We’re hiring! The Vegetarian Resource Group, a vegan non-profit, seeks part-time staff member knowledgeable in vegetarianism to coordinate, edit, design, and lay out the quarterly Vegetarian Journal, as well as perform other miscellaneous editing and layout tasks. Must plan and complete projects on a strict deadline, work as part of a team, and be knowledgeable in Quark and Photoshop. Position is in Baltimore office. Five to ten hours per week. Send cover letter, salary requirements, and writing and layout samples to Editor Job, [email protected], or mail to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203.

Vegans, like the general population, sometimes need to be following a special diet. The Vegetarian Resource Group has some gluten-free, food allergy, and weight loss books that might make your life easier.

Food Allergy Survival Guide
By Vesanto Melina, MS, RD, Jo Stepaniak, and Dina Aronson, MS, RD

If you or someone you know has a diagnosed or suspected food allergy, here’s help! Three leading authorities in dietetics, nutrition, and vegetarian cooking give invaluable advice for those with food sensitivities and their families. The authors offer a unique combination of scientific research, culinary expertise, and practical tips abase on sound experience to help you plan nutritionally sound and satisfying meals.

With their help you can:

• Discover how to avoid the foods and ingredients that trigger reactions.
• Pinpoint the foods that can cause or contribute to symptoms of arthritis, asthma, ADHD, candida, celiac disease, dermatitis, depression, digestive disorders, fatigue, migraines, and other conditions.
• Learn how to substitute healthful, plant-based ingredients for allergenic ingredients in recipes.
• Find “hidden” culprits in prepared foods.
• Understand the latest food labeling regulations, and become an efficient and sophisticated food shopper.
• Prepare over 100 recipes, free of the most common food allergens.

A diet free of “problem” foods doesn’t have to be limiting or boring. Uncover a new world of delicious and nourishing dishes, from the familiar to the exotic, that will appeal to everyone, whether or not they have food sensitivities.

Enjoy:
Wheat- and dairy-free cakes, cookies, quick breads, pie crusts, and pizza
Soy-free meatless entrées
Main-dish salads and baked potatoes
Dairy-free sauces and soups
Egg-free breakfast dishes and desserts

The Gluten-Free Vegan
By Susan O’Brien

If you have a gluten sensitivity or food allergy, you know how difficult it can be to eat well without feeling deprived. Now, great-tasting gluten-free, dairy-free, animal-free meals have never been simpler. With 150 recipes, The Gluten-Free Vegan makes it easy to get creative and healthy dinners on the table.

Gourmet cook Susan O’Brien, author of Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Cooking, is a food-allergy sufferer herself. In The Gluten-Free Vegan, she shows you how to make a wider range of dishes that are both gluten-free and vegan, including:

• Mexican Quinoa Salad
• Yam Enchiladas with Pomegranate Sauce
• Peach and Blueberry Cobbler
• Stuffed Butternut Squash
• Asparagus Risotto
• Pumpkin Scones
• No-Bake Chocolate Cookies
• Italian Style Pasta and No-Meat Meatballs
• Fresh Avocado and Cucumber Soup
• Coconut Pancakes

Also included are tips on food substitutions, raw and organic foods, quick preparation, and resources for easily finding ingredients. Whether you have celiac disease and want to adopt a vegan lifestyle or are already vegan and trying to eliminate gluten from you diet, The Gluten-Free Vegan offers solutions for anyone seeking a new—and delicious—approach to healthier eating.

Appetite for Reduction
By Isa Chandra Moskowitz

A lot of people assume that most, if not all, vegans are slender. Ms. Moskowtiz understands this is a myth and has authored a weight-loss cookbook to help vegans and other readers shed extra pounds. Appetite for Reduction features 125 recipes that are low in calories but rank high for substance and creativity. Symbols indicate if a dish is gluten-free and/or soy-free and whether it can be prepared in fewer than 30 minutes. Helpful hints are also found throughout this work. Many people hear the word ‘salad’ and think ‘diet food.’ The salads in this book, however, are quite hearty. Examples include Sushi Roll Edamame Salad with Green Onion-Miso Vinaigrette and Catalan Couscous Salad with Pears with Romesco Dressing.

