By Alejandro Torres

Alejandro is a Vegetarian Resource Group 2020 video scholarship winner. He said: I am interested in vegetarianism for the multitude of benefits to myself, my loved ones, the environment, and the animals.

To see his video, go to: https://www.vrg.org/veg_videos.php

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:

https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2001sep/2001_sep_desserts.php

To subscribe to Vegetarian Journal in the USA, see: https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php You can also subscribe to the Kindle version of Vegetarian Journal in the USA and United Kingdom. In the USA, visit: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LBY2Y7K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544727482&sr=8-1&keywords=B07LBY2Y7K  In the United Kingdom, visit: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07LBY2Y7K/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1544731957&sr=8-1&keywords=B07LBY2Y7K

The Cornocopia Institute indicates that there are “milk plant codes” on milk cartons, to help you figure out which facility is packaging (animal) milk from large dairies. For information see: https://www.cornucopia.org/action-alerts/aurora-milk-plant-code/

Of course, we prefer that you consume vegan milks! See: https://www.vrg.org/nutrition/milk_alternatives/index.htm

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.

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Whether your child’s school is virtual, blended, or in-person, lunch is an important part of the day. Many school cafeterias have few or no vegan options so packing a lunch is a part of the morning routine for a lot of vegan families. Even if your child’s trip to school only involves turning on a laptop, a packed lunch can simplify things mid-day. You don’t have to cook every morning, either. Many items on this list can be a left-over from dinner the night before or from the freezer. Knowing that some school districts don’t allow nuts or nut butters, items on this list that have nut butters can be modified to use soy or sunflower seed butter. Add a beverage, some cut up veggies and/or a piece of fruit.

Sandwiches

1. Peanut butter and fruit spread on whole-wheat bread

2. Hummus wrap

3. Bean burger on a whole grain bun (can make mini-burgers and serve in small buns)

4. Tofu burger on a whole grain bun (can make mini-burgers and serve in small buns)

5. Falafel in pita

6. Tofu salad on rye

7. Chickpea salad in pita

8. Red pepper hummus on a pumpernickel bagel

9. Vegan deli slices on a small sub roll

10. Almond butter (or sunflower seed butter) on a cinnamon-raisin bagel

11. Bean burrito

12. Baked tofu on an English muffin

13. Veggie dog in a bun

14. Lentil loaf on multigrain bread

15. Veggie sausage in a biscuit

16. Quesadilla with hummus or vegan cheese

17. Scrambled tofu on an English muffin

18. Peanut butter and sliced or dried fruit on whole-wheat bread

19. Bagel with vegan cream cheese

Dips

20. Hummus with toasted pita chips

21. Vegan yogurt with fruit dippers

22. Peanut butter (or other allowed butter) sauce with vegetable dippers

23. Refried beans with tortilla chips

24. Marinara sauce with chewy bread sticks

25. Waffle sticks with fruit sauce

In the thermos

26. Baked beans and veggie dog slices

27. Pasta with marinara sauce and chickpeas

28. Pasta salad

29. Pasta with peanut sauce (or sauce made with soy butter)

30. Chili

31. Rice and beans with salsa

32. Chana masala (curried chickpeas) and rice

33. Ramen noodles with vegetables and tofu cubes

34. Hearty bean soup

35. Barbecue tofu

36. Barbecue seitan

37. Pancakes

38. Pinto bean potato salad

39. Sushi rice salad (sushi rice with vegetables and tofu cubes and a soy sauce dressing)

40. Vegan mac and cheese

41. Samosa

42. Vegan lasagna

43. Sloppy joe (pack a bun and spoon on the filling at lunch time)

44. Sesame noodles and vegetables

Miscellaneous

45. Peanut butter and jelly muffin

46. Homemade calzone

47. Corn and black bean muffin

48. Build your own taco (taco shell plus fillings)

49. Sushi

50. Bean spread roll-ups (roll a bean spread in a tortilla and slice vertically)

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):

Daily Veg, 113 E. Main St., Newark, DE 19711 and 5335B Limestone Rd., Wilmington, DE 19808

You can order acai bowls, milkshakes, and smoothies along with burgers, sandwiches, wraps, and more at this restaurant. Their motto is to “Live life on the veg,” and they encourage it with amazing plant based options like the Impossible Cheeseburger, the Daily Chick’n Deluxe, and Daily Cheese Fries. All smoothies and smoothie bowls can also be customized with added toppings and ingredients!

