Located in Baltimore, MD, Dukem offers an eclectic menu that reflects authentic
Ethiopian meals. I and my fellow VRG interns, Emma and Emily all tried Ethiopian
food for the first time, together. If you can, I suggest going with friends or
family when eating Ethiopian food. The portions are more than enough to share
with one or two people. For appetizers, Emma, ordered the vegetable sambusa, a
lentil pastry. Although, the order only includes two sambusas, they were huge.
It is enough for a party of three or four to share, unless you are very hungry.
For our entrees, we ordered the special Dukem veggie combo (3), which includes
seven items: spicy split lentils, yellow peas, greens, cabbage, shiro, salad, and
chickpeas in spicy sauce. All of the veggie platters are similar. The only
difference is the addition of certain vegetable options. For the most part, the
items on the platter consisted of various baked vegetables and vegetable dips,
such as the spicy split lentil. If you are not a fan of spicy food, do not
fret. Most of the items we ate were not spicy, but one or two of the dishes
were. While most of the ingredients are self-explanatory, in case you are
curious, shiro is an essential ingredient in Ethiopian food. It is a stew made
from chickpeas or broad bean meal.
For those who have never eaten Ethiopian food (like myself before this
experience), it is advised to eat with your hands. You can ask for silverware,
but it may appear as if you are unwilling to try another culture’s way of
eating, plus it is a fun and interactive way to ingest your food. The ambiance
of Dukhem also reflects Ethiopian culture. The music videos playing were
Ethiopian pop music, which reminded me of Bollywood styled music and dance.
Not only was the food and entertainment wonderful, the servers were also very
friendly and informative! When ordering, the three of us explained that, as a
collective, we are vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free—a typical server’s worst
nightmare. Immediately, our server pointed out to us what vegan options they
offered and told Emily that they could make a gluten-free injera, which is a
soft pancake-style bread. Score! The injera is placed under the entire
vegetable platter, so if you are gluten-free, be sure to only eat the dips and
not the injera underneath; or you could always request to have the platter’s
injera be gluten-free as well.
Overall, our time at Dukem was a great experience. I highly recommend exploring
cuisine outside of your comfort zone. It is a great way to learn and experience
other cultures, and who knows, it may just become your favorite meal! For me,
the injera and spicy split lentils were too good to not have again. Since our
time at Dukem, I have had Ethiopian food three more times and plan on including
Ethiopian food into my meal preps.
Lacrosse is one of the fastest sports on two feet, while also being physically grueling for every player on the field. Both speed and strength are required to be a good lacrosse player, and taking care of your body before and after you step onto the field is necessary. A good night’s sleep and time spent stretching and icing your sore muscles will help, but a healthy diet is what will really set you apart from other players. I have been a competitive lacrosse player for 8 years, and I know that hectic schedules can make eating healthy, and vegan, even more complicated. Some of your teammates, and even your coaches, may tell you that a vegan diet won’t be able to sustain you after all of the physical activity you will be doing. This is simply not true, and eating the right foods at the right times will help you excel both on and off the field. While my experience as a lacrosse player has inspired these meal options, they would work as healthy options for anyone, but especially athletes.
Breakfast:
Saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day is not a joke. If you’re not a morning person, breakfast may seem like an annoying chore, but it can really be a delicious start to your day. An initial oatmeal with fruits can provide carbs and protein to wake you up the right way.
Oatmeal with Strawberries and Blueberries:
Place 1/2 cup frozen strawberries, ¼ cup frozen blueberries, and some water in a microwavable bowl and heat up until the fruit becomes warm and mushy. Then, add a serving of your desired oatmeal to the fruit mixture and heat up in the microwave for the necessary amount of time, and enjoy!
Oatmeal with Cooked Cinnamon Apples:
Cook your desired brand of plain oatmeal as you normally would. Dice the amount of apples you would like. Heat a pan on medium heat and add 1 teaspoon of olive oil (more or less oil as necessary or wanted), and sauté these apples for around 4 minutes. While any apple variety will do, my go-to is Honey Crisp! Towards the end of the cooking time, sprinkle in some ground cinnamon. Add the apples to your oatmeal, and top it off with some more cinnamon to make a delicious early morning meal.
Mid-Morning Smoothie:
I have found that making a smoothie to sip on later in the morning is the perfect way to stay both full and energized. What you put into your smoothie is personal, but these are a couple recipes that I swear by.
Strawberry, Banana, Blueberry Smoothie:
First, add ¼ cup of vegan yogurt; Daiya Yogurt Alternative in Strawberry is a great tasting option. Then add a splash of any milk-alternative, and blend this liquid portion to make sure that there is enough liquid in the blender. Add ½ cup of frozen strawberries, ¼ cup of frozen blueberries, and ½ of a frozen banana. Blend this all up, and if there seems to be in issue blending, add some water and mix up the smoothie with a spoon.
