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 by Bodhi Wayne Spier

Coda wrote: When I’m at school my friends notice I eat no meat and they ask if I’m vegetarian. I tell them “Yes! Vegan actually.” They seem surprised. I’m six foot six, a healthy, high-level dancer and weightlifter who is fit and almost never sick. “How could HE be vegan? Aren’t vegans pale and sickly?” they probably think, and, in that way, I promote veganism at my school by being me.

At my high school I have encouraged my Culinary Arts Class and Food Science class to include vegan recipes as well as consider vegan nutrition. Last week we made a vegan Tomato Soup that was amazing. Additionally, I was voted into the position of Sous Chef in the French Club I’m in so of course we explore French vegan food. My dream is to become a vegan chef. I’m still pinching myself that I’ve enrolled in and been accepted to the Plant-Based Cuisine program at Escoffier Culinary College in Colorado.

I believe the very best way I care for my community and promote plant-based living outside of school is volunteering with UARC (Utah Animal Rights Coalition) at the VOA Homeless Youth Resource Center! I put my vegan caring into action by cooking and serving 50-60 kids experiencing homelessness nourishing tasty vegan meals. I’ve even been Lead Volunteer where I make a menu, shop for ingredients, and direct 6 other volunteers on how to cook the meal. This weekend will be extra fun because I asked a local vegan bakery if they’d donate a big birthday like sheet cake because I don’t think these kids get to celebrate birthdays much. So, City Cakes is donating a huge vanilla sheet cake with sprinkles! I will continue this community service work right up until I leave for culinary college in the fall. I have some good menus planned for next month. I’m doing Mac-n-Cheez, BBQ Beanie Weenies, corn, coleslaw
and rolls.

I’m part native American on my mom’s side and she got me into archery. I made it all the way to the National Championships and it’s funny because many folks in archery world are into hunting and here’s this tall vegan kid with long black hair nailing bullseyes. I was voted best camp counselor at my YMCA camp counselor job three times during the summer of 2022 and the kids are fascinated by my height. They always ask how they can be so big and strong, and I tell them, “Vegan food!” Speaking of the YMCA, I went many years to overnight camp and encouraged the kitchen to serve more vegan foods. To this day they have a tofu scramble breakfast burrito that is delicious.

The reason why I’m vegan is that I genuinely love animals especially pigs and it hurts me to have them suffer and be killed when they just don’t need to be. After culinary college I plan to study business at Westminster College. My plan is to work in the restaurant industry to put myself through 4-year university.

The deadline for the annual Vegetarian Resource Group scholarship is February 20 of each year. See other winners and details for entry at https://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm

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

or mail donations to VRG, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203.

photo from Vegan Now 2 Go

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:

Golden Vegan, 5145 Main St., Ste. H, Zachary, LA 70791

This vegan cafe is owned and operated by women and their mission is to bring good food to the community. They specialize in vegan American comfort food. Popular menu items include “Boom Boom Shrooms,” an appetizer of oyster mushrooms fried and tossed in chili sauce, as well as their “Vegan Southwest Egg Rolls,” vegan egg rolls filled with spinach, corn, black beans, red bell peppers, red onions, vegan mozzarella, and their signature golden sauce. They even offer a vegan kids menu, serving vegan chicken nuggets or a vegan cheeseburger!

Green Elephants, 507 N. Franklin St., Watkins Glen, NY 14891

Located on N. Franklin Street, the main street running through Watkins Glen, but also a five minutes’ walk from the Cavern Cascade, the trailheads for Watkins Glen state park, and the Six Nations Campground, as well as a 15 minutes’ drive from Farm Sanctuary, Green Elephants offers an all-vegan menu featuring all the classic Thai dishes and more, mostly with a choice of tofu and seitan mock duck: Pad Thai, Pad See Aew, Pineapple Fried Rice, Thai curries, stir fried veggies, rolls, dumplings, soups, spicy salads, and desserts including Fried Bananas and Lychee on Ice. All dishes are beautifully presented and live up to authentic Thai standards, brimming with color and flavor.

