Photo by Cocobols on Unsplash

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

When it’s hot outside, and maybe even hotter inside, the soups and hearty casseroles we crave in cooler weather don’t sound appealing. Besides, no one wants to have the oven heating up their kitchen or to spend time over a hot stove on a steamy summer day! Some of these dishes can be prepared in the morning when it’s cooler and some don’t require cooking.

Hummus or other bean spreads

1. Dip cut up vegetables, crisp fruits, and crackers or tortilla chips in homemade or purchased hummus
2. Roll hummus and chopped vegetables in a whole-grain tortilla
3. Spread white bean dip on sliced baguettes and top with strips of roasted red pepper
4. Warm corn tortillas in a skillet and top with pinto bean spread, salsa, chopped tomatoes, and shredded lettuce
5. Top a microwaved potato or sweet potato with a bean spread. Try a garlicky hummus on a white potato or roasted red pepper hummus on a sweet potato.

Sandwiches – serve with fresh fruit and a side salad

6. Tofu salad with sliced tomatoes in a pita pocket
7. Not-tuna salad (made with chickpeas, vegan mayo, chopped celery, and spices to taste) on toasted rye bread
8. Marinated tofu with sprouts or lettuce, shredded carrots, and peanut sauce in a wrap. Marinated tofu and peanut sauce can be purchased or homemade
9. Sliced bagel with nut butter and sliced fruit (try nectarines, peaches, or other fruit in season)
10. Vegan deli slices on a sub roll with vinaigrette dressing, tomatoes, and lettuce

Salads – make ahead and chill until dinner; can serve with a fruit salad and bread

11. Potato salad with black beans, corn, and a salsa dressing
12. Pasta salad with chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and Italian dressing
13. Spaghetti with a soy-sesame dressing tossed with cubes of baked tofu and steamed (or microwaved) broccoli
14. Rice salad with adzuki beans, diced carrots and cucumbers, and a sweet chili sauce
15. Peanut noodles with water chestnuts and red pepper strips
16. Taboulleh (bulgur with parsley, scallions, mint, tomatoes, and cucumbers in a lemon-olive oil dressing) with chickpeas
17. Three bean salad
18. Shredded cabbage in a soy-sesame dressing with baked tofu or seitan strips
19. Quinoa and bean salad with shredded kale and a cumin-lime vinaigrette
20. Chef salad with strips of vegan deli slices and cubed or grated vegan “cheese”

Miscellaneous

21. Veggie sushi – homemade or purchased
22. Smoothie made with plant milk, silken tofu, fresh and/or frozen fruit; can add nut butter and leafy greens for a meal in a glass
23. Vegan yogurt with berries and chopped nuts on a toaster waffle
24. Gazpacho garnished with croutons, chopped tomatoes and cucumbers, and avocado slices
25. Rice paper wrappers filled with rice noodles, shredded Napa cabbage, baked tofu, cubed mango, and chopped peanuts

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

Debra Daniels-Zeller’s article “Peach Passion” from The Vegetarian Resource Group features a wide range of vegan peach-based recipes. Enjoy Cinnamon-Peach Oatmeal with Toasted Walnuts; Creamy Peach Salad Dressing; Lime-Cilantro Peach Salsa; Coconut-Peach Soup; Tempeh Teriyaki with Peaches; Grilled Balsamic Peaches; Cardamom-Peach Upside-Down Cake; Peach Cashew Cream; and Lemon-Peach Jasmine Rice Pudding.

Read the entire article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2006issue2/2006_issue2_peach_passion.php

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

The Vegetarian Resource Group has a graphic called Burrito on My Plate, which shows viewers the water footprint of a vegan versus a meat-based burrito. It takes 225 gallons of water to make a vegan burrito without tofu and 253 gallons of water to make a vegan burrito with tofu. In comparison, it takes 541 gallons of water to make a beef burrito.

The Burrito on My Plate Graphic can be seen here: https://www.vrg.org/environment/BurritoOnMyPlate.pdf

The article detailing how we came up with the numbers of gallons of water needed to produce each type of burrito can be found here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2017issue2/2017_issue2_burrito_plate.php

Looking for a healthy dessert? Why not try a dessert smoothie! Ivy Grob (a former VRG intern) shared some of her recipes in a previous issue of our Journal including Strawberry Shortcake, Banana Chocolate, Berry Cobbler, Peanut Butter Cup, Peach Pie, and Apple Pie Smoothies.

