By Ivy Grob

I’ve been an environmentalist my whole life, and when I became a vegan, it was for the environmental reasons. It look me a while to make the connection that all animals, including the ones typically eaten, are also part of this environment that I’ve made my life mission to protect. Animal rights were never important to me until this stage of my life, something I cannot fathom since I grew up surrounded by animals and the wildlife of coastal Northern Florida. Veganism has taught me to extend my love to animals beyond cats and dogs, and to see all creatures as worthy of respect and care. So when I heard there was a farm animal sanctuary just outside of Baltimore called Poplar Spring, I knew I had to go.

As I drove through the beautiful, lush Maryland countryside, my excitement grew and grew. I was finally going to be able to check going to an animal sanctuary off of my vegan wish list. The moment I stepped out of the car I knew I was in a special place. There was a welcoming cow hanging out at the entrance to the driveway and a flock of geese and ducks waddling across the road towards the pond. The vegan bumper stickers on all the other cars served as a good indicator that I was going to be among like-minded, passionate people. I arranged ahead of time to volunteer, so I headed over to the sheep barn to meet the co-director, Terry, and I got to work. Throughout the morning I helped clean up animal pins and fields, with plenty of breaks to stop and admire the animals.

At noon, the tour began and I was able to learn more about the story of Poplar Spring. This animal sanctuary is located in Poolesville, Maryland and is home to over 200 rescued animals on over 400 acres of land. They are able to operate solely from public donations and do not rely on any other assistance. The animals that they care for come from abused and abandoned situations, and they are brought to Poplar Spring to be rehabilitated and to live out the rest of their lives in peace and comfort. I was able to experience the care Poplar Spring gives to their animals firsthand. During the tour we visited pigs, chickens, turkeys, horses, cows, goats, sheep, and even had the privilege of seeing the peacock up close and personal. To the owners of Poplar Spring, every animal is a family member and they know each one by name.

My favorite part of the day was feeding bananas to the pigs and rubbing the backs of cows as they stare back at you in wonder. I was filled with amazement at the stories we were told about what some of the animals have gone through, and it made me glad that I am able to live a lifestyle that promotes non-violence. If you live in the Baltimore or Washington, DC area, or ever find yourself passing through Maryland, I highly suggest a visit to Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary. If you are able, you can donate while on the farm or through their website www.animalsanctuary.org, where you can also find out how to sponsor an animal. If you are unable to do either of these things, you can still help animals everywhere by choosing compassion every single day. Veganism is compassion.

Ivy wrote this piece while doing an internship with The Vegetarian Resource Group.

By Anne Custer

A few months or maybe years into your journey you may become
discouraged. You may ask yourself if it’s all worth it because it may
seem like you are the only one that cares. Well, you aren’t! If you need
an extra push or a reawakening into veganism, here are some great
resources that helped me get back on track.

I found the following helpful because they inspire me to continue on in
veganism through the realms of cooking, health, and the environment.
Seeing all the healthy food prepared in documentaries inspires me to
create my own recipes and try new food. Watching people lose weight, get
off their medication, and reverse their diseases makes me excited to
enter the health field. Reading other people’s experiences and following
their journey encourages me to continue on in my own. And finally,
learning about the ways the meat industry affects the environment fuels
my passion to live sustainably.

Documentaries:
Forks Over Knives
Hungry for Change
Cowspiracy
Vegucated

Books:
Becoming Vegan
Whole
Omnivore’s Dilemma

Blogs:
My Eclectic Kitchen
Oh She Glows
Fork & Beans
Minimalist Baker

In addition to resources, find a group of local vegans who share your
values. Visit www.vegan.meetup.com to find a group in your city. Once you plug into a community, you may find it easier to be vegan because
you have people supporting you. You never know who you might meet! Get
involved in your local vegan or vegetarian society. If your city doesn’t
have one, consider creating your own. Someone else is probably looking
for the same thing. Attend a local vegan or animal rights festival or
conference. There you can talk to different organizations, sample
delicious food, and learn more about the movement. I’m positive you will
walk away encouraged just seeing all the people who are as passionate
and involved as you are. Also, it may be a good idea to write down why
you became a vegan. That way, you can look back and remind yourself of
how you felt when you first made the switch. Finally, try a new vegan
restaurant. Food never fails to make me happy and being in an all vegan
restaurant makes me excited (and a bit overwhelmed) because I can choose
anything on the menu and it’s safe to eat. Here is a list of restaurants
across the United States and Canada that cater to vegan diets:
http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

Visit the VRG site for more resources and answered questions:
http://www.vrg.org/

Anne Custer wrote this piece while interning with The Vegetarian Resource Group.

