In addition to The Vegetarian Resource Group’s quarterly vegan magazine (Vegetarian Journal), VRG publishes a national email newsletter called VRG-News each month, as well as a separate monthly Maryland email newsletter (focusing on Maryland activities). Vegan news is so vast these days that we saw the need to publish more than can fit in our quarterly magazine.

Sign up for our national email newsletter here: https://lists.vrg.org/mailman/listinfo/vrg-news_lists.vrg.org

If you live in the greater Maryland area, you may want to sign up for our Maryland email newsletter: http://lists.vrg.org/mailman/listinfo/vrg-maryland_lists.vrg.org

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:

Cholo Ass Vegan

East 120th Ave.

Northglenn, CO 80233

Cholo Ass Vegan is a food truck that makes home-made Mexican food to-go, just like your abuela used to make. The hours and menu rotate, but they are posted on Facebook and Instagram, so check out the social media links on their website. On Instagram in particular, you’ll see prior offerings like tamales, tacos, gazpacho, seitan asada, etc.

Lindiana’s Southern Vegan Kitchen

2615 Calumet

Houston, TX 77004

This little gem in the 3rd ward of Houston city could play hard to get. At first glance, the place may look closed but venture a few steps upstairs and voila! You find a great retro-style restaurant with a menu filled with vegan goodies. Their menu has strong undercurrents of a typical Louisiana kitchen but, with a vegan twist. The menu includes everything from vegan “Boudain” balls to “Fish” grits to “Shrimp” Po Boy. Start with their appetizer of Cauliflower “nuggets” sizzled with buffalo sauce and savor the “Linda Plate” which includes “Fish”, mildly sweet Cornbread and a choice of two sides. You can finish off with a vegan beignet or a waffle but beware their dessert choices are erratic, not because they are not good but because they are made fresh from scratch every day. So, if you are lucky, you may find a juicy, glazed lemon cake waiting for you in the menu. Otherwise, be prepared to walk away without satiating your sweet tooth. Overall though, you will return from here with a smile of contentment from great tasting food!

MC Kitchen

401 Park Dr.

Boston, MA 02215

MC Kitchen is located in the Time Out Market, where they serve up vegan food daily. Choices include cauliflower tacos, rice noodle bowl, corn cakes, beet ravioli, and more. The food is from all over, but the price point is down the middle.

Meta Burger

7950 E Mississippi Ave.

Denver, CO 80247

Meta Burger’s menu offers a variety of vegan burgers to choose from, like their Godfather, the Island Burger, or the extra-spicy Supernova. If you don’t like the pre-designed burgers, build your own! Don’t want a burger at all? They also have vegan cheesesteaks, chicken sandwiches, patty melts, hot dogs, and more. As a plus, the prices are pretty reasonable, so it’s hard to go wrong.

Nabati

317 NW 25th St.

Miami, FL 33127

Nabati is a vegan ice cream shop where all the vegan ice cream is made in house. If they don’t have the flavor you want, suggest it on their website! There’s also a discount if you bring your own container.

Seed Burger

176 Easton Ave., Store 1A

New Brunswick, NJ 08901

Seed Burger is a vegan burger joint with a good variety of burgers to choose from, including the Impossible and Beyond burgers, but also Chick’n sandwiches and black bean burgers. There are fries too, of course, including curly potato fries, sweet potato fries, and yuca fries. The prices are reasonable and it’s BYOB.

Toasted

928 W. Main St.

Boise, ID 83702

Toasted is an all-vegan toast café. Try a banana bread flight which comes with three thick slices of banana bread each with different decadent toppings. Or opt for something more savory with the “Later Tater,” a slice of potato bread with roasted potatoes, sour cream, chives, and parmesan. Grab a drip coffee or local brew and toast to all the flavorful, inventive combinations!

Veegos

10932 Westheimer Rd.

Houston, TX 77042

Do you love spicy Pico and yummy guac? Looking for a pure vegan Mexican place to dine out at this weekend? Try Veegos. I would start with their Guacamole bowl served with nachos and order a glass of the Aguas frescas to wash the oil down. For main course, the Tostadas offered with jackfruit piques my curiosity. Or, their mouthwatering green tomatillo enchiladas, could be a great choice as an entree. Finally, what is a Mexican vegan meal without the creamy Arroz con Leche. Of course, we can rest easy that this is without the “leche” (Milk)! Note that Veegos is very responsive over their Facebook page, should you have any questions on the menu.

