VRG-NEWS: The Vegetarian Resource Group Newsletter
Volume 18, Issue 3
April 2014
CONTENTS
- VRG RESEARCH -- GOOGLE, WIC, CHIPOTLE, LEDO'S
- VEGETARIAN VIDEO SCHOLARSHIP
- MY INTERNSHIP WITH THE VEGETARIAN RESOURCE GROUP
- HAPPY BASEBALL SEASON
- VEGAN PASSOVER RECIPES
- GLOBAL YOUTH VILLAGE VEGETARIAN CAMP
- LENNY AND LARRY'S: OATMEAL RAISIN COMPLETE COOKIE
- VEGAN ICE CREAM IN SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA
- VRG TO HOST VEGAN SOUL FOOD DINNER IN ATLANTA
- VEGAN CHEESESTEAK CONTEST IN PHILLY
- OWNER/CHEF SOUGHT IN WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, VT
- VEGAN DELISH APP
- DEER
- VISIT VRG AT THESE OUTREACH BOOTHS
- HOSTS FOR VEGETARIAN EXCHANGE STUDENTS
- A HEALTHY PLANT BASED DIET EVENT IN MARYLAND
- JEWISH VEGETARIAN EVENT IN NYC
- ABOUT THE VEGETARIAN RESOURCE GROUP AND VRG-NEWS
- ABOUT VRG-NEWS
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2) VEGETARIAN VIDEO SCHOLARSHIP
To enter our video contest, go to
[ http://www.vrg.org/videoscholarship.php ]
See past winners.
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3) MY INTERNSHIP WITH THE VEGETARIAN RESOURCE GROUP
By Karen Leibowitz
I started my internship last May and after learning and experiencing
so much a few months later it came to an end. On the first day, Charles gave
me book upon book about vegan nutrition, recipes, and other information.
From that first day, I've contributed articles to the VRG website,
wrote restaurant reviews, created recipes, and translated recipes to
Spanish. I also created a 3-day Mexican meal plan and had it approved by
the registered dietitian that works with the VRG. I wrote several Veggie
Bits and food reviews on vegan products, all to be published in The Vegetarian
Journal. I created a survey that gathered information concerning
organizations' opinions on what should be labeled as vegetarian or
vegan. I gained experience running booths with other interns and
volunteers at several farmer's markets, festivals, and other events,
providing VRG resources and selling books. I learned about how
non-profits function and how they can thrive. I gained experience
working in an office setting and learned the details behind how events
are organized.
I came into the VRG as a public health major, but as the internship
progressed and after meeting vegan nutrition professionals, I changed my
major to dietetics and am now on my way to pursue a career as a
registered dietitian. I always had a strong interest in nutrition but
this internship gave me the motivation I needed to begin pursuing this
more challenging route to health improvement. I believe that being a
registered dietitian can have a heavy influence in changing the way
people eat. If I can be part of that influence, I can help lessen the
suffering of animals and the occurrence of diseases caused by consuming
them.
The people that work at the VRG are an amazingly friendly and motivated
group of people. I've had the privilege of working with and learning
from a group that does so much to provide resources for vegans and
vegetarians.
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 ]
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4) HAPPY BASEBALL SEASON
Veggie Happy is continually updating their MLB Venue Vegetarian Guide with
menu changes or confirmations, so be sure to reference it regularly to find
out what your favorite stadiums are offering this season. Also, check out
their latest blog, summarizing the current status of vegetarian hot dogs,
and rising demand for vegan franks in MLB stadiums.
Spread the word locally (via social media, local supportive groups, regional
media etc.) so other fans know that vegan options are available at your ballpark.
Most stadiums won't focus on making sure fans are aware these items are available,
so we need to do this to ensure that sales reflect real demand, especially
when the item is new and considered tentative until sales prove it worthy.
Happy noshing! Veggie Happy
[ http://www.veggiehappy.com/ ]
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5) VEGAN PASSOVER RECIPES
EGGLESS & DAIRY-FREE DISHES
Trying to figure out what to serve your vegan daughter-in-law? Looking for
new parve Passover dishes? Do you find it challenging to get through eight
days of matzah with good humor? The 48-page Vegan Passover Recipes is for you.
