Photo by Hannah Kaminsky

Have you ever wanted to prepare your own vegan sushi at home? In the latest issue of Vegan Journal, Hannah Kaminsky shares all you need to know from Basic Sushi Rice to Eggplant Unagi Nigiri; Spicy Tu-Not Temaki; Chia Caviar Gunkan; California Temmari; to Sweet Dragon Maki.

You can find these recipes and more here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2024issue1/2024_issue1_vegetable-sushi-renaissance.php

Subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA at https://www.vrg.org/member/

Defending Animals explores the many individuals and organizations that work on the front lines of animal protection, focusing primarily on the USA and Canada and to some extent world-wide. As the author states, “…animal protection work includes both care and advocacy. Crucially, the term animal protection emphasizes that animals need protecting—from humans.”

Read the entire book review here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2024issue1/2024_issue1_book_reviews.php

Subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA at https://www.vrg.org/member/

photo from The Vegan Bar

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: http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

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

Here are some new additions to VRG’s guide:

Antojitos Veganos, Ave. Main 3140 Santa Rosa, Bayamon, PR 00959

Enjoy pancakes, french toast, nachos, veggie burgers, burritos, and more.

SportsBox Vegan Bar and Grill, 8445 SE McLoughlin Blvd., Portland, OR 97222

Ever wanted a sports bar and a vegan restaurant all in one? Look no further than Sports Box Vegan Bar & Grill. They offer a fully plant-based cruelty-free menu for every sports and esports lover to share. All meals from Sports Box are inspired by your favorite sports snacks and comfort meals. Enjoy a delicious, juicy “Box Burger” with crispy french fries, onion rings, and Sports-Box homemade “box sauce.” Or, have a boatload of plant-based cheesy nachos, saucy buffalo, or BBQ wings for your friends and family to share. They also offer pizza, tacos, salads, and for brunch Chickn’ & Waffles and a Veggie McMuffin. Sports Box also offers party packages for any type of celebration, including birthdays, graduation, retirement, baby showers, and other special events. To book reservations and party events, please visit the Sports Box website.

Planet Vegan, 7845 N. Palm Ave., Ste. 108, Fresno, CA 93711

Located at Park Place plaza, this former food truck turned brick-and-mortar restaurant specializes in burgers, but also offers vegan takes on other American fare, such as Sloppy Joes, “chicken” sandwiches, “chicken” nuggets, salads, and a few breakfast items.  Online ordering is available.

The Coco Nut, 1085 Chambers St., Eugene, OR 97402

The Coco Nut sources locally from Organically Co. and proudly does not serve any gluten, oil, and refined sugars. One of their dishes, called ‘Mango Ceviche Tostadas,’ includes mango, coconut meat, cucumber, tomatoes, shredded carrots, corn, avocado, salsa roja and ranch drizzle on oat/cashew tostadas. They also have soft serve ice cream made with almonds, coconut water, and a rotating daily flavor.

The Smokin’ Onion, 697 Haywood Rd. E., Asheville, NC 28806 (also has a food truck)

the Smokin’ Onion is THE plant-based food truck for comforting meals all foodies will enjoy. As a long-time vegan, animal rights and social justice activist, co-owner Keems wanted to have a food truck that combined her love for comfort food with plant-based cuisine. Smokin’ Onion’s food truck offers a plethora of meals, including a vegan Gyro made with homemade tzatziki, burger, “butter-milk chicken” sandwich, nachos smothered in homemade cashew queso, and gooey vegan chocolate cookies, chocolate peanut butter bars, and so much more.

The Kind Cleaver, Market on South, 2603 E. South St., Orlando, FL 32803

The Kind Cleaver is a vegan deli curated to anyone’s plant-based preferences and taste buds. They offer a wide variety of sandwiches, including the Cowboy Killer (a vegan chipotle “chicken” melt), Buffalo flavored sandwich, and much more. They even have brunch flavored sandwiches, filled with vegan ham, cheese, spiced maple sauce, and mayo ketchup. The Kind Cleaver also offers delicious salads, including a ranch and Caesar style salad.

The Vegan Bar, 931 W. 75th St. #169, Naperville, IL 60540

If you’re looking for a quick and delicious vegan meal, look no further than Vegan Bar. Vegan Bar has the perfect combination of healthy and comfort foods. For Breakfast, they offer avocado toast, delicious breakfast sandwiches, vegan chicken’ and waffles, and a plethora of vegan oatmeal options, including chocolate and peanut butter oatmeal. For lunch or dinner, try Vegan Bar’s “cheeseburger” with salty fries, vegan hot dogs and chicken tenders, vegan nacho supreme.