This Fourth of July weekend I had the opportunity to return to my hometown of Richmond to visit my family. Only three and a half hours on the Amtrak separated me from Baltimore and an awesome dinner on the patio of Ipanema Café. The café is neatly tucked in underneath an apartment complex and barber shop across the street from Insomnia Cookies. Located on West Grace Street, Ipanema is sure to please vegetarians and meat eaters alike. We walked into the dimly lit restaurant and must have looked confused. The friendly staff explained that there is only one menu and it’s posted on a chalkboard on the wall of the café. Once you’ve decided what you want, you find a place to sit and a waiter will come take your order. We opted for the quaint patio seat outside. Each table had a beautiful mosaic decoration on it and we were shaded by a tree decorated with lights next to our seat. Our waitress came bearing water and a tall glass bottle for refills. I ordered jackfruit tacos al pastor and patiently waited for it to be served.

Richmond is an eclectic city and the people are the same so it was fun to sit and people watch while we waited for our food. Once served, I dug into a delicious meal bursting with flavor and spice. The black bean and corn salad was the perfect mild compliment to the spicy tacos. The potatoes were crispy and hearty side. The jackfruit was seasoned with cayenne pepper and served on two thin corn tortillas with onions and cilantro. It was similar to barbeque in the way it pulled apart easily. This was my first jackfruit experience and it did not disappoint. After I was finished, I became increasingly curious as to what jackfruit actually was. I didn’t want to be a pretentious vegan and pretend to know every fruit and vegetable there ever was so I asked our waitress to explain. Jackfruit is an essentially bland tropical fruit grown in areas of Southeast Asia. It soaks up any flavor added to it and has a “meaty” texture. You can buy it in a can at Asian food stores.

After that mystery was solved, I wondered how my parents liked their food since I dragged the meat-eaters to this vegetarian restaurant. My dad ordered the Caesar salad (sans tofu) and my mom ordered a smoked Gouda sandwich. My dad doesn’t really enjoy crotons, but he said these were seasoned perfectly and tasted great especially with the crisp lettuce and vegan Caesar dressing. My mom’s sandwich came with a side salad and sweet potato fries. The dressing on the salad was a homemade ginger that was light and tasty. The actual sandwich, although not vegan, was topped with tomato, thyme, and caramelized onion. Based on their clean plates, I didn’t feel bad making them eat vegetarian for one meal. Looking back at their menu, I’m excited to try the hummus and fried chickpea wrap and the BBQ jackfruit sandwich next time I go. My only regret from eating at Ipanema Café is not ordering dessert.

For a list of vegetarian restaurant across the U.S. and Canada, visit: http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

Written by Anne Custer, VRG Intern.

By Anne Custer

SaladWorks prides themselves in claiming to be the first and largest fresh-tossed salad franchise. Eat it in store or take it to go, all items are made-to-order right in front of you. Eating vegan there is particularly easy, especially with their helpful website. Go to www.saladworks.com, click “Allergens,” then select your allergens or dietary restrictions and you have yourself a list of all menu items that are safe for you to eat. They even have a section where they offer modifications for menu items that can be made vegan or allergen free. If you don’t want to go to the website yourself, here is a list of items considered to be vegan. I did discover that three of the dressings listed honey as an ingredient, so those will not be included on this list. There are a few items listed as containing enzymes and natural ingredients. I have reached out to SaladWorks to verify that these are from vegan sources, but have not heard a response.