Chef Nancy Berkoff, R.D., has created 34 delicious Passover dishes. Start
with Savory Sweet Potato, Cream of Asparagus, or French Onion soups.The house
will smell wonderful while baking Winter Squash with Apricot Stuffing and
Apple and Herb Mushrooms. Chef Berkoff's Carrot Pancakes are both colorful
and tasty. Eggplant/Matzah Meal Pancakes can be made ahead of time, cooked,
and refrigerated for later. For those who don't want to fry these fritters,
instructions for baking are included.
Nancy provides the basics: A vegetable stock without chicken fat or added
sodium, Savory Spaghetti Sauce, Zucchini/Potato Kugel, and Sweet and Sour
Stuffed Cabbage (A new spin on an oldie, but goody).
If you have guests looking for a spicier holiday, try Minted Carrots with
Chilies or Moroccan Roasted Eggplant and Pepper Salad. Spinach and Okra Stew
served with Scotch Bonnet or Habanero chili is meant to be hot, but if you
don't want a lot of heat, the chili can be removed. Make life even more interesting
with these sauces: Eggplant and Almond, Apricot and Tomato, or Coconut Curry
over Greens.
In a rush like your ancestors leaving Egypt? Nancy's microwave recipes feature
Pizza for Pesach, Pizza Casserole (a more sophisticated version for the adults),
Vegetarian Kishka, Spinach Mushroom Kugel, and A.M. Crunchies.
Some delectable desserts from Vegan Passover Recipes include Strawberry Sorbet,
Baked Pears with Coconut Filling, and Cinnamon Matzah Balls (Matzah balls
don't just belong in soup!).
If you're feeling brave and want to try and convert some of your non-Passover
dessert recipes, here are the equivalents for flour:
1 Cup all purpose flour = ¼ cup matzah cake meal and ¾ cup potato starch
½ Cup all purpose flour = 2 TB matzah cake meal and 6 TB potato starch
Chef Nancy Berkoff is a registered dietitian and has over 25 years of experience
working in the food industry. She has received awards from the American Culinary
Federation, California Restaurant Association, and the U.S. Department of
the Navy for Culinary Training. In 1994 Ms. Berkoff was named Chef of the
Year by the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Culinary Federation. She is
author of Vegan in Volume and Vegan Meals for One or Two.
To order Vegan Passover Recipes (48 pages), go to
[ http://www.vrg.org/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=14 ]
Or send $6 to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD
Call (410) 366-8343 Monday to Friday 9AM to 5PM Eastern Time.
Also available are No Cholesterol Passover Recipes
[ http://www.vrg.org/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=3 ]
and The Lowfat Jewish Vegetarian Cookbook.
[ http://www.vrg.org/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=13 ]
Have a happy holiday.
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6) GLOBAL YOUTH VILLAGE VEGETARIAN CAMP
We received this note:
Hi VRG!
I was just browsing around your website and saw your posting for vegetarian
camps and wanted to tell you about the wonder camp I work for which is completely
vegetarian! The Global Youth village is a global leadership summer program
for teens ages 14 -18. In operation for 35 years, GYV blends dynamic, skill
building workshops with traditional camp activities to create an environment
that fosters life-long friendship and true respect for diversity. Participants
leave the summer with increased self-confidence, the ability to collaborate
across ideological divides, college and career preparation, and desire to
create meaningful change in their communities.
All meals are home-made and vegetarian! Vegan options are available.
Activities include: swimming, hiking, sports, yoga, martial arts, cultural
arts & dances; skits, all-game games and cultural sharing nights.
