Broke Bank Vegan highlights Mexican cuisine with a plant-based twist. Here, you’ll find food that is cheap, easy to make, and delicious for vegans and non-vegans alike. Below find a sample recipe for Papas con Chorizo found on this terrific blog.

Papas con Chorizo

(Serves 6)

Ingredients

2 Tablespoon olive oil

½ large white onion, diced

1.65 pounds (~3 medium) potatoes

12 ounces vegan chorizo

Salt to taste

Garnishes optional

Cilantro

Salsa

Fresh chiles

Corn tortillas

Instructions

Rinse and scrub the potatoes, then cube into ½-inch chunks. Add the potatoes to a saucepan with a generous pinch of salt and enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil with the lid on.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to simmer for 4-5 minutes, or until potatoes are just tender when pierced with a fork. Drain the water off and set the potatoes aside.

Heat 1-2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until turning translucent.

Turn the heat up to medium-high and add in the potatoes. Cook for another 5-6 minutes to crisp up the outsides.

Add in vegan chorizo and stir gently to combine with the potatoes and onions. Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, or until the chorizo is heated through.

Taste and season with salt as necessary. Garnish with chopped cilantro, spicy chiles, or salsa, and serve with a side of warm corn tortillas!

Find a video showing you how to prepare this dish here: https://brokebankvegan.com/papas-con-chorizo/

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

For the past 45 years, the USDA’s Thrifty Food Plan has been the basis for calculating the amount of SNAP benefits that households receive. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a federal program that provides nutrition benefits to low-income individuals and families. These benefits are used at stores to purchase food.

The Thrifty Food Plan provides an indication of the U.S. government’s expectation of food costs for a household. The plan represents the cost to purchase groceries for a family of four – an adult male and female, ages 20-50, and two children, ages 6-8 and 9-11. According to the USDA, this plan is supposed to reflect the cost of a “meet the nutritional needs of an average person consuming a healthy, cost-conscious diet at home.” Although the Thrifty Food Plan cost is adjusted monthly for inflation, there has been no change in the foods used in the plan for the past 15 years. During that time, there have been changes in nutrition recommendations and in people’s food habits. As a result, it was exceedingly difficult to buy an adequate amount of healthy foods using the cost calculations from the old Thrifty Food Plan.

The USDA recently updated the foods and food groups included in the plan. The updates to the plan are based on the cost of food, nutrients in food, nutrition guidance, and what Americans eat. Cultural factors and convenience were also considered. For example, the old plan’s costs for legumes were calculated using dried beans. The revised plan uses canned beans, acknowledging that many households will not spend hours cooking dried beans. This change does not mean that households should not use dried beans, rather, it calculates food costs using canned beans. Other vegan convenience foods that were used to calculate the cost of a thrifty meal plan were baby carrots, packaged salad greens, and salsa. The “dairy” group costs included the cost of unsweetened soy milk. The new plan estimates that 24% of a household’s food budget will be spent on vegetables, 16% on grains, 14% on fruit, 14% on dairy, 25% on “protein foods,” and the remainder on miscellaneous food items.

For a family of four receiving the maximum SNAP benefit, the new plan would result in an additional $34 per week for a total of $193 per week. The amount of SNAP funds that households receive varies based on household composition and income. The hope is that this additional money will help families receiving SNAP benefits purchase healthier foods.

To learn more about the Thrifty Food plan see:

https://fns-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/resource-files/TFP2021.pdf

https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2021/08/12/thrifty-food-plan-what-it-and-why-it-matters

For low-cost vegan menus based on USDA’s SNAP budget see: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2020issue2/2020_issue2_vegan_menus.php (These are based on the cost for the old Thrifty Food Plan. Nonetheless they provide specific ideas for eating a nutritious vegan diet on a limited budget).

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 through Combined Federal Charity (CFC) or your Local/State Campaign is greatly appreciated! You can also donate directly to VRG at vrg.org/donate

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

● VRG Nutrition Advisor Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, did a webinar on a Plant-Based Diet for 31 Days. Reed also spoke at six virtual seminars for the San Jose Public Library in California. There were separate sessions for teens and parents. VRG interns assisted. Reed also supervised a Mexican graduate student intern from Wageningen University in the Netherlands who completed an extensive project on vegan Latin American foods high in calcium.

