The Vegetarian Resource Group Blog

Vegetarian Journal Senior Editor Will Be Discussing Compassionate Consuming

Posted on March 04, 2021 by The VRG Blog Editor

What we wear, eat, and use in our everyday lives has an impact on both humans and animals. On Tuesday March 9, join Rissa Miller (Vegetarian Journal Senior Editor) for a FREE discussion about Compassionate Consuming, sponsored by Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens and Pittsburgh Vegan Society. Rissa’s excited to be one of several panelists speaking that afternoon, and if you have any interest in learning more about plant-based eating or the effect of consumerism on animal lives and the food system, please stop by over your lunch hour. Sign up for FREE at this link: https://3989p.blackbaudhosting.com/3989p/Vegan-Diet-Discussion-Series

SUPPORT VEGAN FINALIST IN COOKING CONTEST – GUAC WAFFLES

Posted on March 04, 2021 by The VRG Blog Editor
How long have you been cooking?

I’ve been cooking since childhood, but when my Dad got cancer in 2007, I became serious about food and medicinal benefits. My Dad recovered after receiving my help. I’ve been told I should open a restaurant by people helped through the years. The pandemic renewed my love of cooking and desire to offer food that tastes good and comforts well.

What is your signature dish?

My Signature Dish is GuacWaffles. The spicy waffles are made with vegetables and are vegan then topped with Guac and Salsa. The waffles are almost fried adding extra texture to comfort. Think avocado toast gets a facelift at the border with Miguel whispering happy melodies in your ear that travels to your taste buds. These waffles are great for any diet with a tasty healthy lifestyle focus. Food is a love ritual and meditation for me and that is my ultimate signature.

To vote and support Arlene Grant’s vegan dish entry, see: https://favchef.com/2021/arlene-jm-grant

Avocado Toast Now Offered at Dunkin’

Posted on March 04, 2021 by The VRG Blog Editor
Photo from Dunkin’

Dunkin’ has introduced a new item on their menu. According to Fast Food Nutrition, the ingredients in Dunkin’s Avocado Toast are:

Avocado Spread: Hass Avocados, Lemon Juice, Sea Salt, Black Pepper; Sourdough Bread: Enriched Wheat Flour (Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Water, Rye Flour, Whole Grain Rye Flour, Salt, Yeast, Malted Barley Flour; Everything Bagel Topping: Sesame Seeds, Poppy Seeds, Dehydrated Onion, Dehydrated Garlic, Rolled Oats.

For further information see: https://news.dunkindonuts.com/news/dunkin-avocado-toast-for-all

Have a Vegan Passover!

Posted on March 03, 2021 by The VRG Blog Editor

Passover begins the evening of March 27, 2021 this year and The Vegetarian Resource Group is the publisher of several books that feature vegan Passover recipes. Below we share three recipes with you. You can purchase these vegan cookbooks in the USA from the VRG Book Catalog here: http://www.vrg.org/catalog or in Kindle format from Amazon.

Fresh Tomato Soup (from No Cholesterol Passover Recipes, by Debra Wasserman)

(Serves 4)

1 large onion, chopped

5 small ripe tomatoes, chopped

1-1/2 cups water

½ teaspoon fresh parsley, minced

Pepper and salt to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a large pot and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes and then cool. Place mixture in a blender cup and blend until creamy. Reheat and serve hot.

Minted Carrots with Chilies (from Vegan Passover Recipes, by Nancy Berkoff)

(Serves 4-5)

1-1/2 cups sliced onions

Vegetable oil spray

1 garlic clove, minced

2 Tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger

2 Tablespoons seeded and minced fresh chilies or green pepper

1-1/4 pounds carrots (about 3-1/2 cups), peeled and sliced lengthwise 1-inch thick

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Place onions in a large frying pan, spray liberally with vegetable oil, and sauté over medium heat until soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, and chilies and stir. Allow to cook for 1 minute.

Add carrots and add enough water to just cover. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes, or until carrots are tender. Add mint, cook for 2 more minutes. Serve hot.

Russian Potato and Mushroom Croquettes (from The Lowfat Jewish Vegetarian Cookbook, by Debra Wasserman)

(Serves 5)

1-1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and chopped

5 cups water

1 onion, peeled and chopped

¼ pound mushrooms

1 teaspoon oil

1 Tablespoon water

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup matzo meal

1 Tablespoon oil

Boil potatoes in 5 cups water until tender. Drain and mash potatoes.