I’ve eaten at SaladWorks a few times and thoroughly enjoyed my fresh, customizable meal. I will advise you to not be overwhelmed with all your options and put them all on one salad. It will still be a hearty meal, but some of the flavor combinations will not compliment each other. I was caught in this trap the first time I went, but I figured my way out and now know how to order a delicious salad.

Here is my order:

·Spinach
·Chickpeas
·Cucumbers
·Green Peppers
·Edamame
·Onions
·Sunflower Seeds
·Balsamic Vinaigrette

Another great thing about the website is you can plug in your order to get the nutrition information! My salad is 230 calories with 12 grams of plant protein. Customize yours at: http://www.saladworks.com/salad/create-your-own-salad

As for vegan menu items:

Salads:

Garden Deluxe

Bases:

Baby Fresh Mix
Fresh Spinach
Romaine/Iceberg Blend

Toppings:

Tofu
Apple Chips
Chow Mein Noodles
Craisins
Glazed Pecans (Made with brown sugar)
Sunflower Seeds
Tortilla Chips
Walnuts
All Vegetables

Dressings:

Balsamic Vinaigrette
Classic French
Italian Vinaigrette
Lite Raspberry Vinaigrette
Oriental Sesame

Soups:

Spring Vegetable
Three Bean Chili

Spreads:

Spicy Brown Mustard

Breads (contain enzymes except focaccia breads):

Sourdough
Wheat Focaccia
Wheat Rolls
White Flour Tortilla
White Focaccia
White Rolls
Whole Wheat Tortillas

Carvery Dressings (Select Locations):

Nutty Sesame
Balsamic Dijon

Modifications:

Greek Salad, No feta
Caprese Panini, No garlic spread or cheese

For more information about dining at chain restaurants, visit: http://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.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.

By Anne Custer

Once you’ve made a successful transition to vegetarianism, you might start to wonder about veganism. Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish, or poultry. Vegans, in addition to being vegetarian, do not use other animal products and by-products such as eggs, dairy products, honey, leather, fur, silk, wool, cosmetics, and soaps derived from animal products. There are many reasons why people decide to transition. For me, it was a deep conviction that I did not want to contribute to any type of suffering. Being a dietetics student, I was also interested in the nutrition benefits of a plant based diet and the healing and restorative power it can have. Those were the main reasons why I chose veganism, but everyone has their own. A few others are environmental or social justice reasons.

When you decide to become a vegan, it may be tempting to quit cold Tofurky. This works for some people. For others, this way may not be sustainable long term. To slowly wean yourself off of animal products, I suggest making a list of everything you eat in one day. Then, identify the animal products on your list. Each day after that, omit one item you’ve identified from your diet. It may take a few days for you to completely omit one product, but this is an adjustment; take the time you need to solidify your choices.

When I made the decision to become vegan, I stopped eating animal products immediately. I never really enjoyed cheese and I knew I could find a substitute for my Greek yogurt fix. I went to my local grocery store and searched around the natural foods section. Most stores I’ve been to have this type of section and this is where I find most of the packaged foods I buy. This is also where I found substitutes for yogurt, ice cream, and pizza. I enjoy So Delicious brand products such as their dairy-free blueberry yogurt and salted caramel cashew milk ice cream. For breakfast, I would take a container of yogurt and mix it with granola and fresh berries. Amy’s is also a great brand for a quick and delicious meal alternative. They have the best pizza too!

If you are concerned about vegan baking, eggs are surprisingly easy to replace in recipes. Mash a banana, use some oil, or make a flax egg. Take 1 Tablespoon of flax meal and mix it with 3 Tablespoons of water. Let it sit for a few minutes until a gelatinous mixture is formed. You can also do the same with chia seeds. As for eating eggs, tofu is a great substitute for scrambled style. Crumble the tofu and stir-fry it with veggies and any seasoning you usually use on eggs. Tofu crumbles and soaks up flavor easily making it one of the most versatile vegan foods. I’ve used it in smoothies, baked goods, stir-fries, and most commonly as a meat substitute.

