1) VEGAN THANKSGIVING RECIPES

See http://www.vrg.org/recipes/vegan_thanksgiving.php

Have a happy holiday.

2) EXECUTIVE CHEF JOB OPENING

Job Opening for Executive Chef at Sublime in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, located 10 minutes from beach and downtown. This vegan restaurant has received countless accolades for decor, food, and service. Locals, celebrities, and politicians dine at Sublime. Sublime's rooftop garden is one of two Sublime gardens supplying some ingredients. Salary commensurate with ability. Send resume to [email protected]

3) YEAR END DONATIONS. PLEASE SUPPORT VEGETARIAN OUTREACH.

To support Vegetarian Outreach, please donate at:

[ https://www.givedirect.org/give/givefrm.asp?CID=1565 ]

4) GIVE A VEGETARIAN JOURNAL GIFT SUBSCRIPTION.

GO TO:

[ http://www.vrg.org/member/ ]

When you check out, uncheck that the billing address is the same as the shipping address, and indicate the address of the gift recipient.

If you want us to send a note to the person receiving the gift, you can give at

[ www.vrg.org/donate ]

Write the address of the recipient and note you want sent in the Comments section.

0r call (410) 366-8343 Monday to Friday, 9AM to 5PM Eastern Time.

Thank you.

5) ETHYLENEDIAMINETETRAACETIC ACID (EDTA)

Alternate names: disodium salt of EDTA, calcium disodium salt of EDTA (and many other similar names)

Commercial source: petrochemical (synthetic) and mineral

Used in: food (esp. canned beans and dressings), beverages (esp. carbonated), cosmetics and personal care products, many industrial applications

Used for: sequestering metal ions, stabilizing texture, retaining color

Definition: A chemical primarily used in non-food applications. In processed food and beverages it removes (i.e., sequesters) through binding (i.e., chelating) trace metal ions preventing rancidity, discoloration, or crystal development.

Major Manufacturer: Dow Chemical Company [ http://www.dow.com/productsafety/finder/edta.htm ]

Classification: Vegan

Definition added: October 2013

This entry was just added to our Food Ingredients Guide. For other entries, see

[ http://www.vrg.org/ingredients/index.php ]

To support Vegetarian Resource Group research, donate at

[ https://www.givedirect.org/give/givefrm.asp?CID=1565 ]

6) HELP STUDENT WITH A SURVEY

A student (Frances Mican) is conducting a 10-15 minute survey and needs as many vegetarian and vegan participants as possible.   Respondents will have a chance to win a $100 amazon.com gift card.  Your help is greatly appreciated!

You can click on the following link to access the survey:
[ https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/76LB7TW ]

7) BECOMING VEGAN – 1/2 PRICE

HELP SPREAD THE WORD, SUPPORT VEGETARIAN OUTREACH

Help spread the word. While supplies last, we can send you five Becoming Vegan books (282 pages) for $45, including shipping. Normal retail price is $99. Give copies as gifts to friend, relatives, libraries, and others. Use as raffle prizes for your organization.

Included in Becoming Vegan is information on Protein, Phytochemicals, Fatty Acid Composition of foods, Pregnancy and Lactation, Seniors, Weight Loss, Weight Gain, and Vegan Athletes. Covered are Sources of Calcium, Iron, and Zinc, as well as Chromium, Copper, Fluoride, and Iodine, Magnesium, Selenium and Potassium. Also helpful is a chapter on B12, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Pyridoxine, Folate, and Biotin. Plus learn valuable info about Vitamins A, C, D, E, and K. Also featured are 1600, 2200, 2500, and 4000 calorie menus.

Help spread the word by buying these books, as well as also financially supporting our outreach. Send $45 to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box, 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203; Call (410) 366-8343 Monday to Friday 9AM to 5PM Eastern Time, or go to

[ www.vrg.org/donate ]

Write your order in the Comments Section.

8) WHAT VEGAN FOODS CAN A VEGETARIAN MOTHER SERVE HER FAMILY?

By Gina Hansen

I have been a vegetarian for almost four years and I am a mother with a non-vegetarian family; I call them “vegetarians by default” since we don’t buy meat and eat most of our meals at home. When I made the switch I was already married, my daughter was 9 and my son was 3; they are now 13 and 7. Prior to this I had already been obsessed with making sure I was always eating healthy foods and in the right portions but when I became a vegetarian we were looking at a whole new way of doing things. At first I was making two versions of the same dish, one with meat, and one without. Then we went to fake meat, but within 6 months we were no longer buying any type of meat. What could a mom, raised on meat and potatoes who has recently turned vegetarian, feed her family? I mean it’s kind of hard to make steak and potatoes without the steak but there has to be something that we can all enjoy.

