By Mary Herbranson

The “Vegetarian in the Military” article in Volume XXXI, No 1 of Vegetarian Journal sparked a discussion between staff, donors, and members who wish to reach out to service members following a vegan or vegetarian diet overseas. Servicemen and women are not given a spectrum of vegan foods and the lack of consideration to special diets in the military can be discouraging. What better way to express gratitude and promote our favorite vegan foods companies than to honor the vegan and vegetarian military with a pen-pal gift box?

My brother and sister-in-law are Majors in the U.S. Air Force and they both spent the last six months serving in Kabul, Afghanistan. Knowing my interest in food service, Travis told me about his Christmas dinner. A member of his cohort follows a strict vegan diet and without access to her meatless-meal favorites the cooks for the evening, my brother and two others put together three delicious dishes to satisfy vegans and the non-veg alike. Thrilled to see cleared casserole pans, they wondered why such colorful, hearty meat-free meals are not regularly available. The vegan menu was a success and with broadened awareness the possibilities reach far for the military pen-pal project.

As the Vegetarian Journal article states, if three percent of Americans are vegetarian there are about 40,000 vegetarian U.S. servicemen and women overseas. To reach these people The VRG needs help! There may even be a natural foods company with products they are willing to donate to the cause. There are regulations that define what can be sent and servicemen and women who follow meatless diets must sign up if they wish to be included because of heightened security measures. Fortunately, the cost and speed of mailing is similar to shipping within the U.S. since every individual sent overseas is given a U.S. registered P.O. address.

Volunteer coordinators who are willing to take the reigns and develop a plan, recruit volunteers, and manage the pen-pal project are essential to making this a success, so get involved today! To volunteer, you can contact [email protected] or call (410) 366-8343 or write to The Vegetarian Resource Group at P.O. Box 1463 Baltimore, MD 21203

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

Chomp Vegan Eatery

201 Morrissey Rd., Ste. 7, Port Moody, BC V3H 0E5
(604) 917-0201

Vegan/organic/gluten-free. Chomp Vegan Eatery is a 100% vegan and gluten-free restaurant featuring organic and local foods. Selections at this cozy spot include Mac ‘n Cheesy, Fiery Thai Tofu Bowl, Poutine, Full-afel Sandwich, and Grilled Cheese Madness, along with sweets and specialty coffees. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Full service, take-out, catering, espresso/cappuccino, soymilk, VISA/MC, $-$$.

Darbster

8020 S. Dixie Hwy., West Palm Beach, FL 33405
(561) 586-2622

Vegan/natural foods/organic. Darbster offers innovative, vegan cuisine that will appeal to all tastes. The atmosphere is elegant and relaxed with an incredible view on the waterside deck. Try the Tempeh Reuben, Chikn’ Apple Wrap, Rawvioli Beet ‘Pasta,’ or Palm Cakes. Make your reservations for Sunday brunch where a special menu is offered along with live music. Darbster is named in honor of the owners’ beloved poodle, Darby, so it’s no surprise that the restaurant is dog-friendly! In fact, Sundays are Dog-Night; bring your pooch during certain hours and get a discount! Darbster is closed between lunch and dinner, so please call ahead for hours. Open Wednesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner. Open Sunday for brunch and dinner. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Full service, take-out, special beverages, beer/wine, VISA/MC, $$.

Sweetpea Baking Company

1205 SE Stark St., Portland, OR 97214
(503) 477-5916

Vegan/bakery/café. Sweetpea Baking Company is 100% vegan and 100% delicious! Their mouth-watering sweets include cupcakes, brownies, cakes, cookies, pastries, and cheesecakes. They also offer sandwiches, soups, and bagels. Check the board for daily specials. Fresh doughnuts are available on Saturday mornings, and you don’t want to miss their all-you-can-eat Sunday brunch! Sweetpea also specializes in allergen baked goods, such as gluten free, soy free, and nut free. In addition to making vegan wedding and birthday cakes, special orders are welcome. Open Monday through Saturday for breakfast, lunch, and early dinner. Open Sunday for brunch. Counter service, take-out, catering, espresso/cappuccino, soymilk, VISA/MC, $-$$$.

