Why choose organic? Organic food preserves the products nutritional value, protects soil fertility and promotes sustainable production without the use of synthetic ingredients.
Why choose GMO-free? GMOs have been linked to serious health challenges such as a weakened immune system, autoimmune diseases, food allergies, gastrointestinal problems, childhood learning disorders, leaky gut syndrome, autism, and cancer.
What is Vegan and What is Not? VEGAN
NOT VEGAN
Food
Food
All grains Beans Legumes Vegetables Fruits Meat substitute products Plant milk, cheese, mayonnaise Egg replacements
Beef Pork Poultry Fowl Game Animal seafood Dairy products Eggs Honey All other animal products such as refined white sugar and some wines
Materials Organic cotton Lyocell and Modal Linen (Flax) Hemp Soysilk and Peace Silk Pineapple Leather and Other Sustainable Vegan Leathers Recycled Nylon and Polyester
Materials Fur Leather Down Silk Wool
The infographic below shows what you need from each of the vegan food groups every day.
Having the amount and type of food recommended and following the tips will help: -Meet your needs for vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. -Reduce your risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, certain types of cancer and osteoporosis. -Contribute to your overall health and vitality.
OTHER ESSENTIALS FORTIFIED MILK ALTERNATIVES 2-3 SERVINGS
BEANS
2-3 SERVINGS
GRAINS
6-8 SERVINGS
FRUITS
VEGETABLES
7-10 SERVINGS
7-10 SERVINGS
8-10 GLASSES
All servings are daily and vary based on sex, age, and physical activity level. Drink more water in hot weather or when you are very active. This is only intended to be used as a guide to inspire you with the many amazing vegan food items available. If you need nutritional advice please consult your physician or nutritionist.
Facts & Myths FACT
MYTH
• Veganism is a way of life that alters diet, clothing, and other decisions with the goal of ending exploitation of animals
• Veganism is a fad
• Vegans never eat meat, fish, dairy or eggs • “Ethical vegans” also avoid the use of animal products like skin (leather or fur), feathers, and other things that cause animal suffering during production • A plant-based diet increases the body’s metabolism
• Vegans don’t get enough protein • Going vegan always leads to weight loss • A vegan diet makes you weak and malnourished • Vegans don’t get enough protein or calcium • Vegans miss out on key nutrients • You can’t have healthy bones without
dairy
• The number of animals killed for meat every hour in the U.S. is 500,000
• Veganism isn’t right for certain people
• Vegan living often reduces the intake of saturated fat, animal hormones, and cholesterol while increasing the intake of fresh fruits and veggies. That has the potential to reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease
• Vegan food is only for the rich and not
d
Get this recipe an many more
.com
naturalveganhome
• Vegan food means boring diet food
easily available • Going vegan means salads forever • Vegan food is automatically healthy • A plant-based diet is just too hard
Homemaker, homebirther, homeschooling, vegan mama trying to be as minimalistic, holistic and sustainable as possible. Passionate about animals, the planet and our environment; we embrace a low-impact and eco-friendly lifestyle, that embraces organic, all natural, and sustainable choices. We believe in reusing, recycling, upcycling, donating, and fixing rather than throwing away or using disposable. I write and share about being a homemaker and all that it entails, homebirths and homeschooling (the old way of doing things), vegan food and the lifestyle that tends to go with it, my beautiful daughters and vegan pregnancies, my cat, sustainable living and raising healthy vegan kids.
Follow us on @naturalveganhome naturalveganhome.ca
This is only intended to be used as a guide to inspire you with the many amazing vegan food items available. If you need nutritional advice please consult your physician or nutritionist.
Letter from Veronika A dream come true!
I’m overjoyed and can’t wait to share what I have envisioned for the past five years. This magazine will change lives and inspire people in Ontario and all over the world. I am publishing this magazine to connect with hundreds of thousands of vegans and people interested in the vegan lifestyle across Ontario’s beautiful land. This magazine will feature vegans, vegan heath transformations, vegan products, myths and facts, information about the animals, people and environment, animal sanctuaries, and vegan businesses; all in Ontario or available to Ontario’s people. I hope you absolutely love the first issue, featuring recipes, foodies, lifestyle bloggers, and much more. My goal is to inspire you and make you drool over the bounty of colourful vegan food we have here in Ontario. I also hope to inspire you to help end speciesism through activism, which can be done in many forms. Let us continue to inspire you online with recipes, people to follow, blog posts and more. Subscribe to our recipes and posts via email on our social media accounts and website. The Ontario Vegans Magazine mobile application is coming soon. To all of you who contributed and supported this project in any way, I thank you from the bottom of my big heart!
Veronika Simmons
Founder / Editor-in-Chief | veronika@ontariovegansmag.ca Ontario Vegans Magazine • Instagram: @ontariovegansmag Simcom Group • Instagram: @simcomgroup Natural Vegan Home • Instagram: @naturalveganhome The 411: Vegan and animal rights advocate. Graphic and web designer, troublemaker, and nerd. Head designer and owner at Simcom Group, lead recipe developer and owner at Natural Vegan Home, and volunteer for worthy causes. Loves reading, baking, and running among other things. CONTACT INFORMATION Simcom Group 35 Briarsdale Cres, Welland, ON L3C 6S7 Phone 905-746-0212 | Email contact@simcomgroup.com ADVERTISING POLICY
OVM TEAM PUBLISHER Simcom Group IG: @simcomgroup EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/FOUNDER Veronika Simmons IG: @veronikasimmons SENIOR COPY EDITOR Lauren Park CREATIVE DIRECTOR/GRAPHIC WEB DESIGNER Veronika Simmons SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIST/ MARKETING COORDINATOR/ DIGITAL CONTENT CREATOR Veronika Simmons PHOTOGRAPHY & ILLUSTRATION CREDITS
Veronika Simmons 5, 7, 50 Kathy Chrzaszcz Cover, 13, 43 Lauren Ribeiro 14 Sam Turnbull 18-19, 20-21 Monica La Vella 22 Jenny Allen 24-25 Cathy Stableford-Jaaj 26-27 Nuts for Cheese 28-29 Zengarry Fauxmagerie 30 Vegan Stokes 31 The Frauxmagerie Ltd 32 Eva Lampert 33 Amber Allen 36-37, 38-39 Melissa Sohal 46-47 Echoes in the Attic 48-49 Andy Brighten 56, 65 Doris Fin 59 Amanda Luken 61 Jack Middleton 62-63 Mandy McCullough Back Cover Adobestock 2-3, 4-5, 6, 12, 15, 15-17, 23, 24, 33, 34-35, 40-41, 42, 44-45, 50-51, 52-53, 54-55, 57, 58, 60, 64
COVER PHOTO Kathy Chrzaszcz, S’more Ice Cream, 13 COVER DESIGN Veronika Simmons CONTACT US Veronika Simmons veronika@ontariovegansmag.ca SUBSCRIPTIONS ontariovegansmag.ca/subscribe/ ADVERTISING advertising@ontariovegansmag.ca
Ontario Vegans Magazine accepts advertising based upon space availability and consistency with its mission to promote a vegan lifestyle. Ontario Vegans Magazine is not responsible for the content of advertisements, the products offered or the viewpoints expressed therein.
AD RATES + SPECS ontariovegansmag.ca/advertise/ RATES BEGIN AT $875/FULL PAGE HAVE AN IDEA FOR THE MAG? veronika@ontariovegansmag.ca
EDITORIAL NOTE
SOCIAL MEDIA
The information provided in this magazine is for educational and informational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for the advice of a qualified and licensed practitioner or health care provider. The opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of Ontario Vegans Magazine, its affiliates or parent company. Different views may appear in future articles or publications. Articles in Ontario Vegans Magazine are copyrighted and must not be reprinted, duplicated or transmitted without permission.
Facebook:@ontariovegansmagazine Instagram:@ontariovegansmag Printed on 100% recycled paper using plant-based inks. Face Value: $20
Four issues published per year.
Summer 2018 | 7
MEET OUR
CONTRIBUTORS Without these beautiful earthlings OVM wouldn’t be thriving and flourishing. Our contributors have put much love and thought into each of their articles, recipes and contributions. Please show them support by checking out their websites and social media. If you’d like to see your face here and join the list of caring OVM contributors, contact us!
LAUREN RIBEIRO, The High Vibe Collective etsy.com/shop/highvibecollective Instagram: @highvibehippie YouTube: highvibehippie Lauren is your modern day hippie and ethical vegan. She is passionate about living life from a conscious, holistic and sustainable perspective. She loves to get creative in the kitchen, whipping up nourishing vegan meals. You can follow along with her journey on Instagram and YouTube!
LAUREN PARK, Senior Copy Editor Instagram: @lauren_park Lauren is a freelance editor with a heartfelt dedication to causes that matter. Based in Toronto, she’s currently living her dream at a local bookshop while studying Book, Magazine, and Digital Publishing at Centennial College. In her free time, you can find her reading up on history, experiencing the joys of antique letterpress printing, and wandering the city for the best vegan croissant. Fun fact: she first went vegetarian at the age of nine!
KATHY CHRZASZCZ, Holistic Hormone Help holistichormonehelp.com Instagram: @holistichormonehelp Facebook: holistichormonehelp Kathy is a Registered Holistic Nutritionalist with a focus on women’s health. She provides online nutrition consultations and custom meal planning. She is also a passionate vegan and passionate cook, sharing wholesome and delicious vegan recipes on her website.
8 | ONTARIO VEGANS MAGAZINE | ontariovegansmag.ca
LENA TASHJIAN Instagram: @veganarmeniankitchen YouTube: Vegan Armenian Kitchen Lena is a writer who splits her time between Canada and Armenia. She focuses on food, culture, veganism, animal rights, reviews and travel. When she’s not busy writing, she experiments with vegan recipes on her new YouTube channel Vegan Armenian Kitchen.
DORIS FIN, Feed Your Bliss chefdorisfin.com Instagram: @chefdorisfin Facebook: chefdorisfin Twitter: @chefdorisfin Chef Doris’ love for food and fresh ingredients began when she was seven years old. Her fascination and enthusiasm for culinary art ignited her passion to create magic in kitchens across the world. Traveling the world, teaching interactive culinary classes and educating people about real food and it’s importance guided her path to become an International Award Winning Plant Based Chef and Culinary Artist.
GILLIAN BOULT, Gillian Elizabeth Wellness gillianelizabethwellness.com Instagram: @gillianelizab3th Facebook & YouTube: gillianelizab3th Twitter: @gillianelizab3t Gillian Elizabeth is a recognized intuitive wellness coach. After 6 years of struggling with an eating disorder and experiencing domestic abuse she began her own process of recovery. Today, she shares valuable insights with people, teaching them how to find recovery from unhealthy eating behaviours, self-love, transformation, and positive relationships. She reaches a wide audience through a range of online platforms and her first publication Break Up With Your Diet.
MONICA LA VELLA, Peace, Love and Peppermint peaceloveandpeppermint.com Instagram: @monicalavella Facebook: peaceloveandpeppermint Monica is a vegan homeschooling mother of two. Founder/owner of Veggie Fest Hamilton, one of Ontario’s largest vegan food festivals, and natural health educator with DoTERRA, she is an advocate for plant-based living. When she’s not making plans to take over the world, you’ll find her cooking, baking or inventing DIY recipes.
JANE MCLEAN Twitter: @Canada_Travel Jane is a freelance writer living in Dundas with her husband, two daughters and dog. She taught communications at Mohawk College and worked in corporate communications for a decade before stumbling happily into travel writing. Lately, with a new-found passion for plant-based eating and longtime interest in animal welfare, Jane is keen to explore these topics deeper and write about them.
ANDY BRIGHTEN, FindVegLove findveglove.com Instagram: @vegspeeddate Facebook: vegspeeddate Andy is co-founder of Find Veg Love, the company behind Veg Speed Date events. He’s been vegan for 12 years. Besides leading technical development at Find Veg Love, Andy is a legally trained academic who worked with the Animal Legal Defense Fund and other groups focusing on animal protection law.
CATHY STABLEFORD-JAAJ & KAIHA JAAJ Facebook: Cathy Stableford-Jaaj Cathy is a full-time mom, teacher, animal rights activist and educator at Wishing Well Sanctuary. Kaiha is a ten year old vegan warrior, inspiring young and old alike. She can be found protesting for animal rights with her mother and friends.
Summer 2018 | 9
Contributors
DR. PAMELA FERGUSSON pamelafergusson.com Instagram: @drpamela.rd Facebook: drpamelard Pamela is a vegan Registered Dietitian raising 4 children on a plant-based diet. She has worked in Africa, the UK the United States and in Canada in research, education, community nutrition and public health nutrition. She is a marathon and ultra marathon runner and avid vegan baker.
DAGMAR SCHOENROCK, Skin RnR skinrnr.com Instagram: @replenish11 Facebook: replenish11 Dagmar is a self-pronounced Fruit & Veggie Advocate and CFO of Skin RnR, formulators and creators of Replenish vegan organic nutrition and Restore facial products. Her passion is to live a healthy and happy life and share this joy with others.
JENNY ALLEN Instagram: @vegan_lyfe_ontario Jenny is a vegan living in Kitchener, Ontario, working towards a career as a x-ray technologist. She has been vegan for over two year for ethical reasons, is super excited about the growth of the movement and proud to be apart of it.
DENISE MASSIE denisemassierhn.ca Instagram: @denisemassie_rhn Facebook: denisemassie_rhn Denise is a vegan Holistic Nutritionalist, speaker, and cooking class instructor based in Hamilton. She helps individuals and families achieve optimal wellness as they incorporate whole plant foods into their eating.
SANDRA BRUNNER Sandra is a Death Doula, Pilates Instructor, and mostly a nice person. You can usually find her hanging with her rescue dog or doing something useful for someone else. She can be reached at sandra@finaldays.ca.
JENNIFER PAUL Jennifer is a Registered Holistic Nutritionalist from London, Ontario, with a passion for dance and fitness, yoga, the outdoors, and of course, healthy food! In her spare time, she can be found sitting under a tree with a book and her dog, Leo, who also benefits greatly from her love of cooking.
