Thanks to Whitney and her twin daughters Della and Millie for staffing The Vegetarian Resource Group booth at Raleigh VegFest. Della was very in her element. Every time someone walked up to The Vegetarian Resource Group booth with a kid she asked if they wanted a copy of VRG’s I Love Animals and Broccoli coloring book. Whitney also said three dietitians came by and took a stack of VRG’s My Vegan Plate.

Brunch plate (ackee, callaloo, and plantain) with orange juice.

By Yasmin Radbod

I first visited Kingston, Jamaica during my winter holiday break in 2018. I had just completed Femme Fatale Washington, DC’s latest pop-up store in NoMa, and I decided it was time for a vacation. The island was an easy choice. My Jamaican friend in DC had told me about how beautiful and magical her country is. How she runs through the jungles and feels so alive. My eyes lit up. I felt called to see her enchanting homeland. It was rare I had time off, so if not now, when? Jamaica changed my life in many ways. I met wonderful people, I was immersed in the local music scene and culture, I was inspired by Mother Nature, and I fell in love with the abundance of fresh fruits on the side of the road, plus a robust cuisine I had never experienced.

Kingston is the kind of place you could run into a celebrity and no one bats an eye. I remember one time I had just gotten to Stones Throw when I overheard someone say that Shaggy had left about ten minutes before. A friend of mine took me along to a small seaside spot, and I was pleasantly surprised to find a member of Mystic Revealers having a beer and singing some old tunes for everyone. (Check out “Space and Time,” one of my favorite songs.) I spent afternoons hanging out on the same beach where Bob Marley used to jog every morning (RIP).

Ital vegan cuisine, as part of the Rastafarian way of life, is available in most places. You do have to be willing to get to know locals and travel as such. In 2019, I spent a month in Ochos Rios at a sweet little apartment where I could cook for myself. A shop owner there taught me how to prepare and cook one of my favorite foods to this day. (Careful, if not stripped and boiled, it can be deadly!)

This brings me to that wonder-food, the delicious fruit (drum roll, please), ackee. With a long and perplexing history, brought over from West Africa by those forced aboard slave ships, it was later used in colonial Jamaica as a cheap and nutritious food source among enslaved peoples. West Africans carried the seeds with them from their native soil, sometimes wearing them as a necklace along the perilous journey ahead, and planted them in Jamaica. It was not until an Englishman later brought ackee from Jamaica to England, that whites became aware of the plant. Native to what is now modern day Ghana, the Asante (Ashanti) people (Akan) originally called ackee “akye” or “ankye” in Twi, their language which is still spoken throughout Ghana today. Ackee is the national fruit of Jamaica and significantly supports the Jamaican economy. I encourage you to read more online about its origins and history. I am by no means an expert on the topic, and I am very grateful to those who have shared so much knowledge about their people and history. And I am grateful to the Ancestors and all the people who make it possible to enjoy this fruit today.

Ackee is delicious on toasted bread (with or without avocado) and is one third of my go-to brunch plate: ackee with plantains and callaloo. Bright yellow (solar plexus) and loaded with antioxidants, protein and fiber, you can’t go wrong. I highly recommend trying it if you’ve never had it before. And don’t worry, you’ll be buying it prepared, not fresh, so you don’t have to worry about its poisonous seeds!

You can find canned ackee at your local international market. It is a bit expensive here in the US, but worth it (at least once!). All you have to do is drain it. Canned callaloo is also running high these days, but you can substitute it for any green veggies, like spinach or kale. If you’re lucky, you might find freshly shredded callaloo. I fry the callaloo and ackee in one large pan, keeping them separate. In Jamaica, I add a tiny bit of fresh oregano with some fresh thyme to the ackee as it cooks (plus salt). Feel free to add sautéed onion or scallion, too. I keep the callaloo simple with fresh garlic, salt and pepper; sometimes I add a diced tomato. If you like heat, add chilies. Use any oil of your choice: coconut, vegetable, canola, or olive oil if you prefer the flavor. I like coconut. I get a ripe plantain, slice it, and fry the pieces, making sure to flip over so they don’t stick to the pan and burn. You hardly need to fry them long, till golden. Everything here is pretty quick. If you still have room in your tummy, toss an avocado slice in there as the cherry on top, and voilà!

Brunch plate (ackee, callaloo, and plantain) with orange juice (photo above). I highly recommend Jamaican sorrel (hibiscus drink) for the holidays if you can get your hands on some! There’s also some good recipes online if you want to make it yourself. And yes, you can spike it, too.

Of course, you can also use ackee as an egg replacement, you can mash it up to make it appear scrambled. Add your favorite omelette ingredients (mushroom, onion, tomato, etc.), seasoning and some black salt (kala namak) if you want it to really have an eggy flavor. To make it cheesy, sprinkle in some nutritional yeast.

