The VRG's Maryland Newsletter by Laura McGuiness
August, 2016
- OUR DAILY BREAD
- PAULIE GEE'S IN HAMPDEN
- &PIZZA OPENS ON CHARLES STREET IN BALTIMORE
- PLATEJOY
- VEGAN IN A NUTSHELL BROCHURE – HELP US REPRINT!
- THANK YOU TO ALL OUR VALUABLE VOLUNTEERS!
- NEW VEGAN DINING OPTIONS IN THE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON, DC AREA
- VISIT VRG AT THESE OUTREACH BOOTHS
- MARYLAND AREA EVENTS
- VRG VEGAN THAI DINNER IN BOSTON
- PRE-THANKSGIVING POTLUCK SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016
- THE VRG AT HAMILTON STREET FESTIVAL IN BALTIMORE
- ORDER PRE-MADE VEGAN MEALS IN THE GREATER BALTIMORE REGION
- EATING INDIAN AT MANGO GROVE IN COLUMBIA, MARYLAND
- VEGETARIAN RESOURCE GROUP RESEARCH AND NEWS
- MATCHING DONATIONS
- ABOUT VRG
1) OUR DAILY BREAD
By Heather Frances, VRG Intern
For one of my first projects at The Vegetarian Resource Group, I made and donated two Vegan casseroles to Our Daily Bread in Baltimore, Maryland. Another intern, Casey Brown made all three casseroles, while I made two (Brunswick Stew, and Cream Bean and Potato Casserole with Carrots). It only took me a few hours to make them, and I was even able to save a little of each to try for myself. They were delicious and super EASY to make. The ingredients were cheap; the bulk of the ingredients for the casseroles were in cans -- potatoes, beans, and carrots. When it came to bringing the casseroles to Our Daily Bread, we had to make sure they were frozen and tightly sealed with foil.
Brigette, VRG's volunteer coordinator brought us to the facility to drop off the casseroles. We were able to talk to staff there and see inside the kitchen and facility. It was awesome because as soon as we walked in we were immediately thanked at the front desk for donating casseroles, and then even more since we brought a vegetarian option. We went to go see the kitchen, and the first table we saw in their kitchen was a table with a ton of veggie plates. On the veggie plate was Peanut Butter and Jelly, Macaroni and Cheese, Fruit Salad, Half a banana, a small salad, and a Donut. We learned through talking with the staff, that out of 600 people served a day, there seemed to be about a asking for the vegetarian option instead of an option containing meat. This shows how important it is to provide a vegetarian/vegan option because the vegetarian/vegan option doesn’t just not contain meat but also includes more vegetables making it a healthier choice.
So if you’re ever looking for something to do or you want to help with an important task, whip up some vegetarian casseroles and donate them to Our Daily Bread, if in Baltimore, or your local feeding facility wherever you live, It’s a great cause and I’m super confident in knowing these casseroles are going towards people who need it. There definitely needs to be more healthier options for those who are homeless and hungry. This is a great way to give back, while also offering a more sustainable way of eating.
Below is a link attached to a blog post earlier this year about Our Daily Bread, and also directing you to their website with any questions you may have about the program and if you wanted to get involved yourself.
[
http://www.vrg.org/blog/2016/03/10/vegan-casseroles-for-our-daily-bread/ ]
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2) PAULIE GEE'S IN HAMPDEN
You may want to try the "in Ricotta da vegan" pizza from Paulie Gee's in Hampden. It is Italian tomatoes, house-made vegan sausage, house-made cashew ricotta dollops, baby arugula, and extra virgin olive oil!
For information, see the Vegan Pizza category under
[ http://pauliegee.com/hampden/ ]
For info on other places to eat, see:
[ http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php ]
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3) &PIZZA OPENS ON CHARLES STREET IN BALTIMORE
1201 South Charles St.
Baltimore, MD 21230
(443) 341-1016
We live in Springfield, VA. The Springfield Town Center has reopened recently and has a new place called &Pizza. It works on the order of Chipotle. You go through a line and pick out any and everything you want on your pizza. It’s the same price no matter how many items. The menu clearly labels every vegan item on the menu (Daiya cheese included). Here’s their website where you can view the menu: [ http://andpizza.com/ ]
. The staff at our location was very knowledgeable about the vegetarian and vegan items. See above address for their new location in Baltimore.
