photo from Magnific

By Chef Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD

This is the time of year when fresh produce makes you want to be creative, but without spending a lot of time in a hot kitchen. This makes it a perfect time for cold soups (which can also double as salad dressing and dips).

Create a cold veggie soup base by combining chopped, seeded, very ripe tomatoes, canned creamed corn (the “cream” is actually cornstarch, rather than dairy), and silken tofu in the blender. Using this as a base you can create many types of cold soups. Consider adding cubed avocado and sliced black olives or sliced fresh mushrooms and chopped sweet onions or diced radishes and (seeded) bell peppers and shredded carrots or diced (seeded) cucumbers and shredded fresh basil.

It’s said that the original vichyssoise (cold leek and potato soup) was created in the kitchens of the New York Ritz Carlton around 1917. Chef Louis Diat, from the Vichy region of France, remembered his mother cooling a hot potato soup down with cold milk during the hot summer months; he modified it to reflect the “elegance” of an (unairconditioned) hotel dining room. It is possible to skip cooking a version of this soup by stirring a cup of vegan instant potato flakes or dry mashed potato mix into two cups of (cold) vegetable broth. If you happen to have left over mashed potatoes, you can use these instead of the instant potatoes. When these ingredients are well-combined, whisk in a cup of vegan sour cream, sprinkle with onion power, stir, and allow to chill for about one hour before serving. You’ll want to whisk it again before serving, and garnish with chopped fresh parsley and chopped scallions (green part only).

Cold fruit soups are popular hot weather item in many cuisines. Cold mango soup can be sweet, dessert-like or savory. Make a sweet, cold mango soup by peeling and pitting very ripe mangoes and blending them in a food processor with vegan yogurt or coconut milk, a splash of orange juice, and small amount of diced fresh ginger. Season with cinnamon, cardamom, or nutmeg. Garnish with fresh blueberries, pitted fresh cherries, or raspberries. Create a savory cold mango soup by blending ripe mango with vegan sour cream and a splash of coconut water. Add a small amount of diced, fresh garlic and chili paste. Season with a chopped fresh parsley or basil. Allow mango soups to chill for at least two hours prior to serving.

Create cold melon soups with about four cups of cupped, seeded melon; you can use watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, or Crenshaw, using either one type of melon or using a combination. Blend with vegan yogurt or silken tofu, vegan syrup, such as agave or rice, to taste, and shredded fresh mint leaves. If you have extra cucumber, peel, de-seed, and add them as well. Chill for at least two hours before serving. Garnish with small slices of melon or cucumber.

Mixed berry soups are colorful and deeply flavorful, and fast to make. Combine about 4 cups of assorted berries blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries. In a blender with about 2 Tablespoons of fresh lime juice, 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar, and 1 Tablespoon of fresh, diced ginger. Purée until smooth and chill for at least two hours prior to serving. Before serving, if needed, stir in a small amount of vegan syrup for sweetening. Garnish with whole berries and fresh mint.

Hope attends Scripps College, which is part of the Claremont Colleges, a five school consortium. She secured a complete plant-based menu at her college’s annual sustainability summit and organized a panel at Stanford’s Food4Thought Conference addressing issues about seafood. Drawing on academic research and her experience as a vegetarian collegiate cross country athlete, she led a teach-in, including a cooking demo, for student athletes concerning a plant-based diet. Hope is planning future workshops with registered dietitians to ensure that students have accurate information concerning vegan diets. A reference said, “I am very lucky to work with someone as driven as she is.”

For more information about The Vegetarian Resource Group scholarships, see https://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm

To support The Vegetarian Resource Group outreach, join at https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

Or donate at vrg.org/donate

College scholarships for high school seniors are offered each year. Inquire in January at [email protected] to ask about application details for students who applied during their high school senior year, but are currently in college.

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

I don’t know about you, but tomato season is never long enough for me! Nothing compares to the flavor of a fresh, local tomato, preferably just picked and still warm from the sun. I reluctantly buy an occasional tomato in the winter and am reminded, once again, how these don’t have the taste or texture of summer tomatoes.

