VRG-NEWS: The Vegetarian Resource Group Newsletter
Volume 14, Issue 7
November 2010

CONTENTS

  1. VEGANS KNOW HOW TO PARTY!
  2. VEGAN THANKSGIVING IDEAS
  3. VRG'S BROCHURES IN LIBRARY DISPLAY
  4. REPORT FROM NATURAL PRODUCTS EXPO EAST
  5. VEGAN NUTRITION AFTER HEART VALVE SURGERY
  6. VEGETARIAN JOB OPPORTUNITY
  7. VEGETARIAN MENUS FOR SCOUT JAMBOREE
  8. VEGETARIAN JOURNAL'S FOODSERVICE UPDATE PRODUCT LISTING - UPDATED FOR 2010!
  9. VEGAN CHEF IFAYOMI'S EFFORTS FOR WORLD GO VEGAN WEEK
  10. VEGETARIAN JOURNAL ISSUE 2, 2010 NOW ONLINE!
  11. VRG'S PRE-THANKSGIVING VEGETARIAN POTLUCK NOV 21ST
  12. WOMEN'S MAGAZINE LOOKING TO INTERVIEW VEGETARIAN WOMEN AGES 40-50
  13. VRG'S VEGAN THANKSGIVING RECIPES
  14. INTERNATIONAL ANIMAL RIGHTS CONFERENCE
  15. YOU'RE INVITED TO VRG'S CHARITABLE GIVING SEMINAR & VEGAN DINNER
  16. STUDY OF USDA'S FUNDING PRIORITIES AND VEGETABLE CONSUMPTION GAP
  17. About The Vegetarian Resource Group
  18. About VRG-NEWS

1) VEGANS KNOW HOW TO PARTY!

OVER 465 VEGANS RECIPES, INCLUDING DESSERTS, APPETIZERS, AND MAIN DISHES
By Nancy Berkoff.

Just back from the printer is Chef Nancy Berkoff's new book VEGANS KNOW HOW TO PARTY, Over 465 Vegan Recipes, Including Desserts, Appetizers, and Main Dishes.

Vegans Know How to Party makes a great holiday gift, plus purchase helps support our vegetarian outreach. Order four copies and we will send these to you at half price. One copy is $25. Four copies are $50. We pay postage.

To order online go to: [ http://www.vrg.org/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1 ]

Or call (410) 366-8343 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time and we will be happy to take your order over the phone!

In this 384-page 8 1/2 X 11 book with color photographs, Chef Berkoff shows you how to put on a party for vegans and those who enjoy great food. Vegan Desserts include pies, tarts, cakes, cupcakes, quick breads, muffins, sauces, frostings, cookies, parfaits, puddings, cobblers, frozen treats, and more.

Nancy gives us lessons on preparing vegan "ricotta," veloute, demiglaze, and béchamel. Sections include Using Vegan Ingredients, Basic Party Planning, Egg Substitutes, Napkin Folding, and Hiring Entertainment. Additional chapters feature Entertaining Children, Cooking for A Crowd, Secrets of Cooking Large Amounts of Foods, and Sample Recipe Conversion from a small recipe to a large recipe and visa versa.

Working with a Caterer includes finding a caterer, catering concerns, helpful hints for vegetarian catering, food safety suggestions, label reading, and upscale menus. Also helpful is Party Planning for People with Diabetes.

Vegans Know How to Party has great recipes, but is certainly a reference book you'll want to have around to answer all those vegan cooking questions. Your purchase will liven your parties, as well as support our vegetarian outreach.

Try: maple apple pie
peach cheesecake
silky lemon pie
cherry tarts.

Birthday party basics include vanilla, moist chocolate, and devil's food cakes.

For brunches, Nancy starts the day with chocolate raspberry and banana blueberry muffins. These dessert sauces and icings will spruce up any party: vegan caramel sauce
cream cheese spread with fruit
vegan buttercream frosting
coconut frosting
lemon frosting
vegan pastry cream.

Cookie to the Max with:
glazed ginger-almond cookies
apricot and raisin bars
fudge without the oven cookies
peanut butter and jelly cookies
rugelach
sugar cookies
chocolate chip of course
pinwheels
vegan lemon squares
fudge brownies

Plus you and your guests will enjoy parfaits, trifles, mousse, cobblers, crumbles, crisps, custard, bread puddings, noodle puddings, and chocolate puddings -- too many to name. For frozen desserts, Nancy gives us vegan ice cream cake, coconut-cinnamon and peppermint-chocolate frozen treats, and pineapple sorbet.