We promote and celebrate the benefits of vegan living; for animals, the planet and us all —encouraging compassionate, healthy, sustainable alternatives. 10 | ONTARIO VEGANS MAGAZINE | ontariovegansmag.ca
TABLE OF CONTENTS 26
36
In every issue
52
63
Features
sign on
7
meet our contributors
8
ontario's seasonal produce
12
Road trip worthy festivals and events
15
sign off
64
summer lovin' The four essential oil recipes you can't live without this summer
22
five tips for eating on the road
23
Sam turnbull, it doesn't taste like chicken
18
Doug McNish, mythology diner
33
Amber allen, the fairly local vegan
36
Melissa sohal, blissful decadence
46
Vicky Gerke and laura langevin, echoes in the attic
48
jack middleton, the empowered vegan
62
vegan camping made easy with recipes 24
RECipes
ontario's vegan cheese artisans
28
S'more ice cream
13
get your summer body without dieting
40
Summer harvest veggie bowl
43
chia seed pudding
52
tastes like salmon sushi
59
safety in the sun vegan and cruelty free sunscreen brands
41
summer lovin' vegan patios in toronto
42
fire up the grill vegan bbq must haves
57
Cleansing 101 refresh, recharge!
“Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.�
60
-Hippocrates Summer 2018 | 11
ONTARIO’S
Seasonal Produce By Veronika Simmons
Fruits
Apricots
Vegetables Artichoke
Leeks
Summer squash
Blueberries
Asian Vegetables
Lettuce
Sweet potatoes
Cherries
Asparagus
Mushrooms
Tomatoes
Currants
Beans
Onions
Zucchini
Gooseberries
Beets
Parsnips
Grapes
Bok choy
Peas
Muskmelon
Broccoli
Peppers
Nectarines
Cabbage
Potatoes
Peaches
Carrots
Radicchio
Pears
Cauliflower
Radishes
Plums
Celery
Rapini
Raspberries
Corn
Rutabaga
Rhubarb
Cucumber
Spinach
Strawberries
Eggplant
Sprouts
Watermelon
Garlic
Squash
12 | ONTARIO VEGANS MAGAZINE | ontariovegansmag.ca
July and August are the best months for fresh produce in Ontario. Farmers’ Markets and grocery aisles across the province are piled high with colourful, ripe fieldgrown fruits and veggies.
ci e C r e a m re
S'm
o
By Kathy Chrzaszcz
S'mores and ice cream are arguably two of the most summery foods around. Now, these two delicious desserts come together in this seriously delectable s'mores ice cream. Find this recipe and many more in the newly released ice cream recipe e-book, "We All Scream For Vegan Ice Cream", Available on holistichormonehelp.com
I NGREDI ENTS * 1 - 400ml can full-fat coconut milk (chilled in fridge overnight) * 2/ 3 cup cane sugar * 1/ 2 cup + 2 tbsp cocoa powder * 3/ 4 tsp vanilla extract * 1/ 3 cup cane sugar * 3 tbsp aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas) * 1/ 2 tsp vanilla extract * 1/ 4 tsp cream of tartar * 3/ 4 cup vegan graham crackers
D i re ctions USING ICE CREAM MAKER 1. Blend the coconut milk, cane sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract in a blender until smooth and combined. 2. Pour the ice cream into an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's instructions. 3. While the ice cream is churning, make the marshmallow fluff. Using a mixer, whip the cane sugar, aquafaba, vanilla extract, and cream of tartar for about 25 minutes, until stiff peaks form. 4. Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until you get a mix of small pieces and crumbs. 5. Pour half of the churned ice cream into a loaf pan. Drizzle half of the marshmallow fluff onto the ice cream and sprinkle half of the graham cracker crumbs. Repeat by layering the rest of the ice cream on top. Drizzle the rest of the marshmallow fluff and sprinkle the rest of the graham cracker crumbs. Freeze for five to six hours, or until set. Serve and enjoy! NO CHURN METHOD 1. If you don't have an ice cream maker, you can use the no-churn method. Blend the coconut milk, cane sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract in a blender until smooth and combined. 2. Pour all of the ice cream into a loaf pan and place a layer of food wrap directly onto the ice cream. Freeze for one hour. 3. After an hour has passed, whisk the ice cream to eliminate any ice crystals that may have formed. Place the food wrap back on top and freeze for another hour. 4. In the meantime, make the marshmallow fluff. Using a mixer, whip the cane sugar, aquafaba, vanilla extract, and cream of tartar for about 25 minutes, until stiff peaks form. 5. Pulse graham crackers in a food processor until you get a mix of small pieces and crumbs. 6. After the second hour has passed, transfer the ice cream to a blender and blend until smooth. This is the desired consistency of ice cream churned in an ice cream maker. Pour half of the ice cream into the loaf pan. Drizzle half of the marshmallow fluff onto the ice cream and sprinkle half of the graham cracker crumbs. Repeat by layering the rest of the ice cream on top. Drizzle the rest of the marshmallow fluff and sprinkle the rest of the graham cracker crumbs. Freeze for a few more hours until set. Thaw for several minutes before scooping. Serve and enjoy!
We pride ourselves in creating the highest quality, all natural + vegan bath bombs. We use all natural and organic ingredients, plant dyes (like turmeric and rose hip), high quality essential oils and organic dried flower petals to make our bath bombs. You can choose from several different scents, all created using essential oils instead of toxic synthetic fragrances.
ROAD TRIP WORTHY
Festivals & Events By Veronika Simmons
In Ontario, we are fortunte to have a bounty of great festivals and events to attend. This summer there will be more road trip worthy vegan festivals than ever before. Join us!
Toronto Vegan Boat Cruise
Uxbridge Vegfest
KW VegFest
Toronto Veg Food Fest
Sarnia VegFest
VegFest Guelph
Muskoka VegFest
Peterborough Vegfest
June 22nd, 2018 Toronto, ON
July 7th, 2018 Kitchener/Waterloo, ON
July 8th, 2018 Sarnia, ON
Aug 11th, 2018 Huntsville, ON
Toronto Vegandale Food & Drink Festival Aug 11th-12th, 2018 Toronto, ON
Aug 19th, 2018 Uxbridge, ON
Sept 7th-9th, 2018 Toronto, ON
Sept 15th, 2018 Guelph, ON
Sept 16th, 2018 Peterborough, ON
The 411:
Be an Informed Vegan By Jane McLean
Whether you embrace a full-fledged vegan lifestyle, want to eat more plantbased foods, or are trying to learn more about compassion for animals, there is an abundance of websites, blogs, and mobile apps to educate and inspire you. BEST EDUCATIONAL WEBSITES FOR VEGANS
BEST VEGAN RECIPE WEBSITES Giving up a traditional omnivore diet does not mean sacrificing taste. In fact, for many, cooking and eating vegan is more enjoyable (and healthier) than ever.
When it comes to the science of a vegan diet, you want to get your information from a reliable source. Luckily, many medical doctors have been researching the benefits Oh She Glows of plant-based eating and sharing their conclusions online. ohsheglows.com Forks over Knives forksoverknives.com
This 2011 feature film started many omnivores down the vegan path. Its compelling exploration of medical studies shows that a whole-food, plant-based diet may combat degenerative conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and even some forms of cancer. Nutrition Facts
Angela Liddon turned to plant-based eating to recover from an eating disorder. While embarking on this journey, she channeled her creative energy and emotions into a blog. Her engaging online journal turned into a vegan cookbook, and it’s the one you’re most likely to see even on omnivore shelves. Angela puts a tasty plantbased spin on many comforting classics, like Caesar salad and mac and cheese.
nutritionfacts.org
Bosh
Guided by Dr. Michael Greger, internationallyrecognized physician and best-selling author of “How Not to Die,” this website’s best feature is its comprehensive library of bite-size videos, two to five minutes long, that explore the benefits of plant-based eating and dispel many of its myths.
bosh.tv
Falling squarely in the food-porn category is video phenomenon Bosh! This online vegan cooking channel features the creation of mouth-watering dishes like Guacamole Onion Rings and Bangin’ Spaghetti Bolognese. Bosh! Recipe clips regularly go viral, attracting millions
16 | ONTARIO VEGANS MAGAZINE | ontariovegansmag.ca
Education of vegans and omnivores alike to revel in these tantalizing culinary dramatizations. Henry Firth and Ian Theasby, the two English lads behind the recipes, explain that their aim is to get more plants on people’s plates, no matter their dietary persuasion.
been guiding diners to vegan-friendly restaurants and stores worldwide. This user-friendly app has more than 65,000 listings, complete with contact info, menus, and pictures.
Minimalist Baker
Want to go vegan but just can’t seem to get going? This app by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (brainchild of plant-based sage and animal activist Dr. Neal Barnard) will hold your virtual hand, offering day-by-day inspiration, recipes, and meal-planning suggestions.
minimalistbaker.com
Vegan cooking can be labour-intensive, especially if you’re new to the cuisine. Unfamiliar ingredients, along with a lot of veggie-chopping and nut-soaking (waterlogged cashews and almonds tend to be vegan diet staples), can make the switch to a plant-based diet daunting. Blogger Dana Schultz feels our struggle and posts vegan recipes that fall into at least one of the following categories: 10 ingredients or less, one bowl, or no more than 30 minutes to prepare. Thankfully, flavour is never on the chopping block. It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken
21-Day Vegan Kickstart
BEST ALL-AROUND VEGAN LIFESTYLE WEBSITES Veganism isn’t just about diet; it’s about embracing a lifestyle that seeks to eliminate animal exploitation for any purpose, be it for clothing, furniture, entertainment, or otherwise. Plenty of popular websites promote this philosophy.
itdoesnttastelikechicken.com
PETA
Toronto-based blogger and author Sam Turnbull offers up easy-to-follow recipes with a side of playfulness and mouth-watering photos. You may learn a few new ingredients, but most of Sam’s delicious creations comprise recognizable ingredients readily available at your local supermarket.
peta.org
BEST MOBILE APPS FOR VEGANS
The Vegan Society
Happy Cow If you’re a vegan, especially a globetrotting one, you’re always on the lookout for places that offer something you can actually eat, preferably without asking endless questions about the menu first. Since 1999, Happy Cow has
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the largest animal rights organization in the world, with more than 6.5 million members and supporters. Its website has many resources to help people shop, eat, and live in ways that are not harmful to animals. vegansociety.com
Though based out of the United Kingdom, this website has a plethora of information applicable worldwide, from the history of veganism to what’s in the news to how to start a vegan business.
“I COULD NEVER GO VEGAN” -SAID ALMOST EVERY VEGAN (BEFORE GOING VEGAN)
Never say Never! Try and experience a friendlier way of living that would benefit you, the animals and the environment! Get amazing support and advice from seasoned cooks and dietitians, and it's all free!
challenge22.com/challenge22 JOIN
AND EXPERIENCE VEGANISM!
Featured Foodie
Chit Chat with Sam Turnbull, IT DOESN’T TASTE LIKE CHICKEN By: Jane McLean
Toronto’s own Sam Turnbull has been on a tear over the last couple of years. Since 2013, she’s been busy with “It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken,” a blog that tracks her vegan journey by way of the plant-based recipes she creates and shares. In 2017 she authored Fuss-Free Vegan, a cookbook full of her scrumptious plant-based recipes. In the midst of birthday celebrating and heading out west to promote the book, the perpetually upbeat Sam, who is endearingly always on the verge of a giggle, took time to chat with Ontario Vegans Magazine. Here is her chat with contributor Jane McLean. 18 | ONTARIO VEGANS MAGAZINE | ontariovegansmag.ca
Sam Turnbull, It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken Jane: How long have you been vegan? Sam: A little over five years now. Jane: I read on your blog that you went vegan overnight? Is that really the case? Sam: Yes, that’s really the case. I knew I wanted to give it 100% effort. I woke up in the morning, I cleaned out my whole kitchen and threw out everything that wasn’t vegan, did a big grocery shop and started being vegan. Jane: That’s amazing. I understand the documentary Vegucated had a great impact on you and motivated you to veganism. Sam: Yeah, I always thought veganism was this weird, ridiculous, extreme thing and they’re all dying of protein deficiency and why would anyone do this. It didn’t even occur to me that it could be something good. I don’t know why; I just always thought the negative. And then when I watched the documentary, my mind changed and I thought this is something I have to try. Jane: You say you thought veganism was weird; I wonder why vegans get such a bad rap. Why do people think vegans are weird? Sam: Because we are weird! I mean there’s not that many of us and unfortunately as much as people like to think they want to be different, most people just go with the flow. It takes guts to be vegan. It’s so much more than just going on a diet. It means something. Being vegan has an impact and sometimes people are offended by that and sometimes people are courteous but it is a bit weird. It’s a bit different. It’s not the norm yet, but I think the tide is shifting and there is going to be a movement toward veganism and it will be more common and
more people will understand it and see the good in it. Jane: I like that answer! I like weird! You have butchers and hunters in your family. What are the particular challenges of being a vegan amidst omnivores? Sam: I grew up eating and loving meat. There were animal heads on my parents’ walls, that kind of thing. It was a big shift. When I first went vegan, everyone thought it was a silly little thing but the most important thing for me was that they were food lovers: food was the topic every day. When I went vegan, they had the perception, as I did, that vegan food was bland, boring and would not be delicious. That was the leap that I had to prove to them and more to myself that it could be just as delicious, satisfying, hearty and creative as any other kind of food. Jane: That’s so true. Have you won them over with some of your recipes? Sam: Everyone in my family eats more plant-based now. That’s for sure. Jane: We have to celebrate the small victories.