Sample Menu:
Breakfast: | Pancakes, cereal, yogurt, fresh fruit, granola, etc. |
Lunch: | Baked potato bar w. veggies, tofu crumbles; salad; fresh fruit |
Dinner: | International bead and rice dishes; homemade pizza; baked eggplant;
cookies; cake or fresh fruit for dessert |
Snack: | Organic juices and natural sodas; organic ice cream and cookies; fresh fruit |
Contact:
email: [email protected]
phone: (540) 871-0882
mail:
1020 Legacy Drive
Bedford, VA 23226
[ http://www.globalyouthvillage.org/ ]
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7) LENNY AND LARRY'S: OATMEAL RAISIN COMPLETE COOKIE
"Oatmeal Raisin Complete Cookie® is Vegan."
by Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director
An online reader emailed The VRG about an apparent discrepancy on ingredient
labels of Lenny & Larry's Oatmeal Raisin Complete Cookie®. The reader was
concerned that brown sugar, most likely processed through cow bone char, was
a non-vegan ingredient in the cookie. The company states on its website
([http://www.lennylarry.com/faq/"); ?>) that the cookies are vegan: "The Complete
Cookie is 100% vegan with no animal products." The reader asked us to contact
the company for clarification.
On Lenny & Larry's website, raw sugar but no brown sugar is listed as an ingredient
in the cookie: [ http://www.lennylarry.com/product/oatmeal-raisin-complete-cookie/ ]
The reader pointed out that the same item on Amazon.com listed brown sugar
as the first ingredient but no raw sugar was listed at all. In early January
2014 we checked the link he provided and the ingredient information confirmed
that brown sugar was the first ingredient.
In February 2014 after having spoken to Lenny & Larry's co-owner about this
issue, we opened the same Amazon link again. The VRG noticed the ingredient
statement had been removed. In its place under "Important Information" and
under an "Ingredients" subheading were the nutrition facts (calories, grams
of fat, protein, etc.) for the product. Under the nutrition facts for this
product on the Amazon page appeared this disclaimer:
Legal Disclaimer
Actual product packaging and materials may contain more and different information
than what is shown on our website. We recommend that you do not rely solely
on the information presented and that you always read labels, warnings, and
directions before using or consuming a product.
We spoke with Lenny & Larry's co-owner on two occasions in January 2014 about
the labeling of its Oatmeal Raisin Complete Cookie®. He told us that "what's
on the label is in the package." He stated that "some of Lenny & Larry's products
on Amazon may still be those sold in older packaging but once the supply is
gone, only the products in newer packaging will be shipped to Amazon." According
to the co-owner, "The newer packaging extends the shelf life of the cookies."
He could not precisely say when all of the older packaging would be gone but
predicted it could occur within "a month or two" depending on when the cookies
were originally shipped and how many remain in stock.
The newer packaging contains an ingredient label that includes only raw sugar.
Cookies containing raw sugar are the only ones available for purchase from
Lenny & Larry's website.
The VRG asked Lenny & Larry's co-owner if the raw sugar in the Oatmeal Raisin
Complete Cookie® had been processed with cow bone char. He checked with his
baker and told us that "no cow bone char was used to produce the raw sugar
in Lenny & Larry's Complete Cookies®-Our Complete Cookies® are vegan-They
are produced on dedicated vegan equipment."
Readers interested in learning more about sugar production may view this document
found on the Unites States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) site:
[ http://www.epa.gov/ttn/chief/ap42/ch09/final/c9s10-1a.pdf ]
See the American Sugar Alliance FAQ page for more information:
[ http://www.sugaralliance.org/faq.html#raw ]
With regard to sugar and vegan labeling, readers may note that the United
States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not legally defined "vegan"
as of February 2014. Since there are no regulations surrounding the term's
use on labels, different companies may define it differently. The VRG recommends
that when in doubt contact the manufacturer to clarify ingredient sources.
More information on this topic may be found here:
[ http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2006issue3/2006_issue3_labels.php ]
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8) VEGAN ICE CREAM IN SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA
Laura McGuiness wrote: A new ice cream parlor opened up in downtown San Jose
recently. They specialize in making ice cream sandwiches and apparently they are
offering vegan ice cream as well as vegan cookies and toppings. They use
separate utensils, keep vegan items separate, and even offer to change
their gloves in between handling vegan and regular items. It's pretty
awesome for anybody with an allergy and the ice cream sandwiches are
such a treat!!! This is groundbreaking for San Jose and residents
should know about it! The restaurant is called CREAM and here is their
website: [ http://www.creamnation.com/menu.html ]
Look for them also in Davis, Palo Alto, Berkeley, San Mateo, and Walnut Creek.