THERE'S MORE TO A PARTY THAN DESSERTS. Nancy also shares the basics in this new book like
stuffed grape leaves
baked "chicken" fingers
chips of all types
BBQ sauce
veggie sloppy Joes
stuffed manicotti
vegan cheeseball
raspberry vinaigrette
ranch dressing
and numerous other common party dishes....

Appetizers and main dishes span from Arepas, Gulai Daun Bayem (spinach in coconut milk), and pierogi, to asparagus with lime and onion dressing, mustard crusted tofu salad, and Octoberfest roulades. And for winter parties, warm up the guests with Komenymagos Leves (Caraway Seed Soup), Potage Crecy, and Roasted Two Pepper Soup.

To order Vegans Know How to Party send $25 for one copy or $50 for four copies, including shipping, to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203, or call (410) 366-8343.

2) VEGAN THANKSGIVING IDEAS

Thanks to VRG volunteer Corey Bivins for compiling ideas and recipes for celebrating a healthy and humane vegetarian Thanksgiving! To read the whole article, click here: [ http://www.vrg.org/recipes/vegan_thanksgiving.php ]. For vegan Thanksgiving recipes, see Section 13 below.

3) VRG'S BROCHURES IN LIBRARY DISPLAY

Thanks to Calvert Library, Prince Frederick, MD, for displaying VRG's brochures on vegetarianism!

If you would like to obtain brochures for your local library or for a table at an event, please email [email protected].

To support the printing and shipping of our brochures for outreach, click here [ https://www.givedirect.org/give/givefrm.asp?CID=1565 ].

4) REPORT FROM NATURAL PRODUCTS EXPO EAST

By Reed Mangels

Imagine more than 1,700 booths packed with the latest natural foods, supplements, and health and beauty aids. Picture aisle after aisle full of opportunities to taste organic chips, sparkling fruit juices, gluten-free cookies, whole-grain crackers, and more. This is Natural Products Expo East [ http://www.expoeast.com/expoeast2010/public/enter.aspx ] (NPEE) - the largest natural products trade show on the East Coast.

I spent a long, pleasant day at NPEE last weekend and wanted to share some of the most interesting vegan products that I found.

Tasting new plant milks seemed like a good way to start the day.

Earth Balance (the company that makes vegan margarine) has introduced a new line of fortified, organic soymilk. Fortified with calcium, vitamin D2, riboflavin, vitamin B12, and small amounts of vitamin A, zinc, and selenium, this soymilk's nutritional profile is similar to other fortified soymilks. I thought it tasted similar to other brands of soymilk. It is the first soymilk certified by the Non-GMO Project and is made from soybeans grown in the US. Earth Balance Soymilk comes in original, vanilla, chocolate, and unsweetened flavors and is sold in refrigerated cartons. [ http://earthbalancenatural.com/soymilk/ ]

I first tried hemp milk about five years ago and did not like it at all. I was pleasantly surprised by Manitoba Harvest's Hemp Bliss which tastes mild much like my more usual soymilk. This hemp beverage comes in four flavors -- original, vanilla, chocolate, and unsweetened. It's fortified with calcium and has omega-3's. As far as I know, this is the only organic hemp milk on the market. Since it's low in protein, vitamin D, and vitamin B12 it would not be my first choice as a primary beverage but it's a nice addition to the plant milk shelf. [ http://jointheblissrevolution.com/ ]

After working up an appetite walking the miles of aisles, it was time to sample some entrees.

In contrast to past years, very few veggie burgers were featured. I did find a 100% organic vegan burger made with quinoa, flax, and vegetables. Ashera's Gourmet Vegan Burgers are soy and gluten free and taste like what they are -- grains and vegetables. I found this burger to be a refreshing change from burgers that are trying to taste like beef. [ http://www.asherahsgourmet.com ]

A vendor, seeing my Vegetarian Resource Group badge, told me I had to check out a booth several aisles over. I was glad I did. Sophie's Kitchen features vegan seafood based on konjac, a starch made from the root of an Asian plant. I tried breaded vegan shrimp which tasted the way that I remember fried shrimp tasting. Other products include vegan calamari, vegan prawn, and vegan squid ring. My daughters who have never eaten seafood enjoyed this product also. [ http://sophieskitchen.net/ ]