Wong Way Veg

Denver, CO 80220

Wong Way Veg is a food truck in the Denver area, serving up an array of delicious vegan nosh. Follow their Instagram or other social media for upcoming locations and menus. Prior options have included tacos, waffles, bagels, biscuits, burgers, poutine, gyros, and more! They do catering as well!

Nothing beats adding a condiment to a vegan burger, sandwich, samosa, salad, etc. Chef Nancy Berkoff provides recipes for making vegan condiments in your own home. You can prepare Agave Mustard, Last Minute Ketchup, Mint Chutney, Harissa, Vegan Mayonnaise, BBQ Sauce, and Caponata.

Read the entire article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2017issue1/2017_issue1_vegan_condiments.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

By Amy Dell, VRG Intern

Earlier in August, The Vegetarian Resource Group had a booth at DC VegFest at Nationals Park! Former intern Julia, volunteer Marcy, and two new VRG volunteers, Shriya and her husband, and I all worked together to distribute information to current vegans, the veg. curious, and family members of vegans.

We gave away about 800 copies of the Vegetarian Journal, hundreds of vegan pamphlets, and other resources like VRG’s I Love Animals Coloring Books, our protein flier, and information about our upcoming pre-Thanksgiving vegan dinner.

Throughout the day, we talked to thousands of people, answering questions about veganism, giving cookbook recommendations, and networking with other non-profits and activists. Many of the people that stopped at the table were interested in information about healthy vegan recipes and asked questions related to their specific health concerns, such as how to increase protein in a vegan diet or how to reduce sodium intake. It was really inspiring to see so many people taking positive steps towards a healthy life by exploring veganism! Although I’m not a dietitian and couldn’t give nutrition information, I was able to point people towards articles on our website www.vrg.org addressing these issues. 

To intern for The Vegetarian Resource Group, see https://www.vrg.org/student/index.php

To support The Vegetarian Resource Group outreach, donate at www.vrg.org/donate

Recent discussion topics include:

– What is your number one challenge you face raising your children vegan? Some of the responses included:

When my kid finds out not everyone makes compassionate choices.

School doesn’t provide vegan lunches.

I find it’s challenging when she goes to a friend’s house. We often send her food so she is more comfortable. She is 12 and very strict with her food choices – so getting other parents and her friends to understand and support is helpful.

My baby is 8 months and my husband is not vegan. It’s going to be extremely hard and would love to see if anyone has any advice on how to handle/cope.

Peer pressure/bullying about food choices.

Getting toddler to eat specific foods so I know they are getting enough b12.

– Where to Buy Vegan Shoes for Children

-Plus more!

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.

In the USA right now, many people have an abundance of ripe tomatoes in their garden and might be searching for new vegan recipes featuring fresh tomatoes. Nava Atlas offered several suggestions in a previous Vegetarian Journal in her article titled “Tomato Heaven”. You can prepare the following recipes: Salsa Ranchera (Raw Tomato Salsa), Fresh Summer Tomato Sauce, Simmered Tofu with Leeks and Tomatoes, Curried Potato-Tomato Salad, Spiced Tomato and Peach Relish, and Fresh Tomato and Corn Soup.

Read the entire article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2001jul/2001_jul_tomato_heaven.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

Nothing beats a simple graphic to get the vegan message out! The Vegetarian Resource Group created My Vegan Plate to display on outreach tables at various events. If you live in the United States, you can request copies of this handout to distribute by emailing us at [email protected]

You can view the handout here: https://www.vrg.org/nutshell/MyVeganPlate.pdf

This same handout can also be read in Spanish here: https://www.vrg.org/images/miplatovegano.jpg

We also have a version you can print out for kids to color on: https://www.vrg.org/nutshell/MyVeganPlateCP.pdf

Donations towards this outreach are always appreciated: www.vrg.org/donate

Once again, the greater Baltimore area and a few other locations in Maryland can enjoy Vegan Restaurant Week. For details on this event see: https://www.mdveganeats.com/

