We received the following survey request from a MD student:

Hello, I am Sophie Cargnel a student at Roland Park Elementary Middle School. I am doing a Science Fair project on Vegetarianism. I am a vegetarian myself. Here is my survey and please ask people of all ages to fill it out and email the results to [email protected] or [email protected]

Thank You very much!

In honor of The Vegetarian Resource Group’s 30th anniversary, a generous donor has committed to matching up to $15,000 in total contributions. So your donation is automatically doubled!

Please donate and support vegetarian outreach by clicking here and writing
“matching donation” in the Comments field:
[ https://www.givedirect.org/give/givefrm.asp?CID=1565 ]

You can also donate by calling (410) 366-8343 Monday to Friday, Eastern
Time, or mailing a check to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box
1463, Baltimore, MD 21203.

If you want to mail in a form, you can use this one.

MATCHING DONATION
_____ Enclosed is a $25 donation.

_____ Enclosed is $100 (a matched total of $200) for continued outreach
to young people.

_____ Enclosed is $500 life membership or ___ $500 donation
(matched contribution of $1,000)

_____ Enclosed is $1,000 to print and mail out a VRG vegan version of
the USDA My Plate. (a matched total of $2,000)

_____ Enclosed is $1,500 towards Save Our Water — The Vegetarian Way
brochure, Vegan Diets in a Nutshell brochure, and Be Kind to
Animals – Don’t Eat Them bumper stickers. (a matched total
of $3,000)

_____ Enclosed is $2,500 towards continued outreach to dietitians and
foodservice staff, and promotion of vegan diets on the VRG
website to over 160,000 people per month. (a matched total
of $5,000!)

_____ Enclosed is $5,000. Please enroll me in VRG’s Circle of
Compassion. (a matched total of $10,000)

_____ Enclosed is $25,000 to be a Project Sponsor.

Thank you.

Vegetarian Journal Issue 1, 2011 is now online! More back issues can be viewed here.

To subscribe to the Vegetarian Journal and receive the complete print version, you can join online with $25, call (410) 366-8343 and order by phone with your Mastercard® or Visa®, or complete this form

Vegetarian Journal Issue 1, 2011

Features

A Primer for No-Hassle Dinners at Home
Debra Daniels-Zeller converts pantry staples into easy suppers.

A Soy-Free, Nut-Free Vegan Meal Plan
Corey Bivins develops a three-day, allergen-free menu.

Vegan in a Mexican Household
VRG Intern Veronica Lizaola revamps some family recipes.

Wrapping It All Up!
Chef Nancy Berkoff, RD, EdD, introduces creative ideas
for sandwich wraps in this issue's Foodservice Update.

2010 VJ Essay Contest Winner – Second Installment

Departments

Nutrition Hotline
Should we avoid feeding soy to our young daughter? How can a vegan gain weight?
And what's the difference between the sugar in fruit and the sugar in cookies?

Note from the Coordinators

Letters to the Editors

Vegan Cooking Tips
All About Soyrizo, by Chef Nancy Berkoff, RD, EdD, CCE

Scientific Update

All Pizza Hut Cheeses Made with Chymax™

Notes from the VRG Scientific Department

Veggie Bits

Order Vegan Passover Recipes

P.F. Chang's 'Vegetarian' Entrées Contain No Animal Ingredients

Book Reviews

Catalog

Vegetarian Action
Heather Mills, by Heather Gorn

Back Cover
New Book From VRG – Vegans Know How to Party!

Thanks to VRG volunteer Celina Chung for her help in converting these articles into HTML! To volunteer to help with these kinds of projects, please email [email protected].

This article originally appeared in Vegetarian Journal 4, 2009.

Vegan Munchies

By Peggy Rynk

All the recipes below are easy to make and appropriate to serve either during a quiet family evening at home or for special guests.

