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

Bye and Bye
1011 NE Alberta St.
Portland, OR 97211
Tired of being able to order little else than a beverage at a bar? Bye and Bye’s food menu is fully vegan, so you can unwind while enjoying great food. Try the Chili Pie with Tofutti sour cream, non-dairy cheese, and nutritional yeast. The Meatball Sub comes with veggie meatballs and oat cheese. Other offerings include the Cornmeal Tempeh Sandwich, BBQ Brussel Bowl with tofu, and the Southwest Bowl with collard greens, brown rice, red beans, nutritional yeast tofu, and chipotle ranch sauce. For a small appetizer, order hummus and chips, chips and salsa, edamame, or pretzel knots.

Canteen
11 S. State St.
Lake Oswego, OR
Located in the 365 Whole Foods Market, Canteen’s menu mainly consists of fresh juices and smoothies. The Maca and Friends smoothie is made with almond butter, banana, dates, vanilla, almond milk, and maca. You can add plant protein and other fruits to your smoothie. Feeling under the weather? The hot Flu Slayer contains Echinacea, elderberry, ginger, and garlic. The food menu features four items: oatmeal, an almond berry bowl, an acai bowl, and a walnut taco salad.

Canteen
2816 SE Stark St.
Portland, OR 97214
With a rustic feel and a delicious menu, Canteen is the perfect stop for any meal. Breakfast is served until noon and includes oatmeal with goji berries and cocoa nibs, a cashew cream parfait, and a sunrise bowl filled with blended fruits. The lunch and dinner menu features bowls, salads, and sides. The Walnut Taco Salad has cashew cheese spread, avocado curry sauce, and walnut taco crumbles. The Southern Bowl has BBQ soy curls, cashew ranch, and collard greens. The dessert option is a selection of rotating cheesecakes, which are usually raw. Looking for something lighter? Choose a fresh smoothie or juice from the drink menu.

Cool Beans
2908 Fruth St.
Austin, TX 78705
Cool Beans offers specialty vegan tacos all served on homemade spelt flour tortillas. The Warrior Taco is made with quinoa ‘Q-Rizo’ chorizo, potatoes, and verde sauce. The Native Taco is made with garbanzo tempeh marinated in Al Pastor sauce and is topped with seared pineapple. Cool Beans also offers tamales, nachos, Mexican beans and rice, and a rotating selection of soups.

El Palote Panaderia
2537 S. Buckner Blvd.
Dallas, TX 75227
Mexican bakery, El Palote Panaderia offers traditional breads and pastries plus a vegan menu featuring classics like tacos and flautas. Soy-based taco meat is marinated in a dark red chili sauce. The tortillas are homemade and always fresh. Try a sopa or guarache, corn cakes topped with marinated soy meat, lettuce, tomato, and dairy-free sour cream. Finish off with a dessert like a pumpkin empanada, cookie topped with chocolate “cream cheese,” or pan dulce sweet roll filled with “cream cheese” and strawberry jam.

Nature’s Plate
10233 E. Northwest Hwy., Ste. 432
Dallas, TX 75238
With a menu that changes weekly and the option to pre-order meals a week ahead of time, Nature’s Plate has you covered for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Not only is all food vegan, it’s also organic, non-GMO, made with whole grains, and low fat. Many items are also gluten-free. Breakfast items include wraps, oatmeal, muffins, and scrambles. For lunch or dinner try a warm soup like tortilla or butternut squash or splurge with veggie mac. Sandwiches, salads, and bowls are also available. Stop in for one meal or pre-order your meals for the week. Whichever option you choose, you’re sure to get a wholesome, healthy, tasty meal every time!

Prasad
925 NW Davis St.
Portland, OR 97209
Located inside Yoga Pearl, Prasad partners with local businesses to bring customers fresh, delicious vegan food. B-Line bikes organic produce to Prasad daily so they can cook up delicious offerings like the Durango Salad made with yam “rice,” avocado ranch, and a mix of colorful vegetables. For a hot dish, try the Dragon Bowl with sea vegetables, cabbage-apple kimichi, hemp and sesame seeds or the Chipotle Black Bean Chili, which is topped with jalapeno cashew cheese and green chili sauce. Don’t forget about breakfast! Prasad offers a Vanilla Coconut Waffle, temph-based scrambles, and classics like granola and oatmeal. Hot drinks include Red Velvet Cocoa, Coconut Cider, and the Tumeric Toddy. The menu also features fresh juices and smoothies. As an added bonus, the menu is 100 percent gluten-free!

