VRG-NEWS: The Vegetarian Resource Group Newsletter
Volume 16, Issue 4
April 2012

CONTENTS

  1. WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT VEGGIE BURGERS BEING COOKED ON THE SAME GRILL WITH HAMBURGERS AT MY SCHOOL CAFETERIA?
  2. VRG'S VEGAN PREGNANCY ARTICLE ON USDA WIC RESOURCE WEBSITE
  3. VEGGIE PRIDE PRIDE PARADE NYC 2012
  4. VRG IN THE NEWS THIS MONTH
  5. UPDATE ON VEGETARIAN CHONDROITIN
  6. SHARING SOME VEGAN TIPS AT A WOMEN'S SHELTER
  7. YOUTH EMPOWERED ACTION (YEA
  8. JOIN VRG FOR OUR 30TH ANNIVERSARY LUNCH AT CANDLE 79, MANHATTAN, MAY 6
  9. VISIT VRG'S BOOTH AT THESE UPCOMING EVENTS!
  10. STARBUCKS: "REVIEWING ALTERNATIVES" TO COCHINEAL
  11. VRG'S PARENT'S LISTSERV
  12. VEGETARIAN RADIO EPISODE BY VRG INTERN
  13. VEGAN SENIORS SOUGHT FOR DHA STUDY
  14. 3 NEW VEGAN RESTAURANTS
  15. VRG'S ANNUAL ESSAY CONTEST FOR CHILDREN - DUE MAY 1ST!
  16. SUGAR, VEGAN DELI SLICES, WHOLE GRAINS, MEAT GENES - WHAT WILL VEGANS AND VEGETARIANS EAT? VRG ASKS IN A NEW NATIONAL HARRIS POLL
  17. SKY APPLE CAFE - A VEGETARIAN MECCA IN THE NORTH OF ENGLAND
  18. About The Vegetarian Resource Group
  19. About VRG-NEWS

1) WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT VEGGIE BURGERS BEING COOKED ON THE SAME GRILL WITH HAMBURGERS AT MY SCHOOL CAFETERIA?

For other Teen FAQs, visit: [ http://www.vrg.org/teen/ ]

My school cafeteria has veggie burgers but they're cooked on the same grill with hamburgers, which makes me not want to eat them. What can I do?

To read the rest of the article, visit our blog: [ http://www.vrg.org/blog/2012/03/21/what-can-i-do-about-veggie-burgers-being-cooked-on-the-same-grill-with-hamburgers-at-my-school-cafeteria/ ]

2) VRG'S VEGAN PREGNANCY ARTICLE ON USDA WIC RESOURCE WEBSITE

VRG's Vegan Nutrition in Pregnancy and Childhood [ http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/pregnancy.htm ] is included under General Educational Materials on the USDA's The WIC Works Resource System [ http://wicworks.nal.usda.gov/pregnancy/general-educational-materials?page=1 ] which is an online education and training center for staff of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).

A newer, brochure version of our vegan pregnancy article is available here: [ http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/veganpregnancy.php ]

3) VEGGIE PRIDE PRIDE PARADE NYC 2012

A message from Veggie Pride Parade NYC!

Veggie Pride Pride Parade NYC 2012 Sunday, May 27, 2012

Mark your calendar, take part, support, & spread the word.

Visit and bookmark the HOME PAGE: [ http://www.veggieprideparade.org ]

From the home page, find links for everything:

  • downloadable poster
  • exhibitor list, still being established
  • speaker/performer list
  • volunteering info
  • videos/images pages
  • media links
  • blog
  • bulletin board
  • maps
  • e-mailing-list sign-up page
  • sponsorship/donation info
  • costume-contest prize-donation page
  • goals & why-we-march pages
  • official press release

VOLUNTEER. Go to the comprehensive list of things you can do: [ http://www.veggieprideparade.org/dept/volunteering.htm ]

DONATE a PRIZE for the costume contest, and use this exposure for your vegan business: [ http://www.veggieprideparade.org/dept/contests.htm ]

4) VRG IN THE NEWS THIS MONTH

Below is a selection of news articles VRG has been featured in this month:

To see more news articles VRG has been featured in, visit [ http://www.vrg.org/press/vrg_in_the_news.php ]

For press releases, see: [ http://www.vrg.org/press/index.htm ]

5) UPDATE ON VEGETARIAN CHONDROITIN

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS

VRG Research Director

In April 2010, The VRG posted on its blog an announcement [ http://www.vrg.org/blog/2010/04/20/martek-manufacturer-of-vegan-dha-to-produce-vegan-chondroitin/ ] that Martek Biosciences Corporation, makers of a non-animal-derived omega-3 fatty acid, was developing an all-vegetable chondroitin expected to be on sale in two years. Believed by some to be important for joint health, chondroitin is used to treat the effects of osteoarthritis or related joint conditions. Usually derived from shark (or other animal) cartilage, a non-animal formulation of chondroitin could be used by people who wanted an alternative form of chondroitin.

To read the rest of the article, visit our blog: [ http://www.vrg.org/blog/2012/03/28/update-on-vegetarian-chondroitin/ ]

6) SHARING SOME VEGAN TIPS AT A WOMEN'S SHELTER

by Amanda Gilley, VRG Intern

On Thursday March 1st, 2012 I spent a few hours at Anna's House Women and Children's Shelter in Maryland sharing some culinary vegetarian tips that I have gathered through my culinary school education and my internship with The Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG). I started the night off by showing the women how to make a flavorful Raw Kale Salad with Cashew Dressing. I made the salad dressing in a blender using nutritional yeast, cashews, mustard, herbs, oil, salt and a little bit of water. Adding nuts to a dressing for a salad that involves dark greens cuts the bitterness of the greens and makes the salad heartier.

I then moved onto making the Mac and No-Cheese with Zucchini "Cream" Sauce recipe from a back issue of the Vegetarian Journal [ http://www.vrg.org/journal ]. This recipe uses cooked zucchini to mimic the texture of cheese, but I felt the flavor of cheese was missing so I added nutritional yeast and mustard to try to bump up the flavor. I also added fresh spinach and roasted mushrooms to give the dish various textures. Roasted mushrooms added a meaty texture which the women thought made them feel more satisfied.

One tip I emphasized to the women was the importance of tasting the food as you cook so you can add seasonings during the cooking process, in turn creating layers of flavor. The next dish I made was a Seared Spiced Tofu with Balsamic Glaze. I must admit I set the fire alarm off with this one, but hey, I achieved a great sear! I chose this dish because the previous times that I had gone to volunteer with the women they had complained of tofu being very soggy and not appetizing, so I wanted to show them that tofu could be delicious. As the fire alarm was sounding I gave them a couple tips about searing, always have proper ventilation (open a window, turn on a fan) and make sure your pan is hot enough, which mine definitely was.

The last dish I made was a Vegan Chocolate Mousse which I served with fresh sliced strawberries. I made this mousse by using avocado and unsweetened applesauce as a base. To this base I added cocoa powder, melted vegan chocolate, vanilla extract, maple syrup, cinnamon, and a little salt. When I served this last dish the room was very quiet as everyone ate in surprise of how delicious this dish was even though there was no butter or heavy cream involved. As I was cleaning up, many of the women told me that after tasting the dishes that I served they definitely see eating a vegan meal once a week as a possibility. After volunteering with this organization many times and hearing many negative thoughts about vegetarian food, I felt like I had finally accomplished my goal of showing these women how delicious vegan food can be.

7) YOUTH EMPOWERED ACTION (YEA) CAMP

Youth Empowered Action Camp is accepting applications for their summer programs (youth ages 12-17). If you are interested, contact details are below.

[ http://www.vrg.org/blog/2012/04/03/youth-empowered-action-yea-camp/ ]

8) JOIN VRG FOR OUR 30TH ANNIVERSARY LUNCH AT CANDLE 79, MANHATTAN, MAY 6

It's VRG's 30th Anniversary! Come celebrate with us at Candle 79 [ http://candle79.com/ ], and hear about our current and upcoming projects!

Sunday May 6, 2:30-4:30pm
Candle 79
154 East 79th Street
at Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10021

PRICE
$35 for paid-up VRG members
$50 for non-members

Price includes tax and gratuity. Drinks are not included.