So, I accept surplus tomatoes from friends with gardens and, at the farmers market, buy more tomatoes than I could possibly eat. When that glut of tomatoes happens, I have 2 tried and true solutions for easily preserving summer’s tomatoes.

Easy solution Number 1: Cut and freeze

Supplies needed: Cutting board, knife, freezer containers, measuring cup or kitchen scale (optional)

Wash ripe tomatoes. Remove the core, cut into small pieces, place in freezer container and freeze until you need tomatoes. If you freeze 14 ounce portions (a scant 2 cups or use a scale), you can easily use a thawed portion the same way you’d use a 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes. I don’t mind tomato skin or seeds in my dishes but if that’s a concern, you can put tomatoes in boiling water for one minute, transfer them to an ice bath, and then easily remove the tomato skin with your fingers. Cut the peeled tomatoes in half and scoop out the seeds with clean fingers or a spoon and then cut into pieces for freezing.

Easy solution Number 2: Oven roast and freeze

Supplies needed: Cutting board, knife, baking sheet, immersion blender or food processor, freezer containers

Wash ripe tomatoes, core, and cut them in half. Place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, place a clove of garlic in each tomato half, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and/or pepper to taste. Bake at 225 degrees until they are very soft. This could take several hours or longer. Once the tomatoes have baked and cooled, you can put them, the garlic, and any juices left after roasting in a bowl and purée into a sauce with an immersion blender. Alternatively, put roasted tomatoes, garlic, and any juices into a food processor and pulse into a chunky sauce. Freeze in containers of your choice. When thawed, the sauce can be served over pasta or used as the base for a soup or sauce.

I should note that I haven’t tried canning tomatoes. It’s simpler, in my opinion, to freeze them. If canning is something you want to try, be sure to follow proper procedures including ensuring safe acidity by adding bottled lemon juice or citric acid. USDA’s Complete Guide to Home Canning is a reliable reference for canning tomatoes.

For more tomato ideas see:

What To Do With All Those Tomatoes

Quick and Easy Dishes Featuring Fresh Tomatoes

Tomato Heaven

Save money while being vegan. Vegan Journal editor Hannah Kaminsky gives tips for cooking vegan meals inexpensively with a microwave. Savory bowls. Breakfast treats.

Find more tips at https://bit.ly/vj-budget

Visit Vegan Journal and The Vegetarian Resource Group at https://www.vrg.org/

See Hannah’s video at

https://youtube.com/shorts/lgQXlsHVlv0

https://youtube.com/shorts/lgQXlsHVlv0?feature=share

photo from Fragaria

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: www.vrg.org/restaurant

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

313 Cinnamon Rolls, 119 Garfield St., Ste. 200, Detroit, MI 48201

313 Cinnamon Rolls aspires to make “The Cinnamon Rolls of your Dreams…” making “dough and icings in small batches to ensure the quality…” Among many choices, their Spring Collection blooms with the vanilla-iced E.Grey—their  Earl Grey Dough glazed and topped with Lavender flowers; Sweet Red Tiramisu featuring their Traditional Dough, layered and topped with strawberries and Sweet Cream, dusted with Chocolate Espresso; and The Key Lime Cheesecake showcasing Graham Cracker Dough filled with Key Lime Curd and their Cheesecake and  Key Lime Filling. Two of the many Classics selections are What’s Up Doc?—their vanilla-iced, cinnamon sugar-dusted, Carrot Cake dough and The Crunch—their twist on Louisiana Crunch Cake  presenting Traditional Dough topped with Toasted Coconut and Vanilla Drizzle. The Fruits include The Upside Down—their cherry-topped, brown sugar-glazed pineapple, the Vanilla and Caramel-Drizzled, Carm Apple and the Cobbler-filled The Peach Peach, “voted Fav Fruit Flavor,” to name a few. These three all start with their Traditional Dough. Of their several Cookies, The O. Reo showcasing their Chocolate Or Vanilla Oreo Dough, topped with Vanilla Icing and Oreo Cookies “was voted a Fav Cookie Flavor.” Now for the many Cheesecakes—all featuring cheesecake filling. “Voted Fav Cheesecake Flavor,” The Red Vel C. Cake is made with their Red Vel Dough, and is drizzled with Chocolate and Vanilla. The LJH C. Cake begins with Lemon Blueberry Dough and is topped with “Fresh” Blueberry Compote, Lemon Glaze, and Graham Cracker Crumble. The Cherry Cheesecake features their Graham Cracker dough and is topped with Cherry Compote and Vanilla Drizzle.

Avo Organic Kitchen, 1763 Avenue Rd., Toronto, ON Canada M5M 3Y8

Avo Organic Kitchen says they “prioritize using only locally sourced, organic ingredients…” They express commitment to “quality” comfort foods and to promoting “health and sustainability…” Of course they have Seasoned AVOcado Toast with tomatoes, red onion, and micro-greens. Breakfast Burrito brings vegan scrambled eggs, sautéed peppers, and onions, ABC Toast with Almond butter, banana, cinnamon on a baguette, or –Coconut yogurt Müsli with blueberries, raspberries, “house-made” granola, and maple syrup. They have a couple of Bowls and Burger varieties such as Veg or Falafel chickpea patty with pickled red cabbage and creamy sauce. Fiesta Burrito comes with rice, beans, avocado, and bell peppers. Paninis include Mock Chikn Pesto or BLTA—both with Smoky Tofu Bacon, avocado, and Chikn. Some Salads are Gourmet Greek featuring black olives, AOK Feta, and cucumber, or Chikn Cesar. They have Snacks and Sides too like Tofu Crispy Chikn Strips with “house-made” crispy coating. Looking for the Perfect Date? That just happens to be one of their Smoothies with Almond milk, banana, dates, cacao, and maca. At Breakfast or Lunch, Baked Goods might include Chocolate Chunk Cookie, Jam Dot Cookie, Banana Muffin Disc, Chocolate Muffin Disc, or Lemon Muffin Disc. Lunch Desserts also include Specialty Cake slice, Chia Pudding, or Date Truffle made of Medjool dates with cacao, Maca, and cashews in coconut flakes.

Boundless Bakery, 71 W. Main St., Hopkinton, MA 01748

Boundless Bakery offers whoopie pies, fruit bars, cookies, and muffins in a variety of flavors that rotate seasonally. Whoopie pie flavors include chocolate, chocolate chip, funfetti, and lemon raspberry. Blueberry, peach, and strawberry rhubarb are a few of the fruit bar options. Muffin flavors include banana walnut, lemon poppy, corn, and morning glory.

Cheezy Vegan, 1216 S. 17th St., Philadelphia, PA 19146

Dine on Cannoli French Toast; shamrock Shake; Cheezy Mac and Me; Buffalo Mac; Chick’n and Waffles; Crab Cake Hash; Raisin Bread Pudding; and more.

Fragaria, 110 N. Orlando Ave., Ste. 1, Maitland, FL 32751

Fragaria’s “New Zealand style,” “Real Fruit Ice Cream” is a vegan, soft-serve crafted in house with oat milk, cacao butter, coconut cream, and other natural ingredients. It’s made “fresh to order,” using a specialty blender from New Zealand. Flavors rotate seasonally and monthly. Many are also gluten-free. They “…swirl fresh fruit into every cup or cone right before your eyes.” Their two “most popular” Signature Swirls noted are Berry Pistachio which swirls Vanilla with mixed berries, topped with roasted pistachios and melted chocolate, as well as Chocolate Covered Strawberry which swirls strawberries into Vanilla, topped with Oreo crumbs and melted chocolate. Others include Cherry Midnight Sun, in which cherries blend with Chocolate ice cream, topped with melted chocolate and honeycomb toffee. Triple Choco Banana blends Banana slices into their Chocolate ice cream, topped with melted chocolate and Oreo crumbs. The Tropical Heatwave blends banana and blueberry into Vanilla, topped with Tajín and Chamoy, aiming for sweet, salty, and tangy. To Create Your Own Swirl, choose a Cup or Waffle Cone, select your Base, such as Chocolate, Vanilla, or Allulose-sweetened sugar free Coconut, your Fruit, which might include Strawberry, Raspberry, Banana, Dark Sweet Cherries, and more, Toppings like Roasted Pistachios, Coconut flakes, Oreo Crumbs, Tajin (a Mexican seasoning blend of mild chili peppers, dehydrated lime, and sea salt), and others, and Drizzles such as Melted Chocolate, Sunflower Butter, Guava Sauce, and Chamoy (a Mexican condiment/sauce made from pickled fruit (like apricots, mangoes, or plums), chili powder, lime, and salt.) Are you ready to get your Swirl on?

