The Irish Vegetarian 142 by Vegetarian Society of Ireland

MAGAZINE OF THE VEGETARIAN SOCIETY OF IRELAND

the

IRISH VEGETARIAN

issue 142 i â&#x201A;¬2.50

WORLDWIDE VEGAN BAKE SALE A delicious blend of activism, community, and fundraising

IS GALWAY NOW THE VEGAN CAPITAL OF IRELAND?

VEGEPRENEURS: Vegan and vegetarian entrepreneurs

FIRM FAVOURITES Recipes, reviews and news

Galway is an absolute haven for vegans - restaurants are generally accommodating and the cuisine really is excellent

The Irish Vegetarian - Issue 142

Vegetarian Society of Ireland Aims of the Society Our constitutional aims are to advance education, and to promote the positive aspects of vegetarianism in relation to health, animal welfare and environmental issues. We also aim to create more awareness of the organisation, and to inform the people of Ireland about vegetarianism. We aim to co-operate with other organisations which promote the fundamental ideals of vegetarianism. The VSI supports both vegetarian and vegan aims.

Committee The committee of the VSI are elected annually and volunteer their time. We hold monthly meetings to ensure the vegetarian voice for Ireland is being listened to. Chairperson Maureen O’Sullivan Vice Chairperson Grace Hillis Secretary Sarah Allen Researcher Martin O’Reilly Treasurer &Membership Secretary Mary Minihane PRO Louisa Moss Graphic Designer Marcin Starzyk

Volunteering We are always looking for people to help out. If you can lend a hand from time to time please email volunteer@vegetarian.ie with your contact details.

ADV ERT ISI NG 1/8 page ... €20 1/4 page ... €35 1/2 page ... €60 Full page ... €100 Small adverts of up to 20 words €10 (Small adverts are free to members) Inserts: price is dependent on weight Submit queries on advertising & artwork to accounts@vegetarian.ie

Definitions

The Vegetarian Society of Ireland defines a vegetarian as one who does not consume meat, fish or fowl and who aims to avoid the use and consumption of battery hen eggs and slaughterhouse by-products in food, clothing, cosmetic and household products. A vegan is one who adopts a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as possible and practical, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose. In dietary terms veganism refers to the practice of dispensing with all animal produce - including meat, fish, poultry, eggs, animal milks, honey and their derivatives. Abhorrence of the cruel practices inherent in dairy, livestock and poultry farming is probably the most common reason for the adoption of veganism but many people are drawn to it for other reasons including ones related to health, ecology, sustainability, and/or spirituality.

Views expressed in this magazine do not necessarily represent policies and/or views of the Vegetarian Society of Ireland, its committee and/or its members.

Issue 144: Theme and Deadline

The theme for Issue 144 of The Irish Vegetarian is next generation: young vegetarians, college and school catering, vegetarian parents. We invite you to contribute articles or interviews around this topic. Please send your proposal to editor@vegetarian.ie by 27 July 2014. The deadline for receipt of articles is 10 August 2014. Articles can be accepted in text file, PDF, Open Office or MS-Office format. Images/photos for inclusion need to be of good quality (no resize/crop) with a resolution of at least 300dpi and in JPEG format. Please send contributions to editor@vegetarian.ie.

The Irish Vegetarian - Issue 142

Contents Vegetarian Society of Ireland Information............................................................................................................2 Editorial, Thanks................................................................................................................................................................4 Vegetarian and Vegan Group Listings..................................................................................................................5 In the News.........................................................................................................................................................................6 Alzheimer’s Disease: Reducing Your Risk................................................................................................................7 Vegepreneurs................................................................................................................................................................8-11 VSI Membership Application Form.............................................................................................................................11 Vegan Bake Sale......................................................................................................................................................12-14 Book Review: The Adventurous Vegetarian: Around the World in 30 Meals..............................................15 Is Galway Now the Vegan Capital of Ireland?....................................................................................................16-17 Purple Root Café Review...............................................................................................................................................18 Meetup Reviews.........................................................................................................................................................19-20 ARAN’s John Carmody visits Vegetarian Kilkenny................................................................................................21 Recipes: Dairy-free Chocolate and Banana ‘Cheesecake’, The Porridge Dilemma..........................................22 VSI Annual General Meeting 2014..............................................................................................................................23 Vegetarian Society of Ireland Members’ Discount List..........................................................................................24

EXCITING RANGE OF ‘VEGETARIAN’ MERCHANDISE AVAILABLE FROM VEGETARIAN SOCIETY OF IRELAND This is a wonderfully illustrated and very practical vegan cook book by Liz Cook - a sort of a "how-to-kit" that puts into practice the foods in the nutritional wall chart for those wishing to follow an animal free diet for whatever reason.—€15

The ever popular Liz Cook Nutritional Wall Chart €5 Pack of 3—€6

Pack of 4—€8

Pack of 3—€6

5.7cm badges—€4.50 Mini Badges—€2

Green Wristbands debossed with the word

Car Bumper Sticker €6

Vegetarian €3 each

OTHER DESIGNS AVAILABLE

If you would like us to reorder this product please let us know

THE VEGETARIAN SOCIETY OF IRELAND, C/o. Dublin Food Co-Op, 12 Newmarket, Dublin 8 If you would like to order any of the above items please email accounts@vegetarian.ie or call Mary on 0214777866 or 0862363607 to check on the availability of the required item. All prices are inclusive of postage and packaging within Ireland. All items are available while stocks last.

The Irish Vegetarian - Issue 142

Editorial

Welcome to issue 142 of The Irish Vegetarian, the theme of which is Vegan and Vegetarian Entrepreneurs. Emma Fry and Diana Skalkos responded to the call to submit articles on Vegepreneurs and you can read all about their exciting jobs (page 8). There is a big feature on vegan bake sales in this issue, with an article by the founder of this popular annual event, along with a review of this year’s sale. Happily this event is held in April which still allows time for you to get bikini/mankini-ready when the weather gets good in June – after you have stuffed your face with the delicious fare on offer! Check out the colourful photos of the scrumptious vittles, all of which were baked and donated by volunteers (page 12)!! We are proud that the Vegetarian Society of Ireland was asked to contribute to an international recipe book “The Adventurous Vegetarian”, published by New Internationalist (page 15) which will have your mouth watering with sumptuous treats from around the world. If you are heading to Galway or Westport this summer, articles by Maureen O’Sullivan are sure to be of interest to vegetarian, vegan and raw vegan foodies looking to tantalise their taste buds in local restaurants and cafés (page 16). Read on for all this and much more. We wish you a wonderful summer. Please feel free to get in touch with us with comments, offers of assistance and any information of interest to the vegetarian, vegan and raw vegan communities of Ireland at editor@vegetarian.ie

Thanks

A big thank you to our volunteers & contributors! Contributors: Sarah Allen, Jolanta Burke, Ian Byrne, Emma Fry, Grace Hillis, Aisling Hurley, Gary Loewenthal, Miren Maialen-Samper, Louisa Moss, Laura Ní Mháille, Maureen O’Sullivan, John Prendergast, Diana Skalkos, Dennise Waldron Typesetting and Design: Marcin Starzyk Editors: Grace Hillis, Louisa Moss Proofreading: Grace Hillis, Maureen O’Sullivan, Gemma Sidney Packing & Distribution (Issue 141): Eithne Brew and Aoife Bell-Brew Cover: Photograph © Naganivetha Thiyagarajah