Looking for a hearty dinner plate? Using a casserole dish, oil and add diced yam, pumpkin, potato, plantain, and/or sweet potato. I like to use whatever is locally available. Throw in some veggies of your choice, carrots are a good option. Add some water or vegetable stock (or bouillon). For extra richness, substitute with (or add) coconut milk. Sprinkle some poultry seasoning and lime juice, or keep it simple with salt and pepper for the kids. Let it stew and steam (covered) on the stove for an hour or two, depending on how soft your starches are to start. (You can also boil the potato, yam, etc. for a bit to get soft, then prepare the casserole dish with less cook-time overall, if necessary.) Let it cook to the consistency of your liking. All done! Now you have a colorful dish ready to eat for the whole family. This is also a wonderful choice for a sick day when you want some comfort food without too much flavor. You can also serve it with rice, if you’d like, or keep it as a side dish.

For more Jamaican cuisine, see

https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2013issue1/2013_issue1_jamaican_ital_cuisine.php

https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2019issue2/2019_issue2_island_ital.php

Thank you to more generous donors, in 2023 The Vegetarian Resource Group will be awarding $30,000 in college scholarships! Deadline is FEBRUARY 20, 2023.

We will accept applications postmarked on or before FEBRUARY 20, 2023. Early submission is encouraged.

Applicants will be judged on having shown compassion, courage, and a strong commitment to promoting a peaceful world through a vegetarian (vegan) diet/lifestyle. Payment will be made to the student’s college (U.S. based only). Winners of the scholarships give permission to release their names to the media. Applications and essays become property of The Vegetarian Resource Group. We may ask finalists for more information. Scholarship winners are contacted by e-mail or telephone. Please look at your e-mail.

If you would like to donate to additional scholarships or internships, go to www.vrg.org/donate

Applications

Please click here to download a PDF of the application. However, applicants are not required to use an application form. A neatly typed document containing the information below will also be accepted as a valid application.

Please send application and attachments to [email protected] (Scholarship application and your name in subject line) or mail to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203.

If emailing, please put your essay in a separate attachment with your first name and last initial. A PDF or Word document is preferred, but if you send a Google document, make sure permission is given so readers can access it. For more information call (410) 366-8343 or email [email protected].

Chanukah is a time that extended families gather together. Here are some vegan recipes from The Lowfat Jewish Vegetarian Cookbook you can share with your friends and family during the 8-day celebration.

Potato Latkes
Serves 4

1-½ pounds potatoes, peeled and grated
1 medium onion, peeled and grated
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
Dash of pepper
2 Tablespoons tamari or soy sauce

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Form 3-inch patties and fry in lightly oiled pan over medium heat for 10 minutes. Flip latkes and fry for another 10 minutes until crisp on both sides. Serve warm with applesauce or other cooked fruit.

Broccoli Latkes
Serves 5

1 pound broccoli, chopped into small pieces
2 pounds potatoes, scrubbed and cubed into small pieces
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 cups water
½ teaspoon celery seed
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon oil

Cook all the ingredients (except the oil) in a large covered pot over medium heat for 20 minutes. Drain mixture and mash ingredients together.
Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Form 10 pancakes. Fry 8 minutes on one side. Flip pancakes and fry for another 5 minutes on the other side. Serve warm.

You can purchase the vegan recipe book The Lowfat Vegetarian Cookbook here: https://www.vrg.org/bookstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=13

Thanks to a previous Vegetarian Journal article titled “Homemade Vegan Holiday Candy,” by Mimi Clark, you can make vegan candy in your own home. Try preparing Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, Homemade “Tootsie Rolls,” Chocolatey Peppermint Wafers, Coco-Almond Candies, and Nut Brittle. Consider giving some away as gifts to co-workers, friends, family, etc. during the holiday season.

Read the entire article with recipes here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2018issue4/2018_issue4_holiday_candy.php

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

Each issue of Vegan Journal includes a column called Veggie Bits. In our latest issue, we review Gigantic Candy’s Chocolate Sweets which come in several flavors: Almond Horchata, Banana Pecan, Hazelnut Cafe, and Salted Peanut. We also take a look at Lehi Mill’s vegan Pancake Mix. The box explains a few simple swaps to also create perfect waffles!

Read the product reviews here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2022issue4/2022_issue4_veggie_bits.php

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

How often have you wanted to make a gift in honor of a loved one or friend but weren’t sure which charities are vegan-friendly, pro-environmental, or pro-animal rights? Please remember The Vegetarian Resource Group. You can make a gift in memory of a loved one or as a living tribute to honor someone you care about on a special occasion, such as a wedding or birth. We’ll send an acknowledgment to you and to the recipient(s) you choose. Your gift will support educational programs and help promote veganism.

