Baking gluten-free, vegan treats can be tricky, or the results sometimes have the reputation of tasting like a mouth full of sand. Not these cookies though! Sweetened with fruit jam and packed with almond goodness, they are both pretty and delicious. Serve with a tall glass of vegan milk or a warm mug of fresh-brewed coffee. Makes 20-22 cookies.
1/2 cup fruit jam (strawberry, blueberry, apricot – use your favorite jam)
1/2 cup vegan margarine
1-1/2 Tablespoons flax seed meal
2 Tablespoons warm water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups almond meal
1/2 cup gluten-free flour blend
1 Tablespoon arrowroot starch or corn starch
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch salt (optional)
1/3 cup vegan powdered sugar
In a small saucepan over low heat, melt fruit jam and vegan margarine. Whisk often until smooth and all lumps are smooth. Turn off the heat and set aside.
In a small bowl, mix flax seed meal, warm water, and vanilla extract. Stir and let sit for 5-10 minutes. When congealed, combine with the jam-margarine mixture.
In a mixing bowl, sift together the almond meal, gluten-free flour blend, starch, baking powder, and salt (if using). Pour in the jam-flax mixture and stir until all dry ingredients are incorporated. When well combined, roll dough into a ball and place in fridge for 2-3 hours until thoroughly chilled.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone. Add powdered sugar to a small bowl. Shape dough into 1-tablespoon size balls.
Roll cookies in powdered sugar and place on cookie sheet. Repeat with all dough. Before baking, use the bottom or a mug or drinking glass to press cookie balls flat into a cookie shape.
Bake at 375 for 10-13 minutes, until cookies have crinkled, powdered sugar is melted and edges of cookies are slightly browned. Allow to cool on cookie sheet 15-20 minutes before serving.
Cookies will be crisp on the outside and gooey, fudgey on the inside. Store in a sealed container for 3-4 days at room temperature or 10 days in the fridge.
Strawberry, Rhubarb Salad with Kohlrabi slaw, mint, hazelnuts, quinoa, and apple-jalapeno vinaigrette from Spirit Elephant.
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 coronavirus pandemic many are doing take-out and/or delivery now):
Above Ground
2170 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94110
Full vegan bar and kitchen with an eclectic menu serving some pub grub as well as more high-end vegan food and drink. Enjoy a Crusted Tofu Sandwich, Black Garlic Glazed Tempeh, Penne Pasta Grain, and more. Also an assortment of unusual pizza choices.
Kale My Name
3300 W. Montrose Ave., Chicago, IL 60618
If you’re looking for a delightful and vibrant local restaurant to support, look no further. Kale My Name’s globally inspired menu incorporates fresh ingredients like kale into every menu item, ensuring that all foods are nutrient-dense and delicious. Customers are already raving about the menu offerings like soups, empanadas, and desserts, and the restaurant gets extra points for using non-plastic packaging for orders.
Oh My Soul Café
3046 N. Davidson St., Charlotte, NC 28205
Oh My Soul Café has roots in South Africa. Stop by to see Oh My Soul Café’s unique, creative aesthetic and taste some of their burgers and ‘fully loaded sweet potatoes’, as well as waffles for brunch.
Pixie Retreat
1670 SE 3rd Ave., Portland, OR 97214
432 NW 11th Ave., Portland, OR 97209
3845 N Mississippi Ave., Portland, OR 97227
Pixie Retreat features a number of grab and go items that are all vegan, organic, gluten free, and soy free. Check out fun options like the Bakn’ Cheez Burger Wrap or the Mock BLT. The menu also features sides and seasonal options. Those seeking sweet treats can opt for dessert options like the Almond Butta Cup or Donky Bar. Fans of Pixie Retreat can check out the deli and condiment options they have to sell and take home as well. Hours vary by location, so call ahead for hours of operation.
Ras Plant Based
739 Franklin Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11238
Described as having a “great” atmosphere in reviews, this vegan organic restaurant serves Ethiopian food in Crown Heights. Ras Plant Based aims to be eco-friendly while offering piassa and mercato platters, teff injera as a side, and much more. Additionally, one can enjoy the distinctive paintings that adorn the walls of this restaurant.