Among the side dishes, you will discover a Cranberry-Cashew Biryani, Scallion Potato Pancakes, and OMG Oven-Baked Onion Rings. Great vegetable-based choices include Jerk Asparagus, Pineapple Collards, and Braised Cabbage with Seitan.

Isa’s main dishes are divided into several categories, including bean dishes such as Caribbean Curried Black-Eyed Peas with Plantains. You’ll find the likes of Tamarind BBQ Tempeh and Sweet Potatoes among the tofu and tempeh dishes, and the pasta and noodle entrées feature Ginger Bok Choy and Soba and Cajun Beanballs and Spaghetti. You’ll also find a variety of satisfying soups, stews, curries, and chili, including Cauliflower Pesto Soup, Chili Verde con Papas, Kidney Bean and Butternut Jamba Stew, Potato-Spinach Curry, and Smoky Split Pea Soup.

There are no dessert recipes; after all, this is a weight-loss book. You will, however, find gorgeous color photos in this cookbook, as well as nutritional analyses.

By Shelby Jackson, VRG Intern

Designing your own service project that engages with an issue you and your friends care passionately about can be an extremely rewarding and enjoyable experience. In high school, my friends and I distributed free vegetarian burritos to the homeless. Our project was simple: we would fundraise, use the money to purchase and prepare burritos, and distribute them to the homeless.

This project was an informal operation, and sometimes my friends and I would use the ingredients we found in whatever house we happened to be hanging out in. Other times, we would ask our friends and family for money or we’d contribute from our own pockets. Burritos are just about the easiest and cheapest thing to make, and how you make them can really just depend on what ingredients are available at the grocery store. Its saves money to buy unprepared, bagged beans, and you can cook, drain, and mash them up to create your own refried beans. Spread them on some flour tortillas with a bit of chunky salsa, sautéed peppers and onion, and you’ve got a delicious, nutritious, cheap meal. You can use wax paper to wrap the burrito and secure it with a rubber band. My friends and I drove to the locations where homeless people were known to be, and we passed the burritos out to anyone who wanted one.

Some cities have strict regulations when it comes to feeding the homeless, so be sure to do a bit of research before you get started. Depending on where you live, it might be a good idea to work with an already established organization. You can work with them to incorporate healthier, meat-less options. Find cheap vegetarian recipes that can be easily prepared, and share them with the organization providing the meals. Inform them about the nutritional benefits of meal-less meals, and advocate that the homeless deserve better, more nutritious foods.

Though my friends and I would often eat burritos together, and the project was initially an extension of this time we spent together, Operation Burrito was also something that was very meaningful to us. My first year as a vegan was a time of great confusion, realization and frustration. Before becoming vegan, I was vegetarian for four years. Motivated by a deep appreciation and love for animals, I was not yet aware of the environmental degradation coinciding with an omnivorous diet, the health benefits of a vegan diet, or the implications meat eating has on global food distribution. The latter was what inspired me to become vegan, and my new found understanding of my relation to such pervasive global food inequity was difficult for me to comprehend. I could not understand why the astounding nature of global food disparities – and how truly unsustainable meat consumption is – had not been revealed to me sooner, and worse, why nobody seemed to care.

Operation Burrito provided me a way to channel my frustration with such widespread food injustice in a way that would allow me to help my community. It was a platform for critical discussion among my friends, and was a way for us to make a small difference in the lives of those unable to attain enough food. Our efforts were appreciated by those who ate our burritos, and we were, in a small way, able to feel slightly better about our place in the global scheme of things.

The Vegetarian Resource Group is proud to present Gretchen Coleman of Des Moines, Iowa with a $5,000 scholarship for her work in promoting vegetarianism in her community and her outstanding effort towards providing healthy, vegetarian food for the hungry.

From its start when she was in third grade, Gretchen’s vegetarianism was a struggle for her family to understand. “Being from Iowa,” says
Gretchen, “the diet is typically a ‘meat and potatoes’ type of meal.” Gretchen began to question this lifestyle that was so inherent to her
family from a young age. To her, the idea of eating something that was once alive and breathing seemed “like the most selfish thing,” and she
decided to stop eating meat.

