Vegetarian Journal 2008 Issue 1

veggie bits

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You'll Truly Love Aunt Trudy's!

Aunt Trudy's makes frozen vegan sandwiches and desserts that offer both the taste of a flaky fillo crust and the ease and convenience of microwave preparation. Their Organic Fillo Pocket Sandwiches come in 11 varieties, such as Eggplant & Roasted Pepper, Mexicali Vegetable, Mushroom & Leek, Spinach & Potato, and 3-Bean Veggie Chili. In addition, their Organic Fillo Desserts line offers four vegan options, including the tempting Maple Walnut Baklava.

For more information, write to Aunt Trudy's at P.O. Box 155, Dumont, NJ 07628-0155, or call the company at (800) OK-FILLO. You can also visit their website.

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Looking to Add Exceptional
Flavor to Your Next Meal?

Bittersweet Herb Farm has created an entirely vegetablebased line of gourmet sauces, oils, vinegars, aromatic spice blends, and jams. Among their unique products are finishing sauces, including lemon garlic and wasabi ginger, to drizzle and douse as well as balsamic vinegars in flavor combinations such as raspberry-fig and pearlemon grass. The company also offers beautiful gift options packaged in handmade wooden crates.

These products are available in gourmet foods stores and gift shops and through the company's website. You may also contact Bittersweet Herb Farm at 635 Mohawk Trail, Suite A, Shelburne, MA 01370 or via phone at (800) 456-2011.

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Vegetarian Nutrition Congress
in California in March

The School of Public Health at Loma Linda University, a Seventh-day Adventist health sciences institution in Southern California, is hosting the 5^th International Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition from March 4 through March 6, 2008. Designed primarily for clinicians, researchers, educators, and students, this event will share the most recent findings and best practices relating to vegetarian nutrition and diets from around the world through plenary lectures, special symposia, debates, and other events. To learn more or to register, visit their website.

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Fabricate a Few Fun Fashions
From These Fantastic Fibers

Attention all knitters, crocheters, weavers, and other crafty types! Midnightsky Fibers offers a wide selection of fibers and yarns dyed using vegan and environmentally- friendly compounds, and these can be used to replace their traditional counterparts in nearly any craft project. Many of their yarns are made from soysilk that looks and wears like conventional silk, making them perfect choices for projects to be completed during the upcoming spring and summer months. Plus, all of these products are available for retail purchase and for national and international wholesale accounts. To learn more, visit their website.

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Pass the Bread, Please!

Bellamessa makes seven varieties of bruschetta that are absolutely delicious. Sure, they make traditional flavors, such as Original Tomato and Sun-Dried Tomato, that you often see topping Italian breads. However, they also offer much more original varieties, such as Mixed Olive, Three Pepper, Wild Mushroom, and their divine Roasted Red Pepper & Artichoke.

Bellamessa Bruschettas are available at Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and other stores carrying natural products. For more information, contact Opal Export, Ltd., at 1535 Farmers Lane, Suite 343, Santa Rosa, CA 95405. You may also call the company at (707) 545- 2212 or visit their website.

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A B&B in Northern Kentucky

Morning Glory Bed & Breakfast gives vegetarian travelers a welcoming home away from home. Quartered in a refurbished late 19^th century row house, this northern Kentucky establishment is located in Covington's MainStrasse Village neighborhood, just a shuttle ride from downtown Cincinnati. Morning Glory offers quaint decor and cozy suites, but best of all, the owners serve a vegetarian breakfast with vegan options, such as tofu scramble and tempeh hash, every morning.

Morning Glory Bed & Breakfast is located at 323 West 7^th Street, Covington, KY 41011. You can call the establishment at (859) 468-4820 or visit their website to learn more.

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Vegan Chocoholics Rejoice!

Established in 2004 as a European chocolate shoppe in New Jersey, the Chocolaterie offers delicious domestic and imported vegan chocolates, including some laced with flavors such as pineapple, cherry, and hazelnut and sugar-free varieties. The Chocolaterie's offerings will tempt even the most discerning sweet tooths. Since they are packaged in chic black gift boxes, they look almost as good as they taste!

The Chocolaterie's website is <www.chocolaterieNJ.com>. You can visit their main location at 205 Spring Street, Newton, NJ 07860 or call them at (973) 579-9899. Reviewed by Allie Simmons.

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Time for a Squeeze Play

Playfood makes squeezable, semi-viscous vegan cheeses that are as fun to eat as their whimsical labels imply. Made from raw cashews and mostly organic ingredients, these dairy- and soy-free alternatives to processed cheese foods come in four fantastic varieties. The Cheezy Cheeze yields an authentic mild cheddar flavor and makes creating grilled cheese sandwiches and mac 'n' cheese a snap. The Cream Tang puts many sour creams, vegan or not, to shame, while the velvety Whip Cheeze could easily top most cream cheeses in a taste test. However, the favorite of The VRG staff was the Nacheezmo with its subtle spices.

To learn more about Playfood's products, contact the company at 8500 NW River Park Drive, Pillar #239, Parkville, MO 64152, or at (816) 746-8844. You can visit their website.

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Plenty of Veggies in the Sea

Maine Coast Sea Vegetables has created two products that will help you add more edible marine vegetables to your diet. Their Sea Seasonings line includes Triple Blend Flakes, with a colorful, confetti-like mixture of organic red dulse, black laver (wild nori), and green sea lettuce flakes that tastes like the ocean itself. Also, their Maine Sea Salt with Sea Veg combines sea salt, kelp, and dulse to lightly flavor many a dish. Both are available in 1-ounce canisters and in bulk for food service.

Write to Maine Coast Sea Vegetables, Inc., at 3 George's Pond Road, Franklin, ME 04634, or call (207) 565-2011. Their website is <www.seaveg.com>.

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Taste Above Meatless Meals
Indeed Live Up to Their Name

Frozen vegetarian entrées have reached new heights with the introduction of Taste Above's Tuscan Marinara Sauce with Veggie Chicken and Penne Pasta. These meals offer an appetizing mix of tangy tomato sauce, vegan poultry strips, and tender pasta that will always leave you wanting more. Luckily, in addition to the 6-ounce heat-and-eat lunch sizes, they are available in 10-ounce packages that aim to serve a larger crowd.

Contact Taste Above's parent company, JB Brands, LLC, at P.O. Box 5305, Portland, OR 97219 or via phone at (503) 572-0050 or (847) 366-2011. More information is also available on the company's website.

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Earth Balance Infuses Fresh
Flavor into a Classic Product

Earth Balance has come up with a new twist for their enduring vegan margarine. Their Natural Buttery Spread is now available with a mellow hint of expellerpressed extra-virgin olive oil, in addition to the classic variety. This new option will bring Mediterranean savor to otherwise bland breads, pastas, and more!

Contact Earth Balance's parent company, GFA Brands, Inc. You can write to their Customer Service Department at P.O. Box 397, Cresskill, NJ 07626 or give them a call at (201) 568-9300. Visit the company online to learn more.

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Practically Perfect Pakoras

Even people who normally find Indian food intimidating will enjoy Tandoor Chef's new Pakoras. These crispy appetizers—made by battering spinach and onions with gram flour and then deep-frying them—will ease even the most culinarily timid into this seemingly exotic cuisine. These two-bite treats are so good that you'll never believe they came from the freezer case.

Tandoor Chef's website is <www.tandoorchef.com>. You can write to the brand's parent company, Deep Foods, Inc., at 1090 Springfield Road, Union, NJ 07083 or via phone at (908) 810-7502.

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Just Like Mom Used to Make

Whether you serve them as hot entrées or cold dips, Mimi's Gourmet Chili Bowls are sure to please. Choose from varieties such as Black Bean and Corn, White Bean with Jalapeño Pepper, Three Bean Chili with Rice, and the delicious Chipotle Black Bean Chili with Rice. No matter which variety you pick up, you are guaranteed a tasty, filling dish that is kosher and USDA-certified organic.

For more information, contact Mimi's parent company,
JMG Natural Gourmet, LLC, at 96 Linwood
Plaza, Suite 120, Fort Lee, NJ 07024, or at (201) 399- 4302. Their website is <www.mimisgourmet.com>. Reviewed by Allie Simmons.

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Don't Have the Time or the
Inclination to Cook Regularly?

Then you need The Hungry Vegan! This company offers a nationwide organic, vegan weekly meal preparation and delivery service. Each week, subscribers receive a box of soups, entrées, side dishes, and desserts covering the basic to the gourmet, with international cuisines and even a few raw items on the menu. Past offerings have included broccoli bisque, Cajun-crusted tempeh, quinoa and jasmine rice risotto, curried chickpea and vegetable stew, and apple-blueberry crumble.

Orders for single customers, couples, families, and larger groups are available, and the company does its best to use recycled and biodegradable items for its packaging and shipping whenever possible. Visit their website to place your first order!

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Spread the Word About The
VRG with Every Purchase

Would you like to earn money for The VRG with every swipe of your credit card? If you apply for The Vegetarian Resource Group Visa® Card with World Points®, you can show your support for the organization every time you hand a cashier your credit card and earn rewards points in the process. To secure an application, call The Vegetarian Resource Group at (410) 366-8343 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern time from Monday through Friday, or send an e-mail to vrg@vrg.org.

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Bringing Cruelty-Free Athletic
Gear and Wear to the Masses

There has never been a better time in history to be a vegan or eco-minded athlete, professional or otherwise! Several businesses have teamed up under the umbrella company Fair Deal Trading (www.fairdealtrading.us) to bring vegan-friendly and ethically produced sports equipment and apparel to the marketplace. One of these companies, Fair Trade Sports, Inc. (www.fairtradesports.com), has launched a line of eco-friendly products with sweatshop-free apparel and hand-stitched football, volleyball, rugby, and soccer balls made from materials such as all-weather rubber and synthetic leather. In addition, Autonomie Project, Inc. (www.autonomieproject.com) imports Ethletic canvas sneakers with Forest Stewardship Council-certified rubber soles made without any animal byproducts. A third partner, Ethical Soles Trading Company, Inc. (www.ethicalsoles.ca), offers a complete line of vegan sports balls and sneakers throughout Canada. Best of all, Fair Deal Trading offers private labeling for many of these items with an order of 250 or more, so you can opt to emblazon your team's name on its incredible equipment.

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Finally, Soy Options for
Favorite Baking Ingredients!

Brazsoy, a Brazilian company, has created a line called Purity Soja that is every vegan sweets lover's dream come true! Their Soy Cream, often packaged under the name Creme de Soja, is a wonderful solution for recipes that call for cream. Probably even more exciting, though, is their Condensed Soy Milk, Condensado de Soja. This versatile product makes vegan versions of custards, flans, and key lime pies not only possible but incredible! And the Purity Soja line uses only non-GMO soybeans and sugar whitened without bone char and is made on dedicated dairy-, nut-, and wheat-free equipment.

To learn more about Brazsoy's products, call the company at their U.S. office at (240) 597-2011 or visit their website.

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Excerpts from the 2008 Issue 1

Cheesecake: Not Just for Dessert Anymore.

Chef Nancy Berkoff makes cheesecake part of any course.

An Updated Guide to Soy, Rice, Nut, and Other Non-Dairy Milks

Dietetic Intern Stephanie Gall, MS, RD, brings you all the facts.

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About L-Cysteine But Were Afraid to Ask

Jeanne Yacoubou, MS, takes a closer look at the amino acid.

Vegan Fare from India

Sunita Pant Bansal shares some basic dishes from her country.

Veggie-Friendly Literature for Kids

Check out recommendations from The VRG Parents' E-Mail List.

Vegan Rocker Ted Leo Tours the World

Bobby Allyn interviews the indie rock veteran and vegan activist.

Nutrition Hotline

What are plant sterols, and what effects do they have on the human diet?

Note from the Coordinators

Letters to the Editors

Notes from The VRG Scientific Department

Vegan Cooking Tips

All About Oven-Frying, by Chef Nancy Berkoff, RD, EdD, CCE

Scientific Update

Book Reviews

Catalog

Vegetarian Action

Everything Natural, by Bobby Allyn

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