By Julia Mathew, VRG Intern

Last April, I visited Helsinki during the spring for about a week. Although it was quite chilly, I really enjoyed my time in Finland and was fascinated by not only the amount of vegan options in Helsinki, but of the blend of Scandinavian and Russian roots found throughout the city. Although the general structure of the inner city appeared to feel quite Scandinavian, there were Russian architectural touches throughout the city. A striking example of this is Uspenski Cathedral, an Eastern Orthodox Cathedral overlooking the Pohjoissatama Harbor. It was designed by the Russian architect Aleksey Gornostayev and was completed in 1898.

Helsinki is the capital of Finland and is located in the very south of the nation, just short of the Gulf of Finland. It is the largest city in Finland with around 600,000 inhabitants. The Nordic nation has a population of about 5.5 million people. Known for Nokia, Moomin, Eero Aarnio’s ball chair, Angry Birds, Fiskars scissors, Linux, and saunas, Finland is never short of innovation or creativity. The vegan movement has even emerged in Finland and has especially expanded in Helsinki in recent years. The official Visit Finland website even has an article about veganism in Helsinki! See: http://www.visitfinland.com/article/helsinki-goes-vegan/

Last year, I visited a couple health food stores and vegan-friendly establishments in the city. Silvoplee is the largest buffet-style vegetarian restaurant in Helsinki. It is well-known and revered among vegans and vegetarians in the area. The buffet offers a variety of flavorful raw and hot vegetarian dishes and has a small smoothie bar with premade sandwiches.The buffet is charged based on weight per plate. Vegan cakes and other small desserts are also available. I really enjoyed Silvoplee and understand why it’s known as one of the best vegetarian restaurants in Helsinki. They have so many delicious options in the buffet and their smoothies are so refreshing.

I was greeted with a smile at a little raw café in Taka-Töölö called Raw n’ More. I had a raspberry chia pudding with a soy latte in the bright, minimalistic café. Raw n’ More had many beautiful raw vegan cakes on display as well. I actually found that many cafes in Helsinki, such as Johan & Nyström, have raw vegan cakes. Johan & Nyström is a Swedish coffee roaster beautifully located right by Uspenski Cathedral on the Pohjoissatama Harbor. Café Kahvila Sävy also had a daily special of vegan banana bread. I was pleased to find that most, if not all, of the cafés I went to in Helsinki had Oatly’s oat milk or some other type of plant-based milk available.

Just Vege is a small vegetarian joint right off the Sörnäinen metro station. It is a three-minute walk from the vegan-friendly café, Kahvila Sävy. Just Vege offers many Mediterranean falafel dishes and has a separate vegan menu available online. The staff is also very friendly and knowledgeable about making the vegetarian dishes vegan. I really enjoyed their vegan meze plate and seitan/veggie döner kebab dish. I definitely recommend visiting Just Vege, as well as Vegekauppa, the vegan grocery store next door. Kotiharjun Sauna Oy, an old, traditional public Finnish sauna, is also nearby and is a great place to unwind after a long day in the city. The Finnish sauna culture is well-established, as saunas are thought to have originated in Finland.

There are many other vegan-friendly establishments throughout Helsinki that are worth visiting, such as Café Kippo, a vegan sandwich and smoothie shop in the shopping center, Forum. It’s a good place to get a light sandwich or refreshing smoothie. Ruohonjuuri is a small Finnish health food store chain with some prepared foods such as raw lasagna, salads, and smoothies. There are multiple locations throughout Helsinki, as well as in Tampere, Espoo, Raisio, and Oulu. This year I also heard about, Jänö, a new co-op kiosk specializing in vegan delicacies such as burgers, hot dogs, tacos, pies, cakes, and “Pulled Oats.” Pulled Oats is a new Finnish meat substitute made from oats and beans. Hietsun Kauppahalli is a market hall filled with many vendors, such as Kitty’s Milkshake Bar. The bar has some delicious vegan milkshake options available, such as Classic Vanilla, Peanut Butter Cup, Blushing Blueberry, Mary Cherry, Rebellious Rhubarb, and Harri the Cookie Monster. Fafa’s has multiple locations throughout Helsinki and offers a variety of vegan-friendly falafel, hummus, and mezze dishes. Roots is a popular vegan café that hosts yoga classes and offers salads, burgers, flatbreads, and soup. They also serve waffles, a breakfast special, and raw ice cream.

As veganism continues to become more widely recognized by the Finnish food industry, the number of vegan-friendly establishments will only continue to increase.

By Anna Lam

Some college students are intimidated by the logistics of eating a vegan diet while studying at a university. After all, the typical Western diet, and particularly that of Americans, has tended to emphasize meat as centerpiece items to a proper meal. I’ve even heard people express the sentiment that you’re not eating a meal unless there’s meat in it. However, with vegetarianism on the rise in recent decades, I’m here to say that eating only plants has never been easier, and can be accomplished by the vast majority. As a vegan college student myself, I’ve experienced no problems since making the switch. With the help of abundant online resources, some great vegan friends, and a minimal college budget, it’s been entirely possible for me to sustain this diet and stay focused on my studies.

If you’re concerned about cost, cheap and healthy staples for myself include: bulk purchases of grains such as whole rolled oats, brown or white rice; canned or dried beans such as black beans, pinto beans, chickpeas, and lentils; vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, leafy greens, and cruciferous vegetables; frozen vegetables like peas, collard greens, or vegetable medleys; and fruits like bananas, oranges, and melons.

Interested in comparing my palate with those of other college vegans, I surveyed my peers from the university vegetarian club, as well as a Facebook group dedicated to discussing vegan food. I asked both group members to say what their favorite vegan foods to eat in college were, and I’ve arranged a list below of the top 10 foods according to popularity.

1. Potatoes (including sweet potatoes)

2. Avocados

3. Tempeh

4. Hummus

5. Vegetarian sushi

6. Toast with various toppings (nut butters, fruits, avocados, etc.)

7. Oatmeal

8. Burritos

9. Chickpeas

10. Nachos

Some honorable mentions include vegetable curries and fried rice, tofu, pad Thai, non-dairy ice-cream, and date bars. Popular restaurants were Chipotle and Qdoba.

So, as you can see, there are bountiful options for the college student considering a vegan, or even more plant-based, lifestyle. So pop some potatoes in the oven, grab a pint of non-dairy ice-cream from your local supermarket, and enjoy your college years with plenty of cruelty-free foods.

Also see:
http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2013issue1/2013_issue1_college_survey.php

http://www.vrg.org/vote/index.php

Salata lists these items as vegan proteins on their menu:

Quinoa: Pre-Washed White, Black, Red Quinoa, Parsley

Baked Tofu: Baked Tofu (Soy Beans, Water, Soy Sauce (Water, Soy Beans, Wheat Flour, Salt), Soy Oil, Calcium Sulfate), Canola Oil, Parsley

Falafel: Garbanzo Beans, Roasted Garlic, Onion, Parsley, Salt, Baking Soda, Jalapeños, Spices, Expeller Pressed Canola Oil.

See: https://www.salata.com/ingredients

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.

For information about other restaurant chains, see:
http://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.php
For a list of vegan and vegetarian restaurants, see: http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

To Join The Vegetarian Resource Group, go to: http://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

In order to produce a high calcium product for people allergic to dairy,
Flinders University is promoting a seaweed jelly made with lobster shells.

See:
https://research.flinders.edu.au/RP/Blog/673/research-engagement-and-impact-pitching-on-tasty-seaweed-jelly

We wonder if many individuals that are allergic to dairy or don’t consume dairy for other reasons, would want to consume lobster or other shellfish?

For sources of calcium from vegan sources, see:
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/calcium.php

The Vegetarian Resource Group has started a new Facebook group for families. We’d love to have you join! Here’s what it’s all about:

“My name is Samantha and I’m the Senior Editor of Vegetarian Journal, a publication of The Vegetarian Resource Group. We are a non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public about vegan diets.

As a child, answering questions about my diet was easy. “Animals are my friends, I don’t want to eat them,” would usually suffice. As an adult, the questions grew more complex, but never more so than when I became pregnant. I was unprepared for the barrage of questions regarding protein, B12, calcium, and Vitamin D. Suddenly, everyone was a nutrition expert! I also faced questions such as, “Will you force your child to be vegan?” and “What will you do if your child wants to try meat?”

