By Sasha Keenan

Since 1983, The Chicago Diner has been Chicagoland’s 100% vegetarian comfort food hub, serving up vegan shakes and juicy plant-based burgers. All menu items are vegan or can be made vegan, and many menu items are available gluten free.

The first thing I noticed when I walked into The Chicago Diner was the stylish yet grungy ambiance. With brick walls, dim lighting, and a giant red marquee that reads ‘Meat free since ‘83,’ it was obvious to me that I had found myself in a hipster haven. Every customer looked relaxed and happy with giant plates of mouthwatering food in front of them.

My waitress was bubbly and helpful, and it was clear to me that she knew the menu well. Since I had a tough time narrowing my options down because everything sounded delicious, she was happy to give me a few recommendations. I ended up ordering a strawberry milkshake, Cajun black bean burger, and a cinnamon roll.

The vegan milkshake with soy based ice cream came out within five minutes in an old fashioned soda fountain glass topped with non-dairy whipped cream and a cherry. I was thrilled to find it tasted as good as it looked, if not better. It wasn’t overly sweet and tasted like fresh strawberries as opposed to strawberry syrup. Although I tried my best to enjoy the milkshake slowly, I would be lying if I didn’t admit it was gone within minutes.

My burger was ready within 15 minutes, and was also an impressive sight: a crispy black bean patty topped with onion, mushrooms, spinach, tomato, jalapenos, (vegan) “cheddar,” and creole mustard and paired with waffle fries. While the burger was not reminiscent of a meat product like some of the other menu items are intended to be, it brought together a perfect combination of flavors and textures.

I certainly saved the best for last. I’ve always loved vegan cinnamon rolls, and Chicago Diner blew me away with theirs. First of all, it was giant, but I’m not complaining because that meant I was able to bring some home for later. The outside was slightly crispy, the inside irresistibly gooey and flavorful, the whole roll slathered with creamy frosting. The leftovers tasted just as good.

My meal was on the pricier side, but I did order a lot of food. Overall, The Chicago Diner’s prices are reasonable considering the quality and portion sizes they offer. While The Chicago Diner is the perfect place for herbivores to indulge, even meat-eaters would be thoroughly impressed by this gem of a restaurant.

For more info on The Chicago Diner, see http://www.veggiediner.com/

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

Speaking of Vegan is a podcast covering all things vegan and has generated over 5,200 listens (some several hundred listens per episode, and growing!). They interview all sorts of movers and shakers in the vegan world, from leaders in the vegan movement, chefs, athletes, and authors, to entrepreneurs and animal rights activists.

They would love to continue to spread the vegan message and get the word out about their podcast.
See: www.speakingofvegan.com

We received a question from a reader about portable vegan foods they could carry and consume while doing endurance sports. Here is our response:

Hello Neil,
Thank you for contacting The Vegetarian Resource Group! We are happy to help with your inquiry about portable foods for endurance sports.

*In our July 1999 issue of The Vegetarian Journal, Heather Hedrick, MS, RD wrote a short article titled “Velo Ventures for Vegans” detailing meal plans for vegan cyclists. See:
http://www.vrg.org/athlete/VeloVenturesForVegans.pdf

*Dr. Enette Larson-Meyer, PhD, RD wrote a book called “Vegetarian Sports Nutrition.” There is a short review of the book on our blog, but I do recommend purchasing it so you can learn to customize your meal plans to your specific needs.

