Posted on
February 05, 2021 by
The VRG Blog Editor
We don’t know about you, but we enjoy soup any day, but especially on a cold
winter evening. A previous Vegetarian Journal article titled “Hot,
Hearty Soups for Cold Winter Days,” provides numerous vegan recipes you’re
certain to enjoy.
Posted on
February 04, 2021 by
The VRG Blog Editor
By Odette
Olivares, VRG Intern
Websites about calcium for vegans are not always the most adequate. Many sites have not yet updated their information, stating what was once considered true, but now is no longer correct. Finding a good website in Spanish or Portuguese can be more
difficult than finding one in English. So, this list of Latin American sites can be very useful
for you. Also, you will find websites
with an incredible variety of Latin American dishes high in calcium.
Some of the sites that VRG intern Odette
Olivares highlighted are Infovegana (which contains a podcast in Spanish) and
the YouTube videos of Dr. Eric Slywitch (with information in Portuguese). Many Latin American Facebook groups also share the podcast of Infovegana. As for
the sites where you can find recipes high in calcium, Mi Mero Mole, Comer Vegano, and Vida Vegana are especially recommended.
Do not miss these attractive and reliable websites and links to numerous
recipes high in calcium that Odette has collected for you! See: https://www.vrg.org/nutrition/best_latin_american_websites.htm
Posted on
February 04, 2021 by
The VRG Blog Editor
Support local veggie
restaurants and non-veggie establishments offering special vegan menus this
month. Find participating restaurants here: https://www.mdveganeats.com/
Some of the dishes you can
order online and pick-up include vegan soul food from Land of Kush in Baltimore
City; organic vegan cuisine from Great Sage in Clarksville, MD; vegan burgers
and sides at PLNT Burger in Columbia and Silver Spring, MD; vegan pizza from
Paulie Gee’s in the Hampden section of Baltimore City; vegan and gluten-free
baked goods and savory dishes from Harmony Bakery also in the Hampden section
of Baltimore City; and fresh cold-pressed juices from Revive in Frostburg, MD.
Posted on
February 03, 2021 by
The VRG Blog Editor
By
Clarissa Hauber, VRG Intern
The
21st Century marks a period of advocacy, education, and innovation within the
food industry. Genetically modified foods are sold in every supermarket. Hydroponic
farming allows food to be grown without soil or sunlight. Beyond and Impossible
burgers have encouraged people to eat meat without actually eating
meat. And the number of vegans and vegetarians is higher now than ever before.
According to a 2020 poll conducted by The
Vegetarian Resource Group, vegans now account for 3% of the US population.
Despite the poll being limited to 18+ adults, it is assumed that a similar
percentage of vegans account for the US teenage population. With more
and more people and even celebrities becoming vegan and sharing their concerns
for animal rights and the state of the environment, veganism is becoming
increasingly popular among teenagers.
Being an eighteen-year-old vegan, I
understand firsthand what it is like to be a vegan teen living in the US.
Fortunately for me, I live in an area – Baltimore,
MD – where veganism is not seen
as some strange, radical lifestyle. Instead, Baltimore has numerous vegan
restaurants and cafés, and nearly every supermarket around me has at least an
aisle dedicated to vegan products.
My experience as a vegan teen in Baltimore
left me wondering about the experience of vegan teens living in other regions
of the US. Did they feel the same sense of accommodation as I felt, living in Baltimore? I reached out
to two fellow vegan teens in two vastly different regions, Lucia Rivera from California and Anayeli Camacho from Texas. I sent them a list of questions to
compare each of our experiences as vegan teens living in the Mid-Atlantic, the
Southwest, and the Pacific.
As a preface, I asked Lucia and Anayeli
when and why they decided to go vegan. It seems the three of us had a similar
transition into veganism – each having been vegetarian for a period of time
before going vegan in high school. Lucia and I both committed to going vegan
after taking an environmental science class in high school. Anayeli was
motivated to go vegan after questioning the morality of eating animals.
I asked both about the prevalence of vegans
where they lived. Anayeli explained that no one in her family had even known
what the word vegan meant before she became one. This was quite different from
my situation, as a close friend of mine was vegan, my cousin was vegan, and my
brother’s girlfriend at the time was vegan. Like me, Lucia mentioned that,
while she was not entirely sure how many vegans there were where she lived, she
felt that she lived in a “vegan-friendly” place, noting the vast number of
vegan products at grocery stores near her.
