Posted on
December 14, 2020 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
December 14, 2020 by
The VRG Blog Editor
By Anayeli Camacho, VRG Intern
According to the U.S. Forest Service, animal pollinators are
responsible for the reproduction of over 80% of the world’s flowering plants.
The USDA says, “Some
scientists estimate that one out of every three bites of food we eat exists
because of animal pollinators like bees, butterflies and moths, birds and bats,
and beetles and other insects … Pollinators visit flowers in their search for
food (nectar and pollen). During a flower visit, a pollinator may accidentally
brush against the flower’s reproductive parts, unknowingly depositing pollen
from a different flower. The plant then uses the pollen to produce a fruit or
seed. Many plants cannot reproduce without pollen carried to them by foraging
pollinators.”
As the population of pollinators declines, the search for
solutions is a focus in many lives. Every day, more people are deciding to join
the movement to help sustain our ecosystem. Having the privilege of
interviewing a life-giver such as Annabelle Simpson, who devotes much of her
energy to the protection of pollinators, I had the opportunity to understand
the importance of our need to act in protecting pollinators.
Annabelle said, “The implications of the pollinators’ process is
important for us [because] they are responsible for many of the fruits and vegetables
that we eat and without pollinators we wouldn’t have bananas, apples, nuts,
peaches, just to name a few.”
When a young undergrad student, Annabelle took a course in
biochemistry, where she did a paper on fireflies. “Growing up I never really
saw fireflies. It fascinated me; this is where my interest in things nature
began.” After retiring, Annabelle enrolled in a state university certified
program called Master Gardeners. Transitioning from urban to rural living
allowed Annabelle a way to invest a great deal of energy in the protection of
pollinators, starting with butterflies, then finding her way to the honeybees
and a wide range of pollinators.
As knowledge and understanding of pollinators and their importance
grew, so did her passion to conserve these beautiful life-givers. Annabelle
stated, “After moving to Pennsylvania, I started what we refer to as a
pollinator garden, [where we] focused on the encouragement of local native
pollinators in this part of Pennsylvania. Pollinator gardens benefit the
ecosystem and are a way for us humans to give back to the life that always
gives to us. With these gardens, we can supply food to native pollinators. They
in return pollinate our crops for continued fruit and vegetable production. It
is amazing how many different ways the whole pollinator process is developed.
You would never think that so many creatures would be responsible [for] such an
important process. You gain a new appreciation for the smallest representatives
in nature”
“We have converted their natural habitat into croplands or
suburban development, [taking] away from their nesting sites. We have reduced
the plant diversity that they need to survive. The diseases and parasites in
our changing climate contribute to the overall decline in the population of
pollinators. For most of my life I had no thought of pollinators. Growing up in
The Bronx [in New York], I didn’t pay attention to [the importance of
pollinators]. Nature was on its own; I never really thought of it from a
perspective of decline. Simply going to get a little information, a little bit
of information makes you put up your head and look around. The next time you
see a fly, the first thing you think of isn’t to swat it but AWE that could be
a pollinator. You get to appreciate a lot more once you get into a topic like
pollination and learn a little more. Then it extends to another topic like
compost, [or] what some would call black gold. You open the door to nature, and
it will reward you intellectually.”
With a small instinct of curiosity comes a possibility of
knowledge beyond what you could have imagined. Pollinators are a crucial part
of our ecosystem. Through things such as pollinator gardens we can give back to
the life that gives to us so generously.
Posted on
December 11, 2020 by
The VRG Blog Editor
Thanks to a previous Vegetarian
Journal article titled “Homemade Vegan Holiday Candy,“ by Mimi Clark, you
can make vegan candy in your own home. Try preparing Chocolate Peanut Butter
Cups, Homemade “Tootsie Rolls,” Chocolatey Peppermint Wafers, Coco-Almond
Candies, and Nut Brittle. Consider giving some away as gifts to friends,
family, neighbors, etc. during the holiday season.