Here is information about other chains:
[ http://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php ]
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4) PLATEJOY
Platejoy sent this note:
We're announcing a large partnership with Instacart in Baltimore to help locals eat ultra-personalized healthy diets (including vegetarian and vegan) with fresh ingredients delivered to their door.
See: [
https://www.platejoy.com/ ]
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5) VEGAN IN A NUTSHELL BROCHURE – HELP US REPRINT!
We have sent tens of thousands of our Vegan in a Nutshell brochure to groups and educators around the country, from Virginia to Nebraska to New York to Oregon and Texas. They have been used by dietitians, by programs serving low income communities, at VegFests, by activists tabling, and with college students. We have run out and need to reprint. Please consider a donation of $25, $50, $100, or more at www.vrg.org/donate
Thank you for your support.
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6) THANK YOU TO ALL OUR VALUABLE VOLUNTEERS!
Thank you to all our valuable volunteers who helped with: HTML, restaurant guide entries, blog posting, staffing VRG booths, assisting with research, presentations, and much more.
- Matt Baker
- Phil Becker
- Casey Brown
- Autumn Burton
- Terry Carlo
- Mary Dempsey
- Heather Francis
- Suzanne Hengen
- Alicia Hückmann
- Sasha Keenan
- Reed Mangels
- David Milner
- Carl Robbins
- Christiana Rutkowski
- Eveian Salmon
- Elsa Spencer
- Sam Stahler
- Hana Takemoto
- Marisssa Thobe
- Sierra Young
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7) NEW VEGAN DINING OPTIONS IN THE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON, DC AREA
- Fare Well
406 H St. NE
Washington, DC 20002
Fare Well is a vegan restaurant, bar, and bakery. It is the second offering from chef and owner Doron Peterson who is also the owner of the award-winning vegan bakery Sticky Fingers Sweets & Eats in Columbia Heights. At Fare Well, Peterson is joined by a small, passionate team of fellow chefs who have worked to recreate classic American diner foods and Mediterranean fare with only plant-based ingredients. The restaurant also offers a kid’s menu, vegan shakes, specialty cocktails, and coffee in a sleek yet subtly retro setting.
See: [ http://www.eatfarewell.com/ ]
- HipCityVeg
712 7th St. NW
Washington, DC 20001
This restaurant focuses on using organic and non-GMO soy ingredients to create a fast-food inspired menu. Try their vegan-ized Philly Steak, made with pulled steak, grilled onion, mushroom, lettuce, tomato, and ketchup, all served on a wheat roll. They also offer their Bistro Bella, a burger composed of grilled portabella, herb Dijon glaze, olive tapenade, red onion, tomato, artichoke, and arugula. In addition, try their vegan “chicken” nuggets with a side of sweet potato fries. Finish off your meal with one of their chocolate, orangesicle, or vanilla-flavored soy milkshakes!
See: [ http://hipcityveg.com/ ]
- On The Go Organics
600 S. Wolfe St.
Baltimore, MD 21231
Enjoy organic raw cuisine including juices, smoothies, nut milks, and dishes such as Zucchini Pasta with Walnut Neat Balls, Curry Collard Green Wrap, Garden Lasagna, Middle Eastern Platter, and Grande Taco Salad. Also try one of their desserts including Key Lime Pie, Blueberry Cheese Cake, or Coconut Cream Pie. For breakfast dine on Apple Blueberry Macadamia Porridge or Apple, Strawberry, Pecan, Porridge. They are located in Fells Point.
See: [ https://www.facebook.com/OntheGoOrganics/ ]
Also, Silver Diner has opened in Frederick, MD. They have many vegan options on their menu and are located at 5120 Buckeystown Pike, Frederick, MD 21704.
For information about other restaurants, see
[ http://www.silverdiner.com/locations/frederick ]
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8) VISIT VRG AT THESE OUTREACH BOOTHS
MARYLAND AREA EVENTS:
- Waverly Farmers Market
- 400 E 32nd St
Baltimore, MD 21218
Saturday, 8/13 7 AM - 12 PM
- Vegan SoulFest
- Baltimore City Community College (BCCC)
2901 Liberty Heights Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21215
Saturday, 8/20 12 PM - 7 PM
- The Maryland Dietetics in Health Care Communities
- Clarksville, MD
10/5 7:15 AM - 4:15 PM
- Pre-Thanksgiving Potluck with The Vegetarian Resource Group
- North Baltimore Mennonite Church
4615 Roland Ave
Baltimore, MD 21210
Sunday, November 20th 2016, 5 PM
(OUTSIDE OF MARYLAND AREA) EVENTS:
Charlottesville VegFest
Charlottesville, VA
9/24
DC VegFest
Washington, DC
9/24
VRG Vegan Thai Dinner
Boston, MA
Sunday, 10/16 at 6 PM
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Conference
Boston, MA
10/16-10/18
If you would like to volunteer at any of these events, contact Brigette at [email protected]. If you would like to donate towards our veggie outreach, donate at: [ https://www.givedirect.org/donate/?cid=1565 ]
. Donations can also be sent to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203. Or call: (410) 366-8343.