Photo © Marcin Starzyk

Vegetarian Society of Ireland

The Irish Vegetarian - Issue 142

vegetarian and vegan group listings Clare Veg Group Email: clareveggroup@gmail.com Website: www.clareveggroup.blogspot.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/clare.veg9 Cork Vegans, Raw Vegans and Vegetarians Regularly meet up to socialise and to discuss and promote vegan issues. Email: corkvegans@gmail.com Website: www.facebook.com/corkvegans Galway Vegetarian Group Usually meet on the first Thursday of every month in Massimo’s Pub, William Street West, Galway City at 8pm. Contact Paul Campbell on 085 6872088. Email: paulcampbellgalway@gmail.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ GalwayVegetariansAndVegans Kerry Vegans, Raw Vegans and Veggies Hoping to connect vegans in Kerry and anyone else interested in the vegan lifestyle. Website: www.facebook.com/groups/454762484576907 Kilkenny Vegetarian Group Organises “No Meat and Greets” where vegetarians and vegans bring their favourite dishes to share with others. Omnivores welcome but no meat please! Email: vegkilkenny@gmail.com Laois Vegetarian Group An opportunity for people to discuss issues relating to living a veggie lifestyle and offer support to each other. All are welcome: young, old, families and singles. Email: katieohara07@hotmail.com Website: http://www.meetup.com/vegetarian-485/messages/ boards/thread/17871992 Meath Veggies A page for vegetarians, vegans, and those trying to reduce meat from their diet, based in Meath. We will be organising a Supper Club and events, local to Trim and Athboy that will be about good food, company, exchanging information in a friendly environment. Website: www.facebook.com/groups/meathveggies the belfast veg heads The Belfast Veg Heads is a Group for Vegans and Vegetarians living in Belfast and elsewhere in Ireland to meet, network, exchange ideas and info, and make new friends and hang out Website: www.facebook.com/groups/thebelfastvegheads The Irish Vegetarian - Issue 142

Vegetarian Society of Ireland c/o Dublin Food Co-op 12 Newmarket Dublin 8

Is your local group missing? Email socials@vegetarian.ie and we’ll include it. If you’d like to create a group in your area let us know. We can help with leaflets and publicity.

VSI - Dublin Meetup Group Meet at least once a month in various Dublin city centre locations. To participate in this group join meetup.com (free) and then become a member of the group. Contact: Sarah B (Organiser), via Meetup.com. Website: www.vegetarian.meetup.com/485

VEGAN SOCIAL AND LOCAL GROUPS Galway Vegan Foodies Group For vegans and aspiring vegans living in and around Galway who love to eat! Website: www.meetup.com/The-Galway-Vegan-Meetup-Group Vegan Ireland Vegan Ireland regularly sends newsletters by email with details of their latest activities, including meetups and information stands. Email: vegansireland@gmail.com Website: www.vegan.ie Vegan Sligo Bringing the vegan lifestyle to Sligo. Email: vegansligo@gmail.com Website: www.facebook.com/pages/Vegan-Sligo/215528968478165

In the news: fruit and vegetables and wellbeing We have all heard about the five-a-day campaign. Eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day helps to keep our bodies healthy and reduces the risk of developing obesity. But what about our minds? Recently, a group of researchers reviewed the eating habits of approximately 80,000 people in the UK. They found that a five-a-day diet did not actually improve their happiness levels. People eating five-a-day were just as happy as those eating two or three portions a day. However, only when their consumption increased to seven-a-day did the researchers find a positive trajectory. Therefore it was concluded that in order to improve our psychological or subjective wellbeing, it is required that we eat at least seven portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

Bon Appétit! By Jolanta Burke, Positive Psychologist and PhD Researcher. For more information go to www.jolantaburke. com. Tune into Jolanta’s new show ‘Making Dublin Happier’ on Thursdays at 1:30pm on 103.2 Dublin City FM.

Photo © Mary Minihane

It’s good news for those vegetarians who eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. However, it might not be true for all vegetarians. Consider pancakes with maple syrup, cheese sandwiches or chips (potatoes – except sweet potatoes – don’t count as one of your five-a-day). All these dishes are vegetarian yet contain no fruit or vegetables. Therefore, be mindful what you eat and how much of it you eat. If you want to enhance your wellbeing, seven-a-day may be your route to happiness.

Doctors on Call Stephen and David Flynn from the Happy Pear in Greystones (their café is a member of the VSI’s discount scheme) were on RTE’s Doctors on Call. They featured in a segment on how a vegan diet can reduce cholesterol by 20% in just four weeks. The guys were mentoring the members of Moynalty Drama Group from Co Meath. They asked them to take on their ‘Happy Heart Course’, which involves eating a whole-food plant-based diet, to see the impact it would have on their cholesterol levels. The results were good but mixed. Some people’s cholesterol levels dropped from 5.21 to 4.2. One person’s rose from 4.7 to 4.9, but this is still in the normal range as it is below 5. All members of the group lost weight. 6

Photo © Happy Pear The Irish Vegetarian - Issue 142

Alzheimer’s Disease By John Prendergast MCHPA We all want to live long but how can we stack the deck to give us better quality of life in old age? The evidence is mounting that vegetarians live longer . While the studies are open to interpretation there is one thing that I feel points to the truth. Let’s follow the money: corporations and companies don’t take money lightly. However, in Australia, health insurers are offering significant reductions in premium prices to vegetarians. Following the money supports the findings of much research. Vegetarians have lower rates for certain types of cancer, are less prone to diabetes, and can live longer. What can you do to have a better life in old age? One huge area you can influence is your chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Few people realise that Alzheimer’s disease is something we have a huge level of control over. Some populations can have a much lower rate of Alzheimer’s disease. Among these populations, the risk is not just genetic, as life choices can make a massive difference. Why not make a couple of simple choices to make your long life a fun, healthy, and positive one? You can reduce your chance of Alzheimer’s disease by over 50 per cent easily! Among the greatest bodies of evidence on Alzheimer’s disease is a study of Catholic nuns in America , which has been running for over 20 years. It was begun in 1986 by Dr. David Snowdon, epidemiology professor of University of Minnesota. The nuns in question had startling cognitive function late in life, and since they were from many different ethnic and social backgrounds, we are able to see that environment and lifestyle choices are very powerful in determining your mental powers in old age. This study and many others have given us very useful and positive information for how we can make our lives better in old age. Alzheimer’s disease, if it develops fully, can steal the essence of who you are. It can rob you piece by piece of your memories, your ability to speak, to understand others, and even to know who you are. People can linger for decades in fear and decline with it. Let’s make some simple changes to how we live now, to allow us a better life later on. The great news? The same advice that is given for avoiding heart disease and stroke are also valuable in avoiding Alzheimer’s. It’s a multiple win-win for you when you make these choices, and the odds are you have already made some of them. Here is my list of the top five things you can do to reduce your chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease. They are drawn from ‘The Nun study’, the advice of Professor Jeanette Norden, Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University Medical Centre, as well as Dr Mike Evans, Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of Toronto. 1. Exercise. Just 30 minutes walking a day has been shown to reduce your chance of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s by around 50 per cent. For more on how simply walking can massively boost physical and mental health I recommend getting onto YouTube.com and search for Dr Mike Evans, ‘23 1/2 hours’. It’s a 10 minute presentation on the benefits, and it’s mind blowing. 2. Eat food containing polyphenol antioxidants. As vegetarians, the odds are you’re already ahead of most people on this one. Fruits such as apples, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, cranberries, grapes, pears, plums, raspberries and strawberries are great sources of polyphenol antioxidants, as are most legumes and common inexpensive vegetables including broccoli, cabbage and onion. 3. Stress management. Lower stress levels help too. Yoga, meditation, hypnosis and anything that creates down time for the mind is a help. Be careful of mistaking physical rest that keeps the mind active, for mental relaxation. Watching a movie is not as good as something that quietens The Irish Vegetarian - Issue 142

