By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

The USDA administers programs related to children’s nutrition including  the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, Summer Food Service Program and the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. The Vegetarian Resource Group has been advocating for changes to the nutrition standards for child nutrition programs for many years. For example, in 2023 we submitted extensive comments on the revisions to Child Nutrition Programs being proposed by USDA. Recently, USDA announced updates to school nutrition standards, some of which may increase vegan and vegetarian options in school lunch and breakfast programs.

Updates include:

• Removal of the limit for nut and seed crediting at breakfast, lunch, and supper in child nutrition programs. In the past, in some programs, nuts and seeds could only count toward half of a meal’s meat/meat alternatives component. The revision allows nuts and seeds to count toward all of a meal’s meat/meat alternatives component. According to USDA, this change is expected to “expand options for vegetarian and vegan meals that include nuts, seeds, and nut and seed butters.”
• Elimination of the requirement that cooked dry beans, peas, and lentils may be counted as either a vegetable or as a protein source but not as both in the same meal. The new requirement permits beans, peas, and lentils that are offered as a meat alternative to also count towards the weekly requirement that beans, peas, and lentils are offered as a vegetable subgroup. If the beans, peas, and lentils are used as a meat alternative, they do not count towards overall vegetable requirements for the meal. As the new rules explain, if a wrap is served with chickpeas, fresh tomatoes, and lettuce, the chickpeas could count as a meats/meat alternative component and could also count toward meeting the weekly requirement to offer at least a half cup of beans, peas, and lentils as a vegetable subgroup each week. This meal would need to include another vegetable like the lettuce and tomato to meet the requirement for a vegetable component at lunch. According to the USDA, “this new option is intended to support schools that wish to offer more plant-based and vegetarian options.”
• Add bean dips to the list of foods exempt from the total fat standard in the competitive food, or Smart Snack, regulations. This allows hummus and other bean dips to be included as a Smart Snack provided they meet standards for sodium, saturated fat, total sugars, and calories. Bean dips must include ground beans, peas, and/or lentils and can include nut/seed butters, vegetable oil, seasonings, vegetables and juice for flavor, and preservatives. This change could allow more a la carte options for vegans.

The updates did not include changes to the requirements for providing a substitute for cow’s milk for non-disability reasons (such as a vegan diet). USDA does not have the authority to change the statutory requirements that a fluid milk substitute meets specified nutrition standards, that it is requested in writing by a medical authority or the child’s parent or legal guardian, and that the school must cover any expenses that exceed program reimbursements. USDA suggests that school food authorities could provide a simple form that parents and guardians could use to request a substitute for cow’s milk.

You can read the entire text of the revisions here.

To read more about school meals see:

Getting Vegan Food into Schools

Vegan Options in a California School

Vegan Options in Portland, ME School Lunch

New York City School Lunch Program Features “Vegan Fridays”

School Food Lunch

Tempeh in School Meals

Each issue of Vegan Journal features a column called Vegan Cooking Tips by Chef Nancy Berkoff. A previous column focused on strawberries. Here are some ideas for enjoying strawberries at every meal:

• Add sliced strawberries to mixed green or pasta salads.
• Layer sliced strawberries, whole blueberries, and vegan yogurt or silken tofu in a glass bowl to make an attractive dessert or breakfast parfait. Sprinkle with chopped nuts, sesame seeds, or pumpkin seeds if desired.
• Mash fresh or frozen chopped strawberries with a dash of maple syrup and serve as a topping for waffles and pancakes.
• Blend strawberries with a little bit of orange juice concentrate and use as a fresh fruit sauce for fruit salad, pancakes, pound cake, cookies, or vegan ice cream.
• Add strawberries to breakfast smoothies to give them a more vibrant taste and color.
• Create strawberry vinaigrette by blending with oil, vinegar, and dried oregano, garlic, and nutritional yeast.
• To make baked oatmeal with strawberries, simply mix oatmeal with boiling water, pat into a baking dish, top with sliced strawberries, and bake at 350 degrees until firm.
• Create a soaked strawberry cake with leftover cake or wheat bread cut into cubes, and mixed with blended strawberries.
• Blend a strawberry lassi using strawberries, vegan yogurt, coconut milk, and lemon zest.

