Chipotle will bring the popular vegetarian option to Southern California on Monday, June 3.

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Los Angeles, May 16, 2013 – After testing a new vegetarian menu item called “Sofritas” in seven San Francisco Bay Area restaurants, then expanding into all Northern California locations, Chipotle Mexican Grill will launch Sofritas throughout Southern California on June 3, 2013, making the new menu item available in all California restaurants.

Sofritas, shredded tofu braised with chipotle chilies, roasted poblanos, and a blend of aromatic spices, is made with organic, non-GMO tofu from Oakland, Calif. artisan producer, Hodo Soy. Chipotle expects Sofritas to appeal to vegetarian and vegan customers, as well as those looking for an exciting new taste.

“We are changing the way people think about and eat fast food,” said Steve Ells, Chipotle founder, chairman and co-CEO. “Sofritas is a very
different kind of menu item, not just for Chipotle but for any fast food or fast casual restaurant. It was conceived with vegetarians and vegans
in mind, but it’s so delicious that we think it will have crossover appeal as well. It’s been well received in the initial test and Northern
California market, so we’re expanding throughout the state to give more people the opportunity to try it.”

Sofritas is available in burritos, tacos, burrito bowls, and salads and can be combined with other signature ingredients, including white or brown cilantro-lime rice, pinto beans or vegetarian black beans, house-made salsas and guacamole, and cheese or sour cream.

Last year we reported on Beyond Meat™, a meat analog company founded by Ethan Brown and based in Cumberland, Maryland. According to Beyond Meat, their product will be offered at Tropical Smoothie as a substitute for chicken in salads and sandwiches in 338 locations across 36 states starting May 21. Beyond Meat Chicken-Free Strips are made with a blend of pea and soy protein. Let us know if you see this product in your local Tropical Smoothie!

Congratulations to Amory Fischer from Virginia, who is our second $5,000 college scholarship recipient for 2013! Amory, who will be majoring in environmental policy, said:

I have destroyed the myth that vegetarians are short, unhealthy, scrawny individuals, who cannot survive without dietary supplements. I have held my own on a soccer team, lifted weights with football players, and stacked hay in the barn and bags of seed in the storehouse alongside the rest of my coworkers. They may be surprised to find out I am a vegetarian, but they no longer think people like me cannot keep up.

As a kindergartener, I would get upset about people eating meat in my presence. I would tell them continually why what they were doing was disgusting and wrong and why I disliked them for it. One could infer then, that I had few people who took me seriously and even few who would hang out with me, especially during lunch. I have learned since that to really get someone to think about the choices they make, one has to first relate to that person…People are willing to listen when they are talked to respectfully…

Vegetarianism is an integral aspect of my world view…In my freshman year of high school, I won second place in the state of Virginia forensics competition with a piece devoted to nonviolence and compassion for all life. When I was fifteen, I won sixth place in the State’s Virginia High School League Forensics Original Oratory Competition with a speech on the topic of vegetarianism…

I joined the Key Club in freshman year of high school…I approached the club sponsor with the idea of a separate Environmental Committee. She agreed to let me try it out – if I would be in charge… (In one project) I have organized thirty of my peers though my position as Key Club Environmental Committee Chair to help set up and take down tents, tables, and chairs for the Charlottesville Vegetarian Festival. We also help run the festival, manning booths for vendors or educators that need a break, passing around petitions, assisting the many food stands with serving customers, and running errands…I will be graduating this year, so in order to continue this tradition of helping with the Vegetarian Festival and other environmental projects, I have made a fourteen page booklet for my successors on the committee to be able to carry the torch. It is filled with detailed descriptions of all the projects we worked on…

One of Amory’s references stated that, “Amory organized Key Club volunteers for the Charlottesville Vegetarian Festivals as well as Charlottesville’s Eco Fair… Without Amory’s support we would have had a difficult time managing the event. However last year’s event was so successful that this year we are doing the event as a zero waste festival. Without Amory and his leadership of the Key Club we would not even consider this additional project.”

Amory related, “A friend of my step-father’s asked me about my dream of going into politics…I responded by saying that my path would be based on whatever doors of opportunity opened. I place my future in the Lord’s hands, and day by day I live by two simple goals: to help those suffering today and preserve the earth for future generations. Vegetarianism is the solution to both those goals.”

The deadline for the next Vegetarian Resource Group Scholarship is February 20, 2014 for high school seniors. Please see http://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm

To contribute to VRG scholarships, VRG internships, or to give Vegetarian Journal to scholarship entrants, donate at www.vrg.org/donate
Indicate the projects you want to earmark in the comments.

As spring heats up, we were thinking back on a recipe we really enjoyed at last year’s meeting of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The California Strawberry Commission was sampling this dish:

INGREDIENTS
6 lbs Fresh California strawberries, stemmed and chopped
2 1/4 pounds plum tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 pounds English cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
9 cloves garlic
3 jalapeño peppers
1 1/2 cups Sherry vinegar
Salt and black pepper as needed.

DIRECTIONS
To make Strawberry Gazpacho, in blender, purée strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, garlic, jalapeños and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Yield: 24 cups. They cut the ingredients in 1/3 for 8 cups.

http://www.californiastrawberries.com/recipes_and_ideas/detail/strawberry_gazpacho

Congratulations to Greta Lorenz from California, who is one of our $5,000 college scholarship recipients for 2013! Greta wrote:

Like many, I became a vegan for what I perceive to be moral and ethical reasons. Although my parents, sister, and I have long been a part of a committed spiritual tradition, neither of my parents were vegetarian until I ‘converted’ them several years ago. Subsequently, both became vegan. This was my first experience in promoting ‘kindness on a plate’ and it left an indelible mark that has given me the confidence to promote within a wider sphere, including my middle and high schools. Just before entering high school I was awarded an Environmental Stewardship grant of $1,000 for my research and presentation to the student body on the subject of meat eating and the enormous ecological drain it creates. My presentation included statistics on water and land usage, the grain needs, and methane gas emissions, to name a few. As a result of the award, I was asked by the headmaster to represent my school in the U.S. Green Schools Fellows program. Although I was unable to attend the training program in Virginia for financial reasons, nevertheless, I was honored to be chosen as my school’s representative. The communication that had been established between the principal and myself emboldened me to ask for a meeting in which I presented my idea of showing the documentary “Peaceable Kingdom” (after seeing, which, I became vegan) to the high school. I gave a copy to him, which to his credit he viewed, but ultimately felt it might be too disturbing for some of the students.

I am proud to say that my nickname has been “vegan” all through high school and I wear the mantel seriously … For the last 2 years, I have been an active participant in L.A.’s annual “Veggie” parade, in which I dressed as a carrot.

My involvement in preparing and serving food for homeless shelters consists of first making the food at home. It is always vegetarian … After preparation, I transport the food and then serve it every other Sunday at the Women’s shelter and every Wednesday and/or Thursday afternoon a the H.O.P.E. facility. I have been helping make (meals) and serve at H.O.P.E. for over four years and doing the same at the downtown women’s shelter for the last two years. I am a staunch, but hopefully not too obnoxious vegan and so I always try to make the meals vegan; however, I understand that many of our clients really like dishes made with dairy … I make many dishes with tofu and use tempeh and seitan when I can afford it or get it donated. I make mashed potatoes using Earth Balance and one of my most popular dishes is baked cauliflower with soy cheese. Because I am aware that many of the homeless community really crave ‘comfort food,’ I try to make that as much as possible. Also, it is important that they get sufficient protein so I always make sure that happens. I make a lot of pasta dishes with tofu, tempeh, or seitan, as well as beans and rice burritos. I also make PB&J sandwiches to pass out to anyone who wants to take them for later. What I’ve found interesting over my many years of doing this, is just how many of the people I prepare food for and serve, say that they are already vegetarian! Startling, because when you don’t often know where your next meal will come from, it takes a real commitment to adhere to a vegetarian diet. I am always humbled by that.

I’ve been asked by Mother’s Kitchen to cook and serve (vegetarian of course) food at the Topanga Earth Day celebration. They have an annual
booth there and I’m honored to be asked. I have done the same for them for the last 2 years.

I have spent time in an Ashram in southern India, where my job is to cook and bake for enormous numbers of people. All dishes are vegetarian. The trips to India were initially funded by my parents until 2009, when my father became ill and could no longer work (He passed away in 2012). I baby sat, dog walked, and began working at Starbucks in order to pay for my plane ticket. Having visited an orphanage in Paripally, India, I became aware that the children were sleeping on metal bed frames with no mattresses. On returning to the U.S., I made jewelry and sold it, making $600, which was used to buy mattresses.

