Chef Nancy Berkoff, Rd, Ed.D shares quick-and-easy tips to prepare vegan dishes with kale. See: www.vrg.org/journal/vj2014issue4/2014_issue4_cooking_tips.php

To subscribe to Vegetarian Journal go to: www.vrg.org/bookstore/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=3#sthash.WoU3iRgf.dpuf

The Vegetarian Resource Group has an online guide to veggie restaurants in the USA and Canada on their website. Below are some recent vegan restaurant additions. You can access the guide at: http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php.

Cleveland Vegan Catering and Cafe
17112 Detroit Ave
Lakewood, OH 44107
The vegan based menu consists of organically grown veggies from local farmers. Being health conscious and environmentally kind is their main concern in creating meals with care. Patrons enjoy delectable dishes such as the Spinach Asparagus Omelet made with red pepper, tofu, almond milk, and black salt; as well as the Banana Almost French toast made with cinnamon, apple compote, and coconut whipped cream. Serving dishes with identical tastes as the animal-based products, most diners don’t even remember that they are eating vegan!

Flora
307 Old York Rd.
Jenkintown PA 19046
Located down the street from the Hiway Theater. Flora offers an entirely vegan menu with incredibly creative dishes. Choices include Jerusalem Artichoke Soup, Tamales, and the Wild Mushroom Duxelle. The menu is served in three courses with the option for dessert, so be sure to bring a hearty appetite. Accepts reservations. BYOB. Cash only.

Gangster Vegan
2454 W Main St
Norristown, PA 19403
Attractively styled dishes show ‘swag’ as the colorful vegetable based plates are named after your favorite Hip Hop culture titles. With delectable pies such as the Sweet Thing consisting of Walnuts, Dates, Sweet Potato, Ginger, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Vanilla Bean, and Coconut oil; and Smoothies and Juices that hit the spot, Gangster Vegan ‘chills out’ even the hungriest appetite.

Green & Tonic
7 Strickland Road, Cos Cob, CT 06807
098 Boston Post Road, Darien, CT 06820
5 Burtis Ave., New Canaan, CT 06840
85 Railroad Ave., Greenwich, CT 06830
Green & Tonic features a wide selection of juices, smoothies, and snacks. Juice choices range from classic combinations like the Green Monster to exotic blends like the Turmeric Tonic. The menu also has a seasonal selection of salads, wraps, and soups. Choose from hearty options like the Baked Falafel Salad or the Vegan “Tuna” Wrap. There are several locations of this juice bar in Connecticut.

Juiceateria
179 SE Mizner Blvd.
Boca Raton, FL 33432
Multi-colored geometrics with a vibrant vibe, Juceateria takes pride in cleanliness as well as friendliness. Recreating your favorite fast food items into delectable pieces of health heaven, this café still delivers big on the quality. Offering chia, maca, flax, spirulina, goji berries, and raw cocoa. Multi-Menus available including the Juice bar menu, Raw Garden Menu, and Pre/Post Workout Menu, as well as Raw Food Classes.

Jukai Juice
3600 Hickory Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21211
Jukai Juice is located in the Hampden area of Baltimore. Offering juices produced daily by a specialized cold-press which allows the lowest oxidation levels when extracting maximum vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. These low oxidation levels allow the juices to be stored for 3 to 5 days at 38 degrees. Refreshing Juices include the Hulk- which is made from kale, pineapple, green apple, lemon, and ginger. Purchases can be made online as well.

Livehara Café
116 South 20th Ave.
Hollywood, FL 33020
Indoors presents an intimate setting of pleasant soft music piped in along with cool central air and Wi-Fi and booths along a wall. A nice outdoor seating area under umbrellas is also available. Daily Signatures such as the Nori Wrap and Thai Curry Soup are rounded off with guilt free sweets like the Raw Cheesecake. Wash it down with a juice like the Apple Detox or a Smoothie like the Blueberry Bliss.

Seed + Salt
2240 Chestnut St.
San Francisco, CA 94123
Seed + Salt features a wide variety of vegan and gluten free menu items. Stop in for breakfast to try the Savory Chickpea Frittata or 72 Hour Granola. Or choose from their many lunch and dinner options like the Eggplant BLT Sandwich. The menu also features a selection of gluten free breads meant to be eaten with their various sweet and savory spreads.

Two Mamma’s Vegan Kitchen
3700 E. 12th St.
Oakland, CA 94601
Two Mamma’s Vegan Kitchen is an eclectic café serving locally and ethically sourced food. They offer a breakfast and brunch menu as well as soups, sandwiches, salads, and entrees. They even have home-made ice cream. This café is truly a vegan heaven!

