Because the threats to the world are so great, I am making my latest book, VEGAN REVOLUTION: SAVING OUR WORLD, REVITALIZING JUDAISM, available to as many people as possible. I hope this starts many respectful dialogues that will help shift our imperiled planet onto a sustainable path.

Here is a link to the complete text of my book.  -Richard Schwartz

Each issue of Vegetarian Journal has a column titled Nutrition Hotline by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD. In the latest issue Reed discusses the topic “Vegan Diet and Acne.” For example, Reed states that “Some foods or categories of foods, especially dairy products and diets that cause a quick rise in blood sugar, are associated with an increased risk of acne.”

Read the entire column here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2021issue2/2021_issue2_nutrition_hotline.php

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

By Julia Comino, VRG Intern

“Eating vegan is too expensive.” This mainstream misconception can be an instant turn-off for those considering a diet switch, an easy excuse, as well as a major concern for low-income individuals interested in eating vegan. However, as a low-income vegetarian teen, I can assure you, that it does not take penny-pinching to make vegan and vegetarian diets affordable.

Breakfasts that Don’t Break the Bank

Whether you want a breakfast that’s easy to eat on the go or are looking for an indulgent dish for a brunch, eating delicious vegan breakfasts does not have to be expensive.

Vegan eating does not limit one’s palate, but rather opens a door to an entirely new way of creative, flavorful, and sustainable eating. Vegan breakfast hashes are a perfect example of how a basic concept can evolve into a myriad of different flavor combinations and nutrient options. Choose a high-carbohydrate vegetable such as potatoes, yams, or corn as the base for your dish. This will make the meal one that will keep you satisfied and full of reliable energy for hours after breakfast. Add your protein source: beans or tofu are some of the most cost-efficient and nutrient-packed options. (Buying shelf-stable tofu can be a cheaper option compared to refrigerated tofu depending on your store and allows you to keep this product in your cabinet at all times). Finally, add any other vegetables you want! A favorite mix of mine is yams, black beans, bell peppers, and tofu scramble seasoned with cayenne, cumin, and a dash of cinnamon. To cut costs, consider which vegetables you can find in your store’s frozen aisle. Spinach, kale, and other leafy greens can be much less pricey when bought in this form and add iron, potassium, and many other nutrients to your dish. After all, once you have this mix all cooked up, you won’t be able to tell if it was bought fresh or frozen. However, if you prefer to eat fresh produce, you can always keep an eye out for low-cost vegetables at your local farmers’ market and in stores, because depending on the season, sometimes buying fresh can be just as financially practical as buying frozen. Simply, chop all of your veggies, sauté the mix together in a frying pan paying special attention to which vegetables will need to begin cooking first (frozen vegetables need to be defrosted and potatoes and yams need to be added first to be fully cooked or you can boil a large amount of potatoes, yams, etc. at the beginning of the week, keep them in your fridge, and have those ready to use), add all the spices and flavors you like, and voila, you have your easy, nutrient-dense, and delicious breakfast.

Another, albeit less labor-intensive, breakfast to try is oatmeal. Not only are oats a great source of carbs, fiber, and even protein, but they also are an easily customizable dish. Oats can be topped with just about anything from dried fruits, nuts, chocolates, or berries, and I recommend not buying brand-name oats. When it comes to oats, there is no difference between brands beyond the price, so reach for the lowest cost you can find at your grocery store. For overnight oats, choose your flavors, pour in one part uncooked oats with two parts plant milk then toss your add-ins into a sealable container (add chia seeds for added omega-3 fatty acids). Leave your creation in the fridge overnight to have a delectable breakfast you can easily eat the next morning. Another great option is quick-oats, with these just boil some water or plant milk on a stovetop or in the microwave, add in your oats, then let sit for a few minutes, and you have a quick breakfast.

