eBites Summer 2014

eBites

Summer 2014

Published by Vegetarian for Life, the advocacy and educational charity working on behalf of older vegetarians and vegans

Catering for older vegetarians… …made easy with our new guide A little of what you fancy Coffee and cake – can they be healthy?

Top tips for healthy bones

PLUS: Great new competition | Vegan, gluten-free and in care

Welcome

I’m delighted to introduce our new quarterly magazine, Vegetarian for life eBites. there are over 5,000 vegetarians in care homes throughout the uk – and around a quarter of care homes have vegetarian or vegan residents. Vfl is proud to represent them all. We’re committed to ensuring that older vegetarians and vegans receive a nutritionally balanced and enjoyable diet of their choice.

But being vegetarian or vegan can mean receiving a monotonous and unbalanced diet of omelettes and jacket potatoes with cheese.

Add on food intolerances, and eating well can be even more of a struggle – as Gill Gibbs relays (page 4).

With a little thought and planning, vegetarians and vegans needn’t create a lot of extra work. Our new catering guide (page 6) will help you make meals an enjoyable experience for vegetarian or vegan diners. Perhaps you’ll get a few tips to help in catering for non-vegetarians too?

We’ve rounded up our top tips for healthy bones (page 8); and leslie Vandever weighs up the pros and cons of that cup of coffee and bite of cake (page 3). last but not least, there’s the chance to win fantastic prize from Demuths Cookery school (below). Good luck!

I hope that you enjoy the issue Amanda Woodvine, Editor

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In this issue…

WIN!

A LITTLE OF WHAT YOU FANCY? Coffee and cake – can they be healthy?

VEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE AND IN CARE One woman’s story

DeMuths COOkery sChOOl is run by one of the uk’s leading vegetarian chefs, rachel Demuth, who owned award-winning Demuths restaurant for 26 years. It offers inspirational day and evening courses for everyone – from beginners through to accomplished home cooks. Demuths Cookery school is based in the centre of Bath in a wonderful Georgian building, with a modern purpose built kitchen, light and airy and with stunning views of Bath Abbey and Parade Gardens.

THE PRIZE First prize: A £45 Demuths Cookery school Gift Voucher for an evening course or towards a day cookery course. Perfect for a friend, relative or colleague, or any special occasion.

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Vegetarian for Life is an advocacy and educational charity working on behalf of older vegetarians and vegans throughout the UK.

83 Ducie street, Manchester M1 2JQ registered Charity Number 1120687

Editor: Amanda Woodvine amanda@vegetarianforlife.org.uk Design: the ethical Graphic Design Company ltd

© Vegetarian for Life 2014. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used, reproduced or copied without written permission of the publisher.

CONTACT US submit articles and tell us what you’d like to read about.

Vfluk @Vfl_uk T: 0161 445 8064 E: info@vegetarianforlife.org.uk W: www.vegetarianforlife.org.uk

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CATERING FOR OLDER VEGETARIANS Made easy with our new guide

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TOP TIPS FOR HEALTHY BONES

Runner-up prize: Green seasons Cookbook (worth £18). rachel Demuth’s third cookbook with 120 delicious and inspired recipes that change with the seasons from Demuths restaurant.

To enter, answer this question: In which city is Demuths Cookery school?

A) york B) Bath C) Oxford

email info@vegetarianforlife.org.uk with your answer by midday on 31/07/2014.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Demuths Cookery school Gift Vouchers are email vouchers delivered by email. the £45 gift voucher can be used towards a course of a greater value. Prize does not include travel to the Cookery school. the prize must be taken by 31 July 2015. Closing date is 31 July 2014. the winners will be drawn at random from all correct entries received.

One entry per household only. there is no cash alternative. By entering this competition, you agree to receive details of future offers from Vfl and Demuths. If you do not want to receive this information, include “no info” at the end of your email.

A little of what you fancy does you good?

“CAffeINe Is the most commonly consumed psychoactive drug in the world.” so states the harvard health letter, a publication of harvard Medical school. And that most stimulating of chemicals is just one of many in the world’s most imbibed beverage: coffee. Water comes in second. the idea that coffee isn’t very good for you has been around for decades. until very recently, the rumour was that coffee was one of the main instigators of a heaping handful of illnesses and conditions, such as heart attacks, bladder infections, and ulcers.

Naturally, it’s sensible to keep your coffee habit under control, since too much caffeine can cause problems.