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9) MARYLAND AREA EVENTS
EAT WELL STAY WELL 2016 Taking place on Sunday, September 18, 2016 AND MORE...
VEGAN AND VEGETARIAN MEET-UPS IN BALTIMORE, MD
The Vegetarian Meet-up happens at
Mango Grove
8865 Stanford Boulevard
Columbia, Maryland 21045
on the first Sunday each month at 12:30 PM.
The Vegan Meet-up takes place at
Mr. Chan Szechuan
1000 Reisterstown Rd
Pikesville, MD
on the third Wednesday every month at 7 PM.
If you are vegan or vegetarian and would like to eat great food while socializing with others who share your interests, attend a meet-up!
For more information about EarthSave's Vegan and Vegetarian Baltimore Meet-ups, see:
JOIN EARTHSAVE FOR A SPECIAL SPEAKING EVENT
Join us Saturday, August 27th, from 6 to 8 PM for a potluck in Towson. The event is entitled: Cooking Demo and Tasting of “Foods for Prevention of Cancer.” Certified Health Coach and PCRM Food for Life Instructor Sharon McRae will discuss how to eat for cancer prevention. She will demonstrate three healthy, simple, and delicious whole plant food recipes that you can easily recreate in your own kitchen.
POTLUCK DINNERS
Potluck dinners are held at
Towson Presbyterian Church
400 W. Chesapeake Ave
Towson, MD
Dinner guests may bring a vegan dish to serve 8, plus $5 donation (Earthsave members just $2). Fee is $15 for those who attend without bringing food ($12 for Earthsave members). Fee is $5 to attend educational presentation only, which usually go from about 7:00 until 8:00 Please RSVP by email to [email protected], or by calling 410-252-3043, and let us know if you’re bringing food. Come join us if you can!
DINEKIND
Dinekind Harford meets monthly to share information on the benefits of a plant-based diet. For more information, visit: [
http://www.dinekindharford.com/ ]
MARYLANDVEGEVENTS.COM
Marylandvegevents.com is a one stop calendar site for all MD/DC vegan and vegetarian events. If you are looking to network, socialize, and/or engage in social activism you will find plenty of opportunities here. Whether you are vegan, vegetarian, or interested in trying vegetarianism/veganism, you will find many exciting and fulfilling events.
BALTIMORE NUTRITION AS MEDICINE POTLUCK AND SUPPORT GROUP
This group meets on the second Friday of each month at 6:30 PM at the
Park Heights Community Health Alliance
4151 Park Heights Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21215
They typically show one or more short educational videos, often a cooking demonstration of something delicious and easy. And, of course, support, discussion, advice, and recipes. Beginners welcome. Organized by a plant-based Registered Dietitian and also a plant-based Medical Doctor. Please bring a vegan dish to share if you can.
Please RSVP and visit at
[ http://www.meetup.com/Baltimore-Nutrition-As-Medicine-Potluck/ ]
If you have any questions, contact: [email protected] or 410-231-3323
EAT WELL STAY WELL 2016
Taking place on Sunday, September 18, 2016 from 9AM to 4PM is a One Day Immersion for a healthy plant-based lifestyle. This event will take place at
Atholton Seventh-day Adventist Church
6520 Martin Rd.
Columbia, MD
Tickets are:
- $89 per person through June 1 through September 17, 2016
- $99 per person at the door (if seating available)
Presenters include:
- Neal Barnard, M.D.
- Michael Greger, M.D.
- Lani Muelrath, M.A.
- Dana Simpler, M.D.
- Sharon McRae
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10) VRG VEGAN THAI DINNER IN BOSTON
MY THAI VEGAN CAFE SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2016, 6 PM
The Vegetarian Resource Group will host a vegan Thai dinner at My Thai Vegan Café in Boston on Sunday, October 16, 2016 during the annual meeting of The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Meet VRG advisors Reed Mangels PhD RD, Catherine Conway MS RD, Debra Wasserman, and vegetarian dietitians from around the country. All are welcome.