Posted on
December 11, 2020 by
The VRG Blog Editor
Through December 31, 2020, you can give a gift membership to The Vegetarian Resource Group (includes a 1-year subscription to Vegetarian Journal) for $15 each. Offer is valid in the USA only!
This is a terrific way to share the vegan message, as well as support VRG
outreach. Gift subscriptions can be done online by simply typing in your
message and the name and address of each gift recipient in the comments field.
Go to: www.vrg.org/donate
Posted on
December 10, 2020 by
The VRG Blog Editor
By Audrey
Hunt, VRG Intern
The holiday
season is a terrific time to try new seasonal flavors in your daily beverages!
I’m a coffee hut barista and I make all my drinks completely vegan. Here are
some of my favorite ones to drink during the colder months.
I’m a sucker
for tea, especially London Fog combinations. When making different flavored
drinks, I like to flavor mine with the Monin syrups which are labeled vegan on
their website. You can search by syrup to see which are suitable for your
needs. See: https://www.monin.com/us/products/flavor-of-the-month
Teas:
London
Fogs:
Cranberries
& Creme
Earl
grey tea/ dash of oat milk/ agave nectar/ cranberry and vanilla syrup
Green
Peppermint
Green
tea bag/ dash of coconut milk/ agave nectar/ peppermint
Sweet
and Spicy
Cinnamon
and spice tea bag/ dash of oat milk/ agave nectar
Iced
teas:
Christmas
Party Punch
Peppermint
tea bag/ cranberry & orange syrup/ lots of ice
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
December 08, 2020 by
The VRG Blog Editor
Cranberry cheesecake from Sanctuary Bistro in Charlotte, NC
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):
Big Nonna’s, 12601 Tech Ridge Blvd.
A-300, Austin, TX 78753
Big Nonna’s serves
vegan pizza and ice cream. With a soft and chewy crust, house-aged vegan cheese
made from pumpkin seeds, and a slightly tangy tomato sauce, it is hard to go
wrong with Big Nonna’s pizza. You can select from a huge range of toppings,
including the homemade “beetaroni”, which is beet-based pepperoni. The ice
creams are made from different bases including coconut, soy, nut butters, and
sunflower seeds. Death metal by chocolate is a must-try flavor for
first-timers. Big Nonna’s also offers gluten-free and soy-free menu.
Cosmic Vegans, 7145 N. 58th Dr.,
Glendale, AZ 85301
Cosmic Vegans is a
space where food trucks and vegan entrepreneurs gather. The place is bustling
with people and string lights illuminate the marketplace. If you don’t know
what you’re in the mood for to eat, venture here for a wide range of cuisines
to indulge in. The line-up of food trucks and stalls change frequently, so
check the website to see who will be cooking up delicious food at Cosmic Vegans
when you want to visit.
Healthy Substance, 6852 W. Archer
Ave., Chicago, IL 60638
Not only is Healthy
Substance presently the only 100% vegan Mexican restaurant in Chicago, but it
was also named one of the top 100 restaurants in the United States for 2020.
One can order a variety of Mexican dishes, vegan drinks, and desserts ranging
from tamales to gorditas to chocolate cake!
Mama Dút, 1414 SE Morrison St.,
Portland, OR 97214
Take a bite out of
Mama Dút’s delicious Vietnamese dishes! Their menu features everything from
mouth-watering vegan pork belly bao buns to Vietnamese coffee cheesecakes. It
will satisfy your sweet and savory taste buds but beware their menu sells out
fast so be sure to pre-order early!
Planta Queen, 3015 Grand Ave.,
Coconut Grove, FL 33133
Planta Queen Coconut
Grove is inspired by Asian cuisine that focuses on being sustainable and
upscale in their offerings. Try vegan sushi made with ingredients such as
watermelon and mushrooms. Some standout dishes include scallion pancakes,
coconut ceviche, and truffled fried rice. Not only is the food reminiscent of
Asian culture, but the atmosphere was influenced by Chinese courtyards and the
bar is a highlight with its delightfully pink barstools. Planta Queen is a
great restaurant if you are look for inventive food that is served in a stylish
ambiance.
