Each issue of Vegetarian Journal contains a column called Nutrition Hotline written by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD. Her recent column discusses the issue of what to do if pregnant and anemic. Dr. Mangels states that while your dietitian is correct to encourage you to increase your iron intake, it’s not necessary to start eating meat. Read the entire column here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2020issue3/2020_issue3_nutrition_hotline.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

By Lucia Rivera, VRG Intern

“Family, Tradition, Cultura. All gone vegan while preserving and celebrating Mexican regional cuisine,” is the opening line of Dora Stone’s video on the best vegan Mexican recipes. Founder of the blog Dora’s Table, Dora Stone is a Mexican food photographer and recipe developer that works to spread vegan eating within the Hispanic community.

One day, I stumbled upon Dora’s Table and was thrilled. As the only person in my Mexican family to be exploring veganism, I was eager to find something like this. I love experimenting with new vegan recipes, whether for dessert or dinner, but I had never tried out a veganized Mexican recipe.

     After I spent hours pursuing the website and watching enthralling videos of chiles being cooked and tamales being steamed. I soon knew that I needed to try out a recipe from Dora’s blog, and chose the jackfruit vegan pozole rojo.

     Throughout my early childhood, my paternal grandmother’s pozole had been just one of the many traditional mexican dishes that reminded me of my family and my heritage. But since I became vegetarian at the age of seven – now nine years ago – I hadn’t enjoyed a bowl of pozole. So as I excitedly planned to take on this veganized pozole recipe, I went in search of the necessary ingredients, which were not those I normally used on a day to day basis. White hominy, chiles de árbol, and chiles anchos might not have been in my pantry, but I was familiar with their presence in supermarkets in the Southwestern border community I am part of.

     I easily recruited my father to take me to a nearby market and connected with him as we learned the shapes and names of the numerous chiles and spices that were arrayed in bins next to pan dulce. After I collected all my ingredients, including the canned jackfruit that would replace the usual meat of pozole, I arranged my workspace on my kitchen counter and began.

     Several hours later I finished the simmering, sautéing, grinding, chopping, and mixing required in the recipe and presented the soup to my parents. While it was not perfect, and the spices may have been a little bit off, I smiled wide when my dad proclaimed his satisfaction. Later that week my abuela let me know it was a bit spicy for her taste, which was unexpected but happily taken critique.

     I never expected that a blog of vegan cooking would help me connect to my Mexican heritage, but that is exactly what Dora’s Table helped me do. Generations of women before me cooked with the same chiles and served their families dinner proudly, and with veganized Mexican recipes, I can now do the same.

To read recipes from Dora’s Table, follow this link to her blog: https://dorastable.com/

For more vegan Mexican recipes written in English from The Vegetarian Resource Group see: https://www.vrg.org/journal/CookingAndRecipes.htm#cr-ethnic-mexican

For vegan Mexican and other South American recipes in Spanish from The Vegetarian Resource Group see: https://www.vrg.org/nutshell/information_in_Spanish.htm#Recetas

By Rissa Miller, Senior Editor Vegetarian Journal

(Serves 4)

5-6 Yukon Gold potatoes, skins-on, cubed

½ cup to ¾ cup potato cooking liquid

½ cup unsweetened, unflavored vegan milk

Salt and pepper, to taste

Add cubed potatoes to a large cook pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 30-40 minutes, until potatoes are fork-tender. Put aside 1 cup of cooking liquid before draining potatoes. Once drained, return cooked potatoes to cook pot and add ½  cup cooking liquid and ½  cup vegan milk. Using a potato masher, sturdy fork or electric mixer, mash the potatoes and blend with liquid to desired texture. If smoother, creamer texture is desired, add more of the cooking liquid and re-mash. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

Cook’s Note: These potatoes are wonderful with various add-ins such as a teaspoon of garlic powder or onion powder, chopped fresh parsley or chives, or even a palm full of nutritional yeast.

Recent topics brought up include:

– Info about the launching of an occasional So Many Kids in the Kitchen group and our first virtual show is next week.

– Parent posted: Part of my doctoral research is focused on school lunch programs. What is your opinion or take on it? Do your kids eat school lunches and if yes, do you find enough vegetarian options. For example, Child Nutrition Program (CNP) officially introduced tempeh as a meat-equivalent last year. However, how many schools really serve tempeh? Ours does not!

– What is your take on “organic” veggie/fruit produce? Do you “trust” them enough to spend extra $$ on organic produce? Do you “believe” they are better for the health of your children?

– Mention of new veggie book for children called The Turtle Who Fights For Animal Rights.

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. 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.