Read the entire column here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2021issue2/2021_issue2_cooking_tips.php

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

I was very active in the Veg Society of DC children’s playgroup, which my mother founded in 2010. I helped come up with ideas for activities and plan picnics, holiday parties, baking classes, movie nights, restaurant outings, ice skating, and more. Since I was one of the only children in the group that was vegan from birth and one of the oldest, I assisted the other children with how to navigate being the only vegan or vegetarian at school.

When my aunt started her non-profit organization, Vegan Ingenuity, I created the logo for her brand. I also collaborated with her on ways to reach her goal of getting 10 million black women worldwide to eat more plant-based food. I facilitated zoom meetings that included hundreds of participants and featured speakers. For the past five years, I have helped at book talks, conferences, and festivals. The ones that stand out most are the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco, a book talk at the Book Larder bookstore in Seattle, WA, Vegan Soulfest in Baltimore, MD, the Farm Sanctuary Hoe Down, and of course the DC Vegfest. At festivals I help set up booths and answer questions. I also helped to implement new technology to facilitate easy sign-in for 10MBVW (10 Million Black Vegan Women campaign).

I co-founded the food committee at my high school. Dublin, like most schools, struggles with finding the best meals to offer students who are vegetarian and vegan. As a food committee member, as well as student-government vice-president, I advocate for better vegan and vegetarian options for students and teachers. Collaborating with kitchen staff, I work to create menus and brainstorm meal ideas. This work has been both challenging and rewarding. Unexpectedly, I also gained more respect for the kitchen staff because I witnessed firsthand how hard they work to provide food for so many people.

I plan to attend Occidental College. My focus will be on environmental and climate justice. I’m concerned that so many people in the U.S. and beyond don’t have access to clean water, soil and air, largely due to factory farming, monocrops for animals, and the corporatization of daily necessities. After college, I will go to law school with the goal of becoming an environmental lawyer.

The deadline for VRG scholarships is February 20 of each year.

For information, see https://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm

To support The Vegetarian Resource Group internships and scholarships, donate at www.vrg.org/donate

photo from Freepik

The Vegetarian Resource Group has compiled a list of Senior Independent Living, Assisted Living, Nursing Home, and Other Senior Facilities in the USA that will accommodate vegetarians and in some cases vegans. This is a work in progress and if you know of any establishments that should be added to this list, please let us know. Our goal in this project is to persuade senior establishments to offer more vegan options on a regular basis. Sometimes by just asking you put the thought on their radar. We were successful in doing the same thing 20 years ago when we urged college campuses to add vegan options.

You can find the entire list here: https://www.vrg.org/seniors/senior_vegan.php

To support this type of project, please donate here: www.vrg.org/donate

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Colleges and universities are taking notice of the growing interest in vegan/vegetarian/plant-based diets. If you’re interested in a program, you’ll need to investigate to see if it meets your needs and if you are eligible for the program. Programs described as “plant-based” may or may not focus on vegan nutrition.

Here are some examples of programs offering everything from a certificate to a Masters degree.

Loma Linda University School of Public Health offers an online Master of Science (M.S.) degree program in plant-based nutrition. The program offers “a variety of courses in nutritional science with an emphasis on the role of plant-based dietary practices in human health and the environment.” The degree program includes research, culminating in either a publishable manuscript or a written report and there is a written comprehensive examination. Applicants must have completed a BS degree in biology, nutrition, or equivalent field, or a health professional degree (MD, DDS, etc.) from a regionally accredited institution.

Andrews University School of Population Health, Nutrition & Wellness offers an online Masters of Science in Nutrition & Wellness (Plant-Based Emphasis). The program has a vegetarian emphasis. It is taught online with 8 week long classes. Applicants must have completed their bachelor’s degree from an accredited program in Nutrition & Dietetics and have a verification statement(s) prior to the start of the program or be in their senior year completing a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD).

The University of Connecticut Department of Nutritional Sciences offers a Plant-Based Food and Nutrition Online Graduate Certificate. This program consists of 4 on-line courses (Macronutrient Metabolism, Vitamins and Minerals, Plant-based Diets & Nutrition, and Plant-based Food Products)  which can be taken over 1 to 2 years. It is designed  for “healthcare practitioners, research and culinary medicine chefs, food product developers, and other industry professionals to gain specialized training in the research-advised development of plant-based meal plans and products.” Applicants must have completed a Baccalaureate degree or higher from a regionally accredited college or university. Credits earned from this course can be applied towards an MS degree at the University of Connecticut. The cost (in 2024) is $11,100.

