Previous issues of Vegetarian Journal featured creative vegan salad recipes. Cool, Crisp Salads by Peggy Rynk includes Chilled Lentil Salad with Spicy Citrus Dressing; Creamy Potato Salad with Scallions and Chives; Tamari-Dressed Jicama Salad, Cherry Tomato, Cucumber, and Sweet Onion Salad; Pineapple-Carrot Salad with Citrus Dressing; and Melon Medley with Lemon Dressing. See: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2007issue2/2007_issue2_cool_salads.php

To subscribe to Vegetarian Journal in the USA only, visit: https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

By Lauren Capano

I interned with the Vegetarian Resource Group to complete the final 80 hours of my Dietetic Internship with the College of Saint Elizabeth. The VRG gave me the opportunity to finish out my work remotely following a medical emergency. My preceptors were extremely accommodating to my schedule and erased any stress that I had about not being able to complete my internship. It is thanks to this opportunity that I will be moving forward with my Dietetic career in a timely fashion.

My time with VRG greatly improved my skills in nutrition writing. I’ve learned how to translate nutrition research into an accessible format for people without a nutrition background. Reed Mangels (VRG’s Nutrition Advisor) challenged me to write pieces that the lay public will not only understand but relate to and be able to apply the lessons to their own lives. Her guidance through the editing process from scientific writing to plain-English blog post was critical to my success, and with her help I will be published (for the first time) in print editions of the Vegetarian Journal in the future! These writing lessons will accompany me for the entirety of my career in Dietetics because I believe that information and research is ineffective unless people are able to incorporate the findings into their lives, which they cannot do without first understanding the results.

While interning with VRG I also was able to participate in the ongoing Vegan SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) project created by a past VRG intern. I found this project to be a challenging, but important endeavor as it will hopefully guide many SNAP-dependent and budget-conscious vegans in their purchasing habits in the future. These guides are going to help people maintain the integrity of their dietary choices while also ensuring proper nutrition and preventing deficiencies. Providing a professional guide for vegans will hopefully help relieve the additional stress placed on them by a society that questions their nutritional adequacy. I hope my efforts in refining the menus were helpful and that with the help of future interns, the project will be seen through to completion and put out into the public as a resource for those who need it.

I appreciate everything that I have learned while at the VRG and most importantly the people who I came into contact with – all of whom were friendly, knowledgeable, dedicated, and helpful. I will continue to refer to VRG with future questions and input in the future, and will definitely recommend it as a reliable resource to my friends, family, and future clients/patients.

For information about The Vegetarian Resource Group internships, see: https://www.vrg.org/student/index.php

To support VRG outreach and education, donate at: www.vrg.org/donate

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: 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:

Animal Liberation Kitchen

717½ Queen St. East

Toronto, ON M4M 1H1 Canada

Animal Liberation Kitchen is a family-run restaurant with quick, easy, nutritious options for lunch and dinner. Choices include their BBQ jackfruit sandwich, spicy avocado chickpea sandwich, ginger miso sushi bowl, and more. They also serve a variety of smoothies, if you’re in the mood for something a little less solid. Catering is available.

Community

343 Kerr St.

Oakville, ON L6K 3B7 Canada

Community is an upscale vegan restaurant located in Oakville, Ontario. Entrees include Caesar wrap with crispy tofu, truffle gnocchi, and ragu rose with jackfruit and cashew crema. Small plates include chaat masala, heart of palm “crab” cakes, and more! You may want to call ahead for reservations.

Curley Brewing Company

1634 Hyde Park Rd.

London, ON N6H 5L7 Canada

With craft beer and hot sandwiches, you can’t really go wrong. Food options include the jalapeno popper grilled cheese sandwich, TLT (Tempeh Lettuce Tomato), BBQ Pulled Jackfruit, and more! The grilled cheese sandwiches are all made with house-made cashew cheeses.

HipCityVeg

Suburban Square

76 Coulter Ave., Ste. 18

Ardmore, PA 19003

HipCityVeg is a vegan fast food eatery with inexpensive yet delicious fare. Enjoy the Ziggy Burger (made with smoked tempeh), Curry Tofu Wrap, or the Classic Veg Burger. The café uses recycled and compostable packaging. This location has indoor and outdoor seating.

Island Produce Club

797 Northlake Blvd.

North Palm Beach, FL 33408

Island Produce Club purports to be North Palm Beach’s only oil-free vegan restaurant. They still offer plenty of rich options, however. Choose from avocado toast, veggie burgers, and all manner of specialty pizzas. There’s also a juice bar with a variety of smoothies and fresh custom juice blends.

Life on Mars

722 E. Pike St.

Seattle, WA 98122

We all love a vegan juice bar, but what about vegan…bars? Wouldn’t it be nice to go out, have a drink, and have something to eat that’s a step above some questionable French fries? At Life on Mars, you can have all that and more! With a full bar, a wall full of vinyl records, and an all-vegan menu, Life on Mars makes for a great late-night hangout. The menu includes salads, custom veggie burgers with house-made patties, a variety of waffle sandwiches, plus regular and sweet potato fries, if that’s still to your taste.