Gati Scoops, 4500 Duval St., Austin, TX 78751

Enjoy a variety of flavors of vegan ice cream! The shop is known for interesting Thai flavors like pandan, Thai coffee, and golden milk.

We are adding Family First Haven to our list of senior living facilities that have at least some vegan options. You will have to check out these places to see if a possible location is suitable for you. Menus and chefs can change and needs vary. If you have recommendations that are not on the list please send to [email protected]

The list is at  https://www.vrg.org/seniors/senior_vegan.php

Family First Haven

4914 Canvasback Court

Columbia, MD 21045

(240) 660-1614

[email protected]

Assisted living, senior care, dementia care, respite care (Eight residents maximum)

Vegan meals offered include: legumes, tofu/tempeh, grains, nuts/seeds, fortified milks

According to the website: “Kitchen practices: Clear labeling, separate prep tools when needed, careful cross-contact controls.” The owner studied at Oakwood University, a Seventh-day Adventist college, where she studied biochemistry and embraced lifelong values of service, integrity, unity, and community uplift.”

Added: July 2026

Zucchini Pâté photo by Hannah Kaminsky

Hannah Kaminsky is the Senior Editor of Vegan Journal. She is the author of several vegan cookbooks and wrote an article titled “From A to Zucchini” in an issue of Vegan Journal. Zucchini is a relatively inexpensive vegetable and easy to find in stores. Enjoy recipes for Greek Zucchini Carpaccio; Falafel-Stuffed Zucchini, BBQ Zucchini Chips; Zucchini Pâté; and Zucchini Bread Thumbprints.

Read the entire article with recipes here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2020issue2/2020_issue2_a_zucchini.php

To subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA, see: https://www.vrg.org/member/

The Jewish Vegan Life Tikkun Circle brings people together to explore Jewish wisdom, compassionate living, and our relationship with the earth through shared meals and meaningful gatherings. This space is for reflection, connection, and collective renewal. Meetups are held in Hermosa Beach, CA; Bethesda, MD; Pittsburgh, PA; Montreal, Canada; and elsewhere. See https://jewishveganlife.org/events/

istockphoto

by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient that is needed in very small amounts, on the order of several micrograms a day. A microgram is one-millionth of a gram or about 0.000000035 ounces. Despite the small amounts needed, a deficiency of this important vitamin can lead to irreversible damage to the nervous system (brain and nerves) and to developmental delays in infants.

Infertility affects 10%-15% of heterosexual couples in the United States with male infertility accounting for about a third of cases (1). Many nutrients are known to play a role in male reproductive health including vitamins A, C, D, E, folate, calcium, iron, and fat (2).

Recently, there has been some evidence that vitamin B12 could influence male fertility. A study that was published in 2024 examined the effect of low vitamin B12 levels in the blood on blood levels of male hormones in men with infertility (3).

What is the study?

This study, from Canada, examined 303 men who had been diagnosed with infertility. The men’s blood was examined for vitamin B12 and reproductive hormones, including testosterone, estradiol, and prolactin. No mention was made of the study subjects’ dietary habits.

What did this study find?

The main finding of this study was that blood vitamin B12 and blood testosterone levels had a linear relationship (3). This means that men with higher blood vitamin B12 levels were likely to also have higher testosterone levels. Men with lower vitamin B12 levels were likely to have lower testosterone levels. Testosterone is the main male sex hormone. Testosterone is needed for sperm production and plays a role in maintaining sex drive. In this study, 30% of the men had low testosterone levels. The subjects’ age and their BMI (body mass index) did not appear to affect the results. The levels of other reproductive hormones were not associated with blood vitamin B12 levels.

