Are you looking for a soothing bowl of soup that incorporates lots of veggies? Look no further! Chef Nancy Berkoff provides recipes for a wide variety of vegetable chowders in her previous Vegetarian Journal article: Vegetable Chowders

Enjoy these recipes (most are inexpensive to prepare): Southwestern Green Bean and Red Pepper Chowder, Carrot, Pear, and White Bean Chowder, Brunswick Stew à la Vegan, Anusim Chowder, Potato and Kale Chowder, and Lentil Chowder

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

Recent topics brought up include:

– Vegan books for children on sale from Animal Justice Project  

– Vegan baby and toddler shoes sold online

– YouTube Cooking Videos from The Vegetarian Resource Group

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 around the world. 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.

Be sure to follow The Vegetarian Resource Group on Instagram: @vegetarianresourcegroup

Here we share Debra Daniels-Zeller’s article Awesome Autumn Desserts from Our Past that previously ran in Vegetarian Journal. Enjoy recipes for Sour Cherry Applesauce Brown Betty; Cranberry-Raspberry Slump; Rum Raisin Rice Pudding; Tart Apple Kuchen; Gingered Fruit Compote; Bourbon Baked Pear Crisp; and Orange-Spice Cake. See: Awesome Autumn Desserts from Our Past

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

Now that cooler weather has arrived, you might enjoy these recipes for Easy Bowls created by James Craig Thieman. In this previous Vegetarian Journal article, you’ll find a wide variety of bowls including:

Tikka Masala Bowls

Southern Anytime Bowls

Garden Cabbage & Barley Bowls

Orange & Sweet Tater Bowls

Wasabi Rice Bowls with Peas

Deconstructed Samosa Bowls

Read the entire article here: Easy Bowls

To subscribe to Vegetarian Journal in the USA, see: vrg.org/member

The next time you’re traveling near Roanoke, Virginia, you might want to make a stop at Honestly Vegan. The restaurant says, “We refuse to compromise on quality in our restaurant. That’s why we source our fresh ingredients from local farmers’ markets. No matter what time of year, you can be sure you’re eating the best of the season.”

This restaurant serves up dishes such as a Sweet Potato Tots, Sloppy Black Bean Burger, Mock BBQ Sandwich, Pita Pizza, and Mock Meatball Sub. They also offer a menu for kids including a Corn Dog, Mock Chicken Nuggets, Hot Dog, and more.

For more information, see:

https://honestlyveganva.com/

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Walk down the candy aisle in a natural foods store or in many supermarkets and the number of vegan choices is astounding. There are “mylk” chocolates, dark chocolates, very dark chocolates, and a myriad of flavored chocolate selections. How do these compare in terms of nutrition?

Chocolate is made from the seeds of a tropical tree called the cacao tree. The seeds, which are also called beans, are fermented, dried, roasted, shelled, and ground in the process of making chocolate. The result of this processing is a thick liquid, called cocoa liquor, that contains fiber, fat, and protein from the cacao seeds. Cocoa butter is the fat that is produced from cacao seeds. (Although “butter” may sound like a dairy product, cocoa butter does not contain dairy.)  Additional pure cocoa butter is added to the cocoa liquor. Sugar and other ingredients are also added, and the mixture is formed into chocolate bars.

An ounce of chocolate, whether vegan or not has around 150 to 190 calories. Some chocolate bars may indicate the percentage of chocolate on the label. The percentage indicates the percent by weight of the product that is cocoa butter and cocoa solids. For example, a bar that is 71% chocolate is 71% by weight cocoa butter and cocoa solids. The remaining 29% is mostly sugar. Generally, the higher the percentage of cocoa butter and cocoa solids, the (slightly) higher the calories. For example, Equal Exchange 71% has 180 calories in an ounce,  but Equal Exchange 92% has 190 calories per ounce. This difference is insignificant.

Generally, products with higher percentages of cocoa butter and cocoa solids, have more fat and saturated fat and less added sugar. Those with lower percentages of cocoa butter and cocoa solids have less fat and more added sugar.

Additions like mint or orange flavoring have little impact on a chocolate bar’s nutrient content. Nuts add a small amount of protein and chocolate bars with salted nuts or sea salt will have more sodium (about 50-100 milligrams more per ounce of chocolate) than those without added salt.

