For the next few days, we’ll be featuring recipes that were sent to us by Chef Joseph Muldoon of Atlantic City. Enjoy!

Jade Pesto Steamed Tofu

1 ½ pounds Extra Firm Tofu (equates to four 6 oz. portions)
1 Bunch Mint
2 Bunches Thai Basil
2 Bunches Cilantro
3 Tbs. Fresh Ginger, Peeled
3 Tbs. Fresh Garlic, Peeled
1 cup Vegetable Oil
1 Tbs. Mirin

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped to make a thick herb sauce. It is recommended to slice the tofu into two 3 oz. pieces or three 2oz. pieces so that the pesto flavor is infused properly and evenly. *Use a stovetop steamer set up

Katherine Sweet, a blogger for LadyLux.com interviewed The VRG and others for her article, “Vegetarianism: Saving the world by cutting out meat“.

For more information on how a veg diet can help the environment, see our brochure Save Our Water: The Vegetarian Way. You may also be interested in the Environmental Information section of our links page.

Niki Gianni, winner of one of the college scholarships The VRG awarded in 2011, has been featured on the front page of CNN.com this morning!

Young vegetarians: Getting the nutrition they need

Good going, Niki!

For more information about The VRG’s $5,000 college scholarship, visit:
http://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm

An author contacted us looking for personal stories from women who have had veg pregnancies to include in a book about vegetarian & vegan pregnancy. The author is specifically interested in how much things have really changed.

Do family members still pressure women to add animal products to their diets while they are pregant, and/or nursing? What health concerns do these people raise? In what ways are veg pregnancies different from Standard American Diet (SAD) pregnancies? SAD appears to be making many of us sick yet it seems like most docs still know very little about nutrition. In light of this, what are docs really saying to their pregnant veg patients these days? Did your doctor ask about your diet? What did you tell her? Published stories will include your name and will also be copy edited. Please include your address so we can send a free copy of the book to every woman whose story is used.

Email stories to [email protected].

Q: What can I use to replace cheese and meat in foods like tamales and enchiladas?

A: There are many ways to replace cheese and meat in foods like tamales and enchiladas. Various combinations can be made containing tofu, vegetables, and guacamole instead of dairy and meat products. An example of this is guacamole enchiladas. Corn tortillas are used which are rolled up with guacamole and jalapeños. A sauce is then put over it that can be described as a ranchero sauce, made out of tomatoes, cilantro, onions, bell peppers, and spices. Another recipe for enchiladas uses tofu, corn tortillas, sautéed vegetables, and any kind of sauce. As for tamales, a good way to substitute cheese and meat in them is to use zucchini, bell pepper, tomatoes, lettuce, and guacamole instead. Beans can also be put inside these. Another way to replace these ingredients is to use black beans, vegetables, and spices. Overall, there are many ways to substitute cheese and meat in meals such as these. Experiment with a variety of vegetables and some of the ingredients listed in this paragraph! You will find a favorite recipe in no time!

Written by Brittany Estes-Garcia while volunteering with VRG.

If you would like to volunteer for The Vegetarian Resource group, please email [email protected].

TOWSON HEALTH FAIR

We talked to 150 people at the Towson University Health Fair in October. We placed that many Vegetarian Journals into the hands of students and professors as they came to our booth, as well as guides where to eat locally and our new Vegan Plate handout. Interesting discussions included hiking vegetarian on the Appalachian Trail, our needs based internships, and why a religious Jewish person may have enough self control to never smoke on Sabbath or eat unkosher food, but can’t give up smoking other days or change her diet even if asked to by her doctor. Perhaps we can tap into this dedication to help people make healthy changes.

If you would like to have a table at your school or workplace health fair, please drop us a note at [email protected] requesting literature to give out.

See http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/ for some of our handouts.

CHARLOTTESVILLE VEGETARIAN FESTIVAL

Thank you to Jane Wilson, RD who did a VRG booth at the Charlottesville (Virginia) Vegetarian Festival! Jane reported: It was wonderful to be doing something to represent and educate with materials that are so well done by the VRG. As a registered dietitian and vegetarian for 15 years/ vegan for 5 years, the VRG has been an outstanding resource for me and one that I recommend for my clients and others interested in eating a more plant based diet. Just like me, others never seem to get enough recipe ideas. The VRG staff have over the years done an outstanding job of publishing something for every need in their quarterly journal and many publications.

What I remember most about my tabling experience is the 8 year old young man that came to the booth and purchased a twenty-five cent button that read “Eating Meat Is Obsolete.” He freely volunteered that he had been vegan all of his life. When he said it, I could feel coming from him a gentleness and a love for his way of eating. Need I say more?