Summer 2018 | 19
and they tell me they have a portobello burger and I think, “Great. A portobello mushroom is like 20 calories. I’m going to be starving.” Jane: Moving on to your cookbook, Fuss-Free Vegan. I really love it and find the recipes accessible and the dishes unique and satisfying. You really don’t miss the meat or dairy. What would you say makes you a fuss-free vegan? Sam: When I first went vegan and started looking up recipes, there were either angry blogs that about animal rights, which while important, didn’t really speak to me, and others that were all about health, like Buddha bowls and energy balls and power this and that and everything was “quinoa” and weird greens I’d never heard of and expensive flours and xanthan gum and I’m like, “What is this?” But I went to a health food store and bought it all and made this weird food and it was fine; lots of it was delicious, but it wasn’t satisfying my cravings for the kind of food I grew up with and the everyday food I wanted to eat. So, I started playing around in my kitchen with my own ingredients. Limitation led to inspiration and I realized anything could be vegan and taste as good or better than the original but better still, you didn’t have to use weird ingredients. Jane: Will simplicity continue to be the guiding principle for future cookbooks. Sam: Well, I don’t have any plans for cookbook number two yet. But for all the recipes I do post, I try to make them with easy-to-find ingredients because frankly, I’m lazy and I don’t
Sam: Yeah, and when I go home we can have a huge vegan feast instead of my family finding me something to eat just to sustain me. There’s been a shift in the excitement for this kind of food. Jane: You’ve touched on a wave of change happening. Do you see the Toronto food scene opening up to plant based? Sam: Absolutely. There are lineups around the block for some new vegan restaurants. The interesting thing is it’s not just vegans or vegetarians in those lines; it’s people who are just curious and want to try it and like the idea that it’s a little bit healthier but they can still eat “junk food” or try a vegan steak: they wonder what’s that like and what does that taste like. Jane: Any particular spots that you recommend? Sam: I just went to a preview of Rosalinda, a fancy vegan Mexican restaurant in the Financial District, and it was phenomenal. For me that’s the kind of thing that really gets me excited because I can make a veggie burger at home no problem. But someone cooking something fancy for me; that’s what I’m paying for. Jane: I hear ya. I also don’t like when you go to a regular restaurant and to make a dish vegan, they just leave off the delicious stuff. Sam: The worst in my opinion is when you go to a restaurant
Sam Turnbull, It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken people have a certain expectation and when it’s not exactly that, they’re disappointed. Jane: Good point. Who wants to eat a dish with the word “fake” in it. Sam: I don’t think it’s good for the vegan movement. We eat real food. No need to apologize for what it is. There’s nothing wrong with mimicking a texture or a flavour but I like to call it what it is and not what it isn’t. Jane: What is on the horizon for Sam Turnbull for the rest of 2018? Sam: This year, I’ve been delving into You Tube so I’ve got a channel there where I’ve been posting weekly, bringing in a new audience there. And I continue to put up a new recipe on the blog every single week.
Keep an eye out for Sam appearing at local Ontario summer festivals. Check out her recipes at itdoesnttastelikechicken.com or her videos at youtube.com/itdoesnttastelikechicken. Buy her book, Fuss-Free Vegan: 101 Everyday Comfort Food Favorites, Veganized at bookstores or online.
want to do a million trips. I want to show people that veganism doesn’t have to be leaps and bounds out of their comfort zone. It’s not necessarily about the meat. It’s about the flavours and textures and spices. Jane: Speaking of texture, you even mastered a vegan version of gooey melted mozzarella cheese, which is amazing. Is there a food that you are still trying to turn vegan? Sam: Oh no, not at all. Though I have been experimenting more with “replicating” I guess you’d say some traditional animal products. I made a vegan fried egg because of a reader request. I made a vegan toast dipping sauce, which is like a vegan fried egg yolk and that turned out super well. People loved it. It’s not so much that people want an egg; it’s more they miss the experience dipping toast in an egg yolk. I also made a vegan seitan steak, which people are going nuts for. Jane: You don’t get into mock meats much in your recipes, do you? Sam: First of all, I don’t call any of my food, “mock” or “fake” because they are not mock or fake food. Personally, I don’t like those words because it starts comparing food to something it isn’t and I would rather just call food what it is. I’m very clear about what the food is because I don’t want to set it up for failure. I think when you say it’s “un-chicken,” or “mock chicken,”
The Four Essential Oil Recipes You Can’t Live Without this Summer By Monica La Vella
Veganism transcends all aspects of our lives. It’s not just about the food we eat – it’s a lifestyle! So when I look at mainstream summer skincare products, which are not only filled with toxic chemicals but are also tested on animals or contain animal products, I cringe. Enter essential oils. These sweet babies are purely derived from plants – just what we want! Plant-based remedies! With a few simple ingredients and containers, you can make everything you need this summer all on your own. Here are the top five recipes I’d never be without in summertime.
BYE, BUGS!
Can you hear the buzzing? We don’t want to harm the sweet creatures, but we don’t want them making us their meal either. Did you know that when you cover up your human scent, they’ll buzz away? What you need: - 20 drops repellent-blend essential oil - 10 drops lemongrass essential oil - 5 drops peppermint essential oil - 5 drops cedarwood essential oil - 2oz spray bottle - Distilled water to fill spray bottle - Pinch of Epsom salt Add all ingredients into a spray bottle, preferably made of glass or stainless steel. Shake well and spray onto body before heading outdoors. The buzzing may get close, but they won’t eat you for dinner. Reapply often.
YOU BIT ME
Did you forget to use the above recipe? Oops. The calming effects of lavender essential oil and cooling sensation of peppermint oil will ease the itch. Or was it a stinger that got you? One drop of frankincense essential oil and you won’t feel a thing!
SIMPLE SUNSCREEN When I discovered all the chemicals that are present in commercial sunscreen (both listed and not listed... but that’s for another article), I was shocked that these products are even approved! Let’s save the animals being tested on with these chemicals and the oceans from being contaminated by them (hey, did you hear Hawaii banned these toxic sunscreens because of the damage to the reefs?) and just make our own, mmmkay? What you need: - 1/3 cup coconut oil - 1/3 cup olive oil - 1/3 shea butter - 2tbsp non-nano zinc oxide - 10 drops lavender essential oil - 10 drops frankincense essential oil Slightly melt the first three ingredients. Combine and let cool. Blend with a hand mixer and then add essential oils and zinc oxide, using a spoon to combine. Apply as you would a typical sunscreen with SPF 20.
AFTER-SUN SPRAY
We’ve all done it. We stayed in the water too long or forgot to reapply our sunscreen. In we come from a great day in the sun, only to realize our skin matches that red delicious apple we ate while sitting by the lake. What you need: - 10 drops lavender essential oil - 10 drops tea tree essential oil - 10 drops frankincense essential oil - 5 drops peppermint essential oil - 4oz spray bottle - 1tbsp liquid coconut oil - Distilled water to fill spray bottle Spray on affected areas as needed for relief.
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MUST-HAVES FOR ROAD TRIPS - Granola bars (bonus points for homemade) - Mini hummus/guacamole containers - Mason jar full of nuts - Box of crackers - Nut butter - Apples and bananas - Chopped veggies - Chocolate - Ginger chews
Five Tips for Eating on the Road By Monica La Vella
Summer and road trips go together like hummus and crackers. (Mmmm... hummus...) Road trips used to be a tricky thing as a vegan. Gas stations all offered the same vegan option: peanuts. But peanuts aren’t going to sustain me during a five-day car trip to Las Vegas. So I’m feeling pretty grateful that we live in a time where vegan options can be found everywhere. You just need to be creative. Here are the top five things to keep in mind for the road trips you’re planning this summer. 1. PACK RIGHT
We always do a Costco run before heading out on a big car trip. I like to have some options on the road when we’re an hour away from our next stop and everyone’s tummies begin to growl. We need backup before the hangry monster rears its ugly head. Our favourite healthy snacks include mini bags of nuts, mini hummus and guacamole containers, and mini carrot packs. We also keep a container of organic nut butter and crackers handy. Simple protein!
2. SNACK RIGHT
You don’t HAVE to eat three full meals a day when you’re on the road. Snacking throughout the day will offer the same belly-happy feelings (and you don’t need to stop for a quick snack like you do for a meal!)
3. BALANCE
Having a variety of food groups on hand keeps your head in the right place. Snacking on potato chips for a whole trip won’t help you drive. Try crackers with nut butter and a side of carrots with guacamole. Grains, protein, fats, veggies, DONE!
4. SWITCH IT UP
Hummus AGAIN? Don’t get me wrong, I love hummus as much as the next veggie, but I don’t want to get sick of my fave snack food just because it’s all I’ve got. Switch things up!
5. LOOK AHEAD
Try to plan your stops based on the closest Pita Pit, Subway, or other veg-friendly stop. We actually DO do this. I know every Chipotle from here to Florida. Summer 2018 | 23
VEGAN CAMPING MADE EASY! MEAL PREP FOR A CAREFREE AND CRUELTY FREE VACATION By Jenny Allen
Eating vegan while camping doesn’t have to be difficult. However, with the limitations of cooking in the great outdoors, it can be difficult to know what to bring and how to make the most of your time on vacation. So here are some easy, delicious, and nutritious make-ahead ideas that will help make your trip even better! BREAKFAST Protein Overnight Oats (Serves 4) - 2 cups rolled oats - 2 cups nondairy milk - 1/3 cup vegan protein powder - 2 tbsp chia seeds - 2 tbsp maple syrup - 2 tsp vanilla extract - Toppings of your choice, such as fruit, nuts, and nut butter. I used apples, peanut butter, cinnamon, and raspberries. 1. Mix all the ingredients together except for the toppings. 2. Separate into four containers and place in fridge or cooler for at least five hours. When ready to eat, garnish with toppings and enjoy!
I’ll start with the no-brainer: oatmeal! Oatmeal is a great customizable option suitable for many taste preferences. You could do warm oats on a fire or propane stove. Or, even better, make overnight oats ahead of time.
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LUNCH
toes on a fire grill. But, if you want to try something a little different, make tofu kebabs! Tofu Kebabs (Makes 8 kebabs) - 1 block of tofu - 1/2 cup barbecue sauce - 1 tbsp soy sauce - 1 tbsp maple syrup - 1 tsp garlic - 1 tsp liquid smoke - 1 zucchini - 1 bell pepper - 1 red onion - 8 mushrooms 1. Press tofu to get out all excess liquid. Mix garlic and liquid ingredients together to make the marinade. Cube up tofu and then place with marinade in an air-tight container for at least five hours in a cooler or fridge. Then, cut up vegetables for kebabs.
A packed lunch is a great way to make the most of your trip. Take it along with you on your hike or have a beach picnic without having to go back to your site and make lunch. Try making veggie and hummus pinwheels!
2. I would bring the veggies separately from the tofu in the marinade, and assemble when ready to grill!
SNACKS
Veggie Pinwheels (Serves 4) - 4 tortillas - 3/4 cup hummus - 1 cup spinach - 1 cup shredded carrot - 1 bell pepper sliced into spears - 1/2 a cucumber sliced into spears 1. Spread 3 tbsp of hummus across each tortilla, then place the spinach across the wrap, leaving the perimeter of the wrap exposed (this will help the pinwheels stay intact). 2. Place carrot, pepper, and cucumber in parallel rows. Roll tortilla into the pinwheel shape and cut into eight slices.
DINNER Produce! Some produce does not hold up well while camping, as it can get wilted or bruised very easily. Luckily, certain fruits and veggies do work very well, so you can still eat healthy snacks. Good camping fruits include grapes, apples, and oranges. Also, some good vegetables are celery, carrots, and bell peppers. You could also bring trail mix, crackers, or energy balls! Energy Balls (Makes 12) - 1 cup oats - 1/4 cup walnuts - 1/4 cup dried cranberries - 1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips - 1/4 cup nut butter - 3 tbsp maple syrup - 1 tbsp molasses - 1 tsp vanilla - 1 tsp cinnamon - Pinch of salt
One of the best parts of camping is grilling on the fire. Veggie burgers or veggie sausages are always an amazing camping dinner. You can also make corn and pota-
1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and place in fridge for about an hour for the mixture to harden slightly. Form into balls about 1 1/2 inch in diameter and they’re ready to eat!
Summer 2018 | 25
FAMILY ACTIVISM By: Cathy Stableford-Jaaj Our vegan journey started on the night of March 26, 2017. That night forever changed the course of my life and that of my family. I had innocently sat down on my couch and watched a documentary called Vegucated. I don’t know why on that particular night a small documentary changed the way I would view food forever, but it did. As I watched the movie, I suddenly connected my heart and soul to what I was eating, and I knew from that night on I would never again eat animals. That night, with tears in my eyes, I asked my husband to sit down on the couch with me, and I explained to him how my eyes had just been opened up to the cruelty and violence we were contributing to with our diet. He listened, he nodded, and to make a long story short, he said, “Okay, let’s be vegan!” I remember thinking to myself that I had never loved my husband more. His instinctual reaction, similar to mine, was that if we knew better we should do better, and so we did! The next morning, we told our children about our conversation. We showed them the kids’ videos from Bite Size Vegan, which explained in beautiful, child-friendly terms why it was unkind and unhealthy to eat animals. My older daughter immediately said she felt relief and that she had been uncomfortable eating animals for a
long time. My younger daughter, who was seven at the time, quickly seemed to realize that eating animals was simply gross, so each, for their own reasons, jumped right on board! The next year brought with it an incredible adventure. I scoured the Internet for new recipes and created new meals for my family. As new vegans, we learned how to navigate social situations with friends and the children’s school. We began to understand the many ways in which animals had been exploited and used in our lives. We researched and we learned at such a rapid pace that my mind was spinning daily, and for months, the steep learning curve was both exhilarating and exhausting, if I am to be honest. Of greatest significance to our learning, however, was the deep understanding we developed that it was not only our responsibility not to cause harm and pain to innocent beings, but that it was also our responsibility to speak up in our community and help others come to the same understanding. The animals needed us and we were ready to rise to the challenge. As a family, we are now enthusiastic animals rights activists. We attend vigils, we march in parades and pro-
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tests, we participate in cubes with Anonymous for the Voiceless, and we volunteer at Wishing Well Sanctuary. My children do projects on various aspects of veganism at school, we reach out and speak up at any and all opportunities for animals, and we are dedicated to helping everyone we encounter learn about this beautiful, healthy, compassionate, and peaceful way of living. Activism, I feel, has perhaps been the greatest gift to reach our family as part of becoming vegan. Extending ourselves outside of our home to our community, in an effort to create a kinder and more compassionate world, is something that has given us a great sense of purpose and pride outside of serving ourselves. My husband and I are so inspired by how brave and confident our children are as activists, and we believe so strongly that laying a foundation of the values that veganism encompasses is the greatest gift we can give them as parents. Our journey continues to get sweeter with time. I can no longer keep track of how many friends, family members, and colleagues are now exploring plant-based diets, discovering animal exploitation in all areas of our society, and beginning to take an honest and truthful look at their own habits and traditions. Being animal rights activists has brought us so many new friends and an incredible feeling of connectedness to all of our fellow earthlings. Our journey has been one of adventure, challenges, healing, and beauty, and I wouldn’t change a thing. In the words of Albert Einstein, “Those that have the privilege to know have the duty to act,” and we will, until every animal is free from suffering.