Eat Nabati, 160 Baldwin St., Toronto, ON M5T 3K7 Canada

Nabiti means “plant-based” in Arabic, and the restaurant’s name is part of the lighting decorations that adorn its walls. Customers can choose from pita, rice, and lentil bowls, to accompany dishes like vegan shawarma, Egyptian falafel, Za’atar cauliflower, and koftar (Egyptian meatballs). To add on, they even serve stuffed falafel!

Nirvana Tea House & Café, 969 Main St. Ste. 202, Millis, MA 02054

Nirvana Tea House & Café aims to help you find your happy place through 42 different tea flavors and vegan foods. All teas come from farms who prioritize environmental awareness and proper care of their employees, and workers at the cafe are paid a livable wage. The food menu is entirely vegan, and composed of different bowls, salads, wraps, and small snacks like their extra popular Mediterranean platter and chai crumble tea cake.

Raised By The Waves, Kahuku Sugar Mill, 56-565 Kamehameha Hwy. #B9, Kahuku, HI 96731

They serve a variety of nutritious, organic, locally sourced plant based food. The menu includes Hawaiian coffees, smoothies, and other drinks, as well as bowls and salads and assorted breakfast items. Check out their weekly specials as well. From their website: “Our mission is to raise awareness about living a health conscious lifestyle through our menu and dine in experience.”

Shahar Café, 1511 Bardstown Rd., Louisville, KY 40205

Located in the heart of the highlands, Shahar Café offers a variety of vegan fare that is sure to make your mouth water. Favorites include the Vegan Burger and the Vegan Legen-no-Dairy Fries. Along with other delicious menu items including the Vegan Samosa and Chicken Sando, Shahar also provides espresso and latte drinks. Additionally, breakfast items are also available, which include the Breakfast Burrito Meal, as well as other breakfast sandwich options using Impossible Meat, Just Egg, and vegan cheese.

ThaiBinh’s Peaceful Eats, Grow DeSoto Market Place, 324 E. Belt Line Rd., Ste. 202, DeSoto, TX 75115

Enjoy about 30 Vietnamese vegan menu items including homemade beverages, curries, noodle and rice dishes, Pho, and more. From owner/chef ThaiBinh Ho “I can help people eat vegan with my food and that’s a win for the world”.

V-odega, 140 Plymouth St. #140B, Brooklyn, NY 11201

V-odega does one thing and one thing right, serve you vegan comfort food. Between the melt in your mouth Philly cheesesteaks to the loaded mac stack sandwiches, this restaurant will have your mouth watering. It’s located in the center of Brooklyn, in the urban atmosphere. They are an all delivery restaurant and also have a catering service for larger crowds. Have you ever tried a jackfruit Cuban sandwich? You can at V-odega’s because they have many unique vegan sandwiches to pick from. It’s the perfect place to go if you are trying to get your east coast sandwich fix, but sticking to the all vegan diet.

VOWburger, 519 North Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036

Description of food served/Special Features:  VOWBurger specializes in plant-based burgers and breakfast items. Their menu is delicious and will satisfy any craving for vegan versions of American food. Try the VOWburger made with impossible burger meat and topped with tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, onions, and a delicious homemade sauce. On the side, order curly fries for a yummy and fun addition. For breakfast, try the VOWegg sandwich made with JUST vegan egg and topped with cheese and green sauce. Be sure to order a side of hash browns, you will not regret it! For a treat, order any of the almond milk-based milkshakes. Our favorite is the Vowcookie monster featuring vegan chocolate chip cookies. VOWBurger will not disappoint!

In the midst of COVID-19, I was searching the internet for volunteer opportunities. I happened to come across The Vegetarian Resource Group. I was immediately drawn to The VRG due to my interest in vegetarianism and veganism. I had just finished a class entitled Environment and Your Health. In this class we talked about the multitude of ways the environment directly and indirectly impacts your health and wellbeing. In one particular lecture, we discussed food and health. I remember a specific quote stating if everyone ate a vegetarian diet on Monday it would save the carbon dioxide equivalence of taking 5 million cars off the road. This figure immediately stood out to me and I kept on going back to this one fact months later.