Luckily, I was armed with www.vrg.org, which provides a wealth of information about vegetarian and vegan nutrition, as do the books from The VRG Book Catalog. However, I was lacking a community of like-minded veg parents, and I know you’re out there!

Our new 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. I 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, 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.

We encourage you to share your advice, tips, tricks, photos, videos, and recipes. We can’t wait to get to you know you! Please share this information with any veggie families you know!”

The contents of these postings and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal, are not intended to provide personal nutrition or 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.

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
The 11th General Question on the Noodles & Company FAQ page http://www.noodles.com/faq/ viewed in April 2017 appeared as follows:

Q: I am a vegan. What menu items can I eat?

A: While there is no commonly accepted definition for vegan*, we define it as menu items that don’t contain meat, fish, dairy, eggs or other animal products. If your definition matches ours, try these menu items:
• Japanese Pan Noodles
• Tossed Green Side Salad with balsamic vinaigrette
• Penne Rosa without cream and cheese
• Whole Grain Tuscan Fresca without cheese
• Spaghetti with Marinara without cheese

*Our dishes may contain sugar and/or wine.

From this FAQ answer on vegan entrées, Noodles & Co. provides a link “for more information” titled Watching What You Are Eating? http://www.noodles.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/3634-WEB-NUTRITIONALS-0716_r2.pdf

Page 1 of this 11-page document repeats the FAQ information. On page 2 there is a chart titled “Here’s what you are eating” which displays a vegetarian icon “v” next to certain entrées and/or entrée components which are…“defined by us as dishes excluding meat and fish.” (The icon’s definition appears at the bottom of page 2.) This icon also appears on print menus in this chain’s restaurants. There is no analogous vegan icon at Noodles & Co.

At the end of the same FAQ answer there is a second link http://www.noodles.com/made-different/ that leads to a red rectangular button labeled “See our full ingredient list” (which appears on the left after a little downward scrolling from the page’s top). The ingredients are listed alphabetically by component in a seven-page document (which is a shortened version of the 11-page document mentioned above). This listing is the most up-to-date; the longer PDF lists ingredients of dish components and entrées which have recently been removed from the menu (see below for details).

http://www.noodles.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/INGREDIENT-STATEMENT_03.01.172.pdf

The first five pages consist of the ingredient statements for individual dish components. The remaining two pages comprise the Dish Reference Chart. Thus it is necessary to scroll up and down or to open the document in two separate tabs and move between them when analyzing the ingredients in each component of entrées in order to determine their vegan status.

Appearing on the bottom of pages 1 and 3 of the 11-page document under the subtitle “Of Interest” is this disclaimer:

We have peanuts, tree nuts, soy, milk, eggs, fish, shellfish and wheat/gluten in our restaurant, and there may be cross contact with your food because of shared cooking equipment. In addition, because we offer so many unique flavors, not every ingredient we use is listed in our menu descriptions.

From January 2017 through March 2017 The VRG corresponded with Danielle Moore, Director of Communications at Noodles & Company, for more information about this chain’s vegan menu offerings. For this article quoted information is from Danielle except if otherwise noted.

The VRG asked Danielle if the last disclaimer sentence implied that some ingredients were not listed on the chain’s website. She explained that “In the description of each dish we are highlighting the unique ingredients of each dish. However, under the ingredient list on the “Made Different” tab of our website we disclose the full ingredient list for each dish we have in our restaurants. Keep in mind we are always updating and changing our menu and there may be some delay between updates.”

Besides the asterisked reference to sugar and wine in their vegan FAQ placed immediately below their vegan entrée suggestions, (“*Our dishes may contain sugar and/or wine”), Noodles & Company states nothing else about sugar or wine (such as the sugar whitening method or wine clarifying agent) on their website.

We asked “When you state in your definition of ‘vegan’: ‘Our dishes may contain sugar and/or wine’ are you implying that your sugar and/or wine may have been processed with animal products or definitely have been so processed? Would your response differ on a case-by-case basis?”