One of the first changes I started to make when I made the complete switch was to subtract the meat from the dishes that I had always made. I would still make all the old favorites; I would just skip the part where I added meat. When it’s possible, I still substitute beans for the meats. For instance, when I make almost anything that is Mexican I will make sure I have a can of vegetarian refried beans on hand. They can be kind of heavy though so another really good swap is black beans with or without brown rice. They aren’t as dense as refried beans, but they still make for a solid source of protein. Another tasty and versatile bean is the cannellini bean for Italian/Mediterranean dishes or using the garbanzo/chickpea for soups and hummus wraps.

Anyway, swapping beans for meat only works for so long. Non-veggie kids may look at you like you’re crazy if you try to hand them a plate of black beans instead of a chicken leg and as my husband put it, a bunch of side dishes does not make a dinner. This is where the internet comes in handy. Many of the major food manufacturers that make fake meats will still use eggs as a binder and when you’re trying to severely limit or exclude animal byproducts many of the commercial fake meats don’t work. Because of this, I constantly have my computer on and am trying to find recipes that I can make for my kids or even with my kids. My daughter (finally!) is starting to grow out of her veggies-are-icky phase, but unfortunately my son is still in the early parts of this phase of life that lasts far too long. Thus, we do a lot of sneaking in of vegetables for recipes that are oldies but goodies. One of the easiest ways to do this is pureeing the vegetables and adding them in the mixture. There are numerous cookbooks that offer ideas to help out with this. Two favorites in my house are cauliflower mashed potatoes and black bean brownies. Another way we get my son to eat the foods that we prepare is to make the plate up for him and make sure everything is all stirred up before he sits down to eat. We never make our children finish everything on their plates but we do strongly encourage them to try new foods and frequently reward them for doing so. We also make sure they eat a substantial portion of what they are given just to make sure that a foreign texture or flavor isn’t given up due to the newness of it.

Some kids are known for being picky eaters and they tend to want the unhealthiest of foods. My children are generally given the healthiest versions of foods that might otherwise be a poor choice. One of their favorite dinners is homemade organic baked fries with a salad that will consist of at least three types of cabbage or lettuce, and their choices of bell peppers, cucumbers, green beans, corn, peas, carrots, onion, tomato, sliced almonds, and is usually topped by a vinaigrette of some sort. I offer it buffet style so they can choose the foods they prefer but sometimes I have to encourage them to add more variety to their salads. Another dish they love (that surprised even me) contains diced potatoes, salsa, black beans, onion, and bell pepper, and steam-fried in either vegetable stock or water.

When it comes to snacks, I tend to stick with fruits; most are finger foods and good sources of phytochemicals. My house is never without grapes and bananas, but we also have many kinds of berries, apples, tangerines, pineapple, melons of various sorts, plums, peaches, kiwis, nectarines, pears, etc. depending on what is in season and available. Many fruits are also good with a small amount of homemade vegan granola with nuts to help bulk up the snack and keep hunger at bay. The granola also helps soak up fruit juice that comes from the fruit getting beat up in the lunch box; just don’t make granola with instant oatmeal or it might get too soggy.

Breakfasts are usually a grain of some sort like cereal with almond milk, oatmeal with fruit or nuts and a sweetener. Toast is huge in my house. We go through at least 2 loaves of bread a week between the sandwiches that are a staple and the two pieces of toast per person each morning. One of the tips I have found successful is that I allow my children freedoms within their very limited choices at home. Since I encourage my children to try new flavors whenever they get a chance, both of my children love many different types of foods. My daughter loves Chinese food and my son loves to experiment with strange food combos. For instance, his favorite breakfast is toast with canola oil butter, organic grape jelly, and organic cinnamon (yuck). Lunch is always from home and will usually be a PB&J, a fruit, a veggie like snap peas, carrots or radishes, and flavored water.