Cosumnes River College In collaboration with the Department of Horticulture and the Department of Nutrition and Foods offers a Certificate of Proficiency in Plant-Based Nutrition & Sustainable Agriculture. This program provides the coursework focused on developing “knowledge and skills in plant-based nutrition, plant-based food preparation, and sustainable agriculture.” It includes 3 courses, Plant-based Nutrition, Plant-based Food Principles and Preparation, and Sustainable Agriculture. It is taught in in-person in Sacramento, CA.

Cornell University’s online education department, eCornell, offers an online certificate in Plant-based Nutrition. This video-based program features three 2-week online courses and has no prerequisites. The cost (in 2024) is $949.

If you are aware of other university-affiliated programs, let us know. We will publish an updated list in the future.

The contents of this website and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal and Vegan 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 Carolyn Stoller, VRG Intern

Starting this past January, I began my internship at VRG to fulfill my Environmental Capstone at Loyola University Maryland. Throughout the internship, I was assigned various assignments, such as writing reviews on vegan restaurants, writing articles on environmental law and how to become an environmental lawyer, helping VRG with their High School Senior scholarship contest entries, and analyzing current VRG articles on various vegan/vegetarian issues.

One of the most interesting articles I wrote for VRG was an article where fellow Loyola University Maryland VRG intern Danielle Choma and I interviewed Heather Francis, a previous VRG intern, who is now a successful environmental lawyer. This article was most interesting to me because I was able to delve into a type of legal field that I hope to pursue after I receive my JD at Maryland Carey Law. To explore deeper into the content of the article, Danielle and I detail the complex field of environmental law, highlighting its critical role in regulating human interactions with the environment. Environmental lawyers play a key role in developing legislation and agreements to protect and conserve natural resources and ecosystems. The area offers a wide range of job opportunities, including private practice, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and advocacy groups, as well as subfields such as energy, land use, and agricultural law.

The article continues with insights from Heather Francis, highlighting her path to law school and beyond. According to Heather, the path to becoming an environmental lawyer includes succeeding academically, doing well on the LSAT, and attending law schools with specific environmental law programs. Following graduation, environmental attorneys take on a variety of professions, ranging from public interest campaigning to compliance advice for corporations. Lastly, the article also explores the intersection between veganism and environmental legislation, emphasizing the relationship between dietary choices, animal welfare, and environmental conservation. It promotes local food systems to help reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable agriculture.

Another interactive and informative assignment from VRG was writing their restaurant reviews. One of the reviews I wrote talked about Baltimore’s very own bagel shop, called Roland Park Bagels. In this article, I wrote about their vegan bagel menu. Offering a range of plant-based bagel flavors and sandwiches, such as a take on the traditional “bacon, egg, and cheese,” Roland Park Bagels wowed me with its creative take on vegan cooking. In the process of exploring their vegan options, I discovered that plant-based substitutes like “Just Egg” and “Beyond Sausage” closely mimic the flavors of their animal-based counterparts. The vegan bagel I tried and reviewed at Roland Park Bagels surpassed my expectations and dispelled any myths I had regarding the caliber and flavor of vegan cuisine. This meal at Roland Park Bagels was a perfect example of how vegan cuisine is developing, showcasing how sustainable choices can offer delicious alternatives without compromising on taste. What I tried at Roland Park Bagels is exactly what VRG tries to display to the world. Vegan and vegetarian food is not only good for you and good for the planet but can be delicious too.

I’m so thankful I was able to work with The Vegetarian Resource Group this semester. I learned a great deal about the vegetarian and vegan food options available across the nation, the benefits of eating vegan, and how veganism can be applied to my passions in environmental law. I hope to continue my exploration of vegan options beyond my time at VRG.

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

To support VRG internships and youth outreach, go to www.vrg.org/donate

Or join at https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

The WIC (Women, Infants, Children) Program provides vouchers to purchase specific foods for low-income pregnant and post-partum people, infants, and children up to age 5. A number of changes have recently been made to the WIC program. One change is in the area of plant-based dairy alternatives.

The WIC Program is a federal grant program which is administered at the national level by the Food and Nutrition Service of the USDA and by 89 WIC state agencies (states, territories, Indian Tribal Organizations, and the District of Columbia). Each WIC state agency determines which eligible foods, including brand of foods and package sizes, will be allowed to be purchased with WIC vouchers in their state. Considerations for which foods to incorporate in each state’s list of approved products include product availability, price, and participant acceptance. It is important to note that WIC state agencies are required to authorize some foods and allowed to authorize other foods. For example, WIC state agencies are required to authorize legumes and peanut butter as substitutes for eggs and allowed to authorize tofu as a substitute for eggs.

