Image by timolina on Freepik

It’s tomato season in America and you might be looking for some quick-and-easy vegan recipes featuring tomatoes. Try these:

Sautéed Collard Greens and Tomatoes (by Debra Wasserman)

(Serves 4)

1 teaspoon oil

1 pound collards, chopped

2 ripe tomatoes, chopped

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon mustard powder

Sauté all ingredients together over medium-high heat for 7 minutes. Serve warm.

Broiled Herbed Tomatoes (from Simply Vegan)

(Serves 3)

3 tomatoes, cut in half

1 Tablespoon vegan margarine

1 teaspoon dried basil

2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast

Dash of salt and pepper

Place margarine, basil, yeast, salt, and pepper on top of tomatoes. Broil for 4 minutes, until tops are slightly brown.

Tomato Sauce (Sugo di pomodoro fresco from Vegans Know How to Party)

(Serves 4)

This is an uncooked tomato sauce, great for fresh tomatoes that are ripe or overly ripe. This sauce is not meant to sit, as it is most flavorful freshly prepared and served. This sauce will not freeze well, so make just enough to top al dente pastas, rice, or steamed greens.

1-1/2 pounds (about 4 cups) peeled, seeded, and chopped fresh tomatoes

3 chopped green onions

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 Tablespoons olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a glass or plastic bowl (not metal). Spoon over hot pasta and serve immediately.

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

If you’re ever in Monterey, California, perhaps on your way to Big Sur, be sure to eat at El Cantaro, a vegan Mexican restaurant.

El Cantaro has an extensive menu that includes traditional dishes, favorites of Mexico, enchiladas, tacos, burritos, tortas, nachos, and tostadas. On a recent visit, it was hard to decide what to try. Would it be Chile en Nogada – a poblano chili pepper stuffed with veggie ground beef, pecans, and dried fruits with a sweet, creamy walnut sauce? Or maybe empanadas, stuffed with mushrooms and topped with guacamole, puréed beans, and vegan cheese. Or perhaps Tortilla Soup featuring veggie chicken, roasted corn, and tortilla strips in a spicy vegetable broth.

El Cantaro tacos   

I opted for two tacos. One, the Fish Baja Style Taco, combined vegan tuna with shredded cabbage and homemade mango salsa. The other, a Vegetable Taco, featured a variety of sautéed vegetables, beans, salsa, and vegan cheese on a homemade tortilla. I liked all the different flavors and the creative use of lots of vegetables.

El Cantaro tostada

My companion chose a Tostada de Nopales and a Spinach Enchilada. The tostada was a crisp tortilla topped with puréed black beans, nopales (cactus) salad, green salsa, vegan cheese, and avocado slices. The enchilada was filled with mushrooms and onions and topped with a creamy spinach sauce.

Spinach Enchilada

     All dishes were presented beautifully. We could indicate how spicy we wanted them (medium) and they were pleasantly spicy. El Cantaro has indoor and outdoor seating as well as take-out. They offer a selection of juices, smoothies, and other beverages. Their dessert menu includes vegan flan, vegan ice cream, and vegan cheesecake.

El Cantaro is at 791 Foam Street in Monterey, California. They are closed after lunch on Friday and all day Saturday. Check the website for updates on the hours that they are open.

Visit their website at https://www.orderelcantaro.com/.

To find a list of veggie restaurants in the USA and Canada visit: https://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

photo by Chloe Khachadourian

By Chloe Khachadourian, VRG Intern

Nutrition is one of the most important parts of an athlete’s life. It helps with performance and recovery and to be the best, athletes need to eat good and healthy foods such as whole food plant-based meals. As an athlete myself (tennis), I know that when I eat whole food plant-based meals before a match, I feel and perform better. Athletes need that extra boost before a game or match and this bowl is perfect for this. It is healthy and delicious with amazing ingredients such as mushrooms, corn, peas, rice, beans, and more. It is also extremely easy to make and will only take up twenty minutes of your time. So if you are an athlete who cares about nutrition, recovery, and having an advantage over your opponents, then check out this recipe and try it today.

The Ultimate Vegan Power Bowl

(Serves 1)

⅓ cup canned cooked black beans

⅓ cup canned cooked pinto beans

Spices, to taste (garlic salt, onion powder, cayenne pepper, ground cumin, paprika, salt, etc.)

⅓ cup frozen sweet yellow corn

⅓ cup frozen peas

⅓ cup frozen edamame

⅔ cup 365 frozen organic mixed mushrooms (can be found at Whole Foods)

One piece teriyaki tofu (I recommend Nasoya Plantspired teriyaki tofu)

1 cup cooked white or brown Rice

1-3 Tablespoons hot sauce

1-3 Tablespoons teriyaki sauce

1-3 Tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

Instructions:

Drain beans and warm them up in a pot. While they are warming up, add spices of your preference.

Put corn, peas, and edamame in a pot and warm up. I recommend adding a bit of salt.

Put frozen mushrooms in a pan and warm up. Add spices of your preference (ex. some salt, hot sauce, cumin, cayenne pepper, paprika, onion powder, soy sauce, etc.)

Take one piece of the tofu out of the package and put it on a cutting board. Cut tofu into square pieces.