Feeding children a diet full of fruits, veggies, and grains is difficult enough in a meat eating family. When a parent takes away most of the foods that children are known for loving, such as mac ’n’ cheese and chicken nuggets life becomes that much more difficult. The good news is that they eventually get used to the different tastes and textures and with ideas from the internet you can still give them foods that are similar to the old favorites that they know and love. I’m always encouraging my children to try new and interesting things and just maybe create their own masterpiece. We are always trying new recipes, if we don’t like it, we don’t eat it, and if we do like the recipe it may become a new favorite. When my children try to tell me they don’t like something they have never tried, I remind them that there was once a day when they had never tried fries and pancakes and that worked out pretty well but I never force them to eat a food they have tried and actually don’t like. After all, there are foods that even I don’t like.

To share more information about parenting and families, subscribe to our Parents List at

[ http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/vrgparents/info ]

9) GOLDENFRY ONION GRAVY GRANULES ARE ALL-VEGETABLE

by Jeanne Yacoubou, MS, VRG Research Director

The VRG received a call from someone asking if Goldenfry Onion Gravy Granules are vegetarian. She saw the product in a Florida Publix Super Market. Publix is the largest employee-owned grocery chain in the United States with over 1,000 locations in five southern states: Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and Tennessee. North Carolina stores are slated to open in 2014.

We contacted the Goldenfry Foods Ltd. British company and asked if the “flavourings” listed on the ingredients statement for this product are all-vegetable:

Vegetable Oil, Starch, Wheat Flour, Salt, Colour (Ammonia Caramel), Dried Onion (2.8%), Flavourings, Flavour Enhancer (Monosodium Glutamate), Emulsifier (Soya Lecithin)

Goldenfry’s Product Development Manager Jackie emailed us in October 2013:

Goldenfry Onion Gravy Granules do not contain any meat or meat derivatives but are packed down lines that may have had meat type products packed on them.

In a follow-up email Jackie clarified “meat derivatives” by saying that meat-based broths and meat flavors are not used to make Goldenfry Onion Gravy Granules. She specifically said on this point: “Although we use a ‘meat flavoured’ flavour, this also does not contain any meat.” Jackie also wrote that “We do not fully sanitise the packing lines between flavour varieties and this is why we do not make a vegetarian claim.”

Jackie indicated that Goldenfry Foods Ltd. does not directly export their products to the United States. The products are available on several British websites. US-based BritishFoods.com sells some Goldenfry mixes on its website:
[ http://www.britishfood.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?Search=Yes&sppp=150 ]

The VRG also located a similar Goldenfry product marketed as “suitable for vegetarians” and available in the United States:
[ http://www.amazon.com/Goldenfry-Smooth-Granules-10-5-Ounce-Canisters/dp/B002R8FTPY/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381700634&sr=8-1-fkmr1&keywords=goldenfry+onion+gravy+granules ]

For more information on ingredients, see
[ http://www.vrg.org/ingredients/index.php ]

To support The Vegetarian Resource Group research, donate at
[ https://www.givedirect.org/give/givefrm.asp?CID=1565 ]

10) BEING A VEGAN AT CEDAR POINT

By Alexa Zmich

Every year from May to October, millions of people flock to Cedar Point in Sandusky, OH. The massive roller coasters and rides give people a great thrill and an enjoyable time with their family and friends. However, visiting an amusement park as a vegan can be pretty hard. When amusement park foods come to peoples’ minds they often think of hamburgers, hot dogs, fried cheese, and many other non-vegan treats. So, what options are left for vegans that want to join in the festivities, too? Here’s a compiled list of all the vegan options you can find while on your vacation there:

In Park Options:

Johnny Rockets: Offers a veggie burger (100% soy Boca burger) and fries. They clear and clean the grill specifically for vegetarians, vegans, and individuals with extreme allergies. However, if you are gluten free, they do not have any gluten free buns at this time.

Game Day Grille: Offers a fruit plate

Midway Market: Offers a salad bar. Midway Market is a buffet, so if you ask the staff they should be able to provide you with what the vegan options for that day are. Frequently have a plain pasta option.

Joe Cool Café: Offers a salad bar and a veggie burger upon request.

Dippin’ Dots: Dippin’ Dots’ five Flavored Ices (CherryBerry, Liberty, Pink Lemonade, Rainbow, and Watermelon) are all vegan. Rainbow Flavored Ice is typically what you will find around the park.

Subway: Subway’s Italian bread, all vegetables, oil, vinegar, mustard, and sweet onion sauce are all vegan.

Other in-park locations feature salads and fries.

Out of Park Options on the Peninsula:

Perkins Restaurant: Offers a vegetable plate, hashbrowns, and fruit.

TGI Friday’s on the Beach: Will give you an allergen menu that informs of vegan options (such as a side of broccoli and a side of mixed vegetables).