Jardin, Robinia Courtyard, 329 E. Washington Ave., Madison, WI 53703

Enjoy a globally inspired dining experience with a rotating menu including snacks, starters, entrees, desserts, a full bar, and more. Some sample dishes have included Yuba Salad, Chickpea Curry, Blackened Tofu, and Cocoa Nib Brownie. Indoor and outdoor seating available (weather permitting).

Jikoni Café, 633 W. 35^th St., Norfolk, VA 23508

Jikoni Café is a vegan café located within the House of Consciousness book store, right by Old Dominion University. Jikoni Café uses “Jikoni Kush” in their menu items, an African grain known to enhance the flavor and hardiness of food. Some menu items include their vegan Nacho Supreme which is described as, “A well layered bed of crisp shredded lettuce hidden under a terrific trio of sour cream, salsa, and Jikoni Kush covered in shredded vegan cheese and sprinkles of green onion all cradled in a basket of white corn chips.” They also specialize in vegan smoothies and shakes blended with agave nectar for natural sweetness!

Make it Vegan, 790 Kipling St., Lakewood, CO 80215

The name of this women-owned restaurant says it all: the goal is to take the important components of our favorite dishes and recreate them entirely from plants—just “make it vegan.” And rather than limiting themselves to one menu of yummy comfort foods, their menu rotates. Some options that can make their appearance in the rotation include the Pesto Portabella Panini made with vegan mozzarella; Birria Nachos with Birria black oyster mushrooms and cotija cheese; and the Taquitos Plate—3 taquitos stuffed with empanada filling that includes meatless beef crumbles. Spanning a range of cuisines, including Italian, Mediterranean, Mexican, and American, Make It Vegan makes something for everyone’s particular tastes.

Planta Queen, 1200 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036

Planta Queen is inspired by Asian cuisine that focuses on being sustainable and upscale in their offerings. Try vegan sushi made with ingredients such as watermelon and mushrooms. Some standout dishes include pad Thai slaw, coconut ceviche, dumplings, and truffled fried rice. Not only is the food reminiscent of Asian culture, but the atmosphere was influenced by Chinese courtyards. Planta Queen is a great restaurant if you are look for inventive food that is served in a stylish ambiance.

Vegan Now 2 Go, 1536 E. 75th St., Chicago, IL 60619

South Shore restaurant that offers a variety of vegan comfort food and desserts. Some menu options include fresh burgers, sandwiches, panini, fries, and rich-tasting dairy-free milkshakes. Their mini hot bar is stocked with rib tips, kale greens, mac and cheese, and other soul food classics. Don’t miss their prepared full meals for one, two, or your whole family that you can grab and go from their coolers.

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Imagine a 10-day road trip to some of the most scenic areas of the American West – days filled with hikes and nights filled with star-gazing. Now, imagine doing a combination of car camping and staying in small motels in remote areas. My husband and I recently returned from such a trip. We suspected that we weren’t going to find vegan restaurants and that vegan offerings at local restaurants would be limited. We weren’t even sure if local grocery stores would have much to offer other than fresh fruit and fresh or frozen vegetables. We opted to bring most of our food from home and supplement it with a stop or two at grocery stores near where we were staying. Neither of us wanted to spend a lot of time cooking. We prepared food on either an old camp stove or in a motel microwave.

Here’s what we ate:

Day 1: Leftovers from home kept cool in an ice chest – Sesame noodle salad with tofu and vegetables

Day 2: Canned vegan chili beans over microwaved sweet potatoes

Day 3: Reconstituted TVP with vegan sloppy Joe sauce over microwaved potatoes, carrot sticks

Day 4: Canned vegan lentil soup with bread and carrot sticks

Day 5: Ramen noodles with cubed silken tofu and frozen vegetable medley

Day 6: Coconut Squash Dahl (in pouch) over 10-minute farro with frozen vegetable medley, bread

Day 7: Ramen noodles with TVP and canned green beans, bread

Day 8: Canned vegan baked beans with canned sliced potatoes, carrot sticks

Day 9: Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (not motivated to cook), fruit

These dinner ideas would work for quick-and-easy meals whether or not you are traveling.

