If you have general nutrition questions, Mark Rifkin, MS, RD, LDN, will be available from 2:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. EST on Friday, July 16, 2010. To reserve a 20-minute time slot, please email the VRG office at [email protected] or call (410) 366-8343.

Please be advised that these sessions are not individualized nutritional counseling. Such advice should only be provided through direct in-person contact with a qualified health professional. There is no charge, but if you do commit, please call on time. Otherwise you are taking someone else’s spot.

Mark Rifkin, a VRG volunteer since the mid-1980s, holds a Master’s Degree in health education and is a Registered Dietitian. Through many different settings, he focuses on plant-based diets to prevent and treat chronic diseases and nutrient deficiencies, particularly for women, seniors, minority populations, and vegetarians. He also presents on other topics, such as reducing food costs and “green” issues. He has been presenting on nutrition and food-related topics since 1997.

In addition, Mark is offering a 20% discount on any service for VRG members. This is for his private practice and is not affiliated with The VRG or Call-A-Dietitian Day.

Pacific Intercultural Exchange (PIE), a nonprofit agency, is searching for a volunteer host family for an international student who is vegetarian. The student is from Lebanon and is an exceptional US State Department sponsored scholarship student who is vegetarian. She is active in sports such as basketball, tennis, swimming, and dancing. She speaks English, has medical insurance and her own spending money.

A volunteer host family provides a room (which may be shared), meals, and a caring environment for their student. Students arrive in mid August and stay through June while attending the local public high school where the host family resides. Students are encouraged to integrate themselves into their host family by doing chores, participating in family activities and attending the public high school. For more information about the program or to become a host family, please contact Mary Armstrong at 952-236-0745/ website: www.pieusa.org / email: [email protected]

Pacific Intercultural Exchange (PIE) is a non profit agency, and it is fully accredited by CSIET and abides by US State Department guidelines. Students are screened based on English abilities and academics and are eligible to participate in high school extra curricular activities such as athletics, drama clubs, etc.

The Vegetarian Resource Group is honored to present a $5,000 scholarship to Melissa Monette of Mililani, Hawaii, for her outstanding work in promoting vegetarianism one pound of food at a time. With diligence and the help of community members and donors, she was able to collect over 28,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables to feed over 133,000 individuals.

Melissa's non-profit charity, A Harvest For Many Inc., was created after her grandmother was turned away from a non-profit which distributed canned goods only to the homeless. Melissa noticed that her grandmother, who was left to survive on a single income after the passing of her husband, and others like her needed help. Melissa's program has been able to provide vegetarian food assistance to senior citizens, the homeless, displaced teens, battered women, and to children living in shelters.

After acquiring both fresh and canned fruits and vegetables from farms, organizations, supermarkets, can food drives, and the homeowners of Oahu that donated surplus fruits and vegetables, Melissa found it important to also focus on fitness and nutrition. An integral part of A Harvest For Many Inc., an aerobics class, encompassed both the fitness and nutrition aspect of Melissa's vision. Vegetarian meals were prepared for those that participated in the aerobics class. She arranged for dietitians to provide nutritional presentations about eating healthy Hawaiian foods. With great bountiful locally grown food in Hawaii such as mango, papaya, and taro, Melissa's program gave individuals nutritional information about these vegetarian products. Melissa was also able to coordinate several vegetarian potlucks. She even plans to create a vegetarian cookbook from some of the best dishes and recipes used at the potlucks.

Melissa also encouraged low income facilities to create community gardens to grow their own produce. By planting tomato seedlings herself, Melissa was able to advocate a healthy vegetarian diet and ensure that there would be at least one more pound of food growing.

A vegetarian for approximately 5 years now, Melissa's activism does not stop at her non-profit charity. As captain of her tennis team and Oahu Interscholastic Association (OIA) state champion, she regularly prepared vegetarian pasta dishes for her teammates. She also gave presentations at neighborhood board meetings and community service meetings about the vegetarian diet.

The Vegetarian Resource Group is also honored to present a $5,000 scholarship to Nina Gonzalez, of Stratford High School, for her diligence in changing school lunches at both the local and national level. With all the meat options students could choose from, Gonzalez envisioned healthy, vegetarian dishes and worked hard to implement her vision at the school cafeteria.

Nina conducted extensive research on the National School Lunch Program, learning about all the different dietary requirements of food in school cafeterias. After having successfully learned about all this information, she was able to set up a meeting with a certified dietitian to become more informed about the dietary guidelines for adolescents and was then able to meet with the school district nutrition director where she discussed her vegetarian proposal using schools in Fairfax County as an example of institutions that had adopted a vegetarian-friendly cafeteria.

