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The Vegetarian Resource Group maintains an online Guide to Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants in the USA and Canada. Below are some recent additions. The entire guide can be found here: VRG Online Veggie Restaurant Guide

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:

Blondie’s Vegan Bakery and Café
870 N. Congress Ave., Ste. #110
Boynton Beach, FL 33426
Blondie’s Vegan Bakery & Cafe serves up homemade, vegan, and gluten-free treats and cafe fare! They are an allergen friendly bakery eliminating wheat, dairy, eggs, and tree-nuts from all their products! If you aren’t feeling something sweet, they have appetizers (loaded quesadilla anyone?), burgers, and sandwiches. A cruelty free kitchen, their namesake comes from their famous blondie brownie. In addition to the delicious desserts and comfort food, they also offer workshops such as cookie decorating, catering for your next event, and wedding cakes!

Chickpea
4298 Main St.
Vancouver, BC V5V 3P9 Canada
Chickpea is another restaurant that doesn’t try to confuse you with its name. If you like garbanzos, but can’t quite decide on how you’d like them, this may be the place for you. Options range from pitas to platters, and they’re open late!

Della Bowls
1050 NW 14th St.
Miami, FL 33136
And
56 NW 29th St
Miami, FL 33127
Della Bowls is a fast-casual restaurant featuring plant-based bowls. You can pick from the menu, or build your own. Grains include quinoa and brown rice, and add-ons include chickpeas, sweet potatoes, avocado, kale, pepitas, and more!

Donna Jean
2949 Fifth Ave.
San Diego, CA 92103
Donna Jean is a restaurant concept created to show patrons how creative and delicious plant based cuisine can be. Their iron skillet mac n’ cheese has been named one of the best vegan macs around. They have handcrafted pizzas, decadent pastas, and plenty of gluten free options. Donna Jean does brunch the right way with pumpkin chai pancakes, biscuits and gravy, and espresso French toast. Reservations are not required, but recommended for this popular vegan spot!

Hang Space
8002 Buford Ct.
Richmond, VA 23235
Hang Space is an artsy, cozy restaurant. Born from a collaboration effort between Go Go Vegan Go and Yummvees Catering, Hang Space offers café classics, like cinnamon buns and pastries, and comfort food staples (mashed potato bowls!), as well as a grab-and-go case with options like prepared sandwiches and salads. The restaurant has an eclectic vibe, with repurposed furniture and local art. Hang Space also plans to hold local community events, art shows, and vegan vendor popups.

Koshary By Misteka
12250 Clarksville Pike
Clarksville, MD 21029
Traditional Egyptian food at this all vegan, gluten-free hidden gem. Offerings include “Koshary”, the national dish of Egypt, a bowl consisting of rice (or quinoa), pasta, chick peas, lentils, dukka (a mixture of herbs, nuts, and spices), a signature sauce, and crispy fried onions. Falafel salad with a choice of homemade dressings is on the menu, along with a combo dish of half Koshary and half falafel salad. Owned and run by Egyptian natives, they are friendly and eager to please. This café is a must try!

Morning Glory Organic Coffee
2895 McFarlane Rd.
Miami, FL 33133
At Morning Glory all the milks are plant-based, and all the coffees and teas are organic. We also hear that they carry a variety of pastries, as well as some breakfast options. Check them out!

The Far West Lounge
470 S. Hwy. 101
Encinitas, CA 92024
The Far West Lounge is an all-vegan beer pub. Beyond beer, they also serve a variety of foods, such as vegan brats, burgers, and sausages, as well as simpler all-vegan bar snacks. You can even take home beer in a growler if you want!

Vegan Donut & Gelato
16618 Clay Road, Ste. 125
Houston, TX 77084
In addition to donuts and gelato, Vegan Donut & Gelato also sells coffee, tea, and a few other small pastries.

Vegan International Co. Kitchen & Market
13751 N. Nebraska Ave.
Tampa, FL 33613
On the market side, they sell a variety of vegan grocery staples including sodas, sauces, seasonings, and so on, from frozen to shelf stable. On the restaurant side, options include plate specials and hot sandwiches, smoothies, and soups of the day. Main dishes include comfort foods like vegan meatballs and drumsticks, while sides include collards, yams, plantains, and so on.

Veggie Express
8200 Stonebrook Pkwy., Ste. 110
Frisco, TX 75034
Veggie Express is a Chinese-American vegan restaurant, with an all-vegan buffet! You can order from the menu as well. Options include veganized versions of traditional fare like Kung Pao Beef, Orange Chicken, and Sweet and Sour Shrimp!