the mind. Also, lying there worrying is not relaxing! Be mindful in everyday life, and work on keeping your stress low. 4. A good mental challenge is a major way of decreasing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Learn a new language, take a course that challenges you, do something that really takes mental effort and it will pay off. Doing the easy Sudoku and thinking that will do the trick is not going to fool anyone or help you. 5. Maintain a healthy weight. Avoiding obesity and its associated factors like diabetes is a sure help. Diets that are low in fat are beneficial in so many ways and this is one more. From the correlation with risk factors for stroke and heart attack we can see the risks that come with eating a diet heavy in red meat, but in August 2013 research hit the headlines that showed another possible problem with a red meat diet. Researchers from the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behaviour at UCLA reported in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease that the increase in iron levels in the brain, that can occur when the diet is rich in red meat, may be a major risk factor. The team leader Professor George Bartzokis argues that a likely cause of Alzheimer’s is iron accumulation. While iron is essential for proper cell function, an excess of iron can build up to a point where it becomes damaging. To quote Professor Bartzokis: The increase in iron is occurring together with the tissue damage. We found that the amount of iron is increased in the hippocampus and is associated with tissue damage in patients with Alzheimer’s but not in the healthy older individuals, or in the thalamus. So the results suggest that iron accumulation may indeed contribute to the cause of Alzheimer’s disease.” and: The accumulation of iron in the brain may be influenced by modifying environmental factors, such as how much red meat and iron dietary supplements we consume... I believe that in Ireland and most of the western world there is a shift occurring in our culture where we are becoming much more aware that mental health is just like physical health in that it is something we can not only protect, but which we can develop. Your mind can be developed just like your body, it can be made healthier, more resistant to disease, and you can increase its function in later years. Doing so is easier than you might expect, and in general it looks as if what is good for physical health is good for mental health too. Enjoy life, exercise, eat healthy, be yourself and contribute to a better world over the whole of your longer life! John Prendergast MCHPA is an Anxiety & Psycho-Trauma Therapist and Mind-Coach who specialises in helping people succeed and enjoy both their personal and business lives. JohnPrendergast.ie

_______________________________ 1. The best known is perhaps the study by Loma Linda University, School of Public Health which tracked the health of 97,000 Seventh-day Adventists and indicated that vegetarians may live up to nine years longer. 2. The ‘23 1/2 Hours’ programme, Dr Mike Evans, Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of Toronto. 3. The Nun Study, University of Minnesota. (Suzanne L. Tyas, David A. Snowdon, Mark F. Desrosiers, Kathryn P. Riley and William R. Markesbery (2007). Healthy ageing in the Nun Study: Definition and neuropathologic correlates. Age and Ageing, 36(6), 650-655)

Emma’s local dealer of chick pea flour and chia seeds at the market in Antigua Guatemala Overlooking Lake Atitlan - how Emma travels when doing much of her research!

Vegepreneurs Five years ago in Guatemala I was in a restaurant with my tour group thinking to myself, wouldn’t it be wonderful if there was a vegan and vegetarian friendly travel company that specialized in Latin America, the seed was planted! Having lived and worked in Spain in my early twenties I later made the move to Latin America and after working as a tour leader in both South and Central America for five years I decided it was time to leave the road and lay down my hat for a while, but where? Having already explored much of Guatemala by motorbike and on recognizing what a remarkable country it is, this is where I based myself for the next couple of years. By my early teenage years I was vegetarian and my transition into becoming vegan 8

Veganbnb Travel Vegan And Vegetarian Friendly Holidays in Guatemala and Spain by Emma Fry was gradual throughout my mid twenties and subsequently I continued exploring Guatemala but with a focus on discovering plant based food, seeking out restaurants and bars that could cater to vegans and vegetarians and looking for organic and Fair-trade produce. To my delight the more I looked the more I found which confirmed Latin America to be a vegan and vegetarian friendly travel destination! With the Latin American side of my research completed I decided it was time to return to Europe to see what Spain had to offer. On arrival to Andalusia in southern Spain I searched high and low for vegan or vegetarian friendly accommodation to no avail. So what do you do if you can’t find what you’re looking for? You create it! Late 2012 saw the opening of Malaga’s first ever vegan bed and breakfast, the Veganbnb was born! In a short space of time I got very busy and met lots of wonderful people. Most importantly, I learnt that this particular type of tourism - although perceived as niche - not only attracts people who follow a vegan or vegetarian diet. It also attracts those who are trying to lead a healthier lifestyle, some people that are just curious, others who may be looking for something a little different and many people who simply want a break from routine and are open to new experiences. In regards to business, the Veganbnb did extremely well in a short period of time. I began running vegan fitness weekends and many guests began to question me about vegan and vegetarian travel in Latin America. It became apparent that the The Irish Vegetarian - Issue 142

Emma on the way up Pacaya Volcano in Guatemala

main concern surrounding traveling and taking holidays for those following a plant based diet was that eating in general would pose to great a problem combined with possible language barriers and cultural differences. I remember a lovely Canadian lady coming to stay with me that was so nervous about not being able to find vegan friendly food in Spain that she literally had enough cereal bars in her bag to last the whole month! Drawing from eight years of experience working within the tourism industry in both South and Central America, combined with the success of the Veganbnb, alongside a personal interest in delicious plant based food, travel and conscious consumerism, I married these elements and created Veganbnb Travel - Vegan and Vegetarian Friendly Holidays in Guatemala and Spain. Veganbnb Travel holidays range from four to ten days and are designed with everyone in mind. There are various included excursions but also enough free time for people to follow their own interests, explore or just rest and relax. It is great for me to be able to share my knowledge and passion for Spain and Latin America with others. I am also a firm believer that tourism can be sustainable, have a low impact on the environment and local culture while helping to generate future employment for local people and positively contributing to local economies. I am also in the early stages of setting up a project called Looking Behind The Label, which essentially is a concept designed to encourage conscious consumerism by connecting consumers to producers. Have a look at where your coffee comes from, it could well be grown in Guatemala. Those who book on a holiday to Guatemala will get the opportunity to meet the The Irish Vegetarian - Issue 142

farmers at the very beginning of the production line. Its interesting how produce and commodities seem different when you can put a face to them. The producers also love to meet people as they rarely get to see what happens to their produce, whatever it may be, after it’s been cropped and harvested. Although still in its early days as a business, Veganbnb Travel has been a wonderful journey so far. I would genuinely encourage others thinking of setting up their own vegan or vegetarian business to go for it. As I mentioned before, if you can’t find what you’re looking for, create it! I have learnt first hand the importance of connections and communication in business. Talk to people, chat to other business owners and get people’s opinions. I have never met anyone yet who was not receptive to having a cup of coffee and a chat! Emma Fry Reservation Manager Website: www.veganbnbtravel.com

All photos © Emma Fry

collecting, bread making, the intoxicating smell of clean cooking and of course eating as a happy sun kissed group. To celebrate our ten years we organised a vegetarian holiday in India. We are delighted to say the holiday has sold out and we feel privileged to be able to introduce this amazing country and homeland of vegetarian living to our guests, most of whom will be travelling to India for the first time. With the response we have had to this we are considering expanding our business to other tropical vegetarian friendly destinations and also organising Ireland based vegetarian holidays to incoming tourists to Ireland. I have been a vegetarian since the age of four when I discover where meat came from and was lucky enough to have openminded parents who facilitated my decision. I had a happy and healthy veggie pregnancy without the dreaded iron deficiencies etc that were so fearfully forecast.

