Vegan Pasta Primavera

If you happen to be heading towards the Ocean City, New Jersey shore, be sure to visit these restaurants offering veggie food.

Bashful Banana clearly labels vegan options on their menu. We sampled their Vegan Pasta Primavera and their Spicy Orange Rice Bowl with Tofu. Both dishes were delicious and quite filling. The following day we ate a Vegan Quesadilla (ask for vegan cheese and leave off the sour cream) and the Vegan Thai Tofu Scramble Rice Bowl for lunch. Again, both offerings were quite good and filling. Bashful Banana also offers frozen Banana Whip.

Spicy Orange Rice Bowl with Tofu

Bashful Banana is located on the Ocean City Boardwalk. For information, see: http://www.mybashfulbanana.com

Sautéed Tofu with Veggies

     A short drive from Ocean City, you might want to visit Lil Saigon in Northfield, NJ. They label vegan options on their menu and we tried Sautéed Tofu with Veggies and their Eggplant Hot Pot. Both dishes were beautifully presented. To be on the safe side, when ordering remind them that you do not want fish sauce in your vegan dishes.

Eggplant Hotpot

Lil Saigon is located in Northfield, NJ. For more info, see: https://www.lil-saigon.com

istockphoto

by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

A reader contacted us to ask if cruciferous vegetables inhibit iodine absorption. To answer this question, it’s important to know a little about why we need iodine and what cruciferous vegetables are.

Iodine is an essential mineral that is used by the thyroid gland to make thyroid hormones. These hormones play an important role in controlling metabolism and are needed for infant and child development. Vegans get iodine from iodized salt, sea vegetables, dietary supplements, and to some extent, from plant foods. The iodine content of plant foods depends on factors such as the concentration of iodine in the soil where the plants were grown (1). When foods or supplements containing iodine are used, the iodine is absorbed and transported in the blood to the thyroid gland.

Cruciferous vegetables are what we think of as the cabbage family and include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, and cabbage. These vegetables, along with soy, beans, sweet potatoes, cassava, and some other foods, contain substances called goitrogens that interfere with the thyroid gland taking up iodine from the blood. This could lead to a reduced production of thyroid hormones.

According to several authoritative sources, goitrogens are mainly a problem for people who do not have an adequate amount of iodine in their diet or for those who consume large amounts of these foods (2-4), especially in raw form (5). Large amounts mean, for example, a diet which is based mainly on cassava. A recent review concluded that cruciferous vegetables “are safe for thyroid function, especially when the proper iodine supply is provided” (4).

It’s important to have an adequate intake of iodine, which for vegans probably means using iodized salt and/or taking a supplement that contains iodine (6). With an adequate intake of iodine, it’s unlikely that eating cruciferous vegetables will interfere with iodine uptake by the thyroid gland.

To read more about getting adequate iodine on a vegan diet see:

Iodine in the Vegan Diet

Food Sources of Iodine

Am I Getting Enough Iodine?

References

1. Ershow AG, Skeaff SA, Merkel JM, Pehrsson PR. Development of databases on iodine in foods and dietary supplements. Nutrients. 2018;10(1):100.
2. National Institutes of Health. Office of Dietary Supplements. Iodine. Fact sheet for health professionals. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iodine-HealthProfessional/. 2024.
3. Oregon State University, Linus Pauling Institute, Micronutrient Information Center. Iodine. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/iodine. 2024.
4. Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2001.
5. Galanty A, Grudzińska M, Paździora W, et al. Do brassica vegetables affect thyroid function?-A comprehensive systematic review. Int J Mol Sci. 2024;25:3988.
6. Mangels R. Am I getting enough iodine? Vegan Journal. 2024, Issue 3.

The contents of this website and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal and Vegan 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.

Maryland Vegan Restaurant Month runs August 1^st through 31^st, 2025. Be sure to try out all the restaurants participating this month including Harmony Bakery, Land of Kush, and Oleum in Baltimore City, plus many other establishments.

For more information, see: https://www.mdveganeats.com/

Peaches and Cream Icebox Cake photo by Hannah Kaminsky

Vegan Journal Senior Editor Hannah Kaminsky previously penned an article 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.

You can find the entire piece here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2019issue3/2019_issue3_keep_cool.php

Subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only by visiting www.vrg.org/member

Vegan Safety Boot Available at the Vegetarian Site

Are you searching for vegan work boots? The following online stores over safety work boots, including some with steel toes.