Shortly following a taste test that was conducted at her school with vegetarian and non-vegetarian students, she was able to successfully encourage the inclusion of vegetarian lunch items such as bean burritos, taco salads, pita and hummus, as well as a salad bar and potato bar. These changes were available to all school levels; from adolescents in high school to children in elementary school.

Nina's activism did not just stop once vegetarian meals were implemented in her school's cafeteria. As a top athlete in tennis, golf, and cross country, she has been able to transfer similar energy and perseverance she used when qualifying for the Virginia State Golf Championships and apply it when she promotes vegetarianism.

Nina successfully has been able to project her views to truly impact those around her. She has been involved by leafleting through Vegan Outreach near the University of Maryland and at different entertainment venues to reach today's youth.

In 2008, she even got involved by voicing and effectively presenting her opinions to the U.S Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. Nina also testified twice this spring in front of the Senate committee on Nutrition in Washington as a teen advocate for vegetarian and vegan school lunch options nationwide. She was able to voice her passion and commitment for the vegetarian diet and keep working to ensure that a plant based meal is available upon request in our nation's schools. Nina was able to further do this at a Congressional hearing regarding vegetarian meals at schools, part of the Healthy Schools Meal Act, and was able to meet with the senator and representative to voice her own personal story and dedication to the health and compassion benefits of vegetarian diet. Just this past April, Nina went to New York and did a video for Good Morning America Health, where she promoted vegetarianism by revealing alarming nutritional facts, such as the fat content in burgers.

A vegetarian does not eat meat, fish, or fowl. A vegan is a vegetarian who does not use other animal products such as eggs and dairy. For more information on a vegetarian diet, visit The Vegetarian Resource Group at www.vrg.org or write to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203.

The Vegetarian Resource Group is a national non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public about vegetarianism. VRG publishes the quarterly Vegetarian Journal, and sponsors two annual $5,000 scholarships for graduating high school seniors who have promoted vegetarianism in their communities. Applicants are judged on having shown compassion, courage, and a strong commitment to promoting a peaceful world through a vegetarian diet/lifestyle. Entries should be sent in a student's senior year before February 20th. Early submission is encouraged. For more information on the scholarship, visit http://www.vrg.org/student/scholar.htm.

On Friday, November 19, 2010, VRG nutrition advisor Reed Mangels, PhD, RD will speak at the 1-day conference “Pediatric Nutrition: Current Concepts and Controversies” at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to an audience of pediatric dietitians, nurses, and physicians. The title of Reed’s talk will be “Vegetarian Children and Teens: A Growing Population.”

Click here to view more information about the schedule of events for the conference.

By Veronica Lizaola

LatinoFest in Baltimore, which took place on June 26 and 27, 2010, was full of culture, vibrancy, and very hot weather. The scorching 100 degree weather, however, did not prevent such a vast array of Latin American cultures from interacting with each through conversation, food, music, and dance. The Latinos – Mexicans, Salvadorians, Hondurans, Puerto Ricans, and Cubans to just name a few – each added their own spice and flair to the festival. Vendors sold all kinds of unique items; ranging from soccer jerseys to platano maduro (fried plantains) to handmade jewelry and clothing.

Representing the Vegetarian Resource Group was truly an interesting experience all in its own. In addition to the Walters Art Museum that was also there, we were the only nonprofit organizations to help educate the public.

The VRG had all kinds of items that made our stand visually appealing to the eye and it definitely helped draw in children and adults. All of our colorful books, the vibrant table cloth with depictions of fruits and vegetables, our bilingual signs, different bags of beans that acted as paper weights and as conversation starters, free copies of the Vegetarian Journal, a multitude of handouts, and the model of what 5 lbs. of body fat looks like all caught the attention of any onlooker.

Many of the people that were attracted to our table were Latino. There was a lot of diversity in our audience, which included those who only spoke Spanish, some who spoke both Spanish and English, or those who only spoke English. There were men, women, adolescents, and children of all different Latino heritages, each with a different interest.

Booth visitors included attendees who were already vegetarian and were looking for help in transitioning to vegan, omnivores who were interested in transitioning to vegetarian, and others just simply interested in eating healthier, or were interested in different unique recipes. We gave individual copies of Vegetarian Journal, and encouraged the children to take one copy of each of the three different coloring books available, including a test of our new Spanish coloring book.