Irish yogis on vegetarian holidays with Yoga Republic in India

Yoga Republic www.yogarepublic.com by

Diana Skalkos

My husband has been a vegetarian since we met twenty something years ago and we are raising a strong, taller than average, athletic, cruelty free little boy with a view of the world and its vegetarian business possibilities that we feel is unique to his Down time after another successful yoga retreat

Vegepreneurs Dear Editor, We have been subscribers to the Vegetarian Society of Ireland for a number of years now and really love the new approach weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen recently. We are a vegetarian family living in Cork and are proud to say we have raised our nine year old son as a healthy, strong and committed vegetarian and animal lover, actively involved in our local animal rescue centre, with future plans of becoming a veggie animal rescuing vet (a mother can hope!!). We are celebrating our tenth year in our vegetarian lifestyle supporting business in 2014. In addition to our yoga studio where vegetarian choices are actively promoted, we run a small holiday company and organise all inclusive vegetarian holidays in Greece where yoga is practised daily. We are delighted to say our holidays are always successful and the feedback we get from our guests on the vegetarian diet is wonderful with many saying it has influenced their choices on their return home. The holidays promote Mediterranean vegetarian cooking and my husband, a Greek native, and I are delighted to engage all of our guests in the cooking process. This is always a wonderful mix of chat food prepping, herb 10

father and son

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generation in Ireland and inspiring. With kindest wishes from Diana Skalkos. Our website is www.yogarepublic.com.

Vegetarian Society of Ireland Membership Application Form To become a member, or to renew your subscription, simply complete this form and send it to: The Membership Secretary, VSI, c/o Dublin Food Co-op, 12 Newmarket, Dublin 8 You can also scan and email it to Eithne@vegetarian.ie

All photos © Diana Skalkos

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Sampling next year’s holiday excursions in Greece

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A vegetarian meal in India

The Irish Vegetarian - Issue 142

Please number, in order of priority, your reasons for supporting vegetarianism:

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, m is iv ct A f o d n le B s u io ic el D A Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale ary Loewenthal G by Community, and Fundraising Vegan bake sales are a unique and effective combination of outreach, fundraising, and community.

pleasantly surprised at how well their creations turn out, which often leads to them permanently including vegan dishes in their baking.

The outreach occurs in several ways: • Many people are afraid that if they go vegan, they’ll have to give up their favourite desserts. One bite can change this perception. Even for those who have no plans to go vegan, discovering that vegan cookies, brownies, pies, and so forth are delicious may lead them to buying vegan desserts, at least sometimes, in the future. • The action at the bake sale table naturally stimulates conversation. In the convivial atmosphere of a bake sale, discussions tend to be cordial and productive. • Vegan bake sales pair well with leaflets, book sales, newsletter signups, and other forms of outreach. • Non-vegan bakers who contribute vegan items are usually

Vegan bake sales are also a place to swap recipes, run into neighbours and friends, and meet new vegans. The upbeat nature of bake sales is an attraction to the public and offers specific advantages to outreach groups: • The stress level at bake sales is low, and may be welcome relief if the group does demonstrations and protests. • Would-be volunteers who shy away from leafleting and general tabling may participate in a bake sale, and for some this is the gateway to greater involvement with the host organization. The Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale (WVBS), which occurs in late April each year (sometimes spilling over to early May) multiplies the advantages and fun of vegan bake sales. The fact that groups around the world are holding vegan bake sales during the same week generates a buzz and feeling of camaraderie among the participants. While you’re having a vegan bake sale in Dublin, others are holding vegan bake sales in Canberra, Heidelberg, Helsinki, Ottawa, Atlanta, and other cities and towns near and far. At the end of the day, through social media, you can see how all the bake sales did. Later on, through the WVBS website, you can peruse photos and reports from dozens of the bake sales. The WVBS started in 2008, as I was staring out the window, which is probably how a lot of ideas come to mind. I mulled it over for a couple of months, created a minimal website, and started inviting groups. I was hoping to get 15 bake sales; there were close to 90. I kept the rules as simple as possible: everything must be vegan; that’s the only requirement. With each year the number of bake sales has grown; in 2013 there were 180. The quality, diversity, and creativity of the bake sales have been phenomenal. Ireland, and Dublin in particular, has participated in each of the five WVBS since inception. In the last four years, there have been

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to talk about vegan food and general vegan issues to a broader audience. Going forward, there are no plans for major changes. One of the keys to the success of the WVBS is that each bake sale can be individualized and autonomous. That’s not to say that the WVBS is stagnant. For instance, our list of bake sale tips is always expanding. Quite a few recent tips have come from participants (and credit is given on the website, unless the person prefers to stay anonymous). The annual WVBS tee shirt design contest, started in 2012, has been a big hit; you can buy the tee shirts at www.zazzle.com/veganbakesale. From 2014, the website has an interactive map of all the participating bake sales. But mainly we want the WVBS to remain as inviting and as easy as possible to join. Participating bake sales, such as those held by the VSI, are what make the WVBS a fulfilling, enjoyable, and powerful event. It’s been many years since I’ve been to Dublin. But the next time I go, I believe it will be in late April, so I can feast on cookies, cakes, brownies, and other delectables (including perhaps some savoury selections) at the Vegetarian Society of Ireland’s always-awesome contribution to the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale. Congratulations on representing so well year after year, and thank you for helping to make this project a resounding success! at least two participating bake sales in Ireland, one always hosted by the Vegetarian Society of Ireland (VSI).

http://www.veganbakesale.org www.facebook.com/veganbakesale

As the number and breadth of participants grows, media attention to the event increases, which yields opportunities Gary Loewenthal is founder of the Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale and cofounder of Compassion for Animals.

Photo © Sarah Burnham from Worldwide Vegan Bake sales held by the Vegetarian Society of Ireland in 2010 to 2013 The Irish Vegetarian - Issue 142

This year, the Vegetarian Society of Ireland’s (VSI) Vegan Bake Sale was held in Outhouse on Capel Street in Dublin city. Thanks to all bakers for the amazing work, amazing cakes and to all the volunteers and participants of a very successful vegan cake sale. A big applause to Marcin for the lovely poster and of course to the friendly staff at Outhouse. Lemon cake, muffins, brownies and crumble were some of the treats on offer, to name a few. Much more was available, as can be seen from the photos! After the cost of hiring the venue was deducted, the proceeds from this year’s sale were €375.00. This has been divided up with a donation of €190.00 going to Back Into Daylight Animal Sanctuary. The balance of €185.00 has gone to the VSI.