Veggy Street
5135 S. Fort Apache Rd. #110
Las Vegas, NV 89148
With a constant goal of causing the least environmental impact to the planet, this eatery should not just stay in Vegas. Easy to find in Apache Plaza and noted to have divine quality and super delicious food.
From burgers, wraps, dogs, sandwiches, tacos, and tamales, the menu does not disappoint. Additional offerings include soup of the season, gluten-free options, falafel bites, yucca fries, and drumsticks. Top it off with a creative smoothie that is sure to please.

Water & Wheat Café
6218 M-63 N.
Coloma, MI 49038
Open on weekends, the café offers a rotating menu with options such as salads and hot sandwiches, and comforting plate entrées like tofu rice bowls, spaghetti, and jackfruit sea cakes.

The latest issue of Vegetarian Journal includes reviews for the following vegan books:

CRAZY EASY VEGAN DESSERTS
HOT FOR FOOD VEGAN COMFORT CLASSICS
COOK SHARE EAT VEGAN

Read the article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2018issue4/2018_issue4_book_reviews.php

Subscribe to Vegetarian Journal: https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

Due to the generosity of an anonymous donor, The Vegetarian Resource Group each year will award $20,000 in college scholarship money to graduating U.S. high school students who have promoted veganism/vegetarianism in their schools and/or communities. Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish, or fowl. Vegans are vegetarians who do not use other animal products such as dairy or eggs.

One award of $10,000 and two awards of $5,000 will be given. Entries may only be sent by students graduating from high school in spring 2019. Deadline is February 20, 2019. We will accept applications postmarked on or before February 20, 2019. Early submission is encouraged.

Applicants will be judged on having shown compassion, courage, and a strong commitment to promoting a peaceful world through a vegan/vegetarian diet/lifestyle. Payment will be made to the student’s college (U.S. based only). Winners of the scholarships give permission to release their names to the media. Applications and essays become property of The Vegetarian Resource Group. We may ask finalists for more information. Scholarship winners are contacted by e-mail or telephone. Please look at your e-mail.

For details on the contest, see: VRG Scholarship Contest

Here’s a list of some restaurants offering vegan meals New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day! Happy 2019 from The Vegetarian Resource Group.

Sanctuary Bistro, Berkeley, CA http://www.sanctuarybistro.com
The Stanford Inn Raven’s Restaurant, Mendocino, CA https://ravensrestaurant.com/ravens-new-years-eve-dinner-2018/
Golden Mean Café, Santa Monica, CA (New Year’s Day) http://www.goldenmeancafe.com/

Ethos Vegan Kitchen, Winter Park, FL http://www.ethosvegankitchen.com/news.html#news-events

Café Sunflower, Sandy Springs, GA http://www.cafesunflower.com/events/

Great Sage, Clarksville, MD (New Year’s Day) http://greatsage.com
Vegetable Garden, Rockville, MD (New Year’s Day) http://www.vegetablegarden.co

Urban Vegan Kitchen, New York City, NY http://www.urbanvegankitchen.com/

The Block off Biltmore, Asheville, NC The Block off Biltmore, Asheville, NC http://theblockoffbiltmore.com/index.php/event/nye-with-reggae-infinity-vegan-caribbean-food-included/

No Bones Beach Club (New Year’s Eve Dinner), Portland, OR, Seattle, WA, and Chicago, IL https://nobonesbeachclub.com

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS

In October 2018, The VRG received an email from a reader who learned of a product that says it is not vegan due to the xanthan gum.

“I was reading your article about xanthan gum’s veganness and I recently learned of a product that says it is not vegan due to the xanthan gum.”

Secret Aardvark’s https://secretaardvark.com/ FAQ page said:

“All but the Drunken Garlic Black Bean are vegan as well. The one concern is the xanthan in the Drunken Garlic Black Bean. Xanthan can be produced via corn or lactose. We use the lactose produced xanthan as it is the most consistent.”

The VRG checked Secret Aardvark’s website to confirm what our reader had quoted and saw that it was the case. We then contacted the company to find out if its xanthan gum is derived from cow’s milk lactose. TheVRG received this email in November 2018 from self described “Habanero Wrangler” Katie Osborne of Secret Aardvark:

“We’ve recently switched our xanthan gum and it is glucose-based derived from non-GMO corn. We used a lactose-based xanthan for years because the non-GMO corn wasn’t always easy to find but as the market for cleaner label ingredients expand these things become more readily available.”

Secret Aardvark recently updated their website in November 2018 to reflect this change. From their FAQ page https://secretaardvark.com/contact/faqs/

Q: Are your products vegetarian?