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 coronavirus pandemic many are doing take-out and/or delivery now):

The Andaluz Vegan, 10540 Cypress Creek Pwky., Houston, TX 77070

The Andaluz Vegan specializes in Mexican Street food. The menu is filled with delicious options like jackfruit flautas and gorditas. The flautas are filled with jackfruit and topped with queso and either creamy chipotle cheese, nacho queso, or creamy elote green. On the side order the empanadas available in three different fillings: squash blossom and cheese, potato and cheese, or beans and cheese. To drink order either the homemade Agua fresca or the horchata. The papaya, banana, and oat Agua fresca is especially delicious. For dessert order the rice pudding or churros served with chocolate dipping sauce.

BAIA, 300 Grove St., San Francisco, CA 94102

BAIA is a vegan restaurant serving delicious plant-based classic Italian dishes. Some favorites include: Cacio e pepe, lasagna, and the market vegetable pizza. The Cacio e pepe features black pepper cream with mozzarella, parmesan, and ricotta. The pasta is tasty and creamy. The lasagna is stuffed with Bolognese sauce, ricotta, and mozzarella. It is delicious and filling. The market vegetable pizza is topped with fresh vegetables, greens, and herb sauce. This pizza is the perfect combination of savory and flavorful. For dessert, order the Torta, a rich chocolate and hazelnut cake. BAIA will become a new plant-based favorite with the rotating menu offering new exciting options every week.

Happy Vegan, 1279 Main Ave., Clifton, NJ 07011

The Happy Vegan specializes in Turkish vegan food. Order the Vegan Çig Köfte made with crack wheat, tomatoes, pepper, red pepper juice, pomegranate sauce, garlic, and mint. Another great option is the crispy tofu salad filled with fried tofu, walnuts, salad, tomatoes, and carrots. On the side, try the dr. OZ Green Juice with apple, celery, ginger, and lemon. For dessert try the delicious Baklava stuffed with dough, pistachio, and vegan butter.

House of Vegans, 1426 North 3rd St., Harrisburg, PA 17102

House of Vegans offers vegan soul food, and on Sundays offer their signature burgers; the Slap Burger, Open House, and the Big Zaddy. Along the counter runs the phrase “For the Culture,” which House of Vegans says is at the center of what they do. They also offer fresh H.O.V. juices, like Banana Express.

M!LK Gelato, 535 Queen St. W., Toronto, ON M5V 2B5 Canada

M!LK Gelato serves vegan gelato and sorbet made with coconut, oats, and mix-ins to create one of many different flavors. On top of their cold treats, the shop also serves cupcakes and waffles, which you can fill with your gelato, and beverages. They’re located off of Queen Street in the Alexandria Park district, within walking distance of Alexandria Park.

Sestina, New York, 67 2nd Ave., NY 10003

This upscale eatery focuses on a variety of vegan pasta dishes along with antipasto, desserts, espresso, and wine. Call or check on the web to make reservations.

SO Veganly, 26515 Preston Ave., Bldg. C, Spring, TX 77373

Described to have welcoming customer service and great vegan food, SO Veganly is a woman-owned, Black-owned, soy-free, organic restaurant. SO Veganly alternates menu themes monthly, with “Comfort food” or “Mexican food” from one month to the next. Anyone can order breakfast dishes like cinnamon pancakes, entrees like Coney style chili dogs and personalized power bowls, while also having catering and meal prep options.

Uncooked, Fulton Market, 210 N. Carpenter St., Chicago, IL 60607

Uncooked is a vegan, whole foods, gluten-free restaurant. Located in Fulton Market, they offer delivery within a 3-mile radius for orders that can be placed through their app. Delivery or sit-in orders can range from cakes, breakfast dishes, salads, and entrees, to dips, juices, smoothies, smoothie bowls, coffee, and teas!

By Rissa Miller, Senior Editor Vegetarian Journal

(Makes about 60 crackers)

1 cup all purpose flour

¼ cup nutritional yeast

1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed meal

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

¼ teaspoon smoked paprika

Pinch salt

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons yellow mustard

5-6 Tablespooons water

Parchment paper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

     In a food processor or strong blender, combine flour, nutritional yeast, flaxseed meal, turmeric, paprika, and salt. Pulse twice to mix. Add olive oil and yellow mustard. Pulse again several times to combine. Next add 4 Tablespoons of water. Process until well blended and when done, see if dough will hold its form in a ball. (Open it and check by hand.) If it doesn’t roll into a ball, add only one more Tablespoon of water at a time until it holds a ball shape. Don’t overdo it on adding water, or the cracker dough will become too moist.
     Tear off two sheets of parchment paper that are the size of the baking sheet you plan to use in the oven. Form dough into a ball on top of one piece of parchment on the counter and allow to rest for 10 minutes for flaxseed meal to form its bonds. When ready, top with a second parchment sheet and roll the dough until it’s an evenly shaped oval or rectangle, less than 1/8 inch, about 2 millimeters—very thin to get crispy! Remove the top layer of parchment and slide onto the baking sheet. Using a knife or pizza cutter, score the dough into crackers, about 1½ inch square. It’s likely they won’t be perfect—that’s part of the charm of homemade crackers.
     Bake at 350 degrees, turning once during baking, for 18-20 minutes until edges are browned and crackers are crisp. Allow to cool for 20 minutes on a baking sheet before eating.