By: Kaiha Jaaj (Ten Years Old) My family and I went vegan on March 26, 2017. Before we were vegan, the world was a beautiful, happy, safe, and loving place where everyone and everything was loved. People, nature, animals. The world was a bright, shining light. However, when we went vegan, I sort of came to reality. The bright, shining light the world was to me dimmed. I realized that life on earth wasn’t perfect. There was sadness, pain, torture, and violence. It was all kind of overwhelming. As I started to learn more about animal abuse, at first I grew more heartbroken, but then I realized that being sad wasn’t going to change anything. If I wanted to stop animal abuse, I had to get out there and stand up for what I believed in. Being a kid activist has been amazing for me. It has made me more courageous and brave enough to speak up for what I believe in. At school, a lot of my friends ask me questions about my lunches and what it’s like being a vegan kid. They ask me if it’s hard sometimes. I tell them that truth is, sometimes it is hard, especially at first, but when I find it hard and I have a choice to make, I always ask myself, “What animal had to die for that? What mother had to have her baby stolen? What fish got dragged from the ocean and suffocated to death? What chicken had their head cut off and was forced to lay 300 eggs a year against their will?” If you ask yourself these questions, it’s never hard. Luckily, my friends are always supportive of my choices and beliefs, and of course I always want them to learn more. So my mom, my sister, and I made a vegan kid outreach pamphlet that gives kids and their parents links to many different sources of research and information about becoming vegan. I also do many of my projects at school about vegan issues. For example, I did my public speech this year through the eyes of a dairy cow, and when I ran as the leader of the Green Party in my classroom elections, I put as much focus as I could on animal welfare as well as making sure people understood the connection between animal agriculture and the environment. I have found there are so many ways to be an activist in my everyday life as a kid! Overall, activism has become an amazing part of my life. From cubes of truth, vigils, protests, marches, and peer outreach, I feel like I’m helping to make the word a better place. I feel empowered, and I’ve met so many grown up activists that I admire and look up to along the way. I couldn’t be more proud to call myself an animal rights activist.
Ontario's Vegan Cheese Artisans By Veronika Simmons
Nuts for Cheese Tasty, Local, Organic Dairy Free Products
Nuts For Cheese was born of a passion for vegan cooking and the flavour elements used to season their products, including chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and smoked artichoke and pumpkin seed pesto are all handmade with love.
What is Cashew Cheese?
Cashew cheeses are a plant-based, cruelty-free, and health-conscious alternative to traditional dairy cheeses. Their cashew cheese products are made from rich, organic cashews, and are cultured using traditional fermentation processes to produce decadent, creamy, and convincingly cheese-like wedges and spreads.
Nuts For Cheese cashew cheese products are available in a variety of flavours. They offer hard wedges, spreads, and cream cheeses with varying degrees of sharpness. They have a pairing for every palate. Their dairy-free vegan cheeses and lactose-free cheese products range from mild and creamy, to a sharp and complex flavour profile.
Zengarry Fauxmagerie
From a small home kitchen to a dedicated production facility in just three years, the explosive growth of Fauxmagerie Zengarry is testament to the huge demand for their gourmet cashew cheeses. Zengarry’s fauxmages have become some of the most in-demand non-dairy cheeses in Canada, with distribution rapidly expanding since their founding in 2013 from a few local outlets, to Nationwide. All Fauxmagerie Zengarry cheeses are raw, vegan, gluten-free and free from artificial colors or flavors. From Double Crème Brie style cheese, to aged cumin-scented Leyden style, Zengarry now boasts seven unique flavors of fauxmage.
Zengarry’s cheeses were voted Most Innovative Product at the 2017 Grocery Innovations Canada Show, Best Artisanal Vegan Cheese at the 2017 Toronto Veg Food Fest and Best New Grocery Item at the 2015 Toronto Veg Food Fest. The company itself was voted Most Promising Start Up in the Globe & Mail’s 2015 Start Up Challenge.
vegan stokes
This small family operated artisan cheese producer certainly caught the attention of PETA and is much more than just PETA approved. Vegan Stokes Cheese was selected by PETA as one of their favourite vegan products available in Canada. Ingrid Newkirk, president of PETA had this to say about Vegan Stokes Cheese, “I swear that Stokes Cheddar is phenomenal and as an Englishwoman I was a cheddar aficionado from birth almost. The best Cheddar I’ve had in decades!” If that’s not enough of an endorsement, the founder of Vegan Stokes Cheese, Tina Stokes was also recognized by PETA as one of their favourite female entrepreneurs that run compassionate businesses that help animals. Vegan Stokes cultured cheeses are “Handcrafted with Passion and Compassion” in small batches, locally in Thornhill. So authentic, you might not even distinguish that they’re vegan.
What sets Stokes cheeses apart is the blending of unique ingredients for outstanding taste. Their cashew based cheese wheels are bold and robust in flavour, with a creamy semi-firm texture. Their cream style cashew spreads are velvety, melt in your mouth delicious and a perfect addition to any bagel, savoury dish or decadent sauce creation. Stokes also makes an exceptional nut free Herbed Feta that crumbles and bakes like the real deal!
The Frauxmagerie Ltd
The Frauxmagerie on Georgian Bay has created a revolutionary process to ferment and age plant based cheese. They produce 100% dairy free gourmet cheese wheels with a world class texture and authentic rind. They taste as rich as your favorite fine cheeses and are comparable to any dairy based product. Each handcrafted Frauxmage takes 3-6 weeks to produce before hitting the shelves. You will only find 5 ingredients on their listing – and a surprising amount of health benefits. Frauxmage contains calcium, iron, protein and probiotics – perfect for your plant based, vegan, or lactose intolerant diet.
Why did they decide to create a dairy free cheese? The Chef at Georgian Bay Frauxmagerie decided to create the dairy free camembert and dairy free blue cheese for 3 reasons: Ethical, environmental and health. It is an ethical choice in reducing the cruelty to animals. Their dairy free cheese is a healthy option without compromising the taste of the original camembert and blue cheese. So follow the movement for the respect of animal and the environment. Feel good by eating a product that is healthy for you and a good choice for our planet.
Documentaries YOU MUST Watch By Veronika Simmons
Want to know how to go full vegan in 4.5 hours? Watch the following documentaries.
#1 FORKS OVER KNIVES
(Health)
Researchers explore the possibility that people changing their diets from animal-based to plant-based can help eliminate or control diseases like cancer and diabetes.
#2 COWSPIRACY
(Environment)
Follow the shocking, yet humorous, journey of an aspiring environmentalist, as he daringly seeks to find the real solution to the most pressing environmental issues and true path to sustainability.
#3 EARTHLINGS
(Ethics)
Filmmaker Shaun Monson exposes the suffering endured by animals at factory farms, research labs, puppy mills and more.
In that order. And you’re vegan. Congratulations! A whole new universe awaits you...
Publisher of Ontario Vegans Magazine
LOVES VEGANS &
GIVES THEM AND THEIR VEGAN BUSINESSES A 20% DISCOUNT, just for being so amazing!
ALSO KNOWN FOR THEIR GENEROSITY AND FREE WEBSITE GIVEAWAY – NO NONPROFIT LEFT BEHIND
Do you know a nonprofit who is in need of a website but doesn’t have the means to get one? Simcom Group is looking to help a deser ving nonprofit by providing them with a website – completely free of charge. Follow the simple steps below to start: - Contact us with your nomination. - When voting starts, tell your friends and family to vote for your nominee. - Don’t forget to check on our Facebook, Instagram and website for contest updates. - Our second nomination for No Nonprofit Left Behind runs from April 1 2018 until April 1 2019. With the voting to take place on our Facebook, Instagram and website April 2 2019.
simcomgroup.ca
Q & A with Doug McNish, Mythology Diner By: Lauren Ribeiro 1. Are you born and raised in Ontario?
I was actually, I am born in Toronto. My family and I moved to Whitby when I was young, and I lived there from the age of 7-19, but my heart has always been in Toronto.
2. Did you grow up surrounded by animals?
I wouldn’t say that really. We had a dog when I was a kid, and we loved her very much, but that is it. To be completely honest I do love animals, but my veganism doesn’t really stem from wanting to hug and kiss cows and pigs, or rolling around in the mud with them, but rather a feeling of empathy and sorrow for the abuse they receive. I actually feel it is our moral imperative to be vegan. As a species, humans have no reason to not be vegan.
3. How long have you been cooking? When did you realize it was something you were extremely passionate about and that you could make a career from it?
This year marks nearly 20 years of professional cooking, 9 to 10 of which in traditional food, 10 to 11 of which in vegan food. I fell in love with cooking after I took my first job, and I ran with it! I simply loved everything about working in a professional kitchen! It was what I felt I was meant to do for the rest of my life. I actually realized I wanted to make a career out of it that same year, when I was 15 or 16 years old.
4. Did you go to school to learn your skills in the kitchen, or are you self-taught? I attended George Brown Chef School in Toronto but I also feel that my learning has been (and always will be) lifelong. George Brown helped give me some fundamental basics, but the true teaching comes from the hard work in kitchens day in and day out.
5. What is your favourite food to eat and your favourite food to make?
I love to eat handheld foods: burgers, wraps, burritos, sandwiches. I feel like they can be all encompassing and packed full of flavour, texture, nutrition and so much more. I love creating dishes that we enjoyed before we were vegan, and veganizing them! Things like mac and cheese, casseroles, soups stews and more. Past that I love fine dining and creating upscale vegan cuisine with multiple components on a plate that all come together as one.
6. Everyone wants to know... Why did you close your Public Kitchen?!
Public Kitchen was so much to me when I opened it. It was a spring board to help me get to where I am at today, and I will never forget it. The fact of the business world is most food business have a good 5-year span on them, before you need to either re-brand and invest more, or move on and grow. It was not an easy decision to close my first baby, but it was absolutely the right thing to do. I think the best way to put it is to pose a question to the readers: Have you ever been in a relationship that lasted too long? Have you ever looked back
and realized you made the mistake that you should have ended something sooner? I saw the potential of this happening with PK and I wanted to end it on my own terms, on a high, before the relationship soured. My last day in business there we had a 1 hour wait to get a table. To me, this is the best way to exit, while on top.
7. How did Mythology come to fruition? What did the process of joining this team and opening a new restaurant look like for you?
My partner and I met while I was taking part in his vegan food and drink festivals. We began to talk and realize we both had a deep passion for veganism, business and we were both interested in opening restaurants. After some time (and many potential new location visits together) we came to an agreement and began out work on what is now Mythology. I did not really “join” his team as much as I began to work with his team. Working with his team has been awesome, and really allowed me to focus on my strengths and allow the food to really shine at Mythology since day 1.
9. What is the most popular item you have on the menu at Mythology?
We have several, but the two that come to mind are The Reuben Sandwich, and The Bacon Double Cheeseburger!
10. Why is supporting organic farmers and creating meals with organic produce so important to you?
Supporting the good in all in life is always important. I try and support business and brands always striving to make a difference. While every business may not be able to support organic products, I think it is our duty to be able to always do our best as entrepreneurs to support what we believe is the best and most ethical!
11. Tell us all about Vegandable and what is has to offer.
Working in a community of like-minded people and business has been awesome. There is a ton in store for this project and I am proud to be a part of it!
12. What inspired you to write your first cookbook? And do you have plans to write anymore in the future? If yes, what would it look like?
I was actually contacted by my Publisher back when I was 26 years old. I was very lucky and full of gratitude in receiving this call, so I ventured forth and wrote my first book, Eat Raw Eat Well! I definitely have plans to work on more books, for me it is not only a business venture I wish to continue to pursue, but an avenue that helps to allow me to be creative and let the world see (and taste) my work!
14. Do you have any untold plans coming up in 2019 that you’d like to share with us?! Much more yet to come, so stay tuned!
VEGAN MYTH-BUSTING:
Protein and Soy By Denise Massie, B.Sc., RHN
MYTH: It is not possible to meet your protein requirements on a vegan diet.
MYTH: Soy is unsafe because of its phytoestrogen content.
Protein is the major building block of the body and is essential for practically every major human function. All dietary protein is broken down by the body into amino acids, which are then used to create new proteins. Different foods have a different profile of amino acids, with some being richer in certain amino acids than others. It is not necessary to balance the amino acids in every meal to make “complementary proteins,” since our body pools these amino acids over a few days.
Soy has earned a reputation on the internet as causing everything from man boobs to inhibiting thyroid function. The truth is that there is no valid research on humans to support these claims, and that soy has been safely consumed for over 1,000 years. On the contrary, evidence shows that in addition to being an excellent source of high-quality protein, soy has many beneficial effects on the human body.
Virtually all vegetables, beans, grains, nuts, and seeds contain protein. While animal foods consist primarily of protein and fat, the protein in plant-based foods is perfectly packaged with vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and phytonutrients. In fact, a vegan diet that is sufficient in calories and richly varied in unrefined plant foods can easily meet our daily requirements for protein. And just because something is good for us doesn’t necessarily mean that more is better. Too much protein can be taxing on the kidneys and can promote abnormal cell growth. The recommended protein intake for vegans is 0.9 g/kg for adults, or 10-15% of total calories from protein. For a 135 lb (61 kg) adult, this would equate to a recommended protein intake of about 55 g per day. (To make it simple you can just calculate 1g protein/kg body weight.) Requirements for pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, athletic activity, and those looking to put on weight vary slightly. An easy way to be sure you meet your protein needs is to include a serving of a protein-dense plant food, such as beans, lentils, tofu, tempeh, or hemp hearts, in every meal.