A: Yes they are all vegetarian. All but the Spicy Mayo Habanero Hot Sauce are vegan as well. We use xanthan gum that is glucose-based that is derived from non-GMO corn.

[VRG Note: The Spicy Mayo Habenero Sauce contains mayonnaise.]

The VRG is trying to track down the mentioned lactose-derived xanthan gum and source to see if actually dairy derived, and if so, more information. So far, it has appeared that commercially available xanthan gum today is 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.

Nothing beats delicious vegan cookies. Take some to your office party or give them as gifts to family and friends. A previous issue of Vegetarian Journal featured some delicious vegan cookie recipes including:

• Cranberry-Applesauce Bars
• Almond Sugar Cookies
• Maple Pecan Bars
• Cinnamon-Chocolate Chip Bars
• Gentle Ginger Cookies
• Banana-Raisin Spice Squares
• Soft Molasses Cookies
• Pineapple-Lemon Cookies
• Unbaked Oatmeal-Peanut Butter Fudgies
• Whole Wheat Raisin-Nut Strips
• Citrus Slices

Read the entire article here:
https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2004issue4/2004_issue4_cookies.php

Subscribe to Vegetarian Journal by visiting:
https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

Each issue of Vegetarian Journal features reviews of vegan products that we think our readers would enjoy. The latest issue includes the following reviews:

Lightlife Foods introduced two varieties of vegan filled pasta: Wild Mushroom Ravioli and Veggie Sausage Ravioli.

So Delicious released new flavors in their frozen dessert line that are cashew milk- or coconut milk-based.

Bailey’s Almande almond milk liqueur is perfect for the holiday season.

You can read the entire product Veggie Bits column here:
https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2018issue4/2018_issue4_veggie_bits.php

Subscribe to Vegetarian Journal, by visiting:
https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

Below are 2 of the scientific updates by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD appearing in the latest issue of Vegetarian Journal.

Another Reason to Choose Whole Grains
We’ve all heard it — “Eat more whole grains.” Yes, we know whole grains are higher in fiber so we’re less likely to be constipated, but are there other benefits of whole grains? And, just what is a whole grain? According to the Whole Grains Council, it’s a grain that still has all the important parts and naturally-occurring nutrients of the grain seed. Whole grains include whole wheat, brown rice, quinoa, and oats. The USDA recommends that at least half of our servings of grains be whole grains, although it would be great to have even more whole grains in our diets.

A recent study suggests that higher whole grain intakes are associated with a lower risk of breast cancer. Researchers followed more than 90,000 women in the United States, checking with them every few years to see what they were eating and how their health was. Women with the highest intake of whole-grain foods [about 1 1/2 servings per day] had the lowest risk of premenopausal breast cancer. If individual whole-grain foods were looked at, the only significant result was that eating more brown rice was associated with a slightly lower risk of premenopausal breast cancer. Women with the highest intakes of white bread had the highest risk of breast cancer, both pre- and post-menopause.

Farvid MS, Cho E, Eliassen AH, Chen WY, Willett WC. 2016. Lifetime grain consumption and breast cancer risk. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 159(2):335-345.

Iodine in Plant Milks
Iodine is a nutrient that is needed for the thyroid gland to function normally. Studies have reported that iodine intakes of vegans in several countries are lower than those of non-vegetarians. Staples of a vegan diet, including most fruits, nuts, and vegetables, are low in iodine, although their iodine content varies depending on the soil they’re grown on and irrigation and fertilization practices. Cow’s milk and other dairy products are a main source of iodine for many people in the United States. These products are not naturally high in iodine. They contain iodine because iodine-containing disinfectants are used to clean milking machines and the iodine from these products ends up in the cow’s milk. Are plant milks a source of iodine? Researchers examined the iodine content of plant milks in the U.S. They analyzed 30 different plant milks from 16 companies. Products were based on soy, almonds, rice, coconuts, pistachios, walnuts, hemp, and cashews. The milks were very low in iodine, containing about 3% as much iodine as cow’s milk. Some have suggested fortifying plant milks with iodine, but presently this is not a common practice. Vegans can get iodine from iodized salt, iodine supplements, and sea vegetables although the amount of iodine in sea vegetables is variable.

Ma W, He X, Braverman L. 2016. Iodine content in milk alternatives. Thyroid. 26(9):1308-10.

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

Vegetarian Resource Group member Linda Long did vegan cooking classes in Kuwait and you can read all about her experiences in the latest issue of Vegetarian Journal. VRG was able to provide handouts to all the students.

You can read the article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2018issue4/2018_issue4_cooking_classes.php

Subscribe to Vegetarian Journal by visiting:
https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php