You can purchase the book through The Vegetarian Resource Group website here — http://www.vrg.org/bookstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=79

*Here are some links on our website that contain information for vegetarian athletes —
SPORTS NUTRITION GUIDELINES FOR THE VEGETARIAN
http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/athletes.htm

VEGAN BACKPACKING
http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2013issue2/2013_issue2_vegan_backpacking.php

TEEN ATHLETES
http://www.vrg.org/teen/#athletes

A REVIEW OF VEGETARIAN SPORTS NUTRITION BY D. ENETTE LARSON-MEYER
http://www.vrg.org/blog/2016/06/29/review-of-vegetarian-sports-nutrition-by-d-enette-larson-meyer/

http://www.vrg.org/bookstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=79

*JAKE’S JERKY

Jake’s Naturals, a new natural foods company has recently introduced a new vegetarian jerky. Jake’s Authentic Smokehouse Vegetarian Jerky is made from organic ingredients and is vegan. For more information go to http://www.jakesjerky.cc
Other vegan Jerky’s:

PRIMAL SPIRIT FOODS – PRIMAL STRIPS MEATLESS VEGAN JERKY
http://www.primalspiritfoods.com/

TURTLE ISLAND TOFURKY JERKY
https://www.amazon.com/Turtle-Tofurky-Peppered-2-Ounce-Packages/dp/B000LKXRI6

VIANA ORGANIC VEGAN JUMBO SNACK SAUSAGE
http://thevegetariansite.com/cgi-bin/miva?Merchant2/merchant.mv+Screen=PROD&Store_Code=S&Product_Code=SnackSausage&Category_Code=meat+alternatives

STONEWALL’s JERQUEE
https://store.veganessentials.com/stonewalls-jerquee-p75.aspx

LOUISVILLE VEGAN JERKY
http://www.lvjco.com/

Please make a donation to The Vegetarian Resource Group by visiting www.vrg.org/donate. We are a non-profit organization so we rely on your support to provide free resources, complete research projects, and to do community outreach!
*DISCLAIMER: The contents of this email/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 consult a healthcare professional.*

There will be a wellness Festival this Saturday, July 9, 2016 at Hanlon Park, located at the corners of the 3300 Block of North Hilton St. and Liberty Heights Ave. in Baltimore, Maryland. The purpose of the event is to introduce the community to alternative, holistic, spiritual, and complimentary health and wellness practices http://phentermine-med.com that supports a healthier lifestyle. The focal point of the event is a meditative walk for Peace around the Ashburton Reservoir that is located at the center of the Park. We want everyone to walk and pray for peace in Baltimore City.

Contact:

Brenda Boyd, CAO
TuTTie’s Place
PH: 410.466.5373
[email protected]
www.tuttiesplace.org

Trifecta Nutrition delivers organic veggie meals to your home or office.

http://trifectanutrition.com/vrg

Use coupon code TRYVEGAN for 30% off your first order.

By Sierra Young

The Green Boheme, located in Roseville, California is the only raw vegan restaurant in a hundred mile radius. That being said, it has gone beyond exceeding my expectations for my first raw vegan restaurant experience. The venue, although small, was charmingly rustic. On Monday nights, chef and owner Brooke Preston hosts Dine & Demos where she explains the process of making the audience’s dinner and its nutritional value. The raw vegan meals are made with foods not exceeding 107 degrees Fahrenheit.

Everything is made with fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and seasonings that are organic, soy free, gluten free, grain free, and refined sugar free. The restaurant offers fresh pressed juices, smoothies, all day breakfast and lunch/dinner options, coffee, drinks, and desserts. I tried an enchilada with cashew cheese sauce and “sour cream” with a side of jicama rice and a nut and seed “bean” mix. The dehydrated corn wrap was stuffed with portobello mushrooms, avocado, and salsa. Its shocking resemblance to a typical enchilada astounded me. The meal is not what I pictured as a raw vegan enchilada.

As a fan of any restaurant that serves breakfast all day, I also tried the fruit stuffed, yogurt topped crepe. The “crepe” was also made with a dehydrator. Although the accuracy of the flavors was satisfying, my only concern was the lack of variety of fruits inside, as I only had strawberries and blueberries. I finished my meal with a chocolate pie. The chocolate mousse was so appetizing and the nut crust topped off the texture.

