Notes From the Scientific Department

VRG Nutrition Advisor Suzanne Havala, MS, RD, was interviewed for a story in Digestive Health and Nutrition about eating on the go, as well as by the Waco (Texas) Tribune Herald for a general story about eating well on a vegetarian diet. VRG Co-directors Charles Stahler and Debra Wasserman were interviewed for an article on veganism, which ran in the Baltimore Sun's food section.

Foodservice Outreach

VRG's Foodservice Advisor Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD, CCE, reports that we currently have about 18 students, including a physician's assistant from Argentina and a medical student from Indonesia, taking our online nutrition course. (Call (410) 366-8343 or visit for information.) The US is represented by students from Alaska, Massachusetts, New York, Minnesota, Florida, Connecticut, and California. She says, "I've received really interesting projects from all the students – it's been fun to read about the variety of veggie products, restaurants, and stores around the world." The course was written up in the Atlanta Journal Constitution and has received certification for continuing education credit from the American Culinary Federation, the Dietary Managers Association, The American Dietetic Association, and other allied organizations. The feedback has been great so far!

Nancy is also teaching a veggie culinary nutrition class at Los Angeles Trade Tech in California. Classes alternate between lecture/demos and cooking labs. One week, students were put into teams of two, given two pounds of firm tofu, and told to use their imaginations. They had one hour and the run of a commercial kitchen. Although none of the inner city students is vegetarian, Nancy ended up sampling a peach-and-pineapple tofu cheesecake; crispy tofu with a woodland mushroom blend and noodles; stir-fried garlic tofu with fresh green beans; a tofu bisque made by cooking and puréeing white potatoes, fresh tomatoes, carrots, onions, fresh fennel, and peas with tofu; and a baked tofu with fresh mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, and walnuts. Not bad for beginners! They had a community "buffet" and discussion of all the products – not a scrap was left. The department's dean, a confirmed carnivore, sampled each dish and couldn't believe that there "wasn't any meat." Students from other classes wanted to know how they could participate in the class and have so much culinary fun. Other class sessions have included sampling and cooking with meat and cheese alternatives, creating "creamy" veggie soups with puréed root vegetables and tofu, and creating vegan desserts. And the semester was only half over!