Happy Mondays headline VegfestUK Bristol’s tenth birthday party
Happy Mondays headline VegfestUK Bristol’s tenth birthday party May 25th 2013
The original Happy Mondays are on course to headline a 5,000 capacity outdoor gig in the heart of Bristol next May as they take centre stage at VegfestUK Bristol’s tenth birthday party on Saturday May 25th 2013, along with support from 808 State and The Farm, plus a DJ slot from Peter Hook (New Order/Joy Division).
And with Caravan Palace headlining Friday, with support from Kitten and the Hip and The Boxettes, and The Abyssinians heading up the reggae sunsplash on Sunday with Macka B, Bristol is in for a musical as well as foodie treat as VegfestUK Bristol comes of age and goes into double figures as one of the longest established and most successful independent food and music events in Bristol.
Around 25,000 visitors are expected over the three day festival, many of them from out of town, and many of them experiencing the delights of 100% plant based food for the first time too – VegfestUK Bristol is the world’s biggest veggie event and there are no animal products permitted at the event.
During the daytime (11am – 6pm Saturday and Sunday) visitors can expect a feast of different cuisine from across the globe, along with 125 stalls crammed with goodies including food, bodycare, clothes, fashion and accessories, and campaigns merchandise as well as information in abundance about the benefits of the plant based lifestyle, along with recipes, nutritional information, cookery demos, talks, a cinema and a host of entertainment including comedy hours, live music and performance. Admission is only £2 adults and £1 kids/claimants/OAP’s during the daytime up to 6pm (pay on gate).
Then in the evenings the Main Stage takes over proceedings and some of the biggest headliners to ever grace an outdoor stage in Bristol take centre point and crank up the PA for some fantastic sessions on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening. Admission to the Friday and Saturday evening events is by advance ticket only – there are no tickets available on the gate. Tickets for Friday (Caravan Palace) are priced £15 + fees, and for Saturday (Happy Mondays, 808 State, The Farm, Peter Hook) its £25 + fees. Sunday (The Abyssinians, Macka B) admission is £5 after 6pm, pay on gate. Tickets available from www.bristol.vegfest.co.uk and from www.theticketsellers.co.uk.
And with an after-hours parties on Saturday too, it looks like Bristol and veggies in particular will be spending most of the weekend eating and dancing – a great way to celebrate 10 years as this event enters its second decade, having been established in 2003 as an annual event in the heart of Bristol.
For more information about VegfestUK Bristol, see www.bristol.vegfest.co.uk. VegfestUK has two other shows in 2013 – one in Brighton (March 16th 17th) and one in London (October 5th 6th) – see www.vegfest.co.uk for information.
The event is sponsored by Oatly, Goodlife, Redwood Foods, Fry’s Distribution, Nakd, Bute Island, Yaoh, Eco Vegan Shoes, Sunseed Organics, The Vegan Society, Sustainable Transport, Out of Hand,Vegfund and Koko Dairy Free, along with media partners Excellart, Veggie Vision, Foods for Life, Resurgence Magazine and Vegetarian Living.
See u there!! www.vegfest.co.uk
Orchard, Macka B and Dr Ro – Karin Ridgers Vegetarian Living Column
Karin Ridgers Vegetarian Living Column
Get the PDF here Karin’s column or read below! :O)
Most delicious meal:
Just pop across the road at Holborn and there you will find the little sister of Vanilla Black a new relaxed style ideal for a smart lunchtime treat at Orchard – the Vegetarian Kitchen.
Wonderfully decorated with reclaimed and old fashioned pieces Orchard just feels different to a regular restaurant – and this is what they wanted. A place where you feel like you are in a friend’s kitchen.
There are always vegan options on the menu and while my friend (the rather super Jamie Coombs the owner of scrummy Nak’d bars) enjoyed a gorgeous fresh sandwich with homemade bread and 3 different salads I opted for the Roasted Shallot and Hazelnut Tart, Wilted Greens and Sweet Onion. And rather delicious it was too.
We tried some new fresh juices and checked out the rest of the menu – planning for next time!