The Vegan Spot, 407 Hope Mills Rd., Fayetteville, NC 28304

Happy to be “cruelty-free,” The Vegan Spot also celebrates the vegan diet. One of their Pizza choices, Surf N’ Turf boasts a 12-inch buttery vegan crust covered in creamy vegan smoked gouda, soy-free plant based shrimp, organic spinach, organic Portobello mushrooms, red onions, and dairy-free mozzarella. Their Vegan Chicken Lo’ Mein features stir fried plant-based chicken, carrots, mushrooms, broccoli, and onions, along with Veggie Spring Rolls. Who’s your Hero? Theirs is an Italian plant-based Meatball Hoagie with marinara sauce and a dairy-free Italian cheese blend. One of their Burger options is the char-grilled Everything Bagel Burger made from pea protein, crowned with vegan, smoked gouda, grilled onions, organic Portobello mushrooms and their secret zesty pow sauce served on a buttery everything bagel. If you need some powerful greens, how about a Side of Greenades? These Brussel Sprouts are seasoned and sautéed in vegan butter to a tender-crisp texture with onions and green and red peppers. Feeling the Fries? Besides Regular, there are Philly Fries, Cajun Fries and Sweet Potato Fries. They offer plant-based Philly Cheesesteaks, Chicken Tenderz and Wings with a variety of sauce choices too. One Dessert possibility is their Vegan Brookie—a soft, chewy Brownie Cookie hybrid.

By Odette Olivares, MCN, VRG volunteer

Current food systems are based on a small number of foods due to production and market practicalities despite nature having a wide variety of amazing edible plant foods that most of the time go unnoticed by modern societies. While agricultural markets sell what has highest demand and represent highest earnings, consumers tend to concentrate their food choices on popular sold foods with low prices.

For example, rice, wheat, and corn are the most consumed cereals worldwide, although there are around 35 types of cereals.¹ Unfortunately, this production model increases the vulnerability of food security by losing a rich plant diversity needed when facing the adverse agricultural growing conditions due to Climate Change. By losing this diversity, we are also losing the opportunity of utilizing the therapeutic properties of unexplored foods. Fortunately, we can recover a lot of incredible foods from old villages and indigenous communities’ knowledge, which fortunately preserve their food traditions. This is the case of Cuajilote.²

Cuajilote derives from Nahuatl. “Cuahuitl” means tree and “xilotl,” corn silk. Also called Kat ku’uk, kat cucumber, or guajilote, it is a fruit that physically resembles conventional cucumber types, because of its color and long shape. However, cuajilote belongs to the Bignoniaceae family, and the conventional cucumber to Cucumis sativus L. Other differences lie in flavor, texture, and length. Cuajilote’s flavor is sweet and very versatile. It is a fundamental ingredient of “salpimentado,” a Yucatecan broth, but it can also be eaten fresh, roasted, in syrup, or in salads.³ Both salty and sweet dishes go well with it.

Nutrition-wise, it has a lot to offer too. For every 100 g, it has 5 g of protein, 21 g of fiber, 55 mg of calcium, and 9 mg of iron. It also contains thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, carotenes, and vitamin C.³ It is rich in antioxidants and polyphenols which depend on its degree of ripeness.⁴ The indigenous and rural community state the infusion of cuajilote’s roots can serve as diuretic and to tackle colds, diabetes, renal insufficiency, headaches, gallstones, and diarrhea.⁴ Currently, scientific studies are being conducted to explain the mechanisms behind these therapeutic uses and to determine more treatment details. So far, its antioxidants and polyphenols content might be responsible for the therapeutic uses that have been attributed to it.⁴

If you ever have the opportunity to try cuajilote, here I provide you with a recipe based on the traditional way of eating the cuajilote as dessert in Yucatán, México.

Caujilote Candy

Ingredients:

4 cuajilotes

2 piloncillos (a raw form of pure cane sugar found in the Latino section of stores)

2 cups water

3 sticks cinnamon

4 Tablespoons soy cream

Procedure:

1. Peel and cut the cuajilote into small slices.
2. Heat the piloncillo, water, and cinnamon together for a few minutes to create a syrup.
3. Add the chopped cuajilote to the syrup and keep heating for 45 minutes, till the cuajilote is cooked.
4. Serve with soy cream on top.

References

¹ U.S. Forest Service. Cereal, Grasses, and Grains. Forest Service Shield. Accessed February 18, 2024. https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/ethnobotany/food/grains.shtml.