Grab a bowl and put ingredients in. Start with rice for base. Then add mushrooms in one corner, the vegetables on one side, and the beans in the other corner next to the mushrooms. Then put tofu in a straight line in the middle between all of the toppings.

Drizzle optional hot sauce, teriyaki sauce, and soy sauce to taste on top of your bowl and enjoy!

Chef Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD has some great tips and ideas to spice up your grilling season! If you’re looking for recipes, food safety tips, or meal ideas, then check out this article! Outdoor Feasts

Subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA by visiting: Subscribe to Vegetarian Journal

Restaurants throughout Maryland will be participating in MD Vegan Restaurant Month August 2^nd-31^st, 2024. Some of the restaurants participating in Baltimore City include Land of Kush, Ammora Restaurant, Miss Shirley’s, Golden West Café, Harmony Bakery, and Oleum. For a complete list of participating restaurants in Maryland plus more information, see:

https://www.mdveganeats.com/

https://www.instagram.com/mdveganeats/?hl=en

Photo by Cocobols on Unsplash

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

When it’s hot outside, and maybe even hotter inside, the soups and hearty casseroles we crave in cooler weather don’t sound appealing. Besides, no one wants to have the oven heating up their kitchen or to spend time over a hot stove on a steamy summer day! Some of these dishes can be prepared in the morning when it’s cooler and some don’t require cooking.

Hummus or other bean spreads

1. Dip cut up vegetables, crisp fruits, and crackers or tortilla chips in homemade or purchased hummus
2. Roll hummus and chopped vegetables in a whole-grain tortilla
3. Spread white bean dip on sliced baguettes and top with strips of roasted red pepper
4. Warm corn tortillas in a skillet and top with pinto bean spread, salsa, chopped tomatoes, and shredded lettuce
5. Top a microwaved potato or sweet potato with a bean spread. Try a garlicky hummus on a white potato or roasted red pepper hummus on a sweet potato.

Sandwiches – serve with fresh fruit and a side salad

6. Tofu salad with sliced tomatoes in a pita pocket
7. Not-tuna salad (made with chickpeas, vegan mayo, chopped celery, and spices to taste) on toasted rye bread
8. Marinated tofu with sprouts or lettuce, shredded carrots, and peanut sauce in a wrap. Marinated tofu and peanut sauce can be purchased or homemade
9. Sliced bagel with nut butter and sliced fruit (try nectarines, peaches, or other fruit in season)
10. Vegan deli slices on a sub roll with vinaigrette dressing, tomatoes, and lettuce

Salads – make ahead and chill until dinner; can serve with a fruit salad and bread

11. Potato salad with black beans, corn, and a salsa dressing
12. Pasta salad with chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and Italian dressing
13. Spaghetti with a soy-sesame dressing tossed with cubes of baked tofu and steamed (or microwaved) broccoli
14. Rice salad with adzuki beans, diced carrots and cucumbers, and a sweet chili sauce
15. Peanut noodles with water chestnuts and red pepper strips
16. Taboulleh (bulgur with parsley, scallions, mint, tomatoes, and cucumbers in a lemon-olive oil dressing) with chickpeas
17. Three bean salad
18. Shredded cabbage in a soy-sesame dressing with baked tofu or seitan strips
19. Quinoa and bean salad with shredded kale and a cumin-lime vinaigrette
20. Chef salad with strips of vegan deli slices and cubed or grated vegan “cheese”

Miscellaneous

21. Veggie sushi – homemade or purchased
22. Smoothie made with plant milk, silken tofu, fresh and/or frozen fruit; can add nut butter and leafy greens for a meal in a glass
23. Vegan yogurt with berries and chopped nuts on a toaster waffle
24. Gazpacho garnished with croutons, chopped tomatoes and cucumbers, and avocado slices
25. Rice paper wrappers filled with rice noodles, shredded Napa cabbage, baked tofu, cubed mango, and chopped peanuts

Be sure to follow The Vegetarian Resource Group on Instagram: @vegetarianresourcegroup

Debra Daniels-Zeller’s article “Peach Passion” from The Vegetarian Resource Group features a wide range of vegan peach-based recipes. Enjoy Cinnamon-Peach Oatmeal with Toasted Walnuts; Creamy Peach Salad Dressing; Lime-Cilantro Peach Salsa; Coconut-Peach Soup; Tempeh Teriyaki with Peaches; Grilled Balsamic Peaches; Cardamom-Peach Upside-Down Cake; Peach Cashew Cream; and Lemon-Peach Jasmine Rice Pudding.

Read the entire article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2006issue2/2006_issue2_peach_passion.php

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

The Vegetarian Resource Group has a graphic called Burrito on My Plate, which shows viewers the water footprint of a vegan versus a meat-based burrito. It takes 225 gallons of water to make a vegan burrito without tofu and 253 gallons of water to make a vegan burrito with tofu. In comparison, it takes 541 gallons of water to make a beef burrito.

The Burrito on My Plate Graphic can be seen here: https://www.vrg.org/environment/BurritoOnMyPlate.pdf

The article detailing how we came up with the numbers of gallons of water needed to produce each type of burrito can be found here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2017issue2/2017_issue2_burrito_plate.php