eBites Spring 2015

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

Ready, steady… enjoy!Vegan dinnersdelivered to your door

Tempting agingappetitesTips to entice older diners

PLUS:Introducing A C Grayling –our newest patron

Easter treatsRefreshing recipes to delight this Spring

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WelcomeWelcome to the third issue of our magazine, Vegetarian for Life eBites.

The arrival of Spring brings a fresh sense of optimism and newbeginnings. We have a plethora of these this issue.

Our new guide, Easter Treats, is packed with delicious and refreshingrecipe inspiration for you and anyone you cater for (see page 6).

Having ready meals delivered directly to your home is becomingincreasingly popular – particularly for those who are frailer. Wehave produced a new guide to help navigate the range for specialdiets (see page 4) – with an exclusive reader discount below.

National Vegetarian Week is coming – and there are plenty ofreasons to join in. If you run a care home, it could be a perfectexcuse for organising a taster day or trying out a few new veggiemenu options (page 3).

Our sense of smell often declines with age, meaning that ourinterest in eating can wane. Making food more enticing for olderdiners is a vitally important challenge. Leslie Vandever presentssome top tips (page 8).

Chefs from Sunrise Senior Living recently took part in our carehome caterer training courses in Cheshire and Bath. The training isavailable inexpensively to all members of our UK List – and you canfind out more on page 5.

Last but not least, we’re proud to welcome esteemed philosopherA C Grayling as our newest patron. You can read his thoughts aboutthe importance of our work on page 3.

I hope that you enjoy the issue.Amanda Woodvine, Editor

Vegetarian for Life is an advocacy andeducational charity working on behalf ofolder vegetarians and vegansthroughout the UK.

83 Ducie Street, Manchester M1 2JQRegistered Charity Number 1120687

Editor: Amanda Woodvineamanda@vegetarianforlife.org.ukDesign: The Ethical Graphic DesignCompany Ltd

© Vegetarian for Life 2015. All rightsreserved. No part of this magazine maybe used, reproduced or copied withoutwritten permission of the publisher.

CONTACT US Submit articles and tell uswhat you’d like to read about.

VfLUK@VfL_UK

T: 0161 445 8064 E: info@vegetarianforlife.org.ukW: www.vegetarianforlife.org.uk

In this issue…

3SHARE AVEGGIE FEAST

National VegetarianWeek is coming

4READY,STEADY…

ENJOY!Vegan dinnersdelivered to your door

5FEEDING THEIMAGINATION

With our care homecatering training

6EASTER TREATS

Refreshing recipesto celebrate Easterand the arrival of Spring

8TEMPTINGAGING

APPETITESTips to entice older diners

Everything cooked byhand, in small one-potbatches, usingonly naturalingredients, andno artificialcolours, flavours orpreservatives. Fast-frozento lock in the freshnessand flavour. Options:dairy-free; gluten-free; vegan. Orderonline, by phone orby post.

Chef on Board is offeringa 10% discount for

readers ofeBites. To claim,simply entervoucher code

VEGLIFE10 at thecheckout. Valid on firstorder only.

Based in County Durham,everything is made fromscratch in its ownkitchens byteams of chefsand nutritioniststo make it allergy-safe.Meals cooked in modernspace-saving pouches in apressure cooker to naturallypreserve flavours (thismeans they don’t needrefrigeration – store atroom temperature). All

dishes are always gluten-,nut- and milk-free;

vegetarian andvegan options.Order online orby phone.

Ilumi is offering eBitesreaders a £10 discount ontheir first order over £30.To claim, use the codeVEG4LIFE at the checkoutand £10 will be discounted.Offer expires 31 May andvalid on first order only.

Reader exclusives

www.vegetarianforlife.org.uk 3

Introducingour newestpatronWe are delighted to welcome A CGrayling as our newest patron.

To give him his full impressive title,Anthony Grayling MA, DPhil (Oxon),FRSL, FRSA is Master of the NewCollege of the Humanities, and aSupernumerary Fellow of St Anne'sCollege, Oxford. Until 2011 he wasProfessor of Philosophy at BirkbeckCollege, University of London.

He has written and edited over 30books on philosophy and othersubjects, and for several years wrotecolumns for the Guardian and Times.

Anthony sits on the editorial boardsof several academic journals, and fornearly 10 years was the HonorarySecretary of the principal Britishphilosophical association, theAristotelian Society.

