VRG-News August 2007 -- The Vegetarian Resource Group

VRG-NEWS: The Vegetarian Resource Group Newsletter
Editors: Sonja Y. Helman & John L. Cunningham
Volume 11, Issue 5
August 2007

1) NOTES FROM THE EDITOR

We'd like to extend a special thank you to Ryan Andrews, RD, who has been consistently volunteering in our office. He has been happy to assist with whatever we need including preparing mailings, updating restaurants for our guide [ http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/ ], and analyzing recipes. Ryan even helped a residential home for children in need navigate the red tape of federal regulations so that they can continue to serve vegetarian food! His help has been invaluable. Thanks Ryan!!!

VRG Intern Bobby Smith didn't take the summer off either. He helped us at our booth at Book Expo America in New York, as well as staffing the booth at Taking Action for Animals in Washington, D.C. You can read his review of Olive Harvest's Tapenade in section 8 below.

2) EGG LABELS ARTICLE ONLINE

As people are starting to learn that 'free-range' doesn't always mean what it seems, VRG's Research Editor, Jeanne Yacoubou delved further into the subject. Her article, Egg Labels and Certifications: What Do They Mean?, was printed earlier this year in Issue 2 of Vegetarian Journal. If you missed it, you can now read it in its entirety online: [ http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2007issue2/vj2007issue2eggs.pdf ]

3) FAST FOOD CHAIN INGREDIENT UPDATE

The Latest on Fast Food Ingredients (as of July 2007) by Jeanne Yacoubou, MS Research Director, The Vegetarian Resource Group

L-cysteine: In January 2007, Dunkin' Donuts informed us by telephone that the source of the dough conditioner, L-cysteine, in many of their menu items including the bagels and many donuts, was "avian feathers." We asked several other chains and learned that:

Rennet: A few cheeses in fast food items are still made with animal rennet although the majority is not. McDonald's told us that animal rennet is an ingredient in its American and Parmesan cheeses. (What is rennet? See our Ingredients FAQ [ http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/faqingredients.htm#cheese ].)

Gelatin: McDonald's published on its website, seen in June 2007, that "kosher gelatin" is an ingredient in its yogurt. Previously, no gelatin was listed in the ingredients statement for its yogurt. Taco Bell uses gelatin derived from beef in its sour cream, but the guacamole at Taco Bell is gelatin-free.

Pizza Hut told us that none of its cheeses contain animal rennet. The Thin 'N Crispy® Dough, the Hand-Tossed Style Dough and the Stuffed Crust Dough are free of animal ingredients. The XL Full House® Dough and the 4ForAll® Dough contain sugar. Pizza Hut's Regular Pizza Sauce and its Sweet Pizza Sauce are free of animal ingredients. The French Dressing is free of all animal products. Patrons at Pizza Hut can request the animal-free rotelli or spaghetti by itself or with the marinara sauce, also free of animal products. The PastaBakes® White Pasta Sauce contains chicken fat.

Taco Bell informed us that all of its cheeses are made with genetically-engineered chymosin (no animal rennet). It is possible to order items without sour cream. The beans and rice (both the Seasoned Rice and the Express Rice) are free of animal ingredients. They may be put on a taco or tortilla with lettuce and tomatoes. Taco Bell told us that "[a]ll of our menu items can be customized. When ordered 'Fresco Style' we'll swap our freshly prepared Fiesta Salsa for any sauce or cheese." (The Fiesta Salsa contains no animal products while many of the sauces contain egg and/or dairy ingredients. The Red Sauce, Mild Sauce, and Hot Sauce do not.) Taco Bell Quality Assurance told us that "[t]he enzymes used in the tortillas, flatbread, and Nacho Cheese Sauce are vegetable-based." All of Taco Bell's bread products, except the taco shells, the tostada shells, the tortillas, and the nacho chips, contain L-cysteine of an unspecified source. The flour tortilla contains the dough conditioners DATEM, mono - and diglycerides, and enzyme, all of unspecified sources. The Potato Bites are free of animal products and may be ordered without the cheese. Taco Bell does not use lard in any of its products. Patrons should note that the following items are fried in the same oil: Nacho Chips, Taco Salad Shell, Mexican Pizza Shell, Caramel Apple Empanada, Cinnamon Twists, Chalupa Shells, Potato Bites, and the Red Strips. The Caramel Apple Empanada contains dairy products.