In her first year of high school, Gretchen began working at Fresh Café and Market, a restaurant serving fresh and seasonal smoothies and sandwiches. Before Gretchen was employed at Fresh Café and Market, it did serve fish and chicken, but since she joined their staff, she encouraged and assisted them to stop selling any meat or fish. This job has demonstrated and increased Gretchen’s awareness about vegetarian issues, knowledge about vegetarian health, and dedication to the vegetarian lifestyle. Through her job, she talks to both vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike about the health benefits of vegetarianism and the reasons for living a meat-free life.

Gretchen also has devoted over 200 hours to community service during high school. She worked on the student board of Meals from the Heartland, a group that provides vegetarian meals to hungry people in Des Moines, as well as Haiti and some parts of Africa and the United States. This year, Gretchen helped organize fundraisers and made over $1,500 for the organization. She also has given her time at a local animal shelter, as a dog volunteer, making sure the dogs stay happy and get an adequate amount of attention each day.

Gretchen hopes to continue influencing people to lead healthier vegetarian lifestyles throughout college and plans to study dietetics. “I know I can make a huge difference in the lives of people by promoting natural and vegetarian living,” says Gretchen.

For more information about The Vegetarian Resource Group scholarships, see http://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm

To donate towards future scholarships, please visit http://www.vrg.org/donate

By Hillary Blunt, VRG Intern

The Vegetarian Resource Group is proud to award Kyana ‘Kitty’ Jones, a 2012 graduate of Shorecrest High School, in Washington state, a $5000 scholarship for her outstanding dedication to vegetarian activism. Kitty’s exceptional commitment to promoting vegetarianism can be seen through the work she has done in her high school and community.

Kitty is an activist every day of her life, because, according to her, “animal and environmental rights are what my life is based around.” From
passing out vegan samples in a cow suit at the local farmers market, leading a vegan bake sale at her school, handing out vegan starter
packs, preparing for vegan outreach events, to leafleting to the general public, Kitty keeps herself busy with vegetarian grass roots activism.
Kitty has educated countless individuals about the benefits of a vegetarian diet through hosting animal rights film screenings, dedicating many hours to volunteering, urging her school to collect more vegetarian products for the food drive, passing out recipes, collecting and distributing vegetarian food to the homeless, hosting fund-raisers, and campaigning for a district wide Meatless Monday school menu. Kitty’s
unyielding commitment to making the world a better place is remarkably inspiring.

Kitty has introduced compassionate eating choices to her classmates by holding vegan potlucks, passing out vegan samples with pamphlets
attached, taking friends out to vegan restaurants, and inviting animal rights speakers to give presentations at her school. Kitty is founder
and president of her high school’s animal rights club and conducts outreach with the Seattle Animal Defense League, Northwest Animal Rights Network, Action for Animals, and The Humane Society. As campaign intern for The Humane Society, Kitty gathered over 10,000 signatures during the summer of 2011, more than any other volunteer in the history of that organization’s initiative campaigns. Additionally, Kitty started a “Housecleaning for the Greater Good” business in which all proceeds are donated to animal rights organizations.

Kitty plans to pursue environmental science so she may protect the rainforest and work to alleviate the unsustainable and environmentally degrading effects of factory farming and animal agriculture. Veganism is a critical aspect of Kitty’s life; in order for her to live happily, she feels she must do all she can to encourage others to take social responsibility and put the lives of others and the health of the environment before their own personal pleasures. An unstoppable catalyst for the animal rights, vegetarian, and environmental movements, Kitty’s impeccable perseverance, dedication, and enthusiasm will undoubtedly promote change for the better.

Learn more about Kitty’s commitment to preservation of animal rights.

VRG sponsors two annual $5,000 scholarships for graduating high school seniors who have promoted vegetarianism in their communities. For more information on the scholarship, visit http://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm.

To donate to the scholarship fund, go to www.vrg.org/donate and write scholarship in the comments.

By Shelby Jackson, VRG Intern

These vegan restaurants were recently added to our online restaurant guide. To find restaurants in your area, visit: http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

Grindcore House

1515 S. 4th St., Philadelphia, PA 19147
(215) 839-3333

Vegan/coffeehouse. Grindcore House is a laid-back café, a place to sit and relax while enjoying their selection of vegan sandwiches, baked goods, and coffee. They have free soy, almond, and coconut milks to add to your drinks and reasonably-priced food. Additionally, there’s an anarchist bookshelf for you to peruse, constant metal music playing, and free Wi-Fi. Grindcore, located in South Philly, has a unique ambiance and is a fun hangout spot. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Counter service, take-out, soymilk, VISA/MC/AMEX/DISC, $.