As my friend once said, “Not all vegan cheese is created equal.” Some can be way too gooey or slimy and others get the taste all wrong. Field Roast’s Chao Creamy Original is my personal favorite. As you can see, the market has inspired companies to make a plethora of vegan substitutes for anything you may want. I’ve found that after eating vegan for over two years, I simply don’t crave animal products and desire the taste of wholesome, plant based foods instead.

After you’ve weaned off of animal products, people are going to start to notice and ask you all kinds of questions. Where do you get your protein? What about calcium or iron? Do you miss cheese? Wouldn’t the world be overpopulated with animals if we didn’t eat them? Here is a great resource for responses to common questions vegans are asked: http://www.vrg.org/teen/#responses. My best advice is to be prepared and do all the research you can. At the end of the day, all you can do is stand firm in your beliefs and if people can’t accept that, then that is their prerogative. Explain to people, in a non- defensive manner, your stance and reasoning behind going vegan. Most people are genuinely interested and will respect your choice. But for that judgmental friend or overly concerned uncle, you may have to just smile and nod. Some people will never understand our choices, but as long as you have a reason, that’s all that matters.

Visit the VRG site for more resources and answered questions: http://www.vrg.org/

Anne Custer wrote this piece while interning with The Vegetarian Resource Group.

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.

The Vegetarian Resource Group is once again holding a video contest and we will be awarding monetary prizes. Create and submit a video relating what you want to tell others about veganism. Some possible topics: food, nutrition, your feelings about veganism, water usage and vegetarianism, vegetarianism and animal rights, or other vegetarian topics which appeal to you. Humor and feelings are appreciated. All videos should be positive, not be critical of anyone, and not include any footage of animal cruelty. You may submit a video you have already made.

Aspects of judging include accuracy and judges wanting to share the video with others.

Entrants give permission to The Vegetarian Resource Group to post and share the video, to link to and from the video, and share the video with the media.

For details and to see previous winning videos see: http://www.vrg.org/videoscholarship.php

By Anne Custer

When I was in Spain, I was just a vegetarian, but looking back I realize I ate mainly vegan food while there, besides all the ice cream. The family we stayed with was very accommodating and even made authentic paella without the meat just for me! I ate different fruits I’d never tried before, pasta with veggies, delicious breads, and gazpacho. My host family was understanding about my diet and I wasn’t secluded in an area that didn’t have a store or market to buy food I could eat. But what if you were visiting a secluded region?

Yasmin Radbod has lived in Egypt, China, Nepal, and Thailand. Traveling to a different country as a vegan may be hard to fathom, but Yasmin has lived it. From refugee camps to big cities, she has maintained her vegan lifestyle no matter where she’s been.

She’s been vegan since she was fifteen, so she has had some practice finding food to eat. It was first put to the test when she studied abroad in China at Nanjing University. Since then, she has discovered it’s possible to be vegan anywhere. “It is essential to find the word or phrase in the local language to express what vegan means. That is what saved me in every country,” Yasmin explains.

As for items that may help you abroad, Yasmin brings fiber pills, nuts, and high energy biscuits. Fiber pills are used when you aren’t getting enough fiber in your diet. Not enough fiber can lead to constipation. When finding food was at its worst, she relied mainly on starchy food such as potatoes, rice, and bread. She also used high energy biscuits, which are typically used to provide nutrition to disaster victims worldwide, but when you are in a secluded area with limited options, these biscuits can provide you with the nourishment you need. When times weren’t as bad, in some areas, her diet mainly consisted of white rice, potatoes, curried vegetables, fruit, and beans. In her experience, African and Middle Eastern countries such as Egypt were the worst at providing vegan options. South and East Asia, specifically Bangkok were places where it was easier to find vegan food. However, finding vegan options varies greatly from country to country and even within a country. Yasmin explains that even though finding food in Bangkok was easy, she still returned to a refugee camp in Thailand where it wasn’t as easy.

The biggest obstacle of eating vegan while abroad? “Your own willpower,” says Yasmin explaining that it is completely viable to maintain a vegan lifestyle as long as you are committed and resourceful. “I’ve heard plenty of nonsense from people who have lived in the same places as me who said being vegan was impossible, and that certainly was not true–I’m proof.”

