Boots Bakery & Lounge
https://www.facebook.com/bootsbakerylounge
24 W. Main Ave., Spokane, WA 99201
(509) 703-7223
Vegan/bakery/café/lounge. Boots Bakery & Lounge features vegan bistro fare in an eclectic environment. Try the Barbecue Tofu, ‘Tuno’ Casserole, or Tofu Scramble. Their
baked goods are delicious, especially the hugely popular, vegan Carrot Cake. Their Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffin is a crowd favorite. Boots features local art. Wi-Fi and outdoor seating are available. Open Sunday through Tuesday for breakfast, lunch, and early dinner. Open Wednesday through Saturday for three meals. Limited service, take-out, catering, espresso, alcohol, VISA/MC/AMEX/DISC, $.

Mama Bakes Safe Cakes
http://www.mamabakessafecakes.com/
5725 N. Commerce Ct., Ste. 250, Alpharetta, GA 30004
(770) 664-5638
Vegan/bakery. Mama Bakes Safe Cakes is an allergy-friendly dedicated bakery – all items are gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free, and peanut-free. They even have a second
dedicated baking room for soy-free and nut/coconut-free items. Cupcakes are their specialty; enjoy flavors like Red Rooibos Velvet, Vanilla, Chocolate, Coconut, Mocha,
or Chocolate Caramel. Open Tuesday through Saturday. Closed Sunday and Monday. Counter service, take-out, espresso, VISA/MC/AMEX/DISC, $-$$.

Pig Minds Brewing
http://www.pigmindsbrewing.com/
4080 Steele Dr., Machesney Park, IL 61115
(779) 423-2147
Vegan/American/brew pub. Pig Minds Brewing is a microbrewery with all-vegan food! Try the Memphis Hound Dog (non-meat hot dog), Buffalo Wrap (made with soy chicken), The Pig Mind (black bean burger), or Seitanic “Wings.” Don’t miss the chocolate brownies made with their own Pig Minds Stout Beer! The brewery has a taproom featuring select house brews on tap. Open Monday through Thursday for late lunch and dinner. Open Friday and Saturday for lunch and dinner through late night service. Open Sunday for lunch and dinner. Full service, beer/wine, VISA/MC, $-$$.

Plant Based Pizza
http://www.plantbasedpizza.com/
1111 Meridian Ave., Ste. 2, San Jose, CA 95125
(408) 448-8881
Vegan/pizzeria. Plant Based Pizza’s goal is to provide “cruelty-free food that is delicious and good for the planet.” The Mediterranean and Hawaiian pizzas are quite popular and the eatery is known for its chewy crust. While the focus is on pizza, they also offer calzones, panini, salads, burgers, and hot dogs — all vegan! If you adopt an animal companion from a shelter, Plant Based Pizza will give you a free pizza to show their appreciation! This small pizzeria is “making the world a better place, one pizza at a time.” Open daily for lunch and dinner. Limited service, take-out, delivery, VISA/MC/AMEX/DISC, $-$$$.

For more restaurants in the United States and Canada see: http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

To support The Vegetarian Resource Group research, outreach, and education of food services, please donate at: https://www.vrg.org/donate

By Ali Browder

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

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

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

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

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

One $500 award; two $250 awards!

The Rules:

Create and submit a video relating what you want to tell others about vegetarianism and/or veganism.

Some possible topics: food, nutrition, your feelings about veganism and/or vegetarianism, water usage and vegetarianism, vegetarianism and animal rights, or other vegetarian topics which appeal to you. Humor and feelings are appreciated. All videos should be positive, not be critical of anyone, and not include any footage of animal cruelty. You may submit a video you have already made.

Aspects of judging include accuracy and judges wanting to share the video with others.

Entrants give permission to The Vegetarian Resource Group to post and share the video, to link to and from the video, and share the video with the media.

DEADLINE: April 20, 2013

Click here to read the rest of the scholarship rules and apply »

John Frazier was one of last year’s winners for his bedtime story for vegetarian kids, Tofu Tiger. He said, “I am a vegetarian and I made this story for my daughter. I’d be thrilled if others could enjoy the story.”

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

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

The VRG spoke with Aubrie in the Support Center at Cafe Rio. She told us that neither the black beans, the pinto beans nor the rice contain any animal flavors or broths. None of their bread products were made with L-cysteine as a dough conditioner. The guacamole does not contain gelatin. A soybean-based shortening is used in the kitchen where vegetarian and vegan menu items are prepared separately from meat products.