Mixed Veggie Platter

Select your favorite raw vegetables – such as carrot or celery sticks, cucumber slices, red or green bell pepper strips, or cherry tomatoes – and chill them well. Just before serving, arrange them on a serving platter. Crisp, well-chilled fresh veggies don’t really need a dip unless you especially want one. In case you do, here are some suggestions:

Simple Bean and Tomato Dip

(Makes approximately 3 cups or
twenty-four 2-Tablespoon servings)

Serve this dip with tortilla chips or other chips of choice. This recipe also makes a terrific side for burritos, tacos, or a simple rice dish.

• One 1-pound can vegan refried beans
• One 10-ounce can mild diced tomatoes with green chilies, not drained
• A few drops of hot sauce (such as Tabasco or Texas Pete), to taste

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, blend together the refried beans and the tomatoes with chilies. Stir in the hot sauce a little at a time, tasting as you go, until you reach the degree of heat you want.

Pizza Dip

(Makes approximately 1½ cups or twelve 2-Tablespoon servings)

Serve this dip with raw vegetables of choice or with pita bread cut into 1-inch strips and toasted.

• ¾ cup vegan mayonnaise
• ½ cup pizza sauce
• Dash garlic powder
• ¼ cup grated vegan Parmesan-style ‘cheese’

Put all ingredients, in the order listed, into a small mixing bowl. Whisk together until smooth. Cover and chill well before serving.

Chili Dip

(Makes 1 cup or eight 2-Tablespoon servings)

Serve this dip with raw vegetables, such as carrot sticks, celery sticks, or red or green bell pepper strips. It’s also excellent with crisp, lowfat corn chips.

• 1 cup vegan sour cream
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• Salt to taste

Mix all ingredients together well and chill.

Smokey Hummus

(Makes approximately 1½ cups or twelve 2-Tablespoon servings)

Serve as a dip or spread on crisp crackers. Also, try a dollop on crisp greens. In addition, it tucks well into pita pockets.

• One 6-ounce package hummus mix (such as Fantastic or Casbah)
• Dash ground red chipotle
• 1½ cups water
• ½ teaspoon liquid smoke

Blend the hummus mix and the ground red chipotle together in a one-quart mixing bowl. Whisk in the water and liquid smoke until mixture is thickened and smooth. Chill thoroughly.

Note: Liquid smoke is available at many grocery stores, usually in the condiment section near the ketchups and barbecue sauces.

Hummus with Dill, Mustard, and Garlic

(Makes approximately 1½ cups or twelve 2-Tablespoon servings)

Serve with warm pita triangles, spread on rice cakes, or offer as a dip with chips or raw vegetables. Also makes an excellent sandwich filling.

• One 6-ounce package hummus mix
• 1½ teaspoons dill weed
• ½ teaspoon dry mustard
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ cups water

In a 1-quart mixing bowl, blend together the dry ingredients. Add the water and mix with a fork or
a wire whisk until smooth (no lumps remain). Cover and chill thoroughly before serving.

Pecans Roasted with Tamari and Garlic

(Makes approximately 4 cups pecans or thirty-two 1/8-cup servings)

These are excellent to munch on as they are, but they are also terrific scattered on a tossed salad.

• 4 cups pecan halves
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ cup soy tamari

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put the pecans in a 13″ x 9″ x 2″ baking pan. Sprinkle with the garlic powder and pour in the tamari. Stir gently until pecans are well-coated. Shake pan gently to distribute pecans evenly.

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, stir, and shake to distribute evenly again. Bake for another 5 minutes and repeat stirring and shaking. Return to oven for another 5 minutes and again shake pan to redistribute nuts evenly. Bake for 5 more minutes and repeat stirring and shaking. Return again to oven for 5 minutes. Remove from oven again, stir again, and set pan on a wire rack to cool.

Seasoned Roasted Sunflower Seeds

(Makes 2 cups or eight ¼-cup servings)

These roasted seeds are excellent to have as a snack or to sprinkle over salads in place of croutons.

• 2 cups raw sunflower seeds
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce, or to taste
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• Generous dash cayenne

Put all ingredients into a 10-inch skillet. Pan roast, stirring often, over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes or until seeds are dry and golden. Transfer to a bowl to cool.

by Candice DeForest

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! With the chilly weather and Christmas just around the corner, it is the perfect time to try hearty new recipes for family and friends.