I am excited to return to my new favorite restaurant and try a matcha latte or a “BLT.” Check out the rest of their menu and more information on their website: http://thegreenboheme.com/

Vegan/vegetarian restaurants in the USA and Canada can be found at www.vrg.org/restaurants

The Vegetarian Resource Group will be having a booth at the Richmond VegFest in Virginia on Saturday, July 9th between noon and 6 PM. Stop by and say hello!

For information on the event, visit:
https://www.veggiefest.org/

By Christiana Rutkowski

As an athlete, it is imperative to fuel your body correctly. Athletes have often been compared to cars. For a car to run efficiently, it needs adequate fuel. And the better the fuel, the better the car runs. The same applies to athletes, especially to runners—running requires energy, focus, and consistency. If runners are not supplying themselves with adequate energy, nutrition, and fuel, they will not be able to perform to the best of their abilities. Not getting enough calories and a lack of nutritious food can result in fatigue, inability to perform, injury, sickness, and other detrimental consequences.

As a runner myself, I know that when I have not eaten enough prior to a run, I definitely feel it. I often feel lethargic, unmotivated, very sore, or experience intense fatigue when I have not consumed enough calories. There is so much to say about nutrition for athletes and runners, but to keep it simple, I will touch on a few snacks that are great not just before a run, but after as well, and throughout the day to keep you satisfied, energized, and content.

Some snack ideas that provide nutrients, calories, and keep you satiated include:
• Toast with any of the following: nut butters, avocado, fruit, jam, jelly, or hummus
• Bagels with nut butters, vegan butter, or vegan cream cheese
• Fruit smoothies with additional items like ground flaxseed, chia seeds, hemp seeds, dates, non-dairy yogurt, or vegan protein powder
• Oatmeal with fruit (fresh or frozen), maple syrup or agave, seeds, cinnamon, and nuts
• Trail mix
• Banana with peanut butter
• Whole grain cereal with almond milk (or other non-dairy milks)
• Nutritional bars such as Clif bars, Lara bars, D’s Naturals No Cow bars, and other vegan options (or homemade—check out websites like Oh She Glows and No Meat Athlete for recipes)
• Dried fruit
• Fruit (fresh or frozen) by itself
• Vegetables such as carrots, cucumber, bell peppers, celery, grape tomatoes, and broccoli with hummus
• A pita wrap with vegetables like bean sprouts, tomatoes, bell peppers, shredded carrot, broccoli slaw, spinach, mixed greens, cucumber, shredded lettuce and hummus, as well as avocado
• Juice such as orange juice, apple juice, and grape juice
• Non-dairy vegan yogurt with granola and fruit
• Dates with peanut butter
• Peanut butter and jelly/peanut butter and banana sandwich

Above are just some of many vegan snack options that can be included in an athlete’s/runner’s diet. Not only are they all incredibly tasty, but they are also very easy to pack and carry around in a bag on-the-go as well. Some snacks may require an insulated lunch bag or an ice pack to keep them cool.

Some of my personal favorite snacks to eat before running (and that make me feel best, especially if it is very early in the morning) are either ½-1 Clif bar, dates (preferably Medjool) with peanut or almond butter, fruit (usually bananas or apples), cereal with sprinkled ground flaxseed and almond milk, and/or bagels/toast with peanut butter and banana slices.
If you’re anything like me, I like to eat every 2-3 hours and I snack a lot. To make it convenient, I always bring a snack with me wherever I go. It isn’t hard to pack some trail mix, a banana, an energy bar, other fruit, dried fruit, or things like pretzels and rice cakes. Simply keep some non-perishable items in places like your backpack, your purse, your car, or anywhere else you can easily get access to some food.

The good thing about all of these snack ideas is that they take very little prep and require no fuss. They also are all, for the most part, inexpensive and very easy items to find in your grocery store. I personally am the biggest fan of Clif bars, Clif Builder bars, and D’s Naturals No Cow bars. They’re dense, tasty, and easy to take around.
Make sure to include foods in your everyday diet that provide a variety of micronutrients and macronutrients to help you feel your best and train your best.