EVOL Burritos produce several frozen vegan products. I tried a mini Veggie Fajita (3 ounces, 160 calories). A whole wheat tortilla was filled with red and green bell peppers, brown rice, black beans, corn, and seasonings. This tasty burrito would be a big hit in a lunchbox. For larger appetites they have full-size burritos filled with either veggies or a tofu and spinach sauté and wraps filled with curried tofu and vegetables or couscous, chickpeas, and vegetables. [ http://evolfoods.com/ ]

Follow Your Heart (the makers of Vegenaise and Vegan Gourmet "cheese") were featuring a new Vegan Honey Mustard dressing that was amazing. I couldn't stop dipping baby carrots in this sweet, spicy dressing. Other new vegan products include Cream Cheese and Sour Cream. [ http://www.followyourheart.com ]

Vegan Basil Pesto? Oh, my! I've always made my own but have never seen it commercially. It was a treat to find jars of vegan pesto at the Meditalia booth. All of Meditalia's products are vegan and kosher. The company relies on business partnerships among Israelis and Arabs and products are made in Israel (To learn more about the business model see [ http://www.peaceworks.com ]). My other favorite products were a smoky Roasted Red Pepper Tapenade, a Sundried Tomato Tapenade, and a Mushroom Spread that is still in the development stage. [ http://peaceworks.com/products/meditalia/ ]

Chips seemed to be one of the featured foods at NPEE this year with many booths featuring flavored potato or corn chips or gluten-free chips. Two unique products were Pumpkin Seed Corn Chips and Kale Chips. The Pumpkin Seed Chips were flavored with pumpkin, pumpkin seeds, and spices and were pleasantly hot. They only had 80 milligrams of sodium in a serving -- not bad for a chip. [ http://www.laurelhillfoods.com ]. Kale chips were addictive. They are made of kale flavored with spices and air- crisped at a low temperature. I especially liked the Bombay Curry flavor. There's also Kool Ranch and Zesty Nacho Kale. All flavors are vegan and gluten-free. [ http://www.rhythmsuperfoods.com ]

Feeling in need of something sweet, I headed for the LaraBar booth and was not disappointed. These bars, based on fruits, nuts, and spices include the new vegan flavor Carrot Cake as well as perennial favorite flavors like Cherry Pie and Banana Bread. [ http://www.larabar.com ]

Clif C Bars are also based on fruits and nuts and feature a layer of organic fruit on a nut crust. One vegan bar is a light snack with 130 calories. They come in raspberry, apple, cherry pomegranate, and blueberry flavors. [ http://www.clifbar.com ]

The NPEE was not lacking in vegan desserts. Among the unique products I tasted were 2 kinds of frozen desserts, tapioca pudding, and macaroons. Coconut Bliss is a soy and dairy-free frozen dessert, sweetened with agave, and based on organic coconut milk. I definitely approved of the Cappuccino flavor while my daughter voted for Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge. Other flavors include Pineapple Coconut, Cherry Amaretto, and Mint Galactica. [ http://www.coconutbliss.com ] Blackwell's Organic Vegan Soy Gelato and Sorbetto are organic, creamy, and delicious. We tried (and liked) Chocolate Gelato. Other flavors of gelato include Coffee, Peanut Butter and Vanilla. Sorbetto flavors include Blueberry, Pineapple, and Mango. [ http://www.BlackwellsOrganic.com ]

So Yummi uses organic ingredients including organic soy drink to make vegan puddings. I enjoyed a creamy tapioca pudding; other flavors include rice pudding, dark chocolate pudding, and lime pudding. [ http://www.soyummifoods.com ]

Tucked away so that I missed it the first time through was Emmy's Organics, makers of vegan macaroons. The macaroons have a simple ingredient list -- coconut, coconut oil, agave, nuts, and flavorings and taste like homemade macaroons. Unique flavors include Chai Spice and Lemon-Ginger but I have to admit, Dark Cacao was my favorite. [ http://www.emmysorganics.com ]

It was time to leave the food area behind. ChicoBag caught my eye on my way out with their colorful display of reusable bags. Their Produce Bag Starter Kit was especially appealing with 3 bags tucked into an apple-shaped pouch. One bag, made from a mixture of hemp and cotton is good for bringing home leafy greens. Another, made from recycled plastic bottles keeps squash, broccoli, and carrots fresh. The mesh bag, also made from recycled plastic bottles can be used to store apples, onions, and potatoes. All bags are washable. Sometimes the best products aren't food! [ http://www.chicobag.com ]

5) VEGAN NUTRITION AFTER HEART VALVE SURGERY

A reader wrote that he was going to have heart valve surgery in a few weeks and asked about advice on vegan nutrition afterwards, as well as communicating with hospital staff.

