VRG-NEWS: The Vegetarian Resource Group Newsletter
Volume 17, Issue 4
April 2013

CONTENTS

  1. "NO GHEE" SAYS P.F. CHANG'S
  2. VEGAN OFFERINGS ON ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISE
  3. NUTRITIONAL YEAST SAFE FOR A ONE-YEAR OLD?
  4. VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN OPTIONS AT CAFE RIO MEXICAN GRILL
  5. MY VRG INTERNSHIP
  6. NEW VEG RESTAURANTS IN THE U.S.
  7. CHIPOTLE EXPANDS VEGAN BURRITO TO ALL OF NORTHERN CA
  8. PROTEIN AND THE VEGAN DIET
  9. LAS SOPAS DE SUDAMERICA
  10. VRG'S VEGAN VIETNAMESE DINNER IN HOUSTON, OCT 20
  11. INFORMATION ABOUT L-CYSTEINE
  12. CALL A DIETITIAN DAY
  13. VRG LUNCH AT THAI LANDING IN BALTIMORE SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2013
  14. SURVEY: DOGS AND CATS
  15. THE ABCs OF NUTRITION: LEARNING THE ALPHABET THE HEALTHY WAY
  16. VEGAN BUSINESS TRAINING
  17. About The Vegetarian Resource Group
  18. About VRG-NEWS

1) "NO GHEE" SAYS P.F. CHANG'S

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

An online reader commented on our website that a P.F. Chang's employee had told her that ghee was an ingredient in all of their vegetarian dishes except the steamed vegetables and rice. Ghee is clarified butter that is commonly used in South Asian cuisine. Since this was contradictory to what P.F. Chang's told us in 2011, we contacted P.F. Chang's to see if there had been an ingredient change.

To read the rest of this article, visit our blog:
[ http://www.vrg.org/blog/2013/03/22/%e2%80%9cno-ghee%e2%80%9d-says-p-f-chang%e2%80%99s/ ]

2) VEGAN OFFERINGS ON ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISE

By Brad Scott

My wife and I recently returned from a one week cruise on Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas. We did a similar cruise last year to celebrate my mom's 90 birthday. When we went on a cruise somewhere in the early 90s, Carnival had a separate vegetarian menu (two options each night), as did Celebrity in the late 90s. Last year, there was a vegetarian option on the regular menu every night, but almost always involved cheese.

The food situation was very different this year than last. I'm not sure if Royal Caribbean changed or if it is because this year's ship was much larger. On the regular menu on the first night, I was pleasantly shocked to see one of the entrees was Soy Chili with Tortillas. There was always a vegetarian option (often with cheese), as well as Linguini w/ tomato sauce. Other nights the regular menu offered Soy Meatballs with Lentil Chili and Sweet and Sour Vegetarian Chicken. On the nights with the cheese, they made (just for me) a tofu stir fry, spinach and black bean chili in Tortillas, and Channa Masala. At lunch, I was able to request a veggie burger in the buffet area (not an option last year). So, it was much nicer to be able to look forward to dinner in the main dining room rather than sneaking off to the buffet for the Indian option or the veg sushi.

3) NUTRITIONAL YEAST SAFE FOR A ONE-YEAR OLD?

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

A reader asked about nutritional yeast for a twelve month old boy.

If a child's diet is nutritionally adequate or supplements are being used to insure intakes at the RDA level for age, nutritional yeast is not especially needed. Some families choose to use Vegetarian Support Formula nutritional yeast as a source of vitamin B12. I am not aware of any need to avoid this product for a healthy 1-year old. The RDA for vitamin B12 for a 1-3 year old is 0.9 mcg/day. Approximately 2 heaping tablespoons of Large Flake Vegetarian Support Formula (VSF) nutritional yeast or 1.5 heaping tablespoons of Mini Flake provides 8 mcg of vitamin B12. [ http://lesaffre-yeast.com/red-star/vsf.html ]. By my calculations, about 3/4 teaspoon of Large Flake VSF or 1/2 teaspoon of Mini Flake VSF would provide close to 0.9 mcg of vitamin B12, which is the 1-3 year old RDA for vitamin B12.

