VRG-NEWS: The Vegetarian Resource Group Newsletter
Volume 14, Issue 5
October 2010

CONTENTS

  1. TEXAS BBQ AND HICKORY SMOKED PRIMAL STRIPS: VEGAN AND GLUTEN-FREE
  2. SIMPLE VEGAN CUCUMBER SALAD
  3. VRG'S VEGAN DINNER IN BOSTON 11/7/10
  4. DONATE TO VRG THROUGH THE COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN (CFC
  5. L-CYSTEINE IN DOMINO'S PIZZA: "NON-ANIMAL" ACCORDING TO DOMINO'S
  6. 9TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON THE ROLE OF SOY IN HEALTH PROMOTION AND CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT
  7. SHOP AT THEVEGETARIANSITE AND SUPPORT THE VRG!
  8. DENNY'S OFFERS AMY'S KITCHEN VEGAN BURGER ON A VEGAN BUN
  9. P.F. CHANG'S ENTREES LISTED AS "VEGETARIAN" CONTAIN NO ANIMAL INGREDIENTS
  10. USING KASHA
  11. About The Vegetarian Resource Group
  12. About VRG-NEWS

1) TEXAS BBQ AND HICKORY SMOKED PRIMAL STRIPS: VEGAN AND GLUTEN-FREE

by Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

Recently a reader contacted The VRG about the Texas BBQ Primal Strips, a meatless vegan jerky. The product label states that it's gluten-free, but he wondered how that could be when wheat was listed in the ingredients panel.

We contacted Primal Spirit Foods, creators of Primal Strips. Jill, a representative of the company, told us that the Texas BBQ and the Hickory Smoked Primal Strips have been gluten-free since last year. Labeling reflected this. The soy sauce used in the "gluten-free" formulations did contain wheat, and "wheat" was listed on the ingredients panel.

The company had samples of these two varieties of Primal Strips analyzed for gluten in March 2009. Testing by SGS revealed no gluten. Jill said that during the fermentation process of soy sauce production, "the gluten in the small amount of wheat used is transformed. The result is a gluten-free soy sauce."

However, since many people inquired about the labeling, Primal Spirit Foods decided to change to a "wheat-free / gluten-free" soy sauce. The change in ingredient formulation occurred six months ago. Consumers will most likely find older packages on store shelves showing "wheat" and "gluten-free" on the same package. Because the Primal Strips shelf life is seventeen months, some stores may still have it in stock and will sell it before restocking with the reformulated product in its new package. Jill predicted that it may be "another couple of months" before all stores carry only the newer packages showing both "gluten-free" and "gluten-free soy sauce" on the label.

Readers who have further questions or comments may contact Primal Spirit Foods at their website [ http://www.primalspiritfoods.com ].

To support ongoing VRG research, you can donate at [ https://www.givedirect.org/give/givefrm.asp?CID=1565 ]

2) SIMPLE VEGAN CUCUMBER SALAD

Julia Driggers, R.D., shares a recipe for cucumber salad.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

2 Large Cucumbers - Peeled and Sliced Thin
1 Small Onion- Sliced
3/4 Cup Water
1 Cup and 2 TBS Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 cup and 2 TBS Vegan White Sugar
1/4 TSP Salt
1/4 TSP Pepper
1/2 cup Pitted Green Olives (Optional)

Directions

Peel and slice cucumber and onion and place in medium container. Pour in water, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Add olives if desired. Mix. Set aside in refrigerator for 1 hour to marinate.

Serve along side your favorite sandwich.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 117 kcal
Fat: 2gm
Protein: 1gm
Carbohydrate: 24gm
Fiber: 1 gm
Calcium: 35mg
Iron: 1mg

3) VRG'S VEGAN DINNER IN BOSTON 11/7/10

VEGAN DINNER Sunday, November 7, 2010, 6 PM
MY THAI CAFE
CHINATOWN, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS

The Vegetarian Resource Group will hold a vegan dinner during the American Dietetic Association Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo. Dietitians, VRG members, and the public are invited. Come and meet the dietitians from the ADA Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group. Please reserve early. Hope to see you there.

MENU
Thai Coconut Soup with Tofu
Thai Mango Salad
Yellow Curry with brown rice
Wide Rice Noodles with Chinese Broccoli and Gluten
Fresh Fruit Cocktail
Jasmine tea

This vegan restaurant also sells unique vegan Bubble Tea and vegan cakes. You may want to order takeout after the meal to sample these treats.

COST: $25. Children 12 and under are $12. Includes tax and tip. PAYMENT MUST BE MADE IN ADVANCE. Menu subject to change. Please reserve early. 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; click on the donation button at [ http://www.vrg.org ] and write "ADA Dinner" in the notes section; or send a check to VRG, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203.

NAME:
NUMBER ATTENDING: x $25/person $ Enclosed
NAMES ATTENDING:
ADDRESS:
STATE/ZIP
E-MAIL:
PHONE:
DONATION:
TOTAL ENCLOSED:

4) DONATE TO VRG THROUGH THE COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN (CFC)

Federal government employees can support The Vegetarian Resource Group through the Combined Federal Campaign [ http://www.opm.gov/cfc/ ] (CFC). Look for us under Health & Medical Research Charities of America.

We are also participating in the California State Employees Charitable Campaign [ http://www.csecc.org/ ]. If you are a California State employee, please support Vegetarian Resource Group outreach.

Please also remember VRG in other workplace fund drives, matching gifts, etc!

5) L-CYSTEINE IN DOMINO'S PIZZA: "NON-ANIMAL" ACCORDING TO DOMINO'S

by Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

The VRG recently received an email from a London reader asking about L-cysteine in Domino's pizza. He reported to us that Domino's UK told him that the L-cysteine used in the United Kingdom "is made synthetically" and wondered if this were true for the United States.

We contacted Domino's Quality Assurance Department and posed the question as we did in 2007 when we were told that Domino's L-cysteine in its Hand-Tossed Crust, Breadsticks, the Cheesy Bread and the Cinna Stix is "not animal-derived." This time the same individual told us that "We still use L-Cysteine in our Hand Tossed dough, Bread for Sandwiches and Pasta, Breadsticks, and Cinna Stix." Upon further questioning, our contact informed us that "the source is non-animal."

Although The VRG has attempted by phone and email to get more detail on "non-animal" and "synthetic," Domino's has not supplied us with any further information at this time.

Readers may wish to note that Domino's Brooklyn Crust also contains L-cysteine. Its Deep Dish Crust contains dairy-derived ingredients (as do the Hand Tossed and Brooklyn crusts). The Crunchy Thin Crust appears to be all vegetable-based. The pizza sauce at Domino's, according to the ingredient listings on Domino's website, is plant-derived as well.

6) 9TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON THE ROLE OF SOY IN HEALTH PROMOTION AND CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT

The 9th International Symposium on the Role of Soy in Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention and Treatment [ http://www.soysymposium.org/ ] will be held from Oct. 16-19, at The Capital Hilton in Washington D.C. This international symposium will be the central meeting of interest to all researchers investigating the health effects of soyfoods and soybean components.

Noteworthy presentations include:

Diet vs. Drugs in Chronic Diseases: Other Advantages
David Jenkins, University of Toronto
Soy Protein Effects on Serum Lipoproteins: An Updated Meta-analysis
James W. Anderson, University of Kentucky, Professor Emeritus of Medicine and Clinical Nutrition
Association between Soy Isoflavones Intake and Breast Cancer Recurrence and Survival
Xinmei Kang, Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Hospital of Harbin Medical University
Effect of a Novel Supplemented Soy Drink on Skin Aging of Postmenopausal Women
Robin van den Berg, Expertise Team Leader in Nutrition Sciences, Unilever

7) SHOP AT THEVEGETARIANSITE AND SUPPORT THE VRG!

For the month of October, TheVegetarianSite [ http://thevegetariansite.com ] will donate a portion of your purchase to The VRG. TheVegetarianSite offers non-leather shoes and clothing, cruelty free personal care products, books, videos, food, and more. We thank them, and we'd like to thank you for supporting The Vegetarian Resource Group!

8) DENNY'S OFFERS AMY'S KITCHEN VEGAN BURGER ON A VEGAN BUN

by Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

In late August 2010, all Denny's restaurants in the United States added Amy's Kitchen Veggie Burger to their menus. This vegan patty replaces the vegetarian burger that had been offered by Denny's. The burger will be available any time of the day at every Denny's location in the US.

