by Jeanne Yacoubou, MS

VRG Research Director

Convenience store 7-Eleven® told The VRG in October 2011 that they now offer four pre-cooked vegan meals at one hundred locations in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. The ready-to-eat meals are manufactured and distributed by UNIVEG/Hot Cuisine America, Inc. ®, in Swedesboro, NJ.

UNIVEG/Hot Cuisine America® offers a wide variety of pre-cooked meals and distributes them widely. At this point, its vegan dishes represent a small, but growing, segment of their product offerings. UNIVEG/Hot Cuisine America® purchases ingredients from other companies then prepares meals with those ingredients according to recipes that it has developed. A senior staff member at UNIVEG/Hot Cuisine America® told The VRG that the vegan meals are prepared in a kitchen free of meat and dairy products.

The culinary team at the company is in the process of developing several more ready-to-eat vegan meals for 7-Eleven® and expanding their distribution to grocery stores such as Giant® in Maryland. “In the first quarter of 2012,” according to this staff member, customers may begin looking for vegans meals composed of, for example, a noodle component, a meat analog, and a vegetable, as well as ones like those currently offered at some 7-Eleven® stores in the northeast corridor (see below).

Many patrons enjoy the UNIVEG/Hot Cuisine America® meals eaten cold, but they may be heated as well. Heating them in the original containers is not recommended, according to the UNIVEG/Hot Cuisine America® staff member.

The VRG also spoke with Margaret Chabris, the public relations specialist for 7-Eleven®. She told us that the convenience store chain is “involved in intensive marketing research” and “moving positively in that direction [of offering more vegan meals at more 7-Eleven® stores.]” She stated that “it will be in select locations,” but that “it is too premature to say anything more at this time.”

Ingredient information about the four vegan dishes prepared by UNIVEG/Hot Cuisine America® and available at select 7-Eleven® stores is as follows (note: processing method of brown sugar is undetermined at this time):

Vegan Spinach Noodles with Vegetables
Ingredients: Spinach Pasta (durum wheat semolina, spinach powder, water), carrot, mushroom, sesame oil, onion, brown sugar, cilantro, apple cider vinegar, garlic, ginger, naturally brewed soy sauce, sea salt, spices. Contains: Soy, Wheat.

Vegan Pad Thai Noodles
Ingredients: Cooked pasta (durum wheat, water), cabbage, brown sugar, carrot, green onion, garlic, tomato, apple cider vinegar, lime juice, naturally brewed soy sauce, sesame oil, canola oil, sea salt, spices. Contains: Soy, Wheat.

Vegan Linguine Tikka Massala
Ingredients: Cooked pasta (durum wheat, water), water, spinach, red pepper, cilantro, sesame oil, tomato, brown sugar, garlic, spices, salt. Contains: Soy, Wheat.
.
Vegan Asian Linguine
Ingredients: Cooked pasta (durum wheat, water), cabbage, mushroom, naturally brewed soy sauce, carrot, brown sugar, green onion, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, cilantro, salt, spice. Contains: Soy, Wheat. The 7-Eleven® stores carrying the vegan meals are as follows (7-Eleven® directed us to this list found on the PeTA® website and described to us as “accurate” by 7-Eleven®):

A recent article on HLNTV.com explains the history behind the tradition of granting a Presidential pardon to a turkey on Thanksgiving. Here at The Vegetarian Resource Group, we think that’s a fantastic idea! Everyone should do it! For some ideas on what to eat instead, see our article “What Do Vegans And Vegtarians Do For Thanksgiving?“

Are you a vegan or vegetarian college student? We want to know what your top 5 favorite vegan campus foods are! Please complete our brief online survey and share with your friends:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/5L839K8

Thank you!

If so, The Vegetarian Resource Group offers cookbooks that will help you create scrumptious meals.