In a separate pan, sauté onion and mushrooms in 1 teaspoon oil and 1 Tablespoon water over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Mix the mashed potatoes, sautéed onion and mushrooms, seasonings, and matzo meal together in a large bowl. Form 10 burgers (croquettes).

Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry croquettes for 8 minutes, flip over and continue frying for another 8 minutes. Serve two croquettes per person.

Don’t forget, in the USA you can purchase these vegan cookbooks from the VRG Book Catalog here: http://www.vrg.org/catalog or in Kindle format on Amazon.

Yelp Names Kelley Farm Kitchen in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia as the Number 1 restaurant in the USA

Posted on March 03, 2021 by The VRG Blog Editor
Kelley Farm Kitchen Spicy Curry Noodle Bowl photo

Kelley Farm Kitchen in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia is the Number 1 restaurant in the country according to Yelp. This women-owned vegan restaurant made its debut on the list this year in the top spot. If you ever find yourself on the Appalachian Trail near Harpers Ferry, it might be worth a trip into town to visit this place! For information on this restaurant see: https://www.facebook.com/KelleyFarmKitchen/

Vegan Restaurants Added to The Vegetarian Resource Group’s Guide to Veggie Restaurants in the USA and Canada

Posted on March 02, 2021 by The VRG Blog Editor
Photo from Belse Plant Cuisine

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):

Belse Plant Cuisine, 1910 Pacific Ave., Ste. 1400 (First Floor), Dallas, TX 75201

Belse Plant Cuisine offers a variety of vegan gourmet salads, main dishes, shared plates, and desserts. Created by the owners of LA’s Little Pine restaurant, Belse Plant Cuisine hopes to be a site for “new and different” cuisine among Dallas’ downtown restaurant scene. You can try dishes ranging from panko crusted piccata to cashew Brussel sprouts to their watermelon ahi stack!

Clementine’s Plant Based Deli and Bakery, 4836 Sunrise Hwy., Sayville, NY 11782

Clementine’s Plant Based Deli and Bakery offers an assortment of delectable options for diners! The menu changes every week, but some past choices include Fettuccine Alfredo, Savory Hand Pies, and their Vegan Soft Serve ice cream. Check out their website, as they post the weekly menu each Monday!

El Avocado, 1025 Prospect St. #130, La Jolla, CA 92037

El Avocado offers fresh food to customers while giving back 10% to the community. Their menu features nachos, vegan gelato, avocado toast, and much more!

Fatsquatch PDX, 5240 NE 42nd Ave., Portland, OR 97218

Fatsquatch PDX offers Southern-inspired comfort food, with a fully gluten-free menu. Their entrées feature soy curls prepared with barbecue, buffalo, or Cajun sauces, which can be served in a wrap, in a bowl, or as a salad alongside potato salad or cheesy grits. Deep-fried appetizers (onion rings, pickle chips, and fries or tots) are available a la carte, with dipping sauces including ranch or honee mustard. Located in the Shady Pines Vegan Food Court which offers picnic tables for outdoor dining and an onsite bathroom. Ample street parking nearby.

Hark! Café, 430 First Avenue North, Ste. 150, Minneapolis, MN 55401

Found in Minneapolis’s Historic Kickernick Building, Hark! Café offers great café classics, all vegan and gluten-free. Whether you want a bagel from their bakery, a truffled mac ’n’ cheese from the lunch menu, or “stuffed” French toast for weekend brunch, Hark! Cafe is the place to go.

Nice Guys, 615 W. 19th St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627 and 1727 E. 17th St., Santa Ana, CA 92705

They have a huge variety of different vegan burger options such as the; “Nice Bacon Burger,” the “Cali Burger,” and the, “Mainlander.” Their unique twist of how a burger can be presented makes the vegans of Cali come back for more.

PS Green Vegan Express, 2306 E. Oakland Park Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306

Some of the dishes they serve at PS Green Vegan Express include Hearty Lentil Soup, Tex-Mex Burger, and BBQ Jackfruit Burrito. They are located south of Coral Ridge Country Club at the corner of Oakland Park Blvd and Federal Hwy. They also offer an array of smoothies and vegan, refreshing beverages. Order online for carryout or delivery!

