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including Vegetarian Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical
advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional.
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confirmation on your own.
Posted on
September 26, 2019 by
The VRG Blog Editor
Chef Nancy Berkoff’s latest Vegan Cooking Tips column in Vegetarian Journal is titled “Quick and
Easy Fig Ideas.” Here’s some of what she says:
“When you’ve gone to the market
and selected plump, light green or mocha-colored figs, get ready for all the
good stuff. These edible pods contain potassium, magnesium, iron, and copper,
and have trace amounts of calcium, phosphorus, riboflavin, B6, and zinc. Put
aside sports beverages; eat some figs!
Fresh figs are a delight to eat
“as is,” on their own. The entire fig is edible, so you can use figs
as a transportable snack. If you like, you can chop them and add them to
cereal, yogurt, rice, couscous, stuffing, muffin batter, or salad dressings. If
you’re looking for an elegant dessert, poach figs in red wine and served
chilled.
Here are some ways to use fresh figs:
Chop fresh figs and toss into cooking oatmeal or other hot cereal and in cooking grains.
Roast whole figs with maple syrup. Allow figs to caramelize, and serve warm tossed with nuts or sorbet.
For a fig tart, layer a cooked pie shell with thinly sliced fresh figs. Drizzle with a small amount of agave, rice syrup, or maple syrup and serve.
Stuff figs with crumbled vegan cheese or crumbled, flavored firm tofu or seitan. Wrap in foil and bake until soft. Serve hot.
Make fast fig chutney. Simmer chopped figs with chopped onions, raisins, and walnuts (if desired), fresh or dried orange zest, white pepper, and thyme until soft and jam-like. Serve as a condiment for everything!
Roasting or grilling mushrooms? Add sliced figs for flavor and texture.
Make a fig and rice pilaf. Sauté minced garlic, minced fresh ginger, chopped chilis, and chopped onion until soft. Stir in rice and chopped figs, and allow to cook until rice is fluffy.”
Posted on
September 25, 2019 by
The VRG Blog Editor
The Vegetarian Resource Group will host a vegan dinner at Su Xing, about a six minute walk from the Pennsylvania Convention Center, on Sunday, October 27, 2019 at 6PM, during the annual meeting of The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Meet vegetarian dietitians from around the country. The public is invited.
MENU APPETIZER: seitan on stick with BQ sauce SOUP: (choice of): hot and sour soup or tofu and vegetable soup MAIN DISHES: chow fun (rice noodle dish) tofu with black bean sauce stir-fried spinach stir-fried string beans rice DESSERT: fruit BEVERAGES: tea and water
MUST RESERVE AND PAY IN ADVANCE Send $25 per person (includes tax and tip) with attendee names to The Vegetarian Resource Group, PO Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203. Call (410) 366-8343. Or pay at www.vrg.org/donate and write “Philadelphia VRG Dinner” and attendee names on the “Comments” box.
Posted on
September 25, 2019 by
The VRG Blog Editor
Silk® sent an ad to subscribers of the School Nutrition Association, letting food service staff know that Silk® has new containers formulated to meet USDA standards and the 8 oz. container has 8 grams of protein.
Posted on
September 24, 2019 by
The VRG Blog Editor
Photo from Well+Fed Louisiana
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:
Green Culture
1420 Seven Springs Blvd., Trinity, FL
34655
Green Culture is an eco- and
health-conscious cafe and juice bar, with organic coffee, cold-pressed juice
blends, and smoothies. But that’s not all! Try their sweet acai or dragon fruit
bowls for breakfast, or their savory harvest bowls for lunch or dinner! Is a
sandwich more your speed? They have Beyond burgers, Impossible burgers, and
their own house-made patties too! That’s only the half of it, but why not just
go to their website to see the rest? Better yet, stop by yourself!
Mimi & Jones
5149 Park Ave., Montreal, QC
H2V 4G3 Canada
Mimi & Jones is a classic diner,
but 100% vegan. They have a simple but delicious menu covering items like
burgers, nuggets, Caesar salad, and milkshakes. And don’t forget the house-made
ravioli! Unlike the traditional diner, however, they also have a full bar!
Mugi
793 Bathurst St., Toronto, ON M5S 1Z5
Canada
Sometimes it can be tricky to eat
Thai food as a vegan, with the ubiquity of fish sauce and other animal-based
ingredients. But not at Mugi! Here you can get authentic Thai classics like green
curry, massaman curry, larb (made with jackfruit), mango salad, and more!
They’re not just accommodating, they’re all vegan. Try them today for a tasty,
no-hassle dining experience!
Nourishmoi Power Foods
229 Lakeshore Rd. East, Mississauga,
ON L5G 1G8 Canada
Nourishmoi Power Foods aims to
provide fresh, flavorful, and nutritious foods. That doesn’t mean you can’t get
a veggie burger if you want one! But with options like their Waikiki poke, Thai
peanut bowl, or ko chang salad, this is not your typical vegan dinner. They
have lots of gluten-free options as well, plus a full bar, so there’s something
for everyone here!
Sweet Rebellion
145 College Ave., Blacksburg, VA 24060
Sweet Rebellion is a vegan and
gluten-free bakery, so you know they have something for you! Go to their
Instagram to gaze upon their cookies, cakes, pies, scones, brownies, and more.
Or go in person to get one for yourself!
Viridescent
5760 State Hwy. 121, Ste. 140, Plano,
TX 75024
Are you looking for variety in taste?
