Due to the generosity of an anonymous donor, The Vegetarian Resource Group each year will award $20,000 in college scholarship money to graduating U.S. high school students who have promoted veganism/vegetarianism in their schools and/or communities. Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish, or fowl. Vegans are vegetarians who do not use other animal products such as dairy or eggs.

One award of $10,000 and two awards of $5,000 will be given. Entries may only be sent by students graduating from high school in spring 2018. Deadline is February 20, 2018. We will accept applications postmarked on or before February 20, 2018. Early submission is encouraged!

Applicants will be judged on having shown compassion, courage, and a strong commitment to promoting a peaceful world through a vegan/vegetarian diet/lifestyle. Payment will be made to the student’s college (U.S. based only). Winners of the scholarships give permission to release their names to the media. Applications and essays become property of The Vegetarian Resource Group. We may ask finalists for more information. Scholarship winners are contacted by e-mail or telephone. Please look at your e-mail.

For details on the contest, see: VRG Scholarship Contest

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS

In 2006, three Greek childhood friends opened full-service Cava Mezze http://www.cavamezze.com/ in their Rockville, MD hometown followed by other locations in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia. The restaurants featured small plate (mezze) Greek dining.

As a spin-off on Cava Mezze, the founders launched in 2011 Cava Grill http://cava.com/, a fast-casual, Greek- and Mediterranean-inspired restaurant chain with locations in the Delaware/Maryland/Virginia region. Since then DC-based Cava has expanded to the New York City area and California with plans to open locations in North Carolina, Texas, and Massachusetts by 2018. As of December 2017, there are approximately forty Cava Grill locations in the United States according to their website: http://cava.com/locations

Since late 2008, Cava’s dips & spreads are sold at specialty markets nationwide: http://cava.com/products/where-to-buy

The VRG corresponded by email with Megan Vlasho, Customer Experience Manager, and Zach Korte, Food Safety Quality Engineer at Cava Grill, to find out more about its vegan menu items. Here is what we learned between July to November 2017. Our questions are arranged by Cava’s menu item categories as they appear on the chain’s website.

Base:
The VRG: Does your pita or mini-pita contain milk, whey, or any dairy ingredient?
Cava: No, none of our pitas contain dairy.

The VRG: Does your pita or mini-pita contain sugar?
Cava: They contain sugar.

The VRG: Do you use organic sugar in your pita breads making them from scratch? If you use a premix or premade dough, do you know if the sugar in the pita is non-cow bone char processed?
Cava: We get our pita bread from a third party, so I’ll have to ask them about their sugar.

Zach wrote: I’ve been in contact with our pita supplier. They state that they are 100% vegetarian, and they are halal-certified, which ensures no animal products are present in the final product. Their suppliers, including sugar, are confidential, so they could not share the information about bone char processing.

The VRG: Is L-cysteine used as a dough conditioner in your pita or mini-pita?
Cava: Our supplier … (said) In the past it was made from sugar beets; however this has recently changed and they are now using the ingredient which is made from feathers.

The VRG: Do you use meat stock or broths to cook the rice?
Cava: Vegetable broth.

Dips + Spreads:
The VRG: Do you make your hummus starting from dry garbanzo beans?
Cava: We use canned chickpeas in our hummus.

The VRG: Is the hummus all-vegetable?
Cava: We have a number of hummus options.
[VRG Note: Complete hummus ingredient information is presented by clicking on entries shown here: http://cava.com/products.]

The VRG: Does the roasted red pepper hummus contain cheese?
Cava: No.

The VRG: Does the harissa sauce contain mayonnaise or any dairy?
Cava: No.
[VRG Note: Cava’s other menu offerings in this category: Tzatziki Sauce, Eggplant & Red Pepper Dip, and Crazy Feta contain dairy.]

The VRG: Is your feta cheese made with animal rennet?
Cava: I spoke with our feta supplier and they use vegetarian microbial rennet.

The VRG: Does your feta cheese contain animal lipase?
Cava: [It contains] an animal-based lipase.

The VRG: Does your feta cheese contain any other animal-derived enzymes?
Cava: [The lipase is] the only animal-derived enzyme in the product.

The VRG: Does the yogurt in your Tzatziki Sauce and the Eggplant & Red Pepper Dip contain any animal-derived enzymes or cultures?
Cava: The yogurt in our dips & spreads is manufactured using non-animal enzymes and cultures.

Protein:
The VRG: Is the falafel all-vegetable? Is it prepared away from all meats?
Cava: Our beef meatballs, lamb meatballs, and falafel are prepared using the same prep equipment (bowls) but they are thoroughly washed and sanitized between their use with different recipes.

The VRG: Is the falafel fried in fresh oil? If so, which type of oil?
Cava: The falafel is fried in canola oil, which is changed on a regular basis and only used to fry our falafel, pita chips, and pita crisps toppings.

The VRG: Are the pita chips made from the pita bread?
Cava: Yes.

The VRG: Are the roasted vegetables prepared in animal fats or in contact with meats during storage and/or preparation?
Cava: No.