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

If you would like to volunteer with maintaining and updating The Vegetarian Resource Group restaurant guide, please email us at [email protected].

Passover is right around the corner (begins April 6), so if you need vegan recipes for Passover, right now we’re offering a special!

Get both Vegan Passover Recipes and No Cholesterol Passover Recipes for just $13 and receive FREE shipping. A must have for every home that wants to celebrate a healthy and ethical Passover. Enjoy egg-less blintzes, knishes, apple latkes, sweet and sour stuffed cabbage and much much more.

Makes a great gift!

Passover begins April 6 and ends April 14.

For ordering call (410)366-8343, send your check to VRG at P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, Maryland 21203, or go to:
http://www.vrg.org/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=26

According to an article on the website for NutraIngredients- USA, a British firm, ESB Developments, has isolated what is apparently the first plant-sourced vitamin D3 from lichen. The vitamin D3 is collected from wild-harvested lichen and processed into sprays, softgels, and other products, under the product label Vitashine. Matt Broughton, a director at ESB, would like to eventually grow the lichen in large vats and harvest the vitamin D3. Additionally, he hopes to develop a powder form of the vitamin D3 that could be added to more foods. ESB recently agreed to supply its vegan vitamin D3 to Global Health Trax (GHT) for use in supplements in the US and Canada.

Vitashine is registered with The Vegan Society. According to The Vegan Society’s website this means that the product has "been checked by Vegan Society staff to ensure that they meet our criteria."

Two different forms of vitamin D are used in supplements and fortified foods. Vitamin D2, also called ergocalciferol, is manufactured through the ultraviolet irradiation of a substance called ergosterol that comes from yeast. Vitamin D2 is vegan. Vitamin D3, also called cholecalciferol, is typically made by the ultraviolet irradiation of a substance derived from sheep’s wool.

There is a question as to whether or not vitamin D2 is as effective as vitamin D3 in preventing vitamin D deficiency although several recent studies indicate that both forms of vitamin D are equally effective. You can read more about one of these studies in Vegetarian Journal. For those vegetarians and vegans who would prefer to use vitamin D3, news of this vegan source of vitamin D3 will be welcome.

Vegan vitamin D3 can be ordered from GHT and from several vegan websites including Vegan Essentials and The Vegan Store.

Vitamin D is also produced following sunlight exposure. Sources of vitamin D2 for vegans include vitamin D2-fortified plant milks, mushroom powder, mushrooms that have been exposed to ultraviolet light, and supplements.

If you’re interested in foraging, “Wildman” Steve Brill’s WildEdibles App makes a great addition to your iPhone or Android App collection.

WildEdibles features 165 edible plants, 52 minor lookalikes, 719 images, and 162 recipes. The focus of the collection is on eastern North American species. Each entry features photos and drawings by “Wildman” Steve, and is broken down into three sections – “Finding,” “Identifying,” and “Using.” These three sections are further subdivided to provide information about the plant’s habitat, seasons, positive identification, confusing factors, poisonous parts or lookalikes (if there are any), nutrition, food and medicinal uses, and recipes.

The vegan recipes are what make WildEdibles particularly unique and practical. With recipes such as “Wild Brown Rice with Carrion Flower,” “Savory Chicory with Sweet Red Dal,” and “Currant Corn Bread,” “Wildman” Steve shows you just what to do with what you’ve harvested!

On March 3 at Central Park, “Wildman” Steve Brill inaugurated the 30th season of his foraging tours which were made world-famous in 1986 when he was arrested by undercover park rangers for eating a dandelion in Central Park! His fourth book, Foraging with Kids, and a Wild Vegan Recipe App, will both be published this spring.

