photo from Vegan Vibrationz

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:

3 Dot Dash, 6203 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, FL 33604

Located inside the Jug & Bottle Dept., 3 Dot Dash is notorious for preparing “craveable comfort food from scratch” made entirely from plants! With a wide selection of sandwiches, burgers, fries, and more, you’ll always leave with that warm, satisfied sensation. Some popular menu items include the Buff Mac – house-made fried chick’n cutlet tossed in buffalo sauce, topped with cashew mac, ranch, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and pickle – and the “No Animal” Style Fries – fried skin on, straight-cut potatoes topped with cashew whiz, grilled onion, and burger sauce. Try a funky twist on traditional mac n’ cheese with The Hot Box – cashew mac n “cheese” topped with Taki battered chick’n bites, chili oil, and sweet pickles.

Fable Creamery, 14 Monmouth St., Red Bank, NJ 07701

Enjoy ice cream, confections, ice cream cakes, chocolates, and cookies. A variety of daily rotating flavors such as: vanilla bean, chocolate, almond buttercrunch, cookie dough, chocolate brownie, peanut butter cup, espresso, Mexican spice chocolate, cookies & cream caramel, passionfruit, mint Stracciatella, and strawberry milk.

Rooted AF, The Chancery Market,1313 N. Market St., Wilmington, DE 19801

Located within the Chancery Market Food Hall and Bar, this is the perfect casual vegan food joint with a lively environment with indoor and outdoor space to enjoy. They have a fully vegan menu with popular dishes like the Empanada, Jicama Wrap, and Chopped Cheese. Their Loaded Baked Sweet Potato includes a jumbo sweet potato, chopped vegan cheeseburger, sautéed onions and pepper, kale, avocado, chipotle crema sauce, and roasted pepitas.

Shadobeni, 1534 Brighton Rd., Pittsburgh, PA 15212

Cozy and cheerfully decorated vegan restaurant offering traditional Trinidadian food. Trinidadian cuisine reflects a centuries-long fusion of East Indian, African, Creole, Chinese, and Western European influences; though not necessarily vegan, an array of street foods popular on the island have been adapted for a vegan diet by the venue’s owners. Be sure to try ShadoBeni’s signature item, doubles, which are turmeric-spiced, fried flatbread topped with curried chickpeas and a variety of sweet and savory toppings (available only on weekends). The eatery always offers two dishes on weekdays that are customizable; dhal puri roti and bowls. Dhal puri roti is a flatbread dusted with split peas and stuffed with curried stewed soya, chickpeas, potatoes, and/or spinach chokra (you can choose up to three fillings) and seasoned with house-made sauces. The bowls are similar, except they have a base of coconut rice and greens. Daily specials are also offered; two examples are pelau (a mix of rice, carrots, pigeon peas and soya stewed in coconut milk, burnt sugar and spices) and turmeric rice with jerk chick-un and sweet peppers. Food can be made without spicy sauces upon request. The menu is rounded out by beverages such as sea moss smoothies, sorrel (hibiscus) drink and hot cocoa, as well as a few house-made desserts. Aside from the ingredients native to Trinidad, the owners of ShadoBeni aim to source as many vegetables and mushrooms from local farmers as possible. To help reduce waste, Worm Return (a nearby composting business) picks up all the food scraps and used serving ware twice a week. Street parking is available.

TULA, 5258 St. Laurent Blvd., Montreal, QC H2T 1S1 Canada

Lunch options include Curry Bento, Asian Bento, or Biryani Bento as well as soups, salads, wraps, sides, and desserts. Dinner menu items include a wide variety of curries, stir-fries, dals, rice dishes, soups, Pan-Asian options, and desserts.  Weekend brunch options include an Indian style scrambled tofu, Bombay Sandwich, a Brunch Platter, and more.

Vegan Vibrationz, 7800 Windrose Ave., Plano, TX 75024

Enjoy comfort food including Crispy Cauliflower Wings, Loaded Nachos, Spicy Kale Wrap, and a variety of salads and sandwiches.

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

A diet rich in vegetables and fruits can supply many of the vitamins and minerals young children need. That’s one reason why recommendations like Dietary Guidelines for Americans call for toddlers and preschoolers to eat one or more servings of vegetables and one or more servings of fruit every day. A 2021 survey of parents of more than 18,000 children age 1-5 years found that these recommendations are not being met by many children (1). Around 1 in 3 children did not eat a serving of fruit every day in the week before the survey was conducted. Almost half of the children did not eat a serving of vegetables every day. And, more than half (57%) of the children drank at least one sugar-sweetened beverage (like soda or a fruit drink) at least once in the past week.