Toppings:
The VRG: Are the pickled onions and/or pickled banana peppers made with vinaigrette?
Cava: No, but our pickled onions do contain sugar.

The VRG: Does the cabbage slaw contain vinaigrette?
Cava: No. It uses olive oil and lemon juice.

The VRG: Are the tomato + cucumber and the tomato + onion salads all-vegetable?
Cava: Yes.

The VRG: Is the Cauliflower Quinoa Tabbouleh all-vegetable?
Cava: Yes, with the addition of olive oil, herbs, and seasoning.

The VRG: Is the White Bean Salad all-vegetable?
Cava: Yes, with the addition of olive oil, herbs, and seasoning.

Dressings:
The VRG: Are the following dressings all-vegetable?
•Apricot Dill
•Greek Vinaigrette
•Lemon Herb Tahini
•Green Harissa
Cava: Yes.

The VRG: Do they contain added sugar?
Cava: Yes to all but our Summer Spicy Apricot contains agave.

Later we asked for a sugar update:
The VRG: Has Cava begun using 100% USDA Organic sugar that is never filtered through cow bone char?
Cava: We switched to organic sugar, which does not use bone char, about a month ago.
[VRG Note: We received this reply on October 10, 2017.]

The VRG: Looking again at your allergen page and menu, I noticed “mezze” on the allergen page (in the “base + extras” table) but did not see it on your menu. What specifically is “mezze” and how is it vegetarian?
Cava: “Mezze” on our menu refers to your choice of three dips + pita chips, which are all vegetarian. Ingredient specifications for each of our dips can be found on our Allergens page.

Cava offers some seasonal menu items. Viewing its Fall 2017 menu, The VRG asked the following about fall menu offerings.

The VRG: Are the following all-vegetable?
•Greek Minestrone Soup with Harissa
•Juices: Apple Cinnamon Sage, Cucumber Mint, Blackberry Orange Shrub, Rosemary Limeade
•Seasonal Roasted Vegetables
•Carrots & Currants topping
•Yellow Pepper Tahini dressing
Cava: Yes, all those menu items contain only vegetables/vegetarian ingredients.

The VRG: Do the fall menu items listed in the previous question contain sugar?
Cava: The rosemary limeade contains organic cane sugar. The shrub and cucumber mint juices contain agave.

The VRG: Do any of your menu items contain honey?
Cava: None of our menu items contain honey.

Interested readers may find out more about Cava Grill:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/meggentaylor/2016/07/13/is-cava-grill-the-next-shake-shack-for-fast-casual-mediterranean-inspired-cuisine/#5081a21366de

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.

Perhaps some unexpected guests might show up at your house on Christmas or New Year’s Day and you would like to have some pre-made food to offer them. Below are two articles we previously ran in Vegetarian Journal featuring holiday recipes.

Holiday Recipes
Peggy Rynk offers these recipes:
Hot Spiced Apple Juice with Cinnamon and Cloves
Chilled Marinated Vegetables
Cayenne Pecans
Green Pea Spread
Bean and Tomato Spread
Vegan “Cream Cheese” Spread
Pumpkin-Cranberry Cookies
Whole wheat and Carob Brownies
Chocolate Chip Bars
Dried Fruit Compote with Lemons

Finger Foods
Zel Allen provides these finger-food recipes:
Overstuffed Spuds
Almond and Olive-Stuffed Brussels Sprouts
Red Light Stuffed Mushrooms
Spanish Tapenade Stuffed Tomatoes
Teriyaki Tempeh Bites
Pickled Vegetables
Smoky Garlic-Stuffed Endive
Chili Nuts
Tahini Peanut Confections
Choco Caramel Confections

To subscribe to Vegetarian Journal, visit:
Subscribe to Vegetarian Journal

Here’s a list of some restaurants offering vegan meals New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day! Happy 2018 from The Vegetarian Resource Group.

Avant Garden, New York City, NY http://www.avantgardennyc.com/
Chef Tanya’s Kitchen, Palm Springs, CA https://www.cheftanyapetrovna.com/events/2017/12/12/new-years-day-special-event
Cienfuegos, New York, NY http://www.cienfuegosny.com/
Ethos Vegan Kitchen, Winter Park, FL http://www.ethosvegankitchen.com/news.html#news-events
Fare Well, Washington, DC http://www.eatfarewell.com/
Golden Mean Café, Santa Monica, CA http://www.goldenmeancafe.com/
Herban Fix, Atlanta, GA http://herbanfix.com/events
Ladybird, New York, NY http://www.ladybirdny.com/
Sanctuary Bistro, Berkeley, CA http://www.sanctuarybistro.com
Sunflower, Sandy Springs, GA http://www.cafesunflower.com/events/
The Block off Biltmore, Asheville, NC http://theblockoffbiltmore.com/index.php/events/events/
Urban Vegan Kitchen, New York City, NY http://www.urbanvegankitchen.com/V Eats, Dallas, TX http://www.v-eats.com/

The Vegetarian Resource Group is an activist non-profit organization that does outreach all-year-long. For example, today we are giving a several hour presentation on veganism to 10 University of Maryland Dietetic Interns (all of whom are not vegetarian and will soon be practicing dietitians). 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: vrg.org/donate

Giving appreciated securities held over a year directly to a charity such as The Vegetarian Resource Group can have some advantages in claiming a federal income tax charitable deduction for the fair market value of the property, and not paying capital gains tax over first selling the securities and then donating the proceeds to the charities.

