The Vegetarian Resource Group Blog

Vegan Restaurants Added to The Vegetarian Resource Group’s Guide to Veggie Restaurants in the USA and Canada

Posted on October 01, 2024 by The VRG Blog Editor

Chocolate-Covered Blueberry Almond Roll photo from Cinnaholic

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: www.vrg.org/restaurant

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:

Cinnaholic, 14225 Winterview Pkwy., Midlothian, VA 23113

Cinnaholic offers over 30 flavors of gourmet cinnamon rolls — and they are all vegan! Some include Almond, Blackberry, Butterscotch, Caramel, Cream Soda, Key Lime, Root Beer, & Pomegranate. Toppings range from Cookie Dough Chunks to Shredded Coconut and everything in between. They offer other sweet treats including cookies.

COFU Pressed Sushi, 1833 Anderson St. #103, Vancouver, BC V6J 1J8, Canada

Seventeen sushi offerings including Sahi (marinated radish and raspberry, portobello, « Short Rib, » and « Salmon » (sauce – cilantro, wild carrot)) and Onsai (red chard, Mexican, King Oyster Mushroom, « Tuna » (sauce – vivid beets, spicy mayo)). Special Menu features Short Rib Bowl, Vegan Keema Curry, Spicy Salmon Don, and Vegan Ramen. Various sauces and appetizers available. Dessert includes vegan ice cream and vegan cheesecake.

La Vegan, 1450 Danforth Ave., Toronto, ON, M4J 1N4 Canada

Passionate about sharing their cultural heritage not only through ingredients, but also via their cooking techniques, making each dish from scratch, La Vegan strives to create cuisine that is as healthy as it is flavorful. Many of the dishes throughout the various menu sections include Ijera, an Ethiopian flatbread similar to a pancake, made of spelt flour and a fermentation starter. Berbere is a frequently featured Ethiopian red pepper blend of spices, such as garlic, cardamom, coriander, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg. One Appetizer example is Hummus with Injera combining chickpeas or lentils, tahini, fresh lemon juice, garlic, and cumin. There are various bean based Salads too. Ful, a Berbere seasoned bean stew, made with creamy fava beans, cumin, fresh herbs, lemon garlic sauce, and hot peppers, is said to be “not spicy,” but to have “just the right kick.” Shiro Wat serves up roasted chickpeas sautéed with onion, garlic, and ginger, in Berbere sauce. Mushrooms Tibs are sautéed with onion, garlic, ginger, green pepper, and optional Awaze—a spicy, slightly sweeter, Berbere dipping sauce. Fasolia features string beans, carrots, garlic, onion, ginger, and turmeric, sautéed with olive oil. There’s also Couscous with cabbage, carrots, potato, beets, and spinach. Ever tried Ethiopian Sushi? Here’s your chance! Choose (Spicy) King Gursha or Queens Gursha–both with chef’s choice of veggies. Or, who says you can’t have it all? La Vegan Veggie Combo offers small portions of all the vegetarian dishes on the menu. Since not all kids like it spicy, Kids Menu offers non-spicy Lentils or Split Chickpeas.

Nikki’s Not Dog Stand, 51 Division St., Sag Harbor, NY 11963

Not dogs include L.A. Dog (sautéed peppers and onions, pico de gallo, yellow mustard, ketchup, and mayo) and Chicago Dog (yellow mustard, electric green relish, chopped onions, tomato slices, pickle spear, sport peppers, and celery salt). Burgers include California Burger (caramelized onions, mustard, iceberg lettuce, pickles, mayo relish sauce, and tomato) and Oklahoma City Burger (bbq sauce, pickles, mayo, along with shredded cheddar cheese). Sides include Nikki’s Chili, White Sweet Potato Fries, Coleslaw, Nikki’s Potato Salad, and Jackson’s Sweet Potato Chips. Desserts feature Greyston Bakery Fudge Brownie, Birthday Cake Blondie, and Cinnamon Roll Blondie. Drinks include Malted Shake, Root Beer Float, and Hal’s New York Seltzer.