     I was always interested in vegetarianism and veganism but was not sure if I could take the jump. After taking this class and moving back home from college early due to the pandemic, I began exploring veganism and vegetarianism. My time and research at The VRG allowed me to understand the importance of my individual dietary choices. Ethics and environmental concerns drove me towards veganism. Humans are all interconnected by our planet and eco-system. We cannot continue trashing our planet with waste and toxic gases. I believe veganism is the future and one way to help alleviate climate change. I am grateful to have been able to explore veganism further at The VRG. As a public health major, pre-medicine student, and a personal trainer/group fitness instructor at Johns Hopkins, I understand the importance of health. I hope to educate others about the benefits of veganism for their individual health and the eco-system.

     During my time at The VRG, I was able to assist on a number of projects. I worked with Reed Mangels, PhD, RD on an article about creatine use for vegetarians and vegans. This article allowed me to further understand the dietary needs of vegans. I was grateful to have been able to work on my writing skills during this project. I also worked on the noodle project alongside fellow interns. We researched whether the crispy noodles in Chinese restaurants are vegan.  This project allowed me to closely work with fellow interns. It made me feel connected to this virtual internship. I also wrote restaurant reviews for VRG’s online guide: vrg.org/restaurant/index.php. These were so fun to write! I want to visit all these places in the future. Finally, with Jeanne Yacoubou, I worked on researching the risk of a viral pandemic from factory farms vs. wet markets. This project was challenging, yet informative. I was able to put my research skills learned at Hopkins to the test. It was exciting to research something that has present-day impact.

     I have enjoyed my time at The VRG and hope to apply what I have learned to future endeavors. Later on, I would like to further study the intersection of health, dietary choices, and well-being. I also hope to educate my future patients about the benefits of vegetarianism and veganism on their health.

For more information about VRG internships, visit vrg.org/student/index.php

To support VRG internships, donate at vrg.org/donate 

By Julia Stanitski, VRG Intern

Are you a dancer and wondering what vegan snacks are best to fuel you through the day? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Here are FIVE examples of fully vegan snacks you can eat before dancing, after you get home, or just whenever you feel like it!

Dried Fruit and Nuts

Dried fruits, such as dates, raisins, and mango, are incredible for dancers. It gives you quick energy to use, and is also so delicious! Nuts will keep you full, and you do not have to eat very many of them to feel satiated. So, try this combo out before you have dance class in the future! I like to fill a reusable container with this mix and keep it in my bag at all times.

I personally like heading into my nearest Trader Joe’s to purchase these items, as I find they are cheaper there. But, they can be found at any local supermarket.

Avocado Toast with Tomatoes

Try spreading some mashed avocado on whole grain toast. Put some sliced tomato with salt & pepper on top to add texture. You can transport this in a container if you like, but it is best eaten fresh at home.

A great brand of bread to use is Dave’s Killer Bread, because of the wholesome grains used and incredible flavor. I purchase Dave’s Killer at Costco in a 3-loave pack for the best deal, but you can purchase your favorite bread at any grocery store! 

Hippeas Chickpea Puffs

Hippeas are such a great snack for after dancing. Did you know they are made from chickpeas? They’re flavorful and have so many flavors to choose from, such as Vegan White Cheddar, Barbecue, Sriracha Sunshine, and more! They are basically the vegan equivalent of cheese puffs, but healthier. They come in both large family-size bags, and also snack bags that are great for on-the-go!

You can find Hippeas at Costco, Whole Foods, Wegmans (in parts of the east coast), and many supermarkets.

Granola with Coconut Yogurt

Have you tried coconut yogurt before? It goes perfect with almost anything – granola, cereal, fruit, and even on toast! Our recommendation is to pair this with your favorite granola (either homemade or store-bought), and eat it when you get home from dance. One granola that seems to have a wonderful mix of sweet and salty, and quality ingredients, is the Purely Elizabeth brand Chocolate Sea Salt Granola.

You can find Purely Elizabeth granola at Target, Walmart, Amazon, and many grocery stores. Granola is sold at most grocery stores, so take a look when you go shopping next and find your favorite one! Just make sure to read the ingredient list to ensure no animal products are included.

CLIF Builders Bars

These protein bars are great for anyone who exercises or moves their bodies a lot. You can take them along with you to dance class, eat them on the car ride home, or late night if you have a competition the next day. The bars will surely fuel you through your routine as they are super filling and taste like a candy bar. There are many flavors, such as Chocolate Peanut Butter, Chocolate Mint, Vanilla Almond, and more.

Find these bars at Target, Walmart, and most grocery stores.

