If a reader has seen a meat substitute company with environmental life-cycle analysis results, please send the name of the company and a link to their information to [email protected] Thank you.

Enjoy this recipe by James Craig Thieman, demonstrated by Vegan Journal editor Rissa Miller.

See video at: https://youtu.be/1wVKxoLByOM

Get the recipe: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2020issue3/2020_issue3_bowled_over.php

To subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA, see: https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Little Saigon, a section of Seattle’s International District, is the home of ChuMinh Tofu, a vegan Vietnamese restaurant we visited on a recent trip to Seattle. A highlight, if you want to try a variety of foods, is the buffet. You can either choose “all you can eat” or pay by the pound. On the day that we were there, the buffet included around 20 different dishes including vegan egg rolls, lemongrass chicken, pickled mustard greens and tofu, bitter melon soup, and barbecue pork. You could also choose from 10 different Banh Mi (a baguette filled with savory ingredients), and several salads and rolls.

One of us went for the buffet and was delighted with all of the choices. Another had the Sesame Beef Banh Mi which was a medley of flavors and textures – creamy mayonnaise, chewy beef in a sesame-flavored sauce, pickled carrots and daikon radish, and cilantro. I had a Summer Roll which was described as “salad in a roll” and was filled with such interesting ingredients – taro, Thai basil, jicama, tofu, and rice noodles.

We were also impressed with a sign and a statement on the website that every Sunday ChuMinh Tofu serves a free meal outside their restaurant to anyone who needs it.

You can find ChuMinh Tofu at 1043 S. Jackson St., Seattle, WA.

Visit their website at https://www.chuminhtofu.com/

To find a list of veggie restaurants in the USA and Canada visit: https://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

Are you looking for some alternatives to Turkey this Thanksgiving? Fortunately, there are many options today.

Field Roast offers these choices:
1. Celebration Roast with Traditional Bread Stuffing and Gravy – made with fresh onions, celery, cranberries and butternut squash.
2. Hazelnut Cranberry Plant-Based Roast – a rich, hazelnut-infused grain meat stuffed with Field Roast sausages, crystallized ginger, cranberries and apples – wrapped in a savory puff pastry. It’s even Toaster Oven friendly!
See: https://fieldroast.com/products/#roasts-loaves

Gardein offers a plant-based Turk’y Roast. See: https://www.gardein.com/chickn-and-turky/classics/plant-based-turky-roast

No Evil Foods offers The Pardon. See: https://www.noevilfoods.com/products/the-pardon/

Tofurky offers Tofurky Roast and Gravy. The Roast includes stuffing. See: https://tofurky.com/what-we-make/roasts/ They also have a Ham Style Roast. For details see: https://tofurky.com/what-we-make/roasts/ham-roast/

Trader Joes offers a Breaded Turkeyless Stuffed Roast. See: https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/061621  

Are you looking for a vegan-friendly game for young kids? If so, you might want to use these Veggie-Friendly Memory Cards for Kids that were created by Jessica Dadds for The Vegetarian Resource Group: https://www.vrg.org/family/memory_cards.php

Are you looking for a soothing bowl of soup that incorporates lots of veggies? Look no further! Chef Nancy Berkoff provides recipes for a wide variety of vegetable chowders in her article Vegetable Chowders.

Enjoy these recipes (most are inexpensive to prepare): Southwestern Green Bean and Red Pepper Chowder, Carrot, Pear, and White Bean Chowder, Brunswick Stew à la Vegan, Anusim Chowder, Potato and Kale Chowder, and Lentil Chowder

To subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA, see: https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

Are you searching for a pair of vegan boots? Below is a list of online retailers selling vegan boots in the USA, Canada, and Europe.

USA

BC Footwear Online store out of California offering a wide variety of women’s boots.

Bhava Studio Offers women’s boots.

Brave GentleMan Online store out of Brooklyn, NY offering men’s boots.

Call it Spring They offer boots for both men and women.

