By Rissa Miller, Vegetarian Journal Senior Editor

1/4 cup Ener-G Egg replacer powder

1/2 cup warm water

1/2 cup dried cranberries, minced

Zest and juice of one orange

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Pinch ground clove

Pinch salt (optional)

1 cup chilled vegan margarine (we used Country Crock Plant Butter)

2 cups organic sugar

1 cup vegan eggnog or plain vegan creamer

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon orange extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together Egg Replacer powder and warm water until it’s frothy and there are no lumps. Set aside to allow time to combine.

     In a small bowl, soak chopped cranberries with orange juice and zest. Set aside.

     In a medium bowl, whisk or sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, clove, and salt. Set aside.

     In the bowl with the frothy Egg Replacer, add margarine, sugar, eggnog,and extracts. Using an electric mixer, beat wet ingredients until smooth and evenly blended, about 2 minutes (wooden spoon works too, but requires more time.)

     Pour dry ingredients into wet and beat again until just combined. Do not overwork or the cake will be tough. Well mixed, fold in the cranberries and orange zest/juice. Set aside while preparing the pan.

     Using additional vegan margarine and flour, coat the inside of a bundt pan first with margarine, then with flour. Shake out excess flour. Pour cake batter into the prepared pan and place in the oven. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour, rotating half way through baking. Test with a toothpick for doneness in the middle and add more time if needed in 2-5 minute increments.

Allow to cool for 15 minutes before inverting onto a cake plate and serving.

Despite the present pandemic, The Vegetarian Resource Group continues to be very busy on a daily basis. Below are some examples of successes and activities. Your support is greatly appreciated! You can donate to VRG at
www.vrg.org/donate

Here’s a sampling of some of our accomplishments and outreach:

● Over 1,200 registered dietitians visited The Vegetarian Resource Group virtual booth at the national Food and Nutrition Conference & Expo. Many requested information for themselves or to use with clients.

● Vegetarian Resource Group Nutrition Advisor Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, did an interview for Fitbit on vegan athletes, an interview with Nutrition Action Health Letter about antinutrients, and an interview with the New York Times about vegan babies and children. Reed also spoke virtually about The VRG and vegetarian children at the Maryland Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Annual Meeting.

● The Vegetarian Resource Group sent in testimony to the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Committee, care of the USDA Food and Nutrition Service, encouraging the committee to continue to stress the benefits of vegan and vegetarian diets, to expand the discussion about benefits of these diets, and to continue to identify these diets as healthful eating patterns. Helpful references included in the comments are here: vrg.org/blog/2020/06/19/the-vegetarian-resource-group-sends-in-testimony-concerning-the-2020-dietary-guidelines

● Reed Mangels PhD, RD supervised a vegan dietetic student in helping her to complete her internship require­ments towards her registered dietitian certification, when her hospital placement was shut down because of COVID-19. We were able to refer a dietitian to a source of information she needed on a vegan diet for a cancer patient. We found assistance for a person from Argentina who had technical questions on tempeh production. VRG researcher Jeanne Yacoubou, MS, added to our ingredient list (whether vegan, vegetarian, or non-vegetarian) Yellow Prussiate of Soda. See: vrg.org/blog/2020/07/07/yellow-prussiate-of-soda. Jeanne also researched: How Sustainable is Vegan Leather? See: vrg.org/blog/2020/06/18/how-sustainable-is-vegan-leather

● VRG donated Vegetarian Journal subscriptions to participants in a 10-Day Vegan Challenge sponsored by the Black Vegetarian Society of Maryland. We sent 50 Vegan My Plates and 50 Vegan in a Nutshell brochures for tabling at Easton, PA Vegfest and vegan information to 45 prisoners. Finally, VRG hosted 12 virtual interns over the summer and 12 High School and College interns this fall. A new batch of interns will start in January 2021. They all worked/will be working on a number of exciting projects!

This is just a small sampling of what we are doing at VRG every day. Thank you so much! We couldn’t do this without your support.

You can donate directly to VRG at www.vrg.org/donate

You can also mail donations to The Vegetarian Resource Group, PO Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203 or call in your donation to (410) 366-8343 Monday through Friday 9am to 5pm EST.

Each issue of Vegetarian Journal features reviews of products we really like. The latest issue features reviews of High Peaks Vegan Sausage and Fresh Gourmet Crispy Peppers, and Bright Bars.