In the WIC program, who gets milk and how much do they get?             

The Maximum Monthly Allowances of milk are:

• 12 quarts per month for children age 12 to 23 months,
• 14 quarts per month for children age 2 through 4 years,
• 16 quarts per month for those pregnant or partially or fully breastfeeding or up to 6 months postpartum.

Do the new changes allow plant-based options to replace dairy milk?

Yes. WIC state agencies now have the option (but are not required) to authorize plant-based milk alternatives, plant-based cheeses, and plant-based yogurts to replace dairy milk with some limitations.

• Plant-based milk alternatives that meet nutritional requirements may be substituted for dairy milk on a quart for quart basis up to the Maximum Monthly Allowance for milk. Thus, a child age 2 through 4 years could receive up to 14 quarts of a plant-based milk alternative.
• Tofu that meets nutritional requirements may be substituted for dairy milk at the rate of 1 pound of tofu per 1 quart of dairy milk up to the Maximum Monthly Allowance for milk.
• No more than 1 pound of plant-based cheese that meets nutritional requirements may be substituted for 3 quarts of dairy milk for children age 1 through 4 years, pregnant people, those who are partially or mostly breastfeeding up to one year postpartum, and postpartum people who are not breastfeeding or minimally breastfeeding up to 6 months postpartum. Up to 2 pounds of plant-based cheese that meets nutritional requirements may be substituted for 6 quarts of dairy milk for those fully breastfeeding up to 1 year postpartum.
• 1 quart of plant-based yogurt that meets nutritional requirements may be substituted for 1 quart of milk with a maximum of 2 quarts of yogurt that may be substituted for 2 quarts of milk.

What are the nutritional requirements for plant-based milk substitutions?

• Plant-based milk alternatives may be flavored or unflavored.
  • Must contain <10 grams of added sugar per cup
  • Must contain at least 276 mg of calcium, 8 grams of protein, 500 IU of vitamin A, 100 IU of vitamin D, 24 mg of magnesium, 222 mg of phosphorus, 349 mg of potassium, 0.44 mg of riboflavin, and 1.1 mcg of vitamin B12.
• Plant-based cheese
  • Must contain at least 250 mg of calcium per 1.5 ounces
  • Must contain at least 6.5 grams of protein per 1.5 ounces
  • Cannot be a plant-based curd cheese.
• Plant-based yogurt may be flavored or unflavored.
  • Must contain <16 grams of added sugar per cup
  • Must contain at least 250 mg of calcium, 6.5 grams of protein, and 106 IU of vitamin D per 8 ounces.
  • Cannot be a product sold with accompanying mix-in ingredients such as granola, candy pieces, honey, nuts, etc.
  • Cannot be drinkable yogurt.
• Tofu
  • Must contain at least 100 mg of calcium per 100 grams of tofu.
  • May not contain added fats or oils, sugars, or sodium.

Are there actually products that are commercially available that meet these nutritional requirements?

There are some commercially available plant-based milk alternatives and tofu that meet these nutritional requirements. Few, if any plant-based cheeses and yogurts that are currently available meet the requirements. The USDA’s thinking seems to be that more products will be developed that meet the requirements and that as these become available, WIC state agencies will be able to authorize their use without the need for future changes to WIC regulations.

Will medical documentation be needed to replace dairy milk with plant-based milk substitutes? Medical documentation generally cannot be required to provide a milk substitution option. According to the current regulations, WIC state agencies must provide milk substitutions to participant to “accommodate special dietary needs and cultural and personal preferences. (1)” In certain “medically fragile” WIC participants, medical documentation is required for plant-based alternatives to be used in place of dairy products.

When will these changes to the WIC program be implemented?

WIC state agencies may begin implementing the new regulations immediately and are required to implement most of the regulations within 24 months from the publication date of the regulations – by April 20, 2026. The vitamin D requirement for yogurt is required to be implemented by 36 months from the publication date – by April 2027.

In practical terms, does this mean someone receiving WIC benefits can get vouchers for oat milk or almond milk?