Famous Dave’s: Offers various vegetables such as baked potatoes, corn on the cob, etc.

Options for Employees:

The Employee Cafeteria offers a salad bar, fresh fruit plates, vegetables, veggie burgers, and other items upon request. They use dedicated fryers for certain items and clean/clear grills when notified of specific allergies/concerns.

Additionally:

Coasters, Happy Friar, Mr. Potato, Hot Potato, Chick-Fil-A, Breakwater Cafe, Bay Harbor and the Boardwalk French Fry Carts in Cedar Point and Soak City use peanut oil. All other locations use soybean oil or vegetable oil.

Most battered products are fried in the same fryer, but non-battered items (ie: french fries) are fried in their own fryer.

If none of these options appeal to you, or fit your dietary needs, Cedar Point encourages guests to pack a lunch. If you choose to pack a lunch, the Food Service Office can store any cold items and most sit-down restaurants in the park have a microwave that would be accessible as well.

All information was provided by Tony Clark (Cedar Point’s Director of Communication), Cedar Point’s website, and Dippin’ Dots website.

For information about eating at quick service chains, see
[ http://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php ]

11) FASHION-CONSCIENCE.COM DISCOUNT

Fashion-conscience.com, an eco, fair-trade and vegan site is excited to offer VRG newsletter subscribers a 20% off discount on purchases of vegan boots, shoes and bags. 

Enjoy with a 20% discount brilliant vegan and vegetarian brands such As Neu Aura, Novacas, Melie Bianco, Melissa and exclusive brands such as FC Select Shoes and Bags, vegan products specially selected by Fashion-conscience.com 

Just use code VRG20 in your shopping cart to claim your discount 

This is a limited time offer.  

12) VEGGIE BROTHERS DISCOUNT

Veggie Brothers provides Chef Prepared Vegan Meals Delivered to Your Door. Examples include Cancun Style Flank Steak Dinner , Vegan Chicken Pot Pie, and Sesame Orange Shiitake Tempeh. Get 20% off when you use this code at time of check out: 20VRG2013 (expires 12/31/13)

Go to [ http://www.veggiebrothers.com/ ]

13) VEGDINING AROUND THE WORLD

VegDining is excited to announce its "VegDining Around the World" promotion.  It's easy to enter ... just visit VegDining.com and submit a mini-review (3 or 4 sentences) about a recent visit you've made to a vegetarian or veg-friendly restaurant or food store. Monthly prizes will be awarded through random draws, including subscriptions to the Vegetarian Resource Group's Vegetarian Journal and gift certificates to TheVegetarianSite.com. The Grand Prize to be drawn after Oct 31, 2014 will be an Apple iPad Mini^®.  Full details at VegDining.com.

14) VRG’S PRE-THANKSGIVING VEGAN POTLUCK IN BALTIMORE

We hope you will join VRG and Vegan Drinks at the 32nd Annual Vegan Pre-Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner on Sunday November 24, 2013 at 5:00 P.M. The dinner will be held at

Vegetarians, vegans, and the merely curious are invited! $4 per person, children under age 18 are free. Please bring a vegan dish (and serving utensil) that serves four as a contribution from each member of your party. Write ingredients of the dish on an index card to accommodate special diets. Guests are encouraged to bring reusable dishes and utensils to reduce waste. A vegetarian canned food drive is taking place the same night. Consider donating!

To volunteer or for more information contact The VRG at [email protected] or call us at (410) 366-8343. RSVP not necessary.

15) VEGETARIAN SOCIETY OF DC THANKSGIVING DINNER

See  [ http://www.vsdc.org/Thanksgiving_Event.html ]

16) TRIANGLE VEGETARIAN SOCIETY (NORTH CAROLINA) THANKSGIVING AND PRE-THANKSGIVING DINNERS

See  [ http://www.trianglevegsociety.org/thanksgiving/ ]

17) GIVING MINIMUM REQUIRED IRA DISTRIBUTIONS TO CHARITY

According to Forbes, the fiscal cliff deal had a special tax break for seniors donating to charity in 2013. Those 70½ and older can transfer as much as $100,000 per year from their traditional IRAs to charity. The provision last expired at the end of 2011. In the tax deal enacted, Congress has extended it through 2013.

Unless an IRA is a Roth, the account owner must take yearly minimum required distributions starting at age 70½ and pay tax on the distribution. With the charitable IRA rollover, as it is called, the donation can count against the minimum required distribution he/she would otherwise be required to take.