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9) VRG TO HOST VEGAN SOUL FOOD DINNER IN ATLANTA
VEGAN DINNER IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2014, 6PM
Catered by Soul Vegetarian Restaurant
The Vegetarian Resource Group will host a vegan dinner during the Annual Meeting
of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Dietitians, members, students,
and the public are welcome.
BUFFET INCLUDES
Crisp vegetable tray with onion, cucumber, or garlic dip
Garden Salad and Prince Dressing (house dressing made with soy milk)
Dinner Rolls or Cornbread
Side Vegetables (choice of 2):
Tender Greens
Sweet Potatoes
Herb-Baked Potatoes
Green Beans
Entrées (choice of 2):
Southern Style Baked B-B-Q Tofu
Smothered Steak with Gravy and Onions
Cheesy-Spinach-Tofu Lasagne
Mediterranean Cauliflower with CousCous
Dessert: Apple Pie or Vanilla Delight Cake
Beverage: Lemonade
LOCATION: Morehouse School of Medicine, GA
1.9 miles from the Georgia World Congress Center
PAYMENT: $25 by September 1, 2014. Includes tax and tip. If seats available,
$30 after September 1. Send payment to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O.
Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203; Call (410) 366-8343 with a credit card Monday
to Friday, 9AM to 5PM Eastern Time, or go to www.vrg.org/donate and write
Atlanta dinner in the comments area. Refunds only made if we can replace your
seat.
NAME:
NUMBER ATTENDING: x $25/person before 9/01/14= $ Enclosed
NAMES ATTENDING:
ADDRESS:
STATE/ZIP
E-MAIL:
PHONE:
DONATION TOWARDS VEGETARIAN OUTREACH: $
TOTAL ENCLOSED: $
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10) VEGAN CHEESESTEAK CONTEST IN PHILLY
Vance Lehmkuhl writes: Philadelphia had a contest to find the Best
Vegan Cheesesteak in Philly. I think it's pretty newsworthy.
Here's my Daily News column announcing the contest:
[ http://www.philly.com/philly/food/health/vforveg/20140220_Contest__Who_s_got_the_best_vegan_cheesesteak_in_town_.html ]
Here's the page with the results.
[ http://articles.philly.com/2014-03-21/news/48406966_1_cheesesteak-contest-vegan-frank-olivieri-jr ]
Check it out!
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11) OWNER/CHEF SOUGHT IN WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, VT
Owner/chef sought for restaurant/beer garden space in new mixed use
green building in downtown White River Junction, VT scheduled
to open in 2015. White River Junction is a burgeoning arts community in the
heart of the Upper Valley-Dartmouth College region which has a population
of 70,000 and high disposable incomes. There are no vegetarian-focused restaurants
in this market area. For a description of the building see www.bittinger.org.
For further information contact Bill Bittinger, community developer,
at [email protected]
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12) VEGAN DELISH APP
REVIEWED BY SAMANTHA GENDLER
The Vegan Delish app offers more than 150 vegan recipes by food blogger Carrie
Forrest, MPH, with more being added each month. You can search for a recipe
by keyword, or by category (kid-friendly, oil-free, desserts), but browsing
them by their gorgeous photos is mouth-watering and inspiring. Clicking on
a recipe photo brings you to a screen that rates the difficulty level of the
dish and shows an average star rating out of five, as rated by other users.
All of the equipment you'll need for the dish is listed so that you can easily
avoid recipes that include items you may not have on hand, like a food dehydrator
or processor. With the click of a button, all of the ingredients for the dish
you plan to make can be added to a handy shopping list. The app will also
automatically calculate how much of everything you need to buy, based on whether
you would like to make anywhere from 1 to 23 servings. Popular recipes include
Slow Cooker Indian Stew and Mock Tuna Salad. The app costs $2.99 and is available
for iPhone, iTouch, and iPad.
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13) DEER
A large organic farm owner once told us that they shot above deer to scare them
away and keep them from eating the crops. They just tried to scare the deer away,
but that didn't always work. If anyone has used the product below, please let us know how
it worked.