It’s often the culprit behind insomnia, and too much can cause an uncomfortable case of the jitters.

People who suffer from anxiety may find caffeine makes it worse. In some people, caffeine can cause nausea or acid reflux. And in the short term, it can be a cause of high blood pressure and even strokes.

But it turns out that if taken in moderation – two to four 240ml cups per day, with or without caffeine – coffee really isn’t harmful for most people. Indeed, studies done over the last several years have indicated that some of the many chemicals in a cup of coffee may offer several notable benefits: l a lower risk of diabetes l a lower risk of depression in women l a lower risk of lethal prostate cancer in men

l a lower risk of stroke in both genders l a lower risk of heart attack*, particularly in women l a lower risk of some cancers.

Photo©flavourphotos

Leslie Vandever weighs up the pros and cons of that cup of coffee and bite of cake

In addition, some studies have hinted at coffee’s ability to lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Preliminary evidence shows that coffee may act against the betaamyloid plaques that may cause it.

In most cultures around the world, drinking coffee is a traditional social activity. It’s possible that people who drink coffee have better social networks and thus, a better quality of life – including better overall mental and physical health. Isn’t meeting a friend for coffee and cake one of life’s greatest pleasures? speaking of cake: what about sugar? has its bad reputation changed for the better, too? unfortunately, it hasn’t. sugar is still a real bugaboo – if anything, research shows it up to be a bigger, meaner bugaboo than ever. While that single piece of cake you eat with your cup of coffee isn’t harmful by itself, too much sugar is. And it’s everywhere. sugar, in the form of high fructose corn syrup, sweetens soft drinks, energy drinks and juices.

It’s an added ingredient in a huge variety of everyday processed foods, and much of the time we don’t know we’re eating it. the body converts all that excess sugar into fat. If we’re active, most of us are able to use up stored fat

as energy. But the fact is that most of us are not very active at all. We slowly get fatter as we age – and in the process, we risk contracting illnesses like type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease. the solution is to avoid eating processed foods and drinking sugar-laden beverages. Drink clean, fresh water. eat a healthy diet rich in vegetables and fruits, pulses (all types of peas, beans and lentils), wholegrain breads, pastas and brown rice, healthy fats such as rapeseed (vegetable) and olive oil, and low-fat dairy foods. limit sweets, but enjoy an occasional treat – like that lovely piece of cake with your coffee.

For more information on a variety of health topics visit www.healthline.com.

*those who only rarely drink caffeinated coffee may be at more – not less – risk of heart attack.

Leslie Vandever is a professional journalist and freelance writer with more than 25 years of experience.

She lives in the foothills of Northern California.

references available upon request.

www.vegetarianforlife.org.uk 3

What’s it like to be vegan and gluten-free in a care setting?

Gill Gibbs from Guildford, Surrey, tells her story

“My VeGetArIAN lIfestyle began when I was in my 20s. I divorced and decided I wanted a new way of life and new friends. I’d been interested in vegetarianism for some time and I was aware that there was a big vegetarian social group in Guildford that I could join. “years ago during the school holidays I’d stayed on a farm with my parents. What I witnessed on the farm had always been in the back of my mind. so that was it, a new beginning.”

Gill, now 68, does voluntary work at a community centre and at various care homes.

Before she retired, Gill was an electron Microscopist for 34 years at the university of surrey. “I operated and maintained an electron beam microscope for all the departments.

I showed PhD students how to use it for their work, I operated for fee paying external clients, and I worked on my own projects in any spare time. When I left I was awarded an honorary degree for all the work I had done. I was so pleased and proud.”

But despite such a positive outlook, life’s not been an easy ride for Gill. “I have many immune/health problems, and an ongoing genetic problem with my heart. I went through an early menopause and fell to bits, really. I became intolerant of dairy products and gluten. so I decided to follow a vegan diet at the age of 48.”

Gill has stayed in hospital for various reasons, and operations. And she can see there could be problems if eventually she should have to move into care or sheltered housing.

“I feel certain I would end up malnourished and hungry judging by the care homes I visit around here.

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Gill (pictured, centre) running a stall to raise funds for Woking Hospice

“I once stayed in a hospital in london. they had one vegan gluten-free meal available, but I sadly didn’t get to eat it because I came out of the operating theatre too late. All they had on the ward was apples, oranges and sandwiches, and no soya milk for my breakfast cereal. I had warned in advance about my diet but obviously the message did not get through. I’ve since learned to always pack my bag with plenty of bananas and crisps just to keep me going. Bananas are hard to come by in hospitals.

