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
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.
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
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.
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/
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 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.
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!
– 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.
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
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.
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.
Sign up for our newsletter to receive recipes, ingredient information, reviews of new products, announcements of new books, free samples of products, and other VRG materials.