O! Vegasm

St Roch Tavern, 1200 St Roch Ave., New Orleans, LA 70117
(504) 302-8344

Vegan/American. O! Vegasm offers delicious comfort foods that are completely vegan! Try Jackfruit Reuben on Rye, Spicy Black Bean Burger, Vegasmic BBQ Sandwich, or “Save the Crab” Cakes. Don’t miss their Sunday brunch. Savor delicious pancakes, pastries, and other brunch treats while you enjoy jukebox music and a fun, friendly vibe. The chef/owner has cooked in some of the finest restaurants in New Orleans. O! Vegasm is located inside St Roch Tavern in the Bywater. Open Tuesday through Saturday for dinner. Open Sunday for brunch. Closed Monday. Full service, take-out, delivery, catering, VISA/MC/AMEX/DISC, $-$$.

Rise Above Bakery

120 St. Paul St., St. Catharines, ON L2R 3M2
(289) 362-2636

Vegan/bakery/café. Rise Above Bakery, located in the heart of downtown St. Catharines, Ontario, is a small and eclectic bakery and café with a specialty for artisan vegan doughnuts. The café offers various soups, salads, and entrées that emphasize vegetables and legumes. Their motto is “Life’s too short to make others’ shorter,” and if you think this is witty, check out their webpage where they have shirts with the logo and motto available for purchase. Reservations are accepted. Open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner. Open Sunday for brunch. Closed Monday. Full service, take-out, catering, espresso, special beverages, VISA/MC, $-$$.

VegaDeli 100% Vegan Café

177 Hilltown Village Center, Chesterfield, MO 63017
(636) 536-6938

Vegan/café/juice bar. VegaDeli is a totally vegan café and juice bar offering cooked and raw foods. Menu items include soups, sandwiches, veggie burgers, and desserts. They offer nutritional and cooking classes as well as free Wi-Fi. Follow them on Facebook or Twitter for daily Soups and Specials. They are closed on Mondays for private events, meetings, and parties. VegaDeli is located on Olive by Chesterfield Parkway in the Schnucks Hilltown Village Center; they are on the left side of the Plaza. Open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner. Open Sunday for lunch and early dinner. Closed Monday. Counter service, take-out, catering, fresh juices, smoothies, soymilk, espresso/cappuccino, VISA/MC/DISC, $.

Along with many thousands, VRG is still without power due to storms this weekend. The electric company is not sure when power will be restored, so we apologize for not responding quickly this week. Keep cool!

by Shelby Jackson, VRG intern

According to The Indian Express news article, “India’s beef on entry of US dairy products: the cow ingredient,” by Ravish Tiwari, American dairy products are experiencing difficulties penetrating Indian markets due to India’s religious beliefs and political opinions about what types of foods cows should eat. India requires certification that the cows producing dairy exported to their country are “never fed feeds produced from internal organs, blood meal and tissues of ruminant origin.” This poses a conflict of interest, as US cattle commonly consume feed containing meat products. Attempting to resolve the issue, the US proposed the cows be fed a meatless diet thirty days leading up to the sourcing of dairy. If this were to come into effect, the US could certify that cattle were “not” fed feed containing meat, rather than “never.” Indian officials are not willing to accept the proposition. R S Sodhi, Managing Director of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, claims, “ The US wants full access to our market while it denies market access to our dairy exports. They impose high tariff and non-tariff barriers. Indian cheese is made using vegetarian microbial rennet as against calf rennet and other animal rennets used in the US for cheese production.” Indian officials are seeking correspondence with political leadership to further address the issue.

References
1. Tiwari, R. India’s beef on entry of US dairy products: the cow ingredient. The Indian Express. 2010. Available at: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/indias-beef-on-entry-of-us-dairy-products-the-cow-ingredient/704985/0. Accessed June 27, 2012.