As the holidays have begun and party planning, celebrating, and trekking over the river and through the woods is a frequent weekend event, you will likely have to face the age-old question of what to bring. Assuming your family is not crazy about the idea of Tofurky or other alternative “meats” at the dinner table or soy-figgy-pudding for dessert, it’s time to get creative and clever to find something for everyone to enjoy. An even more important question might be just how will you ever avoid Aunt Pam’s mystery dish this year? Fear not, as the suggestions from The Vegetarian Resource Group will help you build a menu of tantalizing vegetables, hearty grains, and enjoyable desserts to delight your guests no matter their gastronomic preference.

While it may be challenging to find extra time to research recipes and taste test between gift wrapping and decorating, these guidelines will help get you started. Another perk of serving up new dishes this season – your guests will likely appreciate the healthy options as opposed to just another heavy casserole!

• Surprise your loved ones with Fabulous Wheat-Free Vegan pancakes for a wonderful breakfast.
  
• If you enjoy carbs as I do, good luck choosing between the delicious Sage Breadsticks, Totally Delicious Vegan Cornbread, and Whole Wheat Biscuits for a delectable bread recipe.
  
• Consider including Cranberry Applesauce, Poached Pears, Chock Full of Corn Stuffing or Baked Lima Beans as a succulent side dish.
  
• Vegan Biscotti pairs great with a cup of coffee or as a simple gift idea.
  
• Greek Mushroom Salad, Oven Roasted Squash, Potato/Kale Casserole, and traditional Polish Dumplings add a hearty element to any meal.
  
• Try Baked Apples in Maple Syrup or Fruit Pizza for a lighter dessert option. Hungry for something richer? Unbaked Oatmeal-Peanut Butter Fudgies or vegan Black Forest Parfaits will surely satisfy your sweet tooth.
  

My childhood holiday memories mainly revolve around food. Casseroles, salads, seven-layered-this-or-that, and seemingly endless tables of appetizers and desserts filled my grandmother’s kitchen in traditional Midwest home-cooking style. As I begin to form my own traditions to share with family and friends, I’ve expanded my cooking beyond the traditional green bean casserole and cheesy potatoes dishes. I consult my vegetarian and vegan friends, research online, and even use social media to generate ideas and seek advice on tweaking old favorites to substitute dairy products. When I am craving the traditional comfort foods to share with friends and family, a few favorites are Mashed Potatoes and Mushroom Gravy and “Chicken” Noodle Soup.”

In addition to cooking ventures, consider starting new holiday traditions this year. Gather together a group of friends or family to build a vegan Gingerbread house, bake cookies together, or volunteer for a local toy drive. While the treats and eats are a significant aspect to enjoying the season, giving back is an important part too. What are your favorite culinary holiday traditions?

Have a specific question, want to share a favorite recipe or need inspiration for a party? Tweet me @candicedeforest with your thoughts.

Chanukah is a time that extended families gather together. Here are some vegan recipes from The Lowfat Jewish Vegetarian Cookbook you can share with your friends and family during the 8-day celebration.

Potato Latkes
Serves 4

1-½ pounds potatoes, peeled and grated
1 medium onion, peeled and grated
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
Dash of pepper
2 Tablespoons tamari or soy sauce

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Form 3-inch patties and fry in lightly oiled pan over medium heat for 10 minutes. Flip latkes and fry for another 10 minutes until crisp on both sides. Serve warm with applesauce or other cooked fruit.

Broccoli Latkes
Serves 5

1 pound broccoli, chopped into small pieces
2 pounds potatoes, scrubbed and cubed into small pieces
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 cups water
½ teaspoon celery seed
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon oil

Cook all the ingredients (except the oil) in a large covered pot over medium heat for 20 minutes. Drain mixture and mash ingredients together.

Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Form 10 pancakes. Fry 8 minutes on one side. Flip pancakes and fry for another 5 minutes on the other side. Serve warm.