“After this operation I had a set back and ended up in a different hospital in surrey. there was a separate vegan gluten-free menu, but just the same four meals to choose from for lunch and dinner.

After 5 days I was – sadly – sick of

them. I couldn’t get salad because this was not on my vegan glutenfree menu – although I did ask. I expect this was to do with food preparation contamination from the meat eaters’ menu. I am not severely sensitive to gluten. I also could not have baked beans or cornflakes (barley malt in them). I think it is quite difficult for caterers to have some people who are very sensitive and others not so.

“My worst experience of being on this diet is when I go into hospital A&e. they tell me that they do not do special diets and sometimes they are very rude.

“Who catered for me well? I got friendly with a lady of 93 at the community centre where I volunteer. she used to invite me round for dinner, and made delicious curry, and desserts using

gluten-free flour. And she always bought soya cream for me to have.

Amazing. It was such a treat for me.

“And I went into eastbourne hospital in an emergency and they did have soya milk for my breakfast.

I only stayed overnight. I am keen on getting hospitals to cater better because I often seem to be in one!

“I have already spoken with my local hospital about the food and they seemed appreciative of my constructive comments. “last month I asked a local farm shop if they would support National Vegetarian Week and they agreed. they sell vegetarian items. I set up a stall with leaflets, decorated the shop with coloured tissue pom poms (pictured), and hung up framed A4 photographs showing the typical meals I eat. I weigh around 10 stones (62 kg) despite eating all that food! It went quite well and the cookery booklets were particularly popular.

“I also called in on three care homes. I went in, smiled and dressed smartly, and asked for the

manager. I mentioned that I was in the area looking for care homes that could cater for a vegetarian or vegan resident. I said I had a heart condition and was getting

I am looking to the future and campaigning for vegans to be accepted and recognised

organised for my old age! At least it made them laugh. two homes signed up to Vegetarian for life’s uk list as a result of my visit, agreeing to cater well and ethically for older vegetarians.

“I am looking to the future and campaigning for vegans to be accepted and recognised. I am very keen to talk to care homes, so I hope that I succeed.”

Gill’s vegan gluten-free meal suggestions

BREAKFAST l Gluten-free toast – with baked beans, fried mushrooms or tinned tomatoes. l Fried smoked tofu with waffles/hash browns. l Vegan sausages with fried leftover potatoes.

LUNCH Salad with fruit mixed in, and livened up with avocado, hummus, smoked tofu, tinned beans or curried brown rice and cashew nuts.

DINNER l Glutenfree nut loaf with all the trimmings and roast vegetables. l Lentil casserole with dumplings. l Curried cauliflower with chickpeas and Basmati rice. l Stir-fried Chinese vegetables with tofu and rice noodles. l Broccoli and other veg with a vegan ‘cheese’ sauce, baked in the oven served with a jacket potato.

DESSERT l Stewed fruit, fresh fruit and cereal with soya yoghurt. l Fruit crumble. l Vegan jelly.

SNACKS l Gluten-free bread with marmite, marmalade or peanut butter.

Gill’s farm shop display to mark National Vegetarian Week

For more recipe suggestions and guidance, including a 4-week vegetarian menu planner, please see Vegetarian for Life’s new guide, Catering for older vegetarians and vegans (details on page 6).

www.vegetarianforlife.org.uk 5

Cater with flair Catering for older vegetarians and vegans needn’t be a chore.

We’re proud to present four colourful and mouth-watering recipes from our new catering guide, out now.

Download Catering for older vegetarians and vegans at www.vegetarianforlife.org.uk /resources/publications or contact us for a hard copy (uk only)

Viva!’s Artichoke Heart, Butterbean & Olive Filo Pie

Serves 20, Vegan A creamy, rich pie with a distinctive, delicious taste.

Vegetarian Society’s Tangy Leek & Ginger Soup Serves 4, Vegan l l l l l l l l

450g leeks (about 2 medium) 25g vegan margarine 2 small cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 100g potato, peeled and diced 600ml light coloured vegetable stock 5-7 tbsp ginger wine, according to taste 6 tbsp soya cream Salt and pepper to taste, paprika to garnish

1 remove any tough outer leaves from the leeks and top and tail. leave as much dark green as possible. Cut horizontally into thin slices, rinse well.

