In a previous Vegetarian Journal article titled Beyond Strawberry Shortcake, writer Debra Daniels-Zeller states “One of America’s favorite desserts, strawberry shortcake, became popular in the mid-1800s. It was originally a rich pastry with fruit baked inside that eventually evolved into a sweet biscuit pastry topped with fresh strawberries and fresh cream. Today, there are countless versions that use various cakes, such as sponge cake, pound cake, angel food cake, and the traditional biscuits. Many of the shortcake biscuit recipes are ultra-rich, calling for up to a stick of butter and then cream added on top of that. And, of course, they all call for the traditional strawberry topping with subtle variations.

     The concept of using different toppings once occurred to me when I had an abundance of apricots and cherries a few years ago. I created a lavender-vanilla flavoring base for the fruit and layered the fruit between two halves of sweet maple-orange biscuits. Then, I topped it with my favorite vanilla soy yogurt.

     I was soon hooked on the great shortcake experiment, using cooked and raw fruits. Eventually, I moved on and used raw vegetables and finally cooked vegetables as sides and main dishes. Now, I often keep frozen sliced biscuits on hand, ready to thaw for quick dinners or easy desserts.”

In this article, you’ll find recipes for:

Savory Onion Shortcake Biscuits

Asparagus-Tempeh Shortcake Topping

Apricot-Cherry Shortcake Topping

Orange-Maple Shortcake Biscuits

Spicy Tomato Shortcake Biscuits

Orange-Berry Shortcake Topping

Tomato-Cucumber Shortcake Topping

Black Bean Salsa Shortcake Topping

Cabbage and Carrot Shortcake Topping

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You can also subscribe to the Kindle version of Vegetarian Journal in the USA and United Kingdom. In the USA, visit: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LBY2Y7K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544727482&sr=8-1&keywords=B07LBY2Y7K  In the United Kingdom, visit: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07LBY2Y7K/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1544731957&sr=8-1&keywords=B07LBY2Y7K

By Angela Weber, VRG Intern

In Search of the Wild Tofurky: How a Business Misfit Pioneered Plant-Based Foods Before They Were Cool by Seth Tibbott with Steve Richardson is truly a must-read. This is a tale for all of the entrepreneurs, the environmentalists, the foodies, the hippies at heart, the businessmen and women, and the people who love a great underdog story.

     Seth Tibbott chronicles his journey as he turns his passion into a worldwide phenomenon – the Tofurky. He begins each chapter of his story with unbelievable previews of anecdotes, such as studying graffiti, renting space to piano-tuning clowns, and turning four trees into a treehouse where he lived for seven years. He closes each chapter with heartfelt and honest words of advice to inspire his fellow “bootstrappers” engaging in their own journeys. Everything in between is a fascinating story about how a dream became a reality.

     Tibbott begins by warning readers that, “The Tofurky story is the opposite of smart money.” It is by no means a story about building a business to amass a fortune, but rather a story about how preserving authenticity, positivity, and passion can reap great rewards when you enjoy the work you are doing for your business.

     Tibbott had the insight to recognize a critical need amongst vegans. Thanksgiving meals tend to be meat-centric, leaving vegetarians and vegans to only be able to choose from the side dishes. The Tofurky deliciously addressed that need, and the brand has expanded to provide some ingenious plant-based alternatives to meat products. This is the story of how that all came to fruition.

     His successes were inspiring because they did not come from having a lot of money or resources, but rather, they came as a result of his hard work, determination, gut feelings, support system, and unwaveringly firm stance behind his mission and vision of “bringing vegan, low-on-the-food-chain protein to the world.”

     A sense of creativity and community and an enjoyment for life were instilled in him from a young age by his parents. When he went to college to become a teacher, he found the traditional classroom setting to be too restricting and unimaginative, and he could not be true to himself in this way. Although teaching elementary schools was ultimately not his destiny, it was during this time in college where he stumbled on to vegetarianism and the wonders it could do for human health and the planet, and it became one stepping stone on his path to revolutionizing the vegan food market with the Tofurky.