For information on Calcium Content of Popular Non-Dairy Indian Vegetarian Dishes and Ingredients see
http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2009issue4/2009_issue4_calcium_indian.php

The contents of this article, our website, and our other publications, including the 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 companies. Information does change and mistakes are always possible. Please use your own best judgment about whether a product is suitable for you. Further research or confirmation may be warranted. For more information on food processing methods and food ingredients and to purchase our Guide to Food Ingredients, please visit our website at http://www.vrg.org/ingredients/index.php

By Shelby Jackson, VRG Intern

For a limited time, eight Subway Restaurants in Maryland, Washington DC, and Virginia will be test-offering three vegan meat substitutes: the Sweet Riblet, the Malibu Greek, and the Italian Black Bean subs.

A sucker for anything barbecue, the Sweet Riblet was by far my favorite with its chewy tanginess and zesty flavor. The Malibu Greek came in close second with its indescribably unique taste that was far different from any meat substitute I have ever tried. The Italian Black Bean was also delicious with a more familiar, wholesome black bean burger taste.

Unfortunately, there are no plans to offer these vegan selections nationally so it is important to show support by requesting these options at your local Subway or by contacting the company at www.subway.com.

The following locations are currently offering the vegan patties:

Washington, DC

• 555 13th St NW, Washington, DC 20005 — 202-347-4616
• 455 Massachusetts Ave, NW (1st Floor) Washington, DC 20001 — 202-638-0348
• 550 First St., NW, Washington, DC 20001 — 202-661-6639

Maryland

• 8145 Main St, Ellicott City, MD 21043 — 410-418-4330
• 5520 Research Park Dr, #107 (Univ. of MD, Baltimore County), Catonsville, MD 21228 — 410-455-5222
• 300 Sentinel Dr, #100, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701 — 301-490-6553

Virginia

• 320 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314 — 703-879-4321
• 2361 Eisenhower Ave, Alexandria, VA 22314 — 703-879-4321

Included below are the list of ingredients for each of the patties:

RIBLET: SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE WITH WATER FOR HYDRATION, TEXTURED WHEAT PROTEIN (WHEAT GLUTEN, WHEAT STARCH) WITH WATER FOR HYDRATION, CANOLA OIL, CONTAINS TWO PERCENT OR LESS OF NATURAL SMOKE FLAVOR, YEAST EXTRACT, SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, MODIFIED VEGETABLE GUM, SALT, EXTRACT OF MALTED BARLEY AND CORN, SUNFLOWER OIL, NATURAL FLAVORS, CARAMEL COLOR, SOY LECITHIN.
CONTAINS SOY AND WHEAT INGREDIENTS.

MALIBU BURGER: SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE WITH WATER FOR HYDRATION, TEXTURED WHEAT PROTEIN (WHEAT GLUTEN, WHEAT STARCH) WITH WATER FOR HYDRATION, CANOLA OIL, CONTAINS TWO PERCENT OR LESS OF NATURAL SMOKE FLAVOR, YEAST EXTRACT, SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, MODIFIED VEGETABLE GUM, SALT, EXTRACT OF MALTED BARLEY AND CORN, SUNFLOWER OIL, NATURAL FLAVORS, CARAMEL COLOR, SOY LECITHIN.
CONTAINS SOY AND WHEAT INGREDIENTS.

BLACK BEAN BURGER: SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE WITH WATER FOR HYDRATION, TEXTURED WHEAT PROTEIN (WHEAT GLUTEN, WHEAT STARCH) WITH WATER FOR HYDRATION, CANOLA OIL, CONTAINS TWO PERCENT OR LESS OF NATURAL SMOKE FLAVOR, YEAST EXTRACT, SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, MODIFIED VEGETABLE GUM, SALT, EXTRACT OF MALTED BARLEY AND CORN, SUNFLOWER OIL, NATURAL FLAVORS, CARAMEL COLOR, SOY LECITHIN.
CONTAINS SOY AND WHEAT INGREDIENTS.

For more information about fast food restaurants and vegetarian options, visit http://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.htm. To learn more about vegetarian options offered in restaurants throughout America, visit the Vegetarian Resource Group’s Restaurant Guide at http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php.

A very successful vegan restaurant is for sale in southern California. This completely turnkey establishment has a fully-equipped kitchen and a beautiful outdoor patio. $120,000 firm. Only serious buyers should inquire. For more information, please contact Rick at [email protected].