Instead of taking money out of an IRA, the owner asks the custodian of the account to send a certain sum directly to charity. Annual minimum distributions have to be taken by December 31st. In 2013, you must ask the IRA custodian to send the distribution directly to the charity. While there is no income tax deduction for the donor’s contributions, the sum going to charity is not included in gross income.

IRA funds donated this way can not be used for contributions to donor-advised funds, supporting organizations or private non-operating foundations. Otherwise, the money can go to any organization to which you can make a gift that would qualify as a charitable deduction (such as The Vegetarian Resource Group) on your tax return.

This is not personal tax or legal advice. Please speak to your lawyer or financial advisor.

To make year end donations to The Vegetarian Resource Group, visit www.vrg.org/donate, call (410) 366-8343, or write to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203.

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

If you are a federal government employee, you can support The Vegetarian Resource Group through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). Look for us under Health & Medical Research Charities of America.

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

Check out matching gifts here. See if your employer is listed.
[ https://www.givedirect.org/give/givefrm.asp?CID=1565 ]

19) VEGAN JOB

Vegan group seeks Jack or Jill of all trades good at multi tasking for part-time job 20 - 25 hours per week in Baltimore, Maryland. Position starts in December or January. Staff person clerically and physically ships vegan books, Vegetarian Journal, and other educational materials throughout the country. Does the billing, packing, mailing and marketing of items to consumers and wholesalers. Answers phone and e-mails. Coordinates volunteers doing booths, events, and other activities around the country. Entrepreneurial personality helpful. Please send resume, writing sample, and cover letter addressing your short term and long term goals, interests, vegetarian and vegan knowledge, salary requirements, skills strengths, and challenges to [email protected]

20) CHANUKAH GIFTS

Share ethical and healthy eating all year around. Give a gift of The Lowfat Jewish Vegetarian Cookbook
[ http://www.vrg.org/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=13 ]

and Vegetarian Journal [ http://www.vrg.org/member/ ]

21) VEGETARIAN SITE.COM

Thank you for your support in October.

22) FREE SAMPLES OF DOUX VEGAN BARBADOS CARAMEL POPCORN

Doux Vegan organic artisan sweets produces treats using vegan, organic and non-gmo ingredients. Our Barbados Caramel Popcorn is delicious and fortified with vitamins and minerals! This holiday season, the first 25 VRG Newsletter subscribers to visit douxvegan.com, add a bag of Barbados Caramel Popcorn to their cart and enter the promo code: vrgnov13 will receive a free sample size bag!

23) VEGAN SOFRITAS AVAILABLE AT CHIPOTLE IN CO, UT, AND ID

Vegan Sofritas are now available at Chipotle in Colorado, Utah, and Idaho, in addition to prior test sites. Keep supporting these so that they are added to the rest of the country. For more information, see:

• http://www.chipotle.com/en-us/html/sofritas.html
• http://www.vrg.org/blog/2013/07/30/chipotle-expands-vegan-sofritas-to-entire-northwest/

24) NEW VEGAN RESTAURANTS IN THE U.S. & CANADA

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.

enVie: A Vegan Kitchen

Halifax, NS

Vegan/natural foods

Goldie's

Asbury Park, NJ

Vegan/organic

Lil' Buddha Tea

Albany, NY

Vegan/tea shop/café/organic

The Lunch Room

Ann Arbor, MI

Vegan/eclectic

Nature Vegetarian Restaurant

Oakland, CA

Vegan/Chinese

25) EDAMAME AT 7-ELEVEN

According to Seapoint Farms, their dry roasted line of edamame is now available in select 7-Eleven stores nationwide. In September, 7-Eleven launched a snack shelf that will include 4oz packs of Seapoint Farms product, along with other healthy on-the-go items. Seapoint Farms on their website states, "All of our products are Vegan; we use no animal products or bi-products of any kind."

26) INJECTABLE VITAMIN B-12

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

We received an inquiry from a vegan who was considering taking injectable vitamin B-12 (cyanocobalamin). Before starting treatment she wanted to be sure that it was derived from a non-animal source and that no animal products had been involved in manufacture. The VRG contacted several suppliers and manufacturers of injectable vitamin B-12 in June and July 2013 to find out.

27) DEFOAMING AGENT

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

This entry was just added to our Food Ingredients Guide:

28) ABOUT THE VEGETARIAN RESOURCE GROUP AND VRG-NEWS

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.

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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.