This is not tax or legal advice. For specifics for your situation, please talk to your tax or legal advisor. Note there may be several tax changes in 2018.

VRG Parents and Kids Facebook Group 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.

Recent discussion topics include:
What are your favorite gifts for vegan kids?
Feeding vegan toddlers
Shared video on vegan pregnancy and raising vegan kids
Children’s books with a veggie theme
Plus much more!

Please share this information with any veggie families that you know! Thanks.

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

Banzo
2110 New Rd.
Linwood, NJ 08221
Enjoy greens and grains bowls, pita sandwiches, smoothies, and more.

Bar Verde
65 2nd Ave.
New York, NY 10003
Bar Verde features upscale takes on Mexican and Latin American favorites like wild mushroom tamales, nachos with butternut queso, hearts of palm ceviche, and a variety of meatless tacos along with an extensive wine selection. They offer brunch all day (try the plantain pancakes) and for dessert, enjoy churros with chocolate sauce. A great place for a date night and open late. The photo above is an example of dishes served.

Beelman’s
600 S. Spring St.
Los Angeles, CA 90014
Beelman’s offers creative, plant-based pub food that will satisfy both meat and non-meat eaters alike. Bar snacks include items such as wonton mee bites while the ‘Street Food’ menu offers choices like avocado toast and fine chili. The Main menu includes a variety of burger options loaded with non-traditional veggie toppings.

Fox and Fig
321 Habersham St.
Savannah, GA 31401
Savannah, GA is set to be the envy of the South thanks to this southern, plant-based vegan cafe. The brunch centric menu is packed with familiar southern comfort foods such as eggless quiche, breakfast hash with cashew Hollandaise and seared southern seitan, and French toast with Cholula-maple syrup. There’s also a full espresso bar featuring non-dairy milks, specialty tea drinks, herbal loose leaf teas, ice creams, and milk shakes.

Leaf
6 Kings Ct.
Haddonfield, NJ 08033
Vegan restaurant run by three veggie sisters with a menu featuring burgers, “crab” cakes, pad thai, tacos, smoothies, and salads. For dessert, try the frozen banana-based ice cream, mini donuts topped with coconut bacon, or marbled raw “cheesecake.”

The District Bar
2110 New Rd.
Linwood, NJ 08221
Offers creative craft cocktails featuring fresh herbs, cold-pressed juice, and Kombucha tea along with carefully selected wines, draft and bottled beer, and liquor. Also enjoy a variety of loaded fries, various bites, and Middle Eastern dishes.

Through December 31, 2017, you can give a gift membership to The Vegetarian Resource Group (includes a 1-year subscription to Vegetarian Journal) for $15 each (40% discount). This offer is valid in the USA only!

This is a terrific way to share the vegan message, as well as support VRG. Gift subscriptions can be done online by simply typing in your message and the address(s) of the gift recipient(s) in the comments field. Go to: https://www.givedirect.org/donate/?cid=1565

The latest issue of Vegetarian Journal includes reviews for the following products:

Crazy Go Nuts tried something different and created a delicious line of walnut butters. They offer eight vegan flavors of walnut butter: Plain, Banana, Orange, Coconut, Oatmeal Cookie, Chocolate Espresso, Sage Rosemary, and Buffalo. The spreads have a smooth and creamy texture, and the flavors are true to their name.

Bella Gluten-Free offers a Gourmet Italian Pizza Crust Mix that can go from “cup to table in 22 minutes,” making it easy for you to prepare a personalized pizza! All you need to add is water, oil, and an egg alternative (a flax egg or chickpea water work great).

Amy’s Kitchen combined two of our favorite things — pizza and cinnamon rolls — to form a delicious and savory product. Amy’s Vegan Margherita Swirls are satisfying, bite-sized rolls that taste like pizza.

Good Karma Foods has mastered taste, texture, and consistency with their new flax milk yogurts.

Pearls Olives released a new line of certified organic olives, which includes their two most popular flavors: Pitted Kalamata Greek Olives and Red Pepper Stuffed Green Olives.

Milkadamia Latte Da, a vegan milk made from macadamia nuts does indeed “foam beautifully” as the box touts. You won’t get quite the same results as with dairy milk, but it’s the closest we’ve seen.

Farmhouse Culture makes Kraut Krisps, corn chips made with probiotics from sauerkraut. Probiotics are live bacteria that add to or replace the beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract. There are four Kraut Krisp flavors: Dill Pickle, Smoked Jalapeno, Zesty Garden Veggie, and Sea Salt.

To read the entire article, visit:
http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2017issue4/2017_issue4_veggie_bits.php

To subscribe to Vegetarian Journal, go to:
Subscribe to Vegetarian Journal