Cabbage Stew and Okra Stew photo by Hannah Kaminsky

VRG intern Akua Oppong worked on a long project while spending time with us. Her focus was Ghanaian Vegan Recipes and a Meal Plan. Her article appears in the latest issue of Vegan Journal and features a glossary of common Ghanaian foods, a 7-day meal plan, and the following recipes: Nkatenkwan (peanut soup); Basic Stew (including three variations: Vegan Egg Stew, Cabbage Stew, and Okro (okra) Stew); Vegan Shito; and Jollof Rice.

Read the article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2025issue2/2025_issue2_ghanian_recipes.php

To subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only, visit www.vrg.org/member

photo from Coastal Vegan Grill

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:

Coastal Vegan Grill, 7010 N. Atlantic Ave., Cape Canaveral, FL 32920

Coastal Vegan Grill is entirely vegan and serves many different types of cuisines in a fusion-style atmosphere. They have many of your favorite dishes, tacos, sandwiches, ramen, etc., Coastal Vegan Grill even has mac and cheese and a delicious-looking steak, egg, and cheese bagel. If you’re someone who always needs a sweet treat after a meal, this is the place for you; there are a wide variety of baked goods, including cake, cookies, and cinnamon rolls.

Good Sugar, 1186 Third Ave. New York, NY 10021

Smoothies include Blue Skies (almond butter, vanilla, banana, pea protein, blue spirulina, hemp seeds, cinnamon, maple, homemade almond milk); Beauty Berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, goji berries, schisandra berries, banana, almond butter, hemp protein, dates, homemade almond milk); smoothie bowls, which are thick, frosty portion of blended fruit served in a bowl with a crunchy topping, including Acai (acai, blueberries, banana, pea protein, dates, with choice of three toppings).  Hot foods include Downtown Burrito (Yukon potatoes, chickpeas, onions, red pepper, paprika, garlic, turmeric, black pepper, pink salt in whole wheat wrap with a side of salsa) and Veggie Stack (eggplant, sweet potato, mushroom, green pepper, plum, tomato, garlic, basil, oregano, pink salt, lemon juice, black pepper). Also sells many cold-pressed juices, soups, salads, and desserts.

Nectaris, 1403 SE Belmont St., Portland, OR 97214

There’s a wide range of Red, White, Rosé and Sparkling wine. To pique your appetite, there’s a myriad of Aperitif choices. Snacks include Seed to Surf ‘Conserva’ featuring Celery Root Whitefish or Mushroom Snow Crab with Beurre Blanc Dip; Flatbread Crackers and Lemon; Herbed Marcona Almonds; or Warm, Smokey Marinated Olives; and more. Some Savories are Classic French Onion Soup with Rebel Gruyère; Frittata del Giorno with Tomato Confit and Baguette; or Sandwiches on Sourdough like Confit Crimini Mushrooms with Prime Roots Pepper Turkey and Rebbel Truffle Chevre or Violife Cheddar with Prime Roots Bakn, Roasted Garlic Jam, and Rosemary. Care to Share? There’s Fondue for Two featuring Apple, Baguette, Roasted Carrots, Maple Sausage, and Roasted Potatoes, or Build Your Own Cheese and Charcuterie Boards with crackers, accoutrements, and more. When it’s time to wrap up, they serve several Digestifs, Ports, Sherry and other Dessert Wines. Teetotaling? No worries; they also offer many Zero alcohol mixed drinks. Sweets include a rotating selection of Missionary Chocolate Truffles, which you might pair with Quinta de la Rosa Tawny Port, or Cultured Kindness Matcha Cheesecake, which could be accompanied by Lustau Pedro Ximenez Sherry.

Rich Juice Bar, Cherry Hill Town Center, 630 Cherry Hill Rd., Baltimore, MD 21225

RICH Juice Bar is an extension of services offered by RICH – Restoring Inner City Hope, Inc. (The RICH Program). Dedicated to their community, besides aiming to create healthy food options, The RICH Juice Bar is youth led, offering job opportunities, soft skills training, and economic supports to program participants. Searching for The Cure? If it’s a juice blend of carrot, pineapple, and ginger, RICH Juice Bar has it. The Remedy offers pineapple, ginger, turmeric, and ashwagandha. Maybe you’ll visit for a Naybahood Nip Smoothie of mango, pineapple, date, spirulina, and almond milk. How about Seagull Green with spinach, kale, mango, flax, dates, and apple juice. Or, since you’re on Cherry Hill Road, Cherrydale Delight features cherries, bananas, and almond milk. Feeling creative? You can Build Your Own smoothies too. They also offer Acai Bowls topped with blueberries, strawberries, coconut flakes, and more.