For my mornings, coffee is a must. I have found that even with my morning cup of Joe I can save a few cents with some easy switches. When you buy plant milks instead of buying refrigerated cartons found in the dairy aisle, look to see if your grocery stocks shelf-stable boxed plant milk. Where I live in Mississippi, a quart of shelf-stable soymilk costs just a few dollars, and when bought in bulk, costs around eleven dollars for 6 quarts. In comparison, a refrigerated quart of soymilk costs around three dollars. Also, you cannot practically buy these in bulk considering this product must be refrigerated and expires sooner than the aseptic boxed plant milk. While the difference between the costs of these two types of milk is not a large one, I have found that it is a simple switch.

Don’t Splurge on Snacking

While snacks are not meals, I have found that as a teenager who is constantly running to class, extracurricular activities, or work, that something quick-and-easy to eat can be just as important as a sit-down meal. Although there are low-cost pre-made snack options, I find that cooking up my own creations is the most cost-effective method for snacking.

Snacking on seeds, nuts, and dried fruits is a go-to. These items are shelf-stable, simple to pack for on-the-go snacking, and full of flavorful nutrients. However, buying nuts, seeds, and dried fruits can be expensive if you do not seek out the best deals. Depending on if your stores have continued the use of their bulk bins and dried food dispenser stations throughout COVID-19, you may find lower prices in this area of the store. This is also a good way to reduce your use of single-use packaging

Finding which stores in your area carry low-cost produce, grains, and other vegan staples is also a necessary step in affordable vegan eating. Check out your local markets or farmers’ markets to see if they stock produce from nearby farms at a lower price. For your canned, dried, and frozen items, almost any dollar store or discount market will stock these. I recommend buying store brand items to cut costs.

Granola is another, easily customizable, snack that you can make at the beginning of the week and continue to enjoy throughout. While there are some fairly-priced vegan granolas on the market, I have found that I prefer the flavors and the low cost of my homemade granola. When making granola you use oats as the base before tossing in the add-ins of your choosing. I usually, sprinkle in nuts, seeds, and dried coconut from my stash of snacks. After you have completed your mix, you add in an oil (I prefer coconut oil as it can be bought for as low as two dollars for a 10-ounce canister) and a sweetener such as agave, maple syrup, or molasses, which while can be higher-price items but can be rationed overtime to make the product a worthy investment. Next, after a quick stir, you are ready to load this mouth-watering mix into your oven. Let your granola toast to a golden brown color at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes before it’s ready to enjoy.

Low-cost Lunches

On the menu for lunch are the low-cost and endless possibilities of dishes that beans and lentils present. From chickpea salad sandwiches to Mexican-street food-inspired black bean and corn dip to hummus, there are endless easy-to-make and delicious to-eat lunches that one can create using beans. These are another food staple where you can seek out the best prices by investigating multiple areas of your local grocery store. Some stores have a wide variety of dried beans that usually are at a lower cost than those sold in cans. Dried beans can be bought from the bulk bin section or from where the shelf-stable dry goods are kept, and these dehydrated products still contain the same nutrients and flavors as their fresh or canned counterparts but can be bought at a more economical price. With dried beans and lentils, you just soak the beans in cold water in a stove pot, bring them to a boil, reduce heat, and then let them sit for a few hours. Once the beans are rehydrated you will find that you can cook with them just as easily as you would beans from a can to make lunches such as lentil daal, roasted chickpeas, and red beans and rice.

From topping my salad with roasted chickpeas to hummus and veggie sandwiches, I have found that a staple and favorite of mine is chickpeas. Although hummus is another product you can usually find for a reasonable price in stores, I prefer making my own. The recipe can be as simple or elaborate as you would like. Add chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice, spices, and tahini to a blender or food processor, and after a few minutes of blending, you have a creamy, protein- and flavor-packed dip. I bought a jar of tahini from my local Mediterranean market for just a couple of dollars months ago, and I have yet to finish it, I find it to be a great investment. From using hummus as a spread for sandwiches to dipping vegetables or chips, this delicious dip can be added to almost any lunch.

