Due to the generosity of anonymous donors, The Vegetarian Resource Group each year will award $50,000 in college scholarship money to graduating U.S. high school students who have promoted veganism in their schools and/or communities. One award of $10,000 and six awards of $5,000, and additional runner-up prizes will be given. Entries may only be sent by students graduating from high school in SPRING 2025

We will accept applications postmarked on or before FEBRUARY 20, 2025. Early submission is encouraged.

Applicants will be judged on having shown compassion, courage, and a strong commitment to promoting a peaceful world through a vegan diet/lifestyle. Payment will be made to the student’s college (U.S. based only). Winners of the scholarships give permission to release their names to the media. Applications and essays become property of The Vegetarian Resource Group. We may ask finalists for more information. Scholarship winners are contacted by e-mail or telephone. Please look at your e-mail.

If you would like to donate to additional scholarships or internships, go to www.vrg.org/donate

Applications

Please click here to download a PDF of the application. However, applicants are not required to use an application form. A neatly typed document containing the information below will also be accepted as a valid application.

However, applicants are not required to use an application form. A neatly typed document containing the information below will also be accepted as a valid application.

Please send application and attachments to [email protected] (Scholarship application and your name in subject line) or mail to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203.

If emailing, please put your essay in a separate attachment with your first name and last initial. A PDF or Word document is preferred, but if you send a Google document, make sure permission is given so readers can access it. For more information call (410) 366-8343 or email [email protected].

South African Potjiekos

Winter is the perfect time to serve a vegan stew. In a previous edition of VRG’s magazine, Zel Allen serves up several international stews. Enjoy:

Burgoo (a regional stew from Kentucky)
Harira (the national soup/stew of Morocco)
Neapolitan Cannellini Ragu (Italian stew) along with homemade Parmesan
South African Potjiekos
African Pumpkin Stew
Rajastani Ragout (Indian inspired stew)
Savory Indonesian Stew
Guisada Mexicana

The entire article can be read here:
http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2017issue4/2017_issue4_travel_world.php

To subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA, see: https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

Hummus Kitchen with more than one location in NYC is a Mediterranean restaurant offering a variety of vegan options. We sampled several appetizers including hummus, baba ghanoush, stuffed grape leaves, and falafel along with pita bread. The dishes were all delicious and quite filling.

For more information on this restaurant, see: https://www.hummuskitchen.com/

For a list of other veggie establishments in New York City, NY, visit: https://www.vrg.org/restaurant/New_York.php#c72

Rainbow Kale and Grain Salad Photo by Linda Tyler

Linda Tyler’s previous article published by VRG features Kale Salads. These recipes will inspire you to eat your greens! Find recipes for:

Thai-Inspired Coconut Kale Salad

Kale Tabbouleh

Pear Balsamic Salad with Candied Walnuts

Apple and Kale Salad with Curry Dressing

Kale Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing

Rainbow Kale and Grain Salad

Read the entire article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2021issue2/2021_issue2_kale_salads.php

To subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA, see: https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

Lemon Apocalypse Pie

Perhaps you’ve heard about Aquafaba. The liquid you’ve been draining from your beans all these years is actually surprisingly similar to raw egg whites and can be used for baking in much the same way. The liquid can be baked, whipped to make meringue, turned into marshmallows, or used to create uncanny cheese substitutes.

Laura McGuiness shares her experience baking with aquafaba in a past issue of Vegan Journal. She explains, “Aquafaba is still largely a mystery, even to scientists. The proteins and starches in the bean juice appear to mimic the proteins in egg whites, but the exact science leaves something to be desired. What we do know from an analysis by The Norwegian Food Research Institute is that aquafaba is mainly composed of starch and proteins. Because of the high starch content, aquafaba is able to form stable gels, which may aid in its ability to emulate egg whites.”