Prasad East
21 NE 12th Ave.
Portland, OR 97232
Located inside the Portland Rock Gym, Prasad East has a small but diverse menu filled with breakfast items, salads, soups, burritos, and bowls. Try the Yogi Bowl with red lentil dahl, steamed greens, and tomato chutney or the Bliss Salad with currants, roasted beets, and candied pumpkin. Popular hot beverages include Coconut Cider made with fresh apple and ginger juice and the Moondrop Mocha sweetened with cocoa and agave. Prasad East also has a kids menu with a small selection of smoothies, juices, and entrees, including gluten-free Mac & Cheese, Ants on a Log, and a Burrito Junior.

Pure Love Smoothie Bar
399 John St.
Burlington, ON L7R 2K3 Canada
Choose from one of six fresh smoothies or one of two granola-topped smoothie bowls. The Pure Chocolate Love smoothie will satisfy your dessert cravings with cocoa powder, cocoa butter, and cocoa nibs! The Energy Blast smoothie is filled with goodness, including coconut water, spinach, kale, ginger, flax, chia seeds, and hemp seeds. For an extra dollar or two add in items like Vega Protein, Maca, and Goji berries.

Puree Artisan Juice Bar
2905 District Ave.
Fairfax, VA 22031
Puree Artisan Juice Bar uses organic and locally-sourced ingredients for their fresh juices. The Grab & Go fridge has some plain juices, but the blended ones are all made to order with fresh-pressed juice. Almond milk is the base for all the creamy smoothies. Sit at a small table or at the bar and watch the action in Puree’s bright and modern atmosphere.

Ripe Bakery
770 St Clair Ave. West
Toronto, ON M6C 1B5 Canada
Ripe Bakery specializes in pies, cake pops, donuts, macaroons, and tarts. There is a wide selection of “holiday” themed baked goods as well. Ripe Bakery accepts advanced orders and does catering. Cash only.

Sorelle and Co.
Saks Food Hall, Lower Level
176 Yonge St.
Toronto, ON M5C 2L7 Canada
and
1050 Rutherford Rd.
Vaughan, ON L6A 1S2 Canada
Satisfy every craving at Sorelle and Co. Choose from cakes, cupcakes, cookies, breads, and other sweet treats. Enjoy a latte or cappuccino with your dessert. Tiramisu Verrine is infused with cocoa powder and topped with coconut cream cheese, and the Chocolate Crispy Bar is sweetened with agave and topped with shredded coconut. Other menu items include protein balls, scones, brownies, and doughnuts. There’s also a list of soups, sandwiches, and Paninis if you believe in saving dessert for last. Puddings, pestos, and soups are available for purchase from the pantry, and cakes can be custom ordered.

Taco Party
711 Broadway
Somerville, MA 02144
Taco Party’s menu fits its name as the menu features a variety of meatless tacos, including the Siracha BBQ Jackfruit Taco, Sweet Potato Taco, Chorizo Seitan Taco, Chimichurri Tempeh Taco, and Crispy Fried Tofu Taco. For about $10, you can pick two tacos and a regular side, which includes either tortilla chips, Mexican brown rice, pinto dip, or smoky black beans. The menu has three non-taco items: a Mexican salad with edamame and pepitas, Nachos with cashew cream and Siracha, and Cheese Tortas filled with either a grilled chorizo cutlet or fried tofu.

Wiz Kid
Whole Foods
2001 Pennsylvania Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19130
Wiz Kid offers a vegan Philly-cheese-steak, a tempeh sandwich, and an edamame salad. They are located inside Whole Foods.

Are you looking for tips on how to decorate vegan cakes this holiday season? If so, we have you covered. In the latest issue of Vegetarian Journal, Laura McGuiness step by step shows you how to make vegan fillings, frostings, and other decorative items. Vegan recipes include Cream Cheese Frosting, Royal Icing, Custard Filling, Basic Buttercream, Strawberry Filling, and Lemon Buttercream. Start baking today!