Discount Dinners

Personally, after getting home from a long day of school, stress, and all the responsibilities that high school students have, I am not up for spending hours in the kitchen. One-pan roasted vegetable combinations have become my savior on such nights. Simply cut up any vegetables you have lying around, or for a cheaper option, pull a bag of frozen vegetables out of the freezer and plop them straight in the pan. After seasoning with whatever sauces, spices, or aromatics that you are craving just pop the pan in the oven set at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and then rest as the vegetables do the work for you.

Rice, quinoa, and other such grains can be added to your steaming pile of roast veggies to give it a boost of carbohydrate energy. Buying these ingredients from the dried bins at your store allows them to be a cheap way to add bulk to any meal. Brown rice contains more fiber than white rice which can promote gut health. Quinoa is another nutrient-packed option. Not only are these grains inexpensive in my area, but they are also easy to prep at the beginning of the week and enjoy with multiple dinners. Whether you are simply adding these grains to roasted vegetables, on top of a salad, or smothering them in stewed lentils, they make any dinner complete.

For this next discount dinner option, I recommend heading to your local Dollar Store, Dollar General, or any low-price market. With a quick glance at the nutrition labels in their pasta aisle, you will realize that most of these products are surprisingly vegan. Pick up a jar of premade sauce, making sure that the ingredients do not contain animal products, and you have yourself a simple, cheap, and delicious pasta meal for as low as two dollars!

Inexpensive Indulgences

Although dessert is not an official meal, I would argue that it is just as important as breakfast, lunch, or dinner. For a simple, low-cost, but succulent sweet end to the day, homemade fruit cobblers are always my go-to. Whether I make a full dish of this dessert to share with my family and friends or making a single serving in a mug, I can always use frozen fruit. Buying fruit frozen instead of fresh is a very simple switch that cuts costs as well as halves your time prepping fruit when cooking. I just grab a bag of peaches, strawberries, or whatever fruit I am craving from the freezer, portion out the amount I am making, add sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice, and then pop this mixture into the microwave or oven. To spruce the dish up I often create a crumble topping out of flour, spices, and coconut oil that can be sprinkled over the fruit filling minutes before the dish is done cooking. After allowing the crumble to turn a golden brown and the fruit to become a gooey, jammy filling, this easy fruit cobbler is ready to be devoured!

With minimal planning, some price scanning, and creative cooking, I’m sure you will find that being vegan will not bankrupt you and that it can be even more cost-effective than eating animal products!

For more ideas on inexpensive vegan diets see:

The contents of this posting, 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.

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Shoofly pie is associated with the Pennsylvania Dutch. It’s made with molasses and brown sugar and is so sweet that the flies have to be shooed away. Long ago, a friend and co-worker gave me a recipe for Shoofly Cake, which has the flavor of shoofly pie without the work of making a pie crust. I made a few substitutions to make it vegan and adjusted the baking time and it has been a favorite family birthday cake for years.

Shoofly Cake (makes 1 9” round cake)

2½ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup organic sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda             

½ teaspoon salt

1/3 cup vegan stick margarine or shortening

1 cup hot water

½ cup molasses (not blackstrap molasses)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9-inch round cake pan.

     Combine flour, sugar, soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut in margarine with a pastry blender or a fork until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Reserve 1/3 cup of the crumbs and set aside.

     Stir together the hot water and molasses and add to the flour mixture in the large mixing bowl. Stir just until combined. Spread batter into prepared pan and sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture. Bake 30-35 minutes until it is done.

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS

The VRG received an inquiry about pig-derived kosher gelatin. Our reader wondered if there were any updates to our 2008 article titled Gelatin: Sometimes Kosher But Still not Typically Vegetarian.

At that time we interviewed several leading kosher certifying agencies who unequivocally stated that pig-derived gelatin could never be kosher. In April 2021, we contacted two leading kosher certifying agencies, Star-K and the Orthodox Union, to see if their positions had changed. Again, representatives on both of their consumer telephone lines said without any hesitation that “gelatin from pigs is never kosher.” For more, see:

https://oukosher.org/blog/consumer-kosher/gelatin-revisited/

www.star-k.org/articles/kashrus-kurrents/1404/getting-into-continued-on-page-4-the-thick-of-things-gelatin/

Rabbi Amiel Novoseller of the kosher certifying agency, Ko Kosher Service , did not agree with that stance in 2008 when we last spoke with him. In his opinion, porcine gelatin is kosher.

We caught up with him in 2021 to see if there were any updates to his viewpoint. Rabbi Novoseller told us that his stance “has not changed at all.” Here is his justification (reprinted from our 2008 article):

“…gelatin is not a food. At one time during its processing, when the bones and hides of animals are treated with acid during the gelatin extraction process, gelatin was not a food. In fact, it was “inedible even to a dog,” referring to a commonly known Jewish test of what is or is not a food. According to Jewish dietary laws, “If something is not a food, it cannot be non-kosher.” Therefore, according to Rabbi Novoseller, gelatin is kosher, regardless of animal species and slaughter method.”

Gelatin used as a processing aid in food and beverage products and in pharmaceuticals

During our discussion in April 2021, Rabbi Novoseller provided added insight to the issue of gelatin in food products. He stated that sometimes gelatin may be used during the processing of a food because it performs well during certain filtration or suspension stages, unlike other substances. In these cases, gelatin is not in the final food, and, so, would not appear on the label.

Vegetarians and vegans, in these cases, could not know if gelatin were used as a processing aid unless they contacted the food product company directly about unlabeled processing aids. For tips on how to get ingredient information from food companies, readers may find our article on this topic helpful.

Rabbi Novoseller also pointed out that gelatin of any source, used for medicinal purposes, could be considered permissible for consumption under Jewish law on the basis of “preservation of life” whether the gelatin had been certified kosher or not. This includes porcine gelatin in pharmaceuticals used during manufacture or in the final product. He noted, however, that kosher alternatives, if they exist, are always preferred.

If consumers are unsure of what to ask companies specifically about gelatin used as a processing aid in food or beverage products or in pharmaceuticals that they wish to consume, they should consult with the kosher agency that certified the product in question for more information.

Rabbi Novoseller declined to provide names of specific products or companies using porcine gelatin that he certifies. He noted that there are at least 4-5 other rabbis/kosher certifiers who consider porcine gelatin as kosher.

He also pointed out that since several of these certifiers as well as pig gelatin manufacturing plants exist, we can conclude that kosher and non-kosher porcine gelatin are currently in many food and beverage products and pharmaceuticals.

Rabbi Sheldon Goldsmith on porcine gelatin

Another kosher certifier of porcine gelatin is Rabbi Sheldon Goldsmith who spoke with The Vegetarian Resource Group in May 2021. Rabbi Goldsmith’s position is that pig-derived gelatin is not a meat byproduct, and, so, can be considered both kosher and pareve.

He later wrote to us:

“The production of the gelatin starts with the refinement of collagen-bearing tissues of any animal that has been raised and slaughtered for food purposes. The principal collagen-bearing tissue used is hide trimmings. These materials are carefully soaked in alkalis and/or acids and washed in clean water to remove almost all non-collagen constituents, including meat. During this soaking period the collagen is converted to gelatin. The treated materials are then cooked gently in pure water to extract the gelatin, which is further refined by filtration. The gelatin extract is then evaporated and dried to produce gelatin of the highest grade. (Contrary to common belief, gelatin is not manufactured from horns or hooves or meat of animals, for these do not contain the necessary collagen.)

It is interesting to note that during manufacture of gelatin, chemical changes take place so that, in the final gelatin product, the composition and identity of the original material is completely eliminated. Because of this, gelatin is not considered a meat food product by the United States government. The [manufacturing] plant is under supervision of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. If the government considered gelatin a meat food product, the plant would operate under the Meat Inspection Branch of the Department of Agriculture.”

