Did you know that you can make
seitan (wheat gluten) at home? Seitan is derived from the protein portion of
wheat. It stands in for meat in many recipes and works so well that a number of
vegans and vegetarians avoid it because the texture is too “meaty.”
A previous Vegetarian Journal article titled “Seitan—The Vegetarian Way,” by
Jill Nussinow, MS, RD, tells you how to prepare quick homemade gluten. Recipes
are also provided for Seitan Stew, Seitan
and Shiitake Mushroom Stroganoff, Seitan Fusion Sauté, Barbecued Seitan, Seitan-Squash
Sauté, and Mock BBQ Pork.
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:
A Peace of Soul Vegan Kitchen
2338 Main St., Columbia, SC 29201
Enjoy vegan soul food including
collards, purple cabbage, pinto beans and rice, coconut curry chickpeas, mac n’
cheese, chili cheese fries, sloppy Joes, fried “chicken” sandwich,
and more.
Go Vegan-Philly
401 Fayette St., Conshohocken, PA 19428
Serves fresh, made to order,
all-vegan food in this pop-up style restaurant located inside Izenberg’s Deli
Enjoy mini krab cakes, mac n’ cheese, cornbread and battered chick’n, collard
greens, quinoa stir-fry, and more. They also have vegan desserts.
Lulu Green
246 W. Broadway, Boston, MA 02127
Located in South Boston, just a
5-minute walk from the Broadway T-station. Menu includes a coconut yogurt
parfait for breakfast, hummus or avocado toast, cornmeal waffles on weekends,
salads and bowls, soup, sandwiches, baked goods, and more.
Mamak Vegan Kitchen
2390 Chamblee Tucker Rd., Chamblee,
GA 30341
Described to have a “trendy” ambience
by restaurant reviewers, Mamak Vegan Kitchen offers visitors dozens of menu
items, all 100% vegan. From curry pies, to Beyond Rendang, this restaurant is
focused on Malaysian cuisine and “timeless favorites,” according to their
website. Additionally, one can order a variety of colorful teas and desserts,
also plant-based.
The Native Bowl
Contact for location and times in Portland,
OR
According to their website, “Our
bowls are always made to order, using only the freshest vegetables and
ingredients available. We use locally made tofu and soymilk from Ota Tofu, and
Soy Curls from Butler Foods in nearby Grand Ronde, Oregon.” Among their
bowl choices are the Hollywood (consisting of Za’atar, lemon garlic tahini
sauce, grilled garbanzo beans, red cabbage, pita chips, peperoncinis and
scallions on a bed of jasmine rice) and the Albina bowl (containing Teriyaki
marinated chik’n, peanut ginger sauce, cilantro, roasted garlic cloves,
spinach, carrots, scallions and toasted sesame seeds on a bed of jasmine rice).
The Plant Society Kitchen
37 Mill St. East, Acton, ON L7J 1H1
Canada
Enjoy their Breakfast Plate
consisting of tofu scramble, slice tomato, toast, avocado, potato hash, and
fresh sprouts, Avo Toast, Kale Salad, or Falafel. They also serve desserts.
Wild Thyme Organics
81-6372 Hawaii Belt Rd., Kealakekua,
HI 96750
Enjoy all vegan dishes such as
Tempura Tacos, Philly Cheese Steak, Loaded Nachos, BLT, Chinese Chicken Salad,
Paniolo Burger, and more. They use locally sourced organic vegetables and fruit
when available.
Many years ago, Lisa Rivero wrote
a Vegetarian Journal article titled “Mix
Things Up.” Lisa states, “Dry mixes will keep well for several weeks; so have a
variety on hand for last minute meals or snacks. Just be sure to package them
carefully in air-tight jars or bags.”
These dry mixes would be useful
to have on hand in case you live in an area that is having to go on lock-down
due to the Coronavirus. The article includes recipes for CINNAMON RAISIN APPLE MUFFIN MIX, VEGETABLE
DIP MIX, MACARONI AND TVP SKILLET MIX, LONG-GRAIN AND WILD RICE MIX, SAUCEPAN
STUFFING MIX, BURGER MIX, and CAROB
DATE BROWNIE MIX.
Coming from more northern climates, Phoenix, AZ was delightfully warm. After a couple of sunny hikes, we realized that it was time to cool off. We made our first visit, of several trips, to Nami at 2014 North 7th St in Phoenix. Nami started as a vegan ice cream shop and expanded to include coffee and other hot beverages, baked treats, breakfast, and Sunday brunch.
Nami offers vegan soft-serve made with organic unrefined
cane sugar, organic soy and coconut milk, in vanilla, chocolate, and swirl
flavors. Then it gets fun. You can mix in any number of goodies, either
choosing your own or going with a suggested combination. For example, there’s
Life’s a Peach (deconstructed peach cobbler, granola, and caramel). Clunky
Monkey swirls soft-serve with bananas, pecans, banana syrup, and chocolate
syrup. And then there’s the Mash where the server surprises you with an
original concoction. Servings are large enough to share and they also offer
smaller cups with no mix-ins. The soft-serve was smooth and creamy with a light
flavor that blended well with the mix-ins.
Every time we stopped by, Nami was busy, showing people of
all ages how good vegan treats can be.
The latest issue of Vegetarian
Journal features an article by Ben Sarsgard titled, Stay the Course –
Running the Vegan Power 50K. Ben states, “A 50K is the shortest of the common
distances referred to as ultra-marathons, which means anything farther than the
marathon distance of 26.2 miles. They keep going from there: 50 milers, 100,
200, but 50 kilometers (31 miles) is more than enough for many. If you’ve run a
5K, imagine following it up with 9 more, carrying your own water, over
mountains and hills. You leap roots and rocks every few inches, sometimes
successfully, but usually eating dirt once or twice as your legs get heavy and
your toes can’t quite clear the hurdles. As a runner passes you with a splatter
of mud up one side of their shirt, you know they wear it as a badge of pride.”
– Just got back from my son’s one-year check-up, and the
only concern the doctor had about a plant-based diet was the amount of fat (or
lack thereof) in whatever plant-based milk we may choose to transition to.
Anyone know of any brands/varieties that have comparable fat to whole cow’s
milk and also hit the other main important points (protein, calcium, vitamins D
and B12)?
– How do you educate young children and tell them the truth
about where meat comes from and how animals are badly treated, but not terrify
them?
– Another option for vegan shoes for kids was posted.
– Live Video of 9-year-old vegan boy answering questions.
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.
Each issue of Vegetarian Journal
includes reviews of recent vegan books that have been published. The latest
issue takes a look at Vegan Mac & Cheese by Robin Robertson, Leon
Fast Vegan
by Rebecca Seal, Chantal Symons, and John Vincent, and Show Up
for Salad
by Terry Hope Romero.
In addition to the selection of
fresh fruit, homemade granola, freshly baked goodies waiting for you on the
sideboard, here are some samples of what you can choose for the main event.
Chef Nancy Berkoff writes the Vegan Cooking Tips column for Vegetarian Journal. The latest issue features ideas for preparing dishes highlighting broccoli.
One idea she offers is, “To make a fast and creamy broccoli soup, combine chopped onions with a spray of vegetable oil in a 3-quart microwave-safe bowl and microwave on High until onion is tender. Add about four cups of fresh, chopped broccoli, using the full spear (stalk and florets), enough vegetable stock or water to fill the bowl about half way, ground pepper, and dried parsley to taste and stir to combine. Cover with a lid and microwave on High for 20 minutes or until broccoli is very tender. Remove and set aside. Allow to cool for about five minutes. Stir in about 2 cups of silken tofu and nutritional yeast, to taste, microwave on High for 2 minutes. If you would like a smooth texture, process in a blender or food processor until smooth and reheat. If you don’t care to use the microwave, this soup can be prepared on the stove-top as well.”
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:
Annie O Love’s Café of Sweet
Abundance
1901 Ashley River Rd., Charleston, SC
29407
Enjoy gluten-free granola-based
cookies, vegan cheese cake, sandwiches, and more.
Beyond Vegan Cell Food
615 High St., Portsmouth, VA 23704
Enjoy vegan waffles with
“chicken,” vegan “crab” cakes, wild rice and beans seaweed
plate, walnut “chicken” fruit salad, vegan burgers, soups, salads,
and so much more.
Capitol Bar
1440 NE Broadway St., Portland, OR 97232
The Capitol Bar is the perfect spot
in NE Portland to enjoy an array of cocktails and plant-based dishes like mac
& cheese, burgers, and nachos. Can’t find something on the drink menu that
you’d like? The creative bartenders can take care of that and make an
off-the-menu special that’ll hit your taste buds just right. The atmosphere is
airy and modern with a karaoke room upstairs that you can reserve and outdoor
seating on a patio.
Chau Veggie Express
5052 Victoria Dr., Vancouver, BC V5P
3T8 Canada
Serves vegan savory dishes inspired
by Vietnamese roots in family and culture. They offer 4 different soups and 4
bowl options. Starters include a fresh tempeh roll and also try one of their
salads.
Planthropie
135 Pierce St., Birmingham, MI 48009
Enjoy handcrafted baked goods
including cakes and artisanal vegan cheese made from organic raw ingredients.
Truth & Tonic
The Venetian Level 4, 3355 Las Vegas
Blvd., South, Las Vegas, NV 89109
According to their website, this
restaurant “takes its cues from the apothecaries of yore, with a full
vegan food and drink menu that emphasizes the healing benefits of dish
ingredients.” For breakfast and lunch enjoy baked Just-Egg frittatas, whole
grain ciabatta toasts, soyrizo, rice, and bean burrito, vegan chicken avocado
wrap, veggie burger, tacos, and more.
Viva! Vegan
280 E. Main St., Newark, DE 19711
Viva! Vegan brings colorful smoothie
bowls and plant-based desserts to downtown Newark and the area surrounding the
University of Delaware. Offerings include acai bowls, juices, smoothies,
shakes, and sweet treats like cupcakes, cakes, and various flavors of donuts
that sell out quickly. Not only are their foods vegan, but they also have
gluten-free options available. As an added bonus, Viva Vegan delivers, so you
never have to be without these popular vegan treats.
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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