Spirit Elephant
924 Green Bay Rd., Winnetka, IL 60093
Vegetables take center stage here and delicious dishes serve them in a whole new light. A large wine list and fresh ingredients along with a creative menu make Spirit Elephant a great spot for a cozy evening of plant-based eating. From fig flatbread to French fries you’ll find something for everyone in the family. The kids menu features favorites like burgers and mac and cheese and the more adventurous visitors will enjoy the Pistachio-Crusted Tofu, Crabless Cakes, Beet Carpaccio, and don’t forget to try a visitor favorite- the Cauli-Wings with Buffalo or Wasabi-Dijon sauce.
Sushi Love
209 7th St., Oregon City, OR 97045
Using 100% plant-based and gluten-free ingredients, Sushi Loves’ extensive menu is perfect for people of all tastes and various diets, from die-hard sushi lovers to gluten-free vegans to food fanatics. Whether you try the Avalon roll with jack fruit crab, Tiki Torch with pineapple and soy curls, or the Don’t be Shellfish roll with oyster mushrooms and avocado, you won’t be disappointed.
The Nile Vegan
1479 Worthington St., Columbus, OH 43201
The Nile Vegan, located near The Ohio State campus, offers a wide array of colorful vegan foods. Menu items include their popular mushroom and chickpea combos to be eaten on top of injera, a tarte flatbread. Diners can also enjoy a chai tea or brewed Ethiopian coffee with their meal, or they can take their food to-go.
Life—The Vegan Drive Thru
3310 Del Prado Blvd. South, Cape Coral, FL 33904
Offering vegan versions of classic “American” food, including breakfast sandwiches, burgers, “tuna” melts, smoothies, and an assortment of specialty coffees, fresh-pressed juices, soups, and salads. They have a drive-thru window.
(Though this article is geared towards VRG’s interns and volunteers, we hope it also helps our readers understand our approach to articles.)
At VRG, we welcome interns and volunteers because of their enthusiasm, new ideas, and talents. We think of our work with interns and volunteers as an opportunity to convey our commitment to accurate and understandable information. The materials that you develop while interning or volunteering with us may appear on our website, in a blog post, in Vegetarian Journal, or as a brochure or hand-out. In any case, we want to feel confident that your work represents our standards and is something that we can enthusiastically promote.
Sometimes students or other volunteers are surprised when we ask them to develop a timeline. We would like them to understand the writing process and a timeline can be helpful with this. A good writing assignment is not done hastily. It requires careful research and critical thinking. Writing assignments typically go through several drafts, with extensive revision for each draft, resulting in a strong final product.
A helpful first step once you have a writing assignment is to develop a working outline. What do you want to cover in your assignment? What is a logical flow? Where will you need to do research? As you begin work on your assignment, it’s likely that your outline will change. You’ll find new questions to investigate or decide that some topics aren’t fitting well. That’s fine – simply revise your outline.
Keep your readers in mind. What are your goals in writing this article? How would you like to see the information you provide used? Think of the practical application of what you’re writing about. For example, if you’re writing about new research on choline, consider what questions readers may be asking – What vegan foods have choline? How much choline do I need? Should I be concerned about choline?
Once you have an idea of the information you will need to gather, it’s time for background research. You may think of research as something done in a scientific laboratory. That is one kind of research but it’s not what we’re referring to when we talk about research in the context of a writing assignment. The kind of research we’re talking about is the investigation that provides a foundation for your article. Your research may be talking to a variety of people to get different perspectives. It may be contacting a company for information about their product. It may be reading articles about your topic. In any case, the sources you choose are important in establishing the credibility of your piece.
We can help you identify experts or people in different parts of the country to contact. For example, if you’re working on an article about vegan food in long-term care facilities, it’s not enough to only talk about the facility where you’ve visited a family member. We’d expect you to contact long-term care facilities in different parts of the country, of different sizes, and using different models of food service.
If you’re searching for background information on the internet, look for original research as preferable to someone else’s interpretation of research. For example, you might find an industry group talking about a study that is favorable to their product but when you read the actual study, you learn that the results were more nuanced.
You are responsible for providing accurate information. Carefully check the sources you’re using to make sure you’re accurately transcribing their numbers. Document your sources so that you have a record of the web page or the package that you got information from. Keep a record of people you talked to including their name, contact information, date you spoke with them, and what they told you.
One common misconception is that we are looking for something superficial – like much of the writing you’re likely to find on the internet. While we want pieces to be readable and engaging, we are also looking for depth – for details. For instance, instead of saying “fortified foods supply vitamin B12,” you might explain what a fortified food is, describe how to identify a fortified food, or provide some examples of fortified foods.