2 Melt the margarine and gently sauté the leeks for 5 minutes until soft, then add the garlic and sauté for a further 30 seconds.

Add the potato and stock. Bring to the boil then simmer for about 10 minutes.

3 remove from the heat and add 4 tbsp ginger wine and the soya cream. liquidise until smooth, adding more ginger wine and seasoning if needed at the end.

4 return to the saucepan and gently heat without boiling, stirring all the time. serve garnished with a sprinkling of paprika.

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l 3 large red onions, chopped fine plus a little olive oil l 8 x 400g tins of butterbeans, rinsed and drained OR 1.9kg cooked beans l 170ml olive oil l 120ml lemon juice l 1 large bunch of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped l 2 tsp salt plus a very light sprinkling on each layer of the pie l ½ tsp black pepper plus a very light sprinkling on each layer of the pie l ½ tsp cayenne pepper

l 1kg frozen or tinned artichoke hearts and/or bottoms, chopped into smallish chunks l 300g black or mixed olives, chopped quite fine – enough to enhance the flavours of the other ingredients without taking over l 12 large sundried tomatoes, chopped very small with scissors l Filo pastry – enough to cover base, middle layer and lid several times l Olive oil or a mixture of olive and plain oil for basting the filo pastry

1 Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºf/gas mark 6.

2 heat a little olive oil and sauté the onion until tender.

3 In a separate container, part-blend some of the butterbeans until smooth. Mash the rest with a hand blender – aim for some texture amongst the creamed beans.

4 Add the olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, salt and cayenne. Mix in well.

5 Add the chopped artichoke hearts, olives and sundried tomatoes. Mix in gently. taste and add more lemon juice/salt/pepper if necessary.

6 Oil a large metal baking dish (about 35cm x 30cm and 3–4 cm deep). line it with overlapping layers of filo sheets, oiling each layer well. Make sure the sheets overhang the tray so they can be folded back on top of the bake.

7 spoon half the filling smoothly and evenly on top of the filo base. sprinkle with a little salt and black pepper. fold over some of the filo layers, add more oiled filo and repeat the process with the second part of the filling. finish the pie with more layers of oiled filo.

8 Bake for 20 – 30 minutes or until golden brown. remove from the oven. Allow to cool a little before slicing into portions.

www.vegetarianforlife.org.uk/recipes

Photo©Tara Fisher

Meat Free Monday’s Potato Salad Serves 4, Vegan l l l l l l l l l l l

750g small potatoes Bunch of spring onions 6 radishes 6 cornichons (gherkins) 1 tbsp capers 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard 1 tbsp white wine vinegar 3 tbsp olive oil salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 tbsp roughly chopped chives 2 tbsp freshly chopped flat leaf parsley

1 Cook potatoes in salted boiling water until tender, drain and cool slightly, then cut into bite-size pieces and tip into a large bowl. trim and finely slice spring onions.

2 Cut radishes into fine matchsticks. roughly chop cornichons and capers.

3 In a small bowl whisk together mustard, white wine vinegar and olive oil, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

4 Pour the dressing over the potatoes, add the spring onions, radishes, cornichons, capers, chives and parsley and gently mix together. serve at room temperature. the Meat Free Monday Cookbook

by Paul, stella and Mary McCartney is published by kyle Books, priced £19.99. thanks to kyle Books for permission to reproduce their Potato salad recipe.

Viva!’s Strawberry Tarts Serves 6, Vegan

Pastry l 110g/scant 4oz vegan margarine l 125g/4½oz icing or caster sugar l 125g/4½oz plain flour

“Our ability to chew and digest certain foods can deteriorate with age. so vegetarian and vegan foods can really come into their own, being easier to swallow and digest.”

Vanilla custard filling l 65g/generous 2oz caster sugar l 2 tbsp plain flour l 4 tbsp cornflour l 4 tbsp water l 315ml/11floz soya milk l 2 tsp vanilla extract l 1 large punnet of strawberries

1 Make the custard filling. Mix the flour and cornflour together, beating vigorously with a hand or electric whisk until creamy.

2 Gently heat sugar and soya milk in a medium saucepan. Add cornflour/flour mixture and bring to boil, whisking thoroughly.

3 Cook sauce for one minute, stirring continuously and then add vanilla essence. remove from heat, place in a bowl and set aside in fridge or cool place.

4 Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºf/gas mark 4. Grease your tin or tins using low-cal oil spray or a light coating of plain cooking oil.

