photo from La Vimea

• 3 Place des Arbes (B&B in Felletin, France)
• Andean Spirit Lodge – Limatambo (vegetarian guesthouse with vegan options; Cusco, Peru)
• Appalachian Trail Adventures(Killington, VT, US)
• Beck Hall (vegan hotel located in the Yorkshire Dales in England)
• Black Sheep Inn (vegan Inn in Hammondsport, NY, US)
• Brookton Hollow Farm Bed & Breakfast (near Ithaca, NY, US)
• Carmel Valley Lodge (Carmel Valley, CA, US)
• Casa Albets (Vegan hotel Lelida, Spain)
• Deer Run on the Atlantic (vegan B&B in Big Pine Key, FL, US)
• Farm Sanctuary Cottages (vegan and part of Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, NY, US)
• Finca de Vida (vegetarian health lodge & healing center with vegan options in Costa Rica)
• Ginger Cat Bed & Breakfast (vegan B&B in Rock Stream, NY, US)
• Harvest Moon Bed & Breakfast (vegetarian B&B with vegan options in Rutland, VT, US)
• Haskell’s House (vegetarian guest house with vegan options in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, US)
• Haus Sonnenstein Bed & Breakfast (vegetarian B&B with vegan options in Germany)
• The Homestead at Catskill Animal Sanctuary (vegan guest house in Saugerties, NY, US)
• Kingston House Bed & Breakfast (B&B with vegan options in Bermuda)
• Koukoumi Hotel (vegan hotel in Greece)
• La Maison Du Vert (vegan guest house in Paye D’Auge, France)
• La Vimea (vegan hotel in Italy)
• Lands in Love (vegan hotel in Costa Rica)
• Le Cheval Blanc(vegan B&B in St Antonin-Noble-Val, France)
• Mikasa boutique Hotel (vegan hotel located in Spain)
• Mother Earth Vegan Hotel (vegan hotel located in Costa Rica)
• Omassim Guesthouse (vegetarian guest house with vegan options in Ericeira, Portugal)
• Park Lane Guest House(vegetarian guest house with vegan options in Austin, TX, US)
• Red Robin Song Guest House (vegan guest house in Lebanon, NY)
• Saorsa 1875 Hotel (vegan hotel in Scotland)
• Sewall House Yoga Retreat (vegetarian with vegan options in Island Falls, ME, US)
• Speedwell Forge B&B (B&B with vegan options in Lititz, PA, US)
• The Stanford Inn by the Sea (vegan hotel resort in Mendocino, CA, US)
• Sugar Ridge Retreat Centre (vegetarian center with vegan options in Ontario, Canada)
• Sundogs Bed and Breakfast (vegan B&B in Shepherdstown, WV, US)
• Topia Inn(Inn with vegan options in Adams, MA, US)
• Vegan Agrivilla i Pini (vegan hotel located in Italy)
• Volcano Eco Retreat by Heart Core Hotels (vegan hotel located in Hawaii, USA)
• The White Pig Bed & Breakfast at Briarcreek Farm (vegan B&B at pig sanctuary in Schuyler, VA, US)

Former VRG intern Julia Mathew shares vegan South Indian recipes that were passed down through generations and are finally in written form for everyone to enjoy! Try Kerala Parippu Curry (South Indian Lentil and Coconut Dish), Sambar and Dosa (South Indian Lentil and Vegetable Stew with a Sourdough Crepe), Masala Dosa (South Indian Potato and Vegetable-Filled Crepes), Thenga Chammanthi (South Indian Coconut Chutney), and Cherupayar Ularthiyathu (Kerala Mung Bean Stir-Fry).

The article can be found here: http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2018issue1/2018_issue1_recipes_coconuts.php

To subscribe to Vegan Journal, visit: Subscribe to Vegan Journal

photo from Loyola University Maryland

By Danielle Choma, VRG Intern

Loyola University of Maryland is overall a small university compared to most other universities. Due to its small size, there are a limited number of dining options available to students on campus. However, in total, there are three dining halls along with two markets, and five restaurants. For the size of Loyola’s campus, this is a great amount of food options for their students. Now let’s dive into the vegan options that are available throughout these choices.

In “Boulder,” one of the main dining halls on campus, there is always an allergy-safe zone meal option. Here students can find vegan options that rotate daily. In addition, there is a sandwich station in “Boulder”. One can find two different types of vegan “meat.” There is a vegan ‘chicken cutlet,’ as well as vegan sliced ‘cold cuts’ available to make a sandwich. There is also a salad bar with many options, such as spinach, romaine, mixed greens, peppers, tomatoes, seeds, chickpeas, carrots, etc.