Just one vegan desert, however I was so full that I asked for a half size portion and they brought me a gorgeous little Seasonal Fruit Stew, Oat Clusters and Cinnamon Cream….
A great place to have a relaxed meeting, enjoy a veggie breakfast before starting work or treat yourself to a fresh tasty veggie lunch.
I am rather jealous of the lucky people who work near there!
A super place and would be even better with some more vegan options……
See Vanilla Blacks website for more info:www.vanillablack.co.uk
New friend:
Macka B – we have had some super chats and I am so excited to be working with his on his new album…..Change the World.
Macka B is much loved all over the world and brings his vegan message into his lyrics… I adore WhatMaEat – see the video on VeggieVision TV!
Great book
I have known Dr Rohan Weerasinghe for many years and so excited to be reading his new book…..The Bald Truth. Packed with tips and advice to ‘Tune in and get inspired’!
Rohan walks his talk and adores being vegetarian. He has inspired thousands of people all over the world and check out VeggieVision TV for updates of his amazing events that can change your life.
www.rohanlive.com
Best laugh:
Doing the outside broadcast at the Olympics with BBC Essex – the power of having a microphone in your hand allows you to chat to anyone. Remembering the brightly coloured French and Dutch supporters and also the nearly naked Italian supporters somehow still makes me smile!
Until next time peeps!
Karin xx
Indian Summer Brighton – modern Gujarati restaurant with decent vegan choices
A massive welcome to our new team player the most fabulous writer and vegan extraordinaire Andrea Wren (Huge round of applause.. ) :O)
Indian Summer Brighton – modern Gujarati restaurant with decent vegan choices
By Andrea Wren (freelance journalist and vegan food blogger at Chocolate and Beyond)
Gujarati flavours abound with the taste sensations that were presented to me and my dining companion at Indian Summer in Brighton. And what a delight to find out that Manesh Agnihotri, the restaurant owner, was taught to cook by his mother – who was vegetarian. Though ten years ago, before opening Indian Summer, Manesh’s was making medical prosthetics!
I do say, it made a refreshing change to go to an Indian restaurant and not see a menu that was listing onion bhajis, samosas, bhuna, madras, korma and dupiaza. And Indian Summer is anything but those out-dated and British-geared dishes that overwhelm the choice at your standard ‘curry house’. In fact, Indian Summer is also anything but a curry house.
Modern browns and chocolates in a low-lit, romantic setting create a relaxed but sophisticated ambience, so far removed from flock wallpaper and lights too bright. And the restaurant was clearly popular, since we had just managed to get the only table free.
Restaurant manager Tim was very knowledgeable on the dishes more than happy to give us the low-down on the vegan dining options, and they were very adequate. Also – they were well-referenced with a vegan symbol to indicate, as were the gluten-free options.
We started with a small tasting portion of the speciality there, Bhel Puri, which is vegan on request (minus the yoghurt). This was a delicious little crunchy bowl of puffed rice, onion, tomato, chick peas and also crisp sticks of gram flour (like a sophisticated Bombay mix and salad combo, but much nicer). It was fresh and light, and an unusual starter.
As part of our more substantial starter, I adored the Veg Manchurian – dumplings made with carrot, cauliflower and cabbage, stir-fried with a spicy peppers and spring onions. And for main we enjoyed the Gujarati favourite on the menu – the Vegetable Thali.
This was a mixed platter of vegetable-based curries and daal came along with pickles and spicy fried potatoes, as well as a roti bread and some poppadum. The coconut chutney was a perfect accompaniment.
We were also given a rhubarb sorbet to cleanse the palate between dishes – sharp, tangy flavours and just enough sweetness made this utterly divine. I wish there’d been more of the the sorbet – but just because I liked it so much, not because it wasn’t the right amount for the purpose it was serving. However, we were definitely able to fill our boots on the portions of food overall.
While the vegan options are not extensive over the other menu choices, the standard of the vegan dishes and the creativity and imagination that has gone into them makes up for this. Two courses at Indian Summer will set you back £22.75 at dinner, with 3 courses at £27.98. For the quality of food and service, it’s very much worth it.
Indian Summer: www.indian-summer.org.uk
Celebrate St George’s Day!