Rabbi Goldsmith provided a summary of the Halachic principles used to justify his view:

“…When by chemical processes, the elements are separated and a new substance is produced… since it cannot be attained unless the original material is dried and spoiled, even if later, by chemical processes, it is given a good taste, it is considered a new substance…Kosher and Pareve. Thus, by all standards Gelatin may be classified as a new substance regardless of its origin prior to the various chemical treatments and processes preceding the product called gelatin.” [Note: Bold accent added by The VRG.]

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: When relying on kosher, vegetarian, vegan, animal welfare, organic, or any other certification on a label, you should investigate the criteria of the certification and how it matches your needs. Each certification most likely will have somewhat different approaches and interpretations. 

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 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):

Aratham Gourmet to Go, 3381 Rochester Rd., Troy, MI 48083

Aratham Gourmet to Go is making eating healthy vegan meals affordable and accessible. With to-go, delivery, and catering service providing delicious dishes like their vegan take on a Philly Steak Sandwich and the “Tuna Melt”, you can’t go wrong! Don’t miss out on their colorful freshly squeeze juices, like the Aratham Red, Green #1, or Yellow, and make sure to stop by to try their new dishes that are added every week!

Fermento, 1048 West Beech St., Long Beach, NY 11561

Inspired by Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, this café serves a selection of baked goods, lunch items, and even serves fresh-squeezed orange juice! They also offer espresso, tea, and a myriad of other coffee drinks. Be sure to try their homemade pancakes or a tofu scramble bowl for breakfast.

Goodbeet, 29 Haddon Ave., Westmont, NJ 08108

With a focus on using local organic produce and making baked goods in-house using coconut sugar, Goodbeet offers a wide range of healthy twists on casual comfort foods and proves just how creative vegan cuisine can be. From starters like Tofu Nuggets with BBQ or maple Dijon dipping sauce to the Wedge Salad with coconut bacon to the Sloppy Jack made with BBQ jackfruit, their menu offers something for every craving. They also offer a wide variety of lattes and smoothies—including the Birthday Cake smoothie, which includes vanilla protein and sprinkles on top. Hopefully you can manage to save some room for the in-house baked goods for dessert.

Mondays Plant Café, 208 4 St. NE, Calgary, AB T2E 3S2 Canada

Mouth-watering options include Rainbow Pad Thai – spiralized beet, zucchini, and carrot in a creamy peanut dressing, with edamame beans, sesame seeds, and local micro greens; Plant Bowl – greens, lentils, carrot, cashew-ricotta, sunflower seeds, creamy basil dressing, micro-greens; plus much more.

Plant Based Mafia, 7100 Fairway Dr., Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418

Think of all the Italian favorite dishes made from plants twist. Plethora of Italian sandwiches available in half or whole gumbo portions. Mouth-watering options such as Get the F Outa Here: Onions and peppers caramelized to perfection with brown sugar, then slow-cooked in bbq sauce with diced habaneros. Served on Italian garlic bread with Italian sausage, and topped with crispy onion strings, ”Sausage and peppers never tasted so good’’. Check out their desserts as well!

Poor Man Vegan, 90 Monticello Ave., Jersey City, NJ 07304

It may be known for its vegan cupcakes, but this Jersey City café serves it all. Made noticeable by its bright-green and yellow exterior, this café offers a rotating buffet that makes it easy to get your delicious meal quickly. Poor Man Vegan serves breakfast all day, and you can even get your food delivered! Be sure to try their popular vegan empanadas, which are offered in five different flavors.

Soulshine, 3864 Mission Blvd., San Diego, CA 92109

Make your day a little brighter by indulging in the delicious drinks that Soulshine is serving up. Take a gander around the vegan market in-store while you sip on their Lavender Latte or House made Matcha Lemonade. If you are looking for a quick bite to go along with your coffee then you must try the Herb Biscuit Sandwich, a cheddar & jalapeño biscuit loaded with a pho-egg patty, “bacon,” fresh lettuce and topped with a slice of vegan smoked provolone cheese, or satisfy your sweet tooth with one of their seasonal pastries.