Amblers Safety from the UK offers some vegan safety shoes: https://www.amblerssafety.com/collections/vegan

Ethical Wares out of Wales in the UK offers several types of safety boots: https://www.ethicalwares.com/footwear/safety-footwear/

Stitchkraft located in Australia offers a wide variety of safety shoes and boots: https://www.stitchkraft.com.au/collections/vegan-friendly-work-boots-shoes

The Vegetarian Site from the USA offers two types of safety boots: https://store.thevegetariansite.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=84_100

Vegetarian Shoes from the United Kingdom offers safety boots: https://www.vegetarian-shoes.co.uk/mens/mens_boots/10033_0c.html

Veganline located in London, England offers a safety shoe and boots: https://veganline.com/safety-boots-shoes

photo from Casa Borinquena Philadelphia

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: www.vrg.org/restaurant

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:

Alma y Sazon, Public Market Emeryville, 5959 Shellmound St., Emeryville, CA 94608

Alma y Sazon is a very welcoming, family-owned restaurant passionate about bringing Mexican dishes into the vegan scene. Among their most popular dishes are their tacos de mar, tortas Mexicana, and tinga tostadas, with delicious perfectly cooked fried mushrooms. They also offer catering services for those looking to serve vegan Mexican food for an event. In addition, they do pop-ups all over Oakland, so be sure to check those out.

Café Tibet, 2020 University Ave., Berkeley, CA 94704

Enjoy a wide range of Tibetan vegan dishes including Trama Chura (tofu chips in a special house sauce), various soups, Dhooloma Tsel-Chu (sliced eggplant sautéed with tofu, Himalayan spice, onion, ginger, garlic, and tomato over Basmati rice), Ngoe-Thuk (home made fresh noodles, pan fried vegetables, and tofu), a variety of Momos (dumplings), Tofu-Curry Tsolma (includes Madagascar pink rice with roasted pumpkin seed garnish), Tibetin Tea, Chai, vegan Lassi, and more.

Casa Borinquena, Saluhall, 945 Market St., San Francisco, CA 94103 and 2557 Amber St., Philadelphia, PA 19125

The goal at Casa Borinquena is creating made from scratch, boldly flavored, authentic Puerto Rican dishes. Plantains are deep fried sweet as in Maduros; green as in Tostones or as Mofongo Cups deep fried green, mashed in a cup filled with vegan chicken or Impossible Beef and mama sauce. Relleno de Papa is a deep fried potato croquette filled with seasoned Impossible beef and picadillo. Bori Fries feature deep fried yucca topped with Impossible Beef or Mojo Mushroom Pork. Arroz con Gandules, the “National Dish of Puerto Rico,” features yellow rice with pigeon peas, achiote oil, and seasonings. Pastelillos is a deep fried Puerto Rican turnover with seasoned Impossible Beef Picadillo. Beverages include Malta India—a non-alcoholic malted soda from Puerto Rico, Coco Rico—Puerto Rican Coconut Soda, Kola Champagne–Puerto Rican Cream Soda as well as CB Pouch–handmade juice pouches which vary daily. For Dessert there’s Coquito Tres Leches—a yellow cake triple soaked in coconut milk, served with hand whipped vanilla cream.

Mission Burger Co., 2065 Defoors Ferry Rd. NW, Atlanta, GA 30318

Props to Mission Burger Co. for their transparency; peruse their ingredients and helpful substitution suggestions at https://missionburgerco.com/ingredients/. Mission Burger Co. says Good Morning with choices like Pancakes, Breakfast Tacos, and various Breakfast Bagel and Sandwiches such as the Big Bad Breakfast Sando with JUST Egg scramble, House breakfast sausage, Thrilling Bacon, American cheese, hash browns, and chipotle aioli. As the restaurant’s name would imply, burger choices abound. Here are a few. For Mushroom Lovers, there’s the Bacon Mushroom Melt with American cheese. Smoked Brisket Burger boasts an Impossible patty with smoky provolone, house smoked brisket (made from mushrooms), BBQ sauce, and crisp fried onions. Fiesta Burger features Impossible patties topped with house made queso, Pico de Gallo, guacamole, and jalapeños. Two of the several Sandwich selections are The NYC style Reuben, made with in-house, corned and cured, BeHive seitan, melted Swiss, sauerkraut, and Mission sauce (version of a Thousand Island/Russian Sauce) on local marble rye, or a BeHive Seitan, Turkey Sandwich with smoked gouda, salad fixings, dressed with EVOO, red wine vinegar, and Italian herbs on toasted ciabatta. Made from mushroom root and more, Pesto Chicken Sandwich serves up a seed oil free patty, house-made basil-parsley pesto, tomatoes, basil, Peaceful Rebel Mozzarella, feta, and parmesan on toasted ciabatta. They also serve Philly Cheesesteak and more. If you have eyes for Fries, Mission Burger Co. has you covered with Brisket Cheese Fries featuring house smoked brisket (made from mushrooms), cheese sauce, BBQ sauce, chipotle aioli, crispy fried onions, and pickles, Cheesesteak Fries, Garlic Fries, Nacho Fries and let’s not forget Onion Rings. How about a Waffle Cone of Vanilla soft serve or Chocolate Chip Cookies to finish off your meal?