Munchies Vegan Diner

515 Main St.

Santa Ana, CA 92701

Munchies Vegan Diner does the kind of food you’d expect from a place with “vegan” and “diner” in the name, and that’s a good thing! Their all-day breakfast options include breakfast poutine and Sky’s Giant Breakfast Burrito. Lunch and dinner options include vegan tuna melts, patty melts, pizza fries, burgers, and a taco burger (although it’s really more of a burger taco). They even have vegan milk shakes and floats, and of course, they’re open late!

Plant Baz

900 W. Franklin St.

Richmond, VA 23220

Plant Baz is an all-vegan burrito bar, from the steak to the sour cream. Expect all the usual options like salsa, guacamole, beans and rice, but also vegan shrimp, pulled pork, chicken, cheese, and fish. Desserts include churros and popsicles.

Plant Matter Bistro

244 Dundas St.

London, ON N6A 1H3 Canada

Plant Matter Bistro is a high-end restaurant, so you may want to call ahead for reservations. Entrees cover an eclectic range, from jackfruit enchiladas or bibimbap, to vegetable linguine and sweet potato gnocchi. The menu suggests wine and beer pairings with their entrees as well. This would be a great place for a date night!

Tendresse

1259 Sainte-Catherine Est

Montreal, QC H2L 2H3 Canada

Tendresse is a higher-end vegan bistro with artfully crafted dishes. Follow them on social media to see what we mean. Entrees include General Tso Tofu, fried tofu tacos, house-made chickpea burger, and more. And don’t forget the drink menu, with a selection of beers, organic wines, and custom cocktails!

Trilogy

7650 Girard Ave.

La Jolla, CA 92037

Trilogy is a vegan cafe located in a yoga studio. After you’ve found your Zen, stop by this rooftop sanctuary for organic vegan fare. The cafe offers a variety of smoothies, bowls, and juices. If you want something a little heartier, try one of their wraps, salads, or burgers! They also have a full breakfast menu including a savory crepe plate or a coconut yogurt parfait. Indulge one of their raw desserts such as “Majestic,” a carrot cake with lemon cashew filling, as you enjoy the view of the ocean!

Vegano

1335 Beaubien East

Montreal, QC H2G 1K7 Canada

Vegano is Montreal’s first all-vegan Italian restaurant and bakery. In addition to an extensive breakfast and brunch menu, Vegano serves up tasty Italian dishes and baked goods. Pizza, pasta, lasagna, oh my! They’ve also created fast-food classics such as KFC chicken and a Big Mac all in cruelty-free vegan form. Vegano has been recognized for their outstanding baked goods. Try a decadent treat such as a deep-fried Snickers bar or a Rocky Road marshmallow cupcake.

Stop by VRG’s booth and say hello to our summer interns if you’ll be shopping at Baltimore’s 32^nd Street Farmers Market this Saturday. We’d love to meet you!

Details on this market can be found here: http://www.32ndstreetmarket.org/

The Vegetarian Resource Group has been commissioning polls since 1994 asking this question to Americans:

Which of the following, if any, best describes your eating behavior?

I never eat meat, fish, seafood, poultry, dairy, or eggs.
I never eat meat, fish, seafood, or poultry.
I never eat meat, fish, seafood, poultry, dairy, or eggs when eating out or getting takeout, but eat one or more of these foods at home.
I never eat meat, fish, seafood, or poultry when eating out or getting takeout, but eat one or more of these foods at home.
When eating out or getting takeout, I sometimes eat meals without meat, fish, poultry, dairy, or eggs.
When eating out or getting takeout, I sometimes eat meals without meat, fish, or poultry.
None of these

Our most recent poll in 2019 was conducted online by The Harris Poll among more than 2,000 U.S. adults. To see all our poll results for both adults and children, see: https://www.vrg.org/nutshell/faq.htm#poll­

To support this type of research, please donate to The Vegetarian Resource Group: www.vrg.org/donate  

Bergen New Bridge Medical Center (formerly Bergen Regional Medical Center)
230 East Ridgewood Avenue
Paramus, NJ 07652
(201) 967-4073
Rehabilitation, Nursing Home, Hospice, Memory Care, Long-Term Care
This facility provides an Indian cultural program with an all-vegetarian kitchen. Example dishes include Kankoda Methi, Toor ni Kadi, and lentil curry. Vegetarian meals outside the Indian program are only available by specifically requesting a vegetarian diet. Outside the Indian program, vegetarian options include pastas and veggie burgers.
 
For more senior facilities offering vegetarian meals, see https://www.vrg.org/seniors/senior_vegan.php

If you know of other senior facilities offering vegetarian meals, please email information to [email protected]

If you would like to volunteer to research for more places to add to the list, please email [email protected]

By Lauren Capano, Dietetic Intern, College of Saint Elizabeth

Sodium, specifically low-sodium foods and diets, is a popular subject in health and wellness. You may have seen sodium mentioned everywhere from the grocery aisles to restaurant menus to your doctor’s office. What exactly is sodium, what makes a food low-sodium, and how much sodium should you really be eating? The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine is a non-profit organization that provides expert advice to help inform the public on pressing matters of science and medicine. This includes publishing objective, high-quality nutrition advice. In 2019 they updated their previous 2005 sodium and potassium recommendations, taking into account all of the latest research on how these nutrients affect our health.