● Our VRG volunteer health coach Marcia Schveibinz conducted a webinar for the Lafayette, Louisiana Public Library.

● VRG commissioned a YouGov national youth poll to find out how many 8- to 17-year-olds are vegan or vegetarian. Results are published in Vegetarian Journal and at vrg.org

● The Vegetarian Resource Group submitted comments to the Food and Drug Administration on Labeling of Foods Comprised of or Containing Cultured Seafood cells. See: vrg.org/blog/2021/03/10/the-vegetarian-resource-group-submitted-this-testimony-to-the-fda-concerning-labeling-of-seafood-produced-from-cultured-seafood-cells/

● VRG researcher Jeanne Yacoubou did a podcast with one of VRG’s interns discussing the environmental impacts of diets. Based on his questions, Jeanne will also be doing some updated research on chocolate, bone char, and gelatin. We’ll report on this in the future. Jeanne also compiled a list of several recent (2015 to the present) scientific reports that reveal the relationships between dietary choices and our climate crisis. See vrg.org/blog/2021/02/24/vegan-and-vegetarian-diets-and-our-climate-emergency-scientific-updates-2015-2021/

● VRG donated money to Land of Kush (a vegan restaurant in Baltimore, MD) to give away vegan meals to needy individuals. We also sent I Love Animals and Broccoli and El Arco Iris Vegetariano coloring books to a group in Florida coordinating Vegan Restaurant Week in their area, and that wanted to give a packet to families as they picked up meals. Finally, VRG hosted over 25 virtual interns/volunteers this past year. They all worked/ are 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.

·  3 Place des Arbes (B&B in Felletin, France)

·  11 Singleton House B&B (Eureka Springs, AR, US)

·  Acadia’s Oceanside Meadows Inn (Downeast Maine, US)

·  Andean Spirit Lodge – Limatambo (vegetarian guesthouse with vegan options; Cusco, Peru)

·  Appalachian Trail Adventures (Killington, VT, US)

·  Belle la Vie B and B (vegan B&B in Australia)

·  Black Sheep Inn (vegan Inn in Hammondsport, NY, US)

·  Brookfarm Inn (Lenox, MA, US)

·  Brookton Hollow Farm Bed & Breakfast (near Ithaca, NY, US)

·  Carmel Valley Lodge (Carmel Valley, CA, US)

·  Cedar House Inn & Yurts (Georgia, US)

·  Cuan Cottage (vegetarian guest house with vegan options in Louisburgh, Ireland)

·  Deer Run on the Atlantic (vegan B&B in Big Pine Key, FL, US)

·  Farm Sanctuary Tiny Houses (vegan and part of Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, NY, US)

·  Finca de Vida (vegetarian health lodge & healing center with vegan options in Costa Rica)

·  Ginger Cat Bed & Breakfast (vegan B&B in Rock Stream, NY, US)

·  Harvest Moon Bed & Breakfast (vegetarian B&B with vegan options in Rutland, VT, US)

·  Haskell’s House ( vegetarian guest house with vegan options in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, US)

·  Haus Sonnenstein Bed & Breakfast (vegetarian B&B with vegan options in Germany)

·  The Homestead at Catskill Animal Sanctuary (vegan guest house in Saugerties, NY, US)

·  Inn Serendipity (Inn with vegan options in Browntown, WI, US)

·  Kingston House Bed & Breakfast (B&B with vegan options in Bermuda)

·  La Garnasette (vegetarian guest house with vegan options in Rosieres, France)

·  La Maison Du Vert (vegan guest house in Paye D’Auge, France)

·  La Porte Rouge (vegetarian B&B with vegan options in Normandy, France)

·  Le Cheval Blanc (vegan B&B in St Antonin-Noble-Val, France)

·  Omassim Guesthouse (vegetarian guest house with vegan options in Ericeira, Portugal)

·  Park Lane Guest House (vegetarian guest house with vegan options in Austin, TX, US)

·  Puerta de Jade Vegetarian (vegetarian guest house with vegan options in Costa Rica)

·  Red Robin Song Guest House (vegan guest house in Lebanon, NY)

·  Sewall House Yoga Retreat (vegetarian with vegan options in Island Falls, ME, US)