Danielle replied:

“Based on the complexity of our supply chain we cannot guarantee which items on our supply chain may or may not contain sugar that has been processed through bone char or wine that had been processed through isinglass. This applies to all items [we serve containing sugar or wine].”

Readers may note that all of the dishes Noodles & Company lists in its vegan FAQ response contain sugar. The Penne Rosa and Fresca entrées are made with white cooking wine.
In the ingredient statement for the Japanese Pan Sauce used in the Japanese Pan Noodles dish, “sugar” appears three times. “Organic cane sugar,” which by definition has never been whitened through cow bone char, appears once. “Natural flavour” appears twice.

When The VRG asked if these natural flavors could have originated from animal sources, Noodles & Co. told us that
“Unfortunately, there are instances where supplier partners won’t disclose that level of detail with us so we cannot guarantee the source of all of our ingredients.”

Readers may note that natural flavors are also present in the balsamic vinaigrette for the side salad that is listed by Noodles & Co. in its vegan FAQ.

The VRG noticed in several places in the ingredient statements “natural flavor/flavour.”

We learned:
“As for the spelling of “flavor” this is merely to remain compliant with both Canadian and US labeling at the same time so our products may cross the border. This doesn’t mean that we have product coming from Canada.”
Noodles & Company offers seasoned tofu on its menu. We asked if, apart from its sugar and natural flavors (both of unconfirmed processing method or source) the seasoned tofu were vegan. Danielle replied “Correct.” Furthermore she added, “You can substitute or add tofu to any dish on our menu.”

The VRG wondered if a vegan guest could order unseasoned tofu, simply sautéed in oil with vegetables and possibly soy sauce or a few spices. Noodles & Company replied: “NO. We currently do not have restaurant procedures for this.”
At our request, Danielle later explained further: “Regarding the tofu, we cook all of our tofu in our Japanese Pan Noodle sauce which contains gluten. The restaurants do not prep tofu without it, so there is no way a guest can custom order the tofu without the sauce.”

(By saying this, Danielle also explained why “organic tofu” listed on the allergen chart on p. 2 of their 11-page PDF is marked as containing both wheat and gluten allergens. This listing is for seasoned tofu.)

Here is the complete ingredient statement for the Japanese Pan Sauce used on Noodle & Company’s tofu:
Water, Soy Sauce (Water, Salt, Sugar, Soybeans, Wheat, Molasses), Molasses, Rice Vinegar Dressing (Rice Vinegar, Water, Sugar, Salt), Lemon Juice (Water, Lemon Juice Concentrate and Lemon Oil), Sesame Oil, Sriracha (Chile, Distilled Vinegar, Water, Sugar, Salt, Garlic, Natural Flavour, Maltodextrin, Xanthan Gum and Citric Acid), Ginger, Natural Vegetable Base (Vegetables and Concentrated Vegetables [Carrot, Celery, Onion, Tomato], Yeast Extract, Salt, Organic Cane Sugar, Maltodextrin [from corn], Natural Flavour, Canola Oil, Barley Malt Extract [gluten], Dried Onion, Dried Potatoes, Dried Garlic), Modified Corn Starch, Garlic and Citric Acid as a Preservative
Also on page 2 of Noodles & Company’s informative PDF http://www.noodles.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/3634-WEB-NUTRITIONALS-0716_r2.pdf Bangkok Curry and Thai Curry Soup are listed with the vegetarian icon next to them. The Bangkok Curry contains sodium caseinate (a dairy derivative). One formulation of the Thai Curry Soup contains lactose (milk sugar). They both contain sugar and natural flavors.

In March 2017 The VRG noticed that these two dishes were no longer on the menu although they were still listed on p. 2 of the PDF file. Danielle relayed to us: “Yes, we did remove the Thai Curry Soup and the Bangkok Curry from our menu on February 15 [2017].”

As we were finalizing this article we noticed that the Whole Grain Tuscan Fresca no longer appeared on the website menu although this dish when ordered without cheese still appeared in the list of vegan entrées on the FAQ page under the 11th general question as mentioned in the first paragraph of this article.