While soy phytoestrogens are structurally similar to human estrogens, they do not have the same effects. Our body has 2 types of estrogen receptors, and unlike human or animal estrogens, which tend to bind to the receptors related to increased cancer risk, soy phytoestrogens tend to bind to the receptors that lead to increased bone density, protection against estrogen-related cancers, and reduction in menopausal symptoms. Soy foods are safe to consume for males and females during all stages of life: pregnancy, infancy, childhood, and adulthood. When consuming soy, always choose organic and/or non-GMO soy, as it is a highly genetically modified crop, and aim for up to 2-3 servings per day. Avoid the refined soy protein isolates found in processed foods and instead choose to eat soy in its whole form, in products such as miso, soy milk, edamame, tofu, and tempeh.
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Can superfoods be found in your own backyard? By Dagmar Schoenrock We hear so much about superfoods that we sometimes forget the value of Canadian home-grown produce. Exotic superfoods such as maca, avocados, and açaí berries are great, yet Canadian produce has lots to offer too. This four-part series for women and men highlights Canadian fruits and veggies that may sometimes be overlooked yet have amazing nutritional value. After discovering the health benefits of Canadian produce, you will better appreciate our lesser-known “superfoods” and perhaps incorporate more into your diet. Let’s start discovering women’s health benefits hidden in the orchards and gardens of Canada…
proving oxygenation of the brain area that is usually affected in the early stages of dementia. Blueberries contain the highest antioxidant capacity of all commonly consumed fruits and vegetables. Internationally, blueberries are considered to be a “superfood” because they are full of antioxidants which help reverse the signs of aging. Antioxidants protect our bodies from damage by free radicals, which cause numerous degenerative diseases. One of the most exciting compounds contained in blueberries is pterostilbene, which helps cells break down cholesterol and lower cholesterol levels. (This is a great tip to pass on to your non-vegan friends.)
“An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” They didn’t know when this expression became popular that apples contain over 10,000 phytonutrients. Apples are rich in vitamin C, which helps rejuvenate the skin by promoting collagen and elastin production. If that’s not exciting enough, apples may also improve sexual function; they contain polyphenols and antioxidants that can stimulate blood flow to the genitalia, thus helping with arousal. Do I have your attention now?
Phytoestrogens in broccoli can reduce the symptoms of menopause by blocking the body’s estrogen receptors when levels are too high, and by providing a healthy estrogen replacement when the levels are too low. Folate, found in broccoli, has been found to decrease the risk of breast cancer in women. Broccoli also contains thiamine, or Vitamin B1, which helps to convert food into energy and supports healthy skin, hair, and nails.
Beets can also improve your sexual health because they contain boron, a mineral directly related to the production of sex hormones. Boron is needed to increase and balance out estrogen levels. Both beets and apples contain boron, which helps keep energy levels high and also appears to limit calcium loss that can lead to osteoporosis. Surprisingly, beets are also rich in calcium, promoting stronger bones and teeth, and again helping to prevent the loss of bone mass. Beyond this, beets are known to improve brain neuroplasticity by im-
Be sure to read Article Two in the series to learn the health benefits of these fruits and veggies for men!
Phytoestrogen in carrots helps relieve menstrual pain and regularize heavy menstrual flow. It is also beneficial for post-menopausal women, as it helps to ease hot flashes and stabilize other menopausal symptoms. One of my favourites is that carrots are great for combating hair loss, as they provide your hair with vital vitamins, making stands stronger, thicker, and shinier. Who doesn’t want that?
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Featured Lifestyle Blogger
Q & A with Amber Allen, THE FAIRLY LOCAL VEGAN By: Lauren Ribeiro
Interviewing someone is always a real treat, because you get to dive a little deeper into who they are, on a much more personal level. Chatting with Amber and interviewing her about her lifestyle was much like sitting down for tea with an old friend. It was easy and natural. I have watched Amber and her family on YouTube for quite some time now and have been quite inspired about their lifestyle as a vegan, minimalist and zero waste family. Amber radiates authenticity, what you see is what you get. An admirable quality in today’s society! 38 | ONTARIO VEGANS MAGAZINE | ontariovegansmag.ca
Amber Allen, The Fairly Local Vegan Q: Are you born and raised in Ontario? A: I was born and raised in rural Quebec. I also attended college and university in Montreal, Quebec, and moved away to Ottawa, Ontario to be with my husband when I was 24 years old! Q: How would you describe the vegan scene in Kitchener, Ontario, where you currently live? A: The vegan scene in Kitchener, Ontario is thriving and growing I would say! There is definitely a present vegan community here, especially online on Facebook. There are tons of animal rescues here, and many vegan animal sanctuaries in the surrounding area as well! When it comes to vegan cafes and restaurants, however, Kitchener is lacking in options sadly. I would absolutely love to see some new vegan places open here!
thing (food or product) that comes from an animal or that has exploited in any way. For us, being vegan is about being compassionate. When I see an animal I see a mother, a father, a sister, a brother or a baby… They are real beings who experience real emotions, who experience real pain, and real joy. Being vegan for me means I’m not contributing to the suffering of other beings in this world. Q: Have you been raising your children vegan since birth,
Q: Did you grow up with animals as a child? A: I did grow up with animals as a child! I grew up in the middle of nowhere, and just being out in nature every day gave me the opportunity to experience nature every day. I grew up rescuing animals, as people from the surrounding area would drive to the forest nearby to dump litters of kittens or tie dogs to trees. It was awful. Sometimes I would find dead animals that people had dumped. I’d listen to the crows in the forest and follow the noise to find whatever animal it was. I fed and trapped feral cats and kittens in the winter, and then would find homes for them indoors. I cared for wild animals as well- I was constantly finding abandoned baby animals (more often than not, their mother’s had been killed), and birds with broken wings. I would take care of them and set them free when they were fully healthy. When I later moved and lived in Montreal, I took in stray cats and then would find better indoor homes for them. I would also find sick or hurt pigeons and nurse them back to health before letting them go. Q: Why is living a vegan lifestyle important to you? A: I am an ethical vegan, so being vegan has always been about the animals for me. Our vegan family doesn’t use any-
or was that a decision that unfolded after you had your first child? A: I went vegan in 2007, and had my first baby in 2012! I have had amazing healthy vegan pregnancies, and have always wanted to raise my children vegan. When I was vegan and pregnant in 2011-2012, there was so little information about vegan pregnancy, and it was so hard to “convince” people that what I was doing was perfectly healthy. I’m now pregnant with our third vegan baby, and it has been so much easier and not as strange to others for me to be both pregnant and vegan. Being vegan is becoming much more accepted, as is raising children vegan! Q: What is your favourite food to eat? A: That’s such a hard question for me, since I am a huge foodie! I would have to say our homemade vegan poutine, or vegan pizza, or vegan sushi… Ironically, I don’t eat those foods very often, but when I do I love every bite! Q: What is your favourite food to make? A: Anything cooked from scratch for my family! I believe putting love into everything I make for my family, and I believe it’s the ultimate secret ingredient for creating extra tasty food! Honestly, I love making up recipes from scratch, and it’s helped me to create my first vegan and gluten-free ebook! I try
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Featured Lifestyle Blogger to buy only mainly local, and affordable, produce as well- so all my recipes are centered around being budget friendly, easy to make, kid-friendly, and in season. If you’re interested in my ebook, it will be out this June! Q: How do you find it eating both gluten free (we understand you have Celiacs) and vegan? Is it as hard as everyone seems to make it out to be? A: I was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2010, so after only a few years of being vegan! Being celiac and vegan did change my diet a ton- but in the past few years as being gluten free has become more common, I have seen awesome real made vegan gluten free products become available on the market! And it’s becoming much more easy to find vegan gluten free food in restaurants as well! Being gluten free and vegan isn’t very hard for me at all, and our whole little vegan family is gluten free as well, by default!
Q: What inspired you to start living a more minimalist, zero waste lifestyle? A: I started going minimalist in 2009- it just didn’t make sense for me to hold on to as many material items anymore. I’ve moved a total of 20 times in my life and the more I moved, the less I wanted to bring with me. The difference between just having something for the sake of having it and actually needing something became great. I also became very interested in Buddhism in 2009, and I quickly made the link between materialism and the lack of inner peace. The drive for consumerism in our society is great, and our lack of contentment with what we already have is greater… Our family is now at a point where everything we buy is bought consciously, and with purpose. Everything has a use, a need, or a great amount of love attached to it. Living consciously and with intent has helped us stop creating as much waste, and we strive to be zero waste, or rather “low waste”, every day! On top of that, living more slowly has helped us dig our way out of 75K worth of debt in the past 2 years; just by selling what we didn’t need, working hard, and being more mindful of what we purchase! Q: Would you ever live off the grid? A: I would never live off grid, solely because I like people too much. Growing up isolated as a child and teenager, and not seeing another living soul for months (other than family members I lived with) really drove home how much I like other people. I naturally just want to be where other people are… So I would consider myself an urban homesteader, and would love to grow more of our own food, collect rainwater, make our own soap, and install some solar panels one day- and still remain close to people. Q: Would you ever live in a tiny house with your family? A: We’ve considered living more tiny for years- we’ve extensively researched into tiny homes, converted buses, earth
ships, and yurts! We currently live in a rental home of about 920 square feet, as a family of 5 plus a dog. Despite finding this space a bit big for all of us, we do love the space we have; mainly because we can still do projects with our kids and move freely. We love dancing, yoga, and painting on big canvases, and that little bit of extra space we have to do it in is perfect for us! Based solely on our long Canadian winters, I wouldn’t want to feel too stuck in an even tinier space during that time. Q: What inspired you to start your YouTube channel and how has it evolved since your first video? A: I was inspired to start a YouTube channel because I love people- and I wanted to find my tribe, my community; which can sometimes prove difficult offline, considering my interests of zero waste etc. I first started by making vegan videos for fun, and my YouTube Chanel has since evolved into being a big part of who I am as a person. Q: Do you have any tips you’d like to share with someone who is interested in started their own YouTube channel around veganism and conscious living? A: Starting is the hardest part. If you really want to do something, just do it! Q: In one of your YouTube videos, you mentioned that all your personal belongings can fit into a backpack. Is this still the case? And is the same true for the other members of your family? A: Besides furniture we own, each of us can fit all of our belongings into a backpack! It’s not something I’m hugely proud of, but it has helped us in us moving and being fairly nomadic. We actually hope to have a more permanent home soon, and though we won’t be filling it with stuff- it will make a difference to what we own… For example, I would love more indoor plants!
Q: What is your favourite part about living in Ontario and being vegan? A: I honestly love living in Ontario, It definitely feels like home here for us! There is such a lovely vegan community here, with all the sanctuaries, animal saves, and emerging vegan companies… It’s very hard to pick what my favourite part of living in Ontario and being vegan is- but I’m going to have to say that I absolutely love Cedar Row Farm Sanctuary and the volunteers who work there. We attend their open houses every year and I contribute to their raffle every year with shirts from my vegan Etsy shop! (www.etsy.com/shop/thefairlylocalvegan) Q: What are some of your struggles with being vegan and living in Ontario? A: How far Apiecalypse is from us… They seriously make the best vegan pizza!!! Seriously though, would love to see more vegan restaurants emerge! Q: Do you have any exciting, untold plans for 2019 that you’d like to share with us?! A: I’m so focused on the launch of my new vegan and gluten free ebook this summer, and the birth of our third child, that I haven’t planned anything for 2019 yet! But definitely stay tuned!
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Get Ready for Summer Lovin’
GET YOUR SUMMER BODY
WITHOUT DIETING By: Gillian Elizabeth
It’s that time of year. Everyone is getting ready for bikini season. People are in a frenzy to lose weight fast; the gyms are packed, and the diet mentality is at an all time high. I used to feel this pressure too, increasing my workouts and restricting my calories in hopes to achieve a defined core. Not so ironically, it wasn’t until I let go of this focus that my results came. Now I have my summer bod’ all year long. An important part in achieving your summer body is feeling good in your body; both physically and mentally.
Here are my tips for achieving your summer body all year long, without the crazy dieting.
#1 START MOVING IN A WAY THAT YOU ENJOY
When you do things you enjoy you are more likely to continue doing them. Especially when your focus isn’t about how many calories you are burning but instead about enjoying the activity, and as a bonus it helps keep you in shape.
#2 ADD FOODS THAT YOU BELIEVE WILL MAKE YOU HEALTHY
(instead of taking out foods you believe are making you unhealthy)
Typically, when we take foods out of our diet we feel restricted and deprived. Sooner or later the inner rebel will come out and the desire to binge on these foods will be greater than our desire to fit into our teeny bikini. Instead of focusing on what foods you should eliminate from your diet think about what you can add that will make you feel great. When you feel great in your body, you look great.
#3 LIVE AS IF YOU ALREADY HAVE YOUR IDEAL BODY
This one was huge for me! I remember skipping parties and social gatherings out of fear of all the tempting foods. It wasn’t until I realized that this mentality was preventing me from actually living and making me feel even more restricted leading to even bigger binges. It wasn’t until I decided to start living as if I already had my ideal body that I started to lose excess weight. Plus this was an extremely liberating realization. You can enjoy your ideal body and all the fun meals. You can have both!
#4 MEET YOUR EMOTIONAL NEEDS
Re-affirm that you are enough exactly as you are. If you are eating and exercising just to look good in your bikini this is not boosting your morale. If you begin to meet your emotional needs and focus on feeling good, you will naturally begin to stop emotionally eating, which in turn will result in your body’s natural weight over time. Remember that dieting is not the way to feel healthy, confident, and sexy in your bathing suit. It begins with feeling good by choosing confidence, eating with pleasure, and living abundantly to create lasting change. 42 | ONTARIO VEGANS MAGAZINE | ontariovegansmag.ca
Safety in the Sun Vegan and Cruelty Free Sunscreen Brands By Lena Tashjian
After a long and cold Canadian winter, anything above 15 degrees can start to feel like summer. But when the weather really does warm up and the sun is out in full force, sunscreen becomes a necessity. With prolonged time outdoors – whether it’s physical activity, hanging out at the beach, or soaking up the sun on a vegan patio – it’s important to include sunscreen application in your daily routine.
