Shannon Cebron
offers a number of vegan recipes you can prepare and take with you on your next
camping and/or hiking trip. Her previous Vegetarian
Journal article “Take it Outside” offers recipes for Curried Tofu Salad
Sandwiches, Roasted Garlic Everything Bagel Dip, Watermelon Herb Salad, Trail
Mix Cookies, Whole Wheat Banana Bread Muffins, and Kale & Chickpea Scramble
Burritos. Read the entire article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2020issue2/2020_issue2_take_outside.php
The Vegetarian Resource Group has a graphic called Burrito on My Plate,
which shows viewers the water footprint of a vegan versus a meat-based burrito.
It takes 225 gallons of water to make a vegan burrito without tofu and 253
gallons of water to make a vegan burrito with tofu. In comparison, it takes 541
gallons of water to make a beef burrito.
Nothing beats a creative
salad dressing that’s quick to prepare and toss into your salad mixture. Chef
Nancy Berkoff has a few suggestions including Indian Curried Grapefruit
Dressing, Thai Peanut-Orange Dressing, Retro Green Goddess Dressing, Italian
Sun-dried Tomato-Rosemary Vinaigrette, Chinese Sesame-Soy Dressing, Continental
Shallot and Caper Dressing, Southwestern Chili Pepper Dressing, and more.
Create and submit a video relating what you want to tell others
about vegetarianism/veganism.
Some possible topics: food, nutrition, your feelings about
veganism/vegetarianism, water usage and vegetarianism, veganism and animal
rights, or other vegan topics which appeal to you. Humor and feelings are
appreciated. All videos should be positive, not be critical of anyone, and not
include any footage of animal cruelty. You may submit a video you have already
made.
Aspects of judging include accuracy and judges wanting to
share the video with others. Entrants give permission to The Vegetarian
Resource Group to post and share the video, to link to and from the video, and
share the video with the media. Deadline to enter this year is July 15, 2021.
On May 10th, The Vegetarian Resource Group hosted a Zoom seminar with Professor Phyllis McShane’s class of University of Maryland dietetic students. These students had already earned their undergraduate nutrition degree and are currently completing a year-long internship to receive their registered dietitian certification. This conversation between these students and The VRG staff allowed a nuanced discussion of the relationship between veganism and nutrient needs, financial status, and lifestyles.
The Zoom began at 10:30 EST with Dr. Reed Mangels, a VRG nutrition advisor and registered dietitian, leading a presentation on the demographic of vegans in the United States and the common reasons individuals switch to plant-based diets. After this, current VRG interns discussed their insights on living as vegan or vegetarian and how financial situations or location can affect their diets. Following this discussion, Dr. Mangels opened the floor to anyone who had questions to pose to any VRG interns as a way for these prospective dietitians to learn how to connect with future vegan or vegetarian clients.
Next, past VRG intern, Whitney Blomquist, joined with her two vegan twin toddlers
to discuss her experience with
raising children on a
vegan diet and remaining vegan during pregnancy. Dr. Reed Mangels explained
that although individuals require different nutrients throughout their life
cycle, it is possible and healthy to follow a vegan diet at any age, including
pregnancy and childhood.
Following this conversation
on life cycles, The Vegetarian Resource Group’s Charles Stahler conducted an
ethics conversation in which he presented dietetic students with hypothetical
situations they might encounter with patients. From discussing how one might
react to a teenager switching to a vegan diet without their parent’s support to the effect a diet
change could have on familial relationships, this conversation allowed the
University of Maryland students to put to work the concepts on veganism they
had been taught.
Finally, each dietetic
student was given the opportunity to virtually share a vegan dish they cooked. Dishes such as pho-meat substitutes,
chickpea salad, and vegetable sushi were presented displaying the wide array of
flavors that vegan diets can have. After a final Q&A, the University of
Maryland students were presented the opportunity to do an internship rotation
with the VRG in the future before being dismissed, full of their newly acquired
understanding of veganism.
To read about past dietetic interns who did a rotation with VRG, see
Photo of Mushroom BBQ Bacon Burger from PLNT Burger
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):
Aunts Et Uncles, 1407 Nostrand Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11226
This
women-led, black-owned chic café dishes up artistic, beautiful dishes, many
using vegan products such as Beyond Meat and Just Egg, and then paired with
homemade touches, like their pesto sauce or daily soups. They also offer a
variety of drinks, including kombucha, cappuccino, hot chocolate, liquor, wine,
and even striking cocktails, such as their Boylan Shirley Temple or Plantation
Pineapple. Of their dozens of positive
reviews, noteworthy are the comments raving about their vegan lobster roll.
It’s seemingly magical taste is based in hearts of palm. Just a block and a
half from the Church Avenue subway stock, a 5 minute walk to the Flatbush
Public Library branch, and 10 minutes from Prospect Park, Aunts Et Uncles makes
a great stop for a small vegan bite any day you’re in the neighborhood.
Cadence, 122 E. 7th St.,
New York, NY 10009
Cadence
is under the umbrella of the Overthrow Hospitality group, whose mission
includes a commitment to charity, community, inclusivity, and sustainability.
Its menu offers a 100% plant-based spin on Southern and Soul food. Options
range from lighter fare, such as the arugula salad with a champagne Dijon
dressing, to the more decadent, including the Jerk Mac + Cheese or the Cadence
cobbler, made with dairy-free ice cream. And no Southern menu would be complete
without cornbread, which is served with bee-free honey butter and jams. The
wine offerings are selected from black-owned wineries in South Africa and
California.