For more information, see:
http://www.vrg.org/teen/#athletes
http://www.vrg.org/athlete/

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.

VegDining.com is pleased to donate 10% of all VegDining Card purchases by VRG subscribers and supporters during July and August 2016. The VegDining Card is an international vegetarian discount card with over a hundred vegetarian restaurants and other businesses offering discounts to cardholders on their goods and services. Visit VegDining.com to order your card (be sure to mention “VRG” to ensure a donation will be made on your purchase). VegDining is a guide to vegetarian dining, promoting vegetarianism around the world since 1999.

“Do I need to throw away my non-vegan makeup, clothes, and other products once I go vegan, even if I purchased them before going Vegan?”
By Sasha Keenan

As lifestyle choices are personal, every vegan has a unique set of reasons for avoiding animal products. In many cases, this rationale is some combination of ethical, environmental, and health concerns. While some individuals are simply looking to eat plant-based foods, others completely eliminate non-vegan makeup, clothes, and products.

My initial transition to veganism was solely for health reasons and could be classified as a diet change. Previously, I made frequent trips to the McDonald’s drive-thru and snacked on fatty, oily snacks – I felt sluggish and unhappy. After getting very sick, I decided that I needed to alter my diet drastically by going vegan. Because my decision to eliminate animal products from my diet was for my own wellbeing, I did not get rid of my non-vegan makeup, clothes, and products.

About six months into my vegan journey, I began researching non-health related benefits of veganism and watching documentaries such as Cowspiracy and Forks over Knives. After I became aware of the perpetual neglect and abuse animals suffer and how environmentally damaging livestock production is, my passion for veganism grew – I was no longer vegan for me, but for the planet and every being on it. While consuming a vegan diet is the best thing I could do for my body, following a vegan lifestyle was the best thing I could do for the world. Although I already wasn’t eating meat, fish, dairy, or eggs, I no longer wanted to own leather, fur, or products tested on animals because I didn’t want to support the production of these products. I promptly donated every non-vegan product I owned. In other words, I believe that if you’re simply interested in eating a vegan diet, you may not necessarily dispose of your non-vegan products, but if you’re seeking a vegan lifestyle, you should.

Morgan Hubbard, an incoming freshman at the University of Illinois, transitioned to veganism after she discovered her passion for animal sciences and animal rights. Since her decision to go vegan was driven by a moral issue, she said she found herself following a vegan lifestyle and getting rid of her non-vegan products. “I didn’t really use my non-vegan products after going vegan, so I gave them away,” Hubbard said.

When getting rid of non-vegan products, I think it’s important to note that throwing away makeup, clothes, and products that have already been purchased is wasteful. Though she didn’t have many non-vegan products when transitioning to veganism about a year ago, Vegetarian Resource Group Intern Sierra Young said she decided to use up her non-vegan products instead of throwing them away. “I did not get rid of what [non-vegan products] I had because of the waste factor,” Young said.

Christiana Rutkowski, another Vegetarian Resource Group Intern, said she thinks it’s more environmentally and ethically conscious to use up a non-vegan product than to throw it away. “It’s wasteful throwing something out and if you bought it beforehand, just use it until it can no longer be used or give it to a friend.” If you don’t want to make use of your non-vegan products, I think a good solution is to donate these products to Goodwill or, as Rutkowski suggested, give them away to a friend.

Casey Brown, a VRG Intern, said she thinks giving away non-vegan products to non-vegan friends often allows vegans to “discuss issues with their friends and tell them why they no longer support the products.” In addition to creating a platform on which to educate others, giving someone else an already purchased product will prevent the purchase of a new non-vegan product. For example, if a recently-transitioned vegan has a pair of leather boots they want to get rid of and their friend is looking to buy a new pair of leather boots, the vegan can give their friend the boots and prevent their friend from buying a new pair of boots made with leather from another animal. “Giving something non-vegan to a friend or donating it somewhere prevents people from buying a brand new product and further supporting the industry,” Brown said.

What’s your opinion?