Children living in households with marginal or low food sufficiency were less likely to eat fruits and vegetables every day.

The results of this study were presented for the United States as a whole and for individual states. When looked at on a state by state basis, the results are even more sobering. There are 20 states where more than half of 1-5 year-olds did not eat a daily serving of vegetables. More than half of the children In 40 states and in the District of Columbia, drank a sugar-sweetened beverage at least once in the week before the survey.

These results are concerning, not only because of their potential effect on children’s health in the short term but because of potential long-term effects. There is some evidence that children’s food preferences continue into adulthood and influence their risk of developing heart disease as adults (2, 3). It seems ironic that parents of vegetarian children are told to “carefully plan” their children’s diets. All children should have well-planned diets and all families should be able to afford nutritious food.

References

1. Hamner HC, Dooyema CA, Blanck HM, et al. Fruit, Vegetable, and Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake Among Young Children, by State – United States, 2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2023;72(7):165-170.
2. Mikkilä V, Räsänen L, Raitakari OT, Pietinen P, Viikari J. Consistent dietary patterns identified from childhood to adulthood: the cardiovascular risk in Young Finns Study. Br J Nutr. 2005;93(6):923-931.
3. Kaikkonen JE, Mikkilä V, Magnussen CG, Juonala M, Viikari JS, Raitakari OT. Does childhood nutrition influence adult cardiovascular disease risk?–insights from the Young Finns Study. Ann Med. 2013;45(2):120-128.

To read more about healthy food for children see:

Feeding Vegan Kids

Tips for Parents of Young Vegans

What are Some Ways to Get Toddlers to Eat Vegetables?

Feeding a Vegan Toddler

Raising a vegetarian or vegan child? Join a network of vegetarian parents interested in exchanging ideas on various vegetarian topics.

Recent topics brought up include:

– Vegan Friendly Camps for Kids

– Doctor telling mom to feed her child less soy. VRG shared this info:

From the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group: https://higherlogicdownload.s3.amazonaws.com/…/Soy…

From U.S. Soy https://www.soyconnection.com/…/2022_soyconnection_soy…

Soy and Children’s Health from U.S. Soy (extensively referenced) https://www.soyconnection.com/…/childrens-health-fact…

– Prenatal Supplements for Vegans

https://www.facebook.com/groups/VRGparentsandkids is intended to be a group that offers support for families raising children on vegan diets and for vegan kids around the world. We envision it as a place to get advice about a wide-variety of topics: pregnancy, birthday parties, school lunches, Halloween, non-leather apparel, cruelty-free products, summer camps, and more. Please use it as a place to share your wisdom, seek advice, or just find a sympathetic ear. The goal is to offer support.

Consequently, any profane, defamatory, offensive, or violent language will be removed. Feel free to disagree, but do so respectfully. Hateful or discriminatory comments regarding race, ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or political beliefs will not be tolerated. We expect that posts should relate to vegan diets and lifestyles. The Vegetarian Resource Group reserves the right to monitor all content and ban any user who posts in violation of the above rules, any law or regulation, SPAM, or anything otherwise off topic.

Please share this information with any veggie families that you know! Thanks.

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow we are sharing these vegan recipes by Enette Larson, PhD that you can prepare for tomorrow’s festivities.

Colcannon
(Serves 4)

1 pound potatoes, sliced
2 medium parsnips, peeled and sliced
2 medium leeks
1 cup soymilk
1 pound kale or cabbage
½ teaspoon mace (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons margarine
Parsley

Cook the potatoes and parsnips in water until tender. While those are cooking, chop the leeks (greens as well as white parts) and then simmer them in the soymilk until soft. Next, chop the kale or cabbage and cook until tender.
Drain the potatoes, and season with the mace, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add the cooked leeks with soymilk. Finally, blend in the cooked kale or cabbage and margarine. The texture should be that of smooth potato with well distributed pieces of leek and kale or cabbage. Garnish with parsley.

Scannels’ Soda Bread
(Makes 1 loaf; 8 slices)

1-1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup oat bran
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 Tablespoons caraway seeds
¼ cup currants or raisins
1 cup soymilk plus 1 Tablespoon lemon juice

Mix the dry ingredients well. Blend in the caraway seeds and currants or raisins. Add soymilk stirring to make a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured board and knead for 1 minute. Shape into a round loaf and put into an 8-inch oiled round pan. With a floured knife, cut an X into the top. Bake loaf at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until lightly browned. Cut into slices when cool.

Every issue of Vegan Journal includes a column called Vegan Action. In the latest issue, Amy Burger introduces readers to the great activism being done by Carole Sargent through Beehive Interfaith House in Washington, DC.