Make checks payable to The Vegetarian Resource Group and mail to PO Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203, or donate at vrg.org/donate

The latest Vegan Journal Nutrition Hotline column by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, discusses “What is the difference between dried beans, legumes, and pulses, and why should we eat more of them?” Read the complete article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2022issue4/2022_issue4_nutrition_hotline.php

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

photo from Greens N Teff Café

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:

Good Dogs Plant Foods, 1331 Robson St, Vancouver, BC V6E 1C6, Canada

Good Dogs Plant Foods offers a healthy farm-to-table menu with a full-service bar, while also supporting local artists (listing art for sale on their website) and hosting events in their Canadian eatery. The menu is evolving and serves—in addition to an array of plant-based hot dogs with their “exclusive” buns—fries, salads, and, of course, dessert. The fry offerings include a Poutine dish as well as kimchi fries with a gochujang aioli. The choices of hot dogs range from a more classic Ball Park Dog with sauerkraut, crispy onions, Dijon, and ketchup, to the upscale Thot Dog whose toppings include house queso, avocado salsa, and shishito salsa. Wash your hot dog down with any of a wide selection of beverages, including wine, beer, cocktails and mocktails, and specialty sodas. The current star of the dessert menu is the Lickity Split—a chocolate espresso brownie with 3 scoops of vanilla bean ice cream, bananas, and decadent toppings including a vanilla salted butter caramel and a dark chocolate drizzle.

Greens N Teff Café, 3203 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA 22204

Tapping into a long Ethiopian tradition of vegan-friendly food — as they put it, they offer “stews that could have been on the menu during biblical times” —Greens N Teff offer tasty, healthy, hearty, colorful, authentic Ethiopian cuisine. Order a nut- and soy-free plate with a selection of veggies (always including greens) and spicy, flavorful stews mostly based around lentils, split peas etc., on a filling base. The traditional base is Injera, a unique spongy flatbread made from the gluten-free grain teff, which can be used to scoop up the. rest of the food in your hands, but you can also choose rice. If you still have room, smoothies and chocolate cake are also available.

Just What I Kneaded, 2029 Blake Ave. #104, Los Angeles, CA 90039

Craving something sweet? This bakery specializes in vegan (and often gluten-free) treats and goodies. Located in LA’s Frogtown (just north of Elysian Park and Dodger Stadium), it offers a seasonal menu of unique pastries and baked goods, bagel sandwiches, cakes, and more.

North Star Lounge, 301 N. 5th Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48104

North Star Lounge is a vegan bar and music venue. The menu includes vegan snacks including BBQ tempeh sliders with house made BBQ sauce, soft pretzels with cashew-based beer chz dip, and pesto calzones filled with house made pesto and vegan mozzarella cheese. Desserts include a chocolate raspberry tart and a pumpkin cheesecake bar. Both cocktails and mocktails are available.

Pietramala, 614 N.  2nd St., Philadelphia, PA 19123

This upscale BYOB in Northern Liberties features a rotating menu of Italian-inspired dishes made with seasonal produce sourced from local farms. The food is beautifully presented. Reservations are strongly encouraged to guarantee seating. BYOB but note there is a wine service charge.

Soulshine Vegan Café, 6516 Ferguson St., Indianapolis, IN 46220

Soulshine Vegan Café offers a plant-based comfort food menu. Breakfast dishes include a chia seed pudding bowl topped with fruit and nuts, a loaded breakfast burrito with sausage and hollandaise sauce, and homemade muffins. Burgers, wraps, and sandwiches are available for lunch including a chicken, bacon, and ranch wrap; steak tacos with Spanish rice; and a hangover burger on a brioche bun. Coffee drinks are available with milk of choice.

TLC Vegan Café, 1930 N. Coit Rd., Ste. 140, Richardson, TX 75080

Chef Troy Gardner’s mission is to help create “a better world, one vegan dish at a time.” At TLC Vegan Café, the challenge will be how to choose only one dish from the wide array of its menu offerings and options. You can order a dish for one or two people or for a family of 4. Gluten-free, soy-free, or nut-free? There are options for you. Choosing to indulge? You might opt for the Impossible Cheesy Lasagna with house-made ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan and served with garlic bread, or the Pig-less Pepperoni Pizza made with nut-free mozzarella, vegan pepperoni, and sun-dried tomatoes. Looking for something lighter? There are salad offerings such as the Rabbit Fuel spinach and arugula salad with strawberries, pears, toasted almonds, and pickled red onions. No Southern menu, this one included, is complete without lemonades and Texas sweet tea. And for dessert, you ask? A variety of options here, too, highlighted with the Buttery Cream Cake, served with Buttercream Icing and Whiskey Sauce Drizzle.

Each issue of Vegan Journal includes a column called Veggie Bits. In our latest issue, we review a variety of Mac ‘n Cheese products from Annie’s, as well as frozen burritos from Higher Taste including Fiesta Fajita, Vegan Bean & Cheese, and Vegan Breakfast Burrito.

Read the product reviews here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2022issue4/2022_issue4_veggie_bits.php

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