SHŌSH, 41 Greenwich Ave, New York, NY 10014

This high-end restaurant located in the West Village of New York City offers signature Middle-Eastern dishes, such as their celeriac shawarma, Spanakopita, and grilled kebab. While seating is limited, the restaurant is beautifully decorated and is a lovely place for a special occasion.

Vegan Ginger Root, 1164 First Ave., New York, NY 10065

Enjoy a variety of dim sum plus mango rolls, hot and sour soup, wonton soup, seaweed salad, Singapore mai fun, phad Thai, a variety of rice bowls, sweet citrus vegan chicken, black pepper vegan beef, home-style braised tofu, vegan cheesecake, fudge brownie, and more.

Vegan Junk Food DMV, Solaire Social, 8200 Dixon Ave., Silver Spring MD 20910

Vegan Junk Food is located inside the Solaire Social food hall, just a short walk from the Silver Spring Metro station. Vegan Junk Food DMV serves up bold, plant-based comfort food, and it is women-owned. The vibe is upbeat and urban, with communal seating and an inclusive atmosphere. They offer entrées and snack plates as well as their take on soul food such as a Soul Plate, Caribbean Peas and Rice, Collard Greens, and more. It is perfect for casual meetups or take-out when you’re craving vegan comfort food that doesn’t hold back on flavor.

photo from Masala Mama

Each issue of Vegan Journal features product reviews. In the most recent issue, we reviewed Masala Mama’s Heat-and-Eat Indian Inspired Beans. With cheeky names like Cha Cha Chickpeas, La Bamba Black Beans, Ooh La La Lentils, and Rah-Rah Red Beans, even deciding which flavor to eat makes dinner time more fun.

Read our review here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2025issue2/2025_issue2_veggie_bits.php

To subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only, visit www.vrg.org/member

By Ellie Meyerstein, VRG Intern

In May, I had the opportunity to attend the Green Mitzvathon Environmental Fair at Chevrei Tzedek Congregation in Baltimore, Maryland. I attended the fair to help with tabling for VRG. There, I was able to engage with people of all ages and backgrounds about vegan and vegetarian issues. I talked to many people who were already vegan and simply looking for new recipe ideas or nutrition information. But, I also met several people who had family members that were vegan, and they were visiting the event and our table to learn more about veganism. Whether that was buying a vegan cookbook for their family member or friend or taking a copy of the Vegan Journal so they could try out some new vegan recipes, I was very glad I could help them. I have been at many meals and events where I could not eat the food because the main course was all meat, so it meant a lot to me that there were many people stopping at our table so they could learn how to make meals that accommodated everyone’s needs.

I also had the opportunity to walk around and see the other organizations in attendance. I learned about all the environmental activism that is happening both locally, on college campuses and through local groups, and nationally, through groups like Adamah. It was an incredible experience to see so many people united because of their passion for the environment. Each organization did something different, but that is why we need all of them; they all specialize in what they do and by working together we can truly make the world a better place.

For information on VRG internships, see https://www.vrg.org/student/index.php

To support veg outreach, donate at www.vrg.org/donate

photo from Freepik

When the temperature outside climbs high, no one wants to slave around the stovetop or oven. Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, offers 25 Ideas for Hot Weather Meals in the latest issue of Vegan Journal.

Find her suggestions here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2025issue2/2025_issue2_too_hot.php

To subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only, visit www.vrg.org/member

photo from Freepik

The latest issue of Vegan Journal features the topic of Food Safety Concerns During Pregnancy by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, in her Nutrition Hotline column. Reed states, “While no one wants to get sick, foodborne illnesses are an especial concern during pregnancy. Changes in the immune system in pregnancy result in an increased risk for illness. Listeria, a foodborne illness, can cause miscarriage, premature delivery, stillbirth, and serious sickness for a newborn baby. Listeria outbreaks are often associated with deli meats and soft cheeses, but have also been caused by fruits and vegetables.”

Learn more here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2025issue2/2025_issue2_nutrition_hotline.php

To subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only, visit www.vrg.org/member

Zucchini Pâté photo by Hannah Kaminsky

Hannah Kaminsky is the Senior Editor of Vegan Journal. She is the author of several vegan cookbooks and wrote an article titled “From A to Zucchini” in an issue of Vegan Journal. Zucchini is a relatively inexpensive vegetable and easy to find in stores. Enjoy recipes for Greek Zucchini Carpaccio; Falafel-Stuffed Zucchini, BBQ Zucchini Chips; Zucchini Pâté; and Zucchini Bread Thumbprints.