I’m thrilled to be accepted to UCLA. In addition to being an amazing university, they have a very active club called Bruins for Animals that promotes among other causes, Veganism and cruelty-free farming. I’m intending to be their most vocal member.

To donate towards iur scholarship awards or needs based interns, or to underwrite sending Vegetarian Journals to applicants, go to www.vrg.org/donate; call (410) 366-8343, or mail checks to VRG, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203. Please indicate your wishes.

For information about applying for the 2014 scholarship, see https://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm

Issue 3, 2012

This is a special Issue dedicated to The Vegetarian Resource Group’s 30th Anniversary. It includes Celebration Meals; 30 Memorable Activities From The VRG’s 30 Years of Activism; Top Vegan Foods 30 Years Ago Vs. Today; Remember When? VRG volunteers and staff take Amanda J. Gilley down memory lane; Vegan Restaurants Across the USA; Looking Back and Looking Forward Six luminaries consider the vegetarian movement’s past and future; 30 Ways to Celebrate with The VRG Over the Next 30 Years; List of 30th Anniversary Donors; 30 Vegan Meal Ideas Even Non-Vegetarians Will Enjoy!; VRG Teaches Interns About Veganism/Candle 79 Party.

Issue 4, 2012

Offers a wide range of articles including: Multitude of Mushrooms; How Often Do Americans Eat Vegetarian Meals? And How Many Adults in the U.S. Are Vegetarian?; Vegetarians in the Hospital; VRG Awards $5,000 College Scholarships to High School Seniors in Washington and Iowa; Menu Planning Using the 2010 Dietary Guidelines; Accommodating Vegans in Assisted-Living Facilities; Vitamin C and iron absorption, Southern cooking done vegan-style; Frozen Foods Frenzy; Indie Folk Rock Musician John Darnielle, An Interview by Candice DeForest

Click here to read more Vegetarian Journal back issues»

Our next Call-A-Dietitian Day is Saturday, May 11th, 2013, from 12:00 – 3:00pm 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 vrg@vrg.org 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.

VRG volunteer Candice Kalinski investigated the vegan options available at her local Walmart. This is what she found.

The following list of products were found in a Walmart Superstore. All products were labeled vegan on the package. This list was made based on the products available in April 2013 at a Walmart Superstore in Orlando, Florida. Product availability and their locations within the store may vary.

Dairy Aisle (Juices, Milks, Butters):

1. Earth Balance Spread – Original, Note: Also available in Soy Free and Organic
2. Odwalla – Superfood- 12 fl. oz…, Note: Also available in Mango Tango
3. Diamond Almond Breeze Original Almond Milk, Note: Also available in Vanilla and Unsweetened Vanilla
4. Naked Juice – Blue Machine – 32 fl. oz…., Note: Also available in Strawberry Banana and Green Machine
5. Naked Juice Mighty Mango – 64 fl. oz…, Note: Also available in Blue Machine and Green Machine in this size
6. So Delicious Coconut Milk – Vanilla, Note: Also available Unsweetened
7. 8th Continent Soy Milk – Original, Note: Original contains sugar from an unspecified source
8. So Delicious Almond+ Milk – Unsweetened

Frozen Foods Aisle:

1. Amy’s Non-Dairy Burrito, Note: Also available in Cheddar Cheese, which is not vegan
2. Boca Original Vegan Burger, Note: Also available in Flamed Grilled, which is not vegan
3. Boca Chicken Veggie Patties
4. Amy’s Black Bean Enchilada Dinner
5. So Delicious Coconut Milk Ice Cream Chocolate, Note: Also available in Vanilla Bean

Chips/Soda Aisle:

1. Rice Works Sea Salt Flavor, Note: Also available in Sweet Chili (vegan) and Salsa (not vegan); Sweet Chili flavor contains sugar from an unspecified source
2. Rice Works Wild Sea Salt Black Sesame
3. Food Should Taste Good Sweet Potato, Note: Also available in Blue Corn, Olive, BBQ, Jalapeno (all vegan), and Cheddar (not vegan)

Cereal/Granola Bars Aisle:

1. Lara Bar Apple Pie bars, Note: Also available in Peanut Butter Cookie (vegan), Roasted Nut bar (not vegan), and Cherry Cobbler (not vegan)
2. Pacific Ultra Soy Milk – Original – 32 fl. oz.
3. Soy Dream Milk – Original – 32 fl. oz.
4. Rice Dream – Classic – 32 fl. oz., Note: Also available in Enriched, and Vanilla – 64 fl. oz.. containers only
5. Almond Breeze – Almond Coconut – 32 fl. oz, Note: Also available in Chocolate, and Original (32 fl. oz.); Vanilla in 64 fl. oz. only
6. So Delicious Coconut Milk – Original, Note: Also available in Unsweetened, and Unsweetened Vanilla
7. So Delicious Almond – 4-Pack Vanilla,
8. Nature’s Path Flax Plus cereal, Note: Also available in Pumpkin Flax Granola, which did not specify vegan

Baking Aisle (Flours, Sugars, Oils, etc):

1. Madhava Organic Coconut Sugar – vegan certified
2. Florida Crystals Organic Sugar – vegan certified
3. Madhava Agave Nectar – Amber – 11.75 fl. oz, Note: Also available in Light (23.5 fl. oz. size only)

Ethnic Foods (Rice/Boxed Dinners):

1. Lundberg Wild Blend Rice
2. Asian Creations Thai Kitchen Coconut Milk – Original can, Note: Also available in Lite
3. Asian Creations Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste, Note: Also available in Green Curry Paste
4. Asian Creations Thai Peanut Noodle Kit, Note: Pad Thai and Pad Thai Noodle Kit not vegan
5. Asian Creations Simply Asia Sesame Teriyaki, Note: Also available Noodle Bowl and Spicy Kung Pao
6. Annie Chun’s Udon Soup Bowl, Note: Also available in Miso Soup Bowl
7. Annie Chun’s Rice Express – White Sticky Rice
8. Snap Dragon Pan Asia Cuisine – Spicy Kimchi
9. Road’s End Organics Mac & Chreese – Alfredo Style
10. Lundberg Rice Chips – Sea Salt
11. Lundberg Brown Rice Cakes – Lightly Salted

Dressings/Canned Vegetables Aisle:

1. Organic Ville Pomegranate Vinaigrette, Note: Also available in Olive Oil & Balsamic, Sundried Tomato and Garlic, and Herbs de Provence
2. Annie’s Naturals Goddess Dressing

Breads/Coffee/Tea Aisle:

1. Peanut Butter and Co. – Dark Chocolate Dreams, Note: Also available in Bee’s Knees (not vegan), and White Chocolate Wonderful (vegan);

Produce Aisle:

1. Yves Meatless Ground, Note: manufactured in facility that uses egg and milk ingredients
2. Yves Meatless Deli Slices – Bologna, Note: manufactured in facility that uses egg ingredients
3. Yves Meatless Pepperoni Slices, Note: manufactured in facility that uses egg ingredients

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

By Whitney Blomquist

This April I had the opportunity to work a booth for The Vegetarian Resource Group at the first ever Kale-A-Rama Festival. It was a perfect sunny day for the premier of this kale themed event in Greenbelt, Maryland. We had the pleasure of being placed right beside Everlasting Life’s Food Truck, which stayed busy all day, sending customers on their way with delicious garlic kale salad and vegan mac and cheese. Everyone and everything was decorated with kale. There was kale ice cream, kale smoothies, kale chips, and best of all kale doughnuts that were surprisingly fantastic.

My parents and I conversed with people who were already vegan, along with some that were beginning their vegan journey. Our visitors all had in-depth questions and positive feedback about how much they enjoy the vegan lifestyle. We spoke with a few athletes that were looking for ways to pack on muscle and a woman who had successfully lost 25 pounds and was able to stop using her cholesterol medicine. There were several parents who were successfully raising vegan children and a man that studies the effects of GMO products. As always, we shared useful information with everyone and, in return, received info we could share with others in the future.

Kale-A-Rama was an enjoyable festival that brought vegans together to discuss animal rights issues, listen to music, eat good food, and network with people that share similar beliefs. Events like Kale-A-Rama allow The Vegetarian Resource Group to distribute resources and establish connections with people throughout the country. It is important that VRG has a presence at similar events around the nation. VRG relies on volunteers to make this happen.

If you are interested in volunteering at a VRG booth at an event in your community, email vrg@vrg.org. For a list of other ways to become involved, visit: http://www.vrg.org/getinvolved.php

To support veg outreach, donate at www.vrg.org/donate