An ounce of dark chocolate provides around 15% of the Daily Value for iron and magnesium and more than half of the Daily Value for copper.

Reference:

McGee, H. On Food and Cooking. The Science and Lore of the Kitchen. New York: Scribner; 2004.

For vegan recipes featuring chocolate see:

https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2014issue1/2014_issue1_savory_side.php

Chocolate-Coated Peanut Butter Candies

Chocolate Coconut Cake (Gluten-free)

Sophisticated and refreshing, Chef Morgan’s Greek Bowls are sure to please a crowd any time of year. Try her recipe for Greek Marinated Tofu on top of couscous and veggies, all smothered in lemon tahini dressing for lunch, dinner, snacks, or even a meal on the go. See this Vegetarian Resource Group video at: https://youtu.be/Q53AiF75M5k

More videos at:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvSyCToa_i9fA4D5CLCAFWw
https://www.vrg.org/veg_videos.php

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS

The VRG has recently noticed several startup companies in the food ingredient space marketing their products with an obvious appeal to vegans and vegetarians, as well as to other consumers with certain dietary restrictions, such as the lactose intolerant.

Here in Part 1 of a series, we look at the whey protein isolate manufactured by Perfect Day.

On their website, Perfect Day is clear about how they manufacture their whey. They start with a piece of a genetic code for beta-lactoglobulin (the scientific name for one form of whey). They found this genetic information available for free on a website.

The actual genetic material on which the virtual genetic code is based was initially taken from the blood of 8-year-old L1 Dominette 01449, a cow living in Montana, in 2009. Her blood was used in the Bovine Genome Project which mapped all 22,000 genes that make up the entire cow genetic signature.

Perfect Day acquired the bovine code from a free online database called UniProt (abbreviation of universal protein resource).

Then Perfect Day inserted the genetic code for beta-lactoglobulin into Trichoderma, a type of fungus. In a large fermentation tank growing on corn sugar, the microbes followed the genetic directions given to it. As a result, Trichoderma produced large amounts of whey that were later separated and purified from the fermentation broth.

The VRG wanted to know if cane sugar was ever used as the growth medium. This could be an additional concern for some vegans and vegetarians if the cane sugar had been processed through a cow bone char filter.

Through email communication in July 2021, Kathleen Nay, Public Affairs and Content Specialist at Perfect Day, informed The VRG:

“At present we use sugar derived from corn. However, our process is feedstock agnostic and can be adapted to local sugar production depending on where the fermentation takes place, to tap into or expand sugar markets. We certainly could use cane sugar if the opportunity were there.”

So far in 2021, this whey protein isolate is an ingredient in the “vegan,” “plant-based,” or “animal-free” ice cream products as marketed by these three brands:

• Nick’s
• Brave Robot
• Graeter’s

Graeter’s indicated on their website that their products contained animal-free whey and casein (another milk protein). We checked into this with Perfect Day and learned:

“At present we only supply animal-free whey protein to Graeter’s, and their on-pack ingredient labels reflect as much (the ingredient is listed as “non-animal whey protein.”)

That said, animal-free casein/caseinates are actively in development. I suspect Graeter’s team developed their FAQs based on our own, which is why theirs mentions casein as well. It’s certainly worth flagging to them – I will pass your note on to our relevant team members here who can touch base with Graeter’s to clarify their website.”

According to Perfect Day’s website, their whey is functionally, genetically, and nutritionally equivalent to the whey in cow’s milk. Consequently, it provides the same texture and taste in foods and beverages as cow’s milk whey. Perfect Day hopes to sell its product to other food companies that will use it in their whey-containing items including soups, sauces, shakes, and snacks.

Since whey is a dairy allergen, federal law requires that it be flagged as such on food labels. The words “Contains milk or milk ingredients” are commonly seen on labels if dairy whey is present.

In the case of Perfect Day’s whey, its presence is indicated on labels by the words “Contains milk protein” or “Contains milk allergen.” It has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Is whey from Perfect Day “animal-free”?

The VRG recognizes Perfect Day’s good intentions to move away from a reliance on conventional dairy cows as the source of its whey. We acknowledge the results of a recent lifecycle assessment that quantified how many fewer greenhouse gas emissions are created from its whey production versus those released from raising live cows for milk.