The good news is that there are lots of vegan and cruelty-free options to choose from. If you’re looking to lather up and keep your skin protected, make sure to check out these options: BOO BAMBOO Made right here in Toronto, Ontario, Boo Bamboo is a brand that has everything from hair-care to skincare, and includes a wonderful range of vegan and cruelty-free sunscreen. You can opt for a spray or a tube and feel good knowing the company uses natural ingredients for SPF 30 and 40 protection. Proudly made in Canada, you can find Boo Bamboo in health food shops as well as larger supermarkets all around town! THE GREEN BEAVER As the name may give away, The Green Beaver is another Ontario-based Canadian company that creates natural toothpastes, soaps, deodorants, and a lot more. Luckily for us, they also make vegan and cruelty-free sunscreen. The sunscreens can be bought as a spray or as a lotion, and range from SPF 25 to 40. Added bonus? The sunscreens are made with organic ingredients!
ZATIK NATURALS Expanding our horizons to some vegan and cruelty-free sunscreen options from our neighbour, the United States, Zatik Naturals is a definite must-try. While the brand has just about everything you need to keep your entire body nourished, they also carry vegan and cruelty-free SPF 30 sunscreen that is lightweight, fragrance-free, and hydrating. Available online and at Winners! KISS MY FACE Another option from our neighbours down south is Kiss My Face, which includes a line of vegan and cruelty-free sunscreens in their wide variety of products. Ranging from SPF 15 to 50, the line is paraben-, gluten-, and fragrance-free, and includes a cooling cucumber-based sports option for those on-the-go! Whichever option you use, make sure to incorporate one of these incredible vegan and cruelty-free sunscreens into your daily routine to truly (and safely) have fun in the sun! Summer 2018 | 43
Summer Lovin' Vegan Patios in Toronto By Lena Tashjian
Nothing signifies the start of summer quite as much as a patio. Whether you’re looking to indulge in some vegan comfort food or enjoy a green smoothie, doing it outside with a breeze and the sun on your face definitely takes the experience up a few levels. While Toronto is home to many patios and vegan restaurants, we’ve combined the best of both worlds so you can have your vegan cake and eat it too – outside! Here are just a few of the many options for those ready to celebrate the arrival of summer: The Hogtown Vegan (382 College Street) The Hogtown Vegan is a restaurant known for its hearty vegan comfort food. Home to everything from unchicken Caesar wraps to deep-fried Oreos, the popularity of this restaurant is definitely no mystery. While the original location on Bloor Street does not have any outdoor seating, location No. 2 opened up last fall and does. Make the visit to College Street and enjoy some delicious comfort food in style! Live Organic Food Bar (264 Dupont Street) If you’re looking for something healthier, Live Organic Food Bar has you covered. While the restaurant does have cooked food, they also offer customers a raw menu, which includes healthy yet delicious appetizers, meals, desserts, smoothies, and juices. Head over to Dupont to enjoy the beautiful patio full of greenery and plants. And while it is a healthier choice, the restaurant is also fully licensed for those looking to add a cocktail or two to their meal!
Fresh (326 Bloor Street West, 147 Spadina Avenue, 894 Queen Street West, 90 Eglinton Avenue East) Fresh is a restaurant with four locations selling a nice mix of comfort food and healthy salads and bowls. While some of the menu options differ depending on which location you are at, one thing they all have in common is the option of outdoor seating. So regardless of whether you’re on Bloor, Spadina, Queen West, or Eglinton, just get to your local Fresh and enjoy the sunshine! Urban Herbivore (64 Oxford Street) No mention of vegan restaurants with patios can be complete without a shout-out to the lively Kensington Market. When taking a summer stroll through this area, make sure to drop by Urban Herbivore for some delicious plant-based sandwiches, bowls, baked goods, and smoothies. Better yet, enjoy your treats on their laid-back patio, where you can people-watch to your heart’s content. Whether you celebrate the arrival of summer by chomping down on a vegan burger with all the works or with a kale salad, the vegan patio options listed above will provide you with the ideal setting to eat, drink, and be sunkissed!
44 | ONTARIO VEGANS MAGAZINE | ontariovegansmag.ca
This bowl could not taste any more like summer. Delicious, crispy, summer veggies are the stars of this dish, including asparagus, zucchini, peppers, corn, and grape tomatoes. Drizzled on top, fresh seasonal herbs burst with flavour in this twist on a classic tahini dressing. These bowls are the perfect addition for your next summer BBQ!
In gr edien ts B o w l F i x i n gs D r e s s i n g * 2/ 3 cup quinoa, dry * 6 stalks asparagus, cut into pieces (ends discarded) * / 4 cup bell pepper, sliced 3
* 1/ 4 cup finely chopped basil * 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley * 2 tbsp maple syrup * 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
* 3/ 4 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
* 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
* / 3 cup zucchini, sliced into disks
* 1/ 4 cup tahini
2
* 1/ 2 cup corn kernels * 3/ 4 tsp Himalayan salt * 1/ 2 tsp pepper * 2/ 3 cup chickpeas, cooked
* 1/ 4 cup lemon juice * 2 tbsp water * 1/ 2 tsp salt * 1/ 4 tsp pepper
* 1 ripe avocado, cut in half
Dir ection s 1. Preheat your oven to 415 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking tray with parchment. 2. In a medium pot, boil the quinoa according to package directions. 3. While the quinoa is boiling, lay the sliced asparagus, zucchini, peppers, corn, and tomatoes on the tray in a single layer. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top. Bake for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, flip the veggies and bake for an additional 10 minutes. 4. While the veggies are baking, prepare the dressing by whisking all of the ingredients together
Sum
in a small bowl. Set aside.
mer
Harvest Veggie By Kathy Chrzaszcz
Bo
wl
5. When the veggies and quinoa are cooked, assemble the bowls. Create a bed of quinoa in each bowl and add the veggies, chickpeas, and avocado. Drizzle with dressing, serve, and enjoy!
THRIVING ON A VEGAN DIET: Key Nutrients For Optimal Health By Kathy Chrzaszcz
It’s no secret now that vegans can absolutely thrive nutritionally. That being said, it’s important to take note of what nutrients vegans can become deficient in. Most of us try to eat well and follow a healthy diet and lifestyle, but the stresses of everyday life can impact eating, and can leave anybody, not just vegans, deficient in these critical nutrients. IRON Iron can become low for several reasons. Many people who are deficient will take an iron supplement and find that levels don’t return to normal. Iron needs other nutrients to help absorb and assimilate it so that blood levels can increase. These key nutrients are Vitamin C, Vitamin B12, folate, and zinc. It is imperative that these nutrients are consumed in adequate amounts, along with iron, to ensure adequate iron absorption. Even meat-eaters suffer from iron deficiency and it can be attributed to a lack of consumption of whole fruits and vegetables that are rich in these other nutrients needed for iron absorption. Consuming a wide variety of whole plant foods, including fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, beans, lentils, grains, soy (organic and nonGMO), nuts, and seeds, will help to ensure that you are
consuming enough nutrients for iron absorption. And, of course, consume iron-rich plant foods. If you are unsure, get your levels tested and take an iron supplement that at least includes Vitamin C and B12. Note that men rarely experience iron deficiency. VITAMIN B12 Put simply, it is almost impossible to get all of your B12 on a vegan diet. Now, that doesn’t mean that we are meant to eat meat. Animals raised for agriculture are fed B12 supplements too! Supplementing with 1000mg of methylcobolamin B12 a few times weekly is plenty sufficient. If you’d like to obtain B12 from your diet as well, consume fortified plant milks, nutritional yeast, and fermented foods like sauerkraut and tempeh. VITAMIN D Vitamin D is not your average vitamin. When ultraviolet light comes into contact with your skin, your skin synthesizes Vitamin D. Vitamin D actually acts as a hormone in your body. All cells, tissues, and organs in the body have Vitamin D receptors. Essentially this means that these cells are awaiting the arrival of Vitamin D to perform vital functions.
46 | ONTARIO VEGANS MAGAZINE | ontariovegansmag.ca
Vitamin D deficiency is incredibly common, and even occurs in very warm, sunny areas of the world. It is estimated that 70% of the population of the United States and Canada is deficient. Some of the top reasons why we are deficient include: - Living in areas where there is not enough sun - Being over-diligent with sunscreen - Spending too much time indoors - Sun phobia - Little to no supplementation Vitamin D is best absorbed and utilized by the body when it comes from sun exposure. Many are afraid of sun exposure due to skin cancer risk and skin aging. It is important to note that sufficient intake of daily Vitamin D is actually critical for cancer prevention. Safe and adequate sun exposure is important whenever possible. It is simply not possible to eat enough foods containing Vitamin D to ensure sufficient levels in the body, even as a meat-eater. Aside from sunshine, supplementation is the only other way to guarantee sufficient levels. There are two types of Vitamin D. Vitamin D3 is the most absorbable form. Vitamin D2 is the other option, but the body hardly absorbs it. The minimum recommended intake of Vitamin D per day is 1000 IUs for adults, 600 IUs for children, and 400 IUs for infants. Ensure you look for a vegan D3, as most D3 supplements come from lanolin, which is derived from animals. CALCIUM Everybody remembers growing up and hearing that milk gives you strong bones. Unfortunately, this is a huge misconception, and dairy-derived calcium can actually be more harmful to human bones than good. It’s time to debunk the milk myth. Many scientific studies show the negative health effects that milk actually has on your bones. When dairy is consumed, it causes the blood to become acidic. Dairy-derived calcium neutralizes acid, so when blood levels become acidic, calcium is actually leached from the bones to neutralize the acidic blood. At this point, the calcium leaves the body via urination, leaving bones more depleted from calcium than before!
It has been proven that people who consume dairy have much higher risks and incidences of osteoporosis and other calcium-deficiency-related diseases. This is good news for vegans, because plant-derived calcium is the best source of calcium! Its far better absorbed and utilized by the body and bones. It’s important to ensure you’re eating primarily alkaline foods and that you’re consuming plant foods rich in calcium. Some of these foods include soy (organic and non-GMO), sesame seeds and tahini, almonds, kale, chickpeas, black beans, and broccoli. PROTEIN We’ve all heard it before: “Where do you get your protein?” I’m sure we’re all sick of it by now because so many plant foods are high in protein. Even foods like fruits and vegetables, which have low to moderate levels of protein, all add up at the end of the day. Many studies show that too much protein is actually not good for you. We are often told that we need far more protein than is actually necessary. As a rule, a person who exercises moderately needs about half of 1 gram of protein per 1 pound of body weight. Plant foods with high levels of protein include beans, lentils, whole grains, tofu, nuts, and seeds. Ensure variety in your diet and eat whole, unprocessed foods whenever possible to ensure adequate protein intake. If you are concerned, you can consume a high-quality vegan protein powder as a supplement, but this is not necessary for everyone. Many say that vegans don’t eat complete protein because only animal products contain all of the essential amino acids. This is a myth, because the body is smart enough to combine all of the amino acids consumed in a day and utilize them. Not all of the essential amino acids need to be consumed in one single meal. When in doubt, consult with your doctor and request blood work to test nutrient levels, and supplement when necessary. You can also use cronometer.com to track what you eat and see what nutrients you are getting from your food.
Featured Business
48 | ONTARIO VEGANS MAGAZINE | ontariovegansmag.ca
Melissa Sohal, Blissful Decadence
VeganCake Goddess
*
Meet Melissa Sohal, born in Durban, South Africa, currently residing in Brampton after moving to Toronto 11 years ago. She lives there with her husband and three daughters. Melissa discovered her love for cake design when she attempted to make a birthday cake for one of her girls around seven years ago. It became an obsession and Melissa made as many cakes as she could for family and friends. Her cakes and desserts have always been vegetarian, but after Melissa and her husband transitioned to a vegan diet, she became more serious about developing her vegan recipes. Melissa trained as a dancer and her cakes are an extension of her love of the arts. Her goal is to create a piece of edible art that will leave some kind of wonderful impression on the recipients, visually (and in terms of taste) just as other art forms do.
blissfuldcakes.com 647.295.4257 | info@blissfuldcakes.com
Summer 2018 | 49
Featured Business
Saving the planet one eco-handbag at a time
Hipster Mailbags, Cross-body, Flatbags, Wristlets, iPad cases, Wristlets, & Totes Vicky Gerke & Laura Langevin are mompreneurs who run their eco empire from their home/office/design studio in Bradford, Ontario. To order online check out their website echoesintheattic.com Wholesale inquiries are welcome at: echoesintheattic@gmail.com
AWARDS CTV NATIONAL NEWS "Canadian Originals". BRADFORD BOARD OF TRADE Social and Ecological Responsibility 2012
50 | ONTARIO VEGANS MAGAZINE | ontariovegansmag.ca
Vicky Gerke & Laura Langevin, Echoes in the Attic
Echoes in the Attic eco-consciously creates
their full line of handbags, totes, flatbags, wristlets and pouches using XS textiles & leftover fabrics from post-manufacturing & designer samples. Presently Echoes has upcycled 90 tons of fabric. Echoes eco-bags are upcycled, Canadian, vegan, animal-friendly, factory-free, done in small batches to ensure exclusivity, lovingly handmade and carefully with attention to detail. Echoes in the Attic are proud to have currently diverted 90 tons of XS fabric from landfills in their 13 years of business and will reach their goal of 100 by end of July. They get vegan leather and high end designer fabric and it’s the mix of the super sturdy with the super pretty that makes their bags stand out. Every week-two weeks they go to their factory and designer donors and take what they deem toss-able. Much is still on the bolt, so they typically leave with 500-800 pounds or so of brand new vegan fabric, every time they go. They are bottom feeders so-to-speak of large industry taking what they no longer have use for. Echoes in the Attic gets to work cutting, designing and they have a team of home-seamstresses who help them to reach their goals. The more bags they make and sell, the more XS textiles they keep from landfill. Vegan leather is dastardly in a landfill. It will never break down, so they feel it’s their job to keep it from going there. XS textiles do not belong in landfills. They own a very healthy e-commerce site that has just been relaunched. They ship all over North America and also attend different markets, artisan shows and events.
echoesintheattic.com | 905-775-4656 | echoesintheattic@gmail.com Summer 2018 | 51
ONTARIO’S
Animal Sanctuaries By Veronika Simmons
Grey’s Haven Farm Sanctuary
Farmhouse Garden Animal Home
greyshavenfarmsanctuary.com
farmhousegardenanimalhome.com
Located in Port Colborne, is a safe haven for rescued farm animals as well as a home-between-homes for cats and other animals.