The Nile Coffee Shop, 105 West Main St., Mesa, AZ 85201

The Nile Coffee Shop offers a 100% vegan breakfast and lunch menu. Several options have a southwestern theme as might be expected in Arizona. Chipotle mayo is served with several of the breakfast burritos including the Arizona tofu burrito with vegan cheddar and bacon, the southwest burrito with soyrizo and sweet potato hash, and the copper state burrito with vegan ham and cheddar. The lunch menu includes salads and sandwiches such as the mushroom melt with vegan provolone and bacon, and the Philly steak sandwich with peppers, onions, and vegan provolone. The Nile Coffee Shop is located in the historic Nile Theater and hosts live music venues.

Vaca’s Creamery, 1436 W. Blackhawk St., Chicago, IL 60642

Vaca’s Creamery is an all-vegan ice cream parlor. They have a variety of options such as ice cream, handshakes, drinks, various toppings, and sundaes. Some flavors that they have are Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Chocolate cake. Dulce de leche. They are located near the North Branch Chicago River.

By Shantika Bhat, VRG Intern

(5 servings)

3-1/2 cups poha (medium to thick poha, which can be found in Indian or Asian markets)

4 Tablespoons coconut oil

6 Tablespoons peanuts

2 teaspoons mustard seeds

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

2 chopped red chili

3 curry leaves chopped

3 pinches hing (asafoetida)

1-1/2 medium-sized onions, chopped

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

2 cups chopped carrots

2 Tablespoons of turmeric

Salt to taste

Lemon juice to taste

Chopped coriander leaves, for garnish

In a large pot clean the poha and be careful not to rinse it too much as it can get soggy and mushy. In a separate pot add 1 Tablespoon of coconut oil and then add peanuts and fry over medium heat until golden brown. Take out the peanuts and put them aside. In the same pot add 3 more Tablespoons of coconut oil and wait for 2 minutes. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and stir for 1 minute. Next, add red chili, curry leaves, hing, and onions and fry for 2 minutes. Add green bell pepper and carrots and stir for 3 more minutes. Add turmeric and mix for 1 minute. Add the soft poha and peanuts and integrate everything. For taste, add salt and lemon juice, and on top garnish with coriander leaves.

Are you looking for comfortable shoes that are vegan-friendly? Merrell offers a wide selection for men and women. Search under the word vegan at https://www.merrell.com/

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Tempeh (also known as tempe) is a traditional fermented product that originated in Indonesia. It is made by hulling, soaking, and partially cooking whole soybeans or other legumes, grains, or seeds. The beans are then inoculated with a tempeh starter (most commonly rhizopus spores) and incubated. The final product, tempeh, is a solid cake that has a mat of white mycelium (fine filaments) holding together the beans, grains, or seeds. Tempeh’s taste has been described as “nutty,” “cheesy,” “yeasty,” or “like mushrooms.”

Commercial varieties of tempeh, in addition to soy tempeh include Tofurky’s Five Grain Tempeh made with soybeans, brown rice, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and millet; Lightlife’s Three Grain Tempeh made with soybeans, brown rice, barley, and millet; and SoyBoy’s Five Grain Tempeh made with soybeans, brown rice, millet, kasha, and quinoa. Soy-free tempeh products include those made with azuki beans, chickpeas, and black beans, split peas, and lentils.

Nutritionally speaking, tempeh has a lot going for it. A 3-ounce serving of soy-based tempeh has 150-190 calories; tempeh made from other legumes may be somewhat lower in calories. Tempeh made with soybeans has more protein than a similar amount of tofu with a 3-ounce serving of tempeh containing 11-20 grams of protein. Tempeh made with other legumes and/or grains is lower in protein. Tempeh is a good source of fiber with 2 to 5 times more fiber than a similar amount of tofu.