Vegan Bake Sale 2014 by Sarah Allen, Grace Hillis and Miren Maialen-Samper

Laura Ní Mháille, Gráinne O’Carroll, Martin O’Reilly, Miren-Maialen Samper, Marcin Starzyk, Anangi Sumalde, Evelyn Suttle, Vera All photos © Miren-Maialen Samper

The 2014 bakers and volunteers were: Sarah Allen, Sarah Burnham, Ishtar Darlington, David Noiret, Elena Castro, Osasha Fertal, Giselle, Beata Golczak, Grace Hillis, Kathleen Hogan, Brigid Keogh, Ailish Kerr, Nuris Leiva, 14

The Irish Vegetarian - Issue 142

The Adventurous Vegetarian: Around the world in 30 meals Author: Jane Hughes, New Internationalist Publications Ltd., UK, 2013

Book Review by

Maureen O’Sullivan, VSI Chairperson

Available in hardback from the New Internationalist website for £14.99 This book is, as the title suggests, a vegetarian and sometimes vegan culinary adventure across 30 different countries. The author, Jane Hughes, in her informative introduction points out that vegetarian food has no boundaries and instead, cuts right across national borders. It is thus very diverse. Rather than being a book aimed at travellers, this book allows readers to experience widely varied world cuisine in their own kitchens. Ireland is represented, of course, but the range of countries includes Botswana, Mexico and Vietnam. How about an Indian dal for lunch, a Malaysian aubergine sambal on the side with Ethiopian bread (injera) and Grenadan coconut ice with mango for dessert? Or if that does not appeal, one could opt for Tanzanian vegetable soup with bananas, Singaporean noodles with Israeli carrot and cabbage salad and finish off with New Zealand vegan blueberry and cashew cheesecake. The possible combinations are endless. Hughes utilised her contacts from the Vegetarian Society in the UK and also from the Cordon Vert Cookery School to source vegetarian contributors from around the world and, in fact, the Vegetarian Society of Ireland was among those contacted and asked to contribute recipes for a three course meal of food typical to Ireland. Our contributor, yours truly, similarly asked for recipes through social media and submitted these along with her own vegan blueberry pancakes. The book is laid out alphabetically. Hughes not only cooked all the recipes but they are all photographed and illustrated beautifully so you can see very clearly what the dish should resemble. The Irish Vegetarian - Issue 142

Photo © New Internationalist 15

Maureen and friend attempting to ward off vampires!

Is Galway now the Vegan Capital of Ireland? by

Maureen O’Sullivan, VSI Chairperson

I recently enjoyed two delicious meals out in Galway. The first meal was with Galway Vegan Foodies (GVF) at the Raw Sushi in the Sky restaurant at the Radisson Hotel in Galway City Centre. The restaurant put on a special menu, kindly organised by Claire Loader (Founder and Organiser of GVF), and it was just delicious. We were served a tasty appetiser of fried sweet potato in a sweet and salty sauce shortly after we arrived. Service was efficient and the staff were lovely. For starters I had fried tofu with some sauce, sprouts, green onion and umeboshi plum paste. The alternative starter was a bowl of buckwheat noodles with various vegetables in some broth. I had a selection of sushi for my main course and there was a wide variety of different types with butternut squash, tomato and rice stuffed in sweet tofu skin, along with cucumber, salted plum and pickles among the wonderful selection. The sushi came accompanied with pickled ginger and wasabi. The wasabi added a nice kick to the tasty dish. The other main option was a bowl of sushi rice with a variety of vegetables, including salsify and seaweed arranged neatly over the rice. Next time I’d definitely like to try the other dishes. We had fun with the chopsticks which we found - in addition to getting the food into our mouths - could also theoretically be used to ward 16

Maureen with her main course: a selection of vegan sushi

off vampires, as can be seen in some of our photos on the GVF site. Halloween, sadly, has passed however so no one was over indulgent of my inner child on this issue on this particular occasion. I ended up getting a fork as my pathetic efforts with the chopsticks, unlike my more dexterous friends, would have ended up in the hospital had I not surrendered to the inevitable: I don’t do chopsticks for a prolonged period. Dessert was a really “more-ish” fruit salad which was lifted with notes of cinnamon and vanilla and it was accompanied by a sweet adzuki bean-based confection. The decaf coffee rounded off the evening nicely for me and we braved the storm and flooding to gingerly make our way home. Next day I had a work do in another Galway restaurant – this time it was the Malt House. I had had dinner in the Malt House some years back and was really impressed with their cooking. For me, the starter was a salad of beetroot, orange and a nice array of leaves – and not the usual ones you tend to get but some very tasty, feathery leaves such as mizuna and others whose names I cannot recall. There must be a local producer of special salad leaves as I have also had a similar taste experience in the Quay Street Kitchen recently. There was the usual meat-eater banter at the table with colleagues threatening to order rare steaks “to balance me out” but at the same time also admitting that those of us who had chosen the salad route were also the people who were looking the best. I remained my stoic self throughout and chuckled when it came to dessert as I definitely The Irish Vegetarian - Issue 142

got the (vegan) “cream” of the crop, in my view. The main course was a mild lentil dish with gently fried potatoes on the side and dessert for me was poached pears with fruit, including banana and orange. It was perfect – the portion was generous but after the meal, which I thoroughly enjoyed, I felt light and virtuous in that the calorie count had not been high but I was still full. I talked temptingly to colleagues of running an informal session on vegan and raw vegan food for them in the not too distant future and that looks likely to go ahead. I have seven years of slagging to make up for so I plan to really show them what I’ve got in the kitchen! Revenge, they say, just like my raw vegan cheese-less-cake, is definitely best served icy cold – and also very sweet! I had two coffees as some members of staff were retiring and so there was plenty of chat. The staff at the Malt House were extremely busy as there was a big group of us and we were not alone but they sat us in a beautiful alcove and service was swift and friendly. I was most impressed. Afterwards, we ambled off to Neachtain’s Pub where I probably stayed too long.

Soba Noodle Starter

Chirashi Sushi Main

Galway City

Galway is an absolute haven for vegans – many restaurants now have denominated dishes with vegan cheese where appropriate but where not specifically catered for, restaurants are generally accommodating and the cuisine really is excellent. If you are in Galway, do see whether GVF have any events on as we meet regularly and there are some really wonderful cooks who absolutely never spoil the broth. You might find us in one of the many restaurants or else indulging in a potluck. One thing is sure – you will be spoilt for choice in the City of the Tribes. Galway Vegan Foodies are on Meetup.com. You can find them at: http://www.meetup.com/ The-Galway-Vegan-Meetup-Group

The Irish Vegetarian - Issue 142

Purple Root Café Review by

Three of us set off from Galway on February 15 to visit the widely acclaimed raw vegan café, the Purple Root Café in Westport, Co. Mayo. Some of our group, the Galway Vegan Foodies, have made several trips in the past and I was really looking forward for a long time to this treat. We were delighted to be able to make this trip as weather had prevented us from going previously. This is a raw vegan café, set on a vibrant part of the main street in Westport and it is very easy to find. The atmosphere of the café is warm and friendly and the menu is concise but gives plenty of options. I was dying to try the starter of crackers and crudités which did not disappoint. They consisted of an array of healthy ingredients including crackers and a type of bread made up of sunflower seeds and sundried tomatoes with shards of palate cleansing cucumber and a sunflower dip or “cheese”. What was spectacular about the cheese was that I wasn’t able to identify what it was made of because it had been blended so well. My own efforts at home later to copy the flavours and texture can only be described as pitiful. The equipment that the kitchen has is state of the art and the chef’s understanding of flavours and how they go together is impressive. Perhaps somewhat inappropriately for vegans, we wolfed down the crackers. There were many wonderful smoothies and juices on offer but we all opted for water, feeling that there might be a little too much raw food. For the main course, I had courgette pasta with sundried tomatoes which was served with a side salad. The sauce was made up of basil, olive and red peppers. The salad was dressed with an absolutely mouth-watering cashew mayonnaise. I had to ask what it was because again, the blending was so good and the flavours so delicious that it was just sublime. I had the large portion at €10 so I could share but medium portions are €8.50, so are very reasonably priced. Another one of us had the tartlet with sundried tomato and it was all I could do not to scoff his share also. The third member of our group had the gluten-free, wheatfree wrap with sunflower seed cheese filling and mixed salad, which cost €7. She also said that her lunch was delicious. 18