Reed Mangels replies: Good luck with your upcoming surgery. After the surgery you should be able to resume your usual diet. Your doctor will tell you if any modifications are needed. Make sure your doctor knows that you are vegan so that a vegan diet can be ordered for you when you are admitted to the hospital. You may want to speak to the hospital dietitian prior to admission (several days before, if possible), explain your situation, and ask how they will meet your needs. You can find out if you are allowed to bring food from home. Depending on what's available in the hospital, having your own supply of soymilk and other staple foods may help. Ask what the best way is to contact the dietary department once you're in the hospital and what you should do if you get non-vegan foods.

Nancy Berkoff's article may also be of assistance to some of our readers who have different procedures and need access to textured altered foods: [ http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2009issue2/texture.htm ]

Other foodservice articles are here: [ http://www.vrg.org/fsupdate/index.htm ]

6) VEGETARIAN JOB OPPORTUNITY

Vegan group seeks Jack or Jill of all trades good at multi-tasking for part-time job 29 hours per week in Baltimore, Maryland. Staff person clerically, and physically ships vegan books, Vegetarian Journal, and other educational materials throughout the country. See [ http://www.vrg.org/catalog/ ]

Does the billing, packing, mailing and marketing of items to consumers and wholesalers.

Coordinates volunteers doing booths, events, and other activities around the country. Answers consumer and media questions.

Please send resume, writing samples, and cover letter addressing your short term and long term goals, interests, vegetarian and vegan knowledge, skills strengths, and challenges to [email protected].

7) VEGETARIAN MENUS FOR SCOUT JAMBOREE

We'd like to thank Elizabeth Jenkins for sharing the vegetarian menus she created for a Scout Jamboree in New Zealand. To see the menus, click here:

[ http://www.vrg.org/blog/2010/10/29/vegetarian-menus-for-scout-jamboree/ ]

8) VEGETARIAN JOURNAL'S FOODSERVICE UPDATE PRODUCT LISTING - UPDATED FOR 2010!

The Vegetarian Resource Group has produced a list of over 100 companies which offer vegetarian items for schools, restaurants, hospitals, and other institutions. These businesses produce meatless foods in large serving sizes which are easy to use by food services.

This list is a valuable resource for any chef who wants to serve more meatless meals, or any consumer who wants to let their favorite eating spot know about healthy foods they can offer.

Foodservice Update Product Listing [ http://www.vrg.org/fsupdate/FSUProducts.pdf ] (PDF)

9) VEGAN CHEF IFAYOMI'S EFFORTS FOR WORLD GO VEGAN WEEK

Thanks to Chef Ifoyami, vegan chef in Las Vegas and VRG member, for sending us photos from her outreach during World Go Vegan Week [ http://worldgoveganweek.org/ ]. Chef Ifayomi tabled at the Paseo Verde library in Nevada where she passed out healthy fruit and snacks as well as VRG's brochures.

For more information about Chef Ifayomi, please see her website [ http://ifayomi.com/ ].

10) VEGETARIAN JOURNAL ISSUE 2, 2010 NOW ONLINE!

Highlights from this issue include:

Organic Farming From the Farmer's Point of View
[ http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2010issue2/2010_issue2_farmers_view.php ]

Vegan Cowboy Cuisine
[ http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2010issue2/2010_issue2_vegan_cowboy_cuisine.php ]

Factors Involved in Calculating Grain:Meat Ratios
[ http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2010issue2/2010_issue2_grain_meat_ratios.php ]

Delightful Eggplant Dishes From the Middle East and North Africa
[ http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2010issue2/2010_issue2_delightful_eggplant.php ]

Vegetarian Action: Promoting Vegetarianism in the Heartland
[ http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2010issue2/2010_issue2_veg_action.php ]

To join VRG and receive The Vegetarian Journal in print either:

Thanks to VRG volunteer Celina Chung for her help in converting these articles into HTML! To volunteer to help with these kinds of projects, please email [email protected].

11) VRG'S PRE-THANKSGIVING VEGETARIAN POTLUCK NOV 21ST

The Vegetarian Resource Group's annual Pre-Thanksgiving potluck dinner is on Sunday, November 21st at 5:00 p.m. The event will be held at the charming and historic North Baltimore Mennonite Church, 4615 Roland Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21210.

Join us as we show our thanks for turkeys and all living creatures by not eating them.

