Through December 31, 2019, you can give a gift membership to The Vegetarian Resource Group (includes a 1-year subscription to Vegetarian Journal) for $15 each. Offer is valid in the USA only!

This is a terrific way to share the vegan message, as well as support VRG outreach. Gift subscriptions can be done online by simply typing in your message and the name and address of each gift recipient in the comments field. Go to: www.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:

Gracias Madre

1617 Westcliff Dr., Newport Beach, CA 92660

Gracias Madre is a vegan Mexican restaurant and bar from the team behind Café Gratitude. Enjoy fresh and organic ingredients in dishes like enchiladas, tacos, and quesadillas. They feature an extensive beverage menu as well. Reservations are accepted. Outdoor seating is available.

Harmony Plant Fare

Findlay Market, 1801 Race St., Cincinnati, OH 45202

Harmony Plant Fare filled a spot in Findlay Market to provide the local community with a New York and New Jersey-inspired deli – that was also vegan! They make all of their vegan cheeses and meats themselves, and aim to mirror a traditional delicatessen. Some of their hot sandwich options include grilled cheese, turkey and Havarti, and gyro with muhammara. Additionally, they offer a variety of cold sandwiches and also sell orders of vegan “cheese” and “meat”!

Island Produce Café

797 Northlake Blvd., North Palm Beach, FL 33408

Island Produce Café gained the title of the only oil-free and vegan restaurant in Palm Beach County, Florida when it opened. This is part of the restaurant’s goal: to help chronic disease as part of the Whole Food Plant Based Food Expert club in Palm Beach County. Additionally, Island Produce Cafe offers dishes from a variety of cultures like Jamaican “Rasta Stew” and Italian pizza. If one wants to mix things up, Island Produce Cafe has seasonal options as well, like a variety of casseroles as part of their Thanksgiving Menu!

Nick’s on Mission

996 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94103

Nick’s on Mission is San Francisco’s first Vegan Filipino Restaurant. It offers customers the unique experience of Filipino turo turo style dining along with traditional Filipino dishes made from various plant-based foods. Their all-day breakfast menu offers Instagram-worthy finds like ube pancakes, and their lunch combos allow diners to taste many different options. Stop by and try their Thai “Beef” Basil and their special desserts that have even non-vegans leaving satisfied.

Rebel Cheese Deli & Wine

2200 Aldrich St., Ste. 120, Austin, TX 78723

Located in Mueller this delightful deli specializes in vegan meat and cheese boards, trimmed correctly! Do not stop there though – breakfast, lunch and dinner options include Flake & Bake (crispy hand-cut bacon, creamy cheddar, avocado, tomato, harmless egg, on local croissant), carrot lox bagel, oats, a quiche of the day, gourmet sandwiches, soups and salads.  Wine, beer and coffee are also available as these passionate owners are transforming Austin through their vegan cuisine!

Tanjariné Kitchen

New Orleans, LA (various locations)

This vegan food truck offers African inspired cuisine including The Mandela Burger, The Marley Jolly Rice, Veggies & Mushroom Stew, Vegan Jerky, Ali Steamed Beans Pudding & Sautéed Mixed Veggies, and more.

That’s Soul Vegan

Dayton Mall, 2700 Miamisburg-Centerville Rd., Dayton, OH 45459

Located in the food court of Dayton Mall, enjoy vegan soul food dishes such as mac n’ cheese, cauliflower wings, broccoli bites, asparagus fries, stuffed meatless meatloaf, and more.

The Yasai

4646 Convoy St. #101-A, San Diego, CA 92111

This vegan Japanese restaurant features housemade Tofu Chawanmushi, as well as dishes such as Japanese BBQ Corn on the Cob, Garlic Edamame, Seaweed Salad, Tempura Kabocha Roll, Curry Ramen, and more.

Visit: https://www.instagram.com/vegetarianresourcegroup/

Thanks to a previous Vegetarian Journal article titled “Homemade Vegan Holiday Candy,” by Mimi Clark, you can make vegan candy in your own home. Try preparing Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, Homemade “Tootsie Rolls,” Chocolatey Peppermint Wafers, Coco-Almond Candies, and Nut Brittle. Consider giving some away as gifts to co-workers, friends, family, etc. during the holiday season.

Read the entire article with recipes here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2018issue4/2018_issue4_holiday_candy.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

he Vegetarian Resource Group has been approved for inclusion in the federal government CFC charity list. The CFC code number 10601. If you are a federal worker, we appreciate your support. If you are not a federal government worker, you can support our veg outreach and education in your workplace campaign. For some workplaces that do matching donations, see:  www.vrg.org/donate

Nothing beats supporting a vegan company when doing your holiday shopping. Here’s some gift ideas:

Brave Gentlemen www.bravegentleman.com: Men’s dress shoes, boots, belts, and more.

Clamfeet clamfeet.com: Adorable shoes for young children.

Doshi doshi.shop: Non-leather backpacks, belts, wallets, briefcases, and more.

Kate Mendenhall www.katmendenhall.com: Stylish handmade vegan cowboy boots in various colors for men and women.

Faux Moccs www.fauxmoccs.com: Non-leather moccasins for children.

Sudo Shoes www.sudoshoes.com: Wide range of women’s and men’s shoes.

Giving Tuesday is December 3rd this year! Every year, people everywhere take time on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving to give their time and treasure to non-profits whose causes they believe in. This year, please consider volunteering with VRG, by e-mailing [email protected] Or give to us directly at  https://www.vrg.org/donate. A one-time or recurring donation would mean a lot, and your contributions go a long way to supporting our advocacy.

According to The Washington Post, JBS, a Brazilian company that is the largest meat producer in the world, has received $78 million from the United States in government pork contracts funded with the bailout funds related to our trade dispute with China. See: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/this-foreign-meat-company-got-us-tax-money-now-it-wants-to-conquer-america/2019/11/04/854836ae-eae5-11e9-9306-47cb0324fd44_story.html

Recent discussion topics include:

– Person asked: Any suggestions for books (or even websites) that explain how to structure meals for infants and toddlers? I’m not looking for recipes, but rather information on making sure that my grandbabies get the nutrients they need.

-New Vegan Book for kids

– The US Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) recently announced that it will recognize soy-based tempeh as a meat/meat alternative that can be served in the Child Nutrition Programs such as the National School Lunch Program a.k.a. school lunches.

-Plus more topics covered!

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. 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.

Chef Nancy Berkoff serves up creative vegan “meatball” recipes in a previous Vegetarian Journal article. Enjoy these options: Oktoberfest Roulades (Sauerkraut and Tofu Balls in Mustard Sauce); Mushroom and Hazelnut Snacking Balls; Walnut Lemon Balls; Veggie Balls; Whole Wheat Neatballs; Tofu Balls; and Good and gooey Peanut Butter Balls.

Find the complete article and recipes here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2001mar/2001_mar_neatballs.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