The complete article can be read here:
http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2016issue4/2016_issue4_vegan_cake.php

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

The latest issue of Vegetarian Journal features a Veggie Action piece by Samantha Gendler on Scott Nash, founder and CEO of Mom’s Organic Market with stores in Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, DC. At age 22, Scott Nash started an organic foods home delivery business out of his mother’s garage. Now, almost three decades, 15 stores, and 900 employees later, he has created a corporate culture centered on protecting and restoring the environment.

A staunch environmentalist, Nash has implemented an impressive variety of environmentally-friendly measures into all MOM’s locations. For starters, customers can recycle nearly anything there, from batteries, corks, and cell phones on a daily basis to annual denim and electronics recycling drives. MOM’s also offers TerraCycle Recycling, which involves turning previously non-recyclable or difficult-to-recycle waste, such as drink pouches, snack bags, and energy bar wrappers into new products such as park benches and upcycled backpacks. In addition, they have banned the sale of bottled water, eliminated plastic bags, and use biodegradable and/or recycled containers for their in-house packaging. All of the stores’ energy is wind-powered and there are car-charging stations at most locations. Employees are offered incentives for driving electric or hybrid vehicles. “In business, you can make a huge amount of change,” Nash said. “We have a lot of people to impact, and a large environmental footprint ourselves. We have a lot of influence that could ripple out into the industry. An individual can’t do a whole lot, but a business can.”

To read the entire article, see:
http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2016issue4/2016_issue4_vegetarian_action.php

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

Boulder Brands, Inc. Voluntarily Recalls Earth Balance Vegan White Cheddar Mac & Cheese and Earth Balance Vegan Cheddar Mac & Cheese Due to Possible Dairy Allergen Contamination

Boulder Brands, Inc. is voluntarily recalling Earth Balance Vegan White Cheddar Mac & Cheese and Earth Balance Vegan Cheddar Mac & Cheese. The products are being recalled as the health and safety of our consumers as our top priority. Boulder Brands initiated the recall after being informed by consumers that the product may contain a dairy allergen. People with a dairy allergy or sensitivity run the risk of a serious or life threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product.

See:
http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm532675.htm?source=govdelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

The Nutrition Hotline column in the latest issue of Vegetarian Journal focuses on coconut oil. Specifically this question is addressed: Is coconut oil good for you? I see it in so many vegan products.

To read the entire article go to: http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2016issue4/2016_issue4_nutrition_hotline.php
To subscribe to Vegetarian Journal, visit: http://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

Chef John Shields is the owner of Gertrude’s Restaurant next to the Baltimore Museum of Art in Baltimore, Maryland. For quite some time, Gertrude’s menu has included several vegan options and now he is sharing some of his recipes with you. Enjoy!

The complete article can be found here:
http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2016issue4/2016_issue4_john_shields.php
To subcribe to Vegetarian Journal, visit:
http://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

According to the Law Office of Jill A Snyder, Congress has revived a
law that lets you make charitable donations (such as to The Vegetarian
Resource Group) directly from your IRA, which might provide you with
some significant tax advantages.

If you a’re over the age of 70½, you’ are required to take minimum
distributions each year from your IRA, and you have to pay income tax on
those distributions. But the “charitable rollover” law lets you transfer
assets from your IRA to a charity, and whatever amount you transfer
reduces the amount you a’re required to withdraw. So if you a’re
required to withdraw $20,000 in 2016, but you instead donate $20,000 to
charity, you don’t have to withdraw any funds for yourself, and you
don’t have to pay any income tax.

You won’’t get a charitable deduction for the amount you donate in this
way. However, donating directly from an IRA may be better than taking a
distribution and then making a donation, because it results in a lower
adjusted gross income – which can help you avoid taxes on Social
Security benefits, reduce your Medicare premiums, limit the 3.8% surtax
on investment income, and qualify for other deductions and credits.

In addition, donating from an IRA is definitely to your advantage if you
otherwise wouldn’’t be eligible for a charitable deduction, either
because you don’’t itemize your deductions or because you’ are subject
to the charitable deduction “phase-out” for higher-income taxpayers.

To qualify, you must contact the plan custodian and have the custodian
transfer the assets directly to the charity. If the custodian sends you
the funds and then you give them to the charity, you’’ll have to pay
income tax on the distribution.

You can donate up to $100,000 to charity each year from an IRA. A
married couple can donate up to $100,000 each, as long as each spouse
contributes from his or her separate account.

This is not legal or financial advice, which you should obtain from your
legal or financial advisor.

By Savannah Lawrence, VRG Intern

A member emailed The Vegetarian Resource Group back in December 2015 asking about vegan leather alternatives for Kindle covers. He’d come across many covers on Amazon claiming to be non-leather or even vegan because they were made with PU or polyurethane leather, which is made from plastic/polymer. However, when reading the products’ reviews, he realized there was confusion over what the label “PU leather” truly meant. He asked VRG to research the confusion over the term and other similar labels.

According to Colourlock, a European leather specialist, PU leather is used to describe both synthetic leather and bi-cast or split leather. According to Advanced Leather Solutions, a San Francisco based leather repair and restoration group, “Bicast products are manufactured by bonding a thick polyurethane coating to a split-hide leather or composite leather substrate.” Based on the information provided by the two leather companies, I concluded that PU leather have one of two meanings: A product is 100 percent plastic/polymer and is indeed synthetic, or a product is part plastic/polymer and part leather byproduct because of the leather substrate backing. Thus the confusion from the member.

Read more about what Colourlock said about the topic at https://www.colourlock.com/tip/furniture/pu-bycast-leather.html?store=usa

Read more about what Advanced Leather Solutions said about the topic at http://advleather.com/bicast.html

To find out whether or not this type of confusing labelling was legal, I turned to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC regulations for commercial practices in regards to select leather and imitation leather products are meant to protect consumers against purchasing non-leather products that are falsely advertised as leather products, not the reverse.

The first part of the regulations reads as follows:

24.2 Deception as to composition

It is unfair or deceptive to misrepresent, directly or by implication, the composition of any industry product or part thereof. It is unfair or deceptive to use the unqualified term “leather” or other unqualified terms suggestive of leather to describe industry products unless the industry product so described is composed in all substantial parts of leather. This section includes, but is not limited to, the following:

(a) Imitation or simulated leather. If all or part of an industry product is made of non-leather material that appears to be leather, the fact that the material is not leather, or the general nature of the material as something other than leather, should be disclosed. For example: Not leather; Imitation leather; Simulated leather; Vinyl; Vinyl coated fabric; or Plastic.

All regulations for select leather and imitation leather products can be found at http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=da0fff93d248d84476b245ccfa2ce5bc&rgn=div5&view=text&node=16%3A1.0.1.2.14&idno=16

After reading the regulations listed above, it’s clear that terms like “imitation leather,” “stimulated leather,” and even “plastic” do not indicate whether or not a product contains some amount of leather. As long “as part of an industry product is made of non-leather that appears to be leather” it must be disclosed and labelled with terms like the preceding, leaving consumers to guess whether or not the product still contains some trace of leather or leather byproduct.

Listed later in the regulations, one suggestion is that a partial leather and partial non-leather product’s label read, “Bonded Leather Containing 60% Leather Fibers and 40% Non-leather Substances.” However, this percentage breakdown is merely one example that sellers may or may not choose to follow. As long as a seller has “an adequate disclosure” and does not claim the product is genuine leather when it is not, the seller is abiding by FTC guidelines.

Since reading the guidelines still left me with many unanswered questions, I contacted the FTC directly. I spoke with Susan Arthur, FTC southwest region employee who’s worked on the FTC regulations in previous years, and was told that protecting consumers looking to avoid products containing leather is “not the focus of these regulations.” Moreover, I was told that the regulations are “guidelines not law.”
The guidelines were written to help sellers follow a law called the Federal Trade Commission Act Section 5: Unfair or Deceptive Acts or Practices. Section 5 “prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce.” An act or practice is considered deceptive when “A consumer’s interpretation of the representation, omission, or practice is considered reasonable under the circumstances.” However, since “reasonable” is a vague term with a varied interpretation from person to person, the FTC also publishes the guidelines to help sellers navigate the ambiguous legal standards. Looking back to those guidelines, there are no suggestions to protect consumers who want 100 percent non-leather products.