For more ideas for quick and easy meals while traveling see:

Cheap, Easy Vegan Camping Food

Take it Outside

Vegan on the Road

For travel guides see:

Vegan Journal’s Guide to Vegetarian and Vegan Restaurants in the U.S. and Canada

Vegetarian Travel and Restaurants

Veggie Dining Options at US National Parks

The Vegetarian Resource Group has one paid internship available this summer. See projects of past interns here: https://www.vrg.org/student/index.php

If interested, send resume, writing sample, and cover letter to [email protected]
Please include information about financial need.

Kacey’s activities have included Ambassador for the Factory Farming Awareness Coalition, Youth Leadership Council Member/Senior Editor for Farm Sanctuary, and Operation Lead for The Raven Corps (youth-led vegan group). Kacey wrote: My perspective on the food system shifted entirely the day I visited Farm Sanctuary (at nine years old) and learned the truth about the cruel practice of factory farming. Thus marked the start of my journey as an activist. I host monthly discussion groups for college students to explore diverse perspectives on factory farming for audiences of more than 800 people, publish advocacy and research articles about issues related to the food system—such as zoonotic diseases and agricultural conglomeration—and present about different aspects of advocacy at workshops for hundreds of other activists. At my school, I’ve met with district officials to advocate for increased plant-based options and have handed out oat milk with informational packets as part of an anti-factory farming day of action. A pivotal moment in my advocacy was last summer, when I successfully organized a meeting with the Congressional offices of Representatives Ocasio-Cortez and Schiff to discuss legislation that would expand plant-based options in schools. After speaking with me, both representatives ended up cosponsoring the bill! Seeing the impact of policy processes firsthand showed me the importance of the political systems within our nation’s government. Receiving The Vegetarian Resource Group scholarship will help me pay for a college education centered around policy making and sustainability within the food system. The scholarship will allow me to continue the activist work I’ve been so passionately devoted to for the past 9 years and expand my resources for plant-based advocacy. I hope to work in the legislative field and specialize in policy related to animal rights and sustainability. Kacey will be attending Columbia University in New York City.

The deadline for the annual Vegetarian Resource Group scholarship is February 20 of each year. See other winners and details for entry at https://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm

To support The Vegetarian Resource Group internships and scholarships donate at www.vrg.org/donate or mail donations to VRG, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203

photo from Black Baltimore Vegan

If you find yourself in Baltimore City, Maryland on Sunday morning, you might want to visit the Baltimore Farmer’s Market downtown and visit these two vegan vendors:

Black Baltimore Vegan sells items such as tacos, gumbo and other soups, a variety of wings, and more.

Charm City Tofu locally produces tofu.

The farmer’s market is open 7am to noon on Sunday.

At one of The Vegetarian Resource Group’s outreach booths, a parent from Baltimore County Maryland was asking about substitutes for dairy milk for her children. Interestingly, the following was posted on the Baltimore County Public Schools website. You may want to look for this in your area.

https://cdnsm5-ss3.sharpschool.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_9047649/File/Business%20Services/OFNS/Milk%20Substitution%20Form.pdf

https://cdnsm5-ss3.sharpschool.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_9047649/File/Business%20Services/OFNS/Medical_Statement_for_Students_Requiring_Meal_Accom%20.pdf

https://www.bcps.org/deputy/foodandnutrition/breakfast_and_lunch_menus

Thank you to Whitney and Justin McVerry who tabled at Wilmington North Carolina VegFest for The Vegetarian Resource Group. She gave out several hundred of our Vegan Journal. Besides all the young people, Whitney said a surprising number of elderly people that are now in retirement communities were there. They wanted to share information with other residents about adopting a vegan diet. Many are becoming plant-based as they become older.

For a listing of retirement communities offering veggie food, see
https://www.vrg.org/seniors/senior_vegan.php

If you know of a retirement community or facility which offers vegan options, please email us at [email protected]

Readers may enjoy this film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wJ-gadDJrI&ab_channel=PLANTBASEDNEWS