Seating is limited. Reservations must be made & paid in advance! Please see below.

MENU
(Subject to change)

APPETIZERS

Steamed Dumplings
seitan, shiitake mushrooms, baby bok choy, sesame-soy-ginger sauce

Angel's Nachos
corn chips, mozzarella, tomatoes, refried pinto beans, chili-grilled seitan, guacamole, salsa, tofu sour cream, romaine lettuce

ENTREE
(choice of one)
Stuffed Avocado Salad
baby greens, quinoa, zucchini, cucumber, radishes, black beans, toasted pumpkin seeds, grape tomatoes, chipotle-avocado dressing

Black Bean-Pumpkin Seed Burger
mixed lettuces, avocado, polenta fries, chipotle ketchup

Spaghetti & Wheat Balls
truffled tomato sauce, roasted garlic, spinach, cashew parmesan

Home-Style Pancakes
seasonal fruit, strawberry butter, gingered maple syrup

Seitan Picatta
creamed spinach, grilled potato cake, oyster mushrooms, lemon-caper sauce

DESSERT
(choice of one)
Fruit Crumb Pie vanilla ice cream
Chocolate Mousse Pie

To reserve your seat:

  • Pay online at [ http://www.vrg.org/donate ] (write "Candle 79 dinner" and the names of the guests attending in the Comments section)
  • Pay with your Visa or Mastercard over the phone by calling us at (410) 366-8343, 9am-5pm EST, Monday-Friday

We look forward to seeing you there!

9) VISIT VRG'S BOOTH AT THESE UPCOMING EVENTS!

Come visit VRG's booth at these events!

10) STARBUCKS: "REVIEWING ALTERNATIVES" TO COCHINEAL

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS VRG Research Director

In March 2012, The Seattle Times reported that a vegan Starbucks employee sent a photo of the container of the "Strawberry with other natural flavours " sauce to the website [ http://www.thisdishisvegetarian.com ]. The employee stated that the sauce was used in the Strawberries and Creme Frappuccino(r) and the Strawberry Smoothie(r) served at Starbucks Cafe. The sauce, in a package that changed "three or four weeks ago" according to the source, contained cochineal extract, derived from beetle exoskeletons.

The VRG confirmed with Starbucks in April 2012 that the animal-derived natural red coloring is present in five of its menu items: Strawberries & Creme Frappuccino(r), Strawberry Smoothie(r), Birthday Cake Pops(r), Birthday Cake Mini-Doughnuts(r), and Red Velvet Whoopee Pies(r).

Starbucks customer service representatives told The VRG that the company's efforts to minimize artificial ingredients in its products lead to the use of natural cochineal extract in several beverages and desserts. Cliff Burrows, Starbucks' US president, in a posting on the March 29, 2012 Starbucks blog, stated that the company "fell short" of consumer expectations, is reviewing natural alternatives to cochineal for its products, and is looking at reformulations: [ http://blogs.starbucks.com/blogs/customer/archive/2012/03/29/update-regarding-cochineal-extract.aspx ]

To read the rest of this article, visit our blog: [ http://www.vrg.org/blog/2012/04/10/starbucks-“reviewing-alternatives”-to-cochineal/ ]

UPDATE: According to Starbucks President Cliff Burrows, Starbucks will be "transitioning away from the use of cochineal extract in [their] food offerings which currently contain it...." [ http://blogs.starbucks.com/blogs/customer/archive/2012/04/19/cochineal-extract-update.aspx ]

11) VRG'S PARENT'S LISTSERV

Are you raising a vegetarian or vegan child? If so, The Vegetarian Resource Group invites you to be a part of a network of vegetarian parents interested in exchanging ideas on various topics such as creating tasty snacks for toddlers, the challenges of non-vegetarian family/friend gatherings, how to talk with your child about vegetarianism, helping kids handle peer pressure, even shopping resources for leather/wool alternatives!

The list has was founded in 2000, and currently has 1742 members.

For more information and to join, click here [ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vrgparents/ ].