MENU:
- Tom Kha (Thai Coconut Soup with tofu)
- Thai Mango Salad
- Nam Prik Kaeng Kari with tofu (Yellow Curry) with BROWN RICE
- Pad See Ew (Wide rice noodles with Chinese Broccoli with vegan gluten)
- Fruit cocktail for dessert or other fruit
- Tea and cold water
This will be a plated sit down dinner.
TO RESERVE: Send $30 per person (includes tax and tip) (under eight is half price) with names to
The Vegetarian Resource Group
P.O. Box 1463
Baltimore, MD 21203
Call (410) 366-8343.
Or pay at [ https://www.givedirect.org/donate/?cid=1565 ]
and write "Boston Dinner" in the Comments.
$35 after September 30th. Refunds after September 30th only if your seat can be replaced.
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11) PRE-THANKSGIVING POTLUCK SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2016
The Vegetarian Resource Group is hosting our 35th Annual Pre-Thanksgiving Vegan Potluck Dinner on Sunday, November 20th 2016. The event is taking place at the
North Baltimore Mennonite Church
4615 Roland Avenue
Baltimore MD 21210
We will be showing appreciation for turkeys by not eating them! Come join us for a variety of festive, delicious vegan dishes! Please bring a vegan dish - free of meat, fish, fowl, dairy, eggs, honey, or any other animal by-products - that serves 4 per adult attending. (ex. 2 adults means your dish should serve 8 people)
Adult admission is $4 and children eat free!
We hope to see you there!
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12) THE VRG AT HAMILTON STREET FESTIVAL IN BALTIMORE
By Alicia Hückmann, VRG intern visiting from Germany
On Saturday, July 30, Heather Francis (another intern at The Vegetarian Resource Group) and I set up a booth at the 23rd Hamilton Street Festival (Baltimore) in order to promote vegetarianism and veganism. Among others, we brought brochures and several copies of our journal that we handed out for free, inexpensive books, DVDs, and stickers. Since Hamilton is known to be a neighborhood inhabited by people from diverse backgrounds, it was not very surprising that both children and adults, teenagers and elderly people would come to our booth to take some info material and have a chat with us. While some only stopped to let us know they could never live without meat, others were actually interested in learning more about vegetarian and vegan lifestyles. One lady especially appreciated the amount of free resources we provided, as she is currently making the transition to a meat-free diet. We even met an entire vegetarian family whose eldest daughter was interested in interning at our office.
Apart from the The VRG, Hamilton also welcomed other non-profits like the local Planned Parenthood and the Black Lives Matter group as well as representatives of political parties like the Republican and the Green party. The majority of the booths, however, belonged to artists and vendors advertising and selling their handmade or vintage products like jewelery made from cutlery, recycled t-shirts or grotesque paintings. A broad variety of bands and musicians added to the atmosphere of this fantastic event. Last but not least, there was a vegan hot dog stand thanks to which no vegan had to starve amidst barbecue grills and burger vendors.
Even though the festival was planned to take place between 11am and 7 pm, many participants (including us) decided to leave after 4 hours due to unexpected, very heavy rain. Nevertheless, Hamilton Street Festival was a great experience for both of us and we are already looking forward to having a booth at the Waverly Farmer's Market (Baltimore) on August 13.
To volunteer at future booths, in the office, or other ways, contact Brigette at [email protected]
To support The Vegetarian Resource Group outreach, donate at www.vrg.org/donate
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13) ORDER PRE-MADE VEGAN MEALS IN THE GREATER BALTIMORE REGION
VRG member Emily Marcovitz offers the following service that involves purchasing pre-made vegan meals in the Baltimore region. Here's the information:
It is time to announce the menu for our 6th summer of Summer Foods! We are very excited! This summer’s schedule will be held mostly on Tuesdays with a couple of Wednesdays thrown in to keep you on your toes. We will be trying an assortment of new dishes as well as bringing back your favorites. Three of the meals will be what we are referring to as “Spreads.” This means that instead of having an entree and side dish, it will have an array of dishes to tantalize your taste buds. These meals will still include a pint of soup and dessert.
We are always thinking about ways to make this program/service better and easier for you. We use containers that are compostable/recyclable. Also, for anyone that is new to Summer Foods, our goal is to serve you delicious food that is as much locally sourced as possible; working with the season and using foods that are fresh and local that week. We try our best to get this right.