To get a better understanding of the
prevalence of vegan teens in their areas, I asked Anayeli and Lucia how common
veganism was at their schools and what their peers thought about it.
Interestingly, Lucia noted that a few years ago her school newspaper reported
that 5% of the students were vegan (much higher than the national average). At
her school, she says, students are indifferent to veganism – though some peers
show excitement over her being vegan and others are reluctant to eat meat in
front of her. While I do not know the percentage of vegans at my school, I,
too, have met several, and most students seem indifferent to it. In contrast,
Anayeli describes that being vegan at her school was “completely unheard of”
and that her school administration and peers did not understand her choice. In
fact, Anayeli was the first at her school to publicly speak about veganism and
to advocate for it.
Expanding on their high school experiences
as vegans, I asked them what they ate for lunch and how well their schools
accommodated vegans. Lucia said that she opted for bringing her own vegan
snacks during lunch, and that while her school did offer vegan options, she had
not tried them herself. Again, my experience is like Lucia’s, as I also opted
for bringing my own vegan snacks rather than a lunch. My school, unfortunately,
did not have any decent vegan options. Anayeli’s school, like mine, limited
their vegan options to chips and fruit. She said, however, that the lack of
lunch options inspired her to make her own vegan lunches and get creative with
them – she even shared her lunches with her nonvegan friends.
Often, classes like Anatomy or Biology
require students to conduct animal dissections, contradicting a vegan’s morals.
I asked Lucia and Anayeli if their morals as vegans had ever clashed with a
school assignment and how they dealt with that. Both Anayeli and Lucia said
they were assigned dissections in their science classes. Anayeli’s group let
her collect data rather than participate in the actual dissection of the
animal. Lucia could take notes rather than involve herself at all in the
dissection – her teacher was quite understanding, she said. While my school
does not conduct dissections, they do take a zoo field trip. Unfortunately,
attendance at the trip was graded, so I felt obligated to go – though, looking
back, I wish I had opted out.
Finally, I asked Lucia and Anayeli what
advice they might give to a high schooler considering veganism in their area of
the country. Lucia says that any high schooler in her area who is considering
veganism should absolutely give it a try, especially since she lives in an area
with a severe water shortage. And, it is critical to research and connect with
organizations like The Vegetarian Resource Group. Anayeli tells them to “always
remember their why.” “Remembering her why,” she said, is what helped her go
vegan and, ultimately, stay vegan.
Hearing about Lucia and Anayeli’s
experiences as vegan high schoolers in the US was eye-opening. It seems that,
while on opposite ends of the country, Lucia from California
and I from Baltimore
had similar experiences. Both of us are lucky to live in environments where
veganism is common and accepted. Anayeli from Texas does not live in an area as
understanding about veganism, but she still managed to become a vegan herself
and continues to educate the people around her.
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.
Posted on
February 03, 2021 by
The VRG Blog Editor
Due to the generosity of an
anonymous donor, The Vegetarian Resource Group each year will award $20,000 in college
scholarship money to graduating U.S. high school students who have promoted
veganism/vegetarianism in their schools and/or communities. Vegetarians do not
eat meat, fish, or fowl. Vegans are vegetarians who do not use other animal
products such as dairy or eggs.
One award of $10,000 and two awards
of $5,000 will be given. Entries may only be sent by students
graduating from high school in spring 2021. Deadline is February
20, 2021. We will accept applications postmarked on or before February
20, 2021. Early submission is encouraged!
Applicants will be judged on having
shown compassion, courage, and a strong commitment to promoting a peaceful
world through a vegan/vegetarian diet/lifestyle. Payment will be made to the
student’s college (U.S. based only). Winners of the scholarships give
permission to release their names to the media. Applications and essays become
property of The Vegetarian Resource Group. We may ask finalists for more
information. Scholarship winners are contacted by e-mail or telephone. Please
look at your e-mail.
Posted on
February 02, 2021 by
The VRG Blog Editor
By Chef Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD
You can call it Florence fennel, you can call it sweet
anise, and you can even call it finocchio. How will you know it when you see
it? Fennel’s bulb looks like a white, Disney-esque celery stalk, tapering off
to skinny (like the diameter of your index finger) stalks and ending with
feathery leaves, reminiscent, in shape, of fresh dill. Fennel has a mild,
licorice (as in the real stuff, black licorice) aroma and flavor. Used
correctly, it is absolutely intoxicating.