·  Someday Farm Vegan Bed & Breakfast (vegan B&B in South Whidbey Island, WA, US))

·  Speedwell Forge B&B (B&B with vegan options in Lititz, PA, US)

·  The Stanford Inn by the Sea (vegan inn in Mendocino, CA, US)

·  Sugar Ridge Retreat Centre (vegetarian center with vegan options in Ontario, Canada)

·  Sundogs Bed and Breakfast (vegan B&B in Shepherdstown, WV, US)

·  Tenuta Savorgnano Organic Vegetarian B&B (vegetarian B&B with vegan options in Tuscany, Italy)

·  Topia Inn (Inn with vegan options in Adams, MA, US)

·  The Treehouse (vegan guest house in Bel Air, CA, US)

·  Turquoise Barn (vegan guest house in Bloomville,  NY, US)

·  Lakeland Living (vegan B&B in Cumbria, UK)

·  The White Pig Bed & Breakfast at Briarcreek Farm (vegan B&B at pig sanctuary in Schuyler, VA, US)

Be sure to follow The Vegetarian Resource Group on Instagram: @vegetarianresourcegroup

Breakfast, lunch, brunch, dinner, or an anytime snack! This simple recipe by Leslie Gray Street will come together in a snap and please any crowd. Toss together chopped vegetables like mushrooms, Brussels sprouts and red onion, with shredded hash brown, and flavor with smooth cashew cream and salsa. Everything goes on one sheet pan and after 25 minutes in the oven, your meal is ready to garnish and enjoy! Easy enough for a late night snack. Tasty enough to serve to brunch guests.

Go to this VRG video at https://youtu.be/MgFyjYKAUd0

More videos at:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvSyCToa_i9fA4D5CLCAFWw
https://www.vrg.org/veg_videos.php

How often have you wanted to make a gift in honor of a loved one or friend but weren’t sure which charities are vegan-friendly, pro-environmental, or pro-animal rights? Please remember The Vegetarian Resource Group. You can make a gift in memory of a loved one or as a living tribute to honor someone you care about on a special occasion, such as a wedding or birth. We’ll send an acknowledgment to you and to the recipient(s) you choose. Your gift will support educational programs and help promote veganism.

Make checks payable to The Vegetarian Resource Group and mail to PO Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203, or donate at vrg.org/donate   

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):

Bloom Plant Based Kitchen, 1559 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60622

Bloom Plant Based Kitchen offers a plant-based menu that mixes Latin, Indian, and other international flavors. Starters include a cheese plate with almond “goat” cheese, aged truffle cheese, and spirulina blue cheese. Specialty salads include vegan ceviche marinated in coconut cilantro leche de tigre and buffalo cauliflower made with house-fermented buffalo cauliflower and cultured blue cheese crema. Their tamal coloradito features ancho adobe made with banana blossoms, and house-pulled kelp noodles are available in their bloom bowl as well as the cashew di Pepe. The international menu is rounded out with dessert items such as avocado key lime ice cream with cashew caramel and sweet potato cheese cake with coconut cardamom cream.

Cheezy Vegan, 604 Fairview Rd., Woodlyn, PA 19094

With an expansive breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu, The Cheezy Vegan has options for everyone. The restaurant offers a relaxed, casual environment perfect for family meals or a big weekend breakfast. It serves up classic American comfort food that vegans, vegetarians, and meat-eaters can all enjoy. They even use natural ingredients and local products to prepare their dishes. Try the Cannoli Stuffed French toast if you’re looking for something sweet, and enjoy it with a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice. Also sample their vegan omelets or Benedicts.

Cocina Plantosaurus, 216 W. Washington St., Charles Town, WV 25414

Located in the Needful Things building in Charles Town’s historic downtown, Cocina Plantosaurus serves up fully vegan food in a warmly welcoming atmosphere and charming dinosaur-themed décor, without sacrificing on the vibrant flavors of traditional Puerto Rican cooking. The menu — which clearly marks dishes containing gluten, soy, coconut, and cashews — includes empanadas; mofongo (fried and mashed plantains with vegetables, chick’n, or jackfruit); sandwiches; and specialties like Stegosaurus Avocado (avocado stuffed with guava jackfruit). They also have fully vegan brunch options including pancakes and crème brûlée, and specialty non-alcoholic drinks like virgin mojito of the day and Puerto Rican-style coffee.