Tempeh is a reasonably good source of iron with 2 milligrams in a 3-ounce serving and of calcium. A 3-ounce serving of soy-based tempeh has 70-100 mg of calcium. Unless vitamin B12 or a vitamin B12- producing bacteria are added during processing, tempeh is not a reliable source of vitamin B12.  Tempeh is low in sodium although it may be used to make higher sodium foods like tempeh bacon and tempeh burgers.

Tempeh can be marinated and broiled or grilled, sautéed, added to stir-fries or soups, used to top pizza, and to fill tacos or burritos.

For tempeh recipes see Cooking with Tempeh and Tempeh Temptations

To read about soy-based tempeh being approved for use in school meals see https://www.vrg.org/blog/2019/11/07/soy-based-tempeh-options-in-school-lunches/

To read about making your own tempeh, see:

Miso, Tempeh, Natto & Other Tasty Ferments by Kirsten K. Shockey and Christopher Shockey. Storey Publishing; 2019.

The Book of Tempeh by William Shurtleff and Akiko Aoyagi. Harper & Row; 1979.

The Stanford Inn Resort, is offering guests the opportunity to grow their lunch and eat it too with two new vegan retreats – one this summer and another in the fall.

“Everything we serve at our resort is organic, plant-based, and conscientiously prepared with respect for the land,” said Jeff Stanford, owner of the resort. “We field so many questions, we felt a couple of retreats would allow guests an authentic hands-on experience.” From cooking to nutrition, effective habit-change to environmental and ethical issues, guests will learn everything they need to know to be a happier, healthier person. The luxury eco-property has its own USDA Organic certified farm that provides produce for the Resort’s award-winning plant-based Ravens Restaurant.

The vegan retreats offer guests of the Stanford Inn Resort a chance to learn how to practically and logistically be vegan, and to show how simple it can be with regard to nutrition and cooking. There seems to be a feeling that transitioning to a vegan lifestyle is difficult. Stanford Inn Resort takes the guess work out of the process, and clears the confusion.

There are two vegan retreat sessions available:

·      Thursday, July 29 – Monday, August 2

·      Thursday, September 9 – Monday, September 13

Each vegan retreat includes:

·      4-night stay

·      4 breakfasts

·      4 dinners

·      2 cooking classes

·      Nutrition/healthy living class with author/nutritionist Sid Garza-Hillman

·      Sid’s Small Steps Approach with author/nutritionist Sid Garza-Hillman

·      “Bringing it Home” talk with Jeff Stanford & Sid Garza-Hillman–how to apply what you’ve learned!

·      Complimentary book copies of: Dining at the Ravens Cookbook by Jeff & Joan Stanford and The Art of Play by Joan Stanford; Approaching the Natural by Sid Garza-Hillman

·      Raising Healthy Parents: Small Steps, Less Stress, and a Thriving Family by Sid Garza-Hillman

·      Mountain bike rental

Cost:

$2150/person + tax (single occupancy), gratuities not included

$1390/person + tax (double occupancy), gratuities not included

The Stanford Inn Resort is located at 44850 Comptche Ukiah Road, POB 487, Mendocino, CA 95460. In addition to its farm and sprawling ecological landscape, the Stanford Inn Resort also hosts the Environmental Leadership Field School, an intensive experience that mobilizes future leaders from different fields to support and enhance the environment, biodiversity, and equitable relationships.

Guests at the Resort wander freely on the grounds, where they’ll see a variety of plants including edible flowers as well as a small menagerie of rescued animals. Those seeking a variety of other experiences make their way to resorts wellness center, which offers massage in the forest, nutrition and cooking classes, creative play shops, guided hikes, and various yoga and meditation classes. The Stanford Inn Resort’s outdoor shop offers different paddling and peddling experiences and specializes in redwood outrigger custom built canoe rentals, including the Canine Cruiser series – the only canoes in the world designed specifically for dogs and people to cruise together safely in style, with a raised and padded pooch floor.