Mooshoes Offers both men and women’s boots out of New York City, NY.

Sudo Shoes Online store out of Cambridge, MA offering men’s and women’s boots.

Unicorn Goods Offers boots for women and men.

Vegan Chic Online store out of Los Angeles, CA offering boots for men and women.

The Vegetarian Site Online store selling boots for men and women.

CANADA

The Imperative Canadian online store selling women’s and men’s boots. Ships to USA!

Native Shoes Canadian company offering shoes for kids, men, and women.

Nice Shoes Canadian company offering shoes for men, kids, and women.

EUROPE

Ethical Wares Online store out of Wales selling a wide variety of men’s and women’s boots. They deliver worldwide.

Green Laces Online store out of Sweden selling boots for men and women.

Nae This Portuguese online store offers both men’s and women’s boots. Ships worldwide.

Noah Shoes Boutique German shop and online store offers women’s and men’s boots.

Veganline British online store offering boots for men and women.

Vegetarian Shoes British online store selling men’s and women’s boots.

Wills Vegan Store This UK online store offers men’s and women’s boots. They deliver to the USA as well.

Sesame Sriracha Tofu photo by Rissa Miller

Leslie Gray Streeter article “Flat Out Flavor – Sheet Pan Meals” features recipes that were conceived for minimum effort but maximum flavor, with lots of veggies and a variety of plant-based add-ins. Enjoy Hash Brown Sheet Pan Brunch Casserole with Cashew Cream; Black Bean Taco Bake; Chickpea Lasagna; Sesame Sriracha Tofu; and Oatmeal Apple Dessert Bake.

Find the article here: Vegan Sheet Pan Meals

To subscribe to Vegan Journal, visit: http://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

Debra Daniels-Zeller’s article Perfect Pears provides recipes for Reisling-Braised Kale and Pears With Basmati Rice; Sweet And Spicy Yams And Pears With Toasted Pecans; Maple-Sautéed Pears; Creamy Rosemary, Acorn Squash, and Pear Soup; Coconut-Cranberry-Pear Sauce Hazelnut-Orange Asian Pear and Beet Salad; Pear Crisp With Cranberries; Pear-Walnut Bread; and Berry-Poached Pears. She also explains the differences between popular varieties of pears. See: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2004issue3/2004_issue3_perfect_pears.php

To subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA, see: https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

photo from Wellness Sushi

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 (Note: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic many are doing take-out and/or delivery now):

Mothership, 2310 30th St., San Diego, CA 92104

Reserve a 2- to 6-person table (there is also a walk-in option but you may only get space at the bar if at all) for a 90-minute experience at this themed (Sci fi meets tropical tiki) bar. Everything, from the menus, to the presentation of the cocktails and tapas dishes, to the bathrooms, has been carefully selected to contribute to the ambience. Most cocktails and zero-proof mocktails are based around tropical fruit juices, coconut, and different Caribbean rums and liqueurs, combined with different herbs and even (in the Zero Proof Stun Ray) Szechuan peppers, and are served with unique and fun garnishes and decorations.  The tapas-style shareable food is eclectic and innovative, leaning towards Asian fusion. For example, the “Potato” dish features scallion latkes served on a bed of kimchi cream cheese, with Japanese cucumber and black radish.

Organic Food King, 3246 N Miami Ave, Miami, FL 33127

Serving up organic comfort food in the Wynwood area of Miami, this vegan food truck features an extensive menu of meatless meals that even carnivores are likely to enjoy. From breakfast sandwiches and egg burritos to tacos, hot dogs, burgers, “chick’n” sandwiches, and sweet smoothies to boot, there’s something for everyone. Outdoor seating is available.

