Click here to read a new publication by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, on raising young vegans. Topics include nutrition, peer pressure, making food fun, and more!

A portion is excerpted below:

Where do vegan children get their nutrients?

Vitamin B12: Vitamin B12-fortified foods include some brands of soymilk and rice milk, meat analogues, breakfast cereals, and Vegetarian Support Formula nutritional yeast.

Vitamin D: Sunlight exposure is one source of vitamin D. Where regular sunlight exposure is not possible, some brands of soymilk or rice milk, orange juice, and some cold cereals are fortified with vitamin D.

Calcium: Good sources include calcium-fortified soymilk and orange juice and many brands of tofu (Read the label for calcium content since this varies). Dark green leafy vegetables including collard greens, kale, mustard greens, and turnip greens also provide calcium.

Protein: Beans, grains, soy products, meat analogues, nuts, and nut butters all provide protein.

Iron: Look for iron in whole or enriched grains and grain products, iron-fortified cereals, dried beans, green leafy vegetables, and dried fruits.

Click here to read the whole article.

VRG dinner at Mercury Cafe in Denver during the American Dietetic Association conference:

Mark Rifkin, RD
Debra Wasserman
Lisa Martin
Lisa Shapiro
Reed Mangels, PhD, RD
Ryan Andrews, MS, RD

Thanks to TheVegetarianSite.com for donating 10% of their August proceeds to VRG! We really appreciate their generosity.

Make sure to check them out for vegan shoes, clothing, food, belts, accessories, and more.

Julia Driggers, R.D., shares a recipe for vegan chocolate chip banana bread:

Yummy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

(Serves 12)

Ingredients:

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
¼ tsp Salt
½ cup Vegan Butter (Earth Balance recommended)
¾ cup Brown Sugar (Use your favorite vegan variety)
2-3 Medium to Large Ripe Bananas, Mashed
1 tsp Vanilla
2 Egg Equivalents of Egg Replacer
¾ cups Vanilla Almond Milk (or other milk alternative)
1 cup Vegan Chocolate Chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large mixing http://buycialisquality.com bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt. In separate bowl cream butter and fold in brown sugar. Stir in mashed bananas, vanilla, and egg substitute. Pour banana mixture into flour mixture and stir. Add Almond Milk and chocolate chips and mix. Pour into a 9 inch loaf pan and bake 40-50 minutes or until center of bread is cooked. Enjoy!

Click here to view the entire version of VRG’s new lesson plan for kids about water usage.

Lesson Plan: Clean Water for Everyone Today and Tomorrow with Good Food Choices

by Jeanne Yacoubou, MS © The Vegetarian Resource Group.

Purpose: To visualize for young children how much water is used to do everyday tasks and how much water is needed to grow common food items. To graphically illustrate for children how some human activities and how food production causes water pollution. To instill in children that water is a precious resource and should not be wasted.

An integrated worksheet asks children to answer questions based on these adapted charts (numbers rounded for children):

Table 1. Water Consumed during Daily Activities (data taken from http://www.epa.gov/reg5rcra/wptdiv/p2pages/water.pdf)

 
Table 2. Water Used to Produce some Common Items (Data taken from Chapagain A, Hoekstra A (2004) Water Footprints of Nations Volume One: Main Report. Value of Water Research Report Series No.16. Delft (The Netherlands): UNESCO – IHE Institute for Water Education. http://www.waterfootprint.org/?page=files/Publications; numbers are rounded off on table children use for activity.)

Click here for the entire lesson plan.

Thanks to Gretchen Chlebowski, Eric Sharer, and Julie Conry for representing VRG at the first year of Chicago Veganmania as well as VeggieFest in Chicago!

You can read more about Veganmania here: http://chicagoveganmania.
blogspot.com
and Veggie Fest here: http://www.veggiefest
chicagoland.org/

Great Sage, organic vegetarian restaurant in Clarksville, MD, is donating 10% of proceeds to VRG tomorrow. They have an amazing brunch from 10am-3pm and dinner after until 9pm. Come if you can!

http://www.great-sage.com

Click here to check out a veggie-friendly take on the classic game of Memory! You can download a 24-card set that you can print as a fun game for kids.

Artwork by Jessica Dadds.

On our running National Restaurant Chains Poll, the top ten restaurant chains picked by our readers as most vegetarian-friendly are currently:

1. Chipotle
2. Qdoba Mexican Grill
3. Taco Bell
4. Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes
5. Subway
6. P.F. Chang’s China Bistro
7. Noodles & Company
8. Moe’s Southwest Grill
9. Panera Bread
10. Baja Fresh Mexican Grill

Click here to cast your vote!

Julia Driggers, Clinical Dietician, shares a recipe for a vegan chickpea spread:

Garden Fresh Chickpea Spread

(Serves 6)

Ingredients:

1½ cups Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans)
½ cup Celery, chopped
2 TBS Scallions, chopped
1 TBS Green Chili Pepper (may use green bell pepper)
1 TBS Sesame Seeds
1 TBS Spicy or Dijon Mustard
2 TBS Vegan Mayonnaise
½ tsp Dill Weed, Dried

Directions:

In large bowl combine all ingredients and mix. Place mixed ingredients into Food Processor or Blender. Blend on medium speed for 30 seconds or until chickpeas are mashed and mixture appears smooth.

Take mixture and spread on whole wheat bread and top with lettuce, tomato, carrots, or your favorite vegetable. It’s also great for dipping and topping vegetables and crackers!

*Variations: Add 2 TBS Dried Cranberries or Golden Raisins to add sweetness!

Nutritional Analysis per serving: