I went vegetarian at the age of 14, after battling with my Mother for 2 years. She insisted I ‘eat my meat & fish’ which used to turn my stomach. She finally had enough of the bickering & decided to let me get it out of my system. 26 years later, I am still ‘going through a phase’ according to her. I could never understand why people could idolize their cats or dogs, speak to them like children & mourn them when they died, but not show the same love or respect for cows or pigs. They are just as capable of loving humans as their smaller counterparts, more so even. Pigs are one of the most intelligent creatures on the planet, but because they ‘taste nice’, people put on the blinkers & refuse to believe this could be true.
Since transitioning from Vegetarianism to Veganism, I have been very rigid in my beliefs. I will admit, it was very difficult at the start. I found dairy in almost everything so, if I were going on for a meal with friends, I always had to ring in advance to ensure there was something for me to eat on the menu. I also couldn’t eat chips (the ‘old reliable’ of vegans for decades) if they were cooked in the same oil as the chicken or fish, so I was a nightmare to have in the group. I felt like a burden & an embarrassment to my friends so I stopped going out for a while. Couple that with the ‘eyeroll’ from waiters/ waitresses & I just couldn’t be bothered.
Then something incredible happened: Veganism became the mainstream buzzword. It was no longer sneered at or mocked by others. It became acceptable & Vegans became accepted. And with that acceptance, the culinary world decided to ‘cash in’ on this & there are now vegan options in every decent eatery worth its weight. Some restaurants have a specialised vegan menu. You have no idea how refreshing it is to be able to pick something from a menu & not ask if there is any hidden contaminants (aka allergens) in the dish. I have started eating out much more often due to this & I have started my own Facebook/ Instagram page (Fussy Vegan in Galway) in the hope of helping others on their journey. I try to mix up the content & not just focus on food because, if you are vegan, you are vegan in all aspects of your life .. not just your diet. I recommend products, restaurants & also show recipes I’ve tried & tested.
I’ve also noticed a huge advance in Supermarkets catering for Vegans. Their own brand products clearly state Vegan (Dunnes, Tesco & Aldi, for example) which takes the tedium out of scouring the ingredient lists for hidden ‘nasties’. This is evident with toiletries & household products, not just food items.
Young people seem to feel quite connected to the cause & the rise of veganism amongst the younger population proves to be quite strong. Sodexo, the company contracted to operate An Bhialann Food Court in NUI Galway have always shown to be doing their part & more in their efforts towards sustainability. For Example, all of their takeaway cutlery is made from plant starch & can be composted with food waste, their coffee cups & takeaway food containers are bio-degradable & compostable also. They have banned plastic straws & offer a discount for any customer that brings their own travel mug or chooses a ceramic cup for their tea or coffee. They have also introduced a new recycling area with a large plastic bottle & aluminium can crusher which can crush such items to the size of a coin.
So it was a pleasure to see that they had partnered with ‘Veganuary 2020’ to offer a full vegan offering each day with fresh, hot meals that are totally plant based. They called the concept “Planted” & it’s been running for the entire month of January.
I met with Sodexo Chefs Kieran Cooney & Liam McCann last week in An Bhialann, to get their opinion on the Planted counter. They were both incredibly forthcoming & so helpful with my research. I asked if Planted was a busy counter to which I was told, it has sold out every single day. That is 70 to 80 Vegan meals (not including the staple Vegan salad bar that is always in An Bhialann) sold each day on Campus. Sustainability, Organic local produce & nutrition are the main elements in planning the Planted menu. There is a month’s worth of dishes decided in advance.
Some fantastic additions to the “Planted” menu are shown below:
· Vegan Dhansak on a delicious naan bread with a great selection of toppings. I opted for the seeds, nuts, herbs, potato cubes & coconut flakes
· Wild Mushroom, Pok Choi, Pulled Oats and Lentil Filo Slice. Served with crispy Indian spiced potatoes with soya & mint yogurt.
· Korean Spiced Bao Buns with shredded, sticky, sesame glazed pulled oats with crunchy veg and kimchi
Other dishes included:
· Green lentil, sweet potato, bell pepper & coconut dhal on a bed of braised lime rice, crispy kale & crispy tofu
· Pulled oat, aubergine, oven roasted vegetable lasagne topped with oat milk & soya cheese white sauce, house cut chips & garden salad
· Thai yellow sweet potato & cauliflower curry served on a bed of braised rice, stir fry bok choi & greens with sesame, garlic, roasted chilli & oven baked naan
As Veganuary 2020 has come to an end, it really struck a chord with me just how far Veganism has come in a relatively short space of time. Whether somebody is giving it a ‘try’ because it’s on trend & their favourite celebrity has opted for a plant-based diet, or somebody genuinely feels strongly about the lives of all living creatures, which is the case for me, Veganism has exploded in the past number of years.
In 2018, 170,000 people tried Veganuary, which was an increase of over 183% from the same time in 2017. In 2019, 14,000 people per day were signing up. Since Veganuary began in 2014, participation has more than double each year.
This year, a staggering 225,000 had pledged to try Veganuary in the first week alone. It’s too early to say how many will continue, but judging by the overwhelming response to the Planted counter at An Bhialann in NUI Galway, I have a funny feeling that this will not be the last we see of this way of lifeJ
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