V Street Food Bar
126 S. 19th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Located in Rittenhouse Square on 19th St., the V Street Food Bar offers an enormous assortment of different types of street food from around the world. The portions are light to allow for a variety of tasting, and even sharing with your party. Diners are raving about the Mushroom Dan Dan Noodles of zucchini, red chile and Thai basil and the Langos which is a flat round bread with a remoulade sauce, topped with smoked beets, sauerkraut and dill. The flavor combinations are uniquely created to spoil your palate.

Vromage
7988 W. Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90046
Vromage is located in a strip mall with convenient free parking. They offer a variety of vegan cheeses, as well as sandwiches, pizzas, salads, and platters incorporating the nut-based, aged cheeses such as Veganzola and Mozzarella. The friendly owner also offers free samples.

Zen Mystery Cafe
56 N Federal Highway
Dania Beach, FL 33004
An organic tea lounge located in a meditation center. Its peaceful atmosphere, tall ceilings, and a sweet little sitting nook allows patrons to unwind and enjoy. Choose from starters such as the Raw Vegan Pate and Fresh Veggies or Soup of the day. Mains like the Save-The-Tuna Roll consisting of “sushi” rolls stuffed with rainbow veggies including cucumber, bell pepper, carrots, purple cabbage and mixed baby greens along with flat breads and a vegan spread are sure to please the palate.

We would like to thank our volunteers Shani Stewart, Anne Porterfield Custer and Matt Baker, RN. for their help with the restaurant guide. If you would like to volunteer to help with the restaurant guide or other projects, please contact Nina at [email protected].

2014 Winners are featured here: http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2014issue4/2014_issue4_scholarship_winners.php

In 2015, thanks to an anonymous donor The Vegetarian Resource Group will be awarding $20,000 in scholarship money to graduating High School seniors that have promoted vegetarian/vegan diets over an extended period of time in their community, school, etc.

The deadline to enter the 2015 contest is February 20, 2015 and details can be found here: http://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm

Earlier this year, The Vegetarian Resource Group did a national survey conducted by Harris Poll of more than 1,200 U.S. youth ages 8-18. We asked the following:

Which of the following, if any, best describes your eating behavior? (Just select one choice.)

1. You never eat meat, fish, seafood, or poultry.
2. You don’t eat meat, fish, seafood, or poultry at one meal per week.
3. You don’t eat meat, fish, seafood, or poultry one full day per week.
4. You don’t eat meat, fish, seafood, or poultry at many of your meals, but less than half the time.
5. You don’t eat meat, fish, seafood, or poultry at more than half of your meals, but not all the time.
6. You never eat meat, fish, seafood, poultry, dairy, or eggs.
7. Not any of the above. No answer.

To see the results of this poll visit: http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2014issue4/2014_issue4_poll_results.php

To see other polling results from The Vegetarian Resource Group go to: http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/faq.htm#poll

Thank you to the Bank of America employee who recently made a donation to VRG, which was matched by Bank of America. To see if your large employer matches donations, see www.vrg.org/donate and select “Would you like your employer to match? You could double your donation.”

Thanks so much for your support!

Chanukah is a time that extended families gather together. Here are three vegan recipes you can share with your friends and family during this 8-day celebration.

Tofu/Potato Pancakes (from Conveniently Vegan)
Makes 8 pancakes – serve 2 per person

2 pounds white potatoes, peeled and chopped
6 cups water
1 box (about 10-12 ounces) extra firm silken tofu, crumbled
½ cup matzo meal
Small onion, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon dill weed
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons oil

Place potatoes in water in a large covered pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook 15 minutes over a medium-high heat. Drain.
Place the cooked potatoes and remaining ingredients (except for the oil) in a food processor cup. Blend until smooth (about 3 minutes).
Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Brown pancakes on each side for 8 minutes. Flip over carefully. Serve warm pancakes with applesauce.

Vegan Noodle Kugel (from Vegans Know How to Party)
Serves 5

Vegetable oil spray
One 12-ounce package wide vegan noodles (lasagna noodles work well)
1½ cups silken tofu
¾ cup organic sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons orange zest
½ cup raisins
½ cup drained, chopped canned peaches
1½ cups peeled, cored, and cubed green apples
¼ cup applesauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a loaf pan (about 4 inches deep and 8 inches long) with oil. Cook noodles according to package directions, drain, and cool. Using a blender or mixer, puree tofu with sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and zest.
In a large bowl, combine raisins, peaches, apples, and applesauce. Whip in tofu mixture. Add in noodles and mix until well combined. Pour into loaf pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until golden.

Variations: For different flavors, use pineapple or apricots instead of peaches and dried cranberries and cherries or apricots instead of raisins. Whole wheat noodles can be used in this recipe.

