Who doesn’t love Italian food? Giuseppe Federici’s book Italian Cooking with Nonna is reviewed in the latest issue of Vegan Journal. Learn about all the creative recipes offered in this vegan cookbook here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2025issue4/2025_issue4_book_reviews.php

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Oddball has produced vegan fruit snacks that are not made from gelatin. This vegan-friendly alternative to Jell-O comes in flavors like Double Berry and Grape and Mango and Pink Grapefruit. They are shelf-stable. Read our review here https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2025issue4/2025_issue4_veggie_bits.php

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There was an interesting article on a CBS news site that stated, “Chicago loses four vegan, vegetarian restaurants in eight days.” Though putting this in context, the article concluded that there are still over 80 different restaurants across Chicagoland that serve vegan and vegetarian options. Veggie restaurants are having the same issues as meat-based restaurants that are closing, which include rising prices, scarcity of good affordable staff, immigration factors, high rents, and people changing where they go to eat, whether a meat eater or vegetarian. If there’s a restaurant you like, support it and encourage others to dine there. VegFests can have 10,000 plus attendees, but have similar issues. If there are less veggie restaurants and staff, it’s harder for food stands to quickly meet the needs of all the festival attendees. So have patience and empathy for the vegfest organizers and food stand workers. Unfortunately, a few negative people can ruin good events for everybody. So be positive, enthusiastic, and focus on what you love about the event or restaurant. Here are veggie restaurants around the U.S. and Canada to support: https://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

Vegan Journal editor Hannah Kaminsky tells you how to use soymilk, almond milk, or oat milk to best prepare your latte. See: https://youtube.com/shorts/UrwjvN7ec2U?feature=share

More information on plant milks is at https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2025issue3/VJ_issue3_2025.pdf

In the latest issue of Vegan Journal, Hannah Kaminsky shows you how to prepare one recipe and then take leftovers and produce another delicious dish. First make Apple Stuffing and then use any leftovers to bake Cheesy Stuffing Muffins. Next, make Green Bean Casserole and then use the leftovers to make Green Bean Casserole Curry. Finally, prepare your own No-Turkey Roast and use leftovers to make No-Turkey Spring Rolls. Find her recipes here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2025issue4/2025_issue4_love_leftovers.php

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Confetti Snacks Veggie Chips bring new life to imperfect, surplus produce. The chips are visually stunning and taste delicious! Read our review here https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2025issue4/2025_issue4_veggie_bits.php

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photo from Shutterstock

According to Chef Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD, Patra is a popular Gujarati veggie snack or ingredient used in main or side dishes. It is a rolled, filled menu item that resembles a green and gold pinwheel when sliced. Patra is also known as pathrode, and the leaves are sometimes called aloo or even elephant ears. The taro leaf is the traditional wrapper; however, spinach or collard leaves can be substituted when making your own patra.

There are many different ways to prepare patra, just like any beloved traditional dish. Patra is rolled up with tamarind paste and a variety of spices, steamed to solidify the filling, and then sliced and fried.

Besan is usually the main ingredient in the filling or paste for patra. Besan is garbanzo bean flour, also called gram flour. It is not a finely ground flour, and the grittiness actually adds texture to recipes in which it is used. Besan can be found in Indian markets and online, but it is easy to make your own. Simply lightly toast cooked garbanzo beans in a hot oven until they are crispy. Grind the crispy garbanzos in a food processor or by hand with a mortar and pestle.

Nowadays, many households cut to the chase and purchase canned or frozen patra, which can be micro-waved or quickly fried. If you are looking for canned or frozen patra, you might also search for alu wadi, which is patra in the Marathi dialect. Canned or frozen patra are usually sliced before packaging. When you open the package, you will see swirls of dark green and gold. You can microwave, steam, or fast-fry canned or frozen patra, depending on your time and your needs. Patra have a wonderful fragrance of spices, including ginger, chili, and garlic. In addition, if rolled correctly, the leaves and filling form a delightfully chewy, almost meat-like texture.

Recipes using patra can be found here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2008issue4/2008_issue4_patra_issue.php

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By Whitney McVerry

Darë Vegan Cheese has been a big hit in our home! Handmade in small batches in Asheville, NC, it’s creamy, flavorful, and instantly elevates any cheese or charcuterie board.

We’ve tried both the Pepper Jack and Balsamic Fig varieties. The Pepper Jack has just the right amount of kick, while the Balsamic Fig is rich and layered with flavor.

Darë also offers a range of spreads, dips, and vegan cheesecakes. Their products ship to all 48 contiguous states and Alaska. Check out their products here: https://darevegancheese.com

In the newest Vegan Journal the Scientific Update column covers the topics of All Ultraprocessed Foods May Not Have the Same Effect on Body Weight; All Ultraprocessed Foods May Not Have the Same Effect on the Risk of Developing Cognitive Impairment; and Ultraprocessed Foods in Plant-Based Diets. Read the scientific reviews here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2025issue4/2025_issue4_scientific_update.php

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The Moral Circle by Jeff Sebo advocates for radically expanding our understanding of what encompasses a moral circle, partially due to rapid changes occurring in society through technological innovation. We review this book in the latest issue of Vegan Journal here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2025issue4/2025_issue4_book_reviews.php

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