Sodium and potassium are two nutrients that are essential, or necessary, for human health. The National Academies have looked at them together because their functions are related, and they both have an effect on blood pressure. Knowing this information is important because high blood pressure is a risk factor for chronic disease, particularly cardiovascular disease. The National Academies 2019 recommendations for sodium and potassium intake are intended to promote health and reduce chronic disease risk in the healthy, adult population.

The new recommended sodium intake for healthy adults aged 19-50 is the same as it was in 2005. The recommendations for adults age 51 and older have been increased to match that of the younger adult population. The National Academies report that 1,500 milligrams per day is adequate. We need sodium to balance the fluid in our bodies, send nerve signals, and help with muscle contraction. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults limit their sodium intake to below 2,300 milligrams per day. The National Academies recommends that if you are eating more than that amount every day, that you should try to decrease your intake. This will help to lessen your risk for chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease. However, many US adults are eating far more than that amount. Keep in mind that 1 teaspoon of table salt provides 2,325 milligrams of sodium, which is your recommended maximum amount. Sodium is found in very high amounts in processed foods such as bread, pizza, cheese, soups, fast food, and prepared foods. Ready-made vegan foods, such as frozen vegan entrees and canned soups, can have upwards of 1,000 milligrams of sodium in a serving. Even “sodium-conscious” brands tend to have at least 600 milligrams of sodium per serving. Reducing your sodium intake will require you to pay a little more attention to the nutrition labels on foods that you purchase. Foods with less than 140 milligrams of sodium per serving are considered low-sodium foods, and foods with more than 300 milligrams of sodium per serving may be difficult to include on a low-sodium diet. Another great way to lower your sodium intake is to try preparing meals at home with whole, fresh ingredients. You can use herbs, spices, and citrus to add flavor to your food instead of using a lot of salt while cooking, and then add whatever salt you need at the table. The Vegetarian Resource Group has some low-sodium menus you can check out for ideas and recipes here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2005issue4/2005_issue4_lowsodium.php

The recommended potassium intakes have been lowered and are now more applicable to the healthy adult population. The recommended intake was originally established to prevent salt-sensitive rises in blood pressure in specific populations, but it now reflects the needs of the general, healthy, adult population.  Adult females should consume at least 2,600 milligrams per day and adult males should consume at least 3,400 milligrams per day. There is no upper limit for potassium intake, so it is safe to consume more than these amounts. We need potassium because, much like sodium, it helps regulate our body fluids, muscle contractions, and nerve signals. It also promotes bone density and helps to lower blood pressure. High potassium foods such as potatoes, apricots, lentils, prunes, adzuki or white beans, and tomatoes are just a few food choices that you can include in your diet to get these benefits. Consuming a diet rich in a variety of fruits, vegetables, and legumes will not only help you reach your potassium goals, it will also provide you with other vitamins, minerals and fibers that promote health.

Sodium and Potassium Recommendations

Age Group	Potassium Adequate Intake Milligrams /day	Sodium Adequate Intake Milligrams/ day	Sodium Intake to Reduce Chronic Disease Risk
Males
19-70+	3,400	1,500	Reduce intake if above 2,300 milligrams
Females
19-70+	2,600	1,500	Reduce intake if above 2,300 milligrams
Pregnant Females	2,900	1,500	Reduce intake if above 2,300 milligrams
Lactating Females	2,800	1,500	Reduce intake if above 2,300 milligrams

Potassium Food Sources

Food	Portion	Potassium (milligrams)
Apricots, dried	½ cup	1,101
Potato, baked, flesh and skin	1 medium	941
Lentils, cooked	1 cup	731
Prunes, dried	1/2 cup	699
Tomato paste, canned	¼ cup	669
Adzuki beans, cooked	½ cup	612
White beans, canned	½ cup	595
Tomato puree	½ cup	549
Sweet potato, baked in skin	1 medium	542
Banana	1 medium	422
Spinach, raw	2 cups	334
Broccoli, cooked	½ cup	229
Cashew nuts	1 oz	187
Black tea, brewed	1 cup	88

Sources:

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. 2019.

Heart Failure Nutrition Therapy. Nutrition Care Manual. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Nutritioncaremanual.org. 2019.

Potassium. Fact sheet for professionals. National institutes of Health. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Potassium-HealthProfessional/#h2 2019.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2015 – 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th Edition. December 2015.

Sodium: How to tame your salt habit. The Mayo Clinic. Mayoclinc.org. 2016. Accessed May 2019. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/sodium/art-20045479

The contents of this posting, our website, and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.

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, 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.

The Vegetarian Resource Group is a vegan 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, offices, 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: vrg.org/donate

The Vegetarian Resource Group has an extensive section on their website in Spanish. Feel free to share this information: https://www.vrg.org/nutshell/information_in_Spanish.htm

Sample topics included are:

Recetas Veganas – Vegan Recipes

La Dieta Vegana – Vegan Diet and Nutrition