Maureen O’Sullivan, VSI Chairperson

Thankfully the Purple Root Café serves coffee because while I’m all for healthy eating, in my view, the jury’s out on the caffeine debate and I do like a shot of the dark stuff, especially when I’m planning to indulge in dessert. On this particular occasion, I treated myself to two – the chocolate mousse and the chocolate brownie. The mousse was my favourite as it was light and airy and very “moreish”. I had also indulged heavily by that stage! Other desserts included raw vegan cheesecake and dark chocolate. We left, very satisfied, promising to return soon, cursing the fact that they don’t have a branch in Galway and feeling very virtuous, very health and very full!

meetup reviews Boteco Brazil restaurant on Ormond Quay is very popular among Brazilians living in - and visiting - Dublin. When our Meetup group went there they prepared a vegan meal especially for us, consisting of Brazilian feijoada (black beans and rice) and a wide variety of salads. We had the back of the restaurant to ourselves, which allowed the fifteen of us plenty of space to chat.

This is the list of salads Potato mayo Mix of leaves Couscous Buckwheat Cucumber Tomatoes Beetroot

Vinagrette Grated raw carrot Coleslaw Penne salad Bean salad Rocket

While the chef can make a selection of vegetarian or vegan salads for diners, Here’s what our members said: “Really, lovely, tasty, fresh food with fantastic please note that the salads available on any people. Thanks Miren! Great venue as well.” given day may be different to those listed here. “Great place, great hosting and amazing food! Photo ©Miren-Maialen Samper Thanks!!!!!”

Vegetarian Society of Ireland Singles Quiz Night by Ian Byrne and Grace Hillis A while ago a group of us were in Cornucopia chatting about singles events and whether or not it might be possible to organise one for the VSI Meetup group. What could we do? Where could we have it? Would any guys show up or would it only be ladies?! Read on to find out! In the run up to Valentine’s Day, two of the VSI’s Meetup hosts (Sarah A and Sarah B) hosted a Vegetarian Society of Ireland Singles Quiz Night. There was a small gathering in Cornucopia an hour before the event started for those quiz goers who wanted to fuel their minds on delicious veggie food. The main event was in Doyle’s on College Street. There was chatting, drinks, laughs and of course a table quiz! We were tested on our knowledge of vegetarianism, veganism and other general topics and all questions were composed by Sarah A and Sarah B. Anyone that arrived who already had a partner had to wear a label so everyone knew that they were ‘taken’! Several teams were formed and the guy to girl ratio was divided as evenly as possible across all teams. The questions were interesting and at times so challenging that sometimes we scribbled out the right answer in favour of a wrong one! Note to self: Fanta is suitable for vegetarians and the founder of the Vegan Society is Donald Watson! Thankfully the quiz was D’eagraigh Cumann na Veigeatóirí tráthnóna gaelach le linn Seachtain na Gaeilge (choicís na Gaeilge!) i mbliaina. Bhuail grúpa feoilséantóírí le cheile i gCornocopia chun ár gcultúr agus ár dteanga Ghaelach a cheiliúradh le cairde agus strainséirí araon. D’fhreastail idir Ghaeilgeoirí líofa agus lucht na gcúpla focal ar an gcéad ócáid den chineál seo a eagraíodh sa phríomhchathair. Deis a bhí ann bualadh le daoine a bhfuil suim acu sa Ghaeilge agus daoine ar mhaith leo cúpla focail a fhoghlaim gan aon bhrú. D’itheamar béile blasta i gCornopcopia The Irish Vegetarian - Issue 142

Boteco Brazil restaurant by Miren-Maialen Samper

carried out in good spirits by all and not taken too seriously. Special thanks to one of the winning team members - Rod - who gave the crowd a lot of extra great laughs with his quick and quirky wit as he took over the stage to claim his PRIZES (yes he won a prize in the raffle too - congrats Rod!). At most Meetup events you will often see many familiar faces but on this occasion it was also great to see so many new faces turning out for this unique event. For those interested in the dating aspect of the evening there was a further opportunity for people to get to know each other after the quiz as many people from different tables remained behind and mingled together. We’re not sure if any wedding bells have materialised yet but we will keep you posted! While this was a free event, donations were accepted on the night to the VSI and three people joined the Society. The money raised came to €70.00. The two Sarahs were great on the microphone. Congrats to both of them for organising the quiz so well and for keeping things running smoothly. Many thanks to Cornucopia and to Doyle’s of College Street for allowing us to host this double event. If you’re a vegetarian or vegan interested in meeting a vegetarian or vegan partner check out Single Veggies Ireland on Facebook. If you have an idea for a datingstyle Meetup please let us know at socials@vegetarian.ie.

chomh maith le milseoga folláine. Eagraíodh tráth na gCeist i ndiaidh an dinnéar agus baineadh an-sult as. Bhí réimse leathan ceisteanna curtha orainn faoi shaol na Gaeilge agus ábhar ábhartha eile. Dár ndóigh bronnadh duaiseanna beaga breátha veigeatórach ar na buaiteoirí. Baineadh an-taitneamh as an ócáid agus táimid ag súil go mór le hócáidí cosúil leis amach anseo.

by Laura Ní Mháille 19

Party at wooden house in Tipperary Philip Marr, who has been a vegetarian since he was a toddler, is a multi-talented man. His hummus is legendary and his impressive building skills are visible for anyone lucky enough to be invited to one of his parties at his eco house in Co. Tipperary, which he holds several times a year. The house now boasts a new gazebo and a projector screen in the garden. People usually start arriving at the house at around 4pm and the atmosphere is very friendly. Not everyone is vegetarian but all the cooking is and, as there are several vegans, most of the food cooked is actually vegan (depending on the chef). On this occasion, when I arrived, I was informed that I had, in my absence, been appointed “chef-in-chief” with Jacob as my second-in-command. What a power trip!!! Philip’s kitchen is well-equipped and he always does a huge shop-up before arriving. Most people also bring along some food so the cupboards are well stocked and there is loads of space. The house is warm and gorgeous and very well designed. There’s a seating area in the kitchen, a living room alongside, a dining room running in parallel and a decking area outside which connects to the aforementioned gazebo and screen. The outside seating area faces south-east so it traps all the sun available and we were lucky with the weather this weekend. Having sorted out the democratic appointment of the cooking staff, Philip and his friends set up the sound system and regular visitors may or may not be relieved to note that the music has moved somewhat from its early roots (back in his 2010 parties) of drum and base to a more eclectic mix, sometimes accompanied by visual projections on the screen – well, you will have to visit to know more! Jacob and I decided to put the oven to good use and cooked up a Mediterranean medley of vegetables, a roasted vegetable and lentil curry concoction, a Mexican bean dish, couscous, Philip’s legendary hummus and a baked fruit dessert – all of which was eaten. We ate, drank and decided that we would all stay an extra day, seeing as it was a long weekend. After eating, the drinking began for some and continued for others and the mood was The Irish Vegetarian - Issue 142

Maureen O’Sullivan, VSI Chairperson

merry indeed. As some people availed of the sauna, others mingled and stayed up till the early hours or till the dawn. The next day was beautiful and several guests went for a walk after cleaning up. This day’s fare was a bit more adventurous as the chefs got into full swing and it really is a delight to see what you’ll find in the cupboard. We cooked up a spicy stir fry, a different lentil curry, and a tomato and chickpea dish with salad, rice and couscous. For dessert, there was fresh orange juice jelly made with agar, chocolate buckwheat blinis and a sweet tahini and lemon cream. Everyone pulled their weight and another night’s entertainment began. On Monday, Eve and Jacob took care of brunch. Eve made a gorgeous salad of corn, tomato, red onion and avocado and Jacob made up some delicious toasts – some with feta and some without and a fried mushroom dish. We all cleaned up and finally left having failed to extract from Philip a precise date on which he would be holding his next party! We live in hope.

the scenes and to let them know that there are kinder ways.” A main focuses of ARAN’s work is campaigning to end the use of animals in circuses. While many town and city councils throughout the country have passed motions to ban them, Kilkenny has yet to follow suit. John encouraged Vegetarian Kilkenny members not to feel discouraged and to persevere with educating local councillors about the cruelty involved.