If your assignment is to write about a technical subject, remember that most people aren’t familiar with technical terms and have an uncertain idea of what they mean. It’s your job, to explain these terms in an understandable way. Ask yourself if your dad or your younger sister or your best friend from high school would understand your words.
When you turn in an assignment, even a first draft, take the time to turn in something you feel good about. At a minimum, use software to check spelling and grammar. Read your work out loud and listen for awkward phrasing or overly long sentences. Look for organization and a smooth flow from one paragraph to the next.
Be sure that what you submit is your own work. Use skills like paraphrasing and summarizing rather than copying what someone else has written. If you use direct quotes, indicate these with quotation marks and a citation of the source.
We hope these suggestions will help you to grow as a writer and to be successful in your time at The Vegetarian Resource Group.
Anayeli Camacho became vegetarian at 14 and then vegan. Wanting a job she could be proud of, she applied to Verdine, a vegan restaurant, for a busser/runner position. “Being 16 at the time, I would ask to do anything from cut the bread to making the ketchup, thinking I was too young to be prep. One of the leads asked if I wanted to become prep fulltime, and I said yes. I was scared at first, this isn’t my home kitchen, it’s a real kitchen, with real customers, eating food that I made. I didn’t want to disappoint anyone that took a chance on me.”
The owner of Verdine said, “Ana works as a prep cook in my kitchen. She shows up early and stays late. She picks up whatever task is needed of her. She takes initiative in creating her own closing check lists and par sheets. She is only a Senior in High School, yet our restaurant fully trusts her to manager her own prep tasks – creating everything from our sauces and salad dressings to full on baking, and decorating our vegan and gluten free cakes. Moreover, not many high school seniors work 6 days a week, and of those days especially being every single Friday and Saturday night.” Ana also works with Verdine at festivals on the grill, doing sushi duties, decorating cupcakes, and prepping items needed to serve customers. In addition, she takes pictures for their social media.
Ana would like to become a vegan nutritionist, help restaurants add vegan items to their menus, and assist individuals in changing their food habits. “Lifting people up so they can be the best they can be will always be something I choose to do.” Ana will be attending Johnson and Wales majoring in culinary nutrition.
The deadline for the next Vegetarian Resource Group College Scholarship contest is February 20, 2021 for high school seniors. For application details and information about other winners, see https://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm
To support vegetarian scholarships and internships, donate at www.vrg.org/donate
The Vegetarian Resource Group is a vegan activist non-profit organization that does outreach all-year-long. For example, VRG sends literature free of charge to other groups/individuals doing educational activities in schools, hospitals, camps, restaurants, libraries, offices, etc. Our ability to continue doing this depends on people like you! Your donations allow us to promote the vegan message whenever we’re called upon for assistance. Please consider becoming a monthly or quarterly donor to The Vegetarian Resource Group.
Thanks so much for your support. You can donate online here: vrg.org/donate
Vegan Indian cuisine is delicious and we’ve published a wide variety of vegan Indian recipes in previous issues of Vegetarian Journal that you might enjoy preparing in your own kitchen.
Crazy About Chutney by Jacqueline Dunnington provides numerous different chutney recipes. Jacqueline says, “The word chutney, the spicy relish from India, comes from the Hindi word catni (in Hindi, “c” is pronounced “ch” as in chain). It is a dining delight that has long since left the subcontinent to tease and satisfy palates around the world from Bombay to Boston, from palace to picnic. This gourmet treat is a blend of spices, herbs, and a dominant fruit or vegetable. Chutney brings rice and grains to life; breads and potatoes dance with chutney. The cook is free to follow a recipe exactly or to add a favorite spice or make a change of produce. In India, chutneys are usually served fresh, but they preserve well in a jar according to your favorite method.” See: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj99mar/1999_mar_chutney.php
Julia Mathew is a former VRG Intern and her article South Indian Recipes from the Land of Coconuts features recipes passed down from her grandmother to her mother orally and now printed in Vegetarian Journal. Learn how to make Southern Indian Curry, Masala Dosas, Sambar, and more. See: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2018issue1/2018_issue1_recipes_coconuts.php
Luqaimat, which are “essentially mini donut holes in date syrup
By Lucia Rivera, Vegetarian Resource Group Intern
In the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Hannah Greene has discovered a plentiful variety of vegan foods to enjoy and restaurants to visit. After nearly 2 years vegan in Abu Dhabi as a university student, Greene has discovered “how universal veganism can be.”