It depends. There may or may not be oat milks or almond milks that meet the nutritional requirements described earlier. States are allowed but not required to authorize plant milks including oat milk or almond milk that meet nutritional requirements as a replacement for dairy milk. In the past, only soymilk was allowed to be authorized. When we last checked, in 2020, all 50 states and the District of Columbia authorized approved brands of soymilk to substitute for dairy milk and almost 70% of states and the District of Columbia authorized certain brands of tofu to substitute for dairy milk. This suggests that WIC state agencies are trying to allow dairy alternatives. The new regulations state that options such as plant-based milk alternatives, plant-based cheeses, and plant-based yogurts “better accommodate special dietary needs as well as cultural and personal preferences while still providing critical nutrients (1).” They also recognize the potential cost of these products and state, “When deciding which types and brands of WIC foods to authorize, including when authorizing plant-based milk alternatives, WIC State agencies should consider factors such as package size, food prices, product availability across their jurisdiction, and program management costs along with participant preference and demand (1).” This suggests that participant demand for alternative products that meet nutritional requirements can help to influence state decisions as to which products to authorize.

To read more about the WIC program see:

The Vegetarian Resource Group Sent in Testimony on the Proposed Revision in the WIC Food Package (2023)

USDA Proposes Updates to the WIC Program (2022)

WIC Programs Offer Foods For Vegans (2020)

WIC Farmers Market Program (2020)

Revisions to the WIC Food Package Make Sense (2014)

Reference

1. Food and Nutrition Service, USDA. Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): Revisions in the WIC Food Packages. 89 FR 28488: 28488-28567. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/04/18/2024-07437/special-supplemental-nutrition-program-for-women-infants-and-children-wic-revisions-in-the-wic-food. April 18, 2024.

photo from Sen Saigon

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:

Ambrosia Veggie House, 1009 4th Ave. SW, Calgary, AB T2P 0K8 Canada

Located in the Avatamsaka Monastery, the Ambrosia Veggie House is a Buddhist and vegan all-you-can-eat buffet several days during the week! If you come on Wednesday, Thursday, or Saturday, the buffet will be available offering a variety of Chinese food. If visiting on Friday, you will be given a set menu to choose from. It includes soups (like vegetable, kimchi, and Sichuan spicy soup), house specials (stir-fried veggie rice, noodles, and udon), and side dishes (like spring rolls, sushi, and boiled dumplings). Come on down to the Ambrosia Veggie House to have a feast like no other!

Life Garden, Carr #2 Km. 139.2, Bo Cerro Gordo, Aguada, PR 00602

Located on road number two, the bright red roof of Life Garden Veggie & Vegan Restaurant will make them hard to miss! They offer a consistently rotating menu where people can find a new alternative to healthy eating. Their breakfast menu includes white rice and vegan bacon, vegetables with quinoa, lentils, and even Creole chicken strips. They have soup of the day, sometimes it’s broccoli or carrot, and also a dessert of the day featuring a variety of bizcocho, sometimes being lemon, almond, pumpkin, or coconut. Occasionally, they bring out their vegan hot dogs, burgers, and pizza. You can also make your own salad and acai bowl. Don’t forget to try their natural juices prepared on the spot without added sugar and water. Check out their Facebook to see the daily menu!

Lulu EthioVegan, 12 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55404

Starters include 4pc Sambusa (pastry shell filled with brown lentils, onion, garlic, jalapeño pepper, and herbs, served with sweet, housemade dipping sauce), and Foule (crushed fava beans cooked in onion, berbere, tomato, green pepper, and coconut yogurt), served with warm pita bread/white bread. Main courses start with a house salad and include Difin Misir (brown lentils cooked with fresh garlic and ginger, onion, and curry sauce) and Fasolia (string beans, carrots, onions, garlic, and ginger blended with herbs). House Specials include Mushroom Tibs (mushrooms sautéed with onion, garlic, jalapeño peppers, and herbs, served with house salad) and Shimbra Asa (baked chickpeas marinated and slow cooked in spicy homemade berbere sauce, served with house salad). Also offered are salad bowls, pasta, burgers, and desserts, along with hot and cold drinks and smoothies.

