The Vegan Summer 2015 by The Vegan Society

Editor's Letter & Contents

Editor’s Letter

e all know that a vegan lifestyle goes far beyond following a vegan diet. But let’s face it, our food is so good that it needs shouting about. When I first went vegan, I thought I was waving goodbye to exciting meals. Could I have been more wrong? I'm sure there are many of you out there who, like me, now enjoy a greater variety of food than ever before.

of creativity. Featured recipes from blogger Aimee Ryan and new cookbook V is for Vegan (pages 13-17) illustrate this idea beautifully, and will have you raring to get into the kitchen. Alongside our regular features you can find an interview about Maria Dawson’s Lifelong passion (page 8) for exciting new ingredients, in her role at Clearspring. You can also learn all about Creating delicious health (page 10) from vegan cook and coach, Anna Freedman. I hope you enjoy my first magazine as much as I have loved producing it.

This issue is a celebration of vegan food – because we know that we can enjoy every culinary experience just by using a bit

Contents 03

Achievements

Essential updates on Vegan Society news

Highlights 06 Media The Vegan Society in the press Lifelong Passion 08 AInterview with Maria from Clearspring

Creating Delicious Health

Recipes

Sport

AGM vote

Active Vegans

Book Reviews

Shoparound

Local Contacts

A guide to menu design by Anna Freedman

Fruity summer recipes

Snooker star Peter Ebdon

Make your voice heard

Keeping up with our amazing volunteers

New recipe book and an activism memoir

New Trademarked products

Find your local vegan group Summer 2015 | The Vegan 1

Interview

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Interview

A lifelong passion

egan since birth, Maria Dawson is the Sales and Marketing Manager for Clearspring, specialising in authentic Japanese, macrobiotic and organic fine foods. She has a passion for organic vegan food that stems from a childhood spent visiting suppliers with her father. How did you get into the vegan food business? I’ve always been really interested in vegan food – from how it it sourced to how it can be served and the nutrients it contains. My passion started from a young age. My father founded Clearspring in 1993 and rather than going to the beach like other families, our holidays were spent visiting suppliers, trade shows and inspirational new food outlets – we even called them ‘supplier visits’ rather than holidays. What motivates your work? I really enjoy introducing people to the foods I have grown up with, and sometimes it surprises me how little people know about vegan food. Far from lacking in taste, vegan food can be absolutely delicious while keeping you healthy. I want to increase consumption of wholesome, easy-to-prepare, great tasting daily foods. My mother is a macrobiotic cooking teacher and cooking with her has given me a vast knowledge of Japanese cuisine and the high-quality ingredients Japanese cooking calls for. The Japanese diet is full of nutrients and it’s no secret that Japanese people outlive almost all other nationalities. My aim is to make the Japanese diet something people across the globe aspire to, making products such as sea vegetables and authentic seasonings easily available to everyone.

Tell us about your favourite recipes My favourite meal is a sea vegetable salad with buckwheat noodles, washed down with a cup of genmaicha tea. Sea vegetables are so versatile and contain all of the 56 elements that are essential for human health. Asian dishes, such as miso, sushi and tempura are also great for a vegan diet. Simple changes, such as adding a spoon of white miso to mashed potato instead of butter and milk, or using tofu to make a creamy vegan mayo, can put popular foods back on the menu for people following a vegan diet. What is a work day like for you? We have a great team here who I really enjoy working with, including my brother Allen who is currently doing an internship with us. It really is all about food at our office; we have a kitchen where we try out recipes with our new products and sit down together to share these with the team. If the dish is a success, we share the recipe with our followers on Facebook. I also really value learning from our suppliers, who are often third or fourth generation producers. This knowledge then gets translated into the amazing stories behind our products. What is on the horizon for Clearspring? We celebrated our 20th anniversary last year, so this year is all about consolidating our range, launching new exciting products and getting our customers to actually try our products. Whether through publishing recipes or exhibiting at consumer shows, we want to demonstrate that Japanese ingredients are not daunting and can be used very easily in everyday cooking. Interview by Emily Webster