The contents of this posting and our other publications, including the 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 best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.

4) VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN OPTIONS AT CAFE RIO MEXICAN GRILL

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

Cafe Rio opened in 1997 in six Utah locations. Currently, there are fifty-seven locations in ten states: Arizona, California, Montana, Wyoming. Nevada, Colorado, Idaho, and Utah in the West and in Maryland and Virginia on the East Coast. A list of locations may be found at [ http://www.caferio.com/locations ].

To read the rest of this article, visit our blog:
[ http://www.vrg.org/blog/2013/04/01/vegetarian-and-vegan-options-at-cafe-rio-mexican-grill/ ]

5) MY VRG INTERNSHIP

By Ali Browder

I originally decided to intern at VRG because I wanted to learn more about non-profits. I began my internship in late December with a translation project, and now, mid-March, my internship is coming to an end. In these past few months I have learned so much.

I have worked on many projects during my internship. I began with translating nutritional articles to Spanish. I translated articles about vegan pregnancy, and the importance of calcium, iron, and vitamin B12. Translation was one of my favorite tasks during my internship because reading the articles was a very informative experience, and I also learned many new words in Spanish during the translation process. Besides that, I participated in other small tasks around the office. I contacted companies to ask for vegan food samples, and I reviewed the products for the Vegetarian Journal. I worked on the Restaurant Guide, another fun project, and I was able to learn about vegetarianism in cities all over North America. Additionally, I responded to many scholarship entries. I enjoyed this project because I was able to see how vegetarianism had impacted other students' lives.

As my internship comes to a close, I think back to my first day at the VRG. The first day that I came to the VRG, Charles gave me a plethora of vegan cookbooks. I was so excited to be able to try out new recipes. Throughout my internship, I learned of more recipes, when the scholarship applicants wrote about their favorite dishes. One applicant even sent an entire cookbook full of her recipes! After giving me the cookbooks, Charles explained to me how a non-profit works and what the VRG does. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to intern at the VRG - they are a great group of people and what they do is inspiring.

If you are interested in a Vegetarian Resource Group internship, visit:
[ http://www.vrg.org/student/ ]

To support Vegetarian Resource Group outreach, donate at:
[ http://www.vrg.org/donate ]

6) NEW VEG RESTAURANTS IN THE U.S.

Boots Bakery & Lounge
[ https://www.facebook.com/bootsbakerylounge ]
24 W. Main Ave., Spokane, WA 99201
(509) 703-7223

Mama Bakes Safe Cakes
[ http://www.mamabakessafecakes.com/ ]
5725 N. Commerce Ct., Ste. 250, Alpharetta, GA 30004
(770) 664-5638

Pig Minds Brewing
[ http://www.pigmindsbrewing.com/ ]
4080 Steele Dr., Machesney Park, IL 61115
(779) 423-2147

Plant Based Pizza
[ http://www.plantbasedpizza.com/ ]
1111 Meridian Ave., Ste. 2, San Jose, CA 95125
(408) 448-8881

To read the rest of this article, visit our blog:
[ http://www.vrg.org/blog/2013/04/08/new-veg-restaurants-in-the-u-s/ ]

7) CHIPOTLE EXPANDS VEGAN BURRITO TO ALL OF NORTHERN CA

According to the Sacramento Business Journal, Chipotle Mexican Grill expanded its vegan tofu burrito to all of Northern California, including a local launch at its Ikea Court store in West Sacramento: [ http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2013/04/09/chipotle-unveiling-vegan-tofu-burrito.html ]

In January, Chipotle announced that they planned to test the menu item at selected locations in the San Francisco Bay Area in February. From the press release:

"Sofritas, shredded tofu braised with chipotle chilis, roasted poblanos and a blend of aromatic spices, is made with organic, non-GMO tofu from Oakland's Hodo Soy. Chipotle expects Sofritas to appeal to vegetarian and vegan customers...."