Ethnic cuisine is sure to excite your family and friends. The Tropical Vegan Kitchen features perfect holiday snacks including Thai-Style Glazed Cashews and Caribbean-Spiced Popcorn. Main dish ideas include Jackfruit and Spice Rice with Pistachios and Coconut and Roasted Vegetables in African Peanut Sauce with Fufu. Finally, for dessert be sure to try the Hawaiian Macadamia Lace Cookies and Papaya-Pineapple Strudel.

Vegan Soul Kitchen offers some unique appetizers. You can prepare Roasted Winter Squash Seeds, Crispy Okra Strips with Lime-Thyme Vinaigrette, Black-Eyed Pea Fritters with Hot Pepper Sauce, or Little Banana-Maple Pecan Cornbread Muffins. You’ll also find some hearty entrées in this cookbook including Tempeh, Shiitake Mushroom, and Cornmeal Dumpling Stew, Baked BBQ Black-Eyed Peas, and Pan-Fried Grit Cakes with Caramelized Spring Onions, Garlic, and Thyme. For dessert, serve your guests Coconut-Pecan Pralines or Maple Yam-Ginger Pie.

Nona’s Italian Kitchen offers an amazing collection of traditional Italian dishes made vegan. Recipes include Almond Ricotta, Hot Garlic Dip for Raw Vegetables, Stuffed Crepes, Crispy Eggplant Croquettes, Lemon-Rosemary Breast of Tofu, and even vegan Tiramisu. There are also chapters on roasting vegetables and making fresh pasta.

by Zel Allen

I don’t know if Thanksgiving is wild and crazy to the max at your house, but it sure is in mine–in a good way, that is. It’s our family reunion time so I have family flying in from all parts of the globe for this nutty feast. All the bedrooms are full and the kitchen is in a constant state of activity. It’s been our thing for years so we really look forward to Thanksgiving week—a time that’s filled with lots of cooking going on, great aromas drifting through the house, lots of eating, and lots of laughing.

On the big day—Thanksgiving day, the frenzy picks up to get everything ready for that special dinner when we literally pile a ton of colorful, fabulous tasting dishes onto the buffet table that I refer to as the groaning board. And we attack with fervor!

Front and center on the table is the totally nutty Thanksgiving Torte, our annual feast specialty that I want to share with all who aim for a kind and gentle Thanksgiving.
The recipe is from my cookbook, The Nut Gourmet and is pretty darned impressive looking—even if I have to say so myself. It’s real good looker, especially when I serve it on a footed cake plate and garnish the heck out of it with sprigs of fresh herbs and orange slices.

The Torte makes the ideal vegan Thanksgiving dish with its varied textures and savory flavors from the combination of wild rice, mushrooms, nuts, and sage. Served with a robust Mushroom Sauce on the side, the Torte makes a very hearty main dish and goes well with all the typical side dishes like cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, chestnut stuffing, and a few veggie combinations. For dessert, it’s pumpkin and apple pies, of course. To ease the feast-day preparations, I usually make the Torte the day before, store it in the fridge, and reheat it at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

One little hint, the Torte preparation comes together more quickly if you cook the wild rice before beginning the torte or even the day before.

THANKSGIVING TORTE

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

2 cups water
2/3 cups wild rice
3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 pound red or white rose potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed, and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup water
1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1 (14-ounce) package vegan ground sausage
3/4 pound portobello mushrooms, chopped (about 4 large mushrooms)
1 large onion, diced
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon hickory liquid smoke
1 1/4 teaspoons salt or to taste

2 ripe tomatoes, sliced

Mushroom Sauce
1/2 pound sliced button mushrooms
1 3/4 cups plus 3 tablespoons water
1/4 soy sauce
1/4 cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water

1. TO MAKE THE TORTE, lightly oil a 9-inch springform pan, line the base with parchment paper (for easier cleanup), and set it aside. Combine the 2 cups water, wild rice, and salt in a 2-quart saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat down to medium-low and steam for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Drain off excess liquid and set the rice aside.