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Recipes

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Trustee Elections

Use Your Vote at the 2015 AGM

ince I am writing this a few weeks before the UK General Election, it is not possible to comment on what our votes have or have not achieved at a national level. We are told that every vote counts, but we see that the votes that count the most tend to be in marginal constituencies. This fact drives almost all policy initiatives in the time prior to any voting. Much of this is due to the UK's voting system, where a candidate can win by a single vote or by twenty thousand in any constituency and it makes no difference to their party's level of representation. If you feel your vote has been undervalued, there's good news; you now have a chance to vote to elect new Trustees to the Council of The Vegan Society.

he Vegan Society has transformed in recent years, to become a catalyst in the mainstreaming of veganism. Our role has changed from a small organisation to a medium-sized charity that influences other organisations, policy and the media. See our Annual Report and Accounts and Annual Review for more information on how the society is going from strength to strength. It is important that our governance reflects this operational change. The role of Council in guiding the organisation and ensuring it complies with Charity regulations and Company law has never been more important, while the day-to-day running of The Vegan Society is taken care of by dedicated staff members. The growth in membership (28 percent in the past 3 years) is highly encouraging. We value members’ views, and the number of people 22 The Vegan | Summer 2015

We are fortunate to have enough candidates to be conducting a competitive election. Your vote is important in order to give a mandate for the work we have all been doing to move the society forward at a time of massively increased interest in veganism around the world. Relevant skills and experience are the driving factor for charity board members and these are published in their personal statements. Other important attributes for Trustees include having a long-term strategic vision of the society, ensuring a financially growing and sustainable organisation, and promoting an effective, resultsdriven approach. I would urge you to make good use of your vote, to ensure the best representation of vegans’ views.

Paul Crouch, Chair of Trustees

providing valuable feedback to the membership survey was phenomenal. With over 230,000 likes on Facebook and 77,000 followers on Twitter, the online Vegan Society community is one of the largest in the world. We are planning to become even more effective, and to do this, two very important Special Resolutions proposed by Council will be on the AGM agenda on 27th June. Your voice matters, so even if you are not planning to attend the AGM, please vote by using the proxy form. This will be posted to you from the Electoral Reform Society, along with a ballot paper, information on the resolutions to be voted on, and candidate profiles. Members who have provided The Vegan Society with an email address will receive the AGM documents electronically. Every vote counts!

Jasmijn de Boo, Chief Executive Officer

Nutrition

What are vegans really eating? The Vegan Society’s Research Officer, Dr Terri Holloway, examines the results of a recent and pioneering food survey produced especially for vegans Veganism for health Since its inception in 1944, the term ‘vegan’ has endured misunderstanding, scepticism and even fear-motivated recommendations among several nutritional bodies. However, despite prior resistance, veganism is now recognised as an exceptional dietary choice for its nutritional quality and disease-prevention properties. In fact, according to the 2009/2012 statement of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, “appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate and may provide health benefits in the treatment of certain diseases.” National recommendations state that these well planned vegan diets include plenty of whole foods such as beans, brown rice and whole grain bread, as well as a rainbow of brightly coloured vegetables, including dark leafy greens and fruit. However, due to a lack of dietary assessment tools designed specifically for vegans, the contents of the average vegan diet is virtually unknown. This dilemma raises the question: If we were to peek into the kitchen of today’s modern vegan, what would we actually find? With this question in mind, a group of researchers designed a study which attempted to develop a quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire especially for vegans. The study, carried out in three stages, obtained diet histories from 100 vegans. Researchers then compared survey results with the recommended intakes of key nutrients of interest related to veganism such as protein, n-3 fatty acids, iron, calcium, zinc, vitamin B12 and vitamin D.

Reference: Dyett, P.; Rajaram, S.; Haddad, E.H; Sabate, J.; Evaluation of a Validated Food Frequency Questionnaire for Self-Defined Vegans in the United States. Nutrients. 2014, 6, 2523-2539

Vegan diet vs. recommendations From the collected food data obtained from the pilot sample of vegans, 330 single foods were reported as being used on a regular basis. The nutritional analysis of these food items showed that the average vitamin D intake among the vegan participants was significantly lower than the recommended intake; but, intakes for most other nutrients were higher than Dietary Reference Intake values. The results of this study confirm that a vegan diet is highly protective and generally exceeds most national nutrient recommendations; however, it is important to note that vitamin D could be an area that deserves further attention. In addition to obtaining vitamin D from an adequate exposure to sunlight, a growing number of vitamin D-fortified vegan foods are currently available. Those taking vitamin D supplements are advised not to take more than 25 micrograms (0.025mg) per day. That said, taking less than this is unlikely to cause any harm. The development of similar vegan-specific questionnaires will be a useful tool for creating vegan-relevant dietary recommendations in the future. Summer 2015 | The Vegan 23

Buy Online

New for 2015!

e are very excited to launch our brand new promotional range featuring keyrings, pens, window stickers, coffee mugs, jute bags, enamel badges, wristbands and water bottles. Head over to vegansociety.com/shop/ accessories to check out the full range.

