VRG-NEWS: The Vegetarian Resource Group Newsletter
Editor: John L. Cunningham
Volume 8, Issue 4
September 2004

CONTENTS

1. Notes from the Editor
2. Join VRG for $20 and Receive a $20 Coupon for Food and Products
3. Virginia & New York Teens Receive $5,000 Vegetarian Scholarships
4. VRG's Vegan Indian Dinner in Anaheim, CA
5. Vegan Donuts
6. Charitable Remainder Trust
7. 2004 Vegetarian Journal Issue 1 Online
8. RECIPE: Curried Greens
9. Share Your Story for a Thesis Project
10. Upcoming Events and Conferences
11. Job Opportunities and Internships Available
12. About The Vegetarian Resource Group
13. About VRG-NEWS

1) Notes from the Editor

Next month VRG will be exhibiting at the annual American Dietetic Association's Food and Nutrition Expo, which is in Anaheim, CA, this year. This is always a great opportunity to promote vegetarian nutrition to nutrition professionals. We will be hosting a Vegan Indian Dinner for Expo attendees and the general public on October 4, 2004. Speaking of dietitians, we are proud to report that VRG Nutrition Advisor, Reed Mangels PhD, RD, is a co-author of the recently published second edition of A Dietitian's Guide to Vegetarian Diets Issues and Applications.

October is also the month where we will be exhibiting at the Natural Products Expo East in Washington, DC. If you're going to be attending this trade show, we will be at booth 4161H. Stop by and say hello.

Co-coordinator Debra Wasserman's interview with Animal Voices that we mentioned in the last newsletter is now available online: Part 1 (3.4 MB) Part 2 (2.2 MB)

We would like to extend our thanks to TheVegetarianSite.com for sponsoring VRG for the month of July. TheVegetarianSite.com offers non-leather shoes and clothing, cruelty-free personal care products, books, videos, food, and more.

We would also like to send a very special thank you to volunteers Bobbi Pasternak and Stephanie Schueler for all of their hard work.

2) Join VRG for $20 and Receive a $20 Coupon for Food and Products

Join VRG for a year and receive $20 worth of free merchandise with your order from The Mail Order Catalog For Healthy Eating, a vegetarian retailer (shipping/handling not included). Use your coupon for items such as: vegan marshmallows, Tofurky Jerky, nutritional yeast, cookbooks, vegan pet food, vegan chocolate chips, or hundreds of other choices. You will also be sent the quarterly Vegetarian Journal for one year. This is a great way to support The Vegetarian Resource Group and vegetarian education. With a $20 membership, you get to try $20 worth of new foods, or purchase $20 worth of foods you know you already like. So you can support vegetarian outreach without spending additional money, beyond what you would be using for great vegetarian food, books, or other cruelty-free items anyway. THIS ALSO MAKES A GREAT GIFT FOR A FRIEND OR RELATIVE!!!

To join with this very special offer, go to our secure subscription page, call (410) 366-8343 Monday to Friday 9 AM to 5 PM, or mail a $20 check with mention of this offer to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203.

3) Virginia & New York Teens Receive $5,000 Vegetarian Scholarships

Alexandra Faber converted half of her summer camp to vegetarianism. Prachi Sharma produced a short film on the importance of eating vegetables that was broadcast on her local public television station. These two teenagers have been awarded $5,000 college scholarships by The Vegetarian Resource Group.

Each year, due to a Generous Donor, The Vegetarian Resource Group gives two awards of $5,000 each to graduating high school seniors who have promoted vegetarianism in their schools or communities. You can find more information on applying online. The application deadline for U.S. high school seniors graduating in 2005 is February 20, 2005.

When Alexandra Faber started the Conserving Our Wildlife (C.O.W.) Club in high school, one of her main objectives was to have more vegan/vegetarian options in the cafeteria. Alexandra's dogged persistence resulted in vegan burgers being served. She requested they stop putting cheese and butter in the tomato sauce for the pasta, which they did. She also asked that they put the container of plain tomato sauce behind the meat sauce. The cafeteria staff was taught how to clean the stove before preparing the veggie burgers in the morning, and asked to cook them before they cooked the meat burgers. "The kitchen staff was extremely nice and helpful, and I was able to eat well at school every day," said Alexandra. . . .