To read more about Section 5, visit https://www.federalreserve.gov/boarddocs/supmanual/cch/ftca.pdf
When commenting on today’s consumer preferences toward cruelty-free products, Arthur said, “Marketplace changes and concerns are different from when these guides were originally passed.”

Because of changing preferences, the guidelines will undergo regulatory review and possible revision in 2019. Public input is highly encouraged prior to the review.

Instructions for submitting a comment regarding possible amendments to the leather labelling guidelines can be found at https://www.ftc.gov/faq/ftc-info/file-comment

Readers are strongly encourage to submit positive, constructive comments that could lead to guideline modifications!

While Arthur contended that the guidelines do not protect against the misrepresentation of leather products as non-leather, she did say that consumers should file complaints if a product is labelled as vegan but still contains leather.

Directions for submitting such complaints can be found at https://www.ftc.gov/faq/consumer-protection/submit-consumer-complaint-ftc
Until 2019, consumers will have to be vigilant and look beyond a product’s tag. To truly know the make up of a product prior to purchase, contact the seller directly or look on the seller’s website for more detailed product information. You can also search the various terms listed on the product’s tag or in the product’s online description, but please be advised that it may require extensive research to truly understand what a label means.

For information on sources of nonleather shoes and other items, see
http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/leather.php

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 judgement about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.

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 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

By Savannah Lawrence

In fall 2016, I interned with The Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG) while receiving credit from my college, Stevenson University, which is located just outside of Baltimore. As a Business Communication major, I was able to apply the skills and knowledge I’ve gained throughout my college years while at VRG.

Writing for the Vegetarian Journal and VRG’s blog allowed me to practice my written communication skills. This was especially important to me because I hope to pursue a writing career after college. Because I wrote for the journal and blog, I have wonderful writing samples to include in my portfolio and to direct future employers to when they’re deciding whether or not to hire me. Being published in a credible magazine goes a long way in the writing field, and it makes a huge difference in the job market for a new college graduate.

Beyond written communication, I also practiced my verbal, interpersonal, and intercultural communication skills when interacting with other interns, VRG employees, and VRG members. While the commonality of veganism and vegetarianism brings all interns, employees, and members together, we all come from different cultures and socio-economic backgrounds. I enjoyed asking Alicia, an intern from Germany, about her educational and social experiences back home. I gained new perspectives from Charles and Debra about major issues in the vegan community. I learned about the lives of other local vegans and vegetarians at the VRG Pre-Thanksgiving Potluck. I met Marv, a Maryland man who’s conserved his 20+ acres of land from future development, and learned about the importance of preserving land for future generations as well as the hunting laws in Maryland. I read scholarship applications and responded to applicants, learning more about what young people are doing to promote meat-free lifestyles. I was immersed in the culture that veganism produces from all different angles and perspectives; this allowed me to broaden my thinking as both a writer and individual.
I’ve also enjoyed the opportunity to incorporate my passions while writing for VRG. Staff encouraged me to write about topics pertinent to my life. For example, when Charles learned I was a distance runner, he assigned me the task of writing an article on vegan snacks for runners. After talking with Debra about living with my meat-eating fiancé, she assigned me an article entitled “Feeding Your Non-Vegan Significant Other.” When Charles and Debra heard me rave about my idol Scott Jurek, a record-setting vegan ultra-runner, they encouraged me to contact him for a feature in the Journal and let me review his memoir. Not all supervisors care about engaging their interns in the work, but VRG staff do. Allowing me to weave all of my passions into my writing made this an internship and experience that was enjoyable and interesting.

If you’re looking for an internship that will engage you and challenge you to become a better communicator, look no further than The Vegetarian Resource Group. They will make you feel at home, taking an interest in your life beyond VRG’s office. You’ll also gain valuable work samples and skills. I feel confident applying to post-graduate jobs because of the work I’ve produced at VRG, and I wouldn’t be as prepared for the job market had it not been for the internship.

For more information about VRG internships, see http://www.vrg.org/student/index.php

To support The Vegetarian Resource Group projects and internships, donate at https://www.givedirect.org/donate/?cid=1565

Or join VRG and receive Vegetarian Journal at http://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php