eBites Winter 2014

eBites

Winter 2014

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

A taste of

South Asia

Authentic recipes with a healthy twist

Veggie Switzerland More than silksmooth chocolate, cuckoo clocks and yodelling?

Staying food safe Should you be ignoring use-by dates?

PLUS: Veggie travel made easy | Festive delights | Homely ready-meals scheme

Welcome

I’m delighted to introduce the second issue of our magazine, Vegetarian for Life eBites.

Well, the nights have now well and truly drawn in. Whether you’re planning an exotic getaway to sunnier or snowier climes – or a series of cosy meals in front of the fire – we have a little something for you.

When you are on unfamiliar turf, trying to find great vegetarian or vegan places to eat can be a minefield. Newly-retired Ray O’Leary has found veggie and vegan heaven in the Alps (page 3). We also share our tips on finding the most veg-friendly hotels and eateries worldwide – even if all that you are planning is a simple day trip.

While ready-meals are essential fare for some, at times it’s nice to tuck into something more homely. At present, two UK schemes offer homecooked food, made by neighbours for neighbours. Tina Fox discusses Mealmakers, a scheme that is local to her in Dundee (page 4).

With thousands of us putting ourselves at risk by ignoring ‘use-by’ dates, we offer a recap on staying food-safe this season (page 8).

And we have suitably festive recipes to tickle your taste buds on pages 6 and 7 – where we’ve given authentic South Asian delights a healthy twist, and rustled up treats to help your Christmas go with a bang. Last but not least, there’s the chance to win a great prize from Viva! (below). Good luck!

I hope that you enjoy the issue Amanda Woodvine, Editor

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In this issue…

WIN!

VEGGIE TRAVEL… MADE EASY The best vegetarian hotels and eateries worldwide

MAKING A MEAL OF IT Home-cooked food, made by neighbours for neighbours

With 300 pages of deliciously innovative recipes – each one illustrated with a full-colour photograph – we’re delighted to be able to give away a free copy of the Viva! Cookbook to two lucky readers.

The cookbook is the latest publication from Viva!, Europe’s largest vegan campaigning charity. It features 145 recipes, tips, suggestions and kitchen banter in one beautifullyproduced volume.

Says Viva!’s Food & Cookery Coordinator and author of the Viva! Cookbook, Jane Easton: “This book is about passionate, exciting, accessible cooking that draws inspiration from around the world. It can be summed up in three words – flavour, flavour and more flavour,

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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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FESTIVE DELIGHTS Tips for catering for older vegetarian and vegans this Yuletide

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FOOD SAFETY FOR ELDERS Staying food-safe this festive season

and I haven’t forgotten about those who need glutenfree, wheat-free and low-fat diabetic diets. It’s been a labour of love and I love what’s in it.”

The Viva! Cookbook costs £9.99 (plus £3.95 p&p) from Viva! Order online or call on 0117 944 1000.

For your chance to win, answer this question: How many recipes are featured in the Viva Cookbook?

A) 45 B) 95 C) 145

Email info@vegetarianforlife.org.uk with your answer by midday on 31/01/2015.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Two 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 Viva! If you do not want to receive this information, include “no info” at the end of your email.

Veggie travel… made easy

Travelling abroad can sometimes be stressful. A big roadblock most veggies run into is finding places that cater to their needs. In most cases, not only will there be an unfamiliar city to deal with, but you might not know the language either! Here, Ray O’Leary finds veggie and vegan heaven in the Alps

WHO’D HAVE THOUGHT you’d find delicious veggie and vegan food in a land of cow bells, and where breakfast nearly always has a selection of cooked meats? But this is exactly what I have found on my many trips to this beautiful country. I am of course referring to Switzerland.

Mountain inns and some traditional eateries can be a problem, but even here, the meat-eating Swiss on occasion like a healthy option. Although expensive, the food in general is good quality and served up to a high standard.

The bigger cities excel when it comes to offering vegetarian/vegan food. One restaurant to look out for is the famous Tibits, with outlets in Zurich as well as Winterthur and Lucerne in the Germanspeaking region.

Here you’ll find exclusive veggie food with many vegan options. It is buffet style, and you choose from a variety of dishes and pay by weight so you can indulge to your heart’s content.

In central Zurich you’ll find Vegelateria, a delightful organic vegetarian café with over 20 vegan ice creams. Also check out the famous Samses vegetarian restaurant, well established and with an excellent menu. And just outside the city I have discovered Lägernstübli, a traditional restaurant where diners are a

mixture of meat-eaters, vegetarians and vegans who have their own separate menu.

As well as restaurants and bars serving wholesome alternatives to a meat diet, there are many fast food outlets dotted around the shopping centres. Wurst & Moritz in Zurich offers a version of the traditional wurst; Turkish Delight in Winterthur sells a non-meat kebab; and the takeaway chain, Hiltzburger does an amazing falafel wrap.

Switzerland is home to one of the best (in my opinion) fake meat and cheese makers, Vegusto. (Their products are also available here in the UK and you will find them in many health food shops in major shopping centres.) For food on the move, look out for the small independent shops in the smaller towns and train stations.

But what pleasantly surprised me recently was on a return visit to Zurich – one of my favourite cities in Switzerland. Here you will find something quite remarkable! At a lakeside leisure complex the main catering facility is exclusively vegetarian, and run by the catering company Hiltl, Europe’s oldest vegetarian restaurant. Now that is what I call progress.

For further information please visit: www.happycow.net/ europe/switzerland/zurich For more veggie travel reviews, or to submit your own, please visit VfL's new blog.

Eating out in Paris and London

The HouseTrip vegan and vegetarian ‘where to eat’ city guide covers London, Paris and Berlin. Each city guide features helpful tips from local food experts (who are vegan/vegetarian themselves), restaurant reviews, and interviews with celebrity chefs who specialise in veggie cuisine.

The featured restaurants are exclusively vegan or vegetarian, and can easily be found on the interactive map.

Simply click on a restaurant that looks appealing, read the review and tips from local experts, and hit ‘get directions’! You can filter by ‘best for special occasions’ and ‘vegan’, so the ideal restaurant is never going to be too hard to find.

And if you’re looking for somewhere to stay, you can search for purely vegetarian hotels and guest houses via the VeggieHotels web portal. It features more than 500 establishments in 60 countries – and more than 60 are purely vegan.

The criteria for a VeggieHotel are simple – neither fish nor meat is served. Many offer organic food and accommodate specific diets such as raw food.

Say goodbye to the stress of finding food in a foreign city, and hello to exploring fantastic cities with a full belly.

www.vegetarianforlife.org.uk 3

Making a meal of it!

THE FOOD TRAIN, a charity providing shopping and library services to older folk who are housebound in Scotland, has set up a new scheme to share homecooked meals.

The person who offers to cook, usually just once a week, is paired with an older person living alone – who would love to have a homecooked meal instead of the normal freezer to microwave fare.

As we all know, it is not much more effort to cook a nut roast for four than it is for two. I am sure many of us do that anyway and freeze the excess.

The cook simply overcooks the quantity for a normal meal and takes a portion to the recipient. This may be in a foil tray for reheating, or depending on the circumstances, they might share the meal on the recipient’s premises.

Of course this has several benefits. First of all, home-cooked meals are more nutritious and no doubt more interesting for the recipient. Secondly, it means company for the person living alone and a chance to ensure they are okay. It also has benefits for the cook – I know that many of us love to cook for an appreciative audience!

The scheme is currently being trialled in Dundee and then will be rolled out throughout Scotland.

(Sorry to those south of the Border; we are aware of just one similar scheme in the rest of the UK, detailed to the right.)

I have already signed up as a cook and would encourage fellow 4 eBites

Photo © flavourphotos

Currently, two schemes in the UK offer home-cooked food, made by neighbours for neighbours. Tina Fox discusses Mealmakers, a scheme that is local to her in Dundee

Veggie students in the Dundee area are queuing up to provide meals for fellow vegetarians

vegetarians to do so if they live in Scotland – after all who better can understand a fellow vegetarian?

Apparently veggie students in the Dundee area are queuing up to provide meals for fellow vegetarians, so that is the other side of the equation.

Please do sign up for meals if you are an older vegetarian living alone in Scotland. Someone would love to have the privilege of cooking for you, and you would get some likeminded company as a bonus.