My super friend Giles has a FAB event next week – please do pop along and tell others too!
Details of the St George’s Day Celebrations in the historic and beautiful market town of Saffron Walden, Essex this year on Tuesday April 23rd.
Now that the sun is shining and the trees are blossoming we can really appreciate the myth and magic behind St George. What a time of year to appreciate our beautiful land and celebrate St George’s Day!
Saffron Walden is a place where there is a true revival of the spirit of St George taking place.
This years event is a real community affair with a full day and evening of music and merriment with the Dragon and entourage stopping at historic sites, schools, churches, special needs centres and a finale concert in the evening.
The event is organised by Giles Bryant, founder of World Healing Project and an expert of the folklore and mythology of our very own Patron Saint, whose folk song “George and the Dragon” will ring out throughout the day.
The event will be a colourful community celebration and Giles and team encourage everyone to come along and enjoy what will be a tremendous day.
11am Common Labyrinth
11.30am Castle Mound
12 noon St Mary’s Church for songs and prayers for St George with Revd. David Tomlinson
12.30pm Holy Well
1.00pm Folk Music and English Wines at Joseph Barnes
1.45pm Music in the market square
2.00pm 24-bit The Perpetual Choirs album launch at Chew and Osbourne
3.00pm Essex Cares, Centre for Learning Disabilities
The evening charity concert will now take place at Friends Meeting House, High Street, Saffron Walden at 7.30pm and will feature music from The Perpetual Choirs.
Tickets are £5 for adults and £1 for children.
More details from 01799 521966, info@worldhealingproject.com, www.worldhealingproject.com
I Am Sooo Excited – It’s Turing Point This Weekend!
I am sooo excited as this weekend I am seeing my super friend Dr Ro in action in Birmingham… I will be telling you more about this exciting event too.
You too can come along too you know… do have a look at the website and see if being part of this exciting journey to live the life you want to lead is for you!
It is for me!
Dr Ro is the human re engineer – we will be looking at relationship issues, financial issues and health too.
I am sooo excited!
See Dr Ro on VeggieVision TV too :O)
So who is Dr Rohan Weerasinghe and what is your Turning Point?
For almost two decades, Dr Rohan Weerasinghe has been speaking to audiences in the fields of education, inspiration, personal growth, business and wealth creation. He now travels the world delivering an inspiring message that empowers people to live a more purposeful, exciting and fulfilling life.
It wasn’t always this way for Rohan and as a young boy he watched his father suffer multiple strokes, come paralysed in one side and blind, whilst his mother worked two jobs to feed both him and his two brothers.
“Losing my father at the age of 13 was a major Turning Points in my life” says Rohan.
He is quick to point out that this was one of many Turning Points that include a divorce, walking away from a career with a PhD, failure and success in business and seeing his mum experience cancer.
However, what draws so many people to watch Rohan speak again and again is his passionate belief that we all have the ability to turn any situation around on a personal and business level.
Having touched ten of thousands of lives, Rohan is now recognised as one of the UK’s most inspiring speakers. He is called upon by companies, seminar organisers, sales organisations, training companies, charities, colleges and universities to deliver his powerful impactful message.
Rohan published an Amazon Best Selling book Turning Point which he has also developed into three a day intensive program. This has proved to an invaluable resource to 1000’s of people.
Dee Andersone, based in Essex lost over 6 stone in a year after seeing Dr Ro and taking part in the 3 day Turning Point event– she says:
“Having had the chance to learn my core values and beliefs has given me my life back.
I am now a healthy, happy and confident woman. I cannot put into words how grateful I am to Rohan, his team and the people that were there developing their own turning points that weekend. It truly is life changing stuff.”
The process and tools Rohan shares help to provide rapid and lasting change for anyone prepared to apply them correctly.