In “Iggy’s, the second main dining hall on campus, there are also similar options. This dining hall is located on the opposite side of campus. There is the same sandwich station, as well as a pizza station that has vegan cauliflower crusts and vegan cheese options. They also have an allergy-safe zone at Iggy’s with rotating meals each day and throughout the week. One vegan breakfast option is vegan eggs with vegan plant-based meat.

Then there is “Boulder 2.0,” which is located above “Boulder”. In Boulder 2.0, students can find an extravagant salad bar with more options than the salad bar in Boulder. Some of the extra options include grilled vegetables, chia seeds, etc. In addition, Boulder 2.0 carries vegan soups that are available different days of the week. There is also a hot station in Boulder 2.0 called “bravissimo”. Here students can find hot prepared lunches or dinners with vegan and vegetarian options.

The restaurants on campus include, “Green & Grey Café,” Starbucks, “Choolah,” “Green Peel,” and “Fresh West.” Green & Grey Café serves coffees, teas, juices, fruits, bakery items, and small sandwiches. One of their vegan sandwiches is hummus-based with vegetables on top, with a choice of vegan cheese. Starbucks can make vegan drinks from juices and teas, to chai and coffees. Choolah is an Indian restaurant where students can get rice, choice of tikka sauce, chickpea masala, or yellow lentil dal masala, all vegan, and then can add a vegan samosa. Green Peel serves smoothies and acai bowls, which are all vegan as well. Fresh West is a Mexican place where students can get wraps or bowls with their choice of fillings. Vegan options would include rice, beans, and vegetables.

To see options at other colleges, see https://www.vrg.org/teen/#college

Chef Nancy Berkoff says, “Cabbage, cilantro, parsley, Swiss chard, green peppers, chilies, leeks, scallions and chives, snow peas, petit pois (young green peas), spinach, kale, collards, mustard and beet greens, romaine, and endive are some of the greenery we can use to brighten our spring menu!” She offers these recipes: Fennel Salad; Green Pea MockaGuacamole; Smoky Collards; Grilled Romaine Salad with Vinaigrette Dressing; and Vinegary Green Beans with Dill.

Read the entire article along with her recipes here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2013issue1/2013_issue1_early_spring_greens.php

Subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only here: https://www.vrg.org/member/cabdacae.php

photo from Siete

The Vegetarian Resource Group maintains an online Guide to Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants in the USA and Canada. Here are some recent vegan restaurant additions. The entire guide can be found here: http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

To support the updating of this online restaurant guide, please donate at: www.vrg.org/donate

Here are some new additions to VRG’s guide:

Benaras Vegan Restaurant, 10532 82 Ave. NW, Edmonton, AB T6E 2A4 Canada

Benaras Vegan Restaurant has a plethora of vegan options for you to try. From delicious, protein packed vegan burgers to veggie-filled entrees, there’s a healthy vegan option for everyone! Interested in trying poutine? Benaras has a vegan option for that too.

Bliss Kitchen, 312 Dundas St. E., Waterdown, ON L0R 2H0, Canada

Everything here is vegan! Their cakes are based on flavors like Twix bars, chocolate chip cookie dough, caramel apple, tiramisu, and key lime. They also offer a roasted veggie sandwich and various salads, along with smoothies and lattes consisting of unique fruit and herbal combinations.

Frescura Vegan Kitchen, Reparto Industrial Correa, Lote #24, Bayamón PR 00962

Come dine in at Frescura Vegan Kitchen where all the lush greenery decor and forest green aesthetic is sure to keep you company! They have a variety of bowls, wraps and quesadillas, their so-called “Vburgers,” tostadas and sandwiches, ensaladas (salads), and sopas (soups). Some of their popular items include their Chickin Mexican bowl, Vegan Quesadillas, Jibarito Wrap, and Panchito Chickin Vburger. Plus, they have tasty looking coffee, espresso, super lattes, and batidas (traditional Latin American fruit drink). If in Puerto Rico, you have to try bizcochos, a traditional cake, and luckily for you, Frecura Vegan Kitchen has it too!

Gaias Garden Café, 695 100 W. St., St. George, UT 84770

Serves vegan dishes such as nachos with a heaping tray of tortilla chips, velvety cheese, black beans, corn, red and green pepper, green onion, jalapeños, cilantro, and house-made pico. They also have a Hummus Plate with creamy house made hummus, stuffed grape leaves, pita, cucumbers, carrots, radish, and Greek olives.