Read the article here: Dessert Smoothies

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

Vegan Journal is published by The Vegetarian Resource Group. Enjoy in-depth original research, product and book reviews, scientific updates on veggie nutrition, delicious vegan recipes with gorgeous photos, plus so much more. Both long-term vegans and those new to a vegan life-style will enjoy this magazine.

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

The following is from a previous Vegan Journal by Chef Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD, CCE

Fresh, frozen, or canned, corn adds wonderful texture to just about every item on the menu. Keep some frozen corn and canned corn on hand to spruce up meals. Also, take advantage of fresh corn and purchase more than you need. Clean and wash fresh corn, cut off the cob, place in freezer bags or containers, and store in the freezer until ready to use.

Corn Broth, Corn Soup, or Corn Chowder

Use the corn cobs to create a corn broth. Just boil corn cobs with a small amount of carrots, onion, and celery for a delightful broth that can be used as a base for vegetable or bean soups, or as a cooking liquid for grains or rice.

Fresh “cream” of corn soup or corn chowder can be a “meal in a minute” by placing silken tofu, fresh corn (cut off the cob), thawed, frozen corn, or drained, canned corn, a small amount of tomato paste, and seasonings you enjoy, such as black or white pepper, onion powder, ground thyme, etc., in a blender. Blend until smooth, or until the texture you like is achieved. Add some more corn kernels, and some pieces of cooked potato, if you have some on hand, and heat on the stove until warm. If you have the time, you can sauté some diced onions and bell peppers and add to the soup while it is warming for extra flavor.

Central American-Style Corn

If you have extra fresh corn on the cob or some frozen corn on the cob, you can prepare it Central American style. For fresh corn, peel back the husks (but don’t remove them) and clear out the corn silk. Spread a thin layer of vegan mayonnaise or mayonnaise-style dressing (such as Thousand Island) over the corn, sprinkle some minced garlic or minced chilies (or both), and re-wrap the corn in the husk. You can place these on a barbecue grill or in the microwave and allow them to cook until the corn is just soft.

For frozen corn, spread with vegan mayonnaise and seasonings, wrap in foil, and cook on a barbecue grill or in a hot oven (about 400 degrees) until corn is as soft as you like it!

Corn Relish

Corn relish is a traditional condiment that can be used to spice up menu items or can even be used as a sandwich filling. Combine cooked, cooled corn with chopped pickles or pickle relish for a fast corn relish. You can use this with cooked or cold entrées, or add to soups or cooked vegetables.

If you are feeling like doing a bit more chopping, you can combine corn with chopped pickles, chopped red or green bell peppers (or both), chopped sweet onions, chopped fresh tomatoes (or drained, diced tomatoes), and black olives. Use this as a condiment or as a salad filling, combined with leftover cooked beans or diced extra firm tofu or seitan.

Corn “Pilaf”

Make a corn “pilaf” by sautéing finely chopped onions in a small amount of vegetable oil until golden and then adding corn kernels. Toss and sauté until the corn is a bit toasty and serve hot. Chill leftover corn pilaf and use it as a salad topping the next day or stir it into vegetable soup, minestrone, or bean soup.

Corn Pudding

Corn pudding can be made by using a simple “corn mush” recipe (think of cream of wheat made with corn meal), stirring corn meal with water or non-dairy milk over low heat until thick and smooth. Add in corn kernels, raisins, cinnamon, ground ginger, and maple syrup or molasses and allow to cook until desired thickness. Corn pudding can be served plain, either warm or chilled with sorbet (which will allow it to become even thicker) and sliced and served with sliced pineapple or sliced peaches.

Corn Bread and More

If you are in a baking mood, cut fresh corn kernels into a cornbread mix, top with corn kernels and bake. You can also toss corn kernels into burrito fillings, sandwich mixes, cooked grains or veggies, and even salad dressings.

Christopher Place Employment Academy Catholic Charities of Baltimore

By Akua Oppong, VRG Intern

While doing my Vegetarian Resource Group internship, I attended a virtual vegan nutrition class hosted by Christopher Place. Christopher Place is a residential employment program that provides education, training, and recovery for formerly homeless men in Baltimore (https://cc-md.org/programs/christopher-place-employment-center/) Kara Hall teaches classes at Christopher Place and covered macronutrients on the day I sat in on a class. She talked about carbohydrates, protein, fiber, fats, simple sugars (monosaccharides and disaccharides), and cholesterol (LDL and HDL, “good” and “bad” cholesterol), and the impact food has on health.