5 Make the pastry. In a medium-large bowl, cream the sugar and margarine together until smooth. sieve the weighed flour over the bowl and mix in thoroughly.

6 If using individual tartlet tins, divide the pastry into six pieces.

Otherwise place all the pastry into one 23cm/9 – 10 inch loosebottomed tart tin. roll it out between two sheets of greaseproof paper if it is too sticky.

7 Press the pastry in so that the bottom and sides are completely covered.

8 Put the tartlet tins/whole tin in the oven and bake for 15 – 20 minutes, or until a light golden brown.

9 remove and allow to cool for a minute or two. Carefully remove the pastry case(s) from the tins and place on a rack.

www.vegetarianforlife.org.uk 7

Top tips for healthy bones

Like it or not, our bones get thinner, weaker, and more brittle as we age. The process starts when our bones begin to lose minerals, aged 40 to 50. This predisposes older men and women to fractures, even after a minor blow. After the age of 50, half of women and one-fifth of men will suffer a fracture. Here are our tips for preventing and speeding-up recovery from fractures.

FOLLOW GENERAL HEALTHY LIFESTYLE GUIDANCE Physical exercise is the most critical factor for maintaining healthy bones. Adults aged 65 and older should do 150 minutes every week. the best type for bone health is weight-bearing exercise: walking, stair climbing and dancing.

Of next importance is improving your diet and lifestyle. this means plenty of fresh fruit and veg, less caffeine, and avoiding alcohol and smoking.

MAKE SURE YOU’RE GETTING ENOUGH VITAMIN D Vitamin D is both a vitamin and a hormone. Older people need more because they’re less able to produce it, absorb it, and activate it. As well as being essential for healthy bones and muscles, it helps protect against heart disease and cancers.

Vitamin D isn’t a true vitamin, because the skin forms it in the presence of sunlight. you need to spend at least 15–20 minutes a day outside with exposed face and hands to give your skin chance to make enough vitamin D. If you have darker skin you’ll need to

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something called protein-energy spend longer in the sun to produce the same amount of vitamin D – but malnutrition. they get too little protein and energy – deficiencies do follow advice on keeping your that tend to go hand-in-hand. skin sun-safe.

Diets that contain enough energy you can also get the vitamin from (calories) typically contain plenty of dietary sources such as egg yolk, fortified milk and soya milks, cereals protein. so the real problem is and margarines. Because vitamin D usually the quantity, rather than the deficiency is so widespread, taking quality, of food eaten during the a daily vitamin D supplement (400 post-operative period. there is to 800 Iu per day) can be some evidence – albeit weak those an inexpensive and safe – that nutritional interested in further reading around precaution. supplements may help. this topic may like Building researchers have bones for life by Viva! health, CHECK YOUR trialled increasing which contains a one-week meal plan.

Viva! health has CALCIUM INTAKE people’s energy and also produced a 36-page Calcium and vitamin D protein intake after a report with information on go hand in hand for fracture. they have given current therapies for osteoporosis. healthy bones. Without nutritional shakes complete vitamin D, your body may with vitamins and minerals, absorb less than 10% of the calcium such as Fortimel (given 2 x 200 ml in any food. Calcium can help high daily for 7 days). Optimal hydration blood pressure and colorectal is important, too. cancer, too.

Patients who have been treated recommended daily targets are with these measures have had highest in the us, where fewer post-operative complications postmenopausal women are such as infections, delirium, and advised to get 1,200 mg of calcium bed sores. per day. there has also been interest in you could get this by, for example, increasing patients’ antioxidant including all of the following in your levels. Antioxidants help the body daily diet: a quarter of a pack of tofu, respond to damage from the a glass of fortified soya or cow’s trauma – a ‘battle’ that lasts an milk, six dried figs, and two slices of entire year after fracture. granary bread spread with tahini. Or Antioxidants include vitamin e you can get it from a combination of and the carotenoids. they are diet and supplements. naturally found in nuts, leafy green If you’re taking a supplement, vegetables, fruits, corn tortillas, and avoid those with high levels of even tortilla chips. phosphorus and magnesium. researchers measured the blood these can decrease calcium antioxidant levels of 148 hip fracture absorption. patients 2, 6 and 12 months after the trauma. Patients with higher SUP A SUPPLEMENT levels of antioxidants seemed to After a trauma/operation, people experience a faster and more with fractures often have complete recovery.