Janelle’s Vegan Kitchen, 10 Lawrence St., Amherst, NS B4H 3G5, Canada

Janelle’s Vegan Kitchen offers ginger noodle stir-fry with bell peppers, broccoli, bean sprouts, plant-based ginger ‘meat’, and rice noodles. They also serve lemongrass Chik’n stir-fry and sweet and sour tofu. You’ll also find wraps available such as a falafel wrap or a spicy tofu wrap.

Kernel, 315 Park Ave. S., New York City, NY 10010

Must order online and pick up at the location. Serves sandwiches, veggies, salads, sweets, sauces, and drinks. Sample dishes include: Kernel Salad – kale, radicchio, savoy cabbage, chickpeas, and signature Kernel dressing; Crunchy Cucumbers – wild rice, basil, cilantro, mint, chili jam, cashews; Roasted Carrots – farro, roasted dates, spiced almonds, salsa verde (avocado, herbs, and chili); Marinated Beets – quinoa, super-seed crunch, and green hummus; Kernel Burger – roasted veggie patty (sweet potato, quinoa, and chickpeas) with salsa verde and pickled onions on a toasted brioche bun; and Crispy Chicken Sandwich – crispy cutlet with classic slaw, pickles, chipotle mayo on toasted brioche bun. Desserts are Chocolate Chunk Cookie and Oatmeal Raisin Walnut Cookie.

Siete, 37 W. 19th St., New York, NY 10010

Vegan Mexican Plant-Based Cuisine including tacos, ceviches, shared plates, entrées, desserts, and crafted cocktails. Bar features extensive collection of premium tequilas and mezcals as well as cocktails highlighting agave spirits. Appetizers include Salsa Trio – chips de Malanga, charred tomatillo and nopales, mango habanero, and grilled salsa fresca; Escabeche – pickled purple cauliflower, mango, shallot, red jalapeño, grilled nopales, chayote; entrees include “Beef” Taquitos – charred guajillo salsa, avocado mousse, queso fresco; Champinones Fritos – king oyster mushroom, toasted chipotle sauce, avocado mousse, crema; various tacos; Grilled “Chicken” Enchiladas – lime marinated chicken, flour tortilla, salsa verde, crema, avocado, cotija, pickled onion; Chile Relleno – fire roasted poblano, braised “beef,” sinaloa rice, queso fresco, tortilla-tomato sauce, avocado, crema, pomegranate; various vegan desserts including Lime Carlota – vanilla crust, cashew lime cream, condensed coconut milk, lime gelee, vanilla wafer crumble.

Toasty Food Truck, 536 NW Arizona Ave., Bend, OR 97701

One of their most loved items is their nacho crunchwrap. They also have burritos and wraps, salads and bowls, and even a kid-friendly menu. They pride themselves in only using fresh ingredients.

As people age their dietary needs change. Here’s a Vegan Menu for Adults 50+ with various caloric needs: https://www.vrg.org/seniors/veganmenusfor51+.pdf

photo from Cascabel

By Sundari Maharajh, VRG Intern

With vegan food growing in popularity, there is a lot more variety of options for plant-based eaters around the country. However, each area or even state has its own regional foods. Being from Houston, Texas, we have a strong Mexican influence on all our food choices due to close proximity to Mexico. This means there is an array of authentic vegan Mexican restaurants throughout Houston such as Cascabel. The south is also home to soul food, which has sparked the start of many vegan soul food restaurants around Texas. To explore the differences between Texas vegan food and East Coast vegan food I contacted several vegans from both regions for their insights.

One responder, Nadely Y. Requena, relayed my experiences with Texas vegan food typically being Tex-Mex or southern food like fried chicken, briskets, biscuits, etc. She also said that a big difference is the authenticity of the ethnic vegan food in the south, and that many Latinos started their vegan businesses around the Latino food and culture they grew up with. She then said that the classic southern dishes/soul food such as mac and cheese and mashed potatoes would be hard to find made as well or as authentically outside of the south.

Hearing from an east coaster perspective, Danielle Choma from northwestern New Jersey said she has no local vegan restaurants in her rural area. She cooks most of her vegan food homemade, or finds veggie options at her local places such as Chipotle. Danielle said however, when she visits Baltimore, the city has way more restaurants with vegan options for her. She mentioned Golden West Café, which serves an array of vegan sandwiches, tacos, and breakfast foods, all from a variety of different cultures, as a favorite of hers. She touched on a similar point that Nadely mentioned, that it is much easier to find vegan food in cities rather than small towns or suburbs. This seems to be a shared quality of the two regions, both having more concentration of vegan restaurants in cities rather than outside of the urban centers.