The results of this study suggest vitamin B12 status should be assessed as a part of the work-up for male infertility.

References:

1. American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Defining Infertility. https://www.reproductivefacts.org/news-and-publications/fact-sheets-and-infographics/defining-infertility/?_t_tags=siteid:db69d13f-2074-446c-b7f0-d15628807d0c,language:en&_t_hit.id=ASRM_Models_Pages_ContentPage/_97bbc96d-df2e-40bf-8fad-2a44f2152a8a_en&_t_hit.pos=2. 2023.
2. Vanderhout SM, Rastegar Panah M, Garcia-Bailo B, et al. Nutrition, genetic variation and male fertility. Transl Androl Urol. 2021;10:1410-1431.
3. Rastegar Panah M, Jarvi K, Lo K, et al. Vitamin B₁₂ is associated with higher serum testosterone concentrations and improved androgenic profiles among men with infertility. J Nutr. 2024;154:2680-2687.

To read more about vitamin B12 for vegans see:

Vitamin B12 in the Vegan Diet

B12 Myths

Does the Form of Vitamin B12 Matter?

Don’t Forget About Vitamin B12

The contents of this website and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal and Vegan 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.

photo from Magnific

By Chef Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD

Cucumber have goodness both inside and out. The interior of a cucumber contains ascorbic acid, vitamin C, and caffeic acid. The exterior, the skin, is rich in fiber and contains a variety of beneficial minerals including silica, potassium, and magnesium.

The silica in cucumber is an essential component of healthy connective tissue, meaning that it might assist with skin health. Cucumber’s high water content makes it naturally hydrating: no sports beverages needed here! Cucumber slices are applied topically for various types of skin problems, facial puffiness and sunburn. Two compounds in cucumbers, ascorbic acid and caffeic acid, prevent water retention, which may explain why cucumbers applied topically are often helpful for swollen eyes, minor burns, and annoying insect bites.

Adding sliced or grated cucumber to salads is a way to increase fiber and water intake. If you don’t care for the traditional thick cucumber skin, select an English or Persian cucumber, or varieties sold as “pickling” cucumbers. If you don’t like the “burp” in cucumbers, peel them and don’t eat the skin, or select English or Persian cucumbers, smaller in diameter, shorter in length, more solid in texture, and less “burp” factor than traditional cucumbers. The seeds are the culprit to cucumber indigestion.

Cucumbers are very sensitive to heat, so choose those that are displayed in refrigerated cases or cool areas in the market. They should be firm, rounded at their edges, and their color should be a bright medium to dark green. Avoid cucumbers that are yellow, puffy, have sunken water-soaked areas, or are wrinkled at their tips. Thinner cucumbers will generally have less seeds than those that are thicker. Unwaxed cucumbers do not need to be peeled but should be washed before cutting. Waxed cucumbers should always be peeled first. Cucumbers can be sliced, diced, or cut into sticks.

Cucumbers are easy to prepare. Slice them into rounds or cut them into sticks and munch away. You can shred or grate cucumbers and mix them into salad dressings or vegan yogurt, soft silken tofu, or vegan sour cream. Cucumbers add a refreshing note to all menu items. Add sliced cucumbers to sandwiches and wraps for extra crunch. Make a fast gazpacho by mixing V8 (vegetable juice cocktail), salsa, and chopped cucumbers in a blender. Purée for the texture you like. Add white pepper or hot sauce for an extra zing. Another method for a refreshing gazpacho soup that takes five minutes or less to make, simply purée cucumbers, diced tomatoes, seeded bell peppers, and diced onions, then add salt and pepper to taste.

Did you know that you can use puréed cucumber to replace up to 75 % of the oil in salad dressing recipes? Puréed cucumbers can be used as a “secret” ingredient in smoothies and in mixed drinks.

Some cucumber enjoying tips:

• Use half-inch thick cucumber slices instead of crackers
• Mix diced cucumbers with sugar snap peas and mint leaves and toss with rice wine vinaigrette to use as a side dish
• Add slices of cucumbers to ice water to make it even more refreshing.