Burger King declined to answer our questions about its menu items for this fast food report. In the Ingredient Statement on its United States website, Burger King reports that its French fries and onion rings are free of animal ingredients. In the United States, the fries are cooked in fryers designated for French fries only. The onion rings are fried along with meat products in shared fryers. In the United States, Burger King has a Veggie® Burger containing eggs and dairy on its National Menu. It is cooked in a microwave. In Canada, the BK Veggie® Burger is listed as being free of all animal products. Burger King restaurants in Canada also sell baked potatoes free of all animal products. Burger King makes no claim that its products meet the needs of a vegetarian or vegan diet.

Domino's told us that the enzymes in its cheeses and in its pizza doughs are non-animal-derived. Domino's Pizza Sauce remains free of all animal ingredients although it contains sugar. The Thin Crust Dough is free of all animal ingredients. The other pizza crusts contain dairy products. Domino's did not tell us more information about the natural flavors listed in several of its products.

Subway offers a Veggie Delite® sub that patrons can customize to their liking. According to Subway's nutrition staff, the Italian Bread, the Hearty Italian Bread, and the Sourdough Bread are free of animal ingredients. The chain couldn't guarantee if all cheeses are free of animal rennet because of supplier changes. Selected Subways offer a dairy- and egg-containing Veggie Burger. Subway now lists apple sections and raisins on its National Menu that are free of animal-derived additives and which may be purchased separately or with a meal.

Selected Dunkin' Donuts offer soy milk lattes. The Personal Cheese Pizza crust is made with whey and L-cysteine of an unspecified source. The Pizza Sauce contains cheeses made with enzymes of unspecified sources. Stores with Dunkin' Deli® shops, (in a few states only at this time), offer a Vegetarian Sandwich that can be made to order. The flatbread contains L-cysteine of an unspecified source as well as nonfat dry milk. The white bread is made with DATEM and enzymes of unspecified sources. The Broccoli Cheese Soup contains chicken broth. The Timberline Chili with Beans contains beef.

Papa John's added dairy-derived natural flavors to its Thin Crust Pizza Dough. The Original Pizza Dough and the Garlic Sauce are listed as free of all animal ingredients. The Original Pizza Sauce and the Pizza Sauce Dipping Cup contain sugar. The Robusto Pizza Sauce contains sugar and natural flavors of an unspecified source. The Pan Pizza Shells contain L-cysteine of an unspecified source. None of the cheeses contain animal rennet.

We often depend on company statements for products and ingredient information. 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. Please practice kindness to all, including those with different views and opinions.

4) VRG TO HOST VEGAN DINNER DURING PHILADELPHIA ADA CONFERENCE

CHINESE VEGAN DINNER TO BE HELD
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2007, at 6:00 PM
AT CHARLES PLAZA RESTAURANT
PHILADELPHIA, PA CHINATOWN

CELEBRATE WORLD VEGETARIAN DAY
The Vegetarian Resource Group will hold a vegan dinner during the American Dietetic Association Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo. Dietitians, Members, and the public are invited. Come meet dietitians from the ADA Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group and VRG staff.

FRESH FRUIT SATAAN IN BIRDS NEST (Taro)
SIZZLING BEEF WITH BLACK BEAN SAUCE (Seitan)
GENERAL TAO'S CHICKEN (Soy)
DRY SAUTEED GREEN BEANS WITH VEGGIES IN SEASON
MIXED VEGETABLE LO MEIN
BROWN AND WHITE RICE

Cost is $22 for adults before September 1. Children are $10. Cost is $25 after September 1. Price includes tax and tip. Payment must be made in advance. Please reserve early as seating is limited. Refunds will be made only if we have a replacement for your seat. Menu subject to change.

Call (410) 366-8343 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern time Monday to Friday; fax (410) 366-8804; email [email protected]; go to the donation button on [ http://www.vrg.org ] and write a note in the notes section; or send a check to VRG, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203.