Orange & Blossom, 1612 NE Killingworth St., Portland, OR 97211 With an emphasis on whole foods, Orange & Blossom states their values as being “rooted in compassion for all living things.” Using fair trade, low impact ingredients, they prioritize sourcing from local, organic farms. Changing daily, their menu blooms with the seasons, aiming to provide the best of what’s available. Here are some examples. Craving something savory? There’s House Focaccia Bread with organic California olive oil, local spring onion, garlic and rosemary, with or without local, seasonal organic veggies or Pesto Padron Mozzarella Brioche with local, organic Padron peppers, pumpkin seed pesto, cashew mozzarella, and pepitas. Moving onto sweet possibilities, there’s Cardamom Orange Blossom Bun—a soft brioche swirled with cardamom, brown sugar, cinnamon, orange zest, and vegan butter, crowned with orange blossom glaze; Buckwheat Ganache Brownie crafted with local Buckwheat and Valrhona cocoa, topped by dark chocolate ganache and roasted cocoa nib; Pistachio Olive Oil Cake topped with Chio pistachio butter buttercream and candied citrus; and Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookie their “OG cookie” studded with organic fair-trade 70% dark chocolate and sprinkled with sea salt, or house Boysenberry Almond Brioche, finished with almond frangipane cream, Groundwork Organics boysenberries, and sliced almonds.

Taste of Eden, 891 E. Roller Ave., Decatur, AR 72722

Located in Wellness Secrets retreat. Features soups, salads, sandwiches. Sandwiches include Chicken-Un Sandwich (breaded seasoned plant-based patty with lettuce, tomato, dill pickles, and plant-based mayo) and Garden of Eden Burger (a twist on the classic burger with Wellness Secrets Sauce). Soups include Kick’n Chili, Garden Veggie, and Soup of the Day. Also enjoy their fifteen item salad bar.

Vital Life Vegan, 360 Broadview Ave., Toronto, ON M4M 2G9 Canada

Vital-Life Vegan is a great place to enjoy Afro-Caribbean food. Their menu is based on a combination of bases, mains, and sides. This allows for great flexibility since you get to choose exactly what combination you want. For example, you can get a base of Quinoa Pilaf with curried chickpeas and potatoes for the main and a side of pumpkin stew. Vital Life is known for attending lots of vegan and cultural events so keep an eye out since they may be a vendor!

Your support through Combined Federal Charity (CFC) or your Local/State Campaign is greatly appreciated!

Posted on September 30, 2024 by The VRG Blog Editor

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:

  • The Vegetarian Resource Group Nutrition Advisor Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, was interviewed for an article for Contemporary Pediatrics about nutritional benefits and/or drawbacks of veganism and vegetarianism in adolescents. The aim of this article is to provide general practice pediatricians with guidance and nutritional information that they can share with their patients who may want to pursue either of these diets. Reed was also interviewed in The New York Times about nutrition for new vegetarians or those transitioning to a vegetarian diet.
  • The Dental Hygienist’s Guide to Nutritional Care textbook asked to reprint VRG’s My Vegan Plate. One of our VRG interns separately said, “This visual was also a resource my supervisor, the registered dietitian I worked with during my peer nutrition coach internship, recommended for vegan clients.”
  • Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, spoke for the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group Spotlight session at the annual FNCE meeting of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The session was based on two systematic reviews of topics in vegetarian nutrition, namely, Vegetarian Nutrition for Disease Management and Vegetarian Nutrition for Disease Prevention, that were conducted for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Evidence Analysis Library. The session is titled Exploring the Rewards and Challenges of Vegetarian Diets: A Fresh Look at the Academy’s Position.
  • Charles Stahler and Debra Wasserman coordinated a booth at the Animal Vegan Summit in Alexandria, Virginia, while Elsa Spencer, PhD, staffed a VRG booth at Charlottesville VegFest in Virginia, Phil Becker staffed a booth at World VegFest in San Francisco, California, and Heather Francis coordinated VRG’s booth at the Boston Veg Food Fest in Massachusetts.
  • VRG sent 600 of VRG’s I Love Animals and Broccoli Coloring Books plus El arco iris vegetariano coloring books to PG County Maryland WIC. A nutritionist from a county health department in New Jersey asked to reprint our My Vegan Plate. We sent 400 Vegan Journals for grab bags for the Columbia, South Carolina VegFest and also Sarasota, Floridia VegFest, and we sent a box of brochures for tabling at a Black Family Wellness Expo in AL. We also shipped a box of Vegan Journals to be distributed at Texas VegFest in Austin, Texas.
  • VRG continues to host interns and volunteers throughout the year.

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.

