(Makes about 12 pancakes with 6-inch diameter)

Serve these bright pancakes – and they’re loaded with healthy oats and carrots to fuel you as you enjoy spring. Feeling indulgent? Add the Chai Cream Topping. Or just do the usual maple syrup! 

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup rolled oats

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 cup grated carrots (2-3 carrots)

1/4 cup organic sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups unsweetened vegan milk (oat milk used in testing)

1/3 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Vegan butter/margarine to cook

Whisk together flour, oats, cornstarch, baking powder, cinnamon, and ginger in. large bowl. Set aside. In a smaller bowl, combine grated carrots, sugar, vanilla extract, and vegan milk. Stir until well mixed. Make a well in dry ingredients and pour in wet carrot mixture. Stir by hand, scraping the sides as needed, until no dry components remain. Allow to rest for 15 minutes or up to overnight in the fridge.

Heat a pan to very hot and melt a little vegan margarine to coat the bottom. Before starting to make pancakes, stir raisins and chopped pecans into the thickened batter with a few quick strokes. 

Add about 1/4-1/3 cup of batter to the prepared, heated pan and turn down the heat to medium-low or low. When the sides of the pancake begin to bubble, flip and cook the second side. Each side will take a few minutes Replenish vegan margarine as needed during cooking to prevent the pancakes from sticking. Repeat with all pancake batter until about 12 pancakes are made. Serve warm with optional maple syrup or Chai Cream, as below.

Chai Cream

8 ounce container vegan cream cheese, room temperature (Tofutti brand suggested)

1 cup organic powdered sugar

1/4 cup strongly brewed chai tea

1 Tablespoon maple syrup

Whisk together all ingredients in a bowl until silky smooth.  Serve at room temperature or chilled; store in the fridge.

Infinity Room is located in the renovated lobby of the former Capitol City Theater in Salem, Oregon. It is a marriage of the performing arts in Salem, combining the stellar kitchen, bar, and stage of The Space Concert Club and the improvised and Stand-up comedy of Capitol City Theater. Their menu included Bowls & Salads, Small Plates, Wraps and Sandwiches (Sammiches), Burgers, Tostados, and Desserts. Nearly all of their items are made in house, including the sandwich bread, burger buns, slider buns, queso, chili, hummus, beans, desserts, dressings, bar mixers, and sauces. The pre-made items they carry are chosen based on their quality and locality. They are proud to serve Field Roast, Before the Butcher, and Follow Your Heart products all of which are west coast based!

Sample dishes on their menu include the Psychedelic Chef Salad (Cabbage, pickled onion, lettuce, pickled beets, red bell pepper, pickled cauliflower, cucumbers, tofu feta, black sesame seeds, dressing of choice); Engineer Bowl (Cucumbers, mixed greens, lettuce, slaw, creamy dressing, crushed tortilla chips, grilled tofu, caramelized onion, and green onion); Burger was the Case Wrap (JustEgg patty, tempeh bacon, Violife provolone, tots, burger patty of choice, Violife cheddar, Liquid Sunshine hot sauce, green onion); Dirty Chai Donut (Made fresh every day with Manny’s Choice European wheat flour, Sattwa chai, cold brew coffee and a dark chocolate steeped together with a touch of oatmilk); plus so much more!

They are presently open Fri-Sat: 11am-9pm and Sunday: Noon-8pm.

For more information see:

www.infinityroomsalem.com

https://www.facebook.com/infinityroomsalem

https://www.instagram.com/infinityroomsalem/

Each issue of Vegetarian Journal features a vegan activist in the Vegan Action column. The latest column was written by Anayeli Camacho and highlights the activism of Stephanie Rich, RD. She is the owner of Verdine, a vegan restaurant in Houston, Texas.

Read the entire column here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2021issue1/2021_issue1_vegan_action.php

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

Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Thursday, April 22, 2021

5:00PM – 6:00PM California Time

Online event

REGISTER AT:
https://sjpl.bibliocommons.com/events/601306115a51532400649ad9

Thursday, May 6, 2021

4:30PM – 5:30PM California Time

Online event

REGISTER AT:
https://sjpl.bibliocommons.com/events/6013064660a86b2f00b9dfbd

This interactive program will cover the basics of vegetarian nutrition, the benefits of a vegetarian diet, and practical ideas for becoming vegetarian or moving towards a more plant-based diet. Whether you’re wondering about vitamin B12, protein, or calcium or deciding if going vegetarian could be a healthy choice for you, this program is for you.  Reed Mangels, PhD, RD is a Nutrition Advisor for the non-profit, educational Vegetarian Resource Group (www.vrg.org) and the nutrition editor and a regular columnist for Vegetarian Journal. 

Reed Mangels, PhD, RD is a Nutrition Advisor for the non-profit, educational Vegetarian Resource Group (www.vrg.org) and the nutrition editor and a regular columnist for Vegetarian Journal. Registration is required to receive a link and password. Deadline to sign-up will be 1 hour before the program begins.

Links and passwords will be emailed at least 30 minutes before the program. The virtual room will open 3 minutes before the program begins. We do recommend everyone “arrive” at least 10 minutes before the program to ensure you are able to enter the “room.” If you do not receive an email with the program link at least 30 minutes before the program begins, please check your spam and other folders. If still unable to find it, please use the Chat to ask a team member for help. For those under 18 years of age who may be joining us, we recommend that a parent/legal guardian be with you during the meeting. Learn more about Zoom at zoom.us.

*Reminder – Those not on the Guest List will not be considered registered, and will not receive a virtual “ticket”. Registration accepted on a first come first serve basis.