[ http://mygardenguide.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1427&Itemid=27 ]
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14) VISIT VRG AT THESE OUTREACH BOOTHS
Please come by our booth at these events. If you want to volunteer,
contact Nina at [email protected]
- PA Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Annual Meeting & Exhibition
- Bethlehem, PA
4/24/2014
[ http://www.eatrightpa.org ]
- Baltimore VegFest
- Baltimore, MD
5/3/2014
[ http://www.thehumaneleague.com/BaltimoreVegFest/index.htm ]
- Richmond VegFest
- Richmond, VA
6/21/2014
[ http://www.veggiefest.org ]
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
- Atlanta, GA
October 19 - 21, 2014
VRG will be hosting a vegan dinner in Atlanta Sunday, October 19 at 6 PM.
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15) HOSTS FOR VEGETARIAN EXCHANGE STUDENTS
"BRING THE WORLD IN" BY HOSTING AN EXCHANGE STUDENT!
PAX ( www.pax.org ) is a non-profit educational foundation dedicated to providing
exchange opportunities to teenagers around the world by matching them with
placement in a U.S. high school and host family. Host families come in all
shapes and sizes and include single parents, retirees, 'empty nesters', young
couples with small children, as well as two parent families with teenagers.
As the Baltimore/Baltimore County Community Coordinator for PAX, I am presently
seeking host families for two Vegetarian female students from Spain and Germany
for the 2014-2015 school year. To accommodate school placement, I am looking
for host families that live in Northern Baltimore City or in Baltimore County,
areas North and Northwest of Baltimore City.
To find out more about this wonderful opportunity, please contact Meredith
Safford at 410-382-5359, or email at [email protected]
For information in other areas, go to
[ http://pax.org/ ]
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16) A HEALTHY PLANT BASED DIET EVENT IN MARYLAND
Hi VRG.
I wanted to make you aware of and ask for your help in promoting an event
that I am co-arranging/hosting with Dr. Dana Simpler, a local plant-based
internist.
We are very excited to be bringing a one day immersion on plant-based nutrition
for disease prevention to our area, with some very special guest presenters.
[ https://www.eventbrite.com/e/eat-well-stay-well-one-day-immersion-tickets-10808016067 ]
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17) JEWISH VEGETARIAN EVENT IN NYC
Richard Schwartz, one of the Leading Figures of Jewish Vegetarianism, to be
Honored at 80th Birthday Celebration
Statement written by Jewish Vegetarians of North America Executive Director
Jeffrey Cohan
Richard Schwartz, author of the book "Judaism and Vegetarianism" and a passionate
proponent of Judaism's highest ideals, will be honored in Manhattan on Monday
night, May 19, on the occasion of his 80th birthday.
Proceeds from the dinner event (and Tribute Book) -- "Richard Schwartz at
80: A Celebration of Vegetarian Thought and Activism" - will benefit Jewish
Vegetarians of North America (JVNA).
Schwartz is the President Emeritus of JVNA and a member of the organization's
Board of Directors. In addition, Schwartz is the associate producer of "A
Sacred Duty," widely regarded as the most important documentary film about
the Jewish ideal of vegetarianism. A prolific author and public speaker, Schwartz
has long urged Jews to embrace plant-based diets as a means of not only saving
animals from suffering, but also of averting disease and reducing our carbon
footprints. He has over 200 articles and 25 podcasts of his talks and interviews
at www.JewishVeg.com/schwartz, and has given hundreds of talks and appeared
on hundreds of radio interview programs.
The "Schwartz at 80" dinner will be kosher and vegan.
See:
[ http://www.jewishveg.com/Schwartz-at-80 ]
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18) 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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19) 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,
[ 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 2014 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
--
Please support our outreach and assistance to others!
Join VRG: [ http://www.vrg.org/journal/subscribe.htm ]
Donate: [ https://www.givedirect.org/give/givefrm.asp?Action=GC&CID=1565 ]
Free email news: [ http://www.vrg.org/vrgnews/index.htm#subscribe ]
[email protected] [ http://www.vrg.org ]
The Vegetarian Resource Group / Vegetarian Journal
P.O. Box 1463
Baltimore MD 21203 US
(410) 366-8343
The VRG is an educational non-profit group providing
information on vegetarianism & veganism.
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