Aubrie told us that Cafe Rio’s purchasing director is a vegetarian and so is aware of many of the ingredient concerns of vegetarians and vegans. She has developed lists (previously available online) of all menu items that are vegetarian or vegan and is currently updating them. In mid-March 2013, Aubrie said that “the [updated] vegan and vegetarian information should be available on our website shortly.”

The update was needed because of a recent ingredient change. Aubrie informed The VRG that

…there was a change made recently with the margarine that is used in our California, Maryland, and Virginia locations. Previously the margarine was dairy-free, but with the change made the new margarine does contain dairy…If you are looking for vegan or animal-free products in the California, Maryland, and Virginia markets here is a list of items that are safe:

• black beans
• pinto beans
• flour tortillas
• corn tortillas
• corn chips
• corn strips for salads
• tostada shells
• guacamole
• Pico de Gallo sauce
• Salsa Fresca
• romaine lettuce

To clarify the margarine change, we asked Aubrie if Cafe Rio restaurants in other states use margarine containing dairy. She replied by stating that “all of our other markets do not use dairy-free margarine and we do not anticipate that any changes will be made in the near future.”

On its website, Cafe Rio states that all of its food is “fresh and made daily. There aren’t any microwaves or freezers in any of our locations. Nothing is premade. We don’t have mechanized processed food.” Readers interested in learning more about Cafe Rio may visit its website: http://www.caferio.com/

The contents of this article, our website, and our other publications, including The Vegetarian Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company employees or company statements. Information does change and mistakes are always possible. Please use your own best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. Further research or confirmation may be warranted.

For the latest news on fast food and quick service chains, visit The VRG at http://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php

To purchase our Guide to Food Ingredients, please visit our website: http://www.vrg.org/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=8

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

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

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

The contents of this posting and our other publications, including the Vegetarian Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.

Looking for vegan Passover recipes? Happy holidays!

Matzo Meal Pancakes
From No Cholesterol Passover Recipes by Debra Wasserman

Makes 8 small pancakes

3 small ripe bananas, peeled
½ cup matzo meal
¾ cup water
2 teaspoons oil

Mash bananas in a small bowl. Add matzo meal and water. Mix well. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Form 8 small pancakes in heated pan and fry for about 10 minutes until brown on both sides.

Pear and Apple Slaw
From Vegan Passover Recipes by Nancy Berkoff

(Serves 5-6)

1 pound (about 3 cups) fresh pears
½ cup (about 4 ounces) green or tart apple
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup finely shredded green cabbage
1 cup finely shredded red cabbage
2 Tablespoons oil
1 Tablespoon vinegar
½ teaspoon black pepper

Wash and dice pears and apples (don’t peel) and toss with lemon juice. Add green and red cabbage and toss. In a cup, mix oil, vinegar and pepper until combined. Toss with vegetables until well coated. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Note: Make a double batch of this recipe, as the flavor gets even better the second day!

Syrian-Style Okra with Dried Fruit
From The Lowfat Jewish Vegetarian Cookbook by Debra Wasserman

(Serves 4)

½ pound okra, chopped
½ small onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon oil
1 Tablespoon water
1½ cups dried fruit (about 8 ounces prunes, apricots, and/or raisins, etc.)
½ cup prune juice
½ cup tomato juice
¼ lemon, minced (rind and fruit)

Stir-fry okra and onion with oil and water in a large frying pan for 5 minutes over medium heat. Add dried fruit, juices, and lemon. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring often. Serve warm or chilled.

Oh, and don’t forget… Star K (orthodox) said quinoa can be used if certified Kosher for Passover. The OU on their website says it can be a local decision, so ask your rabbi. You easily can make sweet or spicy dishes with this grain or simply use it instead of rice as a base for vegetable-based dishes you are preparing.

By Brad Scott

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

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

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

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

The Director of Media Relations at P.F. Chang’s told us in October 2012 that “P.F. Chang’s only uses wok oil and not ghee.”

Similarly, P.F. Chang’s Marketing Coordinator replied by saying:

“I talked to our training department and…our Director of Culinary Operations about your inquiry. I was informed we do not use ghee in any of our dishes and it’s not something in any of our recipes nor is it kept in our restaurants.
Regarding the wok oil and wondering if it could contain animal- or dairy-derived flavors or be processed on equipment where residual animal or dairy ingredients could have been in contact with the wok oil, the Marketing Coordinator at P.F. Chang’s told us in February 2013 that
[o]ur wok oil is a soy-based oil. It is considered a safe oil for persons allergic…to soy as it contains no soy protein. We have never asked the supplier about animal contamination. We would expect it not to be an issue. We are looking into this further for you.”