Beginning at her campus dining hall, Greene has been able to try dishes at a vegan lunch counter and also has vegan food offered at “a salad bar, a grill, and a rotating meal counter” on campus, along with pasta and pizza.
“From the dining hall, I rely mostly on colorful combinations of roasted vegetables, salad bar ingredients, dal curry, and endless amounts of hummus. The dining hall vegetable selection changes enough to keep it interesting, and I made several easy dorm-room recipes that I relied on quite often with a microwave and blender (lots of steamed vegetables, homemade hummus, vegetable lasagna, peanut butter sandwiches, oats, chia pudding, and delicious smoothies),” Greene explained.
But it is beyond her dining hall where Greene has enjoyed her favorite vegan meal in Abu Dhabi and experienced the diversity in cuisines that the city offers.
“The most common restaurants are probably South Asian cafeterias and Arabic/Lebanese restaurants, which offer so many amazing vegan options. The complexity of the population means you could find cuisine from literally anywhere in the world, so there are always amazing vegan options nearby!” Green said.
For vegans in Abu Dhabi — whether visiting or living there– there are many vegan options for eating out. From Ethiopian food, to Japanese food, to Afghani food, vegans like Greene have no problem finding enjoyable and cheap options in the city.
“Within Abu Dhabi, my favorite dish is the vegan platter from Bonna Annee Ethiopian restaurant! This beautiful dish comes with peanut curry, cabbage, spinach, spicy lentil curry, stewed potatoes, and beetroot, all on a platter of injera bread. Also, the servers at this restaurant are so incredibly nice!”
While there is no “usual” cuisine in Abu Dhabi according to Greene, some of the local Arabic/Lebanese food is vegan without any adaptations necessary. This includes flatbreads like Za’atar manakish and desserts like luqaimat, which are “essentially mini donut holes in date syrup with sesame seeds.”
“A lot of Arabic/Lebanese cuisine is naturally vegan and delicious: hummus, falafel, vine leaves, fattoush salad (delicious salad with pomegranate and dried pita on top), tabbouleh, mouhammara (walnut and pomegranate), eggplant salad, moutabbal (eggplant and sesame spread), and fatayer (spinach wrapped in dough),” Greene said.
Additionally, Greene hopes that any vegans visiting Abu Dhabi enjoy the variety of restaurants without only sticking to “American” mainstream restaurants. This also will help one keep their meals low-cost.
“My favorite thing to do is to wander around the city without any destination in mind, exploring whatever streets seem intriguing and stopping at new restaurants along the way. There are many familiar ‘Western’ or ‘American’ restaurants, but the most flavorful and affordable restaurants are the ones with menu items you may never have seen before! English is the most widely spoken language, so you can relatively easily communicate that you are ‘full vegetarian’ and don’t eat ghee, egg, labneh/laban (yogurt), cheese, or any other animal products.”
Greene is glad to have gained a better understanding of how “fundamentally delicious and simple” vegan food can be across the world. She has also become part of an international vegetarian community.
“Being part of the Veggie Might Student Interest Group helped create a community of vegans, vegetarians, and people trying to cut down on meat consumption, helping us be supportive of all […] Living here and enjoying so many different cuisines showed me how universal veganism can be; of course many fancy restaurants and stores make vegan dishes extra expensive, but vegan food can be fundamentally delicious and simple,” Greene said.
For any vegans heading to Abu Dhabi Greene also recommends the Facebook Group “Abu Dhabi Vegans.”
Below is excerpted from a previous article titled “Donating Stock To The VRG,” by Roger Lowe.
Updated by Steven Kaplan
The purpose of this article is to encourage you to consider creative ways to donate to The Vegetarian Resource Group or other nonprofits for outreach projects. It is not intended to be used for financial, tax, or legal advice. Each person’s financial and tax situation is unique, and the information in this article may not apply to your situation. Please note that there are numerous proposed tax laws that may change, or may have changed as of the printing of this article.
Before donating stock to The VRG or any other nonprofit, you may want to consult with a financial or tax professional to discuss how such actions may affect your tax liabilities.
Donating Stock May Increase the Size of Your Gift
Many people who think they have little in the way of disposable income may have considerable stock holdings that they’ve acquired through inheritance or regular contributions to a mutual fund. Perhaps they have accumulated stock through an employee stock ownership plan, or through stock options that some companies offer employees in lieu of larger salaries.