² Castillo-Ruíz R, Castillo-Archila JA, Alemán-Castillo SE, Castillo-Ruiz O, Trejo-Díaz GN. Alternativas para el Aprovechamiento del Cuajilote (Parmentiera edulis): Una Especie Agroindustrial Subutilizada. CienciaUAT. 2022;17(1):123-138. doi:10.29059/cienciauat.v17i1.1635

³ Domínguez JC, Herrera G. Una delicia en el árbol: el pepino kat. https://www.cicy.mx/Documentos/CICY/Desde_Herbario/2018/2018-07-12-Dominguez-&-Herrera-una-delicia-en-el-arbol.pdf

⁴ Santiago Ruiz C, Nuricumbo Lievano VN, Chapa Barrios MG, Vela Gutiérrez G, Velázquez A. Antimicrobial activity, phenolic and antioxidant content of extracts from Cuajilote (Parmentiera Aculeata Kunth) fruits at different degrees of ripening. Journal of the Mexican Chemical Society. 2021;65(2). doi:10.29356/jmcs.v65i2.1270

Read more from Odette at

https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2023issue1/2023_issue1_foods_high_in_iron.php

and

https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2021issue2/2021_issue2_latin_american_calcium.php

The contents of this posting, our website and our other publications, including 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.

Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, reviews recent scientific papers related to vegetarianism in the most recent issue of Vegan Journal. Topics include Longer Family Meals = More Vegetables and Fruits Eaten; and Distance Racing While Vegan.

Read the scientific reviews here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2024issue1/2024_issue1_scientific_update.php

Subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA at https://www.vrg.org/member/

Tree Top’s FAVS Fruit Snacks single-portion sized pouches come in Banana, Orange, Peach, and Strawberry flavors, but each is packed with many other fruits and vegetables.

Read the product review in Vegan Journal here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2024issue1/2024_issue1_veggie_bits.php

Subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA at https://www.vrg.org/member/

Image by Freepik

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Researchers recently examined how much food cost when people with type 2 diabetes ate their usual diet, when they ate a plant-based but non-vegan diet called a DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), and when they ate a whole food vegan diet (1).

What is the study?

Twelve adult subjects completed all parts of the study. They all had type 2 diabetes and were using insulin. For the first week of the study, subjects were told to eat the way they were used to eating and to keep a record of everything they ate or drank. During the second and the fourth weeks of the study, subjects were provided with a DASH diet. This is a diet which focuses on whole grains, vegetables, and fruits and includes fat-free or low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, beans, and nuts. It limits use of high sodium foods, added sugar, and saturated fat. During the third week of the study, subjects were provided with a whole foods vegan diet which consisted of whole grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Added oils and solid fats were excluded. During the second, third, and fourth weeks of the study, prepared foods were delivered to the subjects twice weekly. They could eat additional food of their own choosing as long as it was in keeping with the diet they were assigned to at that time. They kept records of the food they ate.

The researchers used the subjects’ food records to calculate how much their food cost. They also adjusted the cost of food eaten away from home (at restaurants for example) to only reflect the cost of ingredients and not the cost of labor and other non-food costs.

What did this study find?

As reported in another article, both the whole foods vegan diet and the DASH diet resulted in significant reductions in blood glucose and in insulin dosages (2). These positive changes were not necessarily associated with a higher food cost. On average, food cost the least when participants ate a whole foods vegan diet. The cost of this diet was $9.78 per day ($8.83 per day when costs were adjusted for food eaten away from home). The DASH diet cost $12.74 per day ($11.81 when costs were adjusted for food eaten away from home). The subjects’ usual diet cost $15.72 per day ($11.01 when costs were adjusted for food eaten away from home.

What are the study’s limitations?

This was a small study and subjects were only on each diet for a short period. It did not assess the time costs associated with meal preparation. Researchers purchased the food for the DASH diet and whole foods vegan diet periods. Costs could have been different if study subjects had purchased their own food.

The researchers state that “In the US, it is estimated that 10.2% of the population is food insecure and 5.6% of the population lives in food deserts. The inferences from our study are distinct from the issues of food insecurity and food deserts, and we certainly do not intend to minimize the serious barriers to achieving health presented by food deserts and food insecurity” (1).

Are there practical implications?

A healthy diet does not have to be expensive. Whole foods vegan diets which do not include highly processed foods can be a way to eat healthfully while keeping food costs down. Additional, non-food, cost savings may be seen if insulin needs are reduced as was seen in this study.

To read more about low-cost vegan diets see:

Low-Cost Vegan Menus Based on USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Budget

Low-Cost Vegan Meal Plans

Quick and Easy Low-Cost Vegan Menus

Vegan at the Dollar Tree

Favorite Inexpensive Vegan Foods of Summer 2021 Interns

References

1. Campbell EK, Taillie L, Blanchard LM, et al. Post hoc analysis of food costs associated with Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet, whole food, plant-based diet, and typical baseline diet of individuals with insulin-treated type 2 diabetes mellitus in a nonrandomized crossover trial with meals provided. Am J Clin Nutr. Published online December 30, 2023.
2. Campbell TM, Campbell EK, Attia J, et al. The acute effects of a DASH diet and whole food, plant-based diet on insulin requirements and related cardiometabolic markers in individuals with insulin-treated type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2023;202:110814.