Admission is $4 per adult; children are admitted free.

Please bring a vegan dish that serves four as a contribution from EACH member of your party. Write the ingredients of your dish on a 3" x 5" card to accommodate guests with special diets. Also, please bring a serving utensil for each dish. Paper plates, cups, napkins, and plastic utensils will be provided; however, we suggest participants please bring their own reusable dishes and utensils in order to reduce waste.

If you are unable to cook, you may bring a prepared vegan dish for four from a local natural foods store or restaurant. We also encourage you to bring a non-perishable vegetarian canned food item to donate to North Baltimore Mennonite Church, who will distribute it to those in need.

Please call The Vegetarian Resource Group at (410) 366-8343 if you need any more information about this event.

12) WOMEN'S MAGAZINE LOOKING TO INTERVIEW VEGETARIAN WOMEN AGES 40-50

A leading woman's magazine is looking for women, ages 40-50, who follow a vegetarian diet. Please contact Karen at [email protected] if interested.

13) VRG'S VEGAN THANKSGIVING RECIPES

As you begin to prepare for your Thanksgiving dinner, here are some recipes to make your holiday deliciously vegan!

Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes

14) INTERNATIONAL ANIMAL RIGHTS CONFERENCE

The first International Animal Rights Conference, organized by Save Animals asbl [ http://www.saveanimals.lu/ ], will take place May 19th to 22nd 2011 in Luxembourg at the Novotel Hotel in Luxembourg City. The conference will give animal rights activists and people who are interested in learning more about animal rights a platform for international networking, the chance to participate in workshops, listen to lectures about various animal rights topics and more.

For more information, please visit their website: [ http://www.ar-conference.com/ ].

15) YOU'RE INVITED TO VRG'S CHARITABLE GIVING SEMINAR & VEGAN DINNER

You are cordially invited to an Informative Seminar and Vegan Dinner in Columbia, Maryland.

Topic: Charitable Giving: Creating a Lasting Impact Points for discussion:

  1. Understanding charitable gifting and legacy concepts
  2. Income and estate tax advantages
  3. Charitable endowment with life insurance
  4. Charitable remainder trusts

Presenter: Mr. Sam Lapsley, Regional Vice President Prudential Life Company

DINNER:
Vegetarian Spring Roll
Vegetarian Chicken with Mixed Vegetables
Vegetarian Beef with Black Pepper Sauce
Vegetarian Crispy Fish Steak Hunan Style
Eggplant in Hot Garlic Sauce
Rice Noodles
Oranges
Menu subject to change.

COST: $10 PER PERSON
Location: Hunan Manor, 7091 Deepage Drive, Columbia, Maryland 21045
(LIMITED SEATING. RESERVATIONS MUST BE MADE IN ADVANCE BY CALLING 410-366-8343)
Date and Time: Sunday, December 12, 2010, 4:30 PM
Sponsored by Avraham Rappaport, CLTC of Steinharter Insurance Services And The Vegetarian Resource Group

Call The Vegetarian Resource Group at 410-366-8343 (9am-5pm, Monday-Friday) to pay by credit card or send $10 to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203 by December 1, 2010.

E-mail [email protected] or call (410) 366-8343 with questions.

16) STUDY OF USDA'S FUNDING PRIORITIES AND VEGETABLE CONSUMPTION GAP

Via Marion Nestle's blog, Food Politics [ http://www.foodpolitics.com/2010/11/three-reports-eat-more-fruits-and-vegetables/ ]:

The Produce for Better Health Foundation's 2010 GAP Analysis [ http://www.foodpolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/2010-GAP-Analysis.pdf ], correlates the gap between consumption and recommendations to the ways in which USDA funding priorities ignore fruits and vegetables. The report is hard to read and goes on and on, but its thrust is understandable.

The Foundation wants the USDA to spend a greater proportion of its dollars on fruits and vegetables, rather than on meat and dairy foods. USDA's current allocations for subsidies look like this:

  • Meat: 54.7%
  • Grains (which mostly go to feed animals): 18.0%
  • Dairy (non-butter): 11.4%
  • Fats and oils: 6.2%
  • Fruits and vegetables: 9.8%
These reports aim to align agricultural policy with health policy, and about time too.

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, 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.)

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/give/givefrm.asp?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 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 us at [email protected]. If you have any suggestions, ideas, or corrections to VRG-NEWS, please 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 ].

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Contents of VRG-NEWS are copyright 2010 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.