Books Easy Vegan by Sue Quinn – £10.99 With 140 tempting recipes for delicious nondairy milks, warming soups and mains, salads, pastas, burgers and sweet things, Easy Vegan has your vegan options covered. Discover how to 'veganise' a traditional recipe by swapping out key ingredients for plant-based, healthier alternatives, without compromising flavour. Greens 24/7 by Jessica Nadel – £11.99 If you're bored with salad days, and trying to eat more green veg, Greens 24/7 is here to bring delicious, healthy greens to every meal of the day – from breakfast through to dinner and dessert. Vegan Pressure Cooking by JL Fields – £11.99 Do you own a pressure cooker but have it hidden away in your basement, or have you thought of getting one but are unsure how to use it properly? Well now you can put those worries to rest and start embracing one of the best kitchen appliances on the market today, especially when it comes to plant-based cooking. The Daily Vegan: A Guided Journal by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau – £7.99 Store your notes, journal entries, daily recipes, and to-do lists within these pages. This beautifully illustrated guided journal is the perfect tool for you to keep your thoughts and ideas in one place. Inspiring quotes complement the helpful tips, anecdotes, and compassionate ideas from Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, author of the bestselling book, Vegan's Daily Companion. The Fresh Vegan Kitchen by David and Charlotte Bailey – £13.99 An inspirational set of recipes featuring classic dishes from a wealth of cultures, The Fresh Vegan Kitchen is a glorious collection of exciting, satisfying recipes that taste terrific. You can even treat yourself to mouth-watering sweet treats from a Pineapple and Coconut Cheesecake to a sumptuous Chocolate Mousse.

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How to Eat a Rainbow by Ellie Bedford – £9.99 This is a magical themed healthy children’s recipe book that targets the most difficult dietary areas: treats, snacks and drinks. Eaten alongside a balanced whole foods diet, these recipes can add an extra boost of energy and get kids excited about healthy eating.

Visit vegansociety.com/shop. From 28th June to 31st August 2015, you can use the code SUMMERBOOKS2015 at checkout for a 10 percent discount on all books listed here.

Volunteers

Active Vegans Alex Douglas, Volunteering & Engagement Manager I’m getting really excited about all the great vegan outreach opportunities there are in the summer months. From the vegan events across the country, to vegans gathering at music festivals like Glastonbury, to summer themed bake sales, there’s a place for everyone to get involved. There’s a lot going on at this time of year, and I can’t wait to get stuck in. Let me know what you’re up to by emailing me at volunteer@vegansociety.com.

Run for veganism We have race places available in the Great North Run and Great Birmingham Run this year, and we would love for you to join our team. Sign up to run for The Vegan Society and every time you hit that treadmill or take to the streets to train, you will know all of your hard work is taking us another step closer to achieving our goal of a vegan world for all. The deadline for signing up is 30th June. To find out more and to register, head over to our website: vegansociety.com/take-action/raisefunds/race-vegan-living or email info@vegansociety.com.

Vegan pop-up shop takes off The Norwich Vegans group has hugely increased their local vegan outreach by starting a monthly pop-up shop. Volunteers help the shop run smoothly by bringing baked goods, answering queries and welcoming people. There is a social area, and the Norwich Vegans offer free refreshments and give out vegan leaflets and magazines. The pop-up has proved really popular, with Local Contact, Penny, saying that at least 50 people attended the last one. She says, “I’m amazed at the speed it’s taken off.” We’re not surprised, given the amazing treats Penny and 26 The Vegan | Summer 2015

her volunteers have been selling – peanut butter cups, fudge, pizza, lemon curd and sushi are just some of the goodies on offer. The funds go to a different charity every six months. The group also invites local vegan businesses to run stalls at the shop. Penny’s aim is to have the first Norwich Vegans Christmas Market … watch this space.