Full details of the scheme are available to the right. If you know someone who would be a good recipient or cook for the scheme, perhaps you could mention it to them. You could sign up on their behalf if they do not have access to a computer.

Let’s get cooking!

All Mealmakers cooks have to undertake a Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Check and take a short food hygiene quiz before sharing a meal. For the Casserole Club, all volunteer cooks have to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service check before they are introduced to diners.

Dietary requirements will need to be shared between the cook and the diner.

MEALMAKERS – Dundee T: 0800 7837770 W: www.mealmakers.org.uk

THE CASSEROLE CLUB – Tower Hamlets, Barnet and Reigate and Banstead T: 020 3475 3444 W: www.casseroleclub.com Don’t forget: most councils also provide a ‘meals on wheels’ service, delivering frozen or hot food to your door for a fixed price. Also, most cater for special diets. Contact your local authority to find out what they can do for you.

Taste of Sunrise

Christopher Dean is the Regional Director of Dining and Procurement at Sunrise Senior Living – a leading provider of residential care, and one of the newest members of VfL’s UK List. Chris helps to ensure Sunrise’s 2,500 residents across England and Wales, many of whom are vegetarians, eat a balanced and nutritious diet.

ABOUT ONE IN ten of our residents is a vegetarian and they are catered for in exactly the same way as those who eat meat – they have choice and variety with minimal repetition. Many want to see traditional dishes on the menu, but that doesn’t stop our team of chefs from providing more exotic meat-free creations. It still surprises many, but as readers will know the days when quiche or a nut roast were the only vegetarian dishes available are long gone.

When we create our vegetarian dishes, we always make sure they are packed full of the right nutrients to ensure a healthy and balanced diet.

Eating properly is crucial to ensuring residents enjoy high standards of health and well-being.

Sunrise recently appointed a Head of Nutrition and Hydration to make sure each individual receives the very best diet appropriate to their needs.

This can sometimes pose challenges – for example, an individual living with dementia may not remember they are a vegetarian. However, our chefs love working with residents to ensure that they enjoy their food.

As well as getting the diet right, choice is also important – after all, variety is the spice of life. Having a

varied menu means our residents can look forward to meal times.

This is where Vegetarian for Life comes in.

Their website is an excellent resource, which helps our chefs work out new recipe ideas and develop old ones. Our chefs will soon be attending Vegetarian for Life caterer training sessions, which will help to expand their repertoires and aid their development. Taking chefs out of their familiar surroundings really brings out their creativity and is something that we always encourage.

As well as Vegetarian for Life’s UK List, we have also joined the National Association of Care Catering (NACC) and 2014 was the first year that Sunrise entered the NACC Care Cook of the Year.

With strong vegetarian influences, we managed to achieve six regional finalists, of which two reached the national final, where we gained second and third overall as well as best main dish. Our chefs really rose to the challenge and we are hugely proud of their achievements.

Sunrise was also awarded the 2014 Sustainability Award at the NACC National Awards, showing that sustainability and effective purchasing can work in harmony. Through an effective procurement strategy Sunrise managed to be sustainable and become more efficient. This fresh approach has allowed us to invest in even higher quality ingredients, so residents are given the very best produce.

Not only do vegetarians at Sunrise have a wide variety of options to choose from but those dishes are lovingly prepared by our chefs who use the best ingredients.

All this helps to ensure our 27 communities are vegetarian-friendly zones. You can view a sample dish here.

www.vegetarianforlife.org.uk 5

A taste of South Asia

Spinach and Potato Curry Serves 4, Vegan

l 2 tablespoons oil, margarine or low-cal oil spray l 1 onion, diced l 1 tin of spinach l 1 tin chopped tomatoes or 2–3 fresh tomatoes

l 2 or 3 medium potatoes cut into 1 inch pieces l ½–1 teaspoon chilli powder according to taste l ½ teaspoon salt or to taste l ½ teaspoon turmeric l 2 teaspoons minced ginger

Serve with rice, naan or chapatti.

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© Bushra Hussain

1 Pour oil or margarine in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for a few minutes until fragrant and golden.

