Each issue of Vegetarian Journal includes a column called Veggie Bits. Here we review vegan products that you might want to purchase. In the recent issue Virginia Slothour-Hudnall reviewed several items including the 2 below (as well as other products):

Honey, Sans Bees
Drizzled over waffles, stirred into a hot cup of tea, or baked into muffins, Bumble Bloom’s luscious honey alternatives will instantly sweeten your mood. Each of Bumble Bloom’s four flavors — Classic, Cardamom, Ginger, and Cinnamon — boasts an all-organic ingredient list and a perfect honey consistency that clings to the spoon. The Cinnamon variety packs the most intense olfactory punch, with a warm, enticing aroma that hits as soon as you open the jar and invites you to spoon a hefty dollop into your oatmeal or spread it thickly across toast. The distinctive flavor of the Ginger mock honey sparks thoughts of sesame noodles and glazed carrots and begs to be added to your next stir fry. The rich, sweet Cardamom was an instant favorite for the whole crew, inspiring pairings with masala chai, spiced banana bread, or even simple apple slices. And, of course, the versatile Classic works with each of these and more. Move over, maple syrup — America’s about to have a new favorite Canadian import! Sold in stores in Canada; ships worldwide from www.seebumbleinbloom.com and www.vegansupply.ca.

The Chocolate of Your Dreams
Dear Coco turns the “wow” factor up to 100 with their new Explore Peanut Butter chocolate assortment, featuring rich, silky Peruvian peanut truffles with a touch of heat, heavenly salted caramel, and peanut turtles that strike an intense, perfectly-blended sweet-and-salty note simultaneously. It also includes satisfyingly chunky PB&J cups with just the right dried-cherry-to-dark-chocolate ratio, a delicious and delightfully creative peanut-toffee-and-Old-Bay chocolate bar that’s everything you never knew you wanted, and a mouthwateringly enormous “Colossal Classic Peanut Butter Cup” that beats anything you ate as a child — no contest. These fantastic award-winning vegan chocolates will leave you raving to your friends. Buy online or find a retailer near you at www.dearcoco.com.

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The Vegetarian Resource Group will host a vegan dinner at BUSBOYS AND POETS in Washington, DC (About three blocks from the DC Convention Center) on Sunday, October 21, 2018 during the annual meeting of The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Meet VRG advisors Reed Mangels PhD RD, Catherine Conway MS RD, Mark Rifkin, MS RD, Debra Wasserman, Charles Stahler, and vegetarian dietitians from around the country. All are welcome.

MENU
APPETIZERS:
BBQ Vegan Chicken Bites
Crispy Brussels Sprouts (Brussels sprouts with shallots, agave vinaigrette)
Tabbouleh (Quinoa, parsley, tomatoes, green onions, lemon juice)
ENTRÉE: Beans and Wild Rice (black beans, fresh guacamole, pico de gallo)
DESSERT: Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie
Fountain Drinks and Iced Tea included

MUST PAY AND RESERVE IN ADVANCE: Send $35 per person (includes tax and tip) with names to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203. Call (410) 366-8343. Or pay at www.vrg.org/donate and write DC Dietitian Dinner in the Comments.

NAME:
# Attending X $35/person = $
NAMES OF ATTENDEES:
Address:
City/State/Zip:
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Donation towards professional outreach: $
Total enclosed: $

The latest Vegetarian Journal features an article titled A Summer Picnic with a Pan-Asian Twist by Zel Allen. Recipes include:

Bánh Mì Stuffed Mushrooms
Marinated Tempeh Stix with Creamy Wasabi Sauce
Chinese-Style Kohlrabi Cakes
Bulgogi (a Korean Main Dish)
Japchae (Vegetable Stir-fry Noodle Dish)
Sweet & Sour Papaya Salad
Pan-Asian Cherry Salad with Papaya Seed Dressing
Singapore Sesame Dressing
Yam Noodle Salad
Chinese Almond Cookies

Read the entire piece here:
https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2018issue3/2018_issue3_summer_picnic.php

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By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS

Gellan Gum
Alternative name: E418
Commercial source: microbial fermentation (Sphingomonas elodea on corn, sugar beet or sugar cane)
Used in: beverages (esp. plant-based beverages), dairy, confections, jams, jellies, pie fillings, salad dressings, sauces, cosmetics, personal care and oral care products, pharmaceuticals, pet food, household cleaners
Used for: Gelling, texturizing, thickening, stabilizing, suspending, film-forming, bulking and structuring
Definition: A naturally occurring polysaccharide (carbohydrate) used mainly as a stabilizer & suspension agent in beverages, gellan gum is a common gelatin alternative.
Major Manufacturers: Jason at CP Kelco told us they use “corn syrup” as a fermentation medium. http://www.cpkelco.com/products-gellan-gum.html

Summer at Cinogel Biotech informed us they use “cane sugar or glucose.” She did not respond with more detail. www.cinogel.com

Brooke at TIC Gums wrote by email that they “…use corn derivatives to make the glucose syrup for the fermentation process.” https://www.ticgums.com/products/category/gellan-gum.html

Wen Wu from Opal Biotech stated that they “…use glucose powder to produce gellan gum. Glucose is derived from corn. If requested, we could use cane sugar.” www.opalbiotech.com

Jean-Baptiste of DuPont Danisco responded that “Our plant is located in Europe, and we use some local beet sugar to produce [gellan gum].” http://www.danisco.com/about-dupont/news/news-archive/2017/dupont-nutrition-health-increases-the-appeal-of-dairy-free-drinks/

Classification: Vegan
Definition updated: August 2018

For more information: https://www.vrg.org/blog/…/gellan-gum-in-many-non-dairy-beverages-is-all-vegetabl…

https://foodingredientfacts.org/facts-on-food-ingredients/sources-of-food-ingredients/gellan-gum/

http://www1.lsbu.ac.uk/water/gellan.html

For information on other ingredients, see https://www.vrg.org/ingredients/index.php

Vegetarian Resource Group Nutrition Advisor Reed Mangels, PhD, RD answer the following question in the latest Vegetarian Journal Nutrition Hotline column: “I drink several cups of black tea every day. Recently, I found out that I’m anemic, and my doctor told me to stop drinking tea because it could be interfering with iron absorption. Do I really need to give up my tea?”

Do read the entire Nutrition Hotline column, visit: Nutrition Hotline

To subscribe to Vegetarian Journal, go to: https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

Please book mark and use this link. Eligible shopping will support our vegan education and activism. http://smile.amazon.com/ch/52-1279034

About Amazon Smile: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/chpf/about/ref=smi_se_rspo_laas_aas

The Vegetarian Resource Group is an activist non-profit organization that does outreach all-year-long. For example, VRG tables at different events throughout the USA and also sends literature free of charge to other groups/individuals doing educational activities in schools, hospitals, camps, restaurants, libraries, 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 become a monthly or quarterly donor online here: Donate to The Vegetarian Resource Group

DC VegFest
https://dcvegfest.com/
Saturday, September 15th, 2018
Yards Park
Washington, DC

York Harvest VegFest
https://www.yorkvegfest.com/
Saturday, September 22nd, 2018
Coulser Park
York, PA

Charlottesville Vegan Roots Fest
http://www.cvillevegfest.org/
Saturday, Sept. 29th, 2018
Washington Park
Charlottesville, VA

In the latest issue of Vegetarian Journal, Chef Nancy Berkoff shares Egyptian recipes she gathered when visiting her former students living in Egypt. Enjoy Kasheri with Brown Rice, Brown Rice Mujaddara, Makloubeh (layered eggplant), Vegan Kofta, Orange and Olive Salad, Khoshaf (compote), and Egyptian Lemonade.

Find the complete article here: Vegan Recipes from Egypt

Subscribe to Vegetarian Journal:
https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

Urban Soul Grill Photo

The Vegetarian Resource Group maintains an online Guide to Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants in the USA and Canada. Below are some recent additions. The entire guide can be found here: VRG Online Veggie Restaurant Guide

To support the updating of this online restaurant guide, please donate at:
Donate to The Vegetarian Resource Group

Here are some new additions to VRG’s guide:

Beaut Burger
267 S. Avenida Del Convento
Tucson, AZ 85745
Beaut Burger has a little kitchen inside a repurposed shipping container. This new Westside concept specializes in vegan burgers, making everything in-house, from the patty to the slow-fermented English muffin bun (Gluten free options available). The minimalist names on here – B1, B2, B3, etc. – bely the whimsical nature of the menu such as “burgers” with peanut butter and tamarind chutney or the herbaceous Middle Eastern condiment called zhoug, which goes on an otherwise normal combination of ranch, lettuce, tomato and cucumber. But then there are also the crowd pleasers; those classic American burgers with a plant-based twist. Outdoor seating available.

Blue Sage Vegan Bistro
River Market’s Ottenheimer Market Hall
400 President Clinton Ave.
Little Rock, AR 72201
If you are out and about in Little Rock, make a quick stop at Blue Sage Vegan Bistro for a delicious breakfast or a quick lunch. This establishment serves comfort food classics. If you are craving chick’n and waffles or specialty fries with vegan aioli or even just a refreshing smoothie, Blue Sage is the go-to.

Chili Mustard Onions
3411 Brush St.
Detroit, MI 48201
Chili Mustard Onions, the city’s first 100 percent vegan Coney Island restaurant, is open for business in Detroit’s Brush Park area. The small 30-seat shop offers meatless — and mostly organic — versions of many of the Coney standards. There are Coney dogs, chili cheese fries, a version of the Hani, a gyro, a “beetball” sub, a chicken parmesan sub, a “Big Mock,” nachos, potato skins, fries, waffle fries, soft serve ice cream, cheesecake, and more.

CombinAsian
2324 N. Miami Ave.
Miami, FL 33127
Casual restaurant serving Asian inspired vegan fast food and sweets. Some of the more popular offerings are the sushi burritos and teriyaki bowls with meatless proteins, rice, lettuce, and green peppers and kimbap pow bowls served with rice, cucumber, pickled yellow radishes, sesame kale, and soy sauce. They also offer a few American dishes as well, like vegan mac n’ cheese and chick’n tenders. They host events and are kid friendly with plenty of board games. They have a brightly colored interior design and a DJ booth. Outdoor seating available.

Dark Hall Coffee
3343 N. 7th Ave. #3
Phoenix, AZ 85013
It can be hard to find vegan pastries sometimes, but if you’re in Phoenix, you now have more options. Dark Hall Coffee is all-vegan, from the pastries to the house-made plant milks. Contrary to early reports, it’s not a Goth coffeehouse, though you may hear Bauhaus playing occasionally.

Juicy Beets
3900 Paradise Rd.
Las Vegas, NV 89169
Put Juicy Beets on the list of vegan restaurants you didn’t know you needed before. Not just a lunch and dinner spot, they stay open to 2am every night, with DJs playing house/techno music for the late night crowd. Whenever you’re there, try the Banh Mi, the Beyond Burger, or one of their specialty bowls. They also have a full bar, but if that’s not to your taste, they also offer cappuccinos, espresso, and an organic juice bar.

The Jazzy Vegetarian Vegan Café
Sanctuary Brewing Company
147 1st Ave. East
Hendersonville, NC 28792
Located inside the Sanctuary Brewing Company. Weekly menu is subject to change. Some favorites include pizza, burgers, wraps and salads for both lunch and dinner, and quesadillas, nachos, and chips for dinner. Check out the Taco Tuesday Pizza and the Hawaiian BBQ Burger. End your meal with the Pots de Crème chocolate pudding!

Urban Soul Grill
7502 Mentor Ave.
Mentor, OH 44060
Urban Soul Grill has everything that makes you feel good! Whether it’s greens, yams, vegan wings, vegan ribs, or vegan cobbler, comfort food is what they do. Bring your appetite and plenty of napkins!

Vegan GreenGo
3613 State St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
If you’re a vegan who likes fast casual Mexican food, but are seeking something outside the regular fare, try Vegan GreenGo! Burritos, tacos, nachos, and bowls are all available, just as you’d expect, but the options range far past the kinds of beans that you can get. House-made veggie meats include carne asada, chicken, chorizo, al pastor, and barbacoa! Drinks options include lavender lemonade and a variety of kombuchas.