By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Located in New Paltz, NY, Lagusta’s Luscious is a shop and café that features artisanal chocolates, handmade drinks, and pastries. Everything is vegan because of their commitment to social justice and the environment.

When I walked into the shop, I was struck by a display case with an array of chocolate confections. Flavors, including Mango Chile Lime Caramel, Peanut Butter and Jelly Meltaway, and Yuzu Cream, provide a hint of the creativity that goes into their products. A wall display included chocolate bars, boxes of chocolate, drinking chocolate, and chocolate bark. The café offered hot and cold drinks, ice cream bars and chipwiches, and vegan baked goods.

We sampled a classic Butterscotch Caramel, subtly sweet Tahini Meltaways, Chocolate Fudge, and a vegan S’Mores cookie. All were rated sublime.

You can visit Lagusta’s Luscious at 25 N Front Street, New Paltz, NY. If you can’t make it to the retail shop, Lagusta’s Luscious products can be ordered online.

We review vegan books that we especially like in each issue of Vegan Journal. In the latest issue Debra Wasserman reviews Plant-Based India by Dr. Sheil Shukla. Enjoy 100 vegan Indian dishes including Crispy Masala Dosa Rolls, Sweet Corn Soup, Butternut Squash and Mushroom Biryani, Date Chutney, Lassi, and much more.

Read our complete review of this book here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2023issue2/2023_issue2_book_reviews.php

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

photo from Terror Tacos St. Louis MO

The next time you’re in St. Louis, Missouri, you might want to enjoy lunch, dinner, and/or dessert at one of these vegan establishments:

Adina’s Vegan Cuisine 6746 Page Ave., St. Louis, MO 63133

Vegan/soul food. Located in the Carter Commons food hall, right across the street from the movie theater on the corner of Ferguson Avenue, this Black mother-and-daughter-owned spot offers a constantly updating, rotating all-vegan menu. Depending on the day offerings could be based around tacos, nachos, sandwiches, jackfruit sliders, plant-based grilled “salmon” etc. with sides like lemon-lime kale salad and mac and cheese. They also have a grab-and-go section with salads, sandwiches etc., and cold-pressed additive-free juices.

CC’s Vegan Spot 4993 Loughborough Ave., St. Louis, MO 63109

Vegan/American. Enjoy a wide variety of dishes including Loaded Supreme Nachos, Chickn Caesar Wrap, Falafel Sandwich, and much more. They also serve frozen Ices.

Lulu’s Local Eatery 3201 S. Grand, St. Louis, MO 63118

Vegan/café. Start your meal off with Buffalo Cauliflower Bites or Thai Crunch Kale Salad. Then enjoy a wrap or sandwich or a main dish bowl such as Chipotle Black Bean, Banh Mi, or Buddah. Enjoy daily specials as well as a wide variety of beer along with your meal.

Plant Craft Kitchen 3860 South Lindbergh Blvd., Ste. 105, St. Louis, MO 63127

Vegan. This cheerful, casual café in a strip mall in Sunset Hills serves a rotating menu of vibrant, healthy vegan food. The menu always includes several beautifully presented salads; hummus; pizzas with house-made crusts and many customization options; sandwiches; and varying options like tacos, mushroom lasagna, and curry. Made fresh with quality vegetables, their colorful meals make eating healthy affordable and appealing.

Terror Tacos 3191 S. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63118

Vegan/Mexican. Are you a passionate heavy metal fan and constantly crave Mexican cuisine? If so, Terror Tacos may just be a paradise for you! With hard-core rock filling every corner of the restaurant as you walk through the doors and a line of plant-based tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, and more waiting for you to try, this restaurant is perfect for anyone willing to try an experience like no other. Feeling adventurous? Try the extra spicy Deathwish Taco, double-layered and stuffed with house-made spicy chorizo, a fried jalapeno filled with chipotle cheese, and topped with Arbol chili-infused sour cream as well as diced and pickled jalapeño. Have a more tender mouth? Stick with something like the Tofu Terror Quesadilla, topped with cilantro lime tofu, green chili sauce, black beans, grilled fajita veggies, red cabbage, cheese, sour cream, and cilantro. Kids menu is available too! No matter who you are and what you need, Terror Tacos has something for you.

Traveling somewhere else in the USA or Canada? Be sure to visit VRG’s online guide to veggie restaurants: https://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

By Hank J. Rothgerber, PhD

I have several blog postings that I think readers would find of interest. This is a guest blog from Psychology Today.
The moralization hypothesis proposes that campaigns to change attitudes and behavior are double-edged. They lead some people to lessen guilt by abandoning eating meat but, for others, they will increase meat consumption through the formulation and strengthening of justifications.
For the complete article, see https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/animals-and-us/202305/how-can-meat-consumption-be-both-increasing-and-decreasing

Each issue of Vegan Journal we review products that we feel our readers would like. In the latest issue, we take a look at a delicious hot sauce from Trufflin. This sriracha has a black truffle taste and is gluten-free with no added sugar.