ARAN’s John Carmody visits Vegetarian Kilkenny by

Aisling Hurley

We all have a role to play when it come to speaking out for animals. This is according to John Carmody of ARAN (Animal Rights Action Network) who was speaking at a recent Vegetarian Kilkenny meet up. He said that as vegetarians/vegans we are playing a vital role in the battle to end animal cruelty however he said that stronger action is needed if we want to see an end to the exploitation of animals in the long term. “Even though you are aware of the suffering and choose not to be a part of the problem you have to become vocal in one way or another. You can’t just lock your door and wish it would all go away,” he said. He encouraged people to volunteer an hour of their time to becoming active. He suggested contacting animal protection groups, organising or attending demonstrations when animal circuses are in town, writing letters to the Government or local newspapers or volunteering on campaigns with ARAN. He warned against being too militant however, as it can sometimes have the opposite affect and turn people off. He said that having a positive attitude encourages more people to listen and benefits animals more in the long run. He added that volunteers do not need to be vegetarian/ vegan to get involved in ARAN and that it is unfair to claim that meat eaters do not care about animals. “I was one of those people who just didn’t know. Very few of us are brought into this world with knowledge of all these animal issues,” he said. “Most people love animals but they don’t know what goes on behind the scenes in slaughter houses, factory farms and fur farms. As the saying goes ‘if slaughter houses had glass walls everyone would be vegetarian’. The goal of ARAN is to show people what’s going on behind 21

“In a few years time animal circuses and fur farms will be a thing of the past. We will look back in horror and wonder how we put animals through that for entertainment,” he said. “In the last few years we have gone from six to four fur farms in Ireland so change is happening.” He also suggested that while Kilkenny is lucky to have vegan-friendly restaurants such as ‘Mug Shot Café’, we should ask for vegetarian/vegan dishes in restaurants that don’t offer them. “It will show that there is a market for it out there,” he said. Set up almost nineteen years ago, ARAN campaigns peacefully against all forms of animal abuse. The organization aims to end animal cruelty and exploitation and works towards building a kinder, more compassionate society that respects all animals. Anyone can get involved in ARAN’s national campaigns, educational programmes, grassroots activism, celebrity campaigns and popular events. Contact them through their Facebook page or by logging onto www.aran.ie. Vegetarian Kilkenny have been running since 2009. They regularly host ‘No Meat And Greet’ events where vegetarians, vegans and even meateaters are invited to bring a dish to share. The events provide a wonderful opportunity for people to meet up with like-minded people in their area. The variety of dishes is amazing with food from all over the world available. Families and young children are also welcome. People can follow ‘Vegetarian Kilkenny’ on Facebook to hear about future ‘No Meat And Greet’ events. John’s talk was also attended by Kilkenny Cats Rescue who are actively campaigning to set up Kilkenny’s first cat sanctuary. People can also follow their activities through their Facebook page.

recip

Louisa Moss

Dairy-free Chocolate and Banana ‘Cheesecake’ I needed to make a dessert today for lunch and didn’t have time to to go out to the shops. I wanted to make a cake and it needed to be chocolaty so that my guests and I would have our chocolate fix for the day. This is very easy, quick recipe and doesn’t require much setting time. We ate it with dairy-free vanilla ice-cream and raspberry sorbet. Difficulty level - Easy Equipment needed: Blender/food processor Large mixing bowl 18 cm loose bottomed cake tin Ingredients: For the base you will need: 300gr oat biscuits like Hobnobs or Lidl Oaties 40gr nuts (I used 20gr of pecans and 20gr of cashews) 40gr dark chocolate chips 70gr Pure soya margarine For the top: 60gr cocoa powder, sifted 1 ripe avocado 4 ripe bananas 40gr icing sugar, sifted A few drops of vanilla essence Method:

To serve: Remove from the tin, cut in to slices and enjoy! Top Tip: If you don’t have a loose bottomed cake tin, you could use wine glasses to make up individual portions.

THE PORRIDGE DILEMMA Have you ever made porridge in the morning only to find out that everyone has made their own arrangements as far as breakfast is concerned and rushed off only to leave you with the cold congealed mess sitting in the bottom of the pot? What to do – well you could keep it for tomorrow mornings’ breakfast and re heat it or you could try something completely different and here is how! Ingredients: For every 8oz cup of cooked porridge you will need: 1 x large free range egg 1 heaped tablespoon castor sugar 1 x tablespoon oil plus extra for frying (I use sunflower oil) ¾ cup organic buckwheat* flour ¼ cup coconut milk ½ teaspoon baking powder Method: 1. Combine all the ingredients. Beat well with a mixer. 2. Leave the mixture to rest for about 10 minutes. 3. Drop spoonfulls into an oiled pan. 4. Fry until the upper surface has bubbles. 5. Turn with a spatula and fry on the other side. 6. Serve with butter and jam or maple syrup. *A little note on buckwheat. Inspite of its name having wheat in the last part, buckwheat is not a wheat at all and is gluten free. Use gluten free oats to make the recipe suitable for ceoliacs.

Base Put the biscuits, the nuts and the chocolate drops into the food processor and blend together until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Pour it into the large mixing bowl. Melt the margarine, then pour it into the dry crumb mixture and mix well. Put the mixture into the cake tin, pressing it down with the back of a spoon. Place it in the fridge. While the base is chilling in the fridge, make the topping. Topping Rinse your food processor and large bowl and dry them. Place the avocado flesh, the four bananas, the cocoa powder and the icing sugar into the food processor and blend until smooth. Pour into The Irish Vegetarian - Issue 142

Dennise Waldron

the mixing bowl, mix in the vanilla essence and check that mixture is smooth. Tip chocolate mixture into the cake tin on top of the base and smooth the top with the back of a spoon. Put the ‘cheesecake’ into the fridge for at least an hour.

VSI Annual General Meeting 2014 The AGM took place in Outhouse in Dublin City Centre on Saturday, 14 June. Maureen O’Sullivan gave a presentation on the activities of VSI and Martin O’Reilly presented on World Vegetarian Day. Eithne Brew gave an update on the accounts and membership. As regards the magazine, the possibilities of it being made available as a PDF or provided via a web link were discussed. Details of the 2014-2015 committee members are below. Eithne, Martin O’Sullivan and Juliana Pereira didn’t seek re-election. They were thanked for all the work they did during their time on the Committee. After the AGM the group went for lunch in Falafel Lounge on Dame Street. Six people then went on to Cornucopia for dessert!