We asked Danielle about the Whole Grain Tuscan Fresca and received this reply in March 2017: “It is no longer on the menu and cannot be ordered. That being said, we are bringing Pasta Fresca back on May 3.” For more information on Pasta Fresca please contact Noodles & Company directly.

Interested diners may note that the Pad Thai at Noodles & Company contains fish sauce.

Lastly, we inquired about kitchen protocols at Noodles & Company:

Q: Do your restaurants have specially-designated prep areas, cooking utensils, grilling surfaces and storage bins for all-vegetable ingredients vs. meat and/or dairy products?
A: Due to the nature of our menu and back of the house procedures we cannot guarantee complete removal of cross contact.

Ingredient-minded readers may note that Noodles & Company is one of the few fast casual restaurants that has a Prohibited Ingredient List. Carmine and cochineal (always insect-derived) and L-cysteine (usually animal-derived) appear on it. http://www.noodles.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Prohibited-Ingredient-List_0716.pdf

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.

For more information on quick service chains, see http://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.htm

For information on vegetarian and vegan restaurants, see http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.htm

To support The Vegetarian Resource Group research, donate at www.vrg.org/donate

Join at http://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

Are you looking for some creative vegan dishes to serve during Easter? Below are a few recipes from previous issues of Vegetarian Journal published by The Vegetarian Resource Group.

Cooking with Early Spring Greens (from Chef Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD)
Fennel Salad
Green Pea MockaGuacamole
Spring Greens and Lentil Sauté
Smoky Collards
Grilled Romaine Salad Vinaigrette Dressing
Vinegary Green Beans with Dill

Loafing Around (from Debra Daniels-Zeller)
Walnut, Onion, and Carrot Rice Loaf
Southwestern Polenta Loaf
Pecan-Lentil Loaf
Chickpea Loaf
Red Bean and Millet Loaf with Sweet Potatoes and Mushrooms
Fire-Roasted Tomato Bread Loaf
Smooth Adobe Sauce
Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

Creative Casserole Cuisine (from Debra Daniels-Zeller)
Country Shepherd’s Pie
Green Soybeans with Roasted Red Peppers
Garbanzo Lasagna with Roasted Eggplant
Wild Rice and Mushroom Casserole
Spicy Baked Pasta, Peas, and Buckwheat
Barbecued Black-Eyed Pea, Yam, and Corn Casserole
Scalloped Tomatoes and Tempeh

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

The Vegetarian Resource Group is once again sponsoring a video contest. We will be awarding one $200 scholarship plus two $100 awards. The deadline for entries this year is July 15, 2017.

Create and submit a video relating what you want to tell others about veganism. Some possible topics: food, nutrition, your feelings about veganism and/or vegetarianism, water usage and veganism, veganism and animal rights, or other veggie 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.

To see the video contest rules, visit:
http://www.vrg.org/videoscholarship.php

Previous wining videos can be found here:
http://www.vrg.org/veg_videos.php

Support Continued Vegan Education, Outreach, and Activism!

The Vegetarian Resource Group celebrates 35 years of vegan activism in 2017. For those who would like to support continued research and outreach, we will be listing donors names/messages received by May 1, 2017 in Issue 3 2017 Vegetarian Journal.

Donations can be sent to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203. Donate online at: www.vrg.org/donate or call (410) 366-8343 Mon.-Fri. 9am to 5pm EST.

Support Continued Vegan Education, Outreach, and Activism

Support Continued Vegan Education, Outreach, and Activism

Please list my name in the Vegetarian Journal's 35th Anniversary issue as a: $25 Donor$50 Supporter$100 Sustaining Member$500 Vegetarian Resource Group Life Member$1,000 Garden of Eden$5,000 Circle of Compassion$10,000 VRG Patron$25,000 Program SponsorI would like to remain anonymous

CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE IN VEGETARIAN JOURNAL: Include your vegan product, vegan company, logo, and/or congratulatory message. Message can be full color or black and white. 1/4 page $2,0001/2 page $3,000Full page ( 7 x 9 inches) $5,000

Message should read:

Email Address:

Address and Phone Number:

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See: http://www.vegmuse.org/