Flora Plant Based
Cuisine, 676 Cherry St., Winter Park, FL 32789
Flora
Plant Based Cuisine offers “Ecuadorian – Tropical Cuisine, with organic, non
gmo, local non-processed ingredients” in dishes like ceviche, burritos, and
lasagna. Their sale revenue also funds an eco-village project in Ecuador!
Hella Nuts, 3645 Martin
Luther King Jr. Way, Oakland, CA 94609
Hella
Nuts is a plant-based eatery offering cuisine made from nuts and is 100% soy
free. Their menu changes frequently depending on what’s in season. Some days
they serve Hella Loaded Burritos and Deep East Nacho Fries and other days they
offer Shepard’s pie, a Fun Fried Phish Sandwich made with fried banana
blossoms, and the Wild & Free Mushroom Flatbread drizzled with truffle oil.
Several “sweetz” are available such as banana splits, raw butter joy, and
mylkshakes.
Plantita
Vegan Bakery offers an array of freshly baked bagels and other vegan bakes that
can be ordered by the dozen. Indulge in classics that are elevated to new
levels such as their Cinnamon Raisin bagels flavored with Vietnamese cinnamon
or the smokey, savory, and surprisingly spicy Green Chile bagel. If you are
craving something a little different, look no further than the wide variety of
empanadas, breads, and sweets this vegan bakery offers.
PLNT Burger, Whole Foods
Market, 1575 The Fairway, Jenkintown, PA 19046
PLNT
Burger is a straight-forward vegan burger shop. The patties are Beyond Meat,
the “cheeses” are vegan, and the fries are herb seasoned. Pair it
with an oat milk based soft-serve or a sweet tea, and you’ve got a nostalgic
masterpiece of a meal.
Take Two Café, 443 State
St., Schenectady, NY 12305
Take
Two Café offers a great variety of dishes including breakfast burritos,
coffees, ice drinks, wraps, and more! They are striving to make plant based
food enjoyable because they care about having happier animals and a healthier
planet. They are located in Schenectady NY near Union College and close to the
Mohawk River.
The Beehive Café, 99 N.
Washington St., Berkeley Springs, WV 25411
Whether
you’re from the area or just passing through, stop by The Beehive Café for some
fresh and healthy eats. This welcoming café offers classic American breakfast
and lunch made plant-based— including smoothies, soups, and sandwiches. They
source ingredients like microgreens and maple syrup from local producers, and
their smoothies are made with organic fruit. Be sure to try their creamy “Mac
‘N Cheeze” if you’re looking for some delicious comfort food without the dairy.
The Krazy Vegan, 645 W
Hallandale Beach Blvd. #111, Hallandale Beach, FL 33009
Located
in the 7th Avenue Village shopping center, The Krazy Vegan offers plant-based
comfort food like burgers, tacos, chkn sandwiches, and nuggets. All mains are
served with fries, and diners can add vegan bacon to any order. Drinks include
flavored lemonades and smoothies. Occasionally, special items like cheesesteak
sandwiches, wangs, egg rolls, and mac ‘n’ cheese bowls or bites are available.
Zel Allen wrote an excellent recipe piece on making your own veggie burgers
and condiments at home in a previous issue of Vegetarian Journal. She offers a wide variety of burgers including
Mediterranean Portobello Burgers, Open Sesame Nut Burgers, Spiced Green
Burgers, Nutty Buffalo Burgers, Whoppin’ Big Lentil Burgers, Moroccan Chickpea
Burgers, Falafel Burgers, and Passionate Pecan Pecan Patties.
Burger condiment recipes include Smoky Chipotle Mayonnaise, Creamy Avocado
Sauce, Mediterranean Relish, Vegan Ranch Dressing, and Tangy Tahini Sauce.
Enjoy!
A favorite of many locals,
Twin Sisters Brewing Company is a restaurant in Bellingham, Washington that
offers many vegetarian and vegan menu options. Serving brunch, lunch, and
dinner, this restaurant is filled with décor inspired by the Pacific Northwest.
Their menu contains a wide range veg-friendly choices, inspired by various
cultures. They also offer gluten-free choices and support local Bellingham
businesses.
We sat outside in their Beer Garden, which
was quite spacious. The table was sanitized before our use, and things felt
very clean and safe. The staff was very welcoming and helpful, with great
knowledge of the vegetarian and vegan options. Though it is a brewery, the
restaurant is very family-oriented, and dogs are allowed in the outdoor seating
area as well.
I ordered the Cajun Sweet Potato Tacos,
along with a Vegan Fry Basket to share for the table. The portion sizes were
great for the price, allowing enough food for leftovers. The fries were topped
with plenty of garlic and vegan parmesan, the perfect blend of salty and umami
flavors. The tacos were served street-style, in small corn tortillas, each
filled with Cajun-spiced sweet potatoes, pickled onions, and a slightly spicy
sauce. Overall, it was a very satisfying and delicious meal.
This restaurant offers great service, a
unique atmosphere, and food that anyone can enjoy. It’s the perfect place to
visit if you’re just starting your vegetarian or vegan journey and you want
some delicious comfort food. The menu and staff make it so easy and stress-free
to order a vegan or vegetarian option. I will most definitely be returning.
The Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG) is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public on veganism and the interrelated issues of health, nutrition, ecology, ethics, and world hunger. We have been helping health professionals, food services, businesses, educators, students, vegans, and vegetarians since 1982. In addition to publishing the Vegan Journal, VRG produces and sells a number of books.
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