Tree Hugger Truck, 1060 Union Ave., Kansas City, MO 64101

Tree Hugger Truck is an entirely vegan food truck offering American and Mexican-style dishes. Dinner options include Baja Fish Tacos, Double Trouble Tacos with Walnut Beef, a Frisco Melt Burger, Loaded Tater Tots, and more. Inspired by famous Kansas City-style Barbeque, the KC BBQ Sammy and the BBQ Jackfruit Nachos are also available. Don’t forget to try a Fried Oreo on the way out!

Veg-N, 902 E. César E. Chávez Ave., Lansing, MI 48906

Veg-N is dedicated to providing customers with plant-based versions of classic American fare. Diners can feast on vegan burgers and hot dogs with a variety of sauce and bun options. Try the Reuben Soy-Sage or the Buffalo Chick-n for a satisfying meal. Be sure to grab some kettle chips, too!

Join the Discussion with 530+ Families in The Vegetarian Resource Group’s Parents and Kids Facebook Group!

Posted on March 02, 2021 by The VRG Blog Editor

Recent topics brought up include:

– The sharing of two vegan-friendly games from The Vegetarian Resource Group that you can do at home with your young kids.

– Vegetarian Resource Group interns sharing their experiences being veggie during high school

– A parent posting “I am a vegan mother of a precious vegan five-year-old. Do any of you know of any fun vegan resources for my daughter? I’m specifically interested in accessing vegan children’s newsletters, coloring pages, stickers, and magazines. Talk to me. P.S. – I am already aware of many vegan-friendly books.”

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. 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.

Okra!

Posted on March 01, 2021 by The VRG Blog Editor

By Chef Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD

Some people shudder when you mention okra. They have visions of a vegetable that leaves slimy tracks across the plate. They’re not suffering from okra-phobia. They are just victims of improper okra preparation.

     Okra has been around for a long time and been loved. It can trace its roots to Ethiopia and Sudan. As early as the 13th century it was said to be growing along the Nile River. From Africa, okra readily found its way to the Middle East where it is still served in a traditional stew of okra, tomatoes, onions, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. In India you can enjoy okra in sabzi bhindi, okra fried in oil with cumin and onions and seasoned with spices. In the Caribbean, you can find many versions of callaloo, a savory okra stew.

     Okra’s characteristic sticky stuff comes from a natural polysaccharide and acid combination. When okra is cut, it releases these chemical compounds and makes an ideal, natural thickener. Okra is a great food to thicken sauces or soups without using fat.

     Let’s talk health. If you’re looking to add more fiber in your diet, look to the small-but-mighty okra. A 1/2-cup serving of steamed okra has 2 grams of fiber. Okra has lots of Vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, Vitamin K, and folate, and a decent amount of potassium and calcium. Who needs the multivitamins? Just add some okra to your soup!

     If purchasing fresh okra, select smaller and plumper. Long, slender okra can be a bit tough and/or dry. Fresh okra should be prepared as closed to cooking as possible. Give a quick rinse, slice off the caps and then cook, either whole or sliced. If using frozen okra, do not thaw prior to cooking.

     Okra can be steamed, braised, stir-fried, sautéed, or fried and served on its own or added to soups and stews. The key for successful okra is to either “cook it quick” for a firm, non-gooey texture or to let it stew, releasing its nuanced flavor and thickening ability. Frozen, sliced okra can be easily added into rice, pasta, barley, couscous, or quinoa for extra flavor, color, and crunch. Leftover cold okra can be tossed into salads. There are no excuses not to add a little okra to your weekly routine! Enjoy this recipe:

Okra Creole Stew

(Serves 6-8)

2 cups canned, drained chopped tomatoes
2 cups fresh okra, washed, stem ends trimmed off or frozen okra (thawed before cooking)
½ cup diced onion
½ cup diced red bell pepper
¼ cup diced green bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon dried cumin
¼ teaspoon dried thyme 
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons hot sauce, or to taste
2 cups vegetable stock or water

2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 Tablespoons water

Combine all ingredients, except cornstarch and water, in a deep pot. Cook over high heat, stirring, for five minutes, or until okra is just tender. Cook for one additional minute. Briskly stir cornstarch and water together to make a slurry, add to pot, and continue to cook and stir until the stew is bubbly and thick.

Serve over fluffy steamed rice, corn bread, or baked potatoes

Tips on Starting a Vegetarian Club in High School

Posted on March 01, 2021 by The VRG Blog Editor

By Nina Lehr and Tisha Bhat, VRG Interns

If you’re a student, one of the best ways you can advocate for vegetarianism is by starting a club or organization at your school. From documentary screenings to sharing fun meal ideas, the opportunities for fun and engaging club activities are endless! Starting an organization will also allow you to gain confidence with public speaking and learn valuable leadership skills. With hard work and dedication, you can make a difference in your community and introduce your peers to a rewarding new lifestyle. Here are some tips that may help you in running your own vegan/vegetarian club.