Kara made it a point to explain things thoroughly for everyone to understand. She truly wanted the men to learn and understand the concepts she was teaching. As a result, the attendees in the class were very enthusiastic and curious about nutrition. They genuinely wanted to understand what they were learning and apply it to their eating habits, and advocate for healthier food choices in their cafeteria. They would ask which foods contained specific nutrients, and pointed out if their cafeteria had the foods Kara discussed or not and their intentions to ask about including them. Kara answered the men’s questions such as why corn doesn’t fully digest, and why it is good to eat apples (and other fruits) daily. Corn doesn’t fully digest because it contains fiber, which human digestive enzymes don’t digest. Fruits are recommended to eat every day because they are high in fiber and carbohydrates, which are essential for a healthy human diet.

On alternate weeks, Kara teaches vegan cooking classes in person. I didn’t attend the cooking class, but Kara mentioned that she made a vegan creamy Alfredo pasta that the men really enjoyed. Some even mentioned that they wanted to become vegan and eat more vegan foods.

Overall, this was a very informative and pleasant experience. The men’s energy and the eagerness Kara had to teach and explain nutrition concepts to them were encouraging. They seemed to have a close and genuine bond that I am sure will benefit them as they continue with the program and learn how to lead healthier and happier lives.

Sources:

www.cc-md.org

For information about VRG internships, see https://www.vrg.org/student/index.php

We greatly enjoyed lunch at the newly opened Ras Plant Based in New York City (they also have a location in Brooklyn, NY). The West Village location in Manhattan is modern and the service was terrific. From noon through 6pm daily Ras Plant Based offers unique bowls and they are absolutely delicious! We sampled their Langano Bowl which includes:

Ras tibs – sautéed seitan, zesty berbere sauce

Fasolia – string beans, carrots, caramelized onions

Yatakilt – cabbage, carrot, bell pepper

Zucchini – crunchy zucchini, carrot, celery, parsley

Mashed avocado – made with tomato, onion, serrano, cilantro, house vinaigrette

All bowls have a brown turmeric rice base, a drizzle of homemade hot sauce, and injera crumble (which adds an element of crunch to the dish) and cilantro topping.

They also offer traditional Ethiopian platters all day with an array of items including brown lentils, yellow split peas, braised collards, crunchy zucchini, tomatoes, carrots, celery, with parsley, as well as string bean, carrots, and caramelized onions, plus much more. Weekend brunch selections include French toast, Kitfo Burrito (consisting of Pea protein crumble, black beans, brown turmeric rice, avocado, and lettuce), Mac n Cheese (made with vegan Mozzarella, cheddar, coconut milk, Ethiopian cardamom, berbere sauce), plus other items.

For more information on this vegan restaurant see: https://www.rasplantbased.com/

Also be sure to visit VRG’s online guide to veggie restaurants throughout the USA and Canada: www.vrg.org/restaurant

Summer Pad Thai photo from Sawatdee Thai Restaurant

Where: Sawatdee Thai Restaurant, Minneapolis, Minnesota

When: Sunday, October 6, 2024, 6 PM

Come meet dietitians from the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group as well as VRG members. The public is invited. You must preregister. You can pay at www.vrg.org/donate and write in the names of attendees and that this is for the Networking dinner.

BUFFET

Appetizers: Vegetarian Spring Rolls and Fried Tofu

Main Dishes:

Red Curry with Tofu

Summer Pad Thai

Combination Vegetable Dish with broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, onions, napa, water chestnuts, tomatoes, and mock duck.

Plus: Brown Rice and White Rice and Coffee or tea and water

Dessert: Mango and Sticky Rice

Cost: $30 for VRG and Vegetarian Nutrition Practice Group members before September 15, 2024. $35 for others. $20 for two to ten year olds. Other drinks can be purchased from the restaurant separately.

PLEASE PAY at www.vrg.org/donate and write in the Comments: Networking Dinner with the Attendee names.  Or call (410) 366-8343. Or mail payment to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203. We look forward to seeing you there.