2 Add the spinach and tomatoes and stir until well mixed.

3 Add chilli powder, salt, turmeric and ginger and stir into the mixture.

4 Simmer on a medium heat for 20–30 minutes until onions are cooked and the water has evaporated.

5 Add the potato pieces. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes.

6 Add sufficient hot water to cover potatoes and simmer on a low heat until potatoes are cooked, about 15–20 minutes.

Aloo Tikka – Channa Daal and Potato Cakes Makes 8, Vegan l l l l l l l l l l l

Cup of channa daal 1 tablespoon of crushed garlic 1 tablespoon of crushed ginger Handful of fresh coriander ½ teaspoon of turmeric ½ teaspoon of black pepper ½ teaspoon of salt Gram flour Extra ½ teaspoon of turmeric 5–6 tablespoons olive oil or low-cal oil spray 3 medium sized potatoes

1 Soak the daal for 3–4 hours before cooking.

2 Boil the daal in a medium sized saucepan until cooked. Drain and leave to cool.

3 Peel and cube the potatoes, boil, drain and leave to cool.

4 Mix the daal and potatoes together in a bowl.

5 Add the crushed garlic and ginger, turmeric, pepper, salt and coriander.

6 Shape the mixture into small cakes and place them on a plate.

7 Pour 3 or 4 tablespoons of gram flour into a small bowl. Add enough water to make a smooth batter. Add coriander and an extra ½ teaspoon of turmeric.

8 Heat the oil in a frying pan set over medium heat.

9 Dip the potato and daal rounds into the gram flour mixture and place in the frying pan, 2 or 3 at a time. Cook both sides until golden brown.

10 Serve.

© Wahid Nasir

We are pleased to present our newest guide, A Taste of South Asia. It contains mouth-watering vegetarian recipes from South Asia that we have given a healthy twist so they can be enjoyed all year round.

While Western vegetarians tend to have a cardiovascular health advantage over omnivores, this difference isn’t experienced by Asian vegetarians. About 50% of Asian Indians are vegetarians, but their blood cholesterol levels and rates of diabetes and coronary artery disease are no different from those of nonvegetarians.

VfL’s guide contains tried and tested tweaks to authentic recipes to make them healthier – without impacting on taste.

For a free copy of A Taste of South Asia, please click here to email us, or call 0161 4458064.

Festive delights

Christmas is a busy time in the kitchen. But, with a little forwardplanning, it needn’t cause a lot of stress. Our guide, Festive Delights, contains some tips for catering for older vegetarian and vegans this Yuletide. They will really appreciate your efforts.

Follow our simple tips and plan ahead – including that allimportant communication on individual preferences. Then it’s easy to make Christmas a happy time for veggie residents or service-users. What’s more rewarding than bringing pleasure to others in the season of giving?

If you would like to receive a free copy of Festive Delights in the post, please click here to email us, or call 0161 4458064.

Serves 4, Vegan

For the suet crust pastry: l 8oz/225g self-raising flour l 1 tbsp chopped parsley l 4oz vegetable suet l Pinch of salt l 4fl oz/120ml water For the filling: l 2 tbsp olive oil l 4 shallots, chopped

2 bay leaves 2 cloves garlic, chopped 2–3 sprigs fresh thyme 10oz of assorted wild mushrooms (if using dried, halve quantity and soak in warm water for 1 hour) l 4fl oz/120ml vegetarian red wine l Freshly ground black pepper l l l l

1 First prepare the filling. Heat the oil and add the shallots, cook for a few minutes then add the bay leaves and continue cooking over a low heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme and mushrooms, cook gently and stir in the wine.

2 Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 15 minutes. Season.

3 Now make the pastry: Mix the flour, parsley, suet and salt. Add the water and mix with a fork to make a dough. Knead and roll out to a circle to line a greased 2 pint/1.2 litre pudding basin.

4 Cut off a quarter of the pastry and reserve for the lid. Line the dish with the remaining pastry. Dampen the edges with water.

5 Fill with the prepared mushroom mixture, and roll out the remaining pastry to form a lid. Press the edges together to seal.

Cover with greased foil and tie with string.