Sanctuary Bistro, 6414 Rea Rd. Ste.
C2, Charlotte, NC 28277
Sanctuary Bistro’s
menu is nothing short of inventive. This family-owned restaurant offers dishes
such as beet salad, artichoke dip, garlicky greens, lasagna, jambalaya, black
lentil Shepard’s pie, Kansas BBQ tofu, tiramisu, cheesecake, and much more.
Seitan’s Realm, 3496 N. High St.,
Columbus, OH 43214
Enjoy a wide range
of dishes including BBQ Wingz, Broccoli Salad, Vinegar Coleslaw, Cheezestake
Sandwich, Peanut Butter Pie, and more.
Señor Sisig Vegano, 701 Valencia St.,
San Francisco, CA 94110
Food trucks are a
fun dining experience, and what makes Señor Sisig Vegano’s food truck even
better, is that all menu items are completely vegan. Cooking up soy-based
proteins, the owners are using traditional techniques, marinades, and spice
mixtures so flavors and textures are not sacrificed. Incorporating Filipino
ingredients into Mexican dishes, some must try menu items are the vegan
“longanisa chorizo” burrito, “chicken” nachos, and “pork” fries topped with
guacamole and pico de gallo.
Terms of Endearment, 135 Metropolitan
Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11249
Terms of Endearment
is an incredible restaurant serving up a huge variety of vegan meals, alongside
fresh-baked French pastries. Everything served is made on-site and beautifully
plated. Check out their Instagram to see the amazing pictures they capture of
their dishes and festive pastry items. Their specialty drinks such as the
Rosewater Dragonfruit Latte and Lavender Butterfly Pea Latte look almost too
pretty to drink! While you’re there, try out the Artichoke Caprese Sandwich,
Holiday [Vegan] Cheese Plate, and Orange Blossom Corn Waffle for breakfast.
Posted on
December 08, 2020 by
The VRG Blog Editor
By Lucia Rivera,
VRG Intern
Pupusas, beans,
yuca, plantains, and more await vegan eaters at Salvadoran restaurants. While
most restaurants that serve cuisine from El Salvador offer options with meat,
vegetarians and vegans can also have delicious options to try.
One of the staple dishes of Salvadoran
cuisine are pupusas, thick tortilla-like griddle cakes filled with a variety of
mixtures, ranging from beans to loroco (an edible flower). Pupusas are the
national dish of El Salvador and can be the main meal when dining out at
Salvadoran restaurants.
For vegans eating
at Salvadoran restaurants, one can order bean pupusas, or pupusas filled with
other vegetable options. Some Salvadoran restaurants, like Chévere in
Sacramento, California even offer especially made vegan pupusas with jackfruit
and vegan cheese filling. As a topping to pupusas, vegans and non-vegans alike
can enjoy curtido, a pickled cabbage slaw topping.
The beans in pupusas are usually cooked with vegetable oil, but some restaurants might use lard. To make sure, it is always best to check with the chef to inquire about what ingredients are in their bean pupusas.
Besides pupusas, there are several vegan
side options that are commonly served at Salvadoran restaurants. One of these
is fried yuca, also known as cassava in other parts of the world, which is a
white starchy root. Fried yuca is a great vegan option as it is usually fried
in vegetable oil. While you can always check with the chef of a restaurant to
make sure, yuca is generally fried in vegetable oil throughout Central America
because vegetable oil is much more easy to transport and cheaper to buy in
large quantities than lard.
Additionally, fried plantains are a great
side to go with yuca and pupusas! Plantains are also generally fried in
vegetable oil. Even if one ordered bean pupusas, a side of black beans can be a
perfect final addition to one’s meal at a Salvadoran restaurant.
For more
information on Latin American eating, see
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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