You’ll find the following recipes in this article along with photos of some of the baked items:
Basic Meringue Cookies
Baked Alaska
Lemon Apocalypse Pie
Chocolate Mousse
Walnut Fudge
Lemon Dacquoise

The article can be found here: Aquafabulous

To subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only, visit: http://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

It’s been a number of years since we last visited P.S. Kitchen located in the Broadway theater district in New York City and once again their food was terrific. We sampled the PS Breakfast (served on weekends only for brunch) and consisting of organic tofu scramble, smokey Portobello mushrooms, tomato jam, and corn muffins, as well as Seitan Marsala, which includes seitan, mashed potatoes, sautéed garlic spinach, and savory Portobello marsala sauce. P.S. Kitchen offers a wide variety of dishes and has a full bar.

For information on P.S. Kitchen, visit: https://www.ps-kitchen.com/

photo from Freepik

by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

The recently published Scientific Report of the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee includes a sobering examination of the quality of the American diet.

In terms of vegetables:

• 78% of those ages 1 year and older have intakes of vegetables that are below recommendations.
• 93% are below recommendations for red and orange vegetables
• 83% are below recommendations for beans, peas, and lentils
• 79% are below recommendations for dark-green vegetables.

About 80% of Americans ages 1 year and older eat less than the recommended amount of fruit on a daily basis.

Only 2% of those ages 1 year and older meet or exceed the recommended number of servings of whole grains. That means that 98% of people don’t eat enough whole grain products. Ironically, 93% of those ages 1 year and older meet or exceed the recommendations for refined grains.

It’s not surprising that the report identifies potassium, dietary fiber, and calcium, which are found widely in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, as three of the nutrients of public health concern due to underconsumption.

We do not have separate numbers to tell us how vegans and vegetarians are doing, We suspect that those Americans who are eating more vegetables including red and orange vegetables, beans/peas/lentils, and dark-green vegetables; more fruits; and more whole grains and fewer refined grains would be much less likely to have inadequate intakes of potassium, dietary fiber, and calcium.

To read more about good sources of calcium for vegans see Calcium in the Vegan Diet.

To read more about good sources of potassium for vegans see Thinking About Potassium

To read more about U.S. food consumption see:

• Do You Eat Close to 17 Pounds of Carrots a Year?
• Speaking of Kale (And Other Vegetables)

Be sure to follow The Vegetarian Resource Group on Instagram: @vegetarianresourcegroup

Easy Mac and No Cheese with Broccoli, Seitan, and Red Onions from the Modern Vegan Comfort Food article

Are you still looking for a Valentine’s Day gift? If so, you might want to prepare a vegan meal for your family, friends, co-workers, etc. to show your admiration. Nothing beats comfort food, and we have published many articles on this topic throughout the years in Vegan Journal. Delicious vegan recipes can be found in the articles below. Enjoy!

Baby Boomer Cooking

Comfort Foods

Comforting Casseroles

Modern Vegan Comfort Food

Vegan Versions of Familiar Favorites

Subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only by visiting https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

Recent topics brought up include:

– Lil’ Gourmets treats babies and toddlers to fresh, whole food ingredients with flavors inspired by global cuisines. See: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2024issue4/2024_issue4_veggie_bits.php

– Some Middle Schools in Portland, Maine now offer vegan lunch options

– Ever wonder how much protein vegan children need at various ages? Also, do you know how much protein is found in a reasonable size portion of various vegan food items for young kids? See: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2024issue4/2024_issue4_protein_vegan_children.php

https://www.facebook.com/groups/VRGparentsandkids is intended to be a group that offers support for families raising children on vegan diets and for vegan kids around the world. We envision it as a place to get advice about a wide-variety of topics: pregnancy, birthday parties, school lunches, Halloween, non-leather apparel, cruelty-free products, summer camps, and more. Please use it as a place to share your wisdom, seek advice, or just find a sympathetic ear. The goal is to offer support.

Consequently, any profane, defamatory, offensive, or violent language will be removed. Feel free to disagree, but do so respectfully. Hateful or discriminatory comments regarding race, ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or political beliefs will not be tolerated. We expect that posts should relate to vegan diets and lifestyles. The Vegetarian Resource Group reserves the right to monitor all content and ban any user who posts in violation of the above rules, any law or regulation, SPAM, or anything otherwise off topic.

Please share this information with any veggie families that you know! Thanks.