VEGGIE BITS
Summer Staff Needed for Vegetarian Kitchen in International Teen Camp
The Global Youth Village, a residential international leadership camp in Virginia's Blue Ridge foothills, is seeking seasonal food service staff in their vegetarian kitchen. Eighty youths and staff explore meat-free international, whole foods cuisine prepared by a team that is passionate about quality and good nutrition. Housing, meals and salary provided. Dates: mid-June till mid-Aug, 2015. (Details on website by first week of January.) Seeking both experienced professional staff and those who want to learn! To learn more and apply, visit http://www.globalyouthvillage.org, email Leila Baz at [email protected], or call 540-297-5982.
Get Some Culture
Dismiss what you thought you knew about sauerkraut: this is not the overboiled cabbage you may be familiar with. Farmhouse Culture's sauerkraut is raw, organic, and a mouthful of tangy delicious snap. They've infused old-world fermenting techniques with six fresh flavors, from the traditional Classic Caraway, which is perfect atop a vegan brat or dog, to a gorgeous magenta Ginger Beet. VRG staffers were partial to Garlic Pickle, Smoked Jalapeño, and Kimchi. We enjoyed the Smoked Jalapeño piled on top of baked red potatoes, the Kimchi as a topping for Korean portabello burgers, and the Garlic Pickle straight out of the pouch! The flavors are strong enough to perk up any dish, but are not overwhelming.
Try this kraut on vegan sausages, sandwiches, soups, or tossed in salads and grain dishes. As a bonus, the pouch packaging is BPA free, fully recyclable, and made without environmentally harmful chemicals.
Farmhouse Culture Kraut is sold in select natural foods stores nationwide. Visit their website at www.farmhouseculture.com for a list of those stores, and if you're in the San Francisco Bay Area, farmer's markets that host this kraut.
By Karen Leibowitz, VRG intern.
Hand-Formed Burgers
Field Roast is knocking it out of the park with another great vegan product. Literally. Their newest venture, the Hand-Formed Burger, is not only a hit in grocery stores and at foodie events, but in stadiums and ballparks too. They are already available at sports venues in Seattle, Cleveland, and San Francisco and expanding all the time, so be sure to request them at your local venue if you would like to see more (or any) vegan food at games.
It's easy to tell from the organic shape that each patty is formed by hand. They are hearty, juicy, and taste somewhere between a classic burger and a vegetable patty. You can clearly see bits of barley, carrots, onions, and celery, but the flavor leans toward a meat analog, especially when amplified by cooking on a grill or in a cast iron grill pan. The burgers are sold in packs of four for $8.99. Visit www.fieldroast.com for a complete list of brick and mortar and online retailers, including Whole Foods, Wegmans, Vegan Essentials (www.veganessentials.com), and Pangea Vegan Products (www.veganfoods.com).
Written by Samantha Gendler.
Mock Meat
Vegetarian Plus is Vege USA's line of 100% vegan products that specializes in alternative meats to mock just about any classic dish. The textures that these analogs offer are fibrous and tender enough to fool even meat-eaters. We sampled the Kung Pao Chicken and Lamb Vindaloo, both of which were in sauces full of rich flavor without being overly salty or too spicy. Try mixing them with rice and vegetables. Products are frozen and sold in conveniently packaged boxes with servings for two to four, ready to heat and serve.
To view the selection of Vegetarian Plus products, visit www.vegetarian-plus.com. Fill out the contact form on the website, call (888) 772-8343, or send an email to [email protected] to order.
By Karen Leibowitz, VRG intern.
'Cheesy' Squares
Just like the cheesy lunchbox snacks you remember, but better, Earth Balance brings you Vegan Cheddar Flavor Squares. These snacks are non-GMO, Kosher, and free of trans fat! They're lightly salted and just perfectly crunchy. You'll be surprised at the amount of cheddar flavor loaded into each square. Earth Balance uses sustainable palm oil and works with the Non-GMO Project. Earth Balance Vegan Cheddar Flavor Squares can be purchased at Whole Foods Markets and the natural foods sections in grocery stores. Try some for yourself; they may just taste like nostalgia in a box.
Written by Devlyn Perugini, VRG intern.
Chickpea Chips
Murukku is a traditional South Indian snack made of dal (chickpea) flour and rice flour, and seasoned with salt and sesame seeds. It's an elegant spiral-shaped treat shaped by hand for festivals such as Diwali. Maya Kaimal's Chickpea Chips are a modern version, re-imagined in chip form for convenience snacking that you definitely won't want to wait for a special occasion to eat. Kaimal has created three flavors based on the original ingredients: Lightly Salted, Seeded Multigrain, and Sweet Chili, which has a lasting spicy-garlic kick that comes from the Asian spice asafetida. All three varieties are light and crispy, with no oily residue left behind on fingers after snacking. In addition to being tasty alone or dipped, Chickpea Chips contain no GMOs or trans fats and are gluten-free, kosher, and vegan. You can look for Maya Kaimal Fine Indian Foods Chickpea Chips in a natural foods store near you, or order from a list of specialty online retailers such as Williams Sonoma, Amazon Fresh, and iGourmet, by visiting www.mayakaimal.com.
Written by Samantha Gendler.
A Divine Treat
Hail Merry Miracle Tarts are special after-dinner (or before!) desserts to satisfy your conscious sweet tooth. These tarts feature a creamy, ganache-like filling that tops a cocoa or almond flour crust — perfect for gluten-free diets. The filling is made with coconut and other raw oils to create a creamy consistency. The tarts are about the size of the palm of your hand and each tart can be around two servings; they are great treats for kids and day-trip travels. Hail Merry offers a wide variety of flavors to satisfy any palate. The Coconut Vanilla Crème, Chocolate Mint, and Persian Lime are especially mouth-watering. The Chocolate flavors are rich and decadent. Visit the Hail Merry website at www.hailmerry.com to purchase these tarts, macaroons, and other products, or to view retailers who sell Hail Merry products. Some retailers include select Wegmans and Whole Foods locations.
Written by Karen Leibowitz, VRG intern.
O-Loves
Olives are naturally low calorie and flavorful, but due to pits and brine, they've never exactly been lunch box staples. The I Love Snacking company aims to change that with their colorful, no-fuss, no-drip pouches that contain about 10 boldly-flavored olives each. There are four zingy varieties, all of which are plump, juicy, and pit-free: Chili & Garlic, Lemon & Rosemary, Chili & Oregano, and Basil & Garlic. I Love Snacking also offers other travel-friendly foods with a Mediterranean flair: Hummus with Mini Crackers, Stuffed Grape Vine Leaves, Black Olive Tapenade, and Pepper and Artichoke Bruschetta. The 4-oz sizes make great single-serve snacks for a picnic or airplane, while the teeny-tiny 1-oz options are perfect for children's lunches. Look for them at HEB Supermarkets, BJ's Wholesale Club, Duane Reade, and World Cost Plus Markets. They're also available on 14 airlines and through select online retailers. Visit www.ilovesnacking.com for more details.
Written by Samantha Gendler.