WildEdibles is available for purchase for $7.99:

On iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wild-edibles-full/id431504588?mt=8

On Android: https://market.android.com/details?id=net.winterroot.wildedibles.full

Please note! (from the WildEdibles App disclaimer): Wild poisonous plants sometimes resemble edible plants, and they often grow side by side. Additionally, some edible plants also have deadly parts. It is the responsibility of this app’s user to identify and use correctly the edible plants described in this book.

The author and developer assume no responsibility for problems arising from the user’s misidentification, misuses, or use of wild plants.

For more information about “Wildman” Steve Brill, and to view his 2012 foraging tour schedule, please visit: http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/

Reviewed by Heather Gorn

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!

His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be visting Long Beach, California for a public talk on April 21, 2012.

VRG’s foodservice advisor Chef Nancy Berkoff, RD, EdD will be coordinating the vegetarian meals and refreshments provided to the Dalai Lama, his entourage, and the audience. She is author of Vegan Meals for One or Two and Vegans Know How to Party.

For more information about the event, please visit: http://www.facebook.com/events/210123165744569/

When you sign up for VRG’s affinity Visa® Platinum Rewards credit card, VRG receives $50 upon activation of the card. 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.

This is a great way to support our work with every purchase you make with The Vegetarian Resource Group Visa® Platinum Rewards card. To apply, see:
http://www.cardpartner.com/app/vrg

For FAQs about the program, see: http://www.vrg.org/credit_faqs.php

Vitamix is working with Dr. Joel Fuhrman and the Nutritional Research Project on a study to determine how age and gender impact the blood levels of essential fatty acids, EPA, and DHA in long-term vegans. Vitamix is supporting this research because omega-3 fatty acids are important in reducing the risk for heart disease, depression, and dementia.

You are eligible to participate in the study if:

• You are between the ages of 20 and 100
• You have been a vegan for at least three years
• You are not currently taking essential fatty acid supplements

If you are selected to participate, you will receive a copy of the report of your blood levels of these important essential fatty acids, and as a thank you, a $20 Target gift card. A small number of participants will be asked to take a vegan omega-3 supplement for three months in the second part of the study.

If you are interested, please visit https://www.nutritionalresearch.org/survey/ for more information.

The study has been approved by the University of San Diego Institutional Review Board. The Principal Investigators are Barbara Sarter, PhD, APRN, FNP-C, Hahn School of Nursing and Health Resources, University of San Diego, and Joel Fuhrman, M.D., Research Director of the Nutritional Research Project.

Traditionally, hamentashen are served during the Jewish holiday of Purim. This cookie is usually prepared with eggs; however, here’s a vegan version which you can find in VRG’s The Lowfat Jewish Vegetarian Cookbook!

Hamentashen
Serves 15

1½ cups unbleached white flour
1½ cups whole wheat pastry flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup oil
2/3 cup water
½ cup applesauce
3 Tablespoons orange juice
5 Tablespoons prune or poppy seed filling (found in the baking or Kosher section of
supermarkets)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all the ingredients, except filling, together in a large bowl. Knead dough for
a few minutes. Separate into 3 balls. Cover balls of dough with a slightly damp towel
and refrigerate dough for about 3 hours. Remove dough from refrigerator and roll balls
of dough out to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out approximately fifteen 4-inch rounds. Place
1 teaspoon prune or poppy seed filling in center. Form a triangle out of the dough by
folding in edges but still leaving some space in the middle of the dough for the filling to
remain mostly uncovered.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until dough is brown. Serve.

Note: If you are unable to purchase prune or poppy seed filling in your local supermarket, simply purée a few prunes with a little fruit juice.

Need vegan recipes for Passover? Right now we are offering a special:

Get both Vegan Passover Recipes and No Cholesterol Passover Recipes for just $13 and receive FREE shipping. A must-have for every home that wants to celebrate a healthy and ethical Passover. Enjoy egg-less blintzes, knishes, apple latkes, sweet and sour stuffed cabbage and much much more.

Passover begins April 6 and ends April 14.

For ordering call (410)366-8343, send your check to VRG at P.O. Box
1463, Baltimore, Maryland 21203, or go to:
http://www.vrg.org/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=26