A week later he informed us after hearing from his supplier that “No animal oil is processed in the plants that make our wok oil.”

More information about the vegetarian menu options at P.F. Chang’s is on their website: http://www.pfchangs.com/menu/

Other recent VRG articles about P.F. Chang’s:
http://www.vrg.org/blog/2012/09/07/p-f-chang%E2%80%99s-vegetarian-labeled-dishes-oyster-sauce-is-all-vegetable-no-honey-egg-or-dairy-present/
http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2011issue1/2011_issue1_pf_changs.php

The contents of this article, our website, and our other publications, including the Vegetarian Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company employees or company statements. Information does change and mistakes are always possible. Please use your own best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. Further research or confirmation may be warranted.

For the latest news on fast food and quick service chains, visit The VRG at http://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php

Southern Adventist University, located just outside Chattanooga in Collegedale, TN, is currently enrolling students for its new Vegetarian Culinary Arts program with courses beginning in Fall 2013. The program starts as a one-year certificate track, but the university plans to include associate’s and bachelor’s degree options by 2014.

Southern is one of only a few colleges or universities in the country providing this kind of training. This is a natural fit since the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s health message, which strongly recommends a meat-free diet, is on display each day as the university uses exclusively vegetarian ingredients in providing meals for its 3,300 students.

The bulk of the new curriculum will consist of professional cooking instruction. Some of the other courses being taught include Food Safety and Sanitation; Introduction to Food Purchasing, Preparation, and Presentation; International Ethnic Cuisines; and Introduction to Marketing for Culinary Professionals.

A new, full-time faculty member has been hired as the director and lead professor. There will also be several adjunct professors teaching classes, as well as guest speakers for class demonstrations.

To view a complete list of courses and requirements, visit: https://www.southern.edu/pe/academics/Pages/vegetarianculinaryarts.aspx.

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

In recent months, national convenience store chain 7-Eleven® has introduced a “healthy, fresh” line of foods intended to appeal to health-conscious consumers. It is intended to go beyond the fresh fruit (such as bananas) that the some 7-Eleven® stores have offered for many years to include healthier snack and meal packs.

The VRG contacted 7-Eleven® in February 2013 for a list of the vegetarian and vegan options in their fresh food line. We received this reply:

Vegetarian-Friendly Foods at 7-Eleven Stores

These products should be available at the 7-Eleven Inc. stores that have our
daily-delivered, fresh-foods program, which is about 95% of our U.S. stores.

Bistro Protein Snack Pack – celery and carrot sticks, grapes, cubed cheese,
hummus and little, soft pita bread rounds. The cheese is from Sargento® with
vegetarian rennet.
Celery and carrot sticks with a separately packaged portion pack of ranch
dressing (milk and cheese)
Yoplait® yogurt parfaits with only fresh (not frozen) strawberries, and
strawberry + blueberries
Macaroni salad
Potato salad
Several varieties and sizes of bean and cheese burritos
1-oz. size of string cheese, 2-oz. size bar of Borden’s® yellow cheese
Hard-boiled eggs with packaged salt and pepper
A side salad with no meat

We also offer many types of juice drinks and beverages.

The VRG asked 7-Eleven® if it were possible to purchase a bean burrito without cheese. We were told that “For manufactured (previously frozen) fast food burritos, [o]ur burritos contain meat or meat and beans. The vegetarian-friendly option is our freshly-made, delivered daily burrito option “Bean & Cheese,” always together. There is no vegan option.” (The cheese is not in a side cup that can be left off; the cheese is mixed with the beans inside of the flour tortilla.)

Regarding the salsa available at stores, we learned from 7-Eleven® that “The Heinz® salsa and Del Monte® pico de gallo that 7-Eleven® recommends its stores use are vegan friendly – all veggies. These are in a condiment station where customers can help themselves.”

Lastly, 7-Eleven® told us that “We continue to look at new food items that can meet our guests’ snack and meal needs.” Consumers interested in seeing 7-Eleven® expand its fresh food line to include vegan options are encouraged to contact the chain directly through the 7-Eleven® website: http://corp.7-eleven.com/ContactUs/tabid/184/Default.aspx

Readers may find out more about 7-Eleven® healthier snack and meal options here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/25/business/7-eleven-stores-focus-on-healthier-food-options.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1356707700-8H1rDprhmmuaiIzAzaMI/Q&

The contents of this article, our website, and our other publications, including the Vegetarian Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company employees or company statements. Information does change and mistakes are always possible. Please use your own best judgement about whether a product is suitable for you. Further research or confirmation may be warranted.

For the latest news on fast food and quick service chains, visit: http://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php