The majority of the Latino population was really interested in the information we had about diabetes and the vegetarian diet. Those that only spoke Spanish took the sixteen page handout in Spanish and were really happy about the sample menu inside. Those that could speak English took our free copy of VRG’s book on diabetes. So many people were impressed with our commitment and complemented us for taking the time to be there. It was definitely really helpful that Mark Rifkin, a registered dietitian, was present to help answer any questions. Many people had very specific queries about problems they were facing, such as with blood pressure and each case differed from the rest. There was even a young woman who had joined the Peace Corp and was going to be sent to Kazakhstan and wanted information so that she would be able to continue her vegetarian diet!

A really popular handout that was given was the Baltimore dining sheet that has helpful restaurant information for vegetarians/vegans. Since there wasn’t a great amount of vegetarian food at the festival, people were really receptive to restaurant suggestions. The coloring books were also very popular for the children and I was really happy that I gave out copies of our Spanish coloring book, El Arco Iris Vegetariano (The Vegetarian Rainbow). With the Walters Art Museum stand directly across from us, children could use the markers that were available there and color our coloring book pages.

I was able to learn so much myself! Since this is my first visit to Baltimore, I was able to see the Latino population here flourish in front of me. It really helped me interact with the Latino population, something that since before the start of my internship, I had made a priority, as I am of Mexican heritage. I was also able to learn so much about the amount of sugar in so many products ranging from brownies and cookies to soda. Mark had different test tubes labeled as these products filled with the amount of sugar each product contained. I was so surprised to know how many teaspoons were present in each of these and I think this definitely has made me more aware of what is being consumed. I have no doubt the individuals that talked to us left with that same awareness or even more! It was an enlightening experience to be able to share so much of this information to all of the individuals that were present at Patterson Park Latino Festival.

Thanks to Brandi, Shamim, Eric, Ann Marie, Mike for volunteering at VRG’s booth.

To support VRG’s outreach efforts and presence at such events as LatinoFest, click here

Buy a nice gift for your friends or relatives, and help support vegetarian outreach. Please visit the Vegetarian Resource Group bookstore.

The most recent titles added to the bookstore are:

• Buddha’s Table by Chat Mignkwan
• Horizons: The Cookbook by Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby
• Food Allergy Survival Guide by Vesanto Melina, MS, RD, Jo Stepaniak, MSEd and Dina Aronson, MS, RD
• The Tropical Vegan Kitchen by Donna Klein
• You Won’t Believe It’s Vegan by Lacey Sher and Gail Doherty

This article originally appeared in Vegetarian Journal Issue 3, 2009. Click here to subscribe to Vegetarian Journal.

Vegan Cooking Tips: Late Summer Fruit

By Chef Nancy Berkoff, RD, EdD, CCE

Want to make the most of the fruit available during this time of year? Here are some quick ideas for late summer produce that go beyond the usual fruit salad:

MELONS

Melons – such as casaba, honeydew, cantaloupe, or watermelon – can make a refreshing treat for the end of summer, or for any other time!

Peel and seed two types of melon, such as cantaloupe and honeydew. Cut into chunks and purée in the blender. Pour into individual serving dishes or ice trays and freeze. You now have a refreshing fruit ice! If you want to take your fruit ice to the next level, here are some ideas:

• If you would like your fruit ice to have a 'grainy' texture, much like granita, stir the mixture approximately every two minutes as it freezes. This will create a marbleized texture.
• If you would like an ‘adult’ dessert, add a bit of vegan liquor to the mixture.
• If you would like to serve your fruit ice in beverages, such as iced tea or lemonade, you might want to enhance the flavor with a small amount of vanilla extract.
• And, of course, you can always freeze the mixture in small paper cups, add a popsicle stick, and have a mobile treat!

PEACHES, APRICOTS, AND STRAWBERRIES

Who says fruit sauce has to be apple? If you have an overabundance of ripe or very ripe peaches, apricots, or strawberries, simply wash and pit the peaches and apricots. Then, purée with or without strawberries in a blender until you attain a smoothness that you like.

• If you have a bag-and-seal machine, you can 'can' the sauce and keep in the refrigerator for at least two months. You can freeze your sauce and thaw it as desired to serve over sorbet or cakes or to mix into hot cereal. You can also use this sauce to make a base for smoothies, to mix into muffin or cake batters, or to make a base for a vinegar-and-fruit salad dressing.
• If you would like a fast-to-prepare dessert, you can blend your fruit sauce with soft silken tofu, sweeten to taste, and pour into a prepared pie shell. (Or make your own shell by mashing cookies together with a small amount of vegan margarine and then smooshing the mixture into a pie pan.) Refrigerate for three hours to allow to set, or freeze for a frozen pie.

In addition, just-ripe strawberries can be washed, deleafed, dried, and then frozen whole. They make a great snack to pop out of the freezer and into your mouth!