Propaganda Coffee, 17806 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, OH 44107

Propaganda Coffee has lots of Eats to choose from. Besides salads, sandwiches and more, there’s Potato Latke Waffles, described as “hot, fresh and crispy,” served with applesauce or sour cream. If you’re in the mood for some crunch, you might enjoy Blackberry Overnight Oats with a vanilla twist and granola. The Pesto Flatbread features house made pesto, feta and roasted red peppers. For veggies bursting with color and texture, there’s peanut-sauced Raw Pad Thai or veggie based Coconut Curry Noodles in a cream sauce, crowned with cashews, sesame and cilantro, and served cool as the cucumber in this dish. Drinks offer so many choices! There are cold beverages and more hot. Hot drinks include varying flavors of tea, hot cocoa, mocha, macchiato, espresso and cappuccino to name a few. Baked goods abound with cakes, rotating varieties of doughnuts and Lemon Lavender Scones. If muffins are your jam, besides blueberry, there’s also Matcha. Are you in the mood for a different type of sandwich? They’ve got you covered with a double cream cookie sandwich. Propaganda Coffee is located near Beck Center for the Arts.

RāwASF Plant-Based Café, 1679 N Milpitas Blvd, Milpitas, CA 95035

Besides Steak & Eggs Bagels, and Eggs & Bacon Bagels, The All-Day Breakfast menu section also includes Adaptogenic Mushroom Toast starring roasted mushrooms, umami spread, roasted garlic, sliced radish, maitake mushroom dust, and truffle oil served on levain bread with seasonal microgreens. Another choice is Rawvocado—sliced avocado graced with plum jam, roasted garlic, radish and seasonal microgreens, served on levain bread. RawASF serves Adaptogenic Lattes with herbs like ashwagandha, sea buckthorn, camu camu or mushrooms like reishi, in cold brews with a coffee or matcha base. You can customize your own Superfood Bowl or choose one of their artistic, colorful designs. If you’re craving Pizza, there’s Pepperoni, or White Truffle with wood-fired mushrooms and white truffle oil, both served with plant based mozzarella and avocado pesto. Choose from several Burgers, many with Smoked flaxseed cheese. Looking for a saucy burger? Spicy Jalapeno 2.0 features goji mango-habanero with pickled cucumber. There’s a BBQ burger too— to name a few. Finally, there are oodles of Smoothies including a gorgeous, violet colored Ubé Avocado Nice Cream, whipped up with a whole avocado, coconut milk, agave and purple sweet potato/yam.

The Fragile Flour, 122 East 7th St., New York, NY 10009

Enjoy sweet and savory plant-based desserts and wines from around the world including apple cider parfait, chai hazelnut tiramisu, and salted maple pumpkin pecan pie. Note this place is walk-in only with 12 seat spaces.

Wellness Sushi, 2504 E Colfax Ave., Denver, CO 80206

Sushi items on the menu include krunchy krab with krab salad and avocado, ebi tempura roll with vegan shrimp tempura, and an ohnagi roll with green bean tempura. The menu also features okinawa origiri including classic crunch onigiri with vegan spam and tamago. Several ramen bowls with soboro soy meat are available.

Yellow & Lavender, 1406 McGavock Pike, Ste. D, Nashville, TN 37216

Yellow & Lavender is a charming and eclectic bakery located in the heart of the Inglewood neighborhood. You’ll find a variety of sweet and savory creations on display at the counter, though possibly not for long as the menu changes weekly. Help yourself to a classic almond croissant stuffed with almond créme, a bread pudding cup surrounded by cinnamon roll and blended with pumpkin spice babka, or a classic pig in a blanket croissant that you’d swear had real cheddar and sausage in it. The shop is owned and operated by an LGBTQ+ couple who used to make hundreds of confections for other restaurants and coffee shops in Nashville. The shop’s decor is a reflection of the couple’s philosophy: pennants with slogans like “we ain’t mad with nobody,” “this is not the end of the road for you,” and “no dairy, meat, fear, homophobia, racism, misogyny, ignorance, or drama . . . be nice or go home” abound. For those with dietary restrictions, there are gluten-free options available. The bakery is also wheelchair accessible with both indoor and outdoor seating. Note that the shop is located in the back alley of Riverside Village, a small cluster of businesses within Inglewood.