To request an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act for library-sponsored events, please call 408-808-2000 at least three business days prior to the event.

The latest issue of Vegetarian Journal features a recipe piece by Hannah Kaminsky titled “Breakfasts to Savor.” Enjoy recipes for Waffled Tofu with Red Eye Gravy; Curried Coconut Granola; Cheesy Broccoli and Bac-un Toaster Tarts; Bread Omelet; and Black Bean Chilaquiles.

Read the article here: Breakfasts to Savor

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

Recent topics brought up include:

– Shared info on a virtual plant-powered event for kids everywhere including The Biggest Vegan Egg Hunt Ever, fun and games, prizes, cooking and craft demonstrations, etc.

– Someone posted: “A family friend has a child with egg and wheat allergies. She would like good bread recipes that are gluten and egg free. If anyone has some suggestions, please let me know and I’ll let her know.”

– Announced virtual internships available for high school and college students through The Vegetarian Resource Group.

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.

When you’re able to travel, perhaps Mother Earth Vegan in Costa Rica would be a fun vacation destination. They are located in Tamarindo beach and have a vegan restaurant. See: https://www.meveganhotel.com/

Every issue of Vegetarian Journal includes book reviews. The latest issue takes a look at Veducated and Vegan for Life (2^nd edition).

Veducated is a book from the United Kingdom written for teachers who are inclusive and understand the needs of each child in their class (including vegans). The author clearly states that vegan children see the world differently than other kids and have a different belief system. Vegan for Life is now available as a 2^nd edition and incorporates the latest research on topics related to vegans including fat, vitamin B12, digestive health, food allergies, and even lesser known nutrients like choline and selenium. The authors provide lots of practical information including sample menus, lists of foods, and a food guide.

Read the reviews here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2021issue1/2021_issue1_book_reviews.php

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

By Nina Lehr, VRG Intern

Today, vegetarian and vegan writers are producing a wide array of engaging content. Consumers now have a plethora of both entertaining and informative reads about the plant-based lifestyle at their fingertips! Simply search up “Vegan books” on Amazon, and you’ll be met with over 10,000 results! One writer who is contributing to this explosive movement is Hiroko Kato, a Tokyo-based freelance writer who is currently working on a vegan nutrition book for Japanese consumers. In an interview with her, Kato shared her story of learning about and eventually adopting a vegetarian diet. “When I started my freelance career, I applied for a program that I could work with media in the U.S. to learn writing in English as well as to experience the Internet media situation. The Vegetarian Resource Group was the one that accepted me, then I became interested in vegetarianism. I had no idea what it was first, but soon I realized how exciting the vegetarian world is.”

     Kato also shared her inspiration for starting her current book project: “There is plenty of useful information written in English, but some of them don’t fit for us [Japanese people] just because of the difference in dietary habits.” Kato will serve as the book’s editor, in addition to contributing several articles regarding the basics of veganism. The exciting project will be published within the next 1-2 years!

     Kato additionally discussed the state of the vegetarian/vegan movement within Japan. “In general, people are still confused about the idea. For example, I often have [been served] a salad with bacon when I order salad without meat at restaurants. Also, they think preparing food without fish is difficult, because fish stock is deeply connected with traditional Japanese dishes, such as Miso soup. The Japanese translation of the word ‘vegetarian’ is a person who eats vegetables, so they tend to forget that soy products are also vegetarian ingredients.” Still, she mentioned a lot of progress being made recently. “The situation is a bit changing these years. You can find many crowded vegan restaurants, including the top restaurant in the Happy Cow’s list, here in Tokyo. Now food companies are eager to create vegan, or plant-based, products that they expect Japanese people, especially young ones, are interested in trying the eating style.”

     There is clearly much to be optimistic about, and veg writers such as Kato are playing an important role in the movement’s rapid spread world-wide!

Here are articles that Hiroko wrote while doing her VRG internship:https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj99sep/1999_sep_vegetarianism_japan.php
https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj99nov/1999_nov_japanese_holiday.php
https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2003issue3/2003_issue3_noodles.php

Information on VRG internships can be found here: https://www.vrg.org/student/index.php

In the latest issue of Vegetarian Journal, Chef Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD, features nuts in her Vegan Cooking Tips column. Nancy writes, “Here are ideas for adding nuts to your menu…

•Add to salad dressings: Creations include a basil walnut vinaigrette or creamy salad dressing with almonds, mustard, and dill with added chopped pine nuts.

•Add to sandwiches: Chopped walnuts, almonds, peanuts, and pecans add a toasty flavor and extra texture to grilled vegetable sandwiches, falafel, and hummus. Or add chopped nuts to smooth peanut, almond, or soy butters to make a crunchy sandwich.

•Use as garnish: Increase protein, flavor, and texture by adding to bean and rice casseroles, baked potatoes, hot and cold cereal, baking batters, puddings, or vegan ice cream sundaes.

•Add to pasta: Top tomato-sauced pasta with chopped almonds or pine nuts, creamy-sauced pastas with walnuts or pecans, or toss pasta with olive oil, sautéed garlic, and chopped almonds.

•Add to sauces: Stir peanut butter or soy butter into mushroom sauces for a Thai effect; add ground almonds or pine nuts to creamy sauces and pecans or pistachios to fruit sauces.

•Add to breakfast: Baked apples, oatmeal, hot cereals, cold cereals, and muffins can all benefit from a variety of chopped nuts.”

Read the entire column here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2021issue1/2021_issue1_cooking_tips.php

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