More Vegan Café, 4622 N. Main St., Columbia, SC 29203

Appetizers include Cauliflower Bites (BBQ, Carolina Gold, or Buffalo), and Walnut Eggrolls. Main dishes include Rasta Pasta (Caribbean pasta dish with jerk sauce and vegan scallops made from hearts of palm), Lions Mane Steak (served with mashed potatoes and asparagus), and Curry Chickpea Cauliflower over quinoa. There are several raw dishes, including Raw Spaghetti (zucchini noodles with a savory walnut tomato-based sauce) and Kale and Tabouli Salads. There are several drinks, including Kakarot (fresh-pressed carrot, apple, and ginger) and Mother Nature (apple, celery, lemon, cucumber, basil, mint), as well as a smoothie and several desserts such as Carrot Cake with raisins and pecans.

Oh! Dahon, Canal Street Market, 261-263 Canal St., New York, NY 10013

This is a sushi and salad food stall located in the Canal Street Market. Some of their dishes include Miso Truffle Eggplant, Crispy Broccoli, Pad Thai Slaw, Dahon Signature Roll, and more.

Sen Saigon, 150 E. Broadway, New York, NY 10002

When the owners of Sen Saigon embarked on a vegan lifestyle, it literally got their creative juices flowing. They aim to reimagine familiar Vietnamese fare through a vegan lens, but also to share their passion, helping diners discover some lesser known dishes. Located on the Lower East Side, their signature Banh Mi, referring to bread or sandwich, is Lemongrass Tofu Mushroom featuring house-made nut pate, mayo, banh mi sauce, Vietnamese pickles, cilantro, and coriander on a crisp baguette. There’s also a version of this with house-made vegan ham. Soups include Pho Sen Noodle Soup with house-made vegetable broth, mushrooms, tofu, and vegan beef ball, topped with mung bean sprouts, cilantro, onion, Thai basil, and lemon. Hue Spicy Rice Noodle Soup is a similar version in a lemongrass broth with carrots and vegan ham, topped with red and white cabbage, banana blossom, most of the same seasonings as the Pho but with the addition of Tia To (a peppery herb) and lemongrass chili sate. Sen Signature Salad blooms with Lotus root, cucumber, red pepper, carrot, and herbs, tossed with a vegan fish sauce dressing and crushed peanuts. Both Spring Roll options offer fried rice paper, wood ear mushroom, taro, and onion with sweet and spicy dipping sauce, but the Root Vegetable version also contains sweet potato and mung bean. The Corn Spring Roll has corn and fried shallot. Both Lemongrass Mushroom and Lemongrass Tofu Summer Rolls showcase fresh rice paper with peanut hoisin dipping sauce. Vermicelli Noodle Bowl with Spring Rolls includes some of the same ingredients plus shiitake flower mushroom. If you’re a fan of flan, they offer a nut-free, gluten-free, caramel vegan custard version for dessert.

The Vegan Cheese Lady Café, 605 Main St., Lafayette, IN 47901

For those who lament the difficulty of finding good vegan cheese, The Vegan Cheese Lady has come to your rescue. With a menu featuring made-from-scratch vegan meats and artisan cheeses, this café should be your go-to place. The cheeses are made from soy, cashew, or almonds and are all gluten-free. The meats do contain wheat. If you are looking for some simple cheesy goodness, try the classic grilled cheese. If you desire something a little heartier, there is Julieann’s Crunchy Wrap (made with smashed black beans, taco-seasoned vegan beef, vegan cheddar, and salsa and jalapenos), or the Chickun Salad Wrap (shredded vegan chicken with mayo, mustard, relish, bell peppers, and vegan cheddar wrapped in a tortilla). Dessert options may include a pineapple sorbet or a banana ice cream. Make sure to check the café’s Facebook page for menu updates and specials. They sometimes offer live music in the evening.

Leek and Potato Soup with Watercress Photo by Hannah Kaminsky

How often have you seen leeks displayed in the produce section of your supermarket and wondered what people do with them? Nava Atlas answers that question in an article she wrote for Vegan Journal. Learn about buying leeks and basic prep tips. Also, enjoy these recipes:

Leek and Potato Soup with Watercress

Warm Leek and Potato Salad

Sautéed Leeks with Fennel and Mushrooms

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Leeks and Walnuts

Persian-Style Spinach and Leeks with Black-Eyed Peas

Simmered Tofu with Leeks and Tomatoes

See: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2023issue2/2023_issue2_love_leeks.php

To subscribe to Vegan Journal, visit: https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

By Danielle Choma and Carolyn Stoller, VRG interns from Loyola

The VRG booth went well! A lot of Loyola students came up to us and loved the VRG magazines we had on the table and were very interested in learning more about The Vegetarian Resource Group. Overall, it was a great Earth Day!