See more about Dr Ro at www.drro.tv
Loch Ness Monster Burger suitable for those on vegan diets
McDonalds Restaurants will celebrate 40 years of Loch Ness Monster research with a ‘better than meat’ sea horse flavour Loch Ness Monster Burger suitable for those on vegan diets and approved by the UK Vegan & Vegetarian Society. Burgers are said to be being biked over to Vegan celebrities such as Russell Brand and Sir Paul McCartney today for feedback. The burger chain have launched the new menu idea in response to a *40% surge in demand for vegan foods. (* Vegfest UK 2013)In 1973, Adrian Shine ( Vegetarian , 60 ) , leader of the Loch Ness & Morar Project , near Inverness in Scotland, constructed the manned underwater observation chamber “Machan”. He subsequently led over 1000 students and lay volunteers on expeditions, training them to observe, sample and record data. In more recent collaborations, projects have involved workers from some 20 universities and academic institutions within the UK and overseas.It’s thought that a vegan monster burger would be a fitting way to mark Adrian Shines’s 40 year quest to find The Loch Ness Monster especially as Adrian Shine is a long term vegetarian himself. The Big McMonster has been developed with help from author of the Ultimate Book of Vegan Cooking , Tony Bishop-Weston and leading UK Nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston. The secret vegan recipe is a closely guarded unique blend of quinoa, amaranth, chlorella, buckwheat, hemp and chia seeds.
Yvonne says “This new recipe beats meat not just on flavour, but also on nutrition as it contains more vitamins B 12, A, K, and D, more iron, more zinc, more fibre, more calcium, more anti oxidants and much more omega 3 essential fats than a hamburger or a beef burger. Because it is 100% plant based the recipe is also free from saturated animal fat and risk of BSE and E-Coli contamination and environmentally sustainable.”
The burger will be served with a new realistic, Swiss, dairy free cheese, Vegusto being launched at Natural and Organic Products Europe n April and a mayo by Plamil foods made using an algae derived omega 3 EPA /DHA additive.
1p from the sale of every burger will go towards sponsorship of James Cameron’s deep water project to fully explore Loch Ness. James holds the record for diving deeper than any man on the planet had ever done before and believes you can’t call yourself an environmentalist and not be a vegan.
It’s possible that James’s quest may be fruitless as Loch Ness local resident, John McKenzie, claims to have eaten the Loch Ness Monster on his way back to Ullapool one night after a heavy session involving some Bulgarian watch and caviar salesmen and lots of whiskey.
John McKenzie reveals “I was walking back to Ullapool from Drumnadrochit when I came across a beast in the middle of the road that had clearly been hit by a truck. I was quite hungry, having missed my dinner the night before and with breakfast time approaching, I built a fire and I barbecued the thing and ate it. I’m quite fond of venison. It was only when the sun started coming over the hills and I realised that the creature’s head was a bit strange for a hind, the neck was far longer than normal and the legs were more like oars. It suddenly dawned on me that I had eaten the Loch Ness Monster. Fearful that information like this, the death of the Loch Ness monster, could devastate an economy that depends on a buoyant tourist industry I used the fins to paddle out to the centre of Loch Ness on a log and dispose of the evidence”
A local expert said however “The Loch Ness Monster that John Mackenzie reports eating is far smaller than most of the reports of sightings we have recorded at The Loch Ness Project. It’s possible this could have been a youngster in which case it would give hope rather than finality to our quest”
Editors Notes
Embargoed until April 1st
Google, VefestUK, Vegan Society and Vegetarian Society all report 40 % rise in interest in vegan diets in 2013
Vegfest UK is at Bristol on 24th/ 25th / 26th May for National Vegetarian Week and London Olympia on October 5th/ 6th and celebrates it’s 10th Anniversary with the Vegfest Awards
Vegfest London Tickets on sale from http://london.vegfest.co.uk/news/38-tickets-on-sale-for-london
* We LOVE Tony Bishop Weston :O)Ensuring Adequate Iron Intake from a Vegan Diet
Ensuring Adequate Iron Intake from a Vegan Diet
Anaemia is a health problem worldwide, affecting around 1.6 billion people across the globe. Symptoms include extreme tiredness, breathlessness and impaired mental function, which can not only impact on day to day activities, but can impair quality of life. Although anaemia can have a variety of causes, it is most commonly due to a deficiency of iron.
While this can be due to increased losses of iron, as in the case with digestive disorders such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and coeliac disease where malabsorption is a feature, it is most commonly the result of inadequate dietary iron.
