For short cooking video, see https://youtu.be/84T8Nph3NGU

Enjoy this Chili Fries recipe and other low-cost vegan dishes from Skyler Kilmer. See: https://www.vrg.org/blog/2020/10/15/vegan-at-the-dollar-tree-store/

Kasheri with Brown Rice

Chef Nancy Berkoff shares delicious vegan Egyptian recipes in her article Vegan Recipes from Egypt. Dishes include Kasheri with Brown Rice, Brown Rice Mujaddara, Makloubeh (Layered Eggplant), Vegan Kofta, Orange and Olive Salad, Khoshaf (Compote), and Egyptian Lemonade.

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

Recent topics brought up include:

– Suggestions on vegan items to have on hand for Halloween.

– East Carolina University shared info on the need for pregnant vegan/vegetarian women for research study participants.

– Sharing The Vegetarian Resource Group’s 2022 Video Contest Winners

https://www.facebook.com/groups/VRGparentsandkids is intended to be a group that offers support for families raising children on vegan diets and for vegan kids around the world. We envision it as a place to get advice about a wide-variety of topics: pregnancy, birthday parties, school lunches, Halloween, non-leather apparel, cruelty-free products, summer camps, and more. Please use it as a place to share your wisdom, seek advice, or just find a sympathetic ear. The goal is to offer support.

Consequently, any profane, defamatory, offensive, or violent language will be removed. Feel free to disagree, but do so respectfully. Hateful or discriminatory comments regarding race, ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or political beliefs will not be tolerated. We expect that posts should relate to vegan diets and lifestyles. The Vegetarian Resource Group reserves the right to monitor all content and ban any user who posts in violation of the above rules, any law or regulation, SPAM, or anything otherwise off topic.

Please share this information with any veggie families that you know! Thanks.

Savory Muffin photo by Rissa Miller

By Rissa Miller, Senior Editor Vegan Journal

Try these savory muffins warm from the oven beside a soup or stew. They also make a great snack for car trips.

Savory Veggie Muffins

(Makes 12 muffins)

Wet ingredients:

2 cups grated zucchini or yellow summer squash, thoroughly drained

1/3 cup plain, unsweetened vegan milk (oat or soy recommended)

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup jarred roasted red pepper, drained

1/4 cup canola oil

1 Tablespoon flaxseed meal

Dry ingredients:

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 cups whole wheat flour

3 Tablespoons nutritional yeast

2 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon chili powder (or more/less, to taste)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch salt, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and use non-stick spray to prepare a 12-muffin baking tin. Set aside.

Add all wet ingredients to a food processor or high-power blender, and pulse until smooth and well combined. If you prefer to mix by hand, chop red peppers and then add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk to combine.

Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture in a blender or processor, and pulse to combine. Be sure to scrape down the sides. Do not over-mix or the muffins will be chewy. If mixing by hand, add ingredients gradually and stir with a wooden spoon until thoroughly mixed.

Spoon muffin batter into prepared tin and fill to the top edge. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until muffins have puffed up and lightly golden. Use a toothpick to chew and make sure the middles are done. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before moving to a cooling rack, or just serve warm.

East Carolina University is recruiting pregnant vegan and vegetarian women to participate in a research study that examines urine and breast milk iodine concentration. We need your help in this process.

The following are the basic eligibility criteria:

• Following one of the following diet patterns: vegan or vegetarian,
• Currently pregnant,
• Willing to provide 1 sample of urine while pregnant and one sample of breast milk approximately one month after delivery,
• Willing to complete a web-based screening survey and a diet questionnaire.

Women selected for the study will receive a gift card to reimburse them for their time.

More information about the study can be found at: https://www.vegstudy.com/

To complete eligibility screening visit (please use Firefox as your browser): https://go.ecu.edu/veg-study

We sincerely appreciate your help.
Roman Pawlak, Ph,D, RD
Principal Investigator
East Carolina University

The Vegetarian Resource Group will be awarding $30,000 in college scholarships to high school seniors graduating in Spring, 2023. $10,000 of these scholarships specifically will be awarded to students of need who are concerned with the ethics of consuming animals, have promoted a veggie lifestyle, and will be future leaders in advocating a vegan society.