Says Anthony: “I am honoured to bea patron of Vegetarian for Life, which isa really excellent charity: how little wethink about what it must be like forvegetarians in care institutions whichdon’t properly cater for them. You haverecognised this and are putting right! Icongratulate Vegetarian for Life andhope your work is quickly andcompletely successful”.

Dust off your apron, grab your utensils and start choosing yourrecipes! It’ll soon be time to share your favourite veggie dishes withfriends, family, community groups and the big wide world.

This year’s National Vegetarian Week is all about sharing. Sowhether you’ve a favourite cake, curry or coleslaw get preparing,get making and get sharing. Visit www.nationalvegetarianweek.orgfor ideas, tips and recipes to try, to add your veggie share event,and find out what’s happening in the UK.

Lynne Elliot, Chief Executive of the Vegetarian Society, whichorganises the Week said: “Sharing food brings people together:feasts and meals mark special occasions while festivals offer avariety of tastes to try. National Vegetarian Week is all aboutdelicious veggie food and sharing – getting people to cometogether to cook and share. Whether you decide to make veggiedishes for a community group or friends – sharing food can make amoment. There’s no better way to celebrate veggie food anddiscover how you can be kinder to animals, the planet and yourself”.

There are plenty of reasons to join in National Vegetarian Week 2015.If you run a care home, what better excuse for organising a tasting ofthe veggie options on your menu, or trying out a few new ones?

Says Carol Gilligan, who has run a care home for almost threedecades: “We currently have two vegetarian residents, but twosisters have recently moved in and they are increasingly avoidingmeat and eating vegetarian food. Many of the other residents arealso regularly having the vegetarian option. They love the extrachoice – particularly Italian dishes.

“I held a vegetarian week with the agreement of residents. It wasvery popular and there wasn’t a single complaint!”

And if you live near Dundee, Glasgow, Tower Hamlets, Barnetand Reigate or Banstead, it could be the perfect time to share ahome-cooked veggie meal with a housebound neighbour viaMealmakers or The Casserole Club.

The Vegetarian Society has lots of great recipe ideas to get yousharing – starting with a gorgeous gumbo stew, a chocolatey chilli,pizza, sharing salad and surprise brownies. Tuck in!

Time to sharea veggie feastNational Vegetarian Week 18–24 May 2015

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Having ready meals delivereddirectly to your home has becomean increasingly popular choice formany people across the UK –particularly those who are morefrail. VfL’s new guide shows it’spossible to enjoy the convenienceof these meals without having tocompromise your vegetarian orvegan principles.

An estimated 300,000 olderpeople in the UK are vegetarian orvegan. While most of these are inglowing health and still cook forthemselves, others may be morevulnerable. Vegetarian for Life’s2014 survey suggests that around6,500 older vegetarians and veganslive in care homes. Others rely oncommunity meals services, such as‘meals on wheels’, as a lifeline toliving independently.

Lynne Elliot, Chief Executive of theVegetarian Society, whichsponsored the production of theguide said: “Good food is crucial toour wellbeing. Many vegetarianswho are unable to leave theirhomes due to disability or ill healthoften find their problems arecompounded by access to only alimited range of meals”.

“If they have no internet access,preventing them from usingsupermarket home-deliveryschemes, these vulnerable peopleare reliant on social services’knowledge of food suppliers thatprovide vegetarian or vegan mealsfor home-delivery. This guide willbe a vital tool for these people, andfor the carers who look after andadvise them, which is why we havesponsored it.”

The Dinners to your Door guide,which has also been sponsored bythe Vegan Society, features many

of the leading companies that offerhome-delivery schemes for specialdiets. It also includes some of thedelicious dishes available. FromTuscan Bean Casserole to SpanishStyle Vegetables & Rice and fromCarrot & Ginger Soup to a RedPepper Boat filled with Mushroomsthere is something to appeal toeveryone’s appetite.

Not surprisingly, the versatilityand convenience of these meals willalso appeal to individuals who don’tneed support with meals. Availableeither chilled, frozen or even freeze-dried they easily can match yourlifestyle – less waste and less strainon your budget!

The guide also covers schemesthat offer home-cooked food madeby neighbours, for neighbours, aswell as explaining the importance ofenquiring about local ‘meals onwheels’ services.

Neel Radia, National Chair,National Association of Care

Catering comments: “’Meals onwheels’ is a truly wonderful service.We have sadly seen the number ofservices dramatically decline overthe past decade as a result of localauthority budget cuts but theNational Association of CareCatering is committed to protectingit by raising awareness of theholistic value it offers throughongoing campaