By Christine Kasum Sexton

The short answer is yes. Protein deficiency, as well as lack of exercise, can contribute to age-related muscle loss. Vegan diets are no more likely to be protein deficient than are non-vegan diets. As you age, however, you likely require fewer calories in your diet, so it is important to make sure that the foods you eat are nutrient-dense and protein-rich.

Age-related muscle loss is extremely common. After the age of 50, most people lose about 1-2% of their muscle per year^1,2. Rates of muscle loss in aging are higher in men than in women^3,4. The name given to this loss of muscle that occurs with aging is sarcopenia. Sarcopenia can significantly impact quality of life by decreasing mobility and increasing risk of falls.

Some research has suggested that slightly higher protein intake, coupled with resistance training, can lead to improved muscle mass in older men⁵. The evidence suggests that an appropriate range of protein intake for older vegans is between 0.36 and 0.57 grams per pound of body weight per day. Using this range, a 65 year old vegan man who weighs 180 pounds would need between 65 and 103 grams of protein per day. You can definitely get this range of protein while following a vegan diet. Choose foods that are good sources of protein such as soybeans, quinoa, lentils, black beans, kidney beans, tempeh, seitan, and textured vegetable protein products such as vegetable burgers and vegetable sausage. Limit empty sources of calories such as soda and “junk” foods like chips or sweets. Some research has also suggested that sarcopenia may be slowed by consuming some protein with each meal (rather than carbohydrates at one meal, and protein at another, for example)⁶.

Lack of regular exercise is a significant factor contributing to age-related muscle loss. Men and women who are less physically active have less muscle mass, and are more likely to experience falls. Resistance training has been clearly shown to lead to increases in both muscle strength and muscle mass. The term resistance training refers to types of exercise that work to increase muscle strength and endurance through repetition of exercises using weights, weight machines, or resistance bands. No other intervention has proven to be as effective at reversing age-related muscle loss as resistance training. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services recommends that older adults perform muscle-strengthening activities at least 2 days each week. When resistance training is used, they recommend one set of 8 to 12 repetitions of each exercise. For maximum effectiveness, exercises should be done that involve all of the major muscle groups.

The sample menu below shows how easy it can be for a vegan to obtain a healthy amount of protein. This menu provides approximately 2000 calories and 92 grams of protein.

Breakfast:
Oatmeal made with soymilk and raisins
2 links of veggie sausage
Coffee

Morning snack:
Orange

Lunch:
Vegan black bean burrito on whole wheat tortilla with avocado, soy cheese, and tomato
Carrot sticks
Apple
Water

Afternoon snack:
Almonds
Strawberry soy yogurt

Dinner:
Stir-fry with mixed vegetables, tofu, and brown rice
Soy milk

References

1. Hughes VA, Frontera WR, Roubenoff R, Evans WJ, Singh MA. Longitudinal changes in body composition in older men and women: role of body weight change and physical activity. Am J Clin Nutr. 2002;76(2):473-81.

2. Sehl ME, Yates FE. Kinetics of human aging: I. Rates of senescence between ages 30 and 70 years in healthy people. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2001;56(5):B198-208.

3. Gallagher D, Ruts E, Visser M, Heshka S, Baumgartner RN, Wang J, Pierson RN, Pi-Sunyer FX, Heymsfield SB. Weight stability masks sarcopenia in elderly men and women. Amer J of Physio – Endocr & Metab. 2000;279(2):E366-E375.

4. Roubenoff R. Sarcopenia: a major modifiable cause of frailty in the elderly. J Nutr Health Aging. 2000;4(3):140-2.

5. Haub MD, Wells AM, Tarnopolsky MA, Campbell WW. Effect of protein source on resistive-training-induced changes in body composition and muscle size in older men. Am J Clin Nutr. 2002; 76(3): 511–517.

6. Paddon-Jones D, Rasmussen BB. Dietary protein recommendations and the prevention of sarcopenia. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2009; 12(1): 86–90.

For more nutrition information, see http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/

The contents of this 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.

Join VRG with $25 via our donation form, and receive the Vegetarian Journal for one year AND a copy of Vegan Meals for One or Two: Your Own Personal Recipes!

Each recipe in Vegan Meals for One or Two by Chef Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD, is written to serve one or two people. We’ve heard the “But I’m the only one in my family who eats vegan meals” and the “I’m vegan, but it’s so hard to cook for one” excuses. Now you have no reason to eat unhealthfully!

Table of Contents
Chapter 1: It’s All About You!
Chapter 2: Meal Planning and Shopping
Chapter 3: Breakfast
Chapter 4: One-Pot Wonders
Chapter 5: Freeze or Refrigerate Now, Eat Later
Chapter 6: Grab-and-Go
Chapter 7: Desserts and Snacks
Chapter 8: Every Day and Special Day Cooking
Glossary
Resources from The Vegetarian Resource Group

Sample Recipe
Is it Tofu? It is Tempeh? It’s Garlic, For Sure

(makes 2 hearty servings)

This dish is guaranteed to keep vampires away. Use this as a sandwich stuffing (good hot or cold) or serve over cooked noodles (how about spinach or carrot pasta), steamed rice, or over a baked potato.

2 Tablespoons olive oil (any vegetable oil is okay)
2 Tablespoons minced garlic cloves
3 Tablespoons flour
1 cup soymilk
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup cubed firm tofu or tempeh

In a medium-sized frying pan, heat oil. Add garlic and sauté until garlic is lightly browned. Remove from heat and whisk in flour to make a paste.

Heat soymilk in a microwave or in a small pot until bubbly. Slowly add paste to soymilk, whisking, to form a smooth sauce, over low heat, approximately 5 minutes. Add tofu or tempeh and allow dish to cook for 3-4 minutes, until heated.

Note: You can try flavored tofu or tempeh, such as barbecue, smoked, or Cajun to add even more flavor.

Total calories per serving using Tofu: 353
Total Fat as % of Daily Value: 37%
Fat: 24 grams
Protein: 20 grams
Carbohydrates: 18 grams
Iron: 12 mg
Calcium: 177 mg
Dietary Fiber: 4 grams
Sodium: 30 mg

By Amanda Matte

Being an intern at VRG has been a wonderful, eye-opening experience. I originally began working here to gain experience at a non-profit, and since VRG just happened to be local/support a cause I care deeply about, it was a perfect fit. As a lifelong vegetarian, I thought I knew all there was to know about the lifestyle, but through my work here I have become far more informed about vegetarianism, and particularly veganism.

I have started to read up on veganism a great deal on my own time, and have slowly begun to implement changes into my lacto-ovo diet, including, but not limited to, subbing almond milk for cream in my coffee, and giving vegan cheese a try (dairy cheese has always been my vice!).

My tasks here at VRG have been many and varied, and I look forward to observing their benefits in my future career, whatever it may be. I have done a great deal of writing, from blog posts to responding to scholarship entries, have tested and subsequently reviewed vegan products, worked at the VRG booth at VegFest, and even gave HTML a try!

All of these tasks, along with the many others I accomplished since January, have both added to my resume, and to my confidence in skills that will continue to serve me throughout my working life. Another feat I accomplished while working this internship was the planning of a dinner, along with another intern. I am extremely proud of the way it turned out – the dinner was quite a success, and gaining experience in event planning and managing was extremely fulfilling and will certainly be beneficial to me in the future.

I can’t thank VRG enough for taking me on as an intern for these past 5 months. I have greatly enjoyed working with everyone at the office, and also getting to know others involved with VRG. I feel that I have gained crucial knowledge related to nutrition, animal rights, and even the ways in which a vegetarian diet can help the world become a better place from an environmental and ethical standpoint. I hope to return to VRG upon my return to Baltimore in the fall, in order to learn even more and to continue to be of assistance in the wonderful work that they do!

For more information about VRG internships, see http://www.vrg.org/student/

To donate towards VRG internships, scholarships, and other projects, visit www.vrg.org/donate

Hurry, there are only a few seats left for VRG’s 30th anniversary celebration! Must pre-pay by May 2nd!

It’s VRG’s 30th Anniversary! Come celebrate with us at Candle 79, and hear about our current and upcoming projects!

Sunday May 6, 2:30-4:30pm
Candle 79
154 East 79th Street
at Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10021

PRICE
$35 for paid-up VRG members who reserve by May 2
$50 for non-members

Price includes tax and gratuity. Drinks are not included.

Seating is limited. Reservations must be made & paid in advance! Please see below.

MENU
(Subject to change)

APPETIZERS

Steamed Dumplings
seitan, shiitake mushrooms, baby bok choy, sesame-soy-ginger sauce

Angel's Nachos
corn chips, mozzarella, tomatoes, refried pinto beans, chili-grilled seitan, guacamole, salsa, tofu sour cream, romaine lettuce

ENTRÉE
(choice of one)
Stuffed Avocado Salad
baby greens, quinoa, zucchini, cucumber, radishes, black beans, toasted pumpkin seeds, grape tomatoes, chipotle-avocado dressing

Black Bean-Pumpkin Seed Burger
mixed lettuces, avocado, polenta fries, chipotle ketchup

Spaghetti & Wheat Balls
truffled tomato sauce, roasted garlic, spinach, cashew parmesan

Home-Style Pancakes
seasonal fruit, strawberry butter, gingered maple syrup

Seitan Picatta
creamed spinach, grilled potato cake, oyster mushrooms, lemon-caper sauce

DESSERT
(choice of one)
Fruit Crumb Pie vanilla ice cream
Chocolate Mousse Pie

There are three ways to reserve your seat:

1. Pay online at http://www.vrg.org/donate (write “Candle 79 dinner” and the names of the guests attending in the Comments section)
2. Pay with your Visa or Mastercard over the phone by calling us at 410-366-8343, 9am-5pm EST, Monday-Friday
3. Mail a check before April 27 to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203 (write “Candle 79 dinner” and the names of the guests attending in the notes section)

We look forward to seeing you there!

Below is a selection of news articles VRG has been featured in this month:

• In an age of mad cow disease and pink slime, are young kids ready to read about veganism? (April 26, 2012; The Washington Post)
• 5 Interesting Facts About Plant-based Food Choices (April 23, 2012; One Green Planet)
• Main Street Vegan: How to Go Vegan in the Real World (Book Review) (April 20, 2012; Miami New Times)
• New Poll Illuminates Veg Consumers’ Dietary Choices (April 19, 2012; VegNews)
• Meat-free advocates say plant-based diet better for planet (April 18, 2012; Athens Banner-Herald)
• Care and feeding of a lone vegetarian (April 4, 2012; Minneapolis Star Tribune)

To see more news articles VRG has been featured in, visit http://www.vrg.org/press/vrg_in_the_news.php

For press releases, see: http://www.vrg.org/press/index.htm

This recipe originally appeared in the article “Baby Boomer Cooking” by Debra Daniels-Zeller in Vegetarian Journal Issue 4, 2010: http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2010issue4/2010_issue4_baby_boomer.php.

Vegan Mac and No-Cheese with Zucchini “Cream” Sauce

(Serves 6)

Nothing is what it seems in this reproduction of the ubiquitous '50s favorite mac 'n' cheese. The idea for this recipe sprang from an Italian cookbook that also used Parmesan cheese. I found that garlic and basil delivered taste without adding any cheese at all. The only trick is to peel the zucchini since the green skin will turn the sauce light green.

For a texture variation, fry about a cup of sliced mushrooms in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the mushrooms have browned. Add them to the mixture for a 'meaty' texture.

• 4 cups washed, peeled, and roughly
  chopped zucchini
• 5-7 quarts salted boiling water
• One 12-ounce package your favorite pasta
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• Sea salt to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (optional)
• 1/2-1 cup toasted bread crumbs

Add the zucchini to a large pot of salted boiling water and reduce the heat. When the zucchini is very tender, scoop it out, place
in a strainer, and drain. Save the water. Using the back of a spoon, press the zucchini to squeeze as much water as you can from it.
Save the liquid.

Pour the zucchini water into the pot of water and bring it to a boil again. Add pasta and cook until al dente (tender but firm).

While the pasta cooks, place the zucchini in a food processor with garlic and pepper. Process the mixture until very smooth. Season
to taste with salt. Stir in chopped basil, if desired.

Place the pasta in a serving bowl and toss with the zucchini sauce. Top each serving with toasted bread crumbs.

Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

What would you do if your daughter was working on Maui for 2 months with Americorps-NCCC? A family trip to visit her seemed like one way to spend spring break. It wasn’t the easiest choice – the 18 hours of travel each way wasn’t something any of us looked forward to – still, we decided that this was an opportunity not to be missed. We were on Maui, the second largest of the Hawaiian Islands, for about four days.

One of the very first places that we stopped was at Yee’s fruit stand in Kihei. Yee’s is one of the oldest mango farms on Maui. I asked the woman running the fruit stand where her farm was and she pointed to the road behind the stand. It doesn’t get much more local! The stand had at least 4 kinds of mangos as well as several kinds of papayas and other fruits. I had never appreciated how different kinds of mangos can taste. Our favorite was Golden Glow – sweet, mild, and juicy.

Maui has several natural foods stores that are well-stocked with produce and packages of food. The two stores where we shopped also had salad bars and a deli-counter that makes sandwiches and smoothies. In Paia, we stopped a couple of times at Mana Foods. They have a very large selection of organic and locally grown fruits and vegetables. Some favorites from their salad bar included tofu eggless salad,
Hawaiian fern salad, green papaya salad, and kale salad. All vegan salads are clearly labeled and the selection changes daily.

Close to the Maui airport, in Kahului, we found Down to Earth Natural Foods Store, Deli, and Cafe. This store is packed full of natural foods, including a produce section and bulk foods. They have both hot and cold food bars and make sandwiches to order. All items in the store are vegetarian; vegan items on the hot and cold bars are clearly labeled. They also have vegan baked goods. I felt as if I was at a VRG potluck when I had a plate of purple potato salad, vegan macaroni salad, cucumber salad, mixed greens, penne with sauce, and more from the salad bar. The store’s slogan is, “Cherish the land, live in health and harmony.” Here’s a picture that welcomes you at the front of the store.

One night we had dinner with a native of Maui and he took us to his favorite Thai restaurant, Bangkok Cuisine in Kahului. Knowing we were all vegans (he’s not), he ordered for us and clearly told the wait- staff to make everything vegan, including leaving off the fish sauce. They were very accommodating and the food was delicious. My favorite was a Thai green curry which was served with sticky rice. Our host instructed us to make little balls of the sticky rice and dip it into the sauce. Thai restaurants are in many parts of Maui – VRG’s website lists one that has a vegetarian menu.

For a quick dinner, we ate at Maui Tacos in Lahaina (other locations in Kihei, Kahului, and Napili). Their menu includes several burritos, tacos, and bowls that are or can easily be made vegan. Beans are cooked without lard (even the refried beans). I had the Vegetarian Bowl where the surprise was cooked potatoes (in addition to the more usual beans, rice, greens, tomatoes, and corn chips. A salsa bar lets you add just the right amount of heat.

A vegan that our daughter knows recommended Veg-Out, a vegetarian restaurant in Haiku. It was hard to decide which of the menu items to order. From a vegan pizza (6” is plenty for 1 hungry person) to Italian sandwiches, a Middle Eastern platter, large salads, burgers, pasta, burritos, tacos, and curries, this place has something to please everyone. I had a Muffalata sandwich with breaded tofu, tomatoes, shredded lettuce, and a Cajun olive sauce on focaccia – great!

We decided to drive part-way to Hana, a town on Maui, southeast coast. On a drive to Hana, it’s the journey, not the destination. The road winds through bamboo groves and past banyan and eucalyptus trees. In some places, it’s only one lane wide as it goes across a narrow bridge or along the side of a cliff. The ocean is ever-present and in some places the sand is red, or black. The 50-or so mile drive can take all day. We never got to Hana but did get to Coconut Glen’s, a stand by the side of the road (between mile marker 27 and 28). Glen makes non-dairy ice cream from coconut milk and this is coconut ice cream like no other. It’s served in half a coconut shell with a piece of coconut rind used as a spoon. We had Coffee Toffee, Coconut Coconut (with homemade coconut candy mixed with coconut non-dairy ice cream), and Chili Chocolate Chipotle – all of which I could eat on a daily basis. We did ask about the marshmallows in one flavor and Glen wasn’t sure they were vegan; his website says his ice cream is organic and vegan.

There are many other places on Maui where we could have eaten. The list above only includes places we visited. For more information about veg dining on Maui see VRG’s restaurant guide.

Please help us keep our restaurant guide current and accurate! Restaurants continually change locations, new ones open, and others close. To let us know about any restaurants we should add, delete, or if our existing entry should be changed, please complete the form here: http://www.vrg.org/travel/restupdate.php

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

About 5 years ago, The New York Times published an op-ed sensationally headlined “Death by Veganism.” This opinion piece created a great deal of outcry, because of its incorrect information and shaky foundation. The Public Editor of the Times said, “I think The Times owes its readers the other side, published on the op-ed page, not just in five letters to the editor that briefly took issue with her” and asked, “And what is the obligation of editors to make sure that op-ed writers are not playing fast and loose with the facts?”

Last week The Times included another opinion piece by the same writer that takes issue with vegan diets for infants and children. I hesitated about even responding to this, hating to call attention to an article that is so filled with misinformation. I do think, however, that those who are raising (or are considering raising) children on vegan diets need good information to support their decision and to help them respond to others who may use this article as a way of questioning their choice. VRG’s website offers many great resources for parents.

While space prevents addressing every one of the questionable statements, here are a few:

“The breast milk of vegetarian and vegan mothers is dramatically lower in a critical brain fat, DHA, than the milk of an omnivorous mother and contains less usable vitamin B6.”

Fact: DHA’s role in brain development is uncertain. An analysis of current research by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly known as the American Dietetic Association) concluded that while DHA supplements can increase the amount of DHA in breast milk, this increase does not necessarily lead to a
positive effect on brain development (1).

There have not been published reports of the vitamin B6 content of breast milk from vegetarians or vegans so I can’t understand where the statement about less usable vitamin B6 comes from. Vegetarians generally have adequate intakes of vitamin B6.

“Vegans, vegetarians and people with poor thyroid function are often deficient in carnitine and its precursors.”

There is also no evidence that vegetarians or vegans are deficient in carnitine or its precursors. While lower levels of carnitine have been reported in adult vegetarians compared to nonvegetarians, levels were within a normal range (2). Carnitine is not considered an essential nutrient because our bodies are able to make it from amino acids. The mother’s diet has little effect on the amount of carnitine in her breast milk (3).

“The most risky period for vegan children is weaning. Growing babies who are leaving the breast need complete protein, omega-3 fats, iron, calcium and zinc. Compared with meat, fish, eggs and dairy, plants are inferior sources of every one.”

Fact: Weaning is a tricky time, nutritionally speaking, for many children. Breast milk contains readily absorbed nutrients with ratios of protein, fat and carbohydrate that support the baby’s growth. Babies who are weaned to a diet high in empty calories or a diet focused mainly on cow’s milk can certainly have nutrition-related problems. Vegan diets can easily meet a toddler’s needs for protein, omega-3 fats, iron, calcium, and zinc. The 2010 edition of Dietary Guidelines for Americans includes a menu planning tool that can be used for vegan children age 2 and older. We also include menu planning guides on our website.

“Soy protein is not good for a baby’s first food…”

Fact: Who said soy protein should be a baby’s first food? While infants who are not breastfed do use soy formula (which has a long track record of successfully nourishing infants), breastfed infants are not usually given soy as a first food. Iron-fortified infant cereals are commonly used as an easily digested first food.

“Studies have shown that kids raised until age 6 on a vegan diet are still B12 deficient even years after they start eating at least some animal products.”

Fact: Vegan children can have adequate vitamin B12 status if their diet includes regular, reliable sources of vitamin B12. Reliable sources of vitamin B12 include foods fortified with vitamin B12 and vitamin B12 supplements.

“Vegans may believe it’s possible to get B12 from plant sources like seaweed, fermented soy, spirulina and brewer’s yeast.”

Fact: With the many reliable websites (like this one) providing information on vitamin B12, I hope that vegans don’t believe that the foods just listed are good sources of vitamin B12.

The New York Times opinion piece was concluded with a call to parents raise their children as nonvegetarians and to allow them to choose their own diets as adults. I don’t get the logic – parents are choosing what foods their children eat, even if they are raising them as meat eaters. I could just as easily say that all parents should raise their children as vegans and then, if the children grow up and want to eat meat, that would be their choice. As parents, we make choices for our children, based on what we think is in their best interest.

Each family makes their own choices about feeding their children. I can only hope that the misinformation in the Times’ article will not deter parents from choosing to raise their children as vegans.

Ginny Messina, MPH, RD offers her take on The New York Times article on her blog, the Vegan R.D. at
http://www.theveganrd.com/2012/04/the-new-york-times-nina-planck-and-safety-of-vegan-diets.html

References

1. James DCS, Lessen R. Position of the American Dietetic Association: promoting and supporting
breastfeeding. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009;109:1926-42.

2. Lombard KA, Olson AL, Nelson SE, Rebouche CJ. Carnitine status of lactoovovegetarians and strict
vegetarian adults and children. Am J Clin Nutr 1989; 50:301-6.

3. Mitchell ME, Snyder EA. Dietary carnitine effects on carnitine concentrations in urine and milk in
lactating women. Am J Clin Nutr. 1991; 54:814-20.

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

At the end of January 2012, Taco Bell® announced that it will debut eleven new breakfast menu items as a FirstMeal™ in approximately 750 restaurants located in ten western states, including California and Colorado. Currently, FirstMeal™ is offered only during the morning. By the end of 2012, FirstMeal™ will be available along with late-night FourthMeal™ offerings. Taco Bell® locations in the eastern US will begin carrying FirstMeal™ in 2013.

The VRG asked a quality assurance manager at Taco Bell® corporate headquarters to tell us more about the FirstMeal™ menu items. We learned that the new hash brown is all-vegetable. It does not contain natural flavors of animal or dairy origin. Hash browns are fried in “canola oil” in a fryer designated “only for grains and potatoes.” Hash browns may be ordered separately.

Hash browns are prepared in the same fryer as the Cinnabon Delights™ which contain dairy and eggs (see below). Red Strips™, which contain carmine (an insect-derived color), are also cooked in the fryer. We were told by the quality assurance manager that “most stores only have one fryer and if there are two, then they would be used for all products; there are not any segregation/dedicated fryers. We do not have microwaves.”

Among the new items, the burritos may be ordered without a meat product, eggs, and/or cheese. (Beans are not part of the new breakfast line. The VRG was told that “stores are not required to have [beans] on hand during breakfast.” For later-day menu items at Taco Bell®, beans do not contain meat flavorings; are prepared away from meat items; and may be ordered without cheese.) The same tortilla used for standard menu items is used for FirstMeal™ burritos. Its ingredients are listed on the Taco Bell® website and appear to be all-vegetable. Its distilled monoglycerides are derived from “vegetable oil” according to the Taco Bell® quality assurance manager.

FirstMeal™ scrambled eggs “are an [optional] component of a breakfast item [burrito], and not advertised as being a separate menu item.” We were also informed that the quality assurance office had “…received information from the supplier that the artificial and natural flavor in the eggs is butter.”

The optional cheeses served with breakfast items are the same cheeses offered with later- day offerings, and, so, their ingredients are listed on the Taco Bell® website. The VRG was told that “cheddar and the three-cheese blend” are in breakfast menu items. The source of the enzyme used to make the cheeses is “yeast.”

FirstMeal™ Cinnabon Delights™ contain milk and eggs. They cannot be ordered without the dairy-containing cream cheese-filled center. The Cinnabon Delights™ are fried in canola oil along with the hash browns, potato bites, nacho chips, red strips, and taco salad shells.

Tropicana® Orange Juice and Seattle’s Best Coffee® are available during FirstMeal® serving times.

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 company employees or company statements. 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 served in fast food and quick service chains, see http://www.vrg.org/fastfoodinfo.htm

For information on food ingredients and for other information of interest to vegetarians and vegans, please subscribe to our free enewsletter at http://www.vrg.org/vrgnews/

There are many ways to stay connected to The Vegetarian Resource Group!
Get our blog delivered right to your inbox: http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheVRGBlog
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/VegResourceGrp
Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thevegetarianresourcegroup

VRG research can be supported at http://www.vrg.org/donate

It’s VRG’s 30th Anniversary! Come celebrate with us at Candle 79, and hear about our current and upcoming projects!

Sunday May 6, 2:30-4:30pm
Candle 79
154 East 79th Street
at Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10021

PRICE
$25 for paid-up VRG members who reserve by April 15
$35 for paid-up VRG members who reserve after April 15
$50 for non-members

Price includes tax and gratuity. Drinks are not included.

Seating is limited. Reservations must be made & paid in advance! Please see below.

MENU
(Subject to change)

APPETIZERS

Steamed Dumplings
seitan, shiitake mushrooms, baby bok choy, sesame-soy-ginger sauce

Angel's Nachos
corn chips, mozzarella, tomatoes, refried pinto beans, chili-grilled seitan, guacamole, salsa, tofu sour cream, romaine lettuce

ENTRÉE
(choice of one)
Stuffed Avocado Salad
baby greens, quinoa, zucchini, cucumber, radishes, black beans, toasted pumpkin seeds, grape tomatoes, chipotle-avocado dressing

Black Bean-Pumpkin Seed Burger
mixed lettuces, avocado, polenta fries, chipotle ketchup

Spaghetti & Wheat Balls
truffled tomato sauce, roasted garlic, spinach, cashew parmesan

Home-Style Pancakes
seasonal fruit, strawberry butter, gingered maple syrup

Seitan Picatta
creamed spinach, grilled potato cake, oyster mushrooms, lemon-caper sauce

DESSERT
(choice of one)
Fruit Crumb Pie vanilla ice cream
Chocolate Mousse Pie

There are three ways to reserve your seat:

1. Pay online at http://www.vrg.org/donate (write “Candle 79 dinner” and the names of the guests attending in the Comments section)
2. Pay with your Visa or Mastercard over the phone by calling us at 410-366-8343, 9am-5pm EST, Monday-Friday
3. Mail a check before April 27 to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203 (write “Candle 79 dinner” and the names of the guests attending in the notes section)

We look forward to seeing you there!