Chanukah starts the evening of December 24, 2016 – You may want to serve these vegan potato pancakes!

Chanukah is a time that extended families gather together. Here are some vegan recipes from The Lowfat Jewish Vegetarian Cookbook you can share with your friends and family during the 8-day celebration.

Potato Latkes
Serves 4

1-½ pounds potatoes, peeled and grated
1 medium onion, peeled and grated
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
Dash of pepper
2 Tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Form 3-inch patties and fry in lightly oiled pan over medium heat for 10 minutes. Flip latkes and fry for another 10 minutes until crisp on both sides. Serve warm with applesauce or other cooked fruit.

Broccoli Latkes
Serves 5

1 pound broccoli, chopped into small pieces
2 pounds potatoes, scrubbed and cubed into small pieces
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 cups water
½ teaspoon celery seed
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon oil
Cook all the ingredients (except the oil) in a large covered pot over medium heat for 20 minutes. Drain mixture and mash ingredients together.
Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Form 10 pancakes. Fry 8 minutes on one side. Flip pancakes and fry for another 5 minutes on the other side. Serve warm.

Here are a few restaurants offering vegan meals on Christmas in the USA:

Hangawi, New York City, NY http://www.hangawirestaurant.com/Holiday%20Menu%202016.pdf
Harvest at the Bindery, Portland, OR (Christmas Eve) http://harvestatthebindery.com/index.html
Herban Fix, Atlanta, GA http://herbanfix.com/events
Mother of Pearl, New York Ctiy, NY http://www.motherofpearlnyc.com/
Raven’s at The Stanford Inn, Mendocino, CA http://ravensrestaurant.com/ravens-christmas-dinner-2016/
Su Tao Café, Malvern, PA http://www.sutaocafe.com/event.html
Vegetable Garden, Silver Spring, MD http://www.vegetablegarden.co/

GIVING ASSISTANT: SHOP, FIND COUPONS, AND GET CASH BACK WHILE DONATING TO THE VEGETARIAN RESOURCE GROUP!

Go to:
https://givingassistant.org/np#vegetarian-resource-group

Please consider donating $25, $50, or $100 to The Vegetarian Resource Group so we can continue promoting the veggie message for years to come. Better yet, become a Life Member for $500! Your support and kind words are greatly appreciated. Happy holidays!

To donate, visit: www.vrg.org/donate

Vegan dietitian Matt Ruscigno has opened Nutrinic: a plant-based nutrition center in Pasadena, California.

For information see https://nutrinic.com/

The recent issue of Vegetarian Journal features a department called Scientific Update by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, and features reviews of the latest scientific papers related to veggie diets. The topics in this issue include:

Plant-based Meals Cost Less
Vegan Diets: Better for Human and Planetary Health
Dietary Impacts of Climate Change
New Dietary Guidelines in the Netherlands and UK Promote Eating Less Meat
Revisions to Standards for Food in Care Programs

You can read this Vegetarian Journal column here:
http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2016issue4/2016_issue4_scientific_update.php

To subscribe to Vegetarian Journal, visit:
http://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

Through December 31, 2016, you can give a gift membership in the USA only to The Vegetarian Resource Group (includes a 1-year subscription to Vegetarian Journal) for $15 each (40% discount). 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: Gift Sub

The latest issue of Vegetarian Journal features an article by former Vegetarian Resource Group intern Yasmin Radbod on her experiences as a vegan in Cairo, Egypt for two seasons. She also shares recipes for Ful and Taamiya (both are fava bean dishes). Yasmin states:

For both of these recipes, it is your choice to buy dried fava beans (with or without skin) or canned beans. I prefer to use dry beans. For ful, I use beans with the skin because I like the texture of the skin; I don’t like my ful very creamy. For taamiya, however, it is easier to use dried beans with the skin already peeled because the skin is too tough for blending all the ingredients together.

Also, for both recipes, use your own discretion on the spices and herbs — follow your taste buds. Maybe cook a small amount first to see if you like the flavor, and then cook a larger amount when you know what flavor you prefer the most. For example, I love lots of garlic, fresh parsley, and lots of coriander in my taamiya. For some people, the flavor is too strong, so vary your spices according to the tastes of those for whom you’re cooking.

The entire article can be found here:
http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2016issue4/2016_issue4_vegan_cairo.php

To subscribe to Vegetarian Journal, visit:
http://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

This review of research by Dr. Mark Messina, PhD covers topics on soy and health including cardiovascular disease, bone health, kidney function, breast cancer, prostate cancer, mental health, thyroid function, and more. This article cites more than 400 scientific sources.

See: http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/8/12/754/htm

Whether your friend or family member is vegan or perhaps just interested in adding more vegan cuisine to their diet, consider purchasing a book from the VRG online book catalog. The Vegetarian Resource Group Book Catalog offers a wide range of vegan books including:

Simply Vegan
Vegan Meals for One or Two
Vegan for the Holidays
Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World
Vegan Brunch
The Joy of Vegan Baking
Vegans Know How to Party
The Lowfat Jewish Vegetarian Cookbook
Teff Love
More Fabulous Beans
Soups On!
Nona’s Italian Kitchen
Vegan Soul Kitchen
Artisan Vegan Cheese
Gluten-Free Tips and Tricks for Vegans
Food Allergy Survival Guide
The Natural Vegan Kitchen
Asian Fusion
The Indian Vegan Kitchen
The 4-Ingredient Vegan
The Almond Milk Cookbook
Grills Gone Vegan
The Everything Vegan Pregnancy Book
And so many more….

FREE media mail shipping for orders over $30 in the United States only! Inquire about shipping costs outside the USA before placing your order.

Visit http://www.vrg.org/catalog/ to order books online and support VRG’s outreach at the same time!