Noelle Merveilleux who has lived in both the East coast and the South said the main quality of Southern vegan restaurants is that they are either focused on serving vegan health food or serving comfort food. I do relate to her experience with vegan restaurants in the South a lot. While there are many comfort options to choose from like Tex-Mex and soul food, a lot of vegan food spots aim for a healthier approach with food options like raw vegan food, juice bars, etc.

Looking at the VRG restaurant guide, I noticed a wide variety of dishes in both Southern and Eastern Coast restaurants. Both regions offer a range of vegan ethnic food restaurants including many vegan Mexican restaurants located on the East Coast despite my initial impression that vegan Mexican restaurants would be more common in the south. In that same breath, both regions also both have many health food focused vegan restaurants. This narrows the vast regional difference I initially thought there was.

Ultimately, whether indulging in hearty comfort dishes or embracing healthier alternatives, the growing popularity of veganism across the United States continues to inspire new innovations in plant-based dining. It is a joy to see all the different options from region to region as it demonstrates how far vegan food has expanded that we now have regional differences and varieties. While there are still ways to go, particularly in adding vegan restaurants and food options in rural areas, this is still a step towards a more sustainable and humane future, one delicious meal at a time.

To explore the various vegan options in your area, visit https://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

The Vegetarian Resource Group has a graphic called Burrito on My Plate, which shows viewers the water footprint of a vegan versus a meat-based burrito. It takes 225 gallons of water to make a vegan burrito without tofu and 253 gallons of water to make a vegan burrito with tofu. In comparison, it takes 541 gallons of water to make a beef burrito.

The Burrito on My Plate Graphic can be seen here: https://www.vrg.org/environment/BurritoOnMyPlate.pdf

The article detailing how we came up with the numbers of gallons of water needed to produce each type of burrito can be found here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2017issue2/2017_issue2_burrito_plate.php

Cierra Peterlin shares vegan recipes utilizing foods that would otherwise go to waste. She says, “These ideas are meant to provide a quick view of what it could look like to eat in a way that is conscious of food waste each day.” Some of the recipes include Stale Bread French Toast, Celery Leaf Salad, Potato Soup, Wrinkly Pepper Fajitas, Banana Peel Tacos, and more. See: https://www.vrg.org/nutrition/vegan-zero-waste-recipe-ideas.pdf

By Chef Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD

So, perhaps some of your residents have requested vegan menus at your facility. Easy-peasy! Look at your menu and think which items on today’s menu don’t have meat, eggs, or dairy and build a vegan menu from there. For example, if you are serving pancakes, using a non-dairy pancake batter (US Foods, Smart and Final and Sysco have these), your vegan residents can enjoy these along with maple syrup and sliced bananas. Making omelets for your omnivore residents? Grill or sauté your mushroom, pepper, and onion filling then set aside some for your vegan residents. Vegans can have the cooked mushroom/pepper/onion filling with hash browns, half a baked potato, or corn tortillas.

Think about “building” salads and entrées without meat, dairy, or eggs and set these aside for your vegan residents. For example, if you are creating a macaroni casserole, cook and combine the macaroni, pea or veggies, then add some vegan margarine, and set aside to bake for your vegan residents. (You would then add other items and complete your omnivore preparations.) Preparing burritos? Create your cooked beans, tomatoes, onion, potatoes, and peppers filling and set aside for your vegan residents (and then you might add other items for your omnivores). Of course, if you have access to vegan meat alternatives and/or vegan cheese you could add these to your dishes.

If you have only one or two vegan requests, you can easily locate vegan canned soups, such as some Campbell’s Well Yes! (See: www.campbells.com/well-yes/vegan-soups), Amy’s, or Pacific Foods brands, as well as frozen veggie burgers. You can rotate these when your regular menu does not easily adapt for your vegan residents. Frozen veggie burgers can be served as a “stacked” burger (romaine or spinach, sliced tomatoes, pickles, shredded carrots, diced onions, relish, etc), crumbled and used for tomato “meat sauce,” or as the “meat” for casseroles, chili, or soups.