5) TOP 10 HEALTH-PROMOTING FOODS

A survey sent to a very small sample of registered dietitians (RDs) discovered that RDs have a hard time pinning down 10 top foods! The survey included two non-vegan RDs who both listed salmon and yogurt among their top ten foods, whereas vegans did not. Among all RDs, most frequently listed foods were:

RDs were also asked to list the top 5 criteria to use when selecting foods. Following are the most frequent responses:

Dietitians commented that they preferred to list categories of foods, rather than pick out individual foods. They felt that food categories include many nutritionally-equal foods, which made this list especially hard to produce. As one RD said, "It's hard to narrow my choices down to specific foods since there is no reason, for example, to choose strawberries over raspberries, or chickpeas over black beans." Dietitians did agree, however, that the above foods are very health-promoting.

The bottom line is to take a look at your diet. How often are you including these highly recommended foods?

6) VEGDINING.COM

VegDining.com invites you to submit mini-reviews of your recent visits to veg and veg-friendly restaurants. Until September 30, 2007 all submissions will be entered into a prize drawing to be held on World Vegetarian Day (October 1). Please go to [ http://www.vegdining.com/Go.cfm?id=Review ] to submit your review. You could win some exciting vegetarian prizes!

Also, VegDining is recruiting vegetarian freelance travel writers to join its team, on a pay-per-article basis. If you've recently visited or soon will be visiting destinations that might be of interest to fellow vegetarians, send a note, with a brief sample of your writing, to [email protected] (no attachments please).

7) TAX-FREE IRA DISTRIBUTIONS TO QUALIFIED CHARITIES

An individual who has attained age 70 ½ may make tax-free IRA distributions directly from his or her IRA to a charitable organization, such as The Vegetarian Resource Group. The rule limits the tax-free distributions to $100,000 per year, and it only applies to distributions made through December 31, 2007. The rule does not apply to SEP or SIMPLE IRA's. This is not personal legal or tax advice. Please speak to your accountant and/or tax lawyer for more information.

8) OLIVE HARVEST TAPENADE REVIEW

Olive Harvest's Olive Tapenades make for great spreads on sandwiches, veggie burgers, or to serve as a tortilla dip. They come in three flavors: traditional, jalapeno, and sun-dried tomato. The traditional and sun-dried tomato are more tangy and tasteful than the jalapeno flavor--which is spicy, but not eye-watering, four-starred hellishly hot. The consistency of the tapenades is almost "meaty;" the ground olives create a chewy and almost sinewy texture. The tapenades are not limited to olive lovers only. The olive taste is masked with garlic, olive oil, carrots, and red peppers so olives do not seem like the most pronounced ingredient. However, the saltiness of olives is consistent throughout each spread.

Total Harvest is a small business in Colorado. Their olive tapenades are made without the anchovies that are commonly found in tapenades. They also sell delicious olive salsas (also vegan) in medium and hot. To purchase these products, please visit their website [ http://www.totalharvest.com ] where you can order directly from the company or find what stores carry the products in your state. Safeway has just started carrying Total Harvest in their stores nationwide.

9) UPCOMING EVENTS AND CONFERENCES

The festivities will begin at 5:00 pm with the "Cowtail Party", where celebrity hosts, award recipients, and Gala guests meet and mingle with the sanctuary's "guests of honor" - over 150 rescued cows, pigs, turkeys, chickens, sheep and goats- while enjoying the beautiful music of MAKENA [ http://www.makenamusic.com/ ]. Guests will then gather in the sanctuary rose garden to enjoy a gourmet dinner sponsored by Wholesome & Hearty Foods [ http://www.gardenburger.com/ ] and BuyKind.com. The evening's award program honors individuals and corporations who have made outstanding contributions through their commitment to the cause of protecting farmed animals and promoting compassionate living choices. Awards are presented by our celebrity hosts - previous Gala presenters include: James Cromwell, Daryl Hannah, Jorja Fox, Loretta Swit, Thora Birch, Persia White, Linda Blair, Carol Leifer, Jane Velez-Mitchell.

The Gala will be held on Saturday, August 25th at the Animal Acres Sanctuary and Compassionate Living Center in Acton, CA. The sanctuary is located on a beautiful 26-acre hacienda-style ranch, just 40 minutes from Hollywood.

All proceeds from the Gala will benefit the Animal Acres Emergency Rescue Fund to provide funding for the rescue and rehabilitation of suffering farmed animals.

For more information on the Gala, or to purchase tickets, Tribute Journal ad space or event tables, please visit: [ http://www.AnimalAcres.org/ ].

DAYTON, OH: FREE VEGAN DINNER & OUR FOOD, OUR WORLD LECTURE BY NUTRITIONIST FREEMAN WICKLUND

On Tuesday, August 28, 2007, join Mercy For Animals for a delicious free vegetarian dinner followed by an informative lecture by nutritionist Freeman Wicklund. Learn the connections between our food choices, the rainforest, global warming, worker rights, and the treatment of animals. Discover new medical and environmental studies that reveal the impact our food choices have on our health, the animals, and our planet. The event is guaranteed to be a great opportunity to network with local individuals interested in animal protection and vegetarianism.

The dinner and lecture will be at the Dayton Metro Library Auditorium (2nd Floor) at 215 E. Third St., Dayton, OH from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. For more information, call (937) 890-9174 or email [email protected].

The 23nd Annual Vegetarian Food Fair will be held September 8, 9 & 10 at Toronto's Harbourfront Centre. Admission is free. This is the largest event of its kind in North America. It's a great place to try a variety of vegetarian food along with finding new products and ideas. For more information, go to [ http://www.veg.ca/foodfair/ ].

The 2nd annual raw vegan festival in Ottawa, Canada's capital city, will take place on Saturday, Sept 15, 2007 at Central Park in the Glebe. This year's full day event will feature a lineup of speakers including Brendan Brazier - professional vegan Ironman triathlete, bestselling author, and creator of Vega whole food products - and other speakers; live raw food prep demos & workshops; a host of raw food exhibitors; and the highlight of the event - a raw vegan pie contest.

Last year's event was a great success, bringing together about 500 people in a beautiful outdoor park setting. The event featured a host of local exhibitors, live music, and Canada's first raw vegan pie contest, with local celebrity judges evaluating the 20 entries - each very distinct in appearance & taste. Full details from the 2006 event are available online at [ http://www.simplyraw.ca/piecontest/ ] including lots of beautiful photos.

Sunday, September 16, 2007, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Fairfax Station, VA. Past classes have included Lentil Walnut Pate, Black Bean Hummus, Two-Grain Sesame Salad, Oil-free Fiesta Salad, Quinoa Tabouli, White Bean Soup, Azuki Bean Patties with Szechwan Sauce, Brazilian Black Bean Stew, Creamy Millet Mash, Chili with Bulgur, Mixed Grain Combo, Blueberry Amaranth Cake.

No meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, or honey. $45/person; $80/two people; $40/VSDC, VRG, and COK members. Class includes recipes, food samples, manufacturers' samples, and coupons. Gift certificates available. Make checks payable to Mimi Clark, 9302 Hallston Ct., Fairfax Station, VA 22039. Sorry, no phone reservations. Email [email protected] or call (703) 643-2011 for space availability.

From September 30 to October 6, 2007 the Indian Vegan Society will host the 11th International Vegan Festival at the RNS Residency in Murdeshwar, Karnataka, India. For more information about the event, visit the Vegan Festival website [ http://www.ivu.org/veganfest ].

From October 5-7, 2007, the Animals & Society Institute will host "Becoming the Change" the 22nd Annual International Compassionate Living Festival. This year's speakers will include: Captain Paul Watson (Sea Shepherd Conservation Society), Micheal Greger (Humane Society of the United States), Josh Hooten (Herbivore Clothing), Bob Pyle, Tom Reagan, and Kim Stallwood.

Early registration (until August 31) is $139.00, regular registration (through September 21) is $169.00 For more information visit the event's website: [ http://www.animalsandsociety.org/conference07.htm ].