2. Combine the potato cubes, 1 cup water, and salt in a 2-quart saucepan. Cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat down to medium and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to a medium bowl, mash them, and set them aside.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Toast the pecans and walnuts in a 10-inch skillet over high heat, stirring constantly for 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately transfer them to a dish to cool.

4. Combine the vegan sausage, mushrooms, onion, the 1/3 cup water, olive oil, poultry seasoning, and pepper in a large, deep skillet. Cook over high for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the onion is transparent, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon or paddle to break up the sausage chunks. Drain and reserve any excess liquid. Add the salt and hickory liquid smoke to the sausage mixture and mix well.

5. Add the mashed potatoes to the skillet along with the toasted nuts and cooked wild rice. Mix well to combine the ingredients thoroughly. Adjust seasonings if needed.

6. Press the mixture firmly into the prepared springform pan, and attractively arrange the tomato slices over the top, covering most of the surface. Bake uncovered for 1 hour. Allow the torte to stand for 15 to 20 minutes before removing from the pan.

7. TO MAKE THE MUSHROOM SAUCE, prepare it while the torte is baking. Combine the mushrooms, water, soy sauce, red wine, and lemon juice in a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Turn heat down slightly and simmer for 5 minutes.

8. Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and stir with a spoon to make a runny paste. Add the paste to the bubbling sauce, a little at a time, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute, until the sauce has thickened to the desired consistency.

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 show your support for vegetarian outreach, by giving via our online donation form, and writing “matching donation” in the comments field.

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.

Thank you!

By Megan Salazar – VRG Dietetic Intern

Whether you are on the way to the hospital for a planned surgery or in an ambulance for an unexpected hospital visit, the last thing that may be on your mind is what you are going to eat while in the hospital. As a vegetarian or vegan, it can be tricky to manage your diet and preferences if you are not aware of the options. There are a variety of things to consider and ways to be prepared if you are planning a hospital stay or just want to be familiar with your options for a future event.

Anytime you are going to the hospital for a scheduled procedure or an emergency, it is easy to be anxious of the unknown. If you are able, you can prepare for your stay in the following ways:

• Know the area hospitals and what they offer for vegetarian & vegan diets:
  
  
  
  • Call your local hospital and request to speak with the dietary or food service department. Ask them if they have a special menu or items offered for a vegetarian diet. If you have certain brands that you prefer, ask if they have those accessible or if they would be able to get them for you when you might have to stay in the hospital.
  • If they are unable to tell you what they have available, ask to speak with a dietitian.

• Have a small amount of food ready for snacks or light meals:
  
  
  
  • Items like nuts, dried fruit, snack bars, canned soups, and crackers will be handy if you get hungry in between meals at the hospital. If you miss your hot meal due to more rest, having items on hand that provide a little more calories can help you feel satisfied. However, items may need to be approved by the dietitian if you are on a therapeutic diet or cannot eat before surgery.

• Have instructions written out in case of an emergency: and
  
  
  
  • Carry a card of your pertinent medical information, allergies and food preferences.

• Know the restaurants around the hospital that serve vegetarian or vegan meals to go.
  
  
  
  • Check out the VRG sites list of restaurants by area at http://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

When checking into the hospital, the screening form that you fill out at admission will usually have a section in which to indicate dietary preferences or concerns. The doctor will be able to note your special dietary needs in the diet order, but if the doctor does not make this indication, ask the nurses to contact the dietitian to make sure your needs are met. The diet order lets the kitchen and food services staff know what is acceptable for you to eat.

Besides the doctor and dietitian, the nurses and any other staff that works with you during your stay will be able to advocate for you. If mistakes are made or special requests are necessary, the staff will be able to contact the kitchen on your behalf. If unacceptable foods are received, voice concerns immediately as they can be corrected by the food services staff. If they are not corrected by the food services staff, the nurse can contact the dietitian to reconcile any problems.

Every hospital differs in how they deliver food to their patients. Some hospitals have a room service option that allows you to be in contact with a dietetic technician to guide you through the menu. The diet tech will be able to let you know what other foods they have that may not be on the menu. Other hospitals may bring you a standard tray of food based on your diet order. Items can be added to this tray on your request as well.