Dan d’Lion, 8942 US Hwy. 2 East, Hungry Horse, MT 59919

Food is organic and gluten-free. Try their Greek Salad, Montana Sapphire Pizza, Lemon Tarts, and Huckleberry Shake. Many of the vegetables come from their half-acre garden where they grow produce, including heirloom tomatoes, lettuce, collards, beets and edible flowers, typically planning the menu around what was recently harvested. Hours change during winter months.

Jamin Vegan, 22213 Sherman Way, Canoga Park, CA 91303

With its transparent menu focused on simple ingredients and balanced meals (available with rice and vegetables or a la carte, plus there are a variety of side-dishes to choose from), Jamin Vegan provides plant-based diners the spice of the Caribbean as well as options for plant-based meats/seafood or tofu. Some of the menu offerings are gluten-free. For those who like extra spice, you can order the Scotch Bonnet Pepper sauce or a side of extra jerk sauce.

Mama’s Tamales & Pupusas, 2124 7th St., Los Angeles, CA 90057

This Latin-owned restaurant serves an affordable 100% vegan (often jackfruit-based) menu featuring authentic Salvadoran favorites, such as tamales, pupusas, enchiladas, burritos, chilaquiles, pan sin pollo (stewed jackfruit in traditional Salvadoran sauce stuffed in bolillo-bread), and Salvadoran desayuno (breakfast: tofu scramble with beans, rice, plantains and handmade tortillas). Right next to MacArthur Park, with a casual, down to earth, brightly colored ambience.

Mia’s Meals, 3 S. Haddon Ave., Haddonfield, NJ 08033

Sitting right at the heart of the commercial center of Haddonfield, at the intersection of King’s Highway and Haddon Ave, this cozy, family-run falafel bar offers a refreshingly simple and specialized all-kosher, all-vegan menu. You can buy any combination of traditional Israeli-style falafel with pita/bowl/waffle/salad, hummus, and tahini. They also offer an unusual range of non-alcoholic drinks, including a frozen shake (with tahini, date syrup and almond milk), and Israeli malt beer. Watch out for special items during the Jewish holidays, like Sufganiyot at Hanukkah. Seating areas include a bar facing onto the street through large windows, and outdoor tables.

Qboba Café, 9027 N. Harlan St., Westminster, CO 80031

Enjoy Asian dishes including pot stickers, miso soup, tofu corn soup, kung pao tofu, sesame vegan chicken, tofu fried rice, vegan chicken lo mein, boba tea, and more.

The Donut GroVe, The Bangor Farmers Market, 140 Harlow St., Bangor, ME 04401

The Donut GroVe offers both fluffy and delicious raised (yeast) donuts and scrumptious classic cake donuts. Note they use almond milk to prepare most of the donuts. Find them at the Bangor Farmers Market on Sundays. It’s best to pre-order your donuts. You can also have donuts delivered for a fee.

Vined, 5117 Dorchester Rd. Unit G, North Charleston, SC 29418

Menu includes: cauliflower “chicken” & waffles, “shrimp” po’boy, and portobello mushroom steak with potatoes and glazed asparagus. Option to make entrees into a combo with fries/sweet potato fries and drink.

Recent topics brought up include:

– Vegan Lunchbox Ideas

– Shared a study on German Vegan Kids: https://www.vrg.org/…/2021/07/28/german-vegan-children/…

– University of Maryland Dietetic Intern Rachel Eldering created an info-graphic for vegan teen athletes while working with VRG. See: vrg.org/nutshell/Nutrition-for-Vegan-Teen-Athletes.pdf

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.

Del Taco has a separate vegetarian and vegan menu. Vegan options inlcude:
Epic Beyond Fresh Guacamole Burrito
New Beyond Guacamole Taco
Veggie Bowl With Fresh Guac

For more information, see:
https://deltaco.com/index.php?page=menu_items&category=vegetarian-vegan

Note that the majority of Del Taco locations are in the West: https://locations.deltaco.com/us

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.

For information on other quick service chains, see https://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php

For info on veg restaurants in the U.S. and Canada, go to https://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php