These stockholders may not have large salaries or substantial amounts of cash on hand. Perhaps they are very committed to The Vegetarian Resource Group and its mission, and would like to make a donation, but a large cash gift, for whatever reason, is unfeasible.
For example, let’s consider the Smiths, an imaginary family of four, whose annual household income is $50,000. The Smiths are very committed vegans and live frugally. Their $50,000 income must cover a mortgage, child care, health insurance, contributions to a 401(k) plan, and savings for future expenses. The Smiths donate $1,000 to The VRG every year for promotion of vegetarian options in restaurants and other food service venues. They would love to be able to make a larger gift of $10,000, but their other obligations make that seem impossible.
However, ten years ago Mrs. Smith inherited 1,000 shares of stock in Yummy Veggie Dinners Inc. The shares are in the Smiths’ brokerage account. Since her inheritance, these shares have increased in value from $2,000 to $10,000, an impressive $8,000 gain.
While she would like to make a substantial gift to The VRG, it has never occurred to Mrs. Smith to donate stock. Yet by doing so, she can make that $10,000 gift she could not otherwise afford.
Even though the Smiths could never manage a cash gift of this magnitude, once they consider their stock holdings, their giving capacity increases significantly. They are now able to help The VRG, while leaving their 401(k) and savings plans untouched.
Substantial Tax Savings
Consider the Smiths’ case. If they sell their 1,000 shares of stock and donate the proceeds, they would have to first pay tax on the $8,000 profit. With a capital gains rate of 10% (for example), the Smiths would owe $800, leaving them with only $9,200 to donate to The VRG, instead of the $10,000 they’d planned.
The Smiths would be much happier if they could give the entire $10,000 to The Vegetarian Resource Group. Donating the stock directly allows them to do this.
Another tax advantage comes with the Smiths’ itemized deductions. If they sell the stock, pay the 10% capital gains tax, and donate the remaining $9,200, they can deduct that $9,200, yielding an income tax savings of $1,380 (assuming a 15% tax bracket). However, by donating the stock directly to The VRG, the full $10,000 can be deducted, for an income tax savings of $1,500. Both the Smiths and The VRG benefit from this arrangement.
When to Donate Securities:
The ideal time to donate any security is under the following two conditions: 1) you have a net gain on the stock, bond, fund, or other security; and 2) you have owned the security for at least one year and one day. You will not have to pay capital gains on the increase and the entire value of the donation will qualify for charitable contributions on Schedule A. If you have purchased that security at different times at different prices, your separate purchases (called lots) with the lowest prices will usually have the highest unrealized capital gains and are the shares you should donate.
For example, let’s say you have 300 shares of ABC. You bought 100 shares for 700 dollars. A few months later you bought another 100 shares of ABC for 500 dollars, and several months afterward you bought another 100 shares for 800 dollars. Now each 100 shares is worth 2,000 dollars or six thousand dollars altogether. If you are only donating 100 shares you should donate those you had bought for 500 dollars since those have the biggest capital gain which you won’t have to pay taxes on, and The VRG will get two thousand dollars which you can deduct on Schedule A.
If you have held a security for one year or less, or if you have a net loss, then do not donate it yet. Instead donate cash. Keep an eye on your security; as soon as it meets both of the above conditions then it will be worthwhile to consider for donation.
Steve Kaplan is a long time vegetarian. His website is at http://truecontrarian.com. He assists people with their taxes and investing.
Most people believe salads consist of lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, and perhaps peppers. But most of us want a lot more out of a salad. It’s easy to prepare a delicious hearty salad.
Debra Daniels-Zeller’s article “Warm Weather Salads Fit to be Meals” from a previous edition of Vegetarian Journal offers tips and recipes including Shiitake Mushroom, Quinoa and Greens with Toasted Cashews; Greens with New Potatoes and Kidney Beans; Spinach and Bean Salad with Mustard Croutons; Lime-Infused Black Bean, Corn, and Tomato Salad; 3-Bean Salad with Sweet Onions and Arugula; Soba Noodles with Marinated Tofu and Baby Kale; Marinated Tofu; Grilled Vegetable Salad with Lemon-Cashew Dressing; and Lemon-Cashew Dressing. Read the entire article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2015issue3/2015_issue3_salads_meals.php
The Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG) is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public on veganism and the interrelated issues of health, nutrition, ecology, ethics, and world hunger. We have been helping health professionals, food services, businesses, educators, students, vegans, and vegetarians since 1982. In addition to publishing the Vegan Journal, VRG produces and sells a number of books.
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