Located in Uxbridge, Ontario, this sanctuary used to be a cattle ranch until its owner had a change of heart while caring for a newborn calf. It is home to cows, horses, ducks, chickens and the absolute sweetest donkey.
Cedar Row Farm Sanctuary cedarrow.org Located in Lakeside, Ontario (near London, ON) started in 1999 when the co-owner was pregnant with twins. They take care of rescued animals, including goats, pigs, donkeys, chickens, ducks, and a dog. They welcome volunteer working visits to their sanctuary, where people can help contribute to the much needed farm work to be done, as well as get to visit the animals.
Haven of the Heart havenoftheheart.wordpress.com This sanctuary provides a home for rescued domestic animals including dogs, cats, domestic fowl and horses. It is located in Palgrave, Ontario and has a blog so you can stay up to date on the animals!
Milo’s Mission
Parrot Sanctuary
milosmission.com
parrotsanctuary.ca
A small farm sanctuary located in Keswick.
This is a Toronto-based rescue and adoption group for parrots.
Ralphy’s Retreat
FrogHollow Farm Sanctuary
ralphysretreat.ca
froghollowfarmsanctuary.com
A sanctuary for potbellied pigs and farm animals, they are a registered non-profit located in Norfolk County. They offer tours in exchange for a $5 donation, by appointment only.
Provides a life of compassion to unwanted and mistreated farm animals.
Refuge RR for Horses / The Canadian H.E.A.R.T. refugerr.org Located in Alexandria, Ontario, and has been operating for 22 years. They have hundreds of animals. Refuge RR for the Horses does not only rescue horses as they have many farm animals in their care. They help and rescue companion animals (pets), wildlife, and farm animals, as well as horses. Please watch for details on their website for links to their newly created organization, The Canadian H.E.A.R.T which stands for The Horse and Animal Rescue Team. The Canadian H.E.A.R.T is determined to make Canada a cruelty-free country; a place where animals are truly respected and protected.
Wishing Well Sanctuary wishingwellsanctuary.org A registered non-profit that rescues and provides permanent homes for cows, pigs, donkeys, goats, sheep and chickens. They also host educational programs and kids’ camps!
Land O Lakes Rescue Petting Farm landolakesrescuepettingfarm.ca A rescue to help injured, sick and abandoned farm animals and offer a therapeutic setting for children and adults who have suffered from trauma and have special needs. The love and compassion that these animals receive from visitors who provide treats & hugs have helped make these animals gentle & can trust again. They offer day tours to tell you the personal histories of each animal and offering children the chance to feed and pet the animals. Educational aspects of the tour include natural habitats, diet and the care of animals in a farm environment.
Carroll Organics carrollorganics.com An organic vegetable farm, CSA service, and also a sanctuary for dogs, cats, and pigs!
Piebird Vegan Farmstay / Farm Sanctuary piebird.org A vegan agri-tourism destination & a happy home for animalfriends. Piebird Vegan Farmstay & Farm Sanctuary in Ontario.
Happily Ever Esther happilyeveresther.ca Located in Campbellville, Happily Ever Esther is the home of Esther the Wonder Pig and her friends.
Happy Tails Farm Sanctuary happytailsfarmsanctuary.ca Happy Tails Farm Sanctuary is a vegan micro-sanctuary in Harrowsmith dedicated to sharing the stories of the magnificent creatures who live there, adding to the global movement toward a more compassionate world. They believe strongly in Humane Education and volunteer at schools regularly to give humane education to school children. They welcome visitors by appointment.
Ruby Ranch Pig Sanctuary rubyranch.ca Located in Kenilworth, Ontario (near Mount Forest) started in 2008, inspired by Ruby, their first pot-bellied pig, they got in 2004, and now have many farm pigs and pot-bellied pigs. They welcome visitors on any Sunday throughout the summer, and they will also be organizing a few official open houses, separate from the TVA’s. For more information, please call 647-261-9583. You can read their pig’s stories and also visit their blog on their website.
Karuna Lane Sanctuary and Farm Stay facebook.com/KarunaLaneSanctuaryAndFarmStay Karuna Lane Sanctuary and Farm Stay is located just outside of Mount Forest, Ontario. We offer both home and solace to rescued farm animals, as well as cabin respite stays. We believe compassionate action heals all, and that we are, indeed, all one.
Donkey Sanctuary of Canada thedonkeysanctuary.ca A refuge for donkeys, mules and hinnies who have been neglected or abused, or who can no longer be cared for by their owners.
Here is a basic chia seed pudding recipe that you can make your own. I N GR E DI ENTS * 6 tablespoons chia seeds * 2 cups unsweetened almond, cashew, coconut or soy milk * / 2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1
* fresh fruit, for topping
C
HIA
* 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup, agave or sweetener of choice (optional)
SEED PUDDING By Veronika Simmons P R EP : 1 0 MI N S
| S E T : 3 H R S - O V E R N I GH T MAKES: 2 CUPS
D i r ecti o ns 1. In a bowl or mason jar, mix together chia seeds, milk, vanilla and sweetener. 2. If you are using a mason jar, you can put the lid on and shake the mixture to combine everything. 3. Once the chia pudding mixture is well combined, let it sit for 5 minutes, give it another mix to break up any clumps of chia seeds, cover and put the mixture in the fridge to set for 3 hours or overnight. 4. When ready to serve, divide the mixture between two bowls, top the pudding with fruit and enjoy.
How to Include Your Kids in Food Preparation to Develop a Healthy Relationship with Food By: Gillian Elizabeth
Food begins with the Earth. Given this, it is important to include your kids in the understanding of food from this most basic and natural source. If it’s possible, start a garden outside or create a small herb garden indoors. It can also be a fun activity to take them on a trip to a farm or to pick fresh berries. While preparing food you can ask your kids to cultivate the herbs or vegetables necessary for what you are preparing from the garden and bring them into the kitchen. This is a great opportunity to talk to them about the significance of dirt. Dirt/soil is where B12 is found, though most soil is not as nutrient dense as it once was. Animals such as cows that are grass fed provide B12 because of the soil they consume while feeding on grass. Talk about the direct sources of this nutrient with your children, such as nutritional yeast. Summer 2018 | 55
To complete your meal you will likely have to go to the grocery store for some items. Instead of dragging your kids along and hoping they don’t misbehave this is also a beautiful teaching opportunity. Invite your kids to pick up the fruits and vegetables you’re purchasing and smell them, show them how to analyze them for freshness. Ask them what their observations are. If you’re buying nonlocal produce show them the stickers and educate them about where the produce is coming from. If for example, your pineapple is from Hawaii ask them if they know where that is. If not, you can describe this place to them or show them the location on a map when you get home. To encourage them to intuitively eat, ask them what they would like to eat, notice what they are naturally drawn to and where they wander off to, and buy some of those items. If your child wants something packaged and full of additives don’t ban this item, instead ask them where they think this came from, teach them about chemical processing, and the manufacturing process. Ask them if they think this is really food? This is teaching them to trust their own inner wisdom, as well as, develop their critical thinking skills. When they eat this food later ask them how they feel after they eat it. When they eat some more natural foods, again ask them
how they feel after they eat it. Let them be their own observer, learning from their experiences. You are simply a guide, bringing them back to being mindful and aware of their choices.
Eating is something most people do at least three times a day for their entire lives. Understanding how to prepare food is an empowering and important skill that transcends into many areas of life. When you get back home and prepare your food ask your children if they want to help. If so, let them prepare the fruits and vegetables, teach them how to use kitchen utensils and appliances safely. Many people skip this because they worry about their children getting hurt or feel they don’t have time to engage their children during this time, they would rather they finish their homework or do something else. Eating is something most people do at least three times a day for their entire lives. Understanding how to prepare food is an empowering and important skill that transcends into many areas of life. It will promote a healthy relationship to food, thus promoting a healthy mind and body, cultivate creativity (if you
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modify ingredients with what’s available to you or don’t use exact measurements or recipes), understand chemistry, and time management. If you struggle with your kids around meal times because all they want is pizza, try making homemade pizzas. Buy some dough, make some tomato sauce, and give them free range of a variety of fresh and delicious toppings such as: sliced green or black olives, pineapple, basil, tomato slices, artichoke hearts, bell pepper, onion, and zucchini. It can be fun to make personalized pizzas which everyone can create to their own liking. Regular family meals allows your children to observe your relationship to food. It also encourages them to sit and be present with their food while they are eating instead of distracting themselves and eating in front of the T.V. being unaware of their hunger and fullness cues. There’s no need to comment on how much your child is eating, just as your hunger and fullness changes day to day so can theirs. Instead, teach them how to identify their hunger and fullness cues. Honour their internal wisdom and individuality. If your child doesn’t eat everything on their plate, save it for later. Don’t force them to eat past their hunger and guilt them into eating. If your child is not hungry at all at meal time don’t force them to eat, instead invite them to the table and engage with them. Spend time connecting to them about what their day was like and what they like to do. Leave a plate
for them in the refrigerator if they become hungry later. Helping your children trust their bodies is a gift that they will be able to use for the rest of their lives as they go on into the world as an adult. Many of us have learned to use food as a reward. How many went for ice cream after a win or a good mark on an exam? These are great activities but it is more important to first teach your child about emotions (and go for ice cream whether they won or lost)! If your child is having an emotional outburst meet them where they are. Teach your child about emotions, how to feel them and watch them pass naturally. Don’t distract your child from feeling their emotions or create a connection between food and emotions. Otherwise they will learn to self-sooth using food. Create equality between “good” and “bad” emotions. Show love and affection through hugs, words of praise or encouragement, communication, and quality time. Above all, your relationship to food is going to make the biggest difference in your children’s lives. If you talk negatively about food; calling food good or bad, restricting food, determining your worth based on numbers on a scale or calories consumed these thought patterns will likely be passed on to your child. It is more likely that a child growing up in a household with one or more par-
ents who constantly diet will develop an eating disorder. Try to make a variety of food available to your child. Someone who grows up and is allowed to eat what they want will continually evolve their diet and nourish their body instead of going crazy and buying everything they weren’t “allowed” to have. Food looses its power when food is food. Summer 2018 | 57
No Swiping Required: GOING BEHIND THE CURTAIN AT FIND VEG LOVE, an Ontario company helping thousands of vegans match at Veg Speed Date events across North America By Andy Brighten
You may have heard of Veg Speed Date. Last year on Valentine’s, Karine Charbonneau and I launched the only continent-wide singles event just for vegans and vegetarians. Over five days, we held events in twelve cities across Canada and the United States. It was such a smash hit – one early participant called it ‘revolutionary’– that over the next year and a half, we’ve taken Veg Speed Date to over 80 cities and been featured in VegNews. The number of ‘matches’, or mutual connections made through the events, has ticked over the 2000 mark. We already know of two marriages, and lately, every month, we’re hearing about more long-term relationships that are flourishing. The amazing feedback we get from participants, and above, all the love stories, are what motivate us to keep expanding Veg Speed Date. But what we’re most proud of, and what you may not have realized, is that this continent-wide project is orchestrated by a small but incredibly hard working team based right here in Ontario. Veg Speed Date actually started back in 2011, when both Karine and I were Canadian ex-pats living in the San Francisco Bay Area. The first event was an experiment, designed to prove to Karine’s friends that single vegan guys were out there. It worked: forty people turned up, with men outnumbering women! That landed Karine in the local news. Soon after, I teamed up with her to run the events as a fun monthly side gig while I was a grad student. Years later, when Karine and I had both returned to Ontario and were living in Ottawa, friends in California raised an interesting question: could we
keep running Veg Speed Date events in the Bay Area? We teamed up with our good friend Ravi, based in San Francisco, and figured out the logistics. In the meantime, we’d already tried an event in Ottawa, and people loved it here too. The wheels started turning, and a much bigger idea dawned on us: if we could make the events happen in San Francisco from back home in Ontario, what about other cities? What would it take to share Veg Speed Date across North America? Karine and I decided to hunker down and figure that out. I developed an online system to facilitate matches at events anywhere, right from speed daters’ smartphones, while Karine built our network of vegan hosts and venues from coast to coast. It was one of the biggest and most ambitious projects either of us had ever attempted – both exciting and a little scary. We had lots of help and advice from our amazing vegan friends, of course. When the Valentine’s launch went off without a hitch and positive feedback started pouring in, we realized that Veg Speed Date was becoming something special. And we haven’t stopped since. What awesome, ambitious vegan project do you have in mind? You might be surprised at how a little creative thinking, some good old-fashioned hard work, and support from your friends and the broader vegan community can make it a reality. Veg Speed Date events take place in cities across Canada. Learn more at FindVegLove.com.
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Fire Up the Grill Vegan BBQ Must Haves By Lena Tashjian
Veganism and barbecue season may not immediately seem to go hand in hand. While a vegan BBQ may conjure up images of marinated portobello mushrooms, veggie skewers, and carrot hot dogs (all of which are delicious), there are so many delicious plant-based options available for grilling that you can definitely upgrade your experience – and impress some omni friends and family as a result!
Here are just some of the many options you can throw on the grill this summer: BEYOND MEAT The hype and build-up behind Beyond Meat’s Beyond Burger was strong. Many Canadians were (im)patiently waiting for the burger to make its debut here, and that day finally came. Known for being a plant-based burger that “bleeds” when it cooks (thanks to beet juice and coconut oil), the burger is one of the more realistic mock meat items available on the market. While there are a variety of ways to prepare it, a burger this intense seems destined to find its way to a BBQ, and to shock/impress your friends and family with its realistic flavour! TOFURKY Tofurky has a whole range of products, but their sausages have always been the perfect match for a sizzling grill. The variety of the sausage range also makes it a versatile choice with something for everyone. Whether you prefer Italian or Polish, Spinach Pesto or Beer Brats, just get them on the grill and top with your favourite condiments and fixings. Your taste buds (and BBQ buddies) are bound to thank you!