Deadline is February 20, 2023. We will accept applications postmarked on or before FEBRUARY 20, 2023. Early submission is encouraged.

Payment will be made to the student’s college (U.S. based only). Winners of the scholarships give permission to release their names to the media. Applications and essays become property of The Vegetarian Resource Group. We will ask semi-finalists for more information. Scholarship winners are contacted by email or telephone. Please look at your email.

Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish, or fowl. Vegans are vegetarians who do not use other animal products such as dairy or eggs.

To apply for the awards, please send below to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203, or [email protected]

1. When applying, please include the following:

• Name:
• Street address:
• City, State, Zip:
• Email address:
• Phone number:
• Date of birth:
• Date of expected graduation from high school:
• Grade average in high school:
• College(s) applied/accepted to (if known):
• Anticipated major in college:
• Parents’ or Guardians’ names:
• Parents’ or Guardians’ addresses:
• City, State, Zip:
• High school principal:
• Name of one high school teacher:
• Name of high school:
• Address of high school:
• City, State, Zip:
• People in the vegetarian movement, if any, who know you (Please include contact information):
• Extracurricular activities (please describe):
• Favorite subjects in school:
• How did you hear about the scholarship?:
• Type of vegetarian/vegan:

1. Please submit an essay addressing all of the following:

Use as few or as many words as necessary to best sell yourself. Don’t worry about word count.

1. How you promoted vegetarianism/veganism in your high school and/or community
2. Animal rights activities
3. Your successes
4. Your challenges
5. What you learned/what you would do different
6. How you expect to promote vegetarianism/veganism in college and beyond
7. Your future goals
8. Your strengths
9. Your weaknesses
10. Your “perfect” life in five years
11. Why you should receive this scholarship/financial need
12. How you became vegetarian/vegan and why you are vegetarian/vegan
13. How you define vegetarian
14. Why vegetarianism is important to you
15. What else is important to you
16. What vegetarian foods you would recommend to a non-vegetarian
17. What restaurants you would recommend to a non-vegetarian.

III. Please also attach:

1. A copy of your transcripts or report cards for the past two years. (An official copy is not necessary. Photocopies of your report cards will suffice.)
2. Three or more recommendations (including at least one teacher).
3. Any documentation related to your promotion of vegetarianism/veganism in high school and/or community including photographs, newspaper stories, etc.

Please send application and attachments to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203, or [email protected]

For more information call (410) 366-8343 or email [email protected].

Don’t spend extra money on express mail. Save it for your college class materials.

If you would like to donate to additional scholarships or internships, go to www.vrg.org/donate

For information about other scholarships, see https://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm

The Vegetarian Resource Group is celebrating its 40^th Anniversary this fall and this year we have changed the name of our quarterly magazine to Vegan Journal. You’ll find the same type of articles and recipe pieces in an updated format. Enjoy in-depth original research, product and book reviews, scientific updates on veggie nutrition, delicious vegan recipes with gorgeous photos, plus so much more. Both long-term vegans and those new to a vegan life-style will enjoy this magazine.

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

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Between 4% and 8% of children in the United States have allergies to one or more foods (1, 2). The most common allergies in children are allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, cow milk, and shellfish (1). Soy, wheat, and eggs are also common allergens. Not all of these foods are a part of vegan diets; however, some are commonly eaten by vegan children. A way to think about meeting nutritional needs of a child with a food allergy is to consider the important nutrients the food or group of foods usually supplies and then identify alternative sources of those nutrients.

