuisine with a plant-based twist. Here, you’ll find food that is cheap, easy to make, and delicious for vegans and non-vegans alike. Below find a sample recipe for Sopes found on this blog. If you haven’t heard of sopes before, don’t worry.They also go by other names (like picaditas) and vary depending on which state of Mexico they’re made in. They’re not too common in North America unless you have Mexican roots or get a chance to eat at an authentic restaurant.

Sopes belong to the food family antojitos (or little cravings) and are usually found in street stalls or served as appetizers. These little bites are an essential part of Mexican culture. Broken down — what you have is a thick corn tortilla with ridges (to keep all the goods from falling off). It’s then lightly fried and topped with refried beans, vegetables, vegan meat, and different salsas.

Ingredients

2 cups masa harina

1 ½ cups warm water

¼ tsp salt

1 recipe refried beans

To serve optional

▢ Neutral oil for frying

▢ Vegan queso fresco

▢ Salsa fresca

▢ Vegan Mexican crema

▢ Pickled jalapeños

▢ Vegan chorizo

▢ Jackfruit carnitas

▢ Avocado cubes

▢ Lime wedges

Instructions

 Dough

• Add the masa harina and salt to a mixing bowl and combine. Then, add in 1½ cups of warm water to start and mix together using your hands.
• Begin kneading the dough to form a ball that’s sticky enough to stay together, but not coming off on your hands. Keep mixing and pressing with your palm for a few minutes.
• If the dough appears too crumbly, add a tbsp of water at a time until you are able to form a texture similar to play-dough. If it becomes too sticky, add in a little more masa harina.

Rolling

• Next, start breaking off pieces of the masa dough to form small balls (about the size of a golf ball). Roll each piece of dough in between your palms until smooth. You should get about 9-10 sopes out of this recipe. Cover all the dough balls with a tea towel on your counter or cutting board.

Pressing

• If you have a tortilla press, cut a zip lock bag into 2 pieces that will fit into the press (one for each side of the sope).
• Open the press and place a ball of dough in the center on a piece of plastic. Place the other plastic piece on top and close the press down quite gently to form thick tortillas (about ¼-inch).
• If you don’t have a tortilla press, place your ball of dough between the same 2 pieces of plastic on your counter. Press the dough down with the bottom of a baking dish or flat plate until it’s about ¼-inch thick.

Cooking

• Preheat a cast-iron skillet for 8-10 minutes up to medium-low or medium (medium-low works best on our stove). Then, add a sope in and cook on the first side for 60-70 seconds. Flip and cook for another 60-90 seconds, or until brown spots are forming (for us, 70 seconds on the first side and 80 seconds on the second works best).
• Remove from heat and let the first sope rest while you add in the next sope. After about 30-60 seconds, pull a little dough from the inner portion of the cooked sope and pinch it out to the edge with your thumb and index finger to form a ridge all the way around.
• Cover the sope with a tea towel, and repeat this process until all are cooked.

Serving

• Heat about ¼ cup of neutral oil in the same cast-iron skillet over medium-low or medium (depending on your stove). Fry each sope on both sides for about 20-30 seconds, or until they appear a light golden color. Remove from heat and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to get rid of any excess oil.
• Serve your sopes with a layer of refried beans on the bottom. Top them with any of the following: salsa fresca, avocado cubes, vegan queso fresco, vegan Mexican crema, cilantro, lime, or hot sauce. Enjoy!

Here’s a video showing you how to prepare this dish: https://youtu.be/qCJF0V6mQcM