PLUMS

Creative treats using plums may take a bit more work, but they are worth it! Create a plum pie by pitting and slicing ripe plums. Be warned that this process can be a bit messy. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place plums in a pot and heat with a small amount of apple juice, cooking until just mushy. Pour the plum filling into a frozen pie crust and bake for approximately 20 minutes or until crust is golden. Allow to cool before serving.

Plums also make a great fruit compote. Place sliced, pitted plums in a pot with sliced apples and dried apricots. Just cover with water. Cook slowly over a low flame. Season plum mixture to taste with fresh or powdered ginger, orange zest, and cinnamon. If you need more sweetness, add some maple syrup or orange juice concentrate. Cook until all of the fruit is very soft. Pour into airtight containers and refrigerate. Your compote will last for at least four weeks in the refrigerator. Stir compote into hot cereal; top sorbet with it; serve it as a condiment with grilled tofu, seitan, or tempeh; or create your own rice dessert by mixing cooked, steamed rice with the compote and a splash of rice or soymilk.

Recently VRG was visited by 10 dietetic interns from the University of Maryland Dietetic Internship Program. Below is one student’s report about the day. Thanks for visiting with us – we enjoyed having you all here at the office!

A Class Day to Remember
By: Lauren Morgan

We all walked out the door excited about what just happened. We quickly walked towards the cars smiling at each other after this unique class day. You see, we spent some of the afternoon at the Vegetarian Resource Group located in Baltimore, MD. We all sat in a circle and discussed vegetarianism, veganism, and so much more than I had ever thought of (which was obvious by my overwhelmingly large number of questions). Why do people become vegans or vegetarians? What products out there are truly good, authentic vegetarian products?

Consider this: If you’re a Registered Dietitian and you personally are a vegetarian, would you work for a large steak producing company who wants YOU to promote and sell their new line of veggie burgers?

Would you promote a soy milk from a company that is owned by someone in the dairy industry?

Oh… my mind was racing! Would I?

We heard personal stories from 3 interns working at the group. It was so interesting to hear how each of them came to be a vegetarian or vegan. One is a vegan bodybuilder; I never knew such a thing existed. One struggled with becoming a vegetarian because in her family and her culture it is not common. She told stories of not seeing eye-to-eye with her mom, and then how they compromised and now everyone supports her. Another told the story of how she worked with her college dining services to make their food choices more appealing to vegetarians- the process of this sounded pretty involved.

Charles Stahler, the man behind the Vegetarian Resource Group, was fantastic! One of the kindest people I’ve ever met, and he was so good to us. He answered my many questions, gave us things to talk about, and really inspired us to be mindful and equipped when counseling vegetarian and vegan clients. Charles provided us with tons of information to make us excited and equip us to be better RDs.

Thank you to Charles and the staff at the VRG!! We are appreciative of the time you spent with us and the investment you made in us!

If you would like to support Vegetarian Resource Group projects, such as education of dietetic interns, please donate at https://www.givedirect.org/give/givefrm.asp?CID=1565

By Jeanne Yacoubou, MS
VRG Research Director

For several years, the gourmet hamburger chain Red Robin has offered Boca Burgers or Gardenburgers containing eggs and/or dairy products. Recently, we received reports that Red Robin offers the vegan Boca variety.

The VRG asked Red Robin to confirm this report and Jennifer, a customer service representative, has confirmed it. The Boca Original Vegan Burger is offered at all of its 442 US locations EXCEPT at the following nineteen Red Robin restaurants:

• Lake Havasu City, AZ
• Tucson, AZ
• Tempe, AZ – 1375 W. Elliot St.
• Enfield, CT
• Manchester, CT
• Milford, CT
• Waterford, CT
• West Hartford, CT
• Holyoke, MA
• Millbury, MA
• Wilbraham, MA
• Pharr, TX
• Salt Lake City, UT
• American Fork, UT
• Murray, UT
• Provo, UT
• Layton Hills, UT
• South Jordan, UT
• West Valley, UT

Red Robin told us that the vegan burgers are prepared apart from all animal products. Travis, a customer service representative, recommended that interested customers should ask the general manager at a particular Red Robin for details "on exactly how they are prepared."

Greenbacks, a new program from the folks at Live Green, offers huge, limited-time discounts to certified green businesses and events.

Their current deal – available until this Friday, June 18th – is $120 worth of spa services at Holeco Medi Spa for just $60 with coupon code vrg1. Holeco Medi Spa, is a beloved, eco-conscious medi spa and healing center that uses only organic and non-toxic products.

To redeem this offer, register at www.greenbacks.livegreen.net, type in vrg1 and you’ll only have to pay $60 for a $120 gift card. If you are already a Live Green member, you’ll get this price anyway!