     As his perspective changes, he goes on to become a wandering naturalist, spending a lot of time in the great outdoors with very little income. His modest lifestyle allowed him to have freedom and create memorable experiences, one of which being his discovery of tempeh. Upon visiting a commune known as The Farm, he learned about the miraculous mold and soybean combination that made tempeh. Immediately becoming fascinated with tempeh, Tibbott purchased a starter culture and produced his first batch. The rest, as they say, is history.

     Tibbott’s passion for this process leads him to create his company, Turtle Island Soy Dairy, where he devotes his time to producing tempeh. He faces many trials and tribulations along the way. With a lack of fundamental business knowledge, a meager annual budget of $2,500, and a slew of individuals insisting that meat consumption would never change in America, what could possibly go wrong? He shares with his readers his many transitions, mistakes, insights, signs, and moments of growth, all of which eventually lead him to pivotal decisions and his aha moment of creating the Tofurky.

     He never gives in. He never gives up. He uses the resources he has to constantly grow, learn, and improve, while keeping Turtle Island Foods and Tofurky brands under family ownership for the past forty years. A lot can be learned from this humbling, often humorous, and engaging story of someone who wants to change the world for the better, one Tofurky at a time.

     I definitely recommend looking for the Tofurky brand on your next trip to the grocery store, and I absolutely recommend reading this book!

You can order the book on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Tofurky-Story-Pioneered-Plant-Based-Dinner/dp/1635766532/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

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):

Dodah’s Kitchen, 3801 34th St., Mount Rainier, MD 20712

‘Dodah,’ meaning ‘aunt’ in Hebrew, specializes in soul food. Some favorite menu items are the mac n’ cheese (made with handmade soy cheese), “crab” cakes, and collard greens. Dodah’s Kitchen is also known for its desserts, such as decadent chocolate cake and mouthwatering blueberry cheesecake, as well as waffles and pancakes.

Donut Run, 6904 4th St. NW, Washington, DC 20012

Twelve donut flavors – both yeast and cake – offered daily along with Brewing Good Coffee Company coffee. Note that they sometimes sell out early!

Kate’s Ice Cream, 2636 NE Sandy Blvd., Ste. F, Portland, OR 97232

Kate’s Ice Cream is a plant-based ice cream pop-up shop located in Portland. Take home a pint of ice cream year-round or a waffle cone scoop during the summer months! Flavors include Maple Masala Chai, Salted Peanut Butter Brittle, and their signature Marionberry Cobbler.

NW Raw, 370 E. Main St., Ashland, OR 97520

NW Raw calls itself “an indoor restaurant to inspire an outdoor lifestyle.” While nominally an organic juice bar, the offerings at this bright, airy main-street Ashland establishment include several hearty dishes as well as all-day breakfast. Standout items are the various toasts, the smoothie bowls, salads, savory bowls, and crispy fresh waffles. In addition to a variety of fresh-pressed juices, nut mylks, and smoothies, a full coffee bar is available. A cozy fireplace warms up the friendly space that opens onto sidewalk dining, and children can order from their own menu. The full menu is gluten-free.

Plant City X, 619 West Main Rd., Middletown, RI 02842

Plant City X is a plant-based drive-through. Inside offers an aesthetically pleasing dining experience, with all-white décor and plant accents. Breakfast options include a variety of parfaits, sandwiches and wraps, and avocado toast. Lunch and dinner options include Sweet Chili Cheese Fries, Kale Caesar Salad, “Chik” Nuggets, Truffle Mac & Cheese, and a variety of burgers and sandwiches. Don’t forget to try a shake on the way out!

Safframen, 5240 NE 42nd Ave., Portland, OR 97218

Located in Portland’s Shady Pines Food Court, Safframen offers vegan Japanese lunch and dinner. Dishes include bowls – such as the KonKotsu (corn) Ramen and the KonKotsu Rice – as well as Onigiri (rice balls), such as Jalapeno Onigiri and Scallion Onigiri. Special seasonal dishes are also available.

The Veggie Table, Baltimore, MD 21223

Located in Baltimore near Hollins Market. They have a diverse menu including breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as catering and basic meal prep. Breakfast items include oatmeal, pancakes, avocado toast, smoothie bowl, and more. For lunch, try buffalo bites with a choice of sauces, a mushroom sub, bean burrito, chick’n sub, and more. For dinner, you can order Cajun red beans and rice, “cheese” steak sub, your choice veggie Alfredo, and more. You must order online and pick-up items.