Viridescent is a unique addition to the Plano, Texas area where the kitchen is
not run by a single chef but several visiting chefs. Although they have a fixed
menu filled with delightful vegan entrees, desserts and drinks, the
rotating-chef concept brings in the variety you may be looking for. Depending
on the day you choose to visit, you can treat your taste buds with either a
large, veggie burger or a fully loaded taco or both. Better still, surprise
yourself on a Sunday for brunch and order their vegan eggs or pancakes served
with homemade nut butter! And finally, do they have desserts to satiate one’s
sweet tooth? Yes and, again, based on the “visiting chef” concept. Their vegan
ice-creams and frozen desserts, some topped with a beautiful red, button-like
rose or two, are catered by Ajae’s Scoops, a local food truck.
Viva La Vegan Tacos
10709 Balboa Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 91344
Viva La Vegan Tacos is a 100% vegan
taco cart with a permanent location outside of Bow Tiki Tattoo parlor in
Granada Hills. For just $3 a taco, you can choose (or mix and match) between
BBQ or southwest style jackfruit, cactus, squash, sweet potato, mushroom, or
cauliflower. They come topped with soy-free vegannaise, cilantro, cabbage,
grilled peppers and onions, and a choice of salsa. Everything is soy-free,
gluten-free, MSG-free, and free of hydrogenated oils or canola oil. Try their
homemade fresh juices too. They have limited hours, so check their Instagram
before you go!
Well+Fed Louisiana
678 Egan St., Shreveport, LA 71101
Well+Fed is a 100% vegan and
gluten-free organic café that specializes in cold-pressed juices and healthy
smoothies/smoothie bowls. Their food menu includes seasonal salads, and
nutrition-packed sandwiches, like their chickpea salad, spicy chickpea burger,
or hummus and veggie. They also have toast with toppings such as hummus,
avocado, vegan cream cheese, carrot lox, and PB+J. Weekly specials feature
everything from tacos and nachos to poke bowls.
Whipped Urban Dessert Lab
103 N. 3rd St., Brooklyn, NY 11249
Whipped Urban Dessert Lab is bringing
its oat milk-based soft serve to NYC! The shop ran by women and minorities
provides only oat-based soft serve. They pride themselves on putting innovative
spins on regular desserts while providing high-quality foods and avoiding the
use of preservatives and artificial colors and flavors. Stop by and try their
original vanilla sweet cream on its own, or top it off with one of their
natural crumb coats or sauces. You can also enjoy their soft serve fusions,
like their coffee waffle crunch, or chocolate peanut butter pretzel.
Posted on
September 24, 2019 by
The VRG Blog Editor
Each issue of Vegetarian
Journal features an activist promoting veganism. In our latest column VRG
Intern Emma Giebel interviewed Steven Brill.
“If you find yourself walking
through New York City’s Central Park and notice a man eating the plants
directly from their source, don’t be alarmed. That’s Steve Brill, also known as
the Wildman, and he has been foraging for food in popular parks in the New York
area for three decades.
Brill is a self-taught forager,
having learned from textbooks, and wishes to spread his knowledge.
“I’d like to make
whole-foods veganism and foraging more common,” he said.
He has been giving walking tours
for years and has taught people of all ages about the benefits of a whole-foods
vegan diet. On his tours, he offers guests samples of his vegan recipes that
include the plants he expects he will find on that day. Whole-foods veganism,
which means being a vegan that truly lives off the land to Brill, is one of the
most important aspects of his life. He credits the diet and his passion for
exercise as major contributors to his incredible health at the age of 70.”
Posted on
September 23, 2019 by
The VRG Blog Editor
Recent discussion topics
include:
– This question was posted: Avoiding the processed vegan meat products, what meals that are mostly whole food plant-based have you made that are kid-friendly? Responses included: Beans! Bean burritos, black bean burgers, chickpea salad etc.; Spaghetti, no-meat chili and cornbread, wild rice and cauliflower soup, goulash, burrito bowls, butternut squash & black bean burritos, baked potatoes; Agree regarding grain and bean bowls–throw in a veggie or two and a sauce, yum! Loaded (with veggies) baked potatoes, soups, we also do a mac n cheese with kale, spinach or broccoli using a sauce I make with plain almond yogurt, nutritional yeast, acv and garlic powder; and My 8 year old loves to cook with the thug kitchen cookbook. The recipes are really good but I’m sure half of the excitement comes from reading words she’s not allowed to say!
– A member posted this question: What is your favorite kitchen gadget (brand?) for finely grating carrots? Most of the reviews for graters online reference cheese. Thank you! Someone responded: This one says it is good for finely grating carrots – Cuisipro Surface Glide Technology Deluxe Dual Grater
-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.
Posted on
September 23, 2019 by
The VRG Blog Editor
Each issue
of Vegetarian Journal features reviews
of books we feel our readers would enjoy. In the latest Vegetarian Journal we reviewed
several books including VEGAN TALES VOLUME I edited
by Maureen Kingsley which consists of vegan short stories written by vegan
writers from Europe, the United States, and elsewhere. Each tale is written in
a unique fashion and all touch upon vegan values. We also reviewed IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE IN THE GARDEN By
T.A. Kuepper and Illustrated by Brett Bednorz. It’s
a Wonderful Life in the Garden, book 3 of The Adventures of Archie Artichoke
book series with its vibrant, colorful illustrations and fun vegetable
characters who go on a trip, will appeal to children ages 4 to 8, as well as
their parents for important lessons to be learned. Archie Artichoke and his
veggie friends will realize how good their lives in the garden are after their
venture into the dark forest in search of gifts from a magical genie.
Posted on
September 20, 2019 by
The VRG Blog Editor
Photo by Hannah Kaminsky
The latest issue of Vegetarian Journal features a vegan recipe piece by cookbook author and photographer Hannah Kaminsky called “Keep Your Cool! Refreshing No-Bake Desserts.” Recipes include Peaches and Cream Icebox Cake, Orange Dream Ice Cream Bars, Raspberry White Chocolate Macaroons, Root Beer Float Pie, and Bananas Foster Crème Brûlée.
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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