Enjoy the outdoors: you may want to go hiking in the USA, Canada, and/or Europe. Below is a list of online stores offering vegan hiking boots and shoes.

Avesu Vegan Shoes out of Germany sells Lowa hiking boots and shoes. See: https://www.avesuveganshoes.com/brands/lowa-com.html

Eco Vegan Shoes out of the Netherlands offers vegan hiking shoes and boots. See: https://www.eco-vegan-shoes.com/vegan-hiking-boots-walking-shoes

Ethical Wares out of Wales in the United Kingdom offers a wide variety of hiking boots See: https://www.ethicalwares.com/footwear/walking-boots-and-shoes/

Merrell in the USA offers some vegan hiking shoes. Search under “vegan hiking shoe.” See: https://www.merrell.com

REI offers several vegan hiking shoes and boots. Search under “vegan hiking shoe or boot.” https://www.rei.com/

Thesus headquartered in Toronto, Canada and will ship hiking shoes for women to Americans. Search under the word vegan. See: https://thesusoutdoors.com/

Treksta USA offers hiking shoes and boots for men and women. See: https://trekstausa.com/product-category/vegan

Will’s Vegan Store in London, England offers hiking boots for men and women. See: https://wills-vegan-store.com/

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

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

Try this simple vegan Blueberry French Toast Casserole for your next brunch or breakfast gathering. Using bananas as the base, it pulls together in minutes and can rest in the fridge overnight, all ready to bake the next morning. And just wait until your guests smell the lovely aroma of French Toast Casserole as you pull it from the oven! A wonderful way to begin the day.

See video at: https://youtu.be/Zjd8NkmWhnc

Get the recipe at https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2019issue3/2019_issue3_blueberry_recipes.php

Share this handy poster with family and friends. You can also print it out and post it on your refrigerator. See: https://www.vrg.org/nutshell/VeganDietsinaNutshellPoster.pdf

Photo from The Tasty

Here’s a sampling of vegan diners throughout the USA.

Fern’s Diner & Drinkery, 4645 Fountain Ave., Cascade, CO 80809; www.fernsdiner.com

Located at the scenic base of Pikes Peak Highway and next to the Pike National Forest. An evolving menu with a full bar and selection of can beers. Starters such a Poutine, Beyond burgers, fried artichoke Sammy, and desserts such a golden milk apple cookie, as well as other pastries. Breakfast items are served all day! Dog friendly area with an outdoor garden.

Freya’s Diner, 2462 Central Ave., Saint Petersburg, FL 33712; https://www.freyasdiner.com/

Freya’s Diner offers cuisine that focuses on locally grown produce. The menu changes regularly depending on what is in season. Menu items include diner classics such as burgers and sandwiches but with a unique twist. In addition to a classic vegan burger, the diner also offers a mushroom burger with caramelized onions. Bowls and salads include a curry crispy chickpea bowl and a Caesar salad with shaved vegan parmesan. Sides and snacks include fries with fancy sauces, kombucha onion rings, and fried grits + green tomatoes. Brunch is available on Saturday and Sunday and includes a smoked gouda grit bowl with fried oyster mushrooms and a frittata with vegetables and cheeze.

Ro’s Diner, 197 Meserole St., Brooklyn, NY 11206; https://www.rosdiner.com/

Enjoy a vegan twist on an all American idea. The diner serves an impressive variety of foods from breakfast items, salads, burgers, sandwiches, to desserts, and more.

Sealevel City Vegan Diner, 1015 S. Kerr Ave., Wilmington, NC 28403; https://www.facebook.com/SealevelCityDiner
From their best-selling Chickpea Avocado Lentil Burger to their aquafaba-topped Sweet Potato Pie, Sealevel City Vegan Diner gives Wilmington residents and visitors their vegan American food fix.  Located less than a mile from the UNC Wilmington campus, other popular dishes include the Carolina Dog, Kimchi Tempeh Reuben, and Kale Nachos. About half of their produce is local and organic, and all packaging is compostable. Be sure to check out their Facebook and Instagram pages for daily specials.

