Ve ga ni s m T hr o ugh t heAge s VegTravel I s r aeland Sout hFl or i da
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Anci ent Grai n Reci pes
Dr . J ame s L oomi s :
Ph y s i c i a n T r a n s f o r ma t i o n
ISRAEL - THE LAND OF NON-DAIRY MILK AND BEE-FREE HONEY
ish Israeli breakfast, vegetable curry, and chia fritters. The restaurant’s vegan menu rolled out around two years ago, and is now featured in all of the restaurant’s 110 locations throughout Israel, according to Ilia Leibin, owner of Café Greg at Tel Aviv’s seaside port. The concept of entirely replacing meat and dairy for a plant-based diet has gained popularity in Israel over the last several years, and vegan activists believe it’s more than just a passing trend. An estimated 5% of Israel’s citizens are vegan, says Omri Paz, founder of non-profit Vegan Friendly in Israel. The demand for dairy milk in local supermarkets is decreasing, and soy and non-dairy products increasing, says Paz. With a population somewhere around 8 million people, Israel is believed to have the largest populations of vegans in the world. Israel’s Vegan Festival debuted in 2014 and attracted some 15,000 participants, according to organ-
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izers. This year the festival is expected to draw larger crowds as an increasing number of citizens are adopting a plant based diet. Paz attributes the growing trend to a number of factors, stemming from a viral YouTube video featuring animal-rights activist Gary Yourofsky. The sub-titled video racked up at least 1 million views on YouTube, left an indelible mark. “Social media is big here and allows us to show what goes on in the factory farming and (for consumers) to see the meaning of what they eat, and the consequences when they eat an egg or dairy product,” says Paz. Over the last several years, Israeli television programs featured undercover investigations showing animal abuse and cruelty on dairy farms and slaughterhouses, inspiring local celebrities, models, and public figures to advocate the benefits of a crueltyfree, plant-based diet.
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ISRAEL - THE LAND OF NON-DAIRY MILK AND BEE-FREE HONEY
In Israel, military service is mandatory for young men and women. As young conscripts started to demand more vegan options, the Israel Defense Forces changed their menus, offering healthier meat and dairy free options in their mess halls. Vegan Israeli soldiers are also provided leather-free combat boots and wool-free berets. Roaming the cosmopolitan streets of Tel Aviv, it is common to find the “Vegan-Friendly” decal in hundreds of local eateries and brasseries. Restaurant chain Domino’s Pizza – one of the sponsors of Vegan Fest in Israel – also added a vegan pizza to their menu, and now some of their franchises around the world are following suit.
Visit an Israeli hummuseriya, using warm pita to scoop freshly ground chickpeas decorated with tehina, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley and a dollop of spicy pepper, and you will never look at the prepackaged cold grocery variety quite the same. American expat Inbal Baum leads Delicious Israel - a culinary experiential tour company, bringing tourists largely from North America to experience Israel through its food culture. “Everything is so fresh here and vegan friendly,” she says. Ironically, one of her popular vegan food destinations is actually a meat restaurant. “They throw 30 fresh salads on the table and you don’t have to
Plant-based cuisine has always been a staple in the Israeli diet, small locally-owned eateries serving up fresh hummus, falafel, tehina, and all the fixings, on practically every street corner.
order the meat,” she says. “That’s the basis of how we eat here, fresh produce and farm to table, we’ve been doing it throughout our history.”
About the Author
Dana Shemesh is a freelance writer based in Atlanta, Georgia. A native of Tel Aviv, she frequently travels to Israel with her husband and two boys. Dana currently works in PR and Communications for the Israel Ministry of Tourism, and is a former documentary producer at CNN. She has written for CNN.com, BBC, Associated Press, TravelGirl, PLATE Online, Inquisitr, and The Jerusalem Post.
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FASHION WITH COMPASSION
K
nighted by Nylon magazine as “The World’s First All-Vegan Fashion Brand,” Vaute Couture (Haute Couture with a V for Vegan) is a Brooklyn-based fashion house offering coats made of 100% vegan and eco materials. Launched in the summer of 2009 and shown during New York Fashion Week in 2013 as the first vegan fashion label, Vaute was founded by Chicagoan Leanne Maily Hilgart. Hilagart’s activism began at the tender age eight when she rounded up a group of friends to create arts & crafts, selling them door to door to raise money for local shelter animals. In high school, she protested against cat dissection in classrooms which eventually pushed a bill into Illinois law that required alternatives to be given to all students. Being a Chicago native, Hilgart was on “a quest to take animals out of the fashion equation, and create the perfect winter dress coat warm enough for a Chicago winter.” She succeeded by using the same cutting edge mills that work with Patagonia and North Face, resulting in a fashionable product with the warmth and protection of a ski coat.
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FASHION WITH COMPASSION
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APPLE PANCAKES WITH CRUNCHY STEEL CUT OATS
method 1. Chop 2 small apples of choice (I like Granny Smith) and add about ½ cup brown sugar, 2-3 Tablespoons blackstrap molasses, juice from 1/2 orange (or 1 lemon), 1teaspoon salt, 2 Tablespoons cinnamon, 1-2 pinches of freshly ground nutmeg.
• 1.5 cups plant milk of choice (if too thick add more 1tbsp at a time, if too thin do the same with either flour) • Couple heaping tbsp light tasting oil of choice (or use coconut or almond oil for a nice little surprise!)
2. Mix so apples are coated and let sit for 10 minutes.
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract to bring out the cocoa and smooth out the palate
3. Add to saucepan and bring to boil. Lower heat to simmer.
7. Add wet ingredients to dry mixing constantly and finally mix in the apples including sauce.
4. Simmer ten minutes while you’re making the batter
Feel free to save a couple of tablespoons for topping!
5. Remove from heat. 6. In a separate bowl mix together wet ingredients as follows:
Enjoy with maple syrup and powdered organic (make sure it’s organic if vegan) white sugar! If you’re gluten-free, you may be able to substitute the flour for oat or tigernut flour though I haven’t tried it!
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Mediterranean
Farro Salad by Amy Johnson
Farro is an ancient wheat grain (also called “emmer�) that is a showstopper in salads, with fruit, as a breakfast grain, and even as a traditional pasta replacement. It has a slight chewiness (al dente) to it, so it is heartier than pasta and is often used in place of it. This farro salad (with a Mediterranean flair) is perfect to make for a luncheon, a potluck, or for your lunches next week!
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