Read the entire article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2020issue4/2020_issue4_veggie_bits.php

To subscribe to Vegetarian Journal in the USA, see: 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

Are you looking to put a new spin on your New Year’s Eve/Day meal? If so, a previous Vegetarian Journal article by Anna Lam serves up a number of creative Southern-style ideas including Cornbread Flapjacks with Jalapeño-Mayhaw Jelly, Hoppin’ Johns, Turnip Greens, and Seitan Ham.

Find the recipes here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2017issue4/2017_issue4_new_year.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

And have a healthy 2021!

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

By Rissa Miller, Vegetarian Journal Senior Editor

(Serves 8-10)

Curl up in front of your favorite movie or catch the latest game while you enjoy this spicy, but secretly not-all-junk-food Buffalo Cauliflower Dip. The oven-roasted veggies and beans add nutrition while the buffalo sauce and spices make it taste like your traditional game time favorite. The recipe makes enough to share with the family, or warm it up as leftovers for the entire weekend!

1 head cauliflower, chopped to medium-size pieces

1 cup roughly chopped onion

2-3 cloves garlic, peeled

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

One 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained

3/4 to 1 cup vegan buffalo sauce (to taste)

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 cup vegan cheddar shreds (optional)

1/4 cup vegan bread crumbs (optional)

1 scallion, green part, chopped (optional)

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes (optional)

To serve, tortilla or pita chips, carrot and/or celery sticks

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Toss chopped cauliflower, onions, and garlic with olive oil and salt/pepper on a rimmed sheet pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until vegetables are tender and lightly browned.

     While vegetables bake, add beans, buffalo sauce, nutritional yeast, paprika, and coriander to a blender or food processor. Purée until smooth.

     When veggies are baked, add in batches to the blender/processor (unless it all fits at once) and puree until smooth.

     Pour into a casserole pan and if needed, stir batches together. Top as desired with vegan cheddar shreds and/or bread crumbs. Bake at 375 degrees an additional ten minutes. Turn on the oven broiler setting and broil dip to crisp top and melt vegan cheese for 5 minutes.

     Before serving, sprinkle with dried parsley flakes and chopped scallions. Serve warm with tortilla or pita chips and carrot/celery sticks.

Cook’s Notes: Want it hotter? Look for extra spicy buffalo sauce. This recipe was tested with Frank’s and Primal brands. Alternatively, add some red pepper flakes or a little sriracha to amp up the heat. Want it decadent? Serve with a side or drizzle of vegan blue cheese dressing. Daiya and Follow Your Heart both offer bottled blue cheese sauce.

The latest issue of Vegetarian Journal includes results from a national Harris Poll commissioned by The Vegetarian Resource Group. Find out: How Many Adults in the U.S. are Vegan and How Many Adults Eat Vegetarian When Eating Out?

Read the entire article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2020issue4/2020_issue4_poll_results.php

To subscribe to Vegetarian Journal in the USA, see: 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 Chef Nancy Berkoff, RD, EdD

A little rice enrichment fact-let: when rice is polished, most of the nutrients are removed. In the 1800’s many people who immigrated to the US were accustomed to eating unpolished rice as a staple food. Unfortunately, only white rice was popularly for sale in the US. There began to be many Vitamin B-deficiency diseases seen in the immigrant population, as they had previously obtained their Vitamin Bs from unpolished, “whole grain” rice. The US government mandated that all polished rice be fortified with the nutrients that had been removed. This was accomplished by saving the rice “shells,” crushing them into a powder, mixing the powder with water and spraying the mixture back onto the rice. The rice was allowed to dry, and the nutrients were partially restored. Public health campaigns were launched, to instruct people not to wash the “fortified rice,” as washing the rice removed the nutrient powder.

Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, reviews recent scientific papers related to vegetarianism in the present issue of Vegetarian Journal. Topics covered include Quality of Restaurant Meals and Vegetarian, and Especially Vegan Diets, Are Effective in Reducing Blood Pressure.

Read the entire article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2020issue4/2020_issue4_scientific_update.php

To subscribe to Vegetarian Journal in the USA, see: 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

Chef Kathleen Byrd, owner of Mobtown Sweets and Treats in Maryland, has written an article titled “Heavy Lifting: Sweet and Savory Dips, Gravy, and Sauces for Winter” in the present issue of Vegetarian Journal. Enjoy recipes for Lentil Walnut Paté, Cranberry Onion Jam, Roasted Garlic Dip, Roasted Carrot Sriracha Hummus, Buffalo Chickpea Dip, Roasted Eggplant Red Pepper Spread, Golden Sage Gravy, Mexican Chocolate Sauce, and Coconut Caramel Sauce.

Read the entire article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2020issue4/2020_issue4_sweet_savory.php

To subscribe to Vegetarian Journal in the USA, see: 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