Fennel can be eaten raw. Just de-string the bulb and the
stalks with a vegetable peeler and crunch on it as you would celery. No time to
create? Buy a bagged salad, slice some fresh fennel, toss in some walnuts and
you have an upscale salad. If you are feeling elegant, and have steady hands,
you can shave fresh fennel with a razor or cheese plane to extract maximum
flavor.
The ancient Greeks thought of fennel as a symbol of victory
and success. The ancient Romans thought fennel had the ability to sharpen
eyesight. Herbalists will make a tea by boiling fennel and allowing it to
steep, using it to soothe the stomach, help to digest fatty foods and to
cleanse the system. Fennel is a good source of fiber, along with other
nutrients such as Vitamin A and Vitamin C.
Fresh fennel can be thinly sliced, diced, or chopped and
added to simmering beans or lentils, salsas, tomato sauce, mushroom dishes, or
grains. Use fennel to add an extra layer of exciting flavor to sandwiches or
wraps, to grilled veggie burgers or extra-firm tofu or seitan or eggplant
slices, and to soups and to scrambled tofu. If you have extra fennel, you can
cut the bulb into chunks, wrap in foil and grill or roast in the oven, to use
as a side dish or as an aromatic condiment.
Enjoy this recipe!
Fennel Salad
(Serves 4)
Take a break from
lettuce and dive into this crunchy, aromatic salad.
1 medium fennel (about ½ pound), peeled, leaves removed and
cut into thin strips
2 red bell peppers (about ½ pound) deseeded and cut into
thin strips
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
Toss fennel and peppers in a medium bowl. In a small bowl,
whisk together vinegar, oil and pepper until frothy. Pour evenly over fennel
and mix to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour before serving.
Posted on
February 01, 2021 by
The VRG Blog Editor
Wallet from Matt & Nat
Are you
searching for a non-leather vegan wallet? The following companies in the USA,
Canada, and Europe all offer a variety of wallets for men and women.
USA
Couch sells a variety of wallets for men and women.
Posted on
February 01, 2021 by
The VRG Blog Editor
By Julie Neild, MTSC, BS
QUESTION:
Are the ingredients in the
Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine of animal origin?
ANSWER:
In the United
Kingdom (UK), the vaccine is derived from non-animal products. However, in
the United States (US), the FDA has not provided information that can confirm
or deny whether the ingredients are of animal origin.
The drug manufacturing supply
chain is like a complex web, so we can’t assume that what applies in the UK
also applies in the US. Pharmaceutical companies source ingredients from a
variety of locations/companies and also may have more than one manufacturing
site for a single drug. To further complicate matters, a product may stop
in more than one country before the final product is created. Supply
chains are considered proprietary information. Unless the FDA asks
Pfizer-BioNTech to provide a similar confirmation for US doses, the US consumer
cannot be certain the vaccine does not contain any ingredients of animal
origin. Of course,
this fact needs to be balanced with the role that the COVID-19 vaccine plays in
helping stop the pandemic.
Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19
Ingredients:
messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine that has both synthetic, or
chemically produced, components and enzymatically produced components from
naturally occurring substances such as proteins
Lipids
((4-hydroxybutyl)azanediyl)bis(hexane-6,1-diyl)bis(2-hexyldecanoate), 2
[(polyethylene glycol)-2000]-N,N-ditetradecylacetamide,
1,2-Distearoyl-sn-glycero-3- phosphocholine, and cholesterol)
Julie Neild is a clinical project
manager and medical writing professional with over 30 years’ experience in
clinical research and development. She and her husband have been vegans for
over 20 years; raising a compassionate vegan daughter has been one of their
greatest accomplishments.
Editor’s
Note: This posting does not address the issue of testing the product on
animals.
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.
Más Veggies Taqueria is a national vegan Mexican food delivery service created by the same folks that started Veggie Grill. You can place an online order for lunch and dinner and have it delivered. Delivery is available now in Hollywood, Pasadena, and Long Beach, CA; Flatiron, NY; Downtown Seattle, WA; and Cambridge, MA. Other locations will soon be added nationwide.
Sample menu items include tacos, burritos, bowls, and nachos
that feature savory Tex-Mex style taco meat, shredded jackfruit braised in a
smoky chipotle broth, charbroiled asada-spiced cauliflower, crispy chickin
tossed in a spicy roja salsa topped with grilled poblano chiles, or crispy
plant-based battered fish. Side dishes are also available. The entire menu can
be found here: https://www.eatmasveggies.com/menu
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.