12) VEGETARIAN RADIO EPISODE BY VRG INTERN

By Amanda Matte, VRG Intern

Every Monday night for 2 hours, I have the pleasure of addressing the airwaves with my friend Sheila on our radio show, "Canny Crack [ http://wloy.org/shows/canny-crack/ ]." The show can be accessed both on air and online through the station for which we work, WLOY [ http://www.loy.org ], which is Loyola University's very own radio station. The show celebrates an eclectic assortment of music that spans the genre spectrum, with a heavy focus on all things English.

On April 2nd, Sheila and I decided to use our DJ roles that allow us to reach many in part to spread the word about VRG and vegetarianism in general. She is a fellow vegetarian, so we opened up the phone lines and allowed people to call in with questions about the lifestyle. We also discussed some of our favorite recipes, and my favorite vegetarian restaurant located in England called the Sky Apple Cafe [ http://www.skyapple.co.uk/ ]!

Amanda has been one of our many great interns! For more information about local and long-distance internships with VRG, please see: [ http://www.vrg.org/student/ ]. For information about our college scholarship, see: [ http://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm ].

13) VEGAN SENIORS SOUGHT FOR DHA STUDY

Researchers are looking for vegan men ages 60 and older and women ages 70 and older to participate in a DHA study. For more information, see: [ https://www.nutritionalresearch.org/survey/ ]

14) 3 NEW VEGAN RESTAURANTS

These vegan restaurants were recently added to our online restaurant guide! To find restaurants in your area, visit: [ http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php ]

Green Seed Vegan
[ http://www.greenseedvegan.com ]
4320 Almeda Rd., Houston, TX 77004
(713) 487-8346
Vegan/food truck/raw foods. Green Seed Vegan, a food truck, calls themselves a "plant based mobile eatery & elixir bar." They feature organic, local, and raw foods along with specialty beverages. Enjoy a fresh-pressed panini like the Zen (made with lemongrass garbanzo tempeh). Green Seed is parked in the Third Ward neighborhood in Houston. Cash only. Open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and early dinner. Closed Sunday and Monday. Counter service, take-out, catering, fresh juices, smoothies, $.

Tori's Bakeshop
[ http://www.torisbakeshop.ca ]
2188 Queen St., E., Toronto, ON M4E 1H1
(647) 350-6500
Vegan/bakery/organic. Tori's Bakeshop is an all-vegan bakery in the Beaches, a popular neighborhood in Toronto's East End. They offer natural, organic, and refined sugar free treats including cupcakes, biscotti, scones, muffins, and the hugely popular cinnamon rolls. Enjoy the unique atmosphere of real wood tables, light fixtures made from whisks and Mason jars, and a color scheme of mint green and white. Open Wednesday through Sunday. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Limited service, take-out, espresso/cappuccino, soymilk, VISA/MC, $.

Wayward Vegan Cafe
[ http://www.waywardvegancafe.com ]
5253 University Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105
(206) 524-0204
Vegan/American. Wayward Vegan Cafe serves vegan comfort foods with breakfast being available all day. Enjoy Scrambled Tofu, Tempeh Bacon, Country-Fried 'Steak' (made with seitan), or the Very Veggie Omelet. And you don't have to ask what is meatless; at Wayward, vegan is their middle name. The cafe is located in the University District of Seattle. Open daily for breakfast and lunch. Limited service, take-out, soymilk, VISA/MC/DISC, $-$$.

Please help us keep our restaurant guide current and accurate! Restaurants continually change locations, new ones open, and others close. To let us know about any restaurants we should add, delete, or if our existing entry should be changed, please complete the form here: [ http://www.vrg.org/travel/restupdate.php ]

If you would like to volunteer with maintaining and updating The Vegetarian Resource Group restaurant guide, please email us at [email protected]. Thank you!

15) VRG'S ANNUAL ESSAY CONTEST FOR CHILDREN - DUE MAY 1ST!

**1st prize is a $50 savings bond**

SUBJECT: 2-3 page essay on any aspect of vegetarianism. Vegetarianism is not eating meat, fish, and birds (for example, chicken or duck). Among the many reasons for being a vegetarian are beliefs about ethics, culture, health, aesthetics, religion, world peace, economics, world hunger, and the environment.