For more information, see:
[ http://ir.chipotle.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=194775&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1778960&highlight= ]

8) PROTEIN AND THE VEGAN DIET

How many times has someone asked you how you can get enough protein on a vegan or vegetarian diet?

We've just published the 5th edition of Simply Vegan [ http://www.vrg.org/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=1 ] and updated the nutrition section, including Protein in the Vegan Diet. The section includes helpful charts showing how much protein is found in common foods vegetarians/vegans eat, which you can see here: [ http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.php ]

Click here to purchase the updated edition of Simply Vegan [ http://www.vrg.org/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=1 ]

9) LAS SOPAS DE SUDAMERICA

Our Vegetarian Journal article "Soups of South America" is now translated into Spanish. See: [ http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/las_sopas_de_sudamerica.php ]

Los recetas son:

  • Mazamorra (Sopa de Ma�z)
  • Crema de Quinua
  • Feijoada (Estofado Brasile�o de Frijoles Negros)
  • Sopa de Papa y Col Rizada Estilo Portugu�s
  • Sancocho (Estofado De Yuca Estilo Colombiano)
  • Crema de Palmitos
  • Pur� Fresco de Chiles Picantes

This article originally appeared in English in Vegetarian Journal Issue #1, 2012. Click here to read this and other articles from that issue: [ http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2012issue1/VJIssue12012.pdf ]

For more articles in Spanish, see: [ http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/index.htm#spanish ]

10) VRG'S VEGAN VIETNAMESE DINNER IN HOUSTON, OCT 20

We're hosting a vegan networking dinner during the annual meeting of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics! The restaurant is walking distance to the Convention Center. VRG's Nutrition Advisor Reed Mangels and VRG staff will participate in a discussion.

WHERE: Cafe Th 2108 Pease Street Houston, TX 77003

WHEN: Sunday, October 20, 2013, 6 PM

MENU

  • Spring rolls with tofu
  • Vegetable Noodle Soup with rice noodles, tofu, and vegetables including squash, portabello mushrooms, and bok choy
  • Yellow Curry with cauliflower, green beans, carrots, and potatoes
  • Vermicelli with Lemongrass
  • Stir-Fried Tofu with tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers
  • Rice
  • Tea
COST: $25 per person. Includes tax and tip.

Menu subject to change. Please reserve early as seating is limited. Please send $25 to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203. Or pay online at [ https://www.vrg.org/donate ] and write in Th Dinner and the attendees' names in the comments. Or call (410) 366-8343 between 9 AM and 5 PM Eastern time, Monday to Friday to pay with a Visa or MasterCard. Refunds only if we can replace your seat.

11) INFORMATION ABOUT L-CYSTEINE

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

A journalist recently asked us about L-cysteine for an article she was doing on food additives. For others interested in L-cysteine, here's a summary in question and answer format based on information relayed to us by several food industry employees over the past few years.

To read the rest of this article, visit our blog:
[ http://www.vrg.org/blog/2013/04/22/information-about-l-cysteine/ ]

12) CALL A DIETITIAN DAY

Our next Call-A-Dietitian Day is on Saturday, May 11th, 2013, from 12 Noon to 3 PM EST. Appointments are in 15 minute increments.

If you have general nutrition questions, Ed Coffin, RD will be available by telephone. To reserve a 15-minute time slot, please email the VRG office at [email protected] or call (410) 366-8343.

Please be advised that these sessions are not individualized nutritional counseling. Such advice should only be provided through direct in-person contact with a qualified health professional. There is no charge, but if you do commit, please call on time. Otherwise you are taking someone else's spot.

Ed Coffin holds a bachelor's degree in clinical nutrition and is a registered dietitian. He has clinical experience from a variety of facilities such as Women Infants and Children and Veteran's Affairs. Ed has worked in nearly every part of the natural and organic foods sector from logistics to packaging and production.

13) VRG LUNCH AT THAI LANDING IN BALTIMORE SUNDAY JUNE 23, 2013

Thai Landing at 1207 N. Charles Street in Baltimore has created a new vegetarian/vegan menu after 20 years in operation. The Vegetarian Resource Group is sponsoring a vegan lunch at Thai Landing on Sunday June 23 at 2pm with the following menu. All dishes contain no fish sauce, and they said they will moderate the spice level of dishes. (However, everyone has a different notion of spices. So if you are sensitive to spices or have to have a lot of spices, you may want to go at another time.) They will be serving family style on the second floor. There are steps. Menu subject to change. Thank you to Mark Rifkin, RD for organizing this dinner, and for attendees who want to support restaurants adding vegan options.

VEGAN MENU

  • Som Tam (Thai Papaya Salad with peanut dressing)
  • Pad Kra Prao (Tofu, fresh basil, carrots, string beans, bamboo
    • shoots, and a little hot pepper)
  • Roti Massaman Pak (Chick peas with cauliflower, zucchini, carrots,
  • Pad Woon Sen (Vegan soy chicken with stir-fried tofu, bean thread noodles, baby corn, mushrooms, onions, snow peas, bean sprouts, and green onions)
  • Tofu with Mushroom Pad Khing (Stir fried tofu with ginger, black mushrooms, button mushrooms, baby corn, snow peas, carrots and onions) Rice

COST: $25, which includes tax and tip. You must prepay by June 13th. Seating is limited. Send $25 per person with names of attendees to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203; Call (410) 366-8343 with a credit card Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, or pay online at [ http://www.vrg.org/donate ]. Write Thai dinner and attendees' names in the comment section. Refunds can only be made if we can replace your seat, since we have to give Thai Landing a count ahead of time.

We hope to see you there!

14) SURVEY: DOGS AND CATS

Associate Professor of Psychology and VRG member Dr. Hank Rothgerber is conducting a 5-10 minute survey. He needs as many vegetarian and vegan participants as possible and greatly appreciates your help. Respondents will have a chance to win a $100 amazon.com gift card.

You can click on the following link to access the survey:

[ https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/9X7PNZY ]

15) THE ABCS OF NUTRITION: LEARNING THE ALPHABET THE HEALTHY WAY

The ABCs of Nutrition is A fun way to learn the alphabet. "Open white space and generous (letter) counters give a warm, inviting feeling as your child begins to make sense of letters and words. Vegi-kids, known as the S.N.A.K. Pack, (Smart Nutritionally Active Kids) introduce each letter. Playfully illustrated with bright, bold colors and simple clean lines, the S.N.A.K. Pack, provide a powerful link between your child's imagination and education. For children aged 2 to 5." Order the Kindle edition at: [ http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C302JTK ]

16) VEGAN BUSINESS TRAINING

Vegan Mainstream and Karine Brighten Events are hosting 5 Vegan Professional Bootcamps in 2012. These all-day bootcamp sessions are designed to provide entrepreneurs, authors, chefs, personal trainers, coaches or aspiring business owners with the tools and tips needed to launch and maintain a successful business in 2013.

The day also features workshops on marketing trends, social media, community building, authorship, a catered lunch, roundtable discussions, and actionable planning periods. From 8:45 a.m. until 6:30 p.m., bootcampers can expect an incredible informational and networking opportunity all around.

The bootcamps will be hosted in the following cities: Washington, D.C. (April 27)
Chicago, Illinois (June 8)
New York, New York (August 24, 2013)
Los Angeles, California (Oct. 12)
Austin, Texas (November 2)

About The Bootcamps: [ http://veganprofessionalevents.com/about-bootcamps/ ]

In addition to key information about marketing vegan businesses and brands to the very top of the vegan business market, bootcampers will have the opportunity for hands-on planning. During the morning sessions, the event leaders will show attendees how to put theory in practice and conduct hands-on classes on topics such as building a brand, online marketing and putting trends into action. No vegan business should miss this opportunity!

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 2013 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.