For example, soyfoods are often used as sources of protein, iron, and zinc. Some soy products, such as soymilk, may be fortified with calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12. If soy is being avoided due to allergies, dried beans (other than soybeans) and wheat gluten can supply protein, iron, and zinc. Commercially, soy-free tofu is available that could be made from chickpeas, hempseeds, or other ingredients. A tofu substitute can be made at home using chickpea flour. Soy-free tempeh can be made at home using a variety of beans and grains. There are many websites with information about making non-soy tempeh. Fortified pea protein milk is similar to fortified soymilk in terms of nutrient content. Other plant milks can replace soymilk although most are lower in protein and may be fortified differently or not be fortified.

Tree nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds, etc.) and peanuts as well as nut butters are convenient sources of calories, protein, and other nutrients. Seed butters including sunflower seed butter and sesame butter (also known as tahini) can be used to replace nut butters, except when children are also allergic to seeds. Soy butter is another alternative to nut butters or peanut butter, provided the child is not allergic to soy. Although peanuts are considered to be a legume, being allergic to peanuts does not increase the risk of being allergic to most other legumes (3).)

Today, many commercial vegan products including plant milks, plant cheeses, and ice creams are based on nuts, often almonds or cashews. Families of children with tree nut allergies should be aware that these are commonly used and may be ingredients in vegan dishes.

Children with an allergy to wheat will avoid vegan foods such as seitan (made with wheat gluten) and some veggie meats that are made with wheat or wheat gluten. Other grains can supply the B vitamins, protein, fiber, and calories that are found in wheat and products made with wheat. Options for grains for those with a wheat allergy include rice, barley, oats, cornmeal, and quinoa. Bulgur, couscous, kamut, and wheat berries are examples of grains that are avoided in wheat allergy. Pasta made from rice, quinoa, other non-wheat grains, beans, or lentils can be used to replace wheat-based pasta.

In cases of multiple allergies or food avoidances, the advice of a registered dietitian with expertise in vegan nutrition can be invaluable.

Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) provides many resources for those with food allergies and has some vegan recipes.

References

1. Gupta RS, Warren CM, Smith BM, et al. The public health impact of parent-reported childhood food allergies in the United States. Pediatrics. 2018;142(6):e20181235.
2. American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Nutrition. Food allergy. In: Kleinman RE, Greer FR, eds. Pediatric Nutrition, 8th ed. Itasca, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics; 2020:561-590.
3. Food Allergy Research and Education. Peanut allergy. https://www.foodallergy.org/living-food-allergies/food-allergy-essentials/common-allergens/peanut

To read more about vegans and food allergies see:

The book, Food Allergy Survival Guide which includes over 100 vegan recipes that are free of common allergens.

A Soy-free, Nut-free Vegan Meal Plan

Can Anything Be Done to Reduce the Risk of a Baby Developing a Peanut Allergy?

Sesame Seeds to be Included in the List of Food Allergens on Food Labels

The contents of this posting, our 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.

Mother Fool’s Coffeehouse in Madison, Wisconsin, serves a wide variety of baked goods including donuts in various flavors, cookies, and more. |They also have a small grocery section that caters to vegans and healthy eaters. Raw nuts, tahini, rice noodles, fresh garlic. maple syrup, rice, coconut milk, spices, etc. are sold. Enjoy live music on the weekend.

They are located at 1101 Williamson St., Madison, WI 53703 and are open daily for breakfast, lunch, and early dinner. For more information visit: https://motherfools.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/motherfools/

Debra Daniels-Zeller article titled Healthy Vegan Dishes on a Budget! provides tips on how to save money when preparing vegan meals and also provides recipes for:
Spicy Black Beans
Grilled Pepper and Quinoa-Millet Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
Zucchini-Corn Chowder with Tomatoes
Kidney Bean-Sweet Potato Stew
Lemon Cornbread
Lemon-Carrot Coleslaw
Tofu-Broccoli Noodle Bowl

You can read the entire article here:
http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2017issue3/2017_issue3_dishes_budget.php

Subscribe to Vegan Journal by visiting: http://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php