Romanian Sweet Pasta
Serves 8

1 pound eggless pasta
12 cups water
1 cup maple syrup
½ cup walnuts, ground or 1/3 cup poppy seeds, ground
½ teaspoon lemon rind, minced
1-½ cups raisins
½ teaspoon powdered cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Cook pasta in boiling water until done. Drain.

Heat maple syrup and walnuts or poppy seeds in a large pot over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add lemon rind, raisins, clove powder, and cinnamon. Continue cooking for 3 more minutes. Add cooked pasta. Mix well and serve warm. You can also pour this same mixture into a baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes before serving.

Moroccan Couscous
Serves 4

1 cup orange juice or other juice
½ cup water
1 cup couscous
½ cup water
¼ cup pitted dates, finely chopped
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup slivered almonds
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup water

Bring juice and ½ cup water to a boil in a small pot. Remove from heat. Stir in couscous and allow to sit covered for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a separate pan, sauté dates, raisins, almonds, and cinnamon in ½ cup water for 2 minutes. Add cooked couscous. Mix well and serve warm.

Due to the generosity of an anonymous donor, The Vegetarian Resource Group will award $10,000 in college scholarship money to graduating U.S. high school students who have promoted vegetarianism in their schools and/or communities. Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish, or fowl. Two awards of $5,000 each will be given. Entries may only be sent by students graduating from high school in spring 2012. Deadline is February 20, 2012. We will accept applications postmarked on or before February 20, 2012. Early submission is encouraged. Applicants will be judged on having shown compassion, courage, and a strong commitment to promoting a peaceful world through a vegetarian diet/lifestyle.

For more information, visit our scholarship page.

by Jeanne Yacoubou, MS

VRG Research Director

The VRG recently reported that Nestlé Malaysia® introduced in 2009 a Nescafé® Body Partner® coffee that contained collagen (a protein usually commercially derived from fish, cow, or pig). At the time, no further information on Nestlé Malaysia’s® collagen source was available.

We received an email reply from Consumer Services Executive Zalbiah Yaakub of Nestlé Malaysia®. She wrote that “We are sorry to inform you that our Nescafé® Body Partner® products have been discontinued due to sales and marketing reasons. The collagen in Nescafé® Body Partner® products is from a fish source.”

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 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

For updates on ingredients and 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 Visit us on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/VegResourceGrp and friend us on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/thevegetarianresourcegroup

The National Restaurant Association conducted an online survey of 1,791 members of the American Culinary Federation in October-November, 2011. The chefs were given a list of 223 food and beverage items, cuisines, culinary themes, and preparation methods, and were asked to rate each item.

Under appetizers, vegetable/vegetarian appetizers was number one! On a general list, meatless and vegetarian items were ranked number 75 as far as what’s hot. Twenty two per cent said meatless/vegetarian items were yesterday’s news and 25% said they were a perennial favorite. Vegan entrees were ranked number 107, with 47% saying it was a hot trend and 21% a perennial favorite.

As far as main dishes, meatless/vegetarian items were ranked as number 13 with vegan items ranked as number 16. Locally sourced meats and seafood were number one.

Dairy-free milk was listed number five under nonalcoholic beverages. Milk was number 14.

Under ethnic, Cuban cuisine was number four. (See recipes on VRG’s website at http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2006issue3/2006_issue3_cuban.php)

North African was number 6. (See recipes on VRG’s website at http://www.vrg.org/blog/2011/03/11/eggplant-dishes-from-the-middle-east-and-north-africa/)

Korean was number 7. (See recipes on VRG’s website at http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2004issue2/2004_issue2_kimchi.php)

Middle Eastern cuisine was at number 11. (See VRG recipes at
http://www.vrg.org/recipes/vjmesoup.htm
http://www.vrg.org/recipes/egypt.htm)

Vegetarian restaurants can also be found at
http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

A recent article on AOL’s Daily Finance Site explains how you can use life insurance to help charities like The Vegetarian Resource Group.

How to Use Life Insurance to Donate to Charity