To read the rest of the article, visit our website.

4) VRG's Vegan Indian Dinner in Anaheim, CA

On Monday, October 4, at 6:30 PM, The Vegetarian Resource Group invites you to a vegan dinner during this year's American Dietetic Association Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo. Dietitians, local members, and the public are invited.

Buffet Menu: Vegetable Pakoras (vegetables in batter) * Vegetable Samosas (potatoes and peas in pastry) * Chana Masala (chickpeas) * Bhindi Masala (okra) * Vegetable Jalfrezi (fresh vegetables) * Alu Gobi (potatoes and cauliflower) * Tawa Vegetable (eggplant, cauliflower, okra) * Nan (Indian bread) * Rice * Mixed fruit * Tea, coffee, water

Location: Gandhi Palace, Ramada Plaza, 515 West Katella Avenue, Anaheim, CA (One block from the Anaheim Convention Center and Disneyland)

Cost: $23 for adults and $11 for children.

Reservations with payment must be made in advance. Refunds will be made only if we have a replacement for your seat. Call (410) 366-8343 between 9 AM and 5 PM Eastern time Monday to Friday; fax (410) 366-8804; e-mail [email protected]; or send a check to VRG, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203.

5) Vegan Donuts

A reader asked us to check out the rumor that Little Debbie's donuts are vegan and that the company was Seventh-day Adventist. Since Little Debbie has snack foods in most major supermarkets, vegan treats may be more common than we expected.

We strolled over to Rite Aid (a major drug store chain) and found a Little Debbie Glazed Cake Donut for $.50. Ingredients included: vegetable shortening, sugar, enriched bleached flour, water, dextrose, soy flour, corn starch, mono- and diglycerides, sodium stearoyl lactylate, soy lecithin, salt, natural and artificial flavors, modified wheat starch, baking soda, sodium acid pyrophospate, monocalcium phosphate, sodium propionate, potassium sorbate, beta-carotene, fumaric acid, and agar.

In response to our inquiry, Little Debbie's supplier reported that their single-serve Glazed Cake Donut does not contain any animal byproducts. The natural flavors and mono- and diglycerides are from non-animal sources. They use a milkless, eggless donut base and vegetable shortenings.

As it turns out, Little Debbie is distributed by McKee Foods Corporation, which is owned by a Seventh-day Adventist family. But this does not appear to be the reason the donut does not contain animal products.

6) Charitable Remainder Trust

Do you have a stock that you bought at $1, and it's now worth over $10 per share? If you own highly appreciated, low-cost basis stock that is not producing income, you may be interested in a Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT). A CRT is a strategy for individuals looking to capture market gains, increase income, help a favorite charity, and reduce future income tax or estate tax liability.

If you would like VRG to mail you a brochure on Charitable Remainder Trusts and Planned Giving Strategies from Smith Barney, email [email protected] or call (410) 366-8343.

Of course, you should also consult your own tax and legal advisor.

7) 2004 Vegetarian Journal Issue 1 Online

Issue 1 of the 2004 Vegetarian Journal articles online includes:

Super Savory Breakfasts
Start winter days off right with recipes from Debra Daniels-Zeller.

Starting a Vegetarian Restaurant - Food for Thought
Caryn Ginsberg helps entrepreneurs develop a recipe for success.

2003 VRG Essay Contest Winners
Read works from three young winners in our first installment.

Nutrition Hotline
Conduct your own nutritional analyses, learn if vegetarians are more prone to eating disorders, and put dental health worries to rest.

Note from the Coordinators

Veggie Bits
- New Unsweetened Soymilks
- Finally, Vegan Marshmallows!

Scientific Update
- Can a plant-based diet reduce the risk of ovarian cancer?
- Organic versus conventional foods for children.

Read excerpts from back issues online at: http://www.vrg.org/journal/

The Journal features recipes and informational articles, product and book reviews, news for vegetarian activists, and up-to-date information about vegetarian health and nutrition. If you are not currently a subscriber to the Vegetarian Journal, why not subscribe today?

Subscriptions to the Vegetarian Journal are $20/year in the U.S. (please inquire for subscription rates outside the U.S.). Accepted forms of payment, in U.S. funds, are Visa, MasterCard, checks drawn on U.S. banks, and postal money orders. When joining, please send us your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address. If paying by credit card, please include the card number and expiration date.