Sevens, 225 Louisiana St., Buffalo, NY 14204

Sevens is located in Buffalo’s Old First Ward and has a cozy, European vibe. Co-owner Yaz Bitouche runs the front of house, while her wife, Caitlin Lanigan, leads the café’s bakery. They offer a wide variety of all-vegan pastries, sandwiches, and drinks. Their bakery includes cinnamon buns, lemon poppy seed, and gluten-free treats like chocolate chip cookies and mint brownies. The café also offers savory options like creative plant-based sandwiches, including a Miso Eggplant and a Harissa Mushroom. You’ll also find nitro-infused matcha and cold brew on tap, along with specialty espresso drinks served from a custom machine nicknamed “Beyoncé.”

Slutty Vegan, 2080 Badlands Dr., Brandon, FL 33511

The Slutty Vegan serves creative vegan burgers and hot sandwiches, along with sides and dessert.

Vulture, 4608 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92116

Vulture is a fine-dining restaurant in San Diego’s University Heights neighborhood. The space puts a modern vegan twist on the mid-century continental American fine dining. Some of the menu options include Steak Diane (made with lion’s mane mushrooms), Rockefeller (an artichoke spinach dip and sunchoke with blue corn shell), and The Oscar (a Beyond filet with vegan béarnaise and asparagus). There’s also soups like French onion soup, salads, and a variety of cocktails. This restaurant is perfect for a night out.

from istockphoto

Ever wonder what to do with jackfruit? Vegan Journal Senior Editor Rissa Miller wrote a creative recipe piece highlighting dishes made from jackfruit. Enjoy these recipes: Spiced Breakfast Bars; BBQ Jackfruit and Biscuit Casserole; Sweet and Tangy Jackfruit Meatless Balls; Curry Jackfruit Stew; French Dip Sandwiches; Italian Herb Stuffed Peppers; and Orange Cherry Jackfruit Cake with Pudding Layer.

Read the entire article here: You Don’t Know Jack

To subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA, see: https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

mushroom shawarma

By Ellie Meyerstein, VRG Intern

I recently had the opportunity to try the food at Shouk, a Middle-Eastern vegan restaurant with locations in Rockville, MD and Washington, DC. Shouk’s mission is to create delicious, flavorful food, made from plants without anything ultra-processed. The restaurant was fast-casual style, with seating both indoors and outdoors. You order at the counter and pick up your food when it’s ready. Though it was a little busy when we went, our food was ready very quickly. I tried the mushroom shawarma, which was warm, delicious, and very flavorful. I especially enjoyed the tangy cucumber and onion salad on top. My coworker chose to build her own bowl, with the mushroom shawarma, lentils, chickpeas, and peppers. She was pleasantly surprised by the mushroom shawarma. Despite usually disliking mushrooms, the way they were seasoned and cooked was very tasty. If you’re not vegan or don’t love mushrooms, I would still recommend trying their falafel or pita and hummus. You can also customize your meal however you like with the “build your own bowl” option. Overall, we had a great time at Shouk, with the flavorful food and chill atmosphere. I would highly recommend trying it out if you’re a fan of Middle-Eastern cuisine.

Shouk also offers catering services and take-out options for those not wanting to dine in the restaurant. To find more information, visit their website! And if you’re interested in finding more vegan restaurants, check out VRG’s restaurant guide.

Recent topics brought up include:

– We’ve been trying to stick to family-friendly (and FREE!) activities around town. I love slipping in a bit of activism or learning when I can, like doing a beach walk where we collect litter and seashells, or going on neighborhood scavenger hunts to find nature treasures we can turn into crafts. Would love to hear your ideas to keep kiddos engaged and this summer!

– Encourage Your Teens to Enter VRG’s Video Contest

– Food Safety Concerns During Pregnancy

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 around the world. 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.

Chickpea Lasagna photo by Rissa Miller

In a previous issue of Vegan Journal Leslie Gray Streeter shared the following creative lasagna recipe. The entire article can be read here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2021issue1/2021_issue1_sheet_pan.php

Chickpea Lasagna
(Serves 6)

One 15.5-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1-2 teaspoons dried oregano, to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
One 25-ounce jar vegan marinara sauce, divided
3 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
2 cups chopped portobello mushrooms
One 10-ounce package no-bake lasagna noodles
1/4 cup nutritional yeast, plus 1 Tablespoon to serve
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Fresh basil, chopped, to serve

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a small bowl mix the chickpeas, oregano, and garlic powder. Mash into a paste using a fork or potato masher. If needed, add a little water to make smooth.

Cover the bottom of the sheet pan with edges at least 9 x 13-inch with 3/4-1 cup of marinara sauce, then cover the sauce with 6-8 lasagna noodles, depending on the size of your pan. Spoon more sauce onto the noodles, followed by the chickpea-mash, spinach, and portobellos. Cover with 6-8 more noodles.

Finally, mix the remaining sauce with 1/4 cup nutritional yeast and olive oil to give the mixture a cheesy consistency, and entirely coat the noodles with it.

Cover tightly with foil, as the lasagna may be taller than pan edges, and bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 8-10 minutes or until the edges are crispy. Serve warm topped with chopped fresh basil and sprinkle with reserved nutritional yeast.

Subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA at https://www.vrg.org/member/