Chocolate, Banana, and Peanut Butter Smoothie:
If you’re looking for a sweet smoothie, this is the one for you. First, add ½ cup of a chocolate vegan yogurt into a blender; So Delicious Chocolate Yogurt Alternative is a perfect choice. Then add ½ cup of So Delicious Chocolate Coconut Milk, and blend these liquids together. Add 1 tablespoon of your favorite peanut butter, preferably one that is all natural (and only contains peanuts in the ingredients!), and blend that mixture together. For the final touch, add one half of a frozen banana and blend until smooth. If you desire a morning pick-me-up, cold brew coffee can also be added. This smoothie is a delicious meal that will keep you full until lunch time.
Green Machine Smoothie:
If you’d rather start off your day with some vegetables, then this is the smoothie for you. First, add your choice of coconut milk yogurt into a blender; my personal choice would be the Daiya Plain Yogurt Alternative. Add 1 frozen banana and ½ cup of frozen mango. In order to get a serving of vegetables in at the start of your day, add roughly 1 cup of spinach to the smoothie. Make sure that the stems of the spinach are chopped off so that the smoothie blends well. Simply blend and enjoy!
Lunch:
There are plenty of options for a perfect and portable healthy lunch, but these are some of my personal favorites.
Veggie Wrap:
Assembling a veggie wrap is a personal endeavor, as everyone has their own favorite vegetable combinations. My personal favorite wrap would require a whole wheat wrap and an initial spread of hummus. Then add spinach, tomatoes, avocados, shredded carrots, cucumbers, and whatever microgreens you prefer. Just roll into a wrap and you are ready to go!
Power Bowl:
While salads may be available at a school cafeteria, they can get pretty boring. Similar to a veggie wrap, each person’s favorite power bowl is different. My favorite would start with a base of quinoa, then I would add some freshly cooked garlic spinach. I would add diced oven-roasted sweet potato, and cooked or canned chickpeas. Spice however you would like, but I recommend garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper. After loading these ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl, just pack away and heat up whenever you would want to enjoy this delicious lunch.
Quesadilla:
The popular Tex-Mex staple can also be a perfect vegan lunch option! To start, sauté peppers and onions in a lightly oiled sauce pan for around 5 minutes, then spice them with onion powder, garlic powder, and chili powder. Next, place a tortilla on stove-top pan, and evenly spread with a vegan cheese alternative. Add the vegetables on top of the cheese. For the next step, choose your favorite beans; my favorite are vegetarian refried beans. Spread the beans onto another tortilla, and simply place this over the first tortilla. If you prefer black or pinto beans, simply sprinkle them over the cheese and vegetable. Cook the quesadilla for roughly 4 minutes on each side on medium heat, or until the tortilla is golden brown. Let cool, cut into your desired size, and refrigerate, and you have a quesadilla option for lunch the next day
Snack
As an active athlete, you need a snack before the hours of daily physical activity that you do nearly every day. These snacks will provide you with the energy to make every second on the field count.
Carrots and Hummus:
One of the simplest snacks out there is also healthy and delicious!
Apples and Peanut/Almond Butter:
Simply cut up apples and place those into a container with some nut butter to dip, and you are ready to go!
Homemade Trail Mix:
This classic snack is a convenient treat that is also customizable. My personal trail mix combination would include cashews, almonds, vegan chocolate chips, raisins, small pretzels, and your favorite vegan cheese snack, such as Earth Balance vegan cheddar squares. Just fill up a mason jar with these ingredients and you have a perfect snack!
While these meal options will fuel you for the day’s activities, it’s also necessary to stay hydrated throughout the day. Drink plenty of water throughout the day, and especially while you are exercising.
These quick and easy recipes will prepare any athlete for a long day of school and sports, while also being delicious, filling, and of course, vegan!
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.
Herbivore Clothing is a vegan store and online shop out of Portland,
Oregon and sells both men’s and women’s belts: www.herbivoreclothing.com
Starbelt offers belts that contain no metal and are airport-friendly.
They come in a wide variety of colors as well as offering several choices of
buckles: http://www.starbelt.com
Truthbelts out of Canada offers a huge range of belts for adults, as
well as one for kids: www.truthbelts.com
Choose almost any nut and you’ll
find a plant milk made with it – from almonds to pecans. And then there are
milks based on seeds like sesame, flax, and hemp.
There are so many, many kinds of nut
and seed milks. Thanks to VRG intern Laneece Hurd who collected and organized
information so that it’s not overwhelming. To see detailed information about
everything from the number of calories to how much vitamin B12 is added, to
which sweeteners are used in many brands of nut and seed milks available in the
U.S., go to this helpful table https://www.vrg.org/nutrition/milk_alternatives/nut_and_seed_milk_table.pdf
Generally speaking, nut and seed
milks have 25-200 calories in an 8-ounce serving. Sweetened milks tend to have
more calories than unsweetened milks. Nut and seed milks are frequently lower
in protein than soy or pea protein-based milk unless additional protein is
added. Most brands have 1 gram of protein in a serving.
Many of the milks we looked at have
vitamin D, calcium, and vitamin B12 added although some products are not
enriched and not all contain all three of these nutrients. If you’re relying on
plant milks as sources of calcium, vitamin B12, or vitamin D, be sure to check
the product label.
You may also be interested in
information on soy milk, coconut milk, and grain and pea milks.
To support The Vegetarian Resource Group research, donate at www.vrg.org/donate
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.
On their website, Vegreen states: “Because of our busy
lifestyles, many people have forgotten how important it is to eat healthy.
VeGreen wants to play the role in helping you balance both physical and mental
health. We gather many different kinds of dishes from around the world and fuse
them into vegan dishes, so you can enjoy healthy meals.” They also consider
themselves an environmental awareness group. For example, their carry out boxes
are made out of recyclable material.
Here’s a sample of some of the dishes you’ll find on their
menu:
Appetizers such as vegan crab salad, pickled daikon radish,
veggie spring roll; and cucumber mushroom salad. Main course items include
sesame tofu, ginger okra, yam and eggplant clay pot, green curry mixed
vegetable, “chicken” pad Thai, Singapore rice noodle, etc. They also offer a
huge vegan sushi menu and several soups.
Vegreen is located at 3780 Old Norcross Rd, Suite 106, Duluth,
GA, 30096. They are open Thursday through Tuesday for lunch and dinner. Their
phone number is (770) 495-8828.
It was perfect spring day this year
for the annual Veggie Pride Parade in New York City. Hundreds of vegheads
marched all the way from the West Village to Union Square on Sunday April 14th
in a celebration of all things plant-based and cruelty-free. After the parade
ended, folks gathered in Union Square where over a dozen vegan organizations
had set up tables including information on animal rights activism, and
yummy food from vegan restaurants all over NYC.
The Vegetarian Resource Group passed out information on the benefits of a vegan diet, including cardiovascular health and lower environmental impact. We also shared dietary resource guides for new vegans and vegetarians, as well as handing out copies of the Vegetarian Journal with delicious vegan recipes. The Veggie Pride parade serves as a reminder that veganism is here to stay.
The Vegetarian Resource Group is an activist non-profit
organization that does outreach all-year-long. For example, VRG tables at
different events throughout the USA and also sends literature free of charge to
other groups/individuals doing educational activities in schools, hospitals,
camps, restaurants, libraries, offices, etc. Our ability to continue doing this
depends on people like you! Your donations allow us to promote the vegan
message whenever we’re called upon for assistance. Please consider becoming a
monthly or quarterly donor to The Vegetarian Resource Group.
Thanks so much for your support. You can become a monthly or
quarterly donor online here: vrg.org/donate
It has been a pleasure interning with
The Vegetarian Resource Group for about 3 months. I’ve been vegan for a little
more than a year, and my experience with The Vegetarian Resource Group has been
very rewarding.
I initially joined VRG in an attempt to
find a deeper connection to veganism. Though I was already comfortable with
eating a vegan diet, I wanted to learn more about vegan activism and how I
could make an even bigger contribution to the vegan cause. Interning with VRG
has definitely helped me get closer to this goal. I’ve learned so much about
different types of activism and running a non-profit organization. My favorite
part of this experience has been meeting those who are connected to The
Vegetarian Resource Group. Here, I quickly learned that having connections is a
crucial part of running a successful cause, so interning at VRG has allowed me
to get more comfortable with networking.
I also enjoyed assisting with different outreach events including a vegan Jewish cooking demonstration and a booth at an event for dietitians. This opportunity gave me a new perspective on how events are run and planned.
Lastly, working in the VRG office also
meant that I could try lots of fun vegan snacks! My personal favorites were
vegan ice cream mochi and vegan ravioli from Amy’s Kitchen. Overall, I am
extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to intern at VRG and have gained
a lot from this experience.
Vegetarian
Journal is available on Kindle in the USA and UK. The newest edition features:
Essential Seitan (learn how to make vegan meats out of seitan); Bonjour Vegan
(French vegan recipes); Scientific Updates; Eating Vegetarian in a Frat House;
Vegan Product Reviews; VRG’s Video Contest Winners; A Kinder Glow (Guide to
vegan make-up, skin care, nail care, and hair products); Island Ital Flavors in
Jamaica; Vegan Book Reviews; Quick and Easy Ideas for Watermelon; plus more.
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.
Sign up for our newsletter to receive recipes, ingredient information, reviews of new products, announcements of new books, free samples of products, and other VRG materials.