The Tasty, 1401 S. 12th St., Philadelphia, PA 19147; http://www.thetastyphilly.com/

This diner next to Passyunk Square offers a wide variety of classic and modern American food. The menu features plenty of crowd pleasers like “Chicken” and Waffles, Biscuits and Gravy, and Cheezsteaks. Be sure to check out the brunch options, specials, and new additions. While there, try one of the creative desserts they have available!

Vertical Diner, 234 West 900 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84101 and 8124 SW Barbur Blvd.,
Portland, OR 97219; https://verticaldiner.com/

Come enjoy the lively atmosphere at Vertical Diner where the focus is as much as possible on using organic and local ingredients. Try a Sunshine Burger, quesadilla, or the very popular Tender Tiger faux chicken strips.

Be sure to check out VRG’s online guide to veggie restaurants throughout the USA and Canada: https://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

Vegan Journal is published by The Vegetarian Resource Group. Enjoy in-depth original research, product and book reviews, scientific updates on veggie nutrition, delicious vegan recipes with gorgeous photos, plus so much more. Both long-term vegans and those new to a vegan life-style will enjoy this magazine.

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

photo from Redwhite Ramin

Here’s a sampling of vegan restaurants in the United States serving Japanese cuisine.

Cha-Ya, 1686 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA 94709 and 62 Valencia St., San Francisco, CA 94111; www.chaya-berkeley.com

Cha-Ya uses centuries-old cooking traditions to prepare their authentic Japanese meals. Menu items at this all-vegan restaurant include sushi rolls, noodle dishes, soups, salads, rice bowls, and desserts. Located near the UC-Berkeley campus.

House of Vegano, 1990 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, FL 33712; www.houseofvegano.com

House of Vegano gives customers a new perspective on sushi and Japanese dishes with a plant-based twist. One of the most popular plates is the Volcano Roll, made with avocado, cucumber, locally-grown Lion’s Mane mushrooms, spicy mayo, eel sauce, sriracha, gluten-free panko breadcrumbs, scallions, and vegan caviar. Need something a little more filling? Try the Tom Kha Ramen – Chili Lemongrass broth with coconut milk, topped with corn, scallions, and Vegan “Vork” Belly. All dishes are made with various exotic mushrooms and fruit as fish substitutes to add a fresh flavor punch. Choose from cold-pressed juices or Beech Kombucha (made with lemongrass, lavender, and pineapple) to quench your thirst as you dine.

Kusaki, 2535 S. Barrington Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90064; www.kusakila.com

Minimalist, modern, and sophisticated omakase bar and sushi restaurant featuring elaborate, innovative plant-based sushi, sashimi, appetizers, and shareable non-sushi dishes. À la carte options include a variety of sushi rolls, hand rolls, sashimi, and nigiri. The fillings range from vegetables like trumpet mushroom and butternut squash to vegan “seafood” like salmon, tuna, and calamari. Crowd favorites include the king sushi roll, rainbow sushi roll, seared tuna nigiri, salmon nigiri, shishito burger, and avocado crispy rice. Taste and texture-wise, Kusaki’s offerings aren’t necessarily identical to their non-vegan counterparts. That being said, they are exquisitely layered, complex, and beautifully presented adaptations of the real thing. Can’t decide what to order? Reserve a spot at the eight-seat chef’s counter where diners can pick from five-course or seven-course omakase options. This gives the chef freedom to curate a meticulously crafted dinner featuring seasonal produce, elegant plating, and a delicately flavorful journey. Most menu items can be made gluten-free, and the building is wheelchair accessible. Additionally, valet parking and street parking are available.

Ma-Kin Vegan Sushi & Izakaya, 30313 Canwood St., Unit 34-35, Agoura Hills, CA 91301; www.makinvegan.com

For those sushi-loving vegans who have been eager to add some more variety to the cucumber and avocado rolls, Ma-Kin Vegan Sushi has your solution. With a traditional bar area where you can watch the chefs prepare your food, Ma-Kin’s menu seems unrecognizable from that of a traditional sushi bar. The expected edamame and tempura appetizers and miso soup are offered, in addition to Japanese entrees such as orange chicken and shrimp and teriyaki. Using Vegan Zeastar (plant-based salmon) as well as plant-based shrimp, crab, and lobster, they are able to offer cut and hand rolls including spicy tuna, spicy crab, salmon avocado, and California—which you may choose to couple with a selection or two from their sake menu.

Nori, 3208 Guadalupe St., Ste. B, Austin, TX 78705; www.noriaustin.com

The artfulness and delicacy of Japanese cuisine are enhanced at Nori by the fact that everything is vegan, with many gluten-free options. Maintaining a plant-based kitchen, however, has certainly not limited the variety of menu offerings: celebrating vegetables and using meat replacements at times, Nori serve diners dishes such as the tempura appetizer, perhaps followed by the Nigiri sampler; a Volcano or Rainbow maki; or a Spicy Creamy Ramen. The cocktails are also works of art, and you can continue to imbibe with the peanut butter dessert shake made with screwball bourbon and candied peanuts—or else opt for the virgin Lava Cake served with fresh raspberries.

Obon Shokudo, 720 SE Grand Ave., Portland, OR 97214; www.obonpdx.com

They serve a myriad of different classic Japanese favorites made vegan! Try one of their many flavors of ‘onigiri’, a kind of Japanese rice ball.

Red White Ramen, 294 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02115 and 11044 Ventura Blvd
Studio City, CA 91604; www.redwhiteusa.com

Red White is a fast-casual restaurant with noodle soups and rice bowls. Fast-casual and bowls seem to go together like beans and rice, but when was the time it was Japanese? With a base of sushi rice, and toppings like tofu, eggplant, mushrooms, yams, and more, all while topped off by any of five Japanese-styled sauces, you’re sure to encounter a new flavor experience.

Shizen Vegan Sushi Bar & Izakaya, 370 14th St., San Francisco, CA 94103; www.shizensf.com

Shizen features a wide variety of traditional Japanese cuisine including soups, sushi, and noodle dishes. Diners can opt to stick with simple dishes like the Avocado Nigiri or Vegetable Gyoza or try one of the many specialty rolls, with options like the Open Invitation or The Candlestick (with live fire). Be sure to check out the dessert menu as well.

Tane Vegan Izakaya, 2065 S. Beretania St., Honolulu, HI 96826; www.tanevegan.com

A completely vegan sushi bar is a rare thing indeed, so don’t miss out. There are dozens of options including vegan nigari, classic, and specialty rolls. If you’d prefer a bowl to a roll, try the ramen or the specialty salads.

The Sushi Samurai, 1817 Queen Anne Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98109; www.thesushisamurai.com

Menu items include fried dumplings, miso soup, plant-based sushi rolls, and alcohol. Outdoor seating available.

The Yasai, 4646 Convoy St. #101-A, San Diego, CA 92111; www.yasaivegan.com

This vegan Japanese restaurant features Housemade Tofu Chawanmushi, as well as dishes such as Japanese BBQ Corn on the Cob, Garlic Edamame, Seaweed Salad, Tempura Kabocha Roll, Curry Ramen, and more.

Wellness Sushi, 2504 E. Colfax Ave., Denver, CO 80206; www.wellnesssushi.com

Sushi items on the menu include krunchy krab with krab salad and avocado, ebi tempura roll with vegan shrimp tempura, and an ohnagi roll with green bean tempura. The menu also features okinawa origiri including classic crunch onigiri with vegan spam and tamago. Several ramen bowls with soboro soy meat are available.

Be sure to check out VRG’s online guide to veggie restaurants throughout the USA and Canada: https://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

A recent study compared the number of foods identified as vegan in supermarkets, fast-food chains, and sit-down restaurant chains in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. For each sector, the websites of the top chains, based on the most recent market share information, were used. For example, for supermarkets, the researchers identified the top 10 chains in each country. They then searched the website of each supermarket chain for products identified as “vegan” and counted the number of distinct products.