FIELD ROAST Another great option for those who love hearty sausages on the grill. Field Roast has a full line dedicated to specialty sausages, with options such as Mexican Chipotle, Smoked Apple Sage, Frankfurters, and for those who want to make it extra-Canadian, Apple Maple Breakfast Sausages. All grill beautifully, remaining juicy and flavour-packed! GARDEIN Canadian company Gardein saddened a lot of its greatest fans when it discontinued some of its top-selling products in Canada. With many of them now back (and more coming), we can once again enjoy the company’s delicious range. Specifically, their sweet and tangy Meatless BBQ Chik’n Wings are absolutely perfect for the grill – alone or as part of a delicious veggie-packed skewer! While you can, of course, opt for healthier and homemade options for your next BBQ, the select choices listed above are perfect for when you want to take things up a notch or two. Happy grillin’! Summer 2018 | 59
ONTARIO’S Farmers Markets By Sandra Brunner
For me, nothing says summer like a farmers’ market. When I’m roadtripping, I always check to see if there’s a local market nearby. And here in Toronto, I know which local markets take place on which days and plan trips to different parts of the city around them. If I’m in town, you can definitely find me at my local market on Sunday. Realistically, I’m likely to never grow my own food, so I love knowing who grew my food or made what I’m eating. As a dedicated urbanite, it helps me feel connected to my food. Buying at a farmers’ market also means I’m putting money directly into a farmer’s or vendor’s pocket and supporting the local economy. Most farmers’ markets are home to roughly equal numbers of farmers and prepared food vendors. Shopping for fresh fruits and veggies, of course, is not a problem at a farmers’ market. That said, it hasn’t always been easy finding something already prepared to eat while at the market, or picking up something already made to take home. In the last few years, I’ve definitely seen a growing trend toward more prepared vegan food choices at markets. These are great both to enjoy while at the market and to take home. Gone are the days of being limited to just French fries, or bread, or some other beautiful carb — which isn’t a total crime, but it is nice to sometimes have more choices.
As the demand for vegan food increases, market vendors are realizing they’re missing out by not meeting that demand. Most prepared food vendors at a farmers’ market will have something vegan to offer. Well, the smart ones will. As more people explore veganism, they thankfully want to share and bring their products to farmers’ markets. Whether it’s vegan pasta, milk, baked goods, tofu, or prepared dishes, coming across vegan market vendors always adds an extra thrill to my market adventures. I often check to see which vegan vendors are at a market and make a concentrated effort to support them on an ongoing basis. If you’re frustrated with the lack of vegan choices at your local farmers’ market, let them know. Any good market will value customer feedback. If there isn’t enough business to sustain a weekly vendor, ask them to bring in rotating vegan vendors, who come maybe biweekly or once a month, and alternate them with other vegan vendors. There are lots of creative ways to support vegan vendors. I’ll be honest — I dream of a weekly vegan farmers’ market. Hopefully in this lifetime. But until that time, I’ll continue to support the dedicated and wonderful farmers and vendors who come out every week to help nourish and sustain me.
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T as t e s L ik e S a lm o n Sus h i By Doris Fin
In g red ien ts * 1 cup carrot or beet root pulp, from freshly juiced carrots or beets (see note) * 2 celery stalks or 1 small red pepper finely diced * 1/ 4 cup ground white sesame seeds (preferably freshly ground) * 1 tsp cumin powder * 1 tsp freshly grated turmeric or 1/ 2 tsp turmeric powder * 1 inch piece of ginger chopped or 1/ 2 tsp ginger powder * 1/ 4 cup freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice * 1 tsp Celtic or sea salt * 1/ 4 cup extra virgin olive oil * 1/ 4 cup water OPTIONAL: * For spicy sushi add 1/ 4 tsp cayenne or chili powder * For a more "fishy" taste and extra nutrients add 1 tsp dulse flakes or any other seaweed flakes you like SUSHI FILLINGS: * 4 whole nori seaweed sheets * 4 lettuce leaves * 1 ripe avocado, sliced into strips * 1 small red/yellow pepper, sliced into strips * 1 small cucumber, sliced into strips the length of the nori sheet * fresh sunflower, radish and or/snow pea sprouts * anything else you like in your sushi
LO VIN G P R EP ARA T I O N : 1. In a bowl combine the carrot pulp and celery. Set aside 2. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy 3. Stir the liquid and pulp together until well combined FORM YOUR SUSHI: 1. Gently bang the back stems of the lettuce leaves. Do not let them break. 2. Place a lettuce leaf on one end of your nori sheet. Spread about 3tbsp of the pulp mixture about an inch from the edge of your sheet where you will fold. 4. Layer the fillings on top of the mixture and roll the sushi tightly and seal with a little water at the end edge. 5. Cut immediately with a very sharp or serrated knife into 6-8 pieces. Eat as is or with pickled ginger or sauerkraut. Note: The best juicers cost a little more, however they slowly extract juice, do not use metal and retain the vitamins for a longer period of time. If you have a fast speed juicer check to make sure your pulp is dry. You may need to run your pulp through your juicer 2-3 times to get it to be drier.
Cleansing 101: Refresh, Recharge! By Jennifer Paul Summer in Ontario: an exciting array of local fruits and vegetables become available, and the weather is warm, with Vitamin D aplenty. It’s the perfect time to embark on a seasonal cleansing adventure. While commercial products exist on the market claiming to “detoxify” our lives, a few simple steps can gently and naturally flush waste from our bodies and create inner and outer radiance. First, consider the pathways by which toxins are filtered through or exit the body: the skin, lungs, kidneys, liver, and colon.
COLON
Dry brushing and sweating are two excellent ways to clear the skin. Dry brushing can be done before showering to remove dead skin cells and assist the lymphatic system with waste removal. A sauna, hot yoga, or cardio exercise are great ways to work up a sweat, transporting toxins out of the body via the skin. Consider your skincare products also; my rule of thumb is that if it’s edible, it’s safe. My favourites include apricot kernel oil, coconut oil, and shea butter.
Tried and true cleansing tips:
SKIN
LUNGS
Deep breathing is an excellent way to remove toxins and supply the body with oxygen. Try consciously breathing in slowly through the nose for a count of five seconds until the belly expands, holding for three seconds, and exhaling through the nose for another five seconds. Deep breathing allows you to maximize your lung capacity, rather than using the upper portion only, as many people tend to do. Liver and Kidneys To help the liver cleanse toxins from the previous day, drink a glass of lemon water first thing in the morning. Squeeze a lemon wedge (I use half of a lemon) into a glass of filtered water, served at room temperature, and drink! To support the urinary system during cleansing, incorporate a glass of unsweetened cranberry juice, diluted in water, into your day.
A clean colon is essential to cleansing and good health. Two things to consider are motility (the movement of waste out of the colon) and the colon’s microbiome (the types of bacteria found in the colon). Increasing one’s intake of water and fibrous foods, such as fruits and vegetables, steel cut oats, and ground flax or chia, can help with motility. Consuming fermented foods, such as kimchi, sauerkraut, and kombucha, or taking a high-quality probiotic can help create a favourable gut microbiome. - Begin the day with lemon water. - Increase your (filtered) water intake. - Choose local, organic, and in-season fruits and vegetables: this includes blueberries, cherries, peaches, watermelon, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, celery, cucumber, garlic, and greens! - Cut down on caffeine. If you must have your morning cup, choose organic coffee (or even better, whole leaf tea). - Avoid sugar (except fruit), white flour, white rice, and gluten. - Choose whole foods; avoid processed foods. - Consider adding a probiotic to your diet (or fermented foods). - Consider adding a greens supplement to your diet, such as spirulina. - Allow your body to fast in the later evening if possible. - Create time and space for exercise and self-reflection. - Get more sleep!
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VEGAN PREGNANCY & Raising Vegan Kids 101 By Pamela Kikikosewin-Holden
More and more families are opting to raise their children vegan. Vegan children can be healthy and thrive on a well-planned vegan diet. There are a few key nutrients to pay particular attention to. HYDRATION Offering water first for hydration is a healthy habit to get into. If you are looking for a good plant-based milk, soy milk has the most protein of the plant-based options. Look for a soy milk fortified with calcium and vitamin D. PROTEIN Your children will need protein to build muscle and support their growth. Protein-rich options include beans and lentils, nuts and seeds, whole grains, tofu, tempeh, seitan, and vegetables. Concentrate on giving your children a variety of whole plant foods, and as long as they are eating enough calories, they will get enough protein. ZINC Choosing a diet that is rich in zinc-rich foods like oatmeal, tofu, chickpeas, and pecans will help prevent zinc deficiency. The good news is that these foods are delicious, versatile, and kid-friendly. IODINE Potatoes, strawberries, cranberries, and corn are all sources of iodine on a plant-based diet that your family can enjoy. It can be difficult to get enough iodine through food, so iodized salt will help you meet your family’s requirements.
CALCIUM Calcium is abundant in plant-based foods. Some vegan foods that are particularly rich sources of calcium include beans and lentils, tofu, dark leafy vegetables, breast milk, iron-fortified formula, and fortified soy milk. Weight-bearing exercise will also help your children build healthy bones, so stay active! OMEGA-3S Children need omega-3s to support healthy brain development and function. Choose ground flax seed (best to grind your own where possible), walnuts, and chia seeds for whole-food sources of omega-3s. IRON Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency in Canadian children, including both vegans and non-vegans. Teenage girls are particularly at risk. Include iron-rich foods like lentils, beans, greens, tomato sauce, cashews, oatmeal, or pumpkin in your meal planning. Cooking in a cast-iron pan will increase the iron content of your food. Consuming Vitamin-C-rich foods like orange juice and red peppers can enhance the absorption of iron in the body. Please consult a registered dietitian for more information! Summer 2018 | 63
Featured Health Transformation
Jack Middleton,
THE EMPOWERED VEGAN Story told by: Jack Middleton
Hi, my name is Jack Middleton and I am a vegan Red Seal Chef and a plant based lifestyle coach. I’ve been cooking professionally for almost 10 years and I’ve been coaching people in how to transition to a plant based diet in a powerful and effective way for the last year and a half. I have always been chubby and when I was growing up, I developed an identity as the fat kid. I was never on any sports teams and was never very active. For most of my childhood I stayed inside, played video games and watched TV. 64 | ONTARIO VEGANS MAGAZINE | ontariovegansmag.ca
Jack Middleton, The Empowered Vegan I was always ashamed of my body and I was constantly comparing myself to the other boys in my class. To make things more challenging I always seemed to attract very athletic friends. My two best friends growing up played hockey and always had well defined “6-packs”, my friends in high school all played water polo, baseball or swam (or all 3!), and when I went to University my group of friends consisted almost exclusively of the McMaster men and women’s varsity water polo teams. My personal torment around my weight was a very real and constant experience of discomfort and insecurity in my youth. I remember lying awake in bed one night thinking about how much I hated the way my body looked and felt and how I wished so badly I could be skinny. I got myself so worked up that night, I tore out of bed, ran downstairs and out onto the back porch where my parents were having dinner. I squeezed my bare belly in my hands and with tears streaming down my face, I begged them to put me on a diet. I was 11. I got taller in my teen years and I leaned out a bit but my attitude about my body remained the same. I was always comparing myself to skinnier guys or guys with more muscle and feeling badly about myself. After high school I found myself in and out of mostly depressive states and I turned to binge eating for comfort. I would eat until I felt sick almost every night, all through my early 20s. It was not uncommon for me to eat almost a whole large pizza to myself and fall asleep with it on my bed. This created a cycle where I would binge eat late at night to soothe the depressive feelings I was experiencing and immediately after, I would shame myself for having eaten all that food. This cycle would continue on for years. During this time I would force myself into different weight loss plans and exercise routines. I would start, feel good about it for a week or two and then fall off the wagon. This only added to the layers of shame and self-doubt. I felt like I was on a roller coaster ride that I couldn’t get off and I truly believed I would be this way forever. In the summer of 2015 I reached a breaking point. I woke up one morning to find a fresh batch of deep magenta stretch marks streaking all across my belly and my sides. I’d never had ones this bad before and I remember thinking.. “How did you let it get this bad…”. At
this point I was 250lbs, which is the heaviest I’ve ever been. Something snapped in me and I decided that if I couldn’t stop myself from eating then I was going to at least stop beating myself up constantly. This was the first deliberate act of true self love I had ever shown myself and it was the catalyst for the radical I would experience in the next year. A month later my mentor recommended a diet that he had done and had major success with. I started this very low-calorie, homeopathic diet and lost 50lbs in a short period of time. While I was on this diet I was doing a lot of research into veganism and decided that after this diet was complete I would go fully vegan and I would get a job working at a vegan restaurant. With the diet I was on, after the low-calorie phase you are supposed to slowly integrate foods back in over a period of a few months. Instead of participating in that “maintenance” period, I went vegan and while eating whatever I wanted, proceeded to lose almost another 50lbs over the next 4 months! I was now living a very naturally active lifestyle, I was eating food that was fueling and nourishing to my body and I was eating in a way that aligned with my values. I was so inspired by the whole process that I decided to use my culinary skills and my weight loss experience to start teaching others how to do the same. In January of 2017 I started my business The Empowered Vegan and launched my first program to teach people how to transition to a plant based diet in a way that’s healthy, easy and delicious. Since then I’ve put almost 20 people through that program successfully and this year I launched my Freedom With Food program which teaches people how to change their mindset around food so they can have a transformation like I had. Just know that wherever you are at it is NEVER too late to change and you are absolutely capable of having the health and vibrancy you deserve!
Love Jack CONTACT INFO: www.theempoweredvegan.com info@theempoweredvegan.com IG: @the_empowered_vegan FB: The Empowered Vegan
Grateful. Honoured. Amazed. Loved. These are some of the words that describe the feelings I’ve had while making this magazine over the past few months! I’ve never worked harder, felt more passion or poured my love into a project as much as OVM. I hope you enjoyed the summer issue, were educated in some way or even just enjoyed a recipe or two from the mag! This issue was a blast to make and I speak for my contributors and myself, when I say we can’t wait to bring more articles, recipes and other useful information to you all, for a long time to come. Some beautiful things happen in Ontario during the season changes. We’ll show you where to get your pumpkin flavoured everything—and share some of our favourite recipes for fall—in the Autumn issue of Ontario Vegans Magazine. Pre-order on the site today.
Veronika Simmons
Welland's ONLY Fully Vegan Restaurant! 91 East Main St, Welland, ON 289-273-2570 | theveganhippiechick@gmail.com | theveganhippiechick.com
STAY CONNECTED WITH THE VHC!
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