Willow, 199 8th Ave., New York, NY 10011

Willow is an all plant-based bistro serving everything from “cobb” salads, to “steak” fries, to a hickory-smoked burger. Don’t worry, they have a great dessert menu too! Enjoy vanilla bean cheesecake, banana foster cake, and chocolate chip cookie skillet.

We don’t know about you, but we enjoy soup any day, but especially on a cold winter evening. A previous Vegetarian Journal article titled “Hot, Hearty Soups for Cold Winter Days,” provides numerous vegan recipes you’re certain to enjoy.

• Italian-Style Vegetable Soup
• Curly Kale, Corn, and Tomato Stew
• African Peanut Soup
• Garbanzo Bean Soup with Tomatoes, Spinach, and Corn
• Easy Lima Bean Soup
• Potato-Green Pea Chowder
• Lentil-Potato Soup with Indian Seasonings
• Beans and Franks Soup
• Black Bean-Yellow Corn Soup with Fresh Jalapeños
• Peppery Split Pea-Vegetable Soup
• Rustic Cream of Potato Soup
• Chili with Corn and Black Beans

The entire article can be read here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2005issue1/2005_issue1_soups.php

Subscribe to Vegetarian Journal in the USA only by visiting https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

You can also subscribe to the Kindle version of Vegetarian Journal in the USA and United Kingdom. In the USA, visit: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LBY2Y7K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1544727482&sr=8-1&keywords=B07LBY2Y7K In the United Kingdom, visit: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07LBY2Y7K/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1544731957&sr=8-1&keywords=B07LBY2Y7K

By Odette Olivares, VRG Intern

Websites about calcium for vegans are not always the most adequate. Many sites have not yet updated their information, stating what was once considered true, but now is no longer correct. Finding a good website in Spanish or Portuguese can be more difficult than finding one in English. So, this list of Latin American sites can be very useful for you. Also, you will find websites with an incredible variety of Latin American dishes high in calcium.

     Some of the sites that VRG intern Odette Olivares highlighted are Infovegana (which contains a podcast in Spanish) and the YouTube videos of Dr. Eric Slywitch (with information in Portuguese). Many Latin American Facebook groups also share the podcast of Infovegana. As for the sites where you can find recipes high in calcium, Mi Mero Mole, Comer Vegano, and Vida Vegana are especially recommended. Do not miss these attractive and reliable websites and links to numerous recipes high in calcium that Odette has collected for you! See: https://www.vrg.org/nutrition/best_latin_american_websites.htm

Support local veggie restaurants and non-veggie establishments offering special vegan menus this month. Find participating restaurants here: https://www.mdveganeats.com/

Some of the dishes you can order online and pick-up include vegan soul food from Land of Kush in Baltimore City; organic vegan cuisine from Great Sage in Clarksville, MD; vegan burgers and sides at PLNT Burger in Columbia and Silver Spring, MD; vegan pizza from Paulie Gee’s in the Hampden section of Baltimore City; vegan and gluten-free baked goods and savory dishes from Harmony Bakery also in the Hampden section of Baltimore City; and fresh cold-pressed juices from Revive in Frostburg, MD.

By Clarissa Hauber, VRG Intern

The 21st Century marks a period of advocacy, education, and innovation within the food industry. Genetically modified foods are sold in every supermarket. Hydroponic farming allows food to be grown without soil or sunlight. Beyond and Impossible burgers have encouraged people to eat meat without actually eating meat. And the number of vegans and vegetarians is higher now than ever before.

     According to a 2020 poll conducted by The Vegetarian Resource Group, vegans now account for 3% of the US population. Despite the poll being limited to 18+ adults, it is assumed that a similar percentage of vegans account for the US teenage population. With more and more people and even celebrities becoming vegan and sharing their concerns for animal rights and the state of the environment, veganism is becoming increasingly popular among teenagers.

     Being an eighteen-year-old vegan, I understand firsthand what it is like to be a vegan teen living in the US. Fortunately for me, I live in an area – Baltimore, MD – where veganism is not seen as some strange, radical lifestyle. Instead, Baltimore has numerous vegan restaurants and cafés, and nearly every supermarket around me has at least an aisle dedicated to vegan products. 

     My experience as a vegan teen in Baltimore left me wondering about the experience of vegan teens living in other regions of the US. Did they feel the same sense of accommodation as I felt, living in Baltimore? I reached out to two fellow vegan teens in two vastly different regions, Lucia Rivera from California and Anayeli Camacho from Texas. I sent them a list of questions to compare each of our experiences as vegan teens living in the Mid-Atlantic, the Southwest, and the Pacific.

     As a preface, I asked Lucia and Anayeli when and why they decided to go vegan. It seems the three of us had a similar transition into veganism – each having been vegetarian for a period of time before going vegan in high school. Lucia and I both committed to going vegan after taking an environmental science class in high school. Anayeli was motivated to go vegan after questioning the morality of eating animals.

      I asked both about the prevalence of vegans where they lived. Anayeli explained that no one in her family had even known what the word vegan meant before she became one. This was quite different from my situation, as a close friend of mine was vegan, my cousin was vegan, and my brother’s girlfriend at the time was vegan. Like me, Lucia mentioned that, while she was not entirely sure how many vegans there were where she lived, she felt that she lived in a “vegan-friendly” place, noting the vast number of vegan products at grocery stores near her. 

     To get a better understanding of the prevalence of vegan teens in their areas, I asked Anayeli and Lucia how common veganism was at their schools and what their peers thought about it. Interestingly, Lucia noted that a few years ago her school newspaper reported that 5% of the students were vegan (much higher than the national average). At her school, she says, students are indifferent to veganism – though some peers show excitement over her being vegan and others are reluctant to eat meat in front of her. While I do not know the percentage of vegans at my school, I, too, have met several, and most students seem indifferent to it. In contrast, Anayeli describes that being vegan at her school was “completely unheard of” and that her school administration and peers did not understand her choice. In fact, Anayeli was the first at her school to publicly speak about veganism and to advocate for it.

     Expanding on their high school experiences as vegans, I asked them what they ate for lunch and how well their schools accommodated vegans. Lucia said that she opted for bringing her own vegan snacks during lunch, and that while her school did offer vegan options, she had not tried them herself. Again, my experience is like Lucia’s, as I also opted for bringing my own vegan snacks rather than a lunch. My school, unfortunately, did not have any decent vegan options. Anayeli’s school, like mine, limited their vegan options to chips and fruit. She said, however, that the lack of lunch options inspired her to make her own vegan lunches and get creative with them – she even shared her lunches with her nonvegan friends. 

     Often, classes like Anatomy or Biology require students to conduct animal dissections, contradicting a vegan’s morals. I asked Lucia and Anayeli if their morals as vegans had ever clashed with a school assignment and how they dealt with that. Both Anayeli and Lucia said they were assigned dissections in their science classes. Anayeli’s group let her collect data rather than participate in the actual dissection of the animal. Lucia could take notes rather than involve herself at all in the dissection – her teacher was quite understanding, she said. While my school does not conduct dissections, they do take a zoo field trip. Unfortunately, attendance at the trip was graded, so I felt obligated to go – though, looking back, I wish I had opted out.

     Finally, I asked Lucia and Anayeli what advice they might give to a high schooler considering veganism in their area of the country. Lucia says that any high schooler in her area who is considering veganism should absolutely give it a try, especially since she lives in an area with a severe water shortage. And, it is critical to research and connect with organizations like The Vegetarian Resource Group. Anayeli tells them to “always remember their why.” “Remembering her why,” she said, is what helped her go vegan and, ultimately, stay vegan.

     Hearing about Lucia and Anayeli’s experiences as vegan high schoolers in the US was eye-opening. It seems that, while on opposite ends of the country, Lucia from California and I from Baltimore had similar experiences. Both of us are lucky to live in environments where veganism is common and accepted. Anayeli from Texas does not live in an area as understanding about veganism, but she still managed to become a vegan herself and continues to educate the people around her.