For more resources on traveling while vegan, visit: http://www.vrg.org/teen/#travel and www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.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.

Presentation by Joe Adams, M.D.
Baltimore, MD, July 19, 2015

A presentation will be given in Baltimore, Maryland by Joe Adams, M.D.,
Internist, Addiction Medicine physician, amateur chef, and expert in
counseling for lifestyle change.

Visit the event page at: https://www.facebook.com/events/1448771405425492/

Has the healthcare industry missed the target? Because of exploding
disease rates, healthcare spending is growing unsustainably. Recent
evidence suggests another future is possible for the planet and for each
of us.

Dr. Adams will summarize the scientific evidence behind a whole food
diet, address controversies, share practical tips, and answer questions
in a talk that may inspire you toward vibrant health (or at least
provide some great recipes).

Please RSVP and join us if you can!

Please also visit a new plant-based potluck & support group at:
http://www.meetup.com/Baltimore-Nutrition-As-Medicine-Potluck

The talk will be held Sunday, July 19, 2015 at 10:30 am
Location: the Baltimore Ethical Society, 306 W Franklin St., Baltimore.
The even is free of charge and open to the public.
At 10:30 am there will be brief announcements, followed by the 50 minute
presentation, followed by Q & A and an opportunity to socialize with
snacks and coffee.

by Navaal Mahdi

Ever since the widespread use of social media began a few years ago, varying online communities have formed on sites like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and reddit, to name a few. One of these emerging communities is that of the social activists, who have made it their duty to spread awareness about the different injustices around the world. Posts on the aforementioned websites have allowed for young people especially to have more of a general sense of knowledge about the world they live in.
Moreover, websites like petition.org have enabled those who feel passionately about certain causes to petition either for or against them. Because these websites can pretty much be used by anyone with uncontrolled Internet access regardless of where they are in the world, change can be made by anyone who wants to facilitate it just by signing their name. However, though signing petitions and spreading awareness seem like an easy solution to the problem of ignorance, sometimes these forms of communication are not enough to generate real, tangible change.

In his essay “Small Change” that was published in The New Yorker, author Malcolm Gladwell explains that “social networks are effective at increasing participation—by lessening the level of motivation that participation requires.” This means that people are so quick to supposedly “help” a cause by signing petitions and instantaneously sharing videos and blog posts on Facebook because of the lack of energy and time required to do so. Gladwell highlights that in order to use social media effectively to get a group of people to do something, you need to “not ask much of them.”

The fact is, people really do want to make a change, but with the dozens of posts that they come across on these social media sites per day, they don’t have the means to genuinely support each one with their full attention. Thus, if you’re trying to get someone to help you pass out pamphlets or organize an informational booth about your cause at a festival, you probably won’t have much luck finding them on crowded Facebook pages or under heavily tweeted hashtags. These are the places where you can spread information about the topics you are most passionate about, but if you want to people to double-take and really notice the work you are doing, you’re going to need a physical movement that you can create with the people in your schools, workplaces, or community centers.

This year in Baltimore, people used social media to teach the world about what happened to Freddie Gray. In order to make the media, and thus, the country, really care for more than a few minutes though–and larger than that, in order to get what they believed was real justice for him and for his family–people knew they would have to get together to protest in real life, not just virtually. Using social media is helpful, but it is essential to also create a physical movement if you really want to help a cause that you’re passionate about.

See Malcolm Gladwell’s essay: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/10/04/small-change-malcolm-gladwell

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: Working for change both virtually online and in person, does involve complexities with many opinions, and can result in both positive and negative results, as can be seen in Baltimore and around the world. Thank you to all those that care, that struggle to see all sides of an issue, go beyond simple answers, respect those that disagree with you, and work for a better world for all in a positive way using methods appropriate to your circumstances.

Everybody who joins IGIVE shopping to support VRG and tries the iGive Button through 10/15/15 means a $5 donation for The Vegetarian Resource Group. Go to:
http://www.iGive.com/VegetarianResourceGroup