Hotels Around the World Offering Vegan Food

Posted on September 30, 2024 by The VRG Blog Editor

photo from Fivelements Retreat Bali Ubud

Are you looking to stay in a vegan friendly hotel? Here’s a sampling of hotels around the world offering vegan food:

Acai Plant Based Hotel: They are located in Greece and have a plant-based restaurant on their premises. They offer cooking classes and yoga classes and are near a beach. Note they are opening in summer 2025. See: https://acairhodes.com/the-acai-hotel/

Fivelements Retreat: Located in Bali, offers vegan meals, a wellness program and spa, plus more. See: https://fivelementsbali.com/

Koukoui Hotel: Situated in Greece, this hotel offers vegan cuisine, a spa, and fitness center. See: https://www.koukoumihotel.com/

La Vimea: Located in Italy, offers organic vegan meals, yoga sessions, and more. See: https://www.lavimea.com/

Mother Earth Vegan Hotel: Located in Costa Rica, this hotel offers a poolside vegan restaurant (room rates include breakfast for two), yoga studio, and more. Please note that children under 12 are not allowed and pets are not allowed. See: https://www.meveganhotel.com/

Palmaïa, The House of AïA: This Mexican establishment offers vegan cuisine, spa and wellness program, activities for kids, and more. See: https://thehouseofaia.com/

Stanford Inn & Resort: Located in the United States in Mendocino, California, offers a variety of room accommodations including family suites. Ravens Restaurant on their property serves organic vegan meals. They offer spa services and are pet-friendly. See: https://stanfordinn.com/

Vegan Agrivilla I Pini: Located in Tuscany, Italy, near vineyards, olive groves, and gardens. They offer vegan cuisine, saltwater pool, and more. See: https://www.ipinitoscana.com/

Villa Vegana: Situated in Spain in a designated conservation area, you can enjoy vegan meals, yoga classes, plus more. See: https://www.villavegana.com/

Vegan Cooking Tips: Quick and Easy Ideas for Cooking with Juice

Posted on September 27, 2024 by The VRG Blog Editor

Each issue of Vegan Journal includes a Vegan Cooking Tips column by Chef Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD. In her latest column she shares tips for preparing vegan dishes with juice. Read her column here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2024issue3/2024_issue3_cooking_tips.php

To subscribe to Vegan Journal visit www.vrg.org/member

Thinking of Hitting the Trails? Here’s Some Vegan Hiking Boots/Shoes

Posted on September 27, 2024 by The VRG Blog Editor

photo from Merrell

Enjoy the outdoors: you may want to go hiking in the USA, Canada, and/or Europe. Below is a list of online stores offering vegan hiking boots and shoes.

Avesu Vegan Shoes out of Germany sells Lowa hiking boots and shoes. See: https://www.avesuveganshoes.com/brands/lowa-com.html

Eco Vegan Shoes out of the Netherlands offers vegan hiking shoes and boots. See: https://www.eco-vegan-shoes.com/vegan-hiking-boots-walking-shoes

Ethical Wares out of Wales in the United Kingdom offers a wide variety of hiking boots See: https://www.ethicalwares.com/footwear/walking-boots-and-shoes/

Merrell in the USA offers some vegan hiking shoes. Search under “vegan hiking shoe or boot.” See: https://www.merrell.com

REI offers several vegan hiking shoes and boots. Search under “vegan hiking shoe or boot.” https://www.rei.com/

Thesus headquartered in Toronto, Canada and will ship hiking shoes for women to Americans. Search under the word vegan boot. See: https://thesusoutdoors.com/

Treksta USA offers hiking shoes and boots for men and women. See: https://trekstausa.com/product-category/vegan

Will’s Vegan Store in London, England offers hiking boots for men and women. See: https://us.wills-vegan-shoes.com/

Boston Veg Food Fest 2024 is this weekend! Visit VRG’s Booth

Posted on September 26, 2024 by The VRG Blog Editor

Saturday, September 28 and Sunday, September 29, 2024

For info see: https://bostonveg.org/foodfest/

If you are attending, please come by The Vegetarian Resource Group booth and say hi.

Follow The Vegetarian Resource Group on Instagram!

Posted on September 26, 2024 by The VRG Blog Editor

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

Vegan Food Sources of Magnesium

Posted on September 26, 2024 by The VRG Blog Editor

Ever wonder which vegan foods are high in magnesium? Reed Mangels, PhD, Rd, answers that question in the latest issue of Vegan Journal. Read the article here https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2024issue3/2024_issue3_thinking_about_magnesium.php

To subscribe to Vegan Journal visit www.vrg.org/member

Maryland Vegan Fest Sept. 28, 2024 – Stop by VRG’s Booth!

Posted on September 25, 2024 by The VRG Blog Editor

The Vegetarian Resource Group will have a booth at Maryland Vegan Fest this Saturday. Location is Roots Market in Clarksville, MD. Hours are noon through 4pm. Stop by and say hello!

Creating a Vegan World: VRG Intern Summarizes Her VRG Internship

Posted on September 25, 2024 by The VRG Blog Editor

Anna Markulis completed an internship with The Vegetarian Resource Group and describes what she did in this Vegan Journal article: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2024issue3/2024_issue3_vegan_world.php

To subscribe to Vegan Journal visit www.vrg.org/member

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