For fast-food chains and sit-down restaurant chains, the researchers identified the top 10 chains based on market share in each county. They then searched the online menus of each chain to see how many items were advertised as “vegan” with words or with an icon.

Here’s what they found when they surveyed supermarkets in 2020 using the search term “vegan.” Supermarkets in the United Kingdom had 1,096 products labeled “vegan;” in the United States, there were 690 products, and in Canada, there were 336.

There were a limited number of vegan products in the top fast-food and sit-down restaurant chains. Among the top 10 fast-food restaurants in Canada, only 4 vegan products were identified. In the United Kingdom, 10 vegan products were identified, and in the United States, 17 vegan products were found.

Among the top 10 sit-down restaurants in the United States, only 3 vegan products were identified, 20 in Canada, and 38 in the United Kingdom.

This research was only looking at products made to resemble animal-based foods and drinks so did not count items such as canned beans, baked goods, or fruits that were identified as “vegan.”

It would be interesting to repeat this study in the future to see if more products are identified as “vegan.”

Reference

Guess N, Klatt K, Wei D, et al. A cross-sectional analysis of products marketed as plant-based across the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada using online nutrition information. Curr Dev Nutr. 2023;7(3):100059.

To read more about vegan food in supermarkets and fast-food chains see:

Fast Food Information

Surveying Supermarkets (1998)

Vegan at the Dollar Tree Store

Vegan Food Items at Publix and Target (2011)

Aldi Rolls Out Vegan and Vegetarian Product Line

Vegan Products at Harris Teeter (2013)

By Carole Hamlin

I was recently in the lovely old city of Charleston, South Carolina (founded 1670), with a group of Baltimore Symphony patrons there to see our new Music Director-Designate conduct at the Spoleto Festival. A friend and I dined at a restaurant called Basic Kitchen, which offers many vegan options. One thing on the menu caught my eye: although I had never heard of them before, I ordered “Corn Ribs” at the suggestion of the server, who said they are one of their most popular dishes.

Corn ribs are essentially strips of corn on the cob, oven-baked full of spices to have an aromatic taste, and served, at least at Basic Kitchen, with a dipping sauce. They are delicious because you can add herbs and spices on a lot more corn surface than when you cook corn on the cob. Each seasoned bite is a taste treat.

They are made by cutting ears of corn in half lengthwise and then cutting each of those halves lengthwise. These quarter-ribs are then seasoned; different recipes feature different seasonings but can include oregano, salt (leave out if concerned about sodium in your diet), paprika, coriander, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cinnamon, chili powder, ground ginger – or other spices you might want to try. The seasonings are blended with some olive oil and then added to the bowl of ribs to be brushed over the chopped corn. They then are baked in the oven or put into an air-fryer. Finally, they can be garnished with lime wedges, cilantro, parsley, sliced green onions, etc.

At Basic Kitchen, they are served with Alabama White BBQ Sauce (mayonnaise, white vinegar, mustard, horseradish, salt and pepper, garlic powder, paprika), along with pieces of celery to eat with the ribs to counteract the spiciness. (I’ve noticed that corn rib recipes I’ve seen online don’t feature celery as an accompaniment, but I appreciated it.) Various other sauce options might include garlic aioli, barbecue sauce, flavored vegan mayonnaise, avocado cilantro sauce, creamy sriracha dipping sauce, or any other you might want to try.

This dish is so delicious that I decided to get two orders to take on the plane home with me so that I could drop one off to a couple who were really looking forward to going to Basic Kitchen but were unable to make the trip at the last minute. (I couldn’t resist – I ate the other order at the Charleston airport.) When I got to their home, I sat there while they tried them, and the woman went right to her computer to see if she could find a recipe because she wanted to make them herself.

No one in Baltimore, Maryland, I’ve spoken with had ever heard of Corn Ribs. We figure it must be a southern dish. Apparently it’s been around in the South only for a few years, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we started seeing it spread to the north.

It’s fun to try a new dish from another part of the country!