All meals are completely VEGAN! This means that they are not made with any animal products including eggs, dairy or honey. If an item says that it is cheesy or creamy, please understand that it has been replaced with (most likely) a cashew cream or sauce.
PLEASE:
- pass this letter on to friends that you think would enjoy this meal plan
- find us on Facebook and like us!!
- continue to let me know what you love; it is the best way to see it come back on a future menu
- let us know all food allergies
Yours in delicious fresh food!
Emily
Summer Foods
[email protected]
(443) 421 7425
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14) EATING INDIAN AT MANGO GROVE IN COLUMBIA, MARYLAND
By Heather Francis, VRG Intern
There was no wait or pause walking into Mango Grove, in Columbia, Maryland. We were seated right away, and we were then pulled right over to the buffet to start eating.
When told I would be eating at an Indian lunch buffet, I was expecting limited options. Instead I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of dishes that were prepared. As we were being seated, we were asked if we were vegetarian or vegan. Then following the question, we were shown which of the items on the buffet weren’t vegan. There were only two, which left a whole line of options for us and no complaints.
My favorite part was the huge tray of channa masala on the buffet line. My first plate (of two) consisted of tomato rice, broccoli, channa masala, cauliflower curry, mushroom and potato curry, potato pancake, and their vegan version of naan. It took me awhile to get through the first plate, but I scraped off every last bite. I am a personal fan of curry, so for me, it was easy to devour the food in front of me. Adding a second plate was difficult, but I powered through. Even though I was full two bites in, I couldn’t let the food go to waste. The only motive I had moving forward during consuming the meal, was the fact I was eating a plate full of vegetables, along with how delicious it was.
The ambiance of the restaurant added to the perfect lunch, as the staff were superb in providing service. Our glasses never stayed empty, and once we finished a plate, they were cleared right away.
Overall I would have to say, this Indian restaurant integrated into my list of my favorite Indian places to eat. Even though it’s a half an hour away from the city of Baltimore and Washington D.C, it’s a perfect place to check out if you are craving healthy, spicy, and satisfying Indian food. It’s 100% worth the drive. The lunch buffet is available every weekday from 11:30 to 3 p.m, and it’s only 11.95 a person. With the amount of food that is given, it is definitely worth it for a super filling meal.
For more information on this restaurant please visit: [ http://themangogrove.net/index.html ]
If you would like to learn more about dining out as a vegetarian or vegan, go to the VRG’s online restaurant guide at
[ http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php ]
To volunteer with maintaining our restaurant guide, contact Brigette at [email protected]
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16) MATCHING DONATIONS
Don't forget that many employers will match your donation to nonprofits such as The Vegetarian Resource Group, often up to $5,000. A partial list of employers that match can be seen here at www.vrg.org/donate by checking "employer to match" and clicking on "Please Select."
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17) ABOUT VRG
Our health professionals, activists, and educators work with businesses and individuals to bring about healthful changes in your school, workplace, and community. Registered dietitians and physicians aid in the development of nutrition-related publications and answer member and media questions about vegetarian diets. The Vegetarian Resource Group is a non-profit organization. Financial support comes primarily from memberships, donations, bequests, and book sales. The Vegetarian Journal, a print magazine, is a benefit of membership in The VRG. (For more information, please see the Vegetarian Journal online at:
[ http://www.vrg.org/journal/ ]
).
To sign up for the The Vegetarian Resource Group national email newsletter, please visit:
[ http://lists.vrg.org/mailman/listinfo/vrg-news_lists.vrg.org ]
.
We are also on Facebook and Twitter!!
If you would like to make a donation, become a member, volunteer, or find out more about The VRG, contact us at:
The Vegetarian Resource Group
P.O. Box 1463
Baltimore, MD 21203
Phone: (410) 366-8343
FAX: (410) 366-8804
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: [ http://www.vrg.org/ ]
To donate: [ http://www.givedirect.org/give/givefrm.asp?Action=GC&CID=1565/ ]
Copyright The Vegetarian Resource Group 2016 The contents of this newsletter, and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your own best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.
If you were forwarded this message and would like to sign up for our monthly local email newsletter, please go to
[ http://lists.vrg.org/mailman/listinfo/vrg-maryland_lists.vrg.org ]
.
If you do not wish to receive the Local Email Newsletter, visit
[ http://lists.vrg.org/mailman/listinfo/vrg-maryland_lists.vrg.org ]
Instructions for unsubscribing will appear at the bottom of the page. See Unsubscribe or edit options.
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