Dancers, try these five snacks out and let me know how you like them. Having a good diet as an athlete is sure to improve health, strength, and lifestyle – especially when it’s vegan!

For additional information, ideas, and perspectives, see:
https://www.vrg.org/teen/#athletes
https://www.vrg.org/athlete/

The contents of this 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.

VRG’s Research Manager produced lesson plans for children on water usage. Kids will learn about how much water is needed to produce various foods and other items, as well as how much water is used when flushing a toilet, taking a shower, brushing teeth, etc. These lesson plans are suitable for home schooling, as well as other educational settings.

See:

https://www.vrg.org/environment/K-2_lesson_plan_clean_water.php

https://www.vrg.org/environment/5-8_lesson_plan_water_conservation.php

https://www.vrg.org/environment/9-12_lesson_plan_water.php

By Lucia Rivera, VRG Intern

Veganism truly extends throughout one’s life, including into hair care! With a variety of options and products available throughout the world and advertised across the internet, it is easy to support the environment and animals by using vegan hair products. Even for people with different types of hair – thin, thick, curly, or straight — there are quality vegan hair care options.

     One company that focuses on hair type-specific products is Maui Moisture Hair Care. On their website, which can be reached at https://www.mauimoisture.com/, curly-haired users can find which products apply to their curl type and porosity level. Their Curl Quench + Coconut Oil line is specialized “for thick, curly hair,” and the line’s conditioner works well on knotted curls. Like all their products, their conditioner has aloe vera as its first ingredient, and is paraben, silicone, and gluten-free.

     Those with dry hair, on the other hand, might try the Heal and Hydrate + Shea Butter line. While those with weak hair may explore the Thicken and Restore + Bamboo Fibers line of products.

     Maui Moisture products including combing cream, shampoo, conditioner, curl milk, and hair masks can be purchased at Amazon, Walgreens, CVS Pharmacy, ULTA Beauty, Walmart, and Target. Their 13-ounce conditioner and shampoo bottles are sold for just under 7 dollars on Amazon.

     Other options for vegans, or those interested in vegan hair care, are products from the brand Love Beauty and Planet. Not only are they cruelty-free and vegan, but their bottles are composed of 100% recycled plastic as part of their efforts to reduce climate change and carbon emissions.

     Love Beauty and Planet shampoos and conditioners have amazing ethically sourced fragrances ranging from sandalwood, to ylang ylang, to rose, white jasmine, and so many more. Beyond shampoo and conditioner, their hair products include hair oil, scalp serum, and hair spray, which you can also browse by hair type at https://www.lovebeautyandplanet.com/us/en/home.html.

     “As lifelong animal lovers, being vegan-certified was always a no-brainer for us. Using plant-based alternatives in our vegan haircare and vegan skincare is one of the many small acts of love we believe in because it’s kinder to our furry friends – and the planet. Plus, let’s face it… you can’t beat their incredible scents and awesome beauty benefits, too,” is written on the Love Beauty and Planet website page regarding vegan beauty.

     One purchasing option for a pair of 13.5 ounce shampoo and conditioner bottles is on Amazon for 13.95 dollars, but you can find products near you on the Love Beauty and Planet website.

     Additionally, for those with natural, curly hair, Obia Naturals is a great opportunity to use herbal-based, natural ingredients on your hair. The founder, Obia Ewah, began exploring making her own hair products during her transition to wearing her hair naturally, which you can learn more about on the Obia Naturals website: https://www.obianaturals.com/.

     From curl enhancing custard, to shampoo bars, to detangling spray, all Obia Natural products are vegan and pH balanced. They can be purchased at local stores throughout the United States, or online.

     Not every hair product works on every hair type, but vegan hair care products are here to provide everyone with great options.

Rissa Miller’s article “Don’t Pull the Wool Over Your Eyes” that appeared in a previous issue of Vegetarian Journal educates readers on which yarns are vegan. Many yarns and fibers are made from wool or wool blends (sometimes listed as merino) and are not vegan. To read the entire article, go to: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2019issue4/2019_issue4_pull_wool.php

Subscribe to Vegetarian Journal in the USA only by visiting https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

You can also subscribe to the Kindle version of Vegetarian Journal in the USA and United Kingdom. In the USA, visit: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LBY2Y7K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544727482&sr=8-1&keywords=B07LBY2Y7K  In the United Kingdom, visit: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07LBY2Y7K/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1544731957&sr=8-1&keywords=B07LBY2Y7K