The 12th Annual Festival is scheduled for Saturday, October 20, 10am - 6pm at the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center in Boston. Admission, food sampling, and parking are all free! The longest running event of its kind in the country, the Festival is a great day of fun, food, and learning. To learn more, visit [ http://www.bostonveg.org/foodfest/ ].

10) CALL-A-DIETITIAN DAY

If you have general nutrition questions, Mark Rifkin, MS, RD, LDN, will be available from 2:30pm - 5:30pm EST on Friday, September 21, 2007. To reserve a 20-minute time slot, please email the VRG office at [email protected] or call (410) 366-8343.

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.

Mark Rifkin, a longtime VRG volunteer, is a Registered Dietitian and has a Master's Degree in Health Education. He has been presenting on food-related topics for more than seven years. He has a private practice in Baltimore, MD, that focuses on plant-based nutrition for prevention, as well as treatment of various chronic diseases and conditions, including diabetes, overweight/obesity, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, gout, women's health concerns, cancer, and early-stage kidney failure.

In addition, Mark is offering a 20% discount on any service for VRG members. This for his private practice and is not affiliated with The VRG or Call-A-Dietitian Day.

11) VRG DEAL-OF-THE-MONTH!

While supplies last, slighlty damaged copies of Simply Vegan (3rd edition) by Debra Wasserman and Reed Mangels, PhD, RD are available for the low price of $5! For this special offer, shipping is free (media rate shipping in the United States only). If you live outside of the U.S., shipping charges will still apply; contact us for rates [email protected]. Please note that copies are slightly damaged.

To order, visit [ https://www.vrg.org/secure/order.htm ] or call (410) 366-8343 M-F 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. EST. If ordering online, please type 'VRG-NEWS - August' in the 'Additional Notes' section. You can also mail a check made payable to The Vegetarian Resource Group to VRG, PO Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203. We accept Visa, MasterCard, and U.S. currency. Maryland residents: please add 6% tax to your total. Thanks!

12) RECIPE - BARBECUED TEMPEH AND PEACHES

10-ounce package tempeh, cubed
2 Tablespoons oil
4 small ripe peaches, chopped
1 small onion, minced
8-ounce can no salt added tomato sauce
1/3 Cup each vinegar and reduced sodium soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 Tablespoon molasses

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Saute cubed tempeh in oil over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add chopped peaches and onion. Saute 5 minutes longer. Mix tomato sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, spices, and molasses together. Pour tempeh/peach mixture into a casserole dish. Cover with sauce and bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Serve hot.

Variation: Substitute 6 fresh apricots for the peaches and/or substitute 1 pound of tofu for tempeh.

TOTAL CALORIES PER SERVING: 288 TOTAL FAT AS % OF DAILY VALUE: 18% PROTEIN: 16 gm CARBOHYDRATES: 34 gm FAT: 12 gm CALCIUM: 102 mg IRON: 3 mg SODIUM: 904 mg DIETARY FIBER: 4 gm

13) VRG SCHOLARSHIPS & INTERNSHIPS

The VRG will again award $10,000 in college scholarships. Due to the generosity of an anonymous donor, we will give two $5,000 college scholarships to graduating high school students who have promoted vegetarianism in their schools and/or communities. The students must be graduating high school in spring 2008. The deadline is February 20, 2008. For more information or to read about past winners, go to [ http://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm ].

Responsibilities depend on background, major if in college, and interest of applicant. Tasks may include research, writing, and/or community outreach. Internships are helpful for students working toward journalism, English, and nutrition degrees. Business majors can obtain experience related to the business aspects of a non-profit organization. Activists can learn new skills and gain a broader knowledge, as well as share their expertise. Positions open throughout the year for all ages (including high school students living in Baltimore). Internships are unpaid. Send resume and cover letter to: The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203; [email protected].

ABOUT THE VEGETARIAN RESOURCE GROUP

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 ]

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.

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!

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Contents of VRG-NEWS are copyright 2007 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.

VRG-NEWS: The Vegetarian Resource Group Newsletter Editors: Sonja Y. Helman & John L. Cunningham Volume 11, Issue 5 August 2007

CONTENTS