Grace Hillis

Maureen O’Sullivan

Martin O’Reilly

Sarah Allen

Louisa Moss

Mary Minihane

Marcin Starzyk

Maureen O’Sullivan - Chairperson. Previously Secretary of the Society, Maureen is a regular contributor to the Magazine and is also involved in national outreach. She is also a Fellow of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics and is based in Galway. Grace Hillis - Vice Chairperson. Grace was previously Magazine Coordinator with the VSI. She enjoys organising Meetups and assisting with other events such as the annual vegan bake sale. She has been actively involved with the VSI for the last six years. Sarah Allen - Secretary. Sarah has been involved with the VSI for the last 18 months. She mainly arranges Meetups but also assists in other Society events such as the bake sale. Martin O’Reilly - Martin has been involved with the Society for many years. He has held the position of Membership Secretary and is currently the Society’s Researcher. He is a lead organiser of World Vegetarian Day. Martin has a keen interest in writing. Mary Minihane - A Raw Food Vegan from Cork, Mary is new to the committee and is taking over the roles of Membership Secretary and Treasurer. Mary has been a vegetarian for more than 40 years. Louisa Moss - Having been a member of the VSI for many years, Louisa was asked to join the committee as an Honorary Member in 2013 and was elected to PRO in 2014 and has recently become involved with production of the magazine. Louisa is living in Meath, and is mummy to two young and enthusiastic vegetarians. Marcin Starzyk - Graphic Designer. Marcin is new to the committee. He is involved in producing the magazine. He designs marketing materials such as posters or leaflets and he likes to help out with photography.

The Irish Vegetarian - Issue 142

Vegetarian Society of Ireland

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Cork City (run by Caroline Dwyer (Bowles), a dedicated and caring acupuncturist). Tel Caroline: 087 2516528. www.corkacupunctureclinic. com [10% off Acupuncture treatments]

Holistic.ie Ireland’s importer and distributor of Vitamineral GreenTM Cornucopia Restaurant, 19/20 [20% discount] Wicklow, St., Dublin 2, http://www. cornucopia.ie [10% discount] Lake Isle Retreats, Inish Rath Island, Upper Lough Erne, Derrylin, Co. D.A.F. Clinic, Lancashire, 17 Fermanagh, BT92 9GN. (Short Breaks, Inglewood Rd, Rainford, St Helens, Workshops in vegetarian cookery, Lancashire, WA11 7QL. Email: meditation and yoga). Tel: 086 1608108. dafclinic@hotmail.co.uk or Tel: +44 www.inisrath.com [10% discount] 1744 884173 / +44 7050 396611 [25% off Chiropody / Podiatry / Auricular Moher House B+B, Drummin, Therapy / Reflexology (Merseyside & Westport, www.moherhousewestport.com Manchester) & 50% on vegetarian and [10% discount for members] vegan nutritional therapy and profiling (by post, fax & email)] Nature’s Gold, Healthfood Store, 1 Killincarrig Road, Greystones, Co Delhi O’Deli, 12 Moore Street, Dublin Wicklow. Tel: 01 2876301[10% discount] 1. The first Indian fast food (also known as “street food”) & Indian vegetarian Newtownpark Clinic, 7 Rockville restaurant in Ireland. Tel. (01) 872 9129 Road, Blackrock, Co Dublin Ciara www.delhiodeli.com [10% discount] Murphy MH Ir RGN (Master Herbalist and Colon Therapist) is offering Down to Earth **NEW** 10% discount on all treatments, 73 South Great Georges Street consultations and workshops. Tel: 01 Dublin 2. They supply a comprehensive 210 8489 www.irishherbalist.ie range of health food supplements, vitamins, organic foods and Quay Co-op, 24 Sullivans Quay, Cork aromatherapy oils. 10% discount (cash) www.quaycoop.com [10% discount in & 5% discount (card payments)}] the shops]

Arusha Fair Trade, www. arushafairtrade.com, online gift store (fairly traded gifts including jewellery, bags, home accessories & children’s items.) Email info@arushafairtrade. com mentioning the VSI in the subject Dónall na Gealaí, Gift Shop, line, and you will get a discount code Claregate St., Kildare Town (books, by return. [10% discount] CDs, essential oils, candles & crystals). Tel: 045 533634. www.donallnagealai.ie Ballymaloe House, Shanagarry, Co. [10% discount] Cork. (021) 4652531 www.ballymaloe. com [10% off vegetarian dishes] Flying Baby Cake Company, An exclusively gluten free bakery, Be Organic, fresh, local, seasonal all products are vegetarian and organic fruit & vegetables + 100s any orders can be easily adapted other sustainably farmed organic to be vegan too. They are a scratch products delivered direct to your door. bakery and make cakes and cupcakes Tel: 01 8385552. www.beorganic.ie for all occasions. Tel: 0857373729 [5% discount] www.flyingbabycakecompany.com [5% discount on orders] Blazing Salads, 42 Drury St, Dublin 2. Discount can only be availed of at Freelance translator, Patricia Tricker their Drury Street premises and can MCIL Cert Ed (FE), working into not be availed of in conjunction with English from French, German, Italian any other offer (such as in-house & Spanish specializing in economics, promotions and the loyalty card finance, accountancy, company law & scheme). http://www.blazingsalads. archaeology. Tel/fax: +44 1677 450176 com [15% discount] or email translation@phonecoop.coop [10% discount] Clare Island Retreat Centre, Ballytoohey, Clare Island, Co Mayo. Govinda’s 18 Merrion Row, Dublin Tel: 087 2621832. www.yogaretreats. 2 and Govinda’s 4 Aungier Street, ie or www.yoga-ireland.com [10% Dublin 2 are great places to drop in for discount on yoga and vegetarian lunch or a takeaway. www.govindas.ie cooking courses at the Clare Island [10% discount applies in both retreat centre] restaurants, discount not applicable in the Middle Abbey St restaurant] Cocoa Bean Artisan Chocolates Company, Limerick. Tel: 087 7594820 Greenway Emporium, Market Yard, w w w. c o c o a b e a n c h o c o l a t e s . c o m Bridge Street, Boyle, Co Roscommon [discount on application] (Run by a family of vegetarians, the shop has a range of health foods, Cork Acupuncture Clinic, 50 natural toiletries, baby care products, Cornmarket Street (Above Dervish), relaxing music, organic aromatherapy 24

oils, plus Fair Trade and ethicallytraded.) Tel: 071 9664090 [10% off all purchases over €20].

Sunyata Retreat Centre, Snata, Sixmilebridge, Co Clare. Tel: 061 367-073. A spacious haven outside the bustle of modern life, Sunyata is perfectly situated for relaxation, meditation, and contemplation. www.sunyatacentre.org [10% discount on retreats and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction] The Happy Pear, Church Road, Greystones, Co. Wicklow (natural food market with an organic and nonorganic produce section, a dried goods section, a world-class smoothie bar, café and restaurant). Tel: 01-2873655. http://www.thehappypear.ie [5% discount] The Hopsack, Health food store, Swan Centre, Rathmines, Dublin 6. Tel/fax 01- 4960399. Proprietor: Erica Murray. www.hopsack.ie [5% discount] The Phoenix Restaurant and B&B, Castlemaine, Co. Kerry. http://www. thephoenixrestaurant.ie [10% discount] Tivydale Shoes **NEW** VSI member discount: £10.00 per order Vegan shoes, boots and sandles. www.tivydale.com Enter the discount code vgnsoc into the checkout coupon Well and Good, Health Food Store, Coolbawn, Midleton, Co Cork. Tel: 021 4633499 [5% discount] The Irish Vegetarian - Issue 142