If you join online at http://www.vrg.org/journal/subscribe.htm for $30 or more, you will receive a copy of the Vegan Handbook, a $20 value! (U.S. addresses only)

If you choose to join by mail, subscriptions should be directed to:

The Vegetarian Resource Group
P.O. Box 1463
Dept. IN
Baltimore, MD 21203
Phone: (410) 366-8343
Fax: (410) 366-8804
E-mail: [email protected]

8) RECIPE: Curried Greens

(This recipe appears in the Vegan Microwave Cookbook
by Chef Nancy Berkoff, RD.

Serves 5

Serve this combination as a colorful side dish for holiday entrees.

Vegetable oil spray
1/4 cup minced onions
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup diced carrots
1/4 cup diced celery
1/2 cup vegetable stock
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 pounds frozen chopped greens, thawed (about 5 cups)

Spray a microwave-safe 2-quart bowl with oil. Add onions, garlic, carrots, and celery and microwave for 2 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Add stock, curry powder, and white pepper and stir. Squeeze any remaining water from greens and add to bowl. Microwave uncovered for 5 minutes or until greens reach desired texture. Serve hot.

Note: Use frozen mustard, collard, turnip greens, or kale. If using fresh greens, wash, stem, and coarsely chop and adjust cooking time so that they are cooked to desired texture.

Total Calories Per Serving: 51	Total Fat as % of Daily Value: 1%
Protein: 5 gm	Fat: 1 gm
Carbohydrates: 9 gm	Calcium: 223 mg
Iron: 3 mg	Sodium: 107 mg
Dietary Fiber: 7 gm	�

9) Share Your Story for a Thesis Project

A graduate student at the University of Arizona is interested in your personal experiences as a vegetarian--including your own transformation story, your struggles, your motivation, and your own perceptions of vegetarian as not only a dietary guideline, but as a lifestyle as well. She would like to hear from "new" vegetarians and longtime practitioners alike. If you are interested in sharing your story and your experiences, please contact Patricia at [email protected].

10) Upcoming Events and Conferences

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA: THE CHARLOTTESVILLE VEGETARIAN FESTIVAL

The eighth annual Charlottesville Vegetarian Festival will be held Saturday, September 25, 2004, from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM in Lee Park in the heart of the historic district of Charlottesville, Virginia. This free outdoor event will celebrate a healthy and humane lifestyle. More than 100 exhibitors and 8,000 health-conscious visitors are expected at the event.

The festival will include restaurant booths, free vegan food samples, healthy-living exhibitors, nonprofit and educational organizations, a dog and cat Adoption Fair, a Kids' Patch for children, live music, and fun-raising activities for a spay/neuter project. These activities include a silent auction, face painting, a vegan dessert booth, and sales of vegan cookbooks and animal- and veggie-themed items.

For more information, call 434-979-2011, e-mail [email protected] or visit the festival's website.

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BERKELEY, CA: LIBERATION NOW!

The 4th National Student Animal Rights Conference will be taking place this from October 29 to October 31 at the University of California - Berkeley near San Francisco. Sponsored by the Students Animal Rights Alliance, past workshops and panels have addressed such topics as, Campus Organizing, Vegan Advocacy in Your Schools & Communities, Animal Rights & Social Justice, So You Want to Work for an Animal Group, Humane Education As Activism, Campaigning Against Fur, Lobbying On Behalf of Animals, Planning Creative Actions, How to Pass a Dissection Choice Policy, Using Video for Activism, Globalization & Animal Rights, and Media Interview Skills Training.

The early registration fee is only $10, and free and low-cost food and lodging are available. Please sign up for our email list for details on applying for travel grants, speakers, program, etc.

For more information, visit their website, e-mail [email protected], or call (212) 696-7911.

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BOSTON, MA: NINTH ANNUAL BOSTON VEGETARIAN FOOD FESTIVAL

On Saturday, October 23, 2004, the Boston Vegetarian Society presents the Eighth Annual Boston Vegetarian Food Festival from 10 AM to 6 PM at the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center in Boston, MA. The event brings together exhibitors of vegetarian natural foods from across the country. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about new veg products, talk to food producers, enjoy speakers, cooking demos, restaurants, educational exhibits, children's activities, and exhibitors of products and services that support a vegetarian way of life. Admission and parking are free.