Children and younger women are most susceptible due to the higher requirements needed for growth, during pregnancy and to replace losses during menstruation. Although meat is the richest natural source of iron available, there are a range of plant-based foods that each contribute a sizeable amount of this essential mineral. There is also evidence that meat-eaters, vegetarians and vegans can be at a similar risk of iron-deficiency anaemia.
While the complete avoidance of all animal produce in a vegan diet could potentially place them at greater risk, careful dietary choices can prevent this problem. Here we examine the main plant-based sources of iron and how to minimise the risk of developing anaemia.
Vegan sources of iron
Plants may not widely be thought of as having a high iron content, but even when these form the sole basis of the diet it is still possible to meet our iron needs completely from these:
- As vegans rely heavily on peas, beans and lentils for protein, they are already eating one of the richest forms of iron from plant sources. Although all pulses are a good source, soya beans and their derivatives such as tofu and tempeh are richest of all, so vegans who do not regularly consume soya products should consider its inclusion in their diet more often. Ideally pulses should be eaten twice daily to maximise iron intake, but with so many to choose from and a wealth of dishes that can incorporate them, boredom should not be a worry.
- Green leafy vegetables are another vegetable source of iron. Although cabbage and broccoli might be those most commonly consumed and do provide a helping hand towards adequate iron intake, other greens provide a greater contribution. Spinach, Swiss chard and turnip greens give you the most iron per serving and while the former may be readily available, if you struggle to find the other two for purchase, why not consider growing your own? You don’t require a lot of land and even if you only have a yard or a garden devoted entirely to lawn and patio, they can be grown happily in large pots or grow bags. While leafy vegetables aren’t always a popular choice, include them daily if you follow a vegan diet.
- Nuts and seeds provide another helpful offering of iron. Add tahini (sesame seed spread) to your toast in the morning or nuts to your cereal; it is also useful to note that many cereals have added iron and can make a significant contribution to your daily intake, so check the packaging to be sure. Cashews are amongst those nuts with the highest iron content and work well added to stir-fries; meanwhile toasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds add a nice crunch when tossed with a salad.
- If you have a sweet tooth, make use of dried fruits for extra iron. Eat a small handful for a snack or serve them with cereal, yoghurt or use in baking – they work well added to flapjacks, cookies and muffins. However, be mindful that they are packed with sugar, so eating large quantities could lead to weight gain or interfere with blood glucose control in diabetes. On a similar note, while adding extra sugar to the diet isn’t recommended, if you already use it in hot drinks, on cereal or you bake frequently, unrefined sugar and particularly molasses is another source of iron.
- It shouldn’t be forgotten that certain starchy foods add extra iron to the diet. On top of fortified breakfast cereals, wholemeal bread, bulgar wheat, potato, millet and brown rice also make a contribution.
Aiding absorption of iron
The iron from plant foods is present in a different form to that in meat and is not as readily absorbed by the body. As a result, those choosing a plant-based diet can require up to twice as much iron from their food to compensate. However, the absorption of plant-based non-haem iron can be encouraged by taking a couple of dietary steps.
Firstly, the inclusion of Vitamin C rich fruit and vegetables with meals converts non-haem iron into a more favourable form for absorption; so where possible have citrus fruits, berries, kiwis, tomatoes, peppers or green vegetables with every meal to give your body the best chance to take up the iron in your meals. It is also important to be aware that drinking tea and coffee with meals can hamper iron uptake by as much as 65% due to the presence of phenolic compounds.
There is no need to exclude tea and coffee from the diet (although there are some super herbal ‘alternatives’! – Karin), particularly as these are a good source of antioxidants, but instead avoid them for an hour before and after mealtimes; water, Vitamin C enriched squash, fruit juice, herbal or fruit teas all make good alternative drinks with meals.
A vegan diet can contribute the right balance of nutrients including iron, as long as some thought is taken into our food choices and how we can make the iron more available to our body. As a result there should be no need to routinely take an iron supplement.
Thanks to Expert writer Eve Pearce for these super tips.
For recipes, tips and film clips have a look at www.veggievision.tv