Staff volunteer In April, myself and my colleague Jess, along with one of our Office Volunteers, Adam, volunteered to run The Vegan Society stall at the Live a Better Life (LABL) Fair in Liverpool. It was a great event, and definitely worth the 4.30am start! There was a queue of people waiting before the doors opened to taste all the good food and buy from the huge range of independent vegan businesses (many of them Vegan Trademark holders). We had a very successful day, signing up over 10 new members, and selling lots of our multivitamin VEG1, recipe books and brightly coloured tote bags, which have become a firm favourite. Most importantly, we were there to talk to many individuals who were beginning to take the steps towards veganism, and were able to offer them our expert advice and answer any queries. We also had help from local volunteer, Michelle, who was excellent and seemed to know almost every vegan in Liverpool. Thanks for your help, Michelle, and thanks to the LABL fair for inviting us to be at your wonderful event. We can’t wait until next year.

Inspiring worldwide outreach Tudor was inspired by the busy schedule and fun range of vegan activities organised by London Vegan Meet-Ups, a group run by Local Contact, Robb. When Tudor left London and headed back to Melbourne, he took over the local Vegan MeetUp Group for vegans and the vegan-curious. Now the group is spoilt for choice in veganfriendly Melbourne. The group also promotes vegan events and activism, such as cookery classes, education evenings and rallies. Tudor also set up the

Shoparound

Tivydale Tivydale's SS15 collection of designer vegan shoes are sure to brighten up your holiday wardrobe regardless of the destination. Handmade in London, their five new styles feature a stiletto heel to add a touch of glamour to any occasion. High quality and vegan-friendly materials are used to create their range of footwear that suits every style. The Tivydale website also stocks a range of flat sandals, shoes and boots for all year round, some of which can be purchased from The Third Estate retail outlet in Camden, London. Visit tivydale.com.

Shoparound Shop with confidence for products registered with our trusted Vegan Trademark

Rawr Chocolate Cacao was named ‘food of the gods’ hundreds of years ago and is still praised today for containing over 300 nutritional compounds that are only fully accessible in their raw form. It is no surprise that raw cacao is the main ingredient of Rawr Chocolate. As well as being raw, the chocolate is vegan, organic and Fairtrade. Flavours include mint, orange, goji berry and vanilla, lucuma, 70%, and 80% cacao. It can be purchased at Planet Organic, in some independent shops around the UK/Europe or through the Rawr website rawrchoc.com.

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Native Unearthed Newly registered with the Vegan Trademark, eco-friendly deodorants from Native Unearthed have arrived just in time for the summer months. Their custom-blended formula with natural mineral alum (crystal) at its core gives Native Unearthed deodorant the power to combat growth of odour-causing bacteria instead of blocking the pores like traditional deodorants. Ideal for sensitive skin, their product has been awarded the Allergy Friendly product award by Allergy UK. The deodorant comes in 100 percent recyclable and reusable packaging. For more information or to order, visit nativeunearthed.co.uk.

Shoparound

Blackfriars Bakery We are delighted to confirm that a selection of Blackfriars flapjack flavours are now registered with the Vegan Trademark. Blackfriars boasts seven delicious veganfriendly flapjacks – Original, Fruit, Date & Walnut, Cherry & Coconut, Apricot, Apple & Sultana, and Apple & Raspberry. They’re great to keep in a bag for emergency snacking on your travels. If you want to try the whole range, opt for the ‘Vegan Variety’ flapjack mix box, with delivery direct to your door. Grab a 10% off discount by entering the code SUNFLOWER at the checkout page at blackfriarsbakery.co.uk.

Green People Looking to protect your skin while keeping a healthy glow this summer? Green People have several options with Vegan Trademarked products to help you navigate through these sunny months. Offering Sun Lotion SPF15 with Tan Accelerator, Day Cream with SPF15, Hydrating After Sun and Sun and Sports Shampoo and Conditioner, you have all bases covered. If the summer isn’t warm enough for your liking, they also offer a nonstreaky self-tan lotion for all skin types. For more information, to buy online or to find your nearest stockist, visit greenpeople.co.uk.