Thanks Jane for your work towards a healthier and more humane world!

VEGTOBERFEST

Kudos to Mark Rifkin, MS, RD and Dorothy Kenny for volunteering and Debra Wasserman for filling in for an injured staff member at our Vegetarian Resource Group booth at Vegtoberfest in Baltimore. Besides the normal questions, Mark talked to a freshman college student who was interested in becoming a vegetarian dietitian. Thanks to Mark for inspiring and helping so many others!

If you would like handouts for your outreach booths, please drop Mary a note at [email protected].

To support VRG outreach, please make a donation at
https://www.givedirect.org/give/givefrm.asp?CID=1565
Or
http://www.vrg.org/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=4

Just a quick reminder that you still have two weeks left to buy non-leather shoes and clothing, cruelty free personal care products, books, videos, food, and more from TheVegetarianSite and have a portion of your purchase price donated to The VRG! Thanks to TheVegetarianSite, and thank you!

The Veg childrens book review site, VegBooks, is celebrating their 500th book review by holding a contest. If you submit an original book review between now and Monday, October 24th, you will be elligible to win three childrens books, and The Vegetarian Family Cookbook! Click here for details about the contest.

For more information about vegan and vegetarian parenting, or parenting vegans and vegetarians, consider joining our VRGParents list to connect with hundreds of likeminded parents around the globe.

In the summer of 2011, VRG Intern Rita Pruzansky investigated the vegan options available at her local supermarket chains. This is what she found.

Vegan Foods at Publix

Below is a table of the food items at Publix Super Markets that are labeled vegan on the front of the package or in the ingredients list. Many of these products are also labeled as “certified vegan.” This list was made based on the products available in May and July 2011 at a Publix in Coral Springs, Florida. Product availability and their locations within the store may vary. The information about these products was obtained from a regular Publix market, but products may differ at Publix Greenwise markets. There may be a Greenwise section or aisle within the store, containing vegetarian, vegan, organic, and other health foods. Greenwise items may also be mixed in with products in other aisles. Since Greenwise is not entirely vegetarian, keep in mind that meat items may be located in the same area as vegetarian items, and read the package carefully before purchasing.

Vegan Foods at Target

The chart below shows the vegan-labeled products at Target that were available in May 2011 at a Target in Coral Springs, Florida. All products were listed as vegan on the package. This information was obtained from a Target with a fresh foods section. Like Publix, product availability and location of products within the store may vary. Variety of vegan products will depend on which type of Target you visit. Some Targets do not have a fresh food section, and others, “SuperTargets” may have a full grocery store and a more extensive variety.

By Rita Pruzansky, VRG Intern and Psychology Student

by Jeanne Yacoubou, MS

VRG Research Director

For over twelve years, Moshe’s Foods® has offered its all-plant-based, fully prepared sandwiches, burritos, soups, and salads at an ever-growing number of 7-Eleven® convenience stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. The vegan items may also be purchased at many Northeast region oriental markets and natural foods stores. A partial listing of locations appears on the website: www.moshesfoods.com.

Complete ingredient and nutritional information accompanying photos of Moshe’s prepared foods may be located on the company website. Only all-plant-based cuisine is made at Moshe’s Philadelphia plant ensuring no cross-contamination with meat products, eggs, or dairy. Moshe’s Foods® are not certified Kosher or Halal. All of the vegan items are created with only a few very simple ingredients including fresh vegetables, organic tofu, and whole wheat breads.

To date, Moshe has developed approximately sixty food items that may be found at locations carrying Moshe’s Foods®. These include Seitan Steak; Moroccan Roll Burrito; Grilled Vegetable Pita; Tofu Edamame Salad; and Quinoa and Corn Soup. Available items vary weekly depending on sales, location, and customer preference. Moshe told The VRG that his prepared foods may be heated in a microwave or eaten as is if preferred. Soups are served hot.

Moshe also stated that although he has no plans to expand to all of the 7-Eleven® stores in the entire Northeast area, he would consider enlarging his radius from Philadelphia if the demand was great enough in other areas. The VRG encourages interested readers to state their preference for vegan convenience foods like Moshe’s to the managers of their local stores and to demonstrate their future loyalty now by regularly purchasing vegan items if possible.

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 newsletter at http://www.vrg.org/vrgnews/

There are many ways to stay connected to The Vegetarian Resource Group!
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To support VRG outreach, join or donate at
https://www.givedirect.org/give/givefrm.asp?CID=1565