Support vegan restaurants in Maryland during Vegan Restaurant Week which has now been extended through August 23^rd, 2020. See: https://www.mdveganeats.com/ and https://facebook.com/events/s/maryland-vegan-restaurant-week/307528703959792/?ti=ia

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

In these economically challenging times, the WIC (Women, Infants, Children) Program can be a help to many families with infants and young children. According to USDA’s website, WIC serves about half of all infants born in the United States. WIC was developed to protect the health of low-income pregnant and post-partum women, infants, and children up to age 5. The program provides participants with vouchers that are used to purchase specific foods that are identified as being nutritious. WIC is administered by the USDA and by state health departments.

For vegan post-partum women and young children, WIC food options may include:

• Fresh, frozen, and canned fruits and vegetables
• 100% juice
• Breakfast cereals (some ingredients may not be acceptable to vegans)
• Whole grain bread products, whole grain tortillas, brown rice, whole wheat pasta (some bread and tortilla ingredients may not be acceptable to vegans)
• Dry or canned beans, peas, or lentils
• Peanut butter

Infant food suitable for vegans:

• Infant cereal
• Infant fruits and vegetables

Soy formula is available through WIC. Although it may contain vitamin D derived lanolin, there are no other options for formula-fed vegan infants. 

     The WIC food package for women and young children may include vouchers for non-vegan items such as dairy products, eggs, and canned fish. In some cases, on a state-by-state basis, specific brands of soymilk and/or tofu may be available to substitute for cow’s milk. There are not standard vegan substitutes for eggs or canned fish. If you want to use soy milk and/or tofu to replace cow’s milk, you may need to discuss this with the WIC nutritionist.

     Currently, all states and the District of Columbia appear to allow approved brands of soy milk to replace cow’s milk. Thirty-four states and the District of Columbia list certain brands of tofu as an approved substitute for cow’s milk.

For more information about the WIC program, visit USDA’s website or search for WIC on your state’s department of health website.

By Rissa Miller, Senior Editor Vegetarian Journal

(Makes about 40 crackers)

2 cups almond flour
2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed meal
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3-4 Tablespoons water
Parchment paper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
     In a food processor or powerful blender, add almond flour, flaxseed meal, salt, and pepper. Pulse twice to mix dry ingredients and break up lumps in almond flour. Add olive oil and 3 Tablespoons water. Turn on processor and allow to mix until dough forms a ball. If it doesn’t roll into a ball, add only one more Tablespoon of water. Don’t overdo it on adding water, or the cracker dough will become too moist.
     Tear off two sheets of parchment paper that are the size of the baking sheet you plan to use in the oven. Form dough into a ball on top of one piece of parchment on the counter and allow to rest 10 minutes for flax seed meal to form its bonds. When ready, top with second parchment sheet and roll the dough until it’s an evenly shaped oval or rectangle, less than ¼ inch, about 1/8 inch, thick. Remove top layer of parchment and slide onto the baking sheet. Using a knife or pizza cutter, score the dough into crackers, about 1½  inch square. It’s likely they won’t be perfect—that’s part of the charm of homemade crackers.
     Bake at 350 degrees, turning once during baking, for 18-20 minutes until edges are browned and crackers are crisp. Allow to cool for 20 minutes on a baking sheet before eating.

By Rissa Miller, Senior Editor Vegetarian Journal

(Makes 12 slices)

Non-stick spray
3 Tablespoons ground flax seed meal
6 Tablespoons warm water

1½ cups all purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons baking soda
1½ teaspoons powdered ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch salt (optional)
¼ cup maple syrup
½ cup unsweetened, plain vegan milk (cashew, oat, pea, or soy work best)
2 Tablespoons melted vegan margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup dried candied ginger, chopped
½ cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with non-stick pray and set aside.
     In a small bowl, combine ground flax seed meal with warm water. Stir thoroughly and set aside to congeal into a binder.
     In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, powdered ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Stir a few strokes to mix, then add maple syrup, vegan milk, margarine, vanilla, and flax meal mixture. Stir again, about 30-40 strokes until well combined. Fold in chopped dried ginger pieces and dried cranberries. Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean and edges of loaf are golden brown. Cool 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.