The Vegan Cakery The Vegan Cakery will stop at nothing to bring delicious baked goods to Britain’s homes and businesses. Offering a huge range of hand-crafted delicacies including biscuits, shortbread, celebration cakes and the first Vegan Trademarked lemon curd, they have now launched bake at home kits in three irresistible flavours. Choose from chocolate, raspberry or lemon, with the added option of a beautifully presented reusable gift tin to give to your loved ones. To mail order yours today or to enquire about ready-baked goods, visit vegancakery.com.

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Local Contacts

Local Contacts & Groups Local Contacts are your first point of contact for information and advice relating to veganism in your area. Whether you are looking to find out where you can shop for vegan products or want to share your favourite vegan recipes with others, our Local Contacts welcome you to get in touch. Join your local vegan network

Not a vegan group near you?

• Keep up to date with events and activities • Meet new people and make new friends

The Vegan Society has Local Contacts and Groups all over the UK and Ireland supporting our campaigns and projects, but not all areas are covered. If you’ve been a full member of The Vegan Society for six months or more, you could help The Vegan Society by becoming a Local Contact.

Use these pages, printed once per year in The Vegan magazine’s summer issue and updated regularly online (bit.ly/tvscontacts), to find out how you can contact your local group. Local Contacts are volunteers of The Vegan Society, and not official representatives, so their levels of activity and knowledge vary. Where ‘veg*n’ is used, this refers to a group that is for both vegetarians and vegans. If you run a vegan group that is not listed here, please contact volunteer@vegansociety.com.

• Be the first to hear our campaign updates • Give veganism a louder voice in your community • Help more people to go vegan Contact volunteer@vegansociety.com if you’d like to know more about becoming a Local Contact.

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Local Contacts

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Local Contacts

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Letters

Letters Health pages in vegan publications Given our current UK diets it's important that we all (non-vegans and vegans alike) think about our diet in relationship to our health. Personally, my cholesterol and blood sugar levels are almost off the chart good and even my B12 is in the upper quartile. This experience corresponds with everything that I read: vegans do at least as well as those on an average ‘western’ diet, if not better, apart from B12. If us vegans don't need special remedial action, then why so many pages aimed specifically at vegan health? Mark Westcombe

Facebook Feedback We asked visitors to our Facebook page (facebook.com/TheVeganSociety) whether they had a vegan epiphany when they were younger. Here are some of our favourite responses. “I was 13 when I gave up eating all meat ... My dog actually brought about that change in me ... I realized if he's an animal and capable of showing so many emotions, why is a hen or goat any different?” Deepti Majithia Malhotra “Sketching cows in a field when in my first year at art school ...link made” Caroline Brown “For me it was hearing where the male lambs went, the week a friend’s mum had a baby boy.” Eloise Harding

Many of us find that, once we become vegan, we are overwhelmed with questions about healthy eating. This is why we aim to have an overview of healthy plant-based vegan-friendly diets in every edition of The Vegan, as well as regular nutrition and dietetic special features. The Vegan Society is a special case as an educational Registered Charity. We are the point of reference, not just for vegans worldwide, but also for those providing services to vegans. We have a particular duty to compile and share the best evidence on healthy plant-based and veganfriendly nutrition. I agree that, if you wish to talk about health, then asking non-vegans where they get their fibre and vitamin C can be a positive way to re-frame the conversation. The foremost benefit of a vegan diet is to bring closer a world in which humans avoid any use of non-human animals. However, all reputable experts, including the British Dietetic Association, agree that healthy diets are rich in a rainbow of lightly processed vegetables. Amanda Baker, Senior Policy & Advocacy Officer 40 The Vegan | Summer 2015

“When I was about six my older siblings told me that meat was animals ... I was heartbroken! Took another six years of pushing food around my plate till my parents gave up and I went veggie (then later vegan). That was (eek) 26 years ago.” Branna N Jarvis “Aged 8 I refused to consume any more animals ... I’ll be 33 tomorrow. Veganism is the way forward for humans and animals alike.” Laura Browne

Have your say! We would love for you to get in contact with your personal stories of vegan activism. Have you been involved in more marches than you can mention? Have you created positive change in your community by speaking up for vegans? What have you found to be the best way to inspire more people to go vegan? Write Donald Watson House, 21 Hylton Street, Birmingham, B18 6HJ Email editor@vegansociety.com Facebook /TheVeganSociety Twitter @TheVeganSociety Comments may be edited for publication.