For more information visit their website, email [email protected], or call (617) 424-8846

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FLORIANOPOLIS, BRAZIL: 36TH WORLD VEGETARIAN CONGRESS

On November 8-14, the International Vegetarian Union and the Brazilian Vegetarian Society will host the 36th World Vegetarian Congress. Florian�polis will host lecturers, researchers and supporters from all over the world. Attendees to the Congress will be able to participate in:

* Conferences, workshops, and seminars with speakers from all over the world.
* Vegetarian nutrition and cooking classes.
* Meat-centered dietary impact on human, animal and environmental health.
* Ethical, religious, and philosophical foundations of vegetarianism.
* Living Design Open Market - Presentation by Ana Maria Branco
* Cruelty-free products, clothing, accessories, and cosmetics fair.
* Cruelty free veg-fashion show.
* Vegetarian luau - beach feast with lots of fruits and music.
* Verdurada - pro-animal music festival.
* Shows and other entertainments.
* Plenty of information, culture and naturally mouth-watering 100% vegetarian (vegan) food.
* Pre- and post-Congress tours to marvelous places.

Everyone is invited: long-term vegetarians, beginners, sympathizers and those who wish to learn more about the subject. For more information, visit the IVU website.

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11) Job Opportunities and Internships Available

CLARKSVILLE, MD

Great Sage, a vegetarian organic restaurant in Clarksville, MD, specializing in gourmet vegetarian food from around the world, is actively seeking vegetarian chefs for full-time positions. The restaurant opened in June of 2004 and is the third member of Conscious Corner Enterprises, comprised of Roots Market, a natural foods store, and Nest, a socially responsible gift shop.

Great Sage is committed to providing the freshest, healthiest, and tastiest plant-based food possible, using complex flavors, textures, and colors which matches the diversity of the cultures represented on the menu. Great Sage is dedicated to preparing food with organic ingredients and is committed to satisfying people with dietary restrictions.

Clarksville is located between Baltimore and Washington, DC. By car it takes approximately 25 minutes to get to downtown Baltimore and 45 minutes to get to downtown DC.

Visit their websites: rootsmkt.com, nestnaturalhome.com, Great-Sage.com

Please call Holly at (443) 535-9400 for more information.

INTERNSHIP: VRG

Responsibilities depend on background, major if in college, and interest of applicant. Tasks may include research, writing, and/or community outreach. Internships are helpful for students working toward journalism, English, and nutrition degrees. Business majors can obtain experience related to the business aspects of a non-profit organization. Activists can learn new skills and gain a broader knowledge, as well as share their expertise. Positions open throughout the year for all ages (including high school students living in Baltimore). Internships are unpaid. Send resume and cover letter to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203; [email protected].

ABOUT THE VEGETARIAN RESOURCE GROUP

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, 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.)

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
Donate: https://www.givedirect.org/donate/?Action=GC&CID=1561

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.

ABOUT VRG-NEWS

VRG-NEWS is the monthly e-mail newsletter of The Vegetarian Resource Group. This is an announcement list, so subscriber messages are not accepted by the list. If you have a technical question about the list, please contact the list manager, Bobbi Pasternak, at [email protected]. If you have any suggestions, ideas, or corrections to VRG-NEWS, direct them to [email protected]. Thanks!

If you are a new subscriber, you might enjoy reading past issues of VRG News online at http://www.vrg.org/vrgnews/index.htm.

If you wish to cancel your subscription to VRG-NEWS, send an e-mail message to [email protected] with the following message: SIGNOFF VRG-NEWS

If you wish to subscribe to VRG-NEWS, send an e-mail message to [email protected] with the following message: SUB VRG-NEWS {your first and last name}

Do not include the {} when you enter your name. The newsletter will be sent to the e-mail address from which you are subscribing.

Contents of VRG-NEWS are copyright 2004 by The Vegetarian Resource Group. The newsletter may be freely distributed in electronic or print form provided its contents are not altered and credit is given to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203.

Thanks to volunteer Stephanie Schueler for converting this article to HTML.

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