Read the article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2023issue1/2023_issue1_vegan_action.php

Subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only by visiting https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

Vegan restaurants continue to open in Baltimore, Maryland (home of The Vegetarian Resource Group)! Wild Heart Bistro is located in the Belvedere Square Market near the Senator Theater. Food options include make-your-own salads or wrap, bean burgers, falafel and deli sandwiches, desserts, as well as breakfast items such as bagel sandwiches, pancakes, and oatmeal. See: https://wildheartbistro.com/

Coming soon is Koshary Corner that will be serving vegan Egyptian food in RHouse located in the Remington neighborhood. Another newcomer will be BMore Vegan Joint housed in Lexington Market. Finally, Chihuahua Brothers will soon be serving up vegan tacos in an historic building that was once home to the Little Tavern restaurant in the Waverly neighborhood. See: https://chihuahuabrothers.com/ They will be located down the block from Red Emma’s another vegan restaurant that not too long ago reopened after their relocation.

The Vegetarian Resource Group has compiled a list of Senior Independent Living, Assisted Living, Nursing Home, and Other Senior Facilities in the USA that will accommodate vegetarians and in some cases vegans. This is a work in progress and if you know of any establishments that should be added to this list, please let us know. Our goal in this project is to persuade senior establishments to offer more vegan options on a regular basis. Sometimes by just asking you put the thought on their radar. We were successful in doing the same thing 20 years ago when we urged college campuses to add vegan options.

You can find the entire list here: https://www.vrg.org/seniors/senior_vegan.php

To support this type of project, please donate here: www.vrg.org/donate

Each issue of Vegan Journal we review vegan products that we especially like. In the latest issue, we did a review of Actual Veggies Burgers. These burgers are a quarter pound each and yes, made with vegetables!

Read the product review here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2023issue1/2023_issue1_veggie_bits.php

Information on this company can be found here: https://actualveggies.com/

Subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only by visiting https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

By Anna Markulis, VRG Intern

I tried Linda McCartney’s vegan gingerbread cake recipe from her cookbook, Linda McCartney’s Family Kitchen. Linda McCartney’s animal rights activism throughout the 1970s and 1990s inspired a generation, and her legacy continues today through her timeless vegan and vegetarian recipes. Linda McCartney’s Family Kitchen contains simple and delicious vegan breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert recipes that remind us of home.

Her gingerbread cake recipe drew my attention as my grandmother would make it for me every autumn, so I was excited to try it out myself. I don’t have much experience with baking vegan desserts, so I was nervous about how it would turn out and whether or not I had the ingredients I needed. To my surprise, I had everything the recipe called for right in my kitchen:

The first step was to oil an 8-inch cake pan and preheat the oven. I decided to use a heart shaped pan which worked perfectly fine too! As a vegan substitute for eggs, I mixed ground flaxseeds in warm water and set them aside while I prepared the rest of the dry ingredients and plant-based milk. Next, I creamed vegan butter and sugar (vegan) in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer. After the sugar and vegan butter was thick and fluffy, I incorporated the flaxseed and water mixture, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and almond milk until it was well combined. I then drizzled in the molasses and mixed until it was fully incorporated into the batter. The recipe says to warm the molasses, but room temperature worked for me!

At this point, the oven had finished preheating, and it was time to bake the cake! I poured the batter into the pan and put it in the oven for 35 minutes. The recipe suggested 35-45 minutes, but my cake was done after 35. I took it out, let it sit for about five minutes, and then I flipped the cake onto a cooling rack to cool for 10 minutes.

The gingerbread spices filled my kitchen, and my family was so eager to try it. After it had cooled, I cut a piece and drizzled maple syrup on top. The cake was so bouncy, moist, and the perfect amount of crispiness on the outside. My family members could not believe it was fully vegan, and they quickly came back for seconds. The flaxseeds helped bind the batter so well, and I was so happy with how it turned out. Overall, this recipe took only about an hour, and it was so easy to make. I am looking forward to trying more vegan recipes from Linda McCartney’s Family Kitchen! To purchase the book and try over 90 plant-based recipes, go to: https://www.littlebrown.com/titles/linda-mccartney/linda-mccartneys-family-kitchen/9780316497985/

Each issue of Vegan Journal we review vegan products that we especially like. In the latest issue, we did a review of Nature’s Path’s No-Sugar Added Granola. Available in two flavors: Almond Butter Vanilla Granola and Mixed Berry Granola.

Read the product review here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2023issue1/2023_issue1_veggie_bits.php

Information on this company can be found here: https://www.naturespath.com/

Subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only by visiting https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php