Read the entire article with recipes here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2020issue2/2020_issue2_a_zucchini.php

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

                                photo from Naya

NAYA has over 30 restaurants in New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania, and are looking to expand. They indicate on their menu which items are vegan, such as quinoa, white pita, whole wheat pita, falafel, cauliflower, hummus, cabbage slaw, toum,  and lemon tahini. Note that the rice is not vegan. A store worker said it contained butter. See: https://images.getbento.com/accounts/68d11e9348e2111e15250c0329f33fdc/media/dXXZywbSDWEcoYWnyoxA_MA_MENU_NUTRITIONAL_GUIDE_060225_1.pdf

The contents of this posting, our website, and our other publications, including 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.

Wild Style Seitan Scaloppini

On a recent trip to New York City, we visited Urban Vegan Kitchen located at 265 West 23^rd Street. Among the delicious dishes we sampled were I’m Still #1 Korean Buffalo Wings, Wild Style Seitan Scaloppini, Wild at Heart Chunk Steak and Rice, and Golden Era Chick-Un & Waffles.

       Wild at Heart Chunk Steak and Rice

Golden Era Chick-Un & Waffles

For more information, visit: https://urbanvegankitchen.com/

For a complete list of veggie restaurants in New York City, see: https://www.vrg.org/restaurant/New_York.php#c60

photo from Freepik

by Chef Nancy Berkoff, RD

Watermelon isn’t just a juicy warm-weather treat. This fruit contains potassium and vitamins A and C. Humans have been feasting on watermelon for centuries. Although native to Africa, watermelons have been known in India since prehistoric times. The first recorded watermelon harvest took place 5,000 years ago in Egypt. Pictures of the fruit were found in paintings on the walls of ancient buildings.

We never get much beyond slicing watermelon and offering it as a terrific accompaniment to summer meals. Watermelon is a “total utilization” fruit, though. You can use the interior, the juice, the seeds, and the rind! It is perfect with sweet (cereal, vegan yogurt, baked goods) or savory (grilled veggie dogs or burgers, pasta salad) foods.

If you want to get melon-creative, cut watermelon into stick shapes and freeze in plastic bags — you’ll have your own watermelon-sicles which can be eaten as a snack or tossed into the blender with other smoothie ingredients. (Watermelon daiquiris, anyone?). Or fill a scooped-out watermelon with sweet wine, port, lemonade, or cold ginger tea, then allow to marinate and serve as an appetizer or dessert.

Frozen Sweet Treats
“Helados” (ice cream) are a very popular ending to Latin meals; add watermelon to sorbet or frozen vegan ice cream to create your own helado. If simple desserts work for you, thinly slice watermelon, sprinkle with rose- or orange-blossom water, and serve chilled. Mango chunks or slices can be alternated with sliced watermelon for a colorful dessert. If fresh mango is not available, frozen mango will work.

To go savory with your watermelon, you can use watermelon cubes to “tame the heat” in curries and chilies, in veggie salad with onions and garlic, and in stir-fries or sautés (add small watermelon cubes at the last minute), or use as a garnish. Try a “watermelon steak” (a thick slice of watermelon, rind removed) topped with slices of ripe avocado and shredded jicama, chopped parsley, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. If you would like to get adventurous, do some web searches for a watermelon curry recipe, popular in Caribbean and South Asian cuisine.

When slicing watermelon, be certain to capture the juice to use in salads, smoothies, or other cold beverages. If you have extra watermelon, blend it to create watermelon juice, refreshing on its own or when combined with other fruit or veggie juices (carrot, cucumber, spinach, etc.).

Roasted Seeds
If your watermelon comes with seeds, save them! Use only the mature, black seeds, and discard the small, white seeds. Collect the seeds, place them in a colander or strainer, and rinse very well, until they are squeaky clean. Spread the cleaned seeds on a baking sheet and allow to dry in a sunny area, or in a low oven. You can skip this step and pat the seeds dry, but very dry seeds roast best.

Preheat a large frying pan and add seeds, stirring and turning until they are roasted. Taste one to see if the desired texture has been reached. When seeds are roasted, mix together a small amount of salt with water, pour over the seeds, and allow the water to dissolve while stirring. Store in an air-tight container.

Pickled watermelon rind takes a bit of time to prepare, but is really worth the effort! The Watermelon Council, www.watermelon.org, has step-by-step instructions. Pickled watermelon rind is a versatile condiment, so tasty that it’s hard to refrain from just eating it right out of the jar!