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 Golden West Cafe

By Danielle Choma, VRG Intern

I went to Golden West Café for brunch recently and enjoyed breakfast with three of my friends. We were seated right away by a friendly host and were thrilled with the minimum wait time because the place was packed! Inside of Golden West Café, there are plants everywhere, combined with lively colors and interesting Western artwork, creating an alive atmosphere. Golden West has been in Hampden section of Baltimore Maryland since 1997! Their motto, which stands true is, “Something for Everyone,” meaning they have food options for all different kinds of diets. They pride themselves in this fact, and the entire menu is properly and effectively labeled to show where and when meat, dairy, gluten, or fish is used, and when such can be subbed out for different options. Golden West Café was even voted best vegetarian dishes in the Baltimore magazine in 2022! Their menu includes American comfort food, featuring southwestern touches, and offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

I ordered vegan sausage, which was delicious. You can also request vegan pancakes. Other dishes offered on their menu include a vegan hot honay chick’n and waffle, cauliflower wings, pumpkin curry soup, a vegan spring chick’n sandwich, a vegan hangover burger, a vegan breakfast burrito, Little Fig kale Caesar salad, and so much more! Golden West Café does offer a kid’s menu, as well as a dessert menu. Some of their desserts include vegan, gluten-free banana cupcakes, vegan pumpkin cookies, and even vegan milkshakes!

Conveniently, when you go online to their menu, there is a separate section for gluten-free foods, for those who have celiac or a gluten allergy. And, best for last…coffee! They have over twelve different coffee options to choose from. I ordered an iced mocha with oat milk, and it was exactly what I wanted. Ten out of ten coffee. They do offer some kinds of alcoholic beverages as well, from beers to cocktails.

You can order food online through their website and schedule a pickup time or go in and sit down for a meal. They also serve private parties, as well as provide catering services. Sunday through Thursday they are open from 9am to 9pm, and Friday and Saturday they open from 9am to 10pm. You will definitely want to check out Golden West Café, as it is something you don’t want to miss!

Visit their website here; https://www.goldenwestcafe.com/home or order online at; https://order.toasttab.com/online/golden-west-cafe

For information on other vegetarian and vegan restaurants, check out this restaurant guide through The Vegetarian Resource group; https://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

Reed Mangels, PhD, RD reviews The Plant-Powered Plan to Beat Diabetes, by Sharon Palmer in the recent issue of Vegan Journal. This is a guide and cookbook designed for those with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes, or prediabetes. All recipes and menus are vegan.

Read the entire book review here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2024issue1/2024_issue1_book_reviews.php

Subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA at https://www.vrg.org/member/

photo from Carlson Labs

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies who are being exclusively or partially breastfed be given 10 micrograms (400 IU) per day of vitamin D as a supplement. This should be started shortly after birth (1, 2). We recently had a question from a VRG member whose pediatrician told her to give vitamin D drops to her baby. She wondered if there were vegan vitamin D drops for babies.

We did a search for “infant vitamin D vegan” and found several products that claimed to or appeared to be vegan, were for infants, and supplied 10 micrograms (400 IU) of vitamin D. Please note that this was not an exhaustive search and that there may be other acceptable products. We recommend checking with your baby’s doctor before using a supplement that is different from the brand that they suggest.

Here are products that we found:

Cymbiotika – https://cymbiotika.com/products/infant-d3 (note that the vitamin D3 is vegan; it is derived from lichen)

Carlson Labs – https://carlsonlabs.com/babys-plant-based-super-daily-d3/ – although the website says the product is “vegetarian” and does not say “vegan” this product contains vitamin D3 derived from algae which is considered vegan and does not appear to have non-vegan ingredients. Note that only 1 drop of this product has 400 IU of vitamin D

Mary Ruth’s – https://www.maryruthorganics.com/products/infant-toddler-vitamin-d3-organic-liquid-drops

To read more about nutrition for vegan infants see:

Feeding Vegan Kids

Vegan Nutrition in Pregnancy and Childhood

References

1. The American Academy of Pediatrics. Where we stand: Vitamin D & iron supplements for babies. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/feeding-nutrition/Pages/Vitamin-Iron-Supplements.aspx. 2022.
2. Wagner CL, Greer FR, American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Breastfeeding, American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Nutrition. Prevention of rickets and vitamin D deficiency in infants, children, and adolescents. Pediatrics 2008;122:1142-52.

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.