Read our complete review of this product here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2023issue2/2023_issue2_veggie_bits.php

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

Each issue of Vegan Journal contains a column called Scientific Update where we review recent scientific papers related to vegetarianism. In the latest magazine, Reed Mangels, PhD, RD reviews a paper on a Large Study from the United Kingdom Examining the Risk of Some Common Cancers in Vegetarians and another paper on Vegans Having a Lower Risk of Digestive System Cancer.

Read the entire column here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2023issue2/2023_issue2_scientific_update.php

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

photo from Jerrell’s Betr Brgr

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:

Cinnaholic, 7851 Alexander Prom Pl., Ste. 120, Raleigh, NC 27617

Cinnaholic offers over 30 flavors of gourmet cinnamon rolls — and they are all vegan! Some include Almond, Blackberry, Butterscotch, Caramel, Cream Soda, Key Lime, Root Beer, & Pomegranate. Toppings range from Cookie Dough Chunks to Shredded Coconut and everything in between. They offer other sweet treats including cookies, brownies, muffins, specialty pie rolls, and baby buns (mini cinnamon rolls). If your sweet tooth has still not been sated, have a Frosting Shot!

Jerrell’s Betr Brgr, 3234 Washington St., Hoboken, NJ 07030

Enjoy burgers, loaded waffle fires, hearty chili bowl, oat shakes, soft serve, and more.

PLANTA Cocina, 4625 Admiralty Way Suite 104, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292

Enjoy dining on a wide variety of sushi, as well as chilled/raw items such as Avocado Lime Tartare, Hearts of Palm Slaw, and Coconut Ceviche. Also try other dishes including Crispy Goyoza, Ahi Watermelon Tacos, and Croquetas. Some of the dessert items include Tres Leches, Chocolate Brownie, and Horchata Sundae. Reservations accepted.

The Flour Shoppe, 619 Baxter Ave., Louisville, KY 40204

A home of quintessential baked confections in Louisville, offers an abundance of sweet treats like cakes, cupcakes, pastries, cookies, and pudding dirt cups. Some popular items include the lemon blueberry donut, the cinnamon roll, and the pop tart. The interior has a retro, 1970’s look and feel.

The Slutty Vegan, 2707 Main St. #A, Dallas, TX 75226

The Slutty Vegan serves creative vegan burgers and hot sandwiches, along with sides and dessert.

Vegan Club Restaurant + Bar, 126 10th St. NW, Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1V3

An enticing all-vegan restaurant with a varied assortment of sandwiches, burgers, wraps, hot bowls, and other menu choices. Be sure to try the Chicken Caprese Sandwich, Fish and Chips, VC Special Poutine, and VC Special Noodles. The Caprese sandwich has a very tasty pretzel bun and delicious seasoning, while the poutine is delightful with gravy and chicken bits that are on point. Additionally, the noodles are satisfying and include many vegetables. There is a children’s section on the menu.

by Hank J. Rothgerber, PhD

I have several blog postings that I think readers would find of interest. The first is posted on my webpage.

     Chances are my vegetarian readers have been on the wrong side of a meat eater before. You may have been minding your own business, been on good behavior, and not looking for a fight, but there you were confronted by a meat eater with an edge. I remember getting ambushed by my wife’s family years ago over not eating meat although time has made me recall the incident as a mere annoyance. Sometimes we are teased, sometimes the butt of jokes, sometimes questioned in what seems like a playful manner, sometimes the subject of hushed whispers or unwanted stares… No matter how carefully you try to manage such situations, allow me to share with you a dirty secret: Their reactions are not about you; they are about them.

     For Dr. Rothgerber’s complete posting see: https://hankrothgerber.com/encounters-with-meat-eaters

Each issue of Vegan Journal we review products that we feel our readers would like. In the latest issue, we take a look at a unique variety of vegan yogurt made out of chickpeas. The yogurt is available in several flavors and can be incorporated into vegan dishes such as soups, stews, or baking applications.

Read our complete review of this product here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2023issue2/2023_issue2_veggie_bits.php

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

Father’s Day is June 18^th. It’s time to grill vegan-style! Chef Nancy Berkoff offers recipes for Grilled Eggplant, Mediterranean Grilled Portobellos with Pine Nuts, Curried Barbecue Tempeh, Roasted Pepper and Eggplant Dip, Pineapple-Peach Salsa, Japanese Style Grilled Asparagus, Grilled Sweet Peaches, and Roasted Corn.

Read the entire article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/2002issue3/2002_issue3_gourmet.php

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