However, on the question of whether their whey is “animal-free,” my personal view is that it wouldn’t be.

The genetic blueprint for the whey is first and foremost bovine. This means there is an animal product (an animal gene) directing the entire process. This is so even if a copy of the bovine gene was used rather than the actual gene isolated from Dominette’s blood. In other words, an animal product is involved in the whey’s manufacture as its initiator.

It is true that the copy of the bovine gene that orchestrated the manufacture does not become incorporated into the whey. Nor is it consumed by the process since the gene is still an integral part of the genetic makeup of Trichoderma fungiwhich are later separated from the whey product. And obviously since genes are so tiny (but are so powerful in their action), only a small amount was needed.

In all these ways, the copy of the bovine gene loosely sounds like a processing aid. From an FDA document on exemptions to labeling, processing aids are thus partly defined:

“…Substances that are added to a food during the processing of such food but are removed in some manner from the food before it is packaged in its finished form.”

Viewing the genetic code as a processing aid in this way, Perfect Day would be exempt from having to label their whey as animal gene-derived.

While it’s true that on its website the company describes its process as starting from animal genes, the phrase animal gene-derived is not specifically used there nor on the ice cream labels of brands (noted above) using its whey. This term is needed so consumers will know beyond a doubt what they are purchasing.

Many vegetarians and vegans do not buy or consume products manufactured with any animal-derived processing aids or carriers even if the food or beverage is otherwise vegan or vegetarian. Animal rennet in cheese making is the prime example. Another is gelatin in fruit drinks or butter/margarine.

They may not want to use Perfect Day’s whey based on similar reasoning. These individuals may not see this whey as “non-animal” or “animal-free.”

If this whey were added to “plant-based” products or items labeled as “vegan” or “vegetarian,” as it already is (see Nick’s ice cream brand above), it could lead to confusion and discontent. It would make some people feel misled, as if products intended for vegetarians and vegans were now covertly tainted with an animal ingredient. In this case, it’s a microscopic gene inserted into fungi responsible for the very existence of the ingredient.

With more animal gene-derived ingredients under development, such as casein (milk protein) and milk fat in the case of Perfect Day, and other animal gene-derived ingredients from other startups that The Vegetarian Resource Group will feature in upcoming blog posts, vegans and vegetarians are advised to seek more information from companies claiming their ingredients or products are “animal-free” or “non-animal.” Find out if the genes are animal-derived or not.

(Under current circumstances) I predict that companies will eventually drop these terms entirely and just call their originally animal- or dairy-derived product “vegan.” If they do, they’ve supplanted the term vegan and redefined it.

“Animal gene-derived” recommendation for labeling

The VRG recommends that all food and beverage companies be clear about the source(s) of all their ingredients on their product labels, websites, and promotional materials. This recommendation applies also in cases where the only animal ingredient was an animal’s gene used to direct its manufacture.

It is only when companies are totally informative about how their ingredients were made will vegetarians and vegans, as well as others with special dietary preferences, be able to purchase and consume foods and beverages with total confidence about what they’re getting.

Stay tuned to this blog for more posts on other startups producing “animal-free” or “non-animal” ingredients.

NOTE FROM THE BLOG EDITOR: Vegetarians and vegans will have different viewpoints on these issues. The Food and Drug Administration and the United States Department of Agriculture have been asking for testimony for the development of labeling standards re foods from cultured animal cells. With clear labeling, consumers will be able to make their own decisions.

For information on other ingredients, see https://www.vrg.org/ingredients/index.php

To support The Vegetarian Resource Group research, donate at vrg.org/donate

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.

Belen is a Vegetarian Resource Group 2021 video contest winner. She said: “My reasons for including a vegetarian diet into my life, is to not continue involving myself with products that continuously exploit animals and their rights. I also wanted to diminish my carbon footprint as much as I could, and understood that dairy and meat products contained hormones that posed multiple health risks, resulting in me becoming a vegetarian.”

See her video here: https://www.vrg.org/veg_videos.php#belentorres

Deadline for the Next VRG video contest is July 15, 2022.

See: https://www.vrg.org/videoscholarship.php

To support Vegetarian Resource Group scholarships and internships, donate at vrg.org/donate