Here are just some of the items you probably make on a regular basis for everyone… and vegan residents can join in as well:

BREAKFAST

Hot cereal (leave out the butter and milk); fresh or frozen (thawed) fruit; dried apricots, apples, cranberries, and prunes; toast (with vegan margarine and fruit preserves); pancakes made from Bisquick (or equivalent, without added eggs or milk) served with maple syrup; and baked apples. (Always read current ingredients on products.)

Try baked oatmeal for a make-ahead breakfast or hot dessert. Spray a baking pan with vegetable oil and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together equal amounts of oatmeal and boiling water, and allow mixture to sit for about ten minutes, until oatmeal begins to soften. Add small amounts of chopped apples, raisins, or chopped canned peaches (or a combination), sliced ripe bananas, cinnamon, ginger, and maple syrup and bake until “set,” about 30 minutes. Serve warm as a breakfast casserole or dessert or chilled as a dessert.

LUNCH AND DINNER

Vegetable soup, split pea, navy bean, or lentil soup (prepared without meat), tomato soup, chili beans (prepared without meat), spinach salad, romaine salad, mixed greens salad, fresh tomato and cucumber salad, four bean salad (made with four types of canned beans, chopped onions, oil, and vinegar), fresh mixed fruit salad, fresh grapes, cooked rice or cooked grains (without chicken or beef stock or butter), cooked pasta, baked, steamed or roasted potatoes, baked sweet potatoes.

FOOD STORAGE AREAS

Your food storage areas most probably already contain many vegan items; no need to budget or shop “especially” for vegans:

IN THE PANTRY: canned fruit (in juice), unsweetened applesauce, canned pie filling, canned pumpkin, peanut butter, almond butter, nuts, dried fruit, dry pasta, rice, barley, quinoa, couscous, corn meal, canned beans and lentils, dried beans, split peas and lentils, potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, canned vegetables, canned mushrooms, some canned soups (review the labels for meat or dairy ingredients), vegetable oils and vegetable oil spray, tomato sauce (review label for meat or dairy ingredients), vegetable base (rather than beef or chicken), Shredded Wheat, hot cereals,  Bisquick, pancake mixes (review for dairy or egg ingredients), maple syrup, graham crackers (without honey), some cake mixes (check for egg or dairy ingredients), Ocean Spray cranberry sauce (check other brands, may contain gelatin), pudding mixes (can be made with soy or almond milk), shelf-stable (doesn’t need refrigeration) soy, oat, or almond milk

IN THE REFRIGERATOR: many breads (check for egg or dairy), corn tortillas, fresh fruits and vegetables, hummus, prepared mustard, pickles, olives, relish, ready-to-serve polenta, vegan margarine (check for dairy ingredients)

IN THE FREEZER: frozen pie crusts (check for dairy or egg ingredients or lard), frozen fruit (without sugar), frozen vegetables (without sauce), frozen hash browns and other potato products, sorbet (not sherbet, which has dairy)

Be sure to work with your purveyors for easy-to-prepare vegan entrées:

US Foods has some reasonably priced plant-based proteins: usfoods.com/great-food/featured-products/meat-substitutes.html

Sysco has veggie options, such as veggie meatballs: foodie.sysco.com/simply

Smart and Final and Costco have many vegan canned and frozen items, varying from store to store.

SOME FAST VEGAN IDEAS

Always talk to the resident about their specific needs and ingredient concerns.

BREAKFAST:

– hot cereal with maple syrup, toast with margarine, nut butter, sliced banana

– grilled or baked hash browns, sliced tomatoes or salsa, fresh or frozen berries

LUNCH:

– two bean taco or burrito with shredded romaine and chopped tomatoes, pudding made with almond or soy milk

– split pea or lentil soup

– baked sweet potato with crushed pineapple, raisins

SNACK:

– baked apple with chopped dried fruit

– hummus (or puréed bean dip) with toast or pretzels

– popcorn and orange slices

DINNER:

-sliced mushrooms served over pasta or rice, spinach salad or steamed spinach, sliced peaches

– baked potato topped with white beans and steamed veggies, seasoned carrots, sliced pears with cherries

– lentil stew (lentil soup with steamed potatoes, chopped tomatoes, mixed veggies), bread sticks or cut corn, applesauce with cinnamon

For information on serving larger quantities, bulk recipes, and beyond basic changes, see:

VRG VEGAN FOODSERVICE INFORMATION www.vrg.org/fsupdate/index.htm

Vegan in Volume by Chef Nancy Berkoff, RD: www.vrg.org/blog/2020/01/09/share-vegan-in-volume-with-local-restaurants-campus-dining-services-senior-housing-settings-hospitals-etc-6/

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