Tip #1 Create a strong leadership team

Running a club requires a lot of planning, so make sure you find other like-minded peers who can help you with this process. You could go about this in many different ways. For instance, you could advertise that your club is seeking student leaders on a school bulletin board or announcement page, or maybe ask your friends if they know people who would be interested. Once you find several leaders, make sure everyone has clearly defined roles, so that there isn’t confusion over who is in charge of each task. Brainstorm and discuss everyone’s interests and skill sets when deciding on roles. For instance, if someone is great at writing, they can be in charge of email communication. Someone with an interest in graphic design can design the club materials, such as PowerPoints and club merchandise. One challenge I sometimes faced when leading my club was trying to take on too many responsibilities. Thus, it’s helpful to try not to overestimate the amount of time you can dedicate to your club. Factor in homework, other extracurricular activities, and other commitments when you decide on which tasks you perform and which tasks you delegate. It’s also important to maintain strong, open communication. This can be done in a variety of ways, and technology is often very helpful in facilitating this. Try using Remind, Google Classroom, group chats, and similar platforms. Make sure to hold officer meetings frequently, and update your plans as needed. If your school assigns you a club advisor, be sure to maintain a good relationship with them. In my case, the club advisor was really helpful and a great help when it came to planning meetings and events. If you are open and willing to collaborate with yours, it can be very beneficial.

Tip #2 Have good vegan food at your meetings!

Providing delicious vegan food at each meeting is a great way to get people interested in your club. If you have an Instagram account for your group, post a picture of food you’ll be giving out as a way to promote your next meeting! This was one way that I was able to attract a substantial number of peers to my club! Try having a taste testing activity– this will not only be fun, but also show participants that vegetarian food can be tasty and full of variety! Around different holidays, provide attendees with seasonal goodies (for example, you could have a vegan Halloween cookie decorating event in October). Bringing plates, napkins, and utensils is a good idea. Ask your club advisor (or the person in charge of organizing clubs at your school) about a budget for your club. Typically, schools will allocate a specific amount of funds you can use towards club materials and activities. Using some of this money towards food, utensils, and similar items can be very helpful! Another important tip is to be very careful about allergies! Be sure to disclose any possible allergens (gluten, nuts, etc.) that are present in your food.

Tip #3 Be open to questions and collaboration

Making your club members feel welcome and valued is very important! Tell participants that they can feel free to ask any questions about veganism/vegetarianism, no matter how silly or basic they may seem. Be friendly and open to clarifying any questions they may have. If you appear to have a judgmental attitude towards non-vegetarians, this may deter people from both your club and considering eating more veggie food! Also, be open to hearing their ideas for future club meetings and events. You might get some great suggestions to use later on! One tool that I used was an anonymous google survey for suggestions and feedback. I would put it in the emails I sent out to members so that they could have another way to provide input to the club leaders!

Tip #4 Have guest speakers

Inviting guest speakers from other vegetarian-related organizations is a great way to engage with the greater vegetarian community! It also can attract new members to your club and be a way to add variety to your meetings. Try reaching out to organizations that have led meatless movements! Some ideas are Peta and I’m Not Lovin’ It. You could also host the leaders of vegetarian clubs at other schools near you. This is a fun way to collaborate with other like-minded students and hear their ideas.

Tip #5 Screen Documentaries

This is often a great way to introduce people to veganism/vegetarianism and spur discussions about important topics. Generally, it is advisable to avoid graphic documentaries, as some people may not be able to tolerate viewing such material. This could deter people from coming to your club and seeking out information about the cause. Thus, try to stick to informative, engaging, and non-graphic videos. If you want to recommend a more graphic documentary, maybe provide information about it in your club’s mailing list, or simply mention it at a club meeting.

For more organizing ideas, see:

https://www.vrg.org/teen/#activism

https://www.vrg.org/teen/#group

https://www.vrg.org/teen/#food

https://www.vrg.org/teen/#school

Vegan Diets in a Nutshell Poster

Posted on February 26, 2021 by The VRG Blog Editor

Share this handy poster with family and friends. You can also print it out and post it on your refrigerator. See: Vegan Diets in a Nutshell

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