Entrants should base their paper on interviewing, research, and/or personal opinion. You need not be a vegetarian to enter. All essays become the property of The Vegetarian Resource Group.

ENTRY CATEGORIES:

  • A. Age 14-18.
  • B. Age 9-13.
  • C. Age 8 and under.
PRIZES: A $50 savings bond will be awarded in each category.

DEADLINE: Must be postmarked by May 1 for each current year of judging.

SEND ENTRIES TO: The Vegetarian Resource Group, PO Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203. FAX: (410) 366-8804. Include your name, address, telephone number, age, grade, school, and teacher's name.

Click here [ http://www.vrg.org/essay/ ] to read essays from past winners.

16) SUGAR, VEGAN DELI SLICES, WHOLE GRAINS, MEAT GENES - WHAT WILL VEGANS AND VEGETARIANS EAT? VRG ASKS IN A NEW NATIONAL HARRIS POLL

By Charles Stahler

Food companies, marketers, researchers, students, and media for years have been asking The Vegetarian Resource Group about the number of vegetarians and vegans. But now that our audience is being taken much more seriously, we are being asked more in-depth questions.

Should items containing sugar whitened with bone char be labeled vegetarian? Will vegetarians eat veggie burgers cooked on a grill where meat was cooked? What about growing meat in a test tube? To help answer some of these questions, we wanted to find out what vegetarians and vegans are thinking. We did an informal survey of our Vegetarian Journal subscribers, booth attendees, and on-line visitors. But we also wanted to run a more scientific random poll, which can be extrapolated to the United States adult population.

First we commissioned Harris Interactive to conduct a national telephone poll of a representative sample of 2,030 respondents. This gave us the number of vegetarians with a sampling error of plus or minus two percentage points. We then asked the vegetarians, vegans, and those interested in vegetarian meals:

If you're looking to buy a vegetarian product, you would purchase: (Select all that apply.)

  • Your favorite veggie burger cooked on the same grill where meat is cooked, if the grill is cleaned first.
  • A vegetarian vegan deli slice sandwich in Subway.
  • Your favorite dessert containing sugar, if the source of sugar isn't specified.
  • A vegetarian dish containing leafy greens such as broccoli, kale, or collards.
  • A vegetarian dish containing whole foods such as lentils, chickpeas, or rice.
  • A meat alternative grown from animal cell DNA obtained ten years ago, which does not currently involve the raising of animals.
  • Your favorite dessert containing sugar whitened through a bone char filter, if bone char is not in the sugar.
  • None of the above

No answer

NUMBERS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR FOOD COMPANIES, RESTAURANTS, HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, AND FOOD SERVICES
(The questions were asked of those that eat one or more vegetarian meals per week.)

To read the rest of this article, visit our blog: [ http://www.vrg.org/blog/2012/04/18/sugar-vegan-deli-slices-whole-grains-meat-genes-what-will-vegans-and-vegetarians-eat-vrg-asks-in-a-new-national-harris-poll/ ]

17) SKY APPLE CAFE - A VEGETARIAN MECCA IN THE NORTH OF ENGLAND

by Amanda Matte, VRG intern

Sky Apple Cafe is one of my favorite restaurants in the entire world. It's located in Newcastle Upon Tyne - a charming city in the northeast of England.

To read the rest of this article, visit our blog: [ http://www.vrg.org/blog/2012/04/19/sky-apple-cafe-a-vegetarian-mecca-in-the-north-of-england/ ]

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 ]
Like us on Facebook: [ http://www.facebook.com/thevegetarianresourcegroup ]
Follow us on Twitter: [ http://twitter.com/VegResourceGrp ]
Donate: [ https://www.givedirect.org/give/givefrm.asp?CID=1565 ]

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!

To subscribe, unsubscribe, or otherwise manage your subscription to VRG-NEWS, visit [ http://lists.vrg.org/mailman/listinfo/vrg-news_lists.vrg.org ]

If you are a new subscriber, you might enjoy reading past issues of VRG-NEWS online at [ http://www.vrg.org/vrgnews/ ].

Contents of VRG-NEWS are copyright 2012 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.