6 Steam for about 1½ hours. Serve with potatoes, crisp mange-tout and carrots.

Makes 12–14, Vegan l l l l l l l l

350g/12oz self-raising flour 15ml/1 tbsp baking powder 175g/6oz caster sugar 135ml/9 tbsp sunflower oil 375ml/12fl oz water 150g/5oz vegetarian mincemeat 15ml/1 tbsp demerara sugar Pinch cinnamon

1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5. Line a 12 hole muffin tin with deep muffin cases.

2 Sieve the flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar and mix well.

3 Add the oil and water and whisk together quickly.

4 Fold in the mincemeat and spoon into the muffin cases (about 2/3 full).

5 Mix the demerara sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle over the top of each.

Put the muffin tins into the oven immediately.

6 Bake until well risen and golden, about 15–20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

© The Vegetarian Society www.vegsoc.org

Wild Mushroom Pudding

Mincemeat Muffins

www.vegetarianforlife.org.uk/recipes

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Food safety for elders Around 1 million people in the UK suffer a foodborne illness every year – with 20,000 needing hospital treatment, and 500 deaths. Older adults may be at particular risk. Leslie Vandever explains how to keep yourself, and those you cater for, food-safe this festive season

ALTHOUGH ANYONE CAN become sick from eating tainted food, some groups are more vulnerable than others. They include elderly adults and people with weakened immune systems.

One bacterium that’s frequently behind food poisoning cases is Listeria. Usually found in soil and water, it can cause a serious infection called listeriosis. Unlike most bacteria, Listeria is tough enough to grow and multiply even in the fridge. Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, diarrhoea, and gastrointestinal distress. Older adults with weakened immune systems may suffer complications, such as dehydration, from the disease.

This is a serious issue for the elderly. Dehydration can cause weakness, confusion, and a drop in blood pressure that can affect the blood supply to vital organs, like the kidneys. The result can be deadly kidney failure.

Uncooked vegetables, unpasteurised (raw) milk, and other foods made from raw milk can all harbour Listeria. It can also occur in

cooked or processed foods, like some soft cheeses – feta, brie, Camembert, blue-veined, or panela – unless the label states that pasteurised milk was used.

HOW TO AVOID FOOD POISONING Avoid infection by Listeria – and many other foodborne pathogens – simply by practicing food safety in the kitchen. While many older adults say they know how to do it, not many actually practice it. There are several reasons.

Some of us may remember hard times when food was scarce or rationed. We may also live on a fixed income. Either or both situations may cause people to be frugal with their money and sharply conscious of costs.

People are often reluctant to throw “perfectly good” food away and try to make it last as long as possible.

The Food Standards Agency reports that elderly people may put themselves at a higher risk of food poisoning by ignoring “use-by” dates. To prevent it, we must all eat food before its “use-by” date – or dispose of it.

What’s the difference between ‘Use by’ and ‘Best before’ on labels?

‘USE BY’ dates appear on food that goes off quickly, such as many products found in supermarket chilled cabinets. Don't use any food or drink after the end of the 'use by' date on the label, even if it looks and smells fine. Using it after this date could put your health at risk.

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‘BEST BEFORE’ dates appear on a range of frozen, dried, tinned and other foods. 'Best before' dates are more about quality than safety. When the date runs out it doesn't mean that the food will be harmful, but it might begin to lose its flavour and texture.

Other reasons for keeping food longer than it’s safe to eat include memory problems and the mistaken attitude that “it won’t happen to me.” Unfortunately, that one is common among all ages, everywhere in the world.

Cooking foods well and pasteurisation kills Listeria. But other food safety practices include: l Washing your hands well with anti-bacterial soap before food preparation. l Rinsing raw fruits and vegetables under running water, even if planning to peel them. l Scrubbing produce with a clean vegetable brush. Sanitise the brush afterwards. l Drying vegetables with a clean cloth or paper towel. l If you also cater for people who eat meat, keep uncooked meats, and the utensils used while preparing them, away from veg, other cooked foods, and readyto-eat foods. l Washing cutting boards, knives, and work surfaces after handling and preparing uncooked foods. l Using a thermometer in the fridge. It should be 4°C or lower, and your freezer 0°C or lower. l Cleaning up spills inside the fridge immediately.

By practicing good food hygiene, you’ll help keep yourself and those you cater for safe.

Leslie Vandever is a professional journalist and freelance writer with more than 25 years of experience. She lives in Northern California and writes for Healthline.

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