Festive Cashew Cookies (from Simply Vegan)
Makes 2 dozen

2 cups raw cashews
1 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup molasses or maple syrup
½ cup water
¼ cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Small jar fruit-only jam

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grind the raw cashews and rolled oats together in a food processor for a few minutes. Pour mixture into a large bowl and add the remaining ingredients, except for the jam. Mix all the ingredients together.
Form 24 round balls and place on a lightly oiled cookie sheet. With your thumb, form a small well in the center of each ball. Place a small amount of jam in each well. Bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees. Allow cookies to cool before removing from the cookie sheet. These cookies make a wonderful gift!

Support The Vegetarian Resource Group with VRG’s affinity Visa® Platinum Rewards credit card!

When a cardholder activates the card, The Vegetarian Resource Group receives $50. Then for the life of the program, VRG will receive a portion of every dollar that each cardholder charges. The VRG Visa® Platinum Rewards card offers qualified cardholders exceptional benefits including no annual fee, a low APR and reward points for shopping at participating merchants. View FAQs.

Add your support with every purchase when you use the The VRG Visa® Platinum Rewards card. To apply, see: http://www.cardpartner.com/app/vrg

Coffee mugs, key chains, t-shirts, and buttons featuring VRG’s slogan “Vegetarians Have Good Hearts!” are available at http://www.zazzle.com/vegresgroup. By purchasing these items you will be supporting our vegan outreach including sending literature to schools, doctor’s and dietitians offices, restaurants, hospitals, senior centers, and more. Thank you for your support!

By Dina Gharib
Former VRG Intern

When I applied for the VRG internship, I didn’t know what to expect. I was just beginning my junior year at UMBC and I knew I needed to start gaining professional experience. I was unsure of what I wanted to become, and saw that this internship would be beneficial to both routes I was considering, as well as my own personal beliefs. In a few short months spent at the VRG office, I am leaving as a completely changed person. I am now confident in my beliefs, as well as my capabilities. Before this internship, I was always too nervous to show others my writing or to talk with fellow co-workers or classmates in fear of judgment. I learned that no one is perfect; that everyone on this earth is trying their best to be the ultimate version of themselves. We learn, we listen, and we grow as individuals. I also learned that every single person on this earth has some wisdom to be shared. Whether you agree with their perspective or not, it is our duty as educated individuals to take all perspectives into consideration, especially if you’re a writer.

I’ve learned that we develop as people through experience and that multiple drafts are necessary in completing a polished well-read article. I also learned that criticism doesn’t have to be something you take to heart; criticism is meant to help develop your thoughts, and allows for the writer to hear other perspectives concerning your work. I was able to push myself to write as much as possible about topics that I am passionate about. I was able to work at outreach events, and meet and talk to like-minded individuals. I was able to spread my knowledge, as well as embrace wisdom from many other people that I probably would not have crossed paths with if I had not done this internship.

My first week consisted of setting up and working at the Natural Food and Products Expo East, one of the biggest natural food conventions on the east coast. Safe to say I was completely overwhelmed. I had no idea how big the industry was, and I felt right at home. Being surrounded by like-minded individuals who share the same passion as me is an experience that I will not forget. Along with the expo, I had the honor of working at The Vegetarian Resource Group booth at the first Vegan Soul Fest in Baltimore, Maryland. Along with attending these amazing events, I was able to write countless restaurant/food reviews and articles, including an interview I conducted with a local vegan doughnut business. The freedom to write about topics that interested me resulted in the creation of countless pieces that I am legitimately proud of writing. Luckily, since I started my internship with a bang, I also had the opportunity to end it similarly with VRG’s 33rd annual Pre-thanksgiving Vegan Potluck. At the potluck I was fortunate enough to meet over a hundred people who were equally as excited and passionate about food and vegetarianism. Being in a room filled with VRG readers and supporters who were kind yet passionate about a similar topic was the best way I could end months of hard work. While I know that my time here at The Vegetarian Resource Group is over, I’m certain that I am leaving with a lot more wisdom, passion, and friends than I could have ever imagined.

Contact The Vegetarian Resource Group if you would like to intern in Baltimore or long distance. Please send to [email protected] your resume or a link to a bio, with a note detailing your desired dates and times to intern, your skills, short term goals, long term goals, vegetarian/vegan knowledge, and what you hope to gain from the internship. You can see the work of past interns at: http://www.vrg.org/student/index.php

If you would like to support internships, you can donate at www.vrg.org/donate

You, your family, office workers, and friends will enjoy these vegan muffin recipes written by Debra Daniels-Zeller found in a recent issue of Vegetarian Journal. Gluten-free vegan options are included! See: http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2014issue4/2014_issue4_muffin_mania.php

Support The Vegetarian Resource Group by subscribing to Vegetarian Journal today: http://www.vrg.org/bookstore/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=3