Chinese New Year is on January 23rd, and what better way to celebrate than with some delicious vegan recipes from VRG’s books, Simply Vegan, Vegans Know How to Party, and Meatless Meals for Working People!

Broccoli Chow Mein

Serves 3

From Simply Vegan
By Debra Wasserman and Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

3 stalks broccoli, chopped
1 Tablespoon oil
½ cup water
½ pound mung bean sprouts
½ cup slivered almonds or sunflower seeds (optional)
1 Tablespoon arrowroot starch or cornstarch
½ cup water
1-½ Tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)

Stir-fry broccoli in oil and ½ cup water for 3 minutes over medium-high heat. Add bean sprouts and almonds or seeds. Stir-fry for 2 more minutes.

Dissolve starch in ½ cup water. Add to broccoli and sprout mixture along with tamari or soy sauce and sesame oil if desired. Stir, then heat covered for 1 minute longer. Serve hot.

Moo Shu Tempeh

Serves 8

From Vegans Know How to Party
By Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD

Marinade:
4 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
4 Tablespoons cold water
2 Tablespoons dark sesame oil
2 teaspoons orange juice concentrate
3 cloves garlic, minced

Combine all marinade ingredients in a large glass or plastic bowl. Set aside.

Tempeh:
2 Tablespoons dried mushrooms (shiitake are a good variety)
1 cup warm water
1½ pounds tempeh, cut into thin strips
Vegetable oil spray
4 cups finely shredded green cabbage
1 cup finely shredded carrots
1 cup diced green onions (white and green parts)
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
½ cup warm water
8 flour tortillas

Combine mushrooms and 1 cup warm water in a small bowl. Allow them to soak for 15 minutes or until soft. Discard water. Cut mushrooms into thin strips. Set aside.

Add tempeh to marinade, cover, and marinate for 30 minutes. Drain tempeh, reserve remaining marinade to use as sauce.

Spray a large skillet with oil and allow to heat. Add tempeh and allow to brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, cabbage, carrots, and green onions. Quickly mix cornstarch with ½ cup warm water and add to tempeh mixture. Stir and cook over high heat until cabbage is tender and mixture is hot. Remove from stove.

To serve, warm tortillas in the microwave or oven, rolled, and wrapped in a towel. Place tortillas flat on a serving platter or on individual plates. Spoon a small amount, about 1 teaspoon marinade in the center of each tortilla. Top marinade with ¼ cup tempeh mixture. Fold bottom edge over tempeh mixture. Fold left and right sides of tortilla to the center to form a loose roll. Serve hot.

Fried Rice with Peanuts or Almonds

Serves 6

From Meatless Meals for Working People
By Debra Wasserman and Charles Stahler

1 large onion chopped
1 Tablespoon oil
2 cups pre-cooked rice (leftovers are good)
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 small zucchini, chopped
2 Tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
1 cup roasted peanuts or almonds, chopped or whole

Sauté onion in oil in a large frying pan or wok over a medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and stir-fry 15 minutes.

We would like to send a special thanks to Chris Belanger and Karen Krinsky. They featured VRG as both a recipient and sponsor of the charity raffle held at their annual vegan holiday meal last month in Providence, Rhode Island. Over 110 people gathered for an afternoon of like-minded company, fun, great music, and delicious vegan food. Ticket sales were brisk this year bringing in just shy of $600. Chris and Karen kindly rounded up so VRG, along with two other organizations, each received $200! Thank you!!!

Check out Chris’ Rhode Island Vegan Guide, an excellent resource for all things vegan in Rhode Island. In warmer months, Karen runs Like No Udder, an all-vegan soft serve ice cream truck!

John, VRG’s Consumer Research Manager, was recently interviewed by Randol White at Eat Drink Explore about tips for new vegetarians as part of their Vegetarian Challenge Week.

The Vegetarian Resource Group has one paid needs-based internship. The Eleanor Wolff Scholarship is a $2,500 paid internship at the VRG office in Baltimore for a student who is motivated to use the knowledge and skills they gain from the internship to impact and make effective change on behalf of vegetarianism.

Eleanor Miltimore Wolff became a committed vegan late in life. Once she learned and understood that dietary choices affected not only one’s personal health, but also the health of the planet and the well being of the animals, there was no looking back. Leather shoes and purses, along with non-vegan food products went out the door. Her children and grandchildren were showered with vegan reading material. When she exercised she would sport a T-shirt proclaiming: “I think, therefore I am – a vegetarian”. Eleanor was a military censor during World War II, but there was no censoring her commitment to a plant based diet and lifestyle.

In her memory, the Eleanor Wolff Scholarship is a $2,500 paid internship at the VRG office in Baltimore (plus $1,000 toward housing) for a student who:

1. Wants to be an effective change agent on behalf of vegetarianism
2. Is motivated to use knowledge gained from the internship to make a significant impact within his/her world
3. Could not participate in this development effort without a little financial assistance

VRG also offers unpaid internships.

If you would like to apply for a VRG internship, please send a resume, writing sample, and cover letter detailing your interests, skills, goals, and vegetarian knowledge to:

The Vegetarian Resource Group
P.O. Box 1463
Baltimore, MD 21203

or e-mail to [email protected]

If you are applying for the Eleanor Wolff Scholarship internship, please indicate this and include a few paragraphs indicating financial need.

For more information about the internships and to view what past recipients have said of their experiences, click here.
http://www.vrg.org/student/
http://www.vrg.org/student/eleanor_wolff_scholarship.php

By Lindsey Siferd, former VRG Summer Intern

As a vegetarian college student who spent my semester abroad in Florence, Italy, I often have people ask me the question, “How did you maintain your vegetarian diet in Italy?” The answer is, in fact, it was quite easy! While many people associate Florentine cuisine with one of its most famous meat dishes, bistecca fiorentina, they often forget that the Italian diet is heavy on seasonal vegetables, pastas, spices, soups, and bread. I was able to enjoy and cook several Italian vegetarian dishes during my time abroad, and in fact, happened to be lucky enough to live right across the street from one of Florence’s most famous vegetarian restaurants, Il Vegetariano.

Il Vegetariano, when translated, means simply "the vegetarian," but the food at this tiny and cozy restaurant was anything but simple. Any day of the week right before 7:30pm I could look out of my apartment window and see people lining up to get into to the popular restaurant right at opening time. The cozy interior was always filled with savvy tourists and local vegetarians, and there was a sense that many people came there again and again.

It was definitely worth a return trip, as the menu changes weekly and seasonally. Many of the items are vegan as well, and there is always a mouthwatering display of vegan desserts. The restaurant also offers a selection of their own organic wine and vegan juices. Topping out at 9 euro for a large dish, the prices are friendly as well.

I ate there for dinner a few times, and even my non-vegetarian friends thought it was one of the best places they had eaten in Italy. I would definitely recommend this restaurant for any vegan or vegetarian travelers passing through Florence!

Helpful Links:

• http://www.il-vegetariano.it/ (in Italian only)
• http://www.happycow.net/reviews.php?id=3383 (HappyCow.com review)
• http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187895-d1088165-Reviews-Il_Vegetariano-Florence_Tuscany.html (Trip Advisor page)

We’ve just added a collection of VRG articles and other resources about being a vegan or vegetarian athlete!

Check it out here: http://www.vrg.org/athlete/

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.