For more information on teen vegans, see: https://www.vrg.org/teen/

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

Due to the generosity of an anonymous donor, The Vegetarian Resource Group each year will award $20,000 in college scholarship money to graduating U.S. high school students who have promoted veganism/vegetarianism in their schools and/or communities. Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish, or fowl. Vegans are vegetarians who do not use other animal products such as dairy or eggs.

One award of $10,000 and two awards of $5,000 will be given. Entries may only be sent by students graduating from high school in spring 2021. Deadline is February 20, 2021. We will accept applications postmarked on or before February 20, 2021. Early submission is encouraged!

Applicants will be judged on having shown compassion, courage, and a strong commitment to promoting a peaceful world through a vegan/vegetarian diet/lifestyle. 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 may ask finalists for more information. Scholarship winners are contacted by e-mail or telephone. Please look at your e-mail.

For details on the contest, see: http://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm

Are you looking for places to purchase vegan chocolate for Valentine’s Day? Here’s some online sources that sell vegan chocolate:

Amanda’s Own Confections (chocolate confections)

https://amandasown.com/products/holidays/valentines-day/

Cocoa Parlor (vegan truffles and chocolate bars)

https://www.cocoaparlor.com

Compartes (vegan bars and chocolates)

Coracao Confections (vegan chocolates)

https://www.coracaoconfections.com/

Lagusta’s Luscious (handcrafted vegan chocolate)

https://lagustasluscious.com/

Lake Champlain Chocolates (wide variety of vegan offerings)

https://www.lakechamplainchocolates.com/seasonal-chocolates/vegan-valentine-chocolates

Natural Candy Store (vegan items indicated)

https://www.naturalcandystore.com/category/natural-chocolate-candy

No Whey Chocolate (vegan and kosher)

https://nowheychocolate.com/valentines-day-chocolate/

Rose City (wide variety of vegan offerings)

https://www.rosecitychocolates.com/catalogs/display_catalog/vegan-valentine

Vegan Essentials (wide variety of vegan offerings)

https://store.veganessentials.com/valentines-day-gift-ideas-c106.aspx

By Chef Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD

You can call it Florence fennel, you can call it sweet anise, and you can even call it finocchio. How will you know it when you see it? Fennel’s bulb looks like a white, Disney-esque celery stalk, tapering off to skinny (like the diameter of your index finger) stalks and ending with feathery leaves, reminiscent, in shape, of fresh dill. Fennel has a mild, licorice (as in the real stuff, black licorice) aroma and flavor. Used correctly, it is absolutely intoxicating.

Fennel can be eaten raw. Just de-string the bulb and the stalks with a vegetable peeler and crunch on it as you would celery. No time to create? Buy a bagged salad, slice some fresh fennel, toss in some walnuts and you have an upscale salad. If you are feeling elegant, and have steady hands, you can shave fresh fennel with a razor or cheese plane to extract maximum flavor.

The ancient Greeks thought of fennel as a symbol of victory and success. The ancient Romans thought fennel had the ability to sharpen eyesight. Herbalists will make a tea by boiling fennel and allowing it to steep, using it to soothe the stomach, help to digest fatty foods and to cleanse the system. Fennel is a good source of fiber, along with other nutrients such as Vitamin A and Vitamin C.

Fresh fennel can be thinly sliced, diced, or chopped and added to simmering beans or lentils, salsas, tomato sauce, mushroom dishes, or grains. Use fennel to add an extra layer of exciting flavor to sandwiches or wraps, to grilled veggie burgers or extra-firm tofu or seitan or eggplant slices, and to soups and to scrambled tofu. If you have extra fennel, you can cut the bulb into chunks, wrap in foil and grill or roast in the oven, to use as a side dish or as an aromatic condiment.

Enjoy this recipe!

Fennel Salad

(Serves 4)

Take a break from lettuce and dive into this crunchy, aromatic salad.

1 medium fennel (about ½ pound), peeled, leaves removed and cut into thin strips

2 red bell peppers (about ½ pound) deseeded and cut into thin strips

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

¼ cup olive oil

2 teaspoons cracked black pepper

Toss fennel and peppers in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil and pepper until frothy. Pour evenly over fennel and mix to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour before serving.