Some of the participating restaurants in Baltimore include:

Golden West Café (Fried Chicken Mac and Cheese; Aztec Steak Quesadilla; Waffle Monster Redux; Tofu Benedict; and more)

Greener Kitchen (Vegan Cheesesteaks; Kale Salad; baked goods; and more)

Harmony Bakery (Chickpea Tart; Vegan Quiche; Quinoa burger; Mock Crabcakes; gluten-free vegan baked goods; plus more)

Land of Kush (vegan Mac and Cheese; Collard Greens; Vegan Crab Cakes; Curry Chickun; Kush BBQ Ribs; and more)

Miss Shirley’s (Avocado Toast; Oh Snap! Quinoa Salad; Gluten-Free Griddle Cakes; Apple Sage Sausage & Hash Skillet; Be More Beyond Burger; plus more)

Roland Park Bagels (Vegan Pizza Bagels; Breakfast Powerhouse; Beyond Burgers; Falafel Pita Pocket; and more)

Stall 11 (Korean BBQ Cauliflower Bites; Buddha Bowl; Funghi Philly; Shroom Burger; Seasonal Quinoa Pancakes on weekends; plus more)

In Howard County Great Sage is participating (Artichoke Spinach Dip; Chopped Salad & Tex Mex Quesadilla; Yasai Noodle Bowl; Bourbon Street Burger; Chocolate Lava Cake; Carrot Cake; plus much more)

In Montgomery County Lion & Dove Winery is participating.

The Vegetarian Resource Group has compiled a list of Senior Independent Living, Assisted Living, Nursing Home, and Other Senior Facilities in the USA that will accommodate vegetarians and in some cases vegans. This is a work in progress and if you know of any establishments that should be added to this list, please let us know. Our goal in this project is to persuade senior establishments to offer more vegan options on a regular basis. Sometimes by just asking you put the thought on their radar. We were successful in doing the same thing 15 years ago when we urged college campuses to do the same thing.

Below are two recent additions to our list. You can find the entire list here: https://www.vrg.org/seniors/senior_vegan.php

AdventHealth Care Center Orlando North
730 Courtland Street
Orlando, FL 32804
(407) 975-3800
Nursing Home, Rehab
This facility serves vegetarian meals to all of the residents about once a month. When a resident is vegetarian, they try their best to accommodate. Food examples: hummus, beans, vegetable wraps, a cottage cheese fruit plate, chef’s salad w/o meat, meatless crumble, meatless chicken nuggets, veggie burgers, and black bean burgers. They are willing to accommodate vegans.

CherryWood Village
1417 SE 107th Ave
Portland, OR 97216
(503) 408-0404
Retirement Community
Serves three options for each meal, and one option is always vegetarian. They can make vegan items with some substitutions, but it is not already vegan. There is good communication between the residents and the kitchen about what is in the food, and the residents can always ask for ingredients that are in items. Example foods: black bean burgers (with or without cheese), avocado toast (with or without egg), burritos, and vegan gluten-free bread.

To support this type of project, please donate here: www.vrg.org/donate

Tofubox in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, NY, offers a wide variety of veggie Asian dishes that are highly affordable. It is a vegetarian restaurant; however, most dishes are vegan-friendly.

Start with dim sum options including spring rolls, vegetable dumplings, and more. Soup options featured are pumpkin soup, miso soup with mushroom and tofu, and hot and sour soup. Also enjoy rice- or noodle-based dishes such as Szechuan spicy noodle, Singapore style noodle, or cedar pine-nut fried rice. Main dishes include box sets where you pick one protein (such as hot and spicy yuba, kung pao tofu, drunken seitan, and others) along with brown or purple rice and other toppings including veggies and beans. Finally, Tofubox offers chef’s specials including eggplant pot, Buddha’s delight, Szechuan soy protein, shiitake in garlic sauce, and other options. Also enjoy fresh juices and smoothies.

Tofubox is located at 632 Grand St., Brooklyn, NY 11211. They are open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday. Closed Monday. They also do catering and can be reached at (718) 388-4232 or by visiting www.tofuboxbrooklyn.com.