The listed menu item is served with pepper jack cheese, but restaurant patrons may request it without cheese. Those with food allergies may note that the vegan patty contains textured soy protein concentrate and walnuts.

If ordered as listed, the burger is served on a wheat bun which contains honey. Customers may request the white sesame seed burger bun instead; it is all-plant based. Neither bun contains L-cysteine, a common bakery ingredient usually derived from human or hog hair or duck feathers.

Denny's prepares its Amy's burger in a microwave without the plastic packaging. Then it is grilled on a surface where meat products were prepared. Denny's told The VRG that patrons may request that their patty be microwaved only and/or grilled in a sanitized pan previously used to prepare omelets. Denny's assured The VRG that employees will do everything possible to ensure that customers are happy with their order.

Visitors to Canada and Canadian vegans may be pleased to learn that Denny's restaurants in Canada serve Yves vegan burger.

9) P.F. CHANG'S ENTREES LISTED AS "VEGETARIAN" CONTAIN NO ANIMAL INGREDIENTS

by Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

A VRG member from Minnesota recently told us about an experience she had at P.F. Chang's China Bistro in Edina, MN in September 2010. She was told that the sauce in their entrees listed as "vegetarian," including Buddha Feast; Coconut Curry Vegetables; Stir-Fried Eggplant; Vegetarian Ma Po Tofu; and Vegetable Chow Fun, contained milk. The reader asked The VRG to look into this because we had reported in 2008 that P.F. Chang's "vegetarian" entrees contain no animal products.

The VRG contacted P.F. Chang's about this issue. Stephanie in Customer Relations at P.F. Chang's assured us that all of their vegetarian plates are dairy-free. These include the following: Buddha's Feast: Steamed (vegetable medley with five-spice tofu served steamed); Buddha's Feast: Stir-fried (vegetable medley with five-spice tofu served stir-fried); Coconut Curry Vegetables (stir-fried mixed vegetables, crispy silken tofu and peanuts in a vegetarian coconut curry sauce); Ma Po Tofu (sichuan's famous dish of crispy silken tofu in a vegetarian sauce with steamed broccoli); Stir-Fried Eggplant (tossed with scallions in a savory chili pepper sauce); Vegetarian Fried Rice (fried rice in a savory vegetarian sauce); and Vegetable Chow Fun (soft, wide rice noodles and vegetables in a vegetarian sauce).

Stephanie told The VRG: "I am unsure where your source received their information and maybe they were confusing the coconut milk we use in the Coconut Curry Vegetables but I can assure you there is no milk in our vegetarian recipes."

Because some coconut milk powder may contain casein or other dairy product, we confirmed with PF Chang's and they said there was no casein in their dish.

When The VRG asked Stephanie if there were any eggs, egg products, or honey in the vegetarian dishes, she stated that "We do not use eggs, egg products or honey in the dishes listed."

10) USING KASHA

The Vegetarian Resource Group received a note from a food bank coordinator in Oklahoma. He teaches limited resource kids in after school programs how to cook and eat healthy foods and has used Nancy Berkoff's and VRG materials in doing this. He was going to try the Broccoburgers from Nancy Berkoff's Vegan in Volume [ http://www.vrg.org/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=10 ], but wanted to clarify what we meant by Kasha in the recipes.

Chef Nancy said:

We are speaking about a medium grind of buckwheat ( or kasha).... not the really fine ( as in " cream of") and not the whole buckwheat ( that looks like small pellets). In many areas, in retail stores, this is sold as "medium kasha."

If kasha is not convenient, you can use short grained white or brown rice ( also called "sushi rice")... or even medium-grind corn meal. If you are going to use one of these substitutes, I would suggest doing perhaps a 1/4 batch. For texture, it's helpful to let the burger mixture " rest" in the refrigerator for several hours... or even overnight.

If you have some TVP and are familiar working with it, you can substitute some of the kasha for this. Actually, a hospital cook told me she used Hamburger Helper, without the hamburger, for this recipe (since the Hamburger Helper is seasoned TVP) and that came out fine!

To order Vegan in Volume, see [ http://www.vrg.org/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=10 ].

For Nancy's article on Working With Food Banks, see [ http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2007issue1/vj2007issue1.pdf ]

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.

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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.