Visits to the hospital cannot always be predicted and if you are hospitalized while traveling, your ability to be prepared ahead of time may be limited. Being unprepared does not mean that a hospital stay will be a disaster. Most hospitals carry a variety of foods that can be used to make a delicious vegetarian or vegan meal at a moment’s notice. Items like rice and beans, along with vegetables, fruits and nuts can be combined to satisfy your dietary needs. Don’t be afraid to request items that are not on the menu, but be aware that if you are on a therapeutic diet, any special items will need the dietitian’s approval.

Friends and family members can also help the patient’s experience by knowing what foods they can bring in to the patient from a grocery store or restaurant. The patient may also be able to suggest preferred restaurants. The Vegetarian Resource Group has a list online of restaurants with vegetarian and vegan options by area. Many other restaurants also have vegetarian and vegan options available; check menus on their websites for options ahead of time. Family members and friends who would like to bring in food should discuss available options with the dietitian as well to be sure the foods that are brought in are acceptable for the patient’s prescribed diet.

If you are unable to eat by mouth and have to be fed by a tube to your stomach, you will need to be given a special formula designed to be fed through the tube. You can be comfortable knowing that most formulas are vegetarian. Many formulas are based on casein (a protein from cow’s milk). Some soy-based formulas contain ingredients that are not derived from animals with the exception of vitamin D, which is derived from sheep’s wool. If you are uncomfortable with this, be sure to discuss alternative options with the doctor and dietitian. Treatments like this are usually temporary and can help you transition back to a normal diet.

Whether you are prepared before surgery or not ready due to an emergency, your worries about food can be eased by speaking with the doctor and dietitian candidly about any dietary concerns. The burden of preparing for this part of a hospital stay should be lightened as most hospitals will work with your needs and will usually go the extra mile to make sure you are fed the proper foods required, whether it is a preference or an allergy. Your health and comfort is usually the priority of all hospital staff, especially when it comes to nutrition.

The contents of this article 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.

Maryland Family Magazine interviewed The VRG and some Maryland vegan families for their article Everything but the turkey: Vegan families find food enough to fill their Thanksgiving tables.

If you’re looking for ideas for your own vegan holiday feast, a good place to start is our article What Do You Do For Thanksgiving? in our recipes section.

The TV show, MasterChef, is looking for contestants for its 3rd season and will be in Washington, DC on Saturday, November 12, 2011. Gordon Ramsay will be at this Open Call. They are interested in having vegetarian and vegan cooks on the show. Please note that the show said, “The challenges always change every season” and that they “cannot answer whether or not it would be absolutely necessary to use meat products in any challenge this season.” For more information, please see masterchefcasting.com.

Less than two weeks away! The VRG’s 2011 Pre-Thanksgiving Vegan Potluck will be held at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday November 20th at North Baltimore Mennonite Church in Roland Park. Address: 4615 Roland Ave, Baltimore, MD 21210.

Admission is $4 per adult and children under 16 are admitted free. Please bring a vegan dish that serves four as a contribution from each member of your party. A vegan dish is made without meat, fish, fowl, dairy, eggs, honey, or other animal derived ingredients. Don’t forget a serving spoon and to write the ingredients of your dish on a 3 x 5 card to accommodate guests with special diets. We encourage participants to bring their own reusable dishes and utensils in order to reduce waste. Paper plates, cups, napkins, and plastic utensils will be available upon request.

Need recipe ideas?? Check out our Vegan Thanksgiving page.

If you are unable to cook, you may bring a prepared vegan dish for four from a local natural foods store or restaurant. We also hope you will bring a non-perishable vegetarian canned food item to donate to North Baltimore Mennonite Church, who will distribute it to those in need.

**Volunteers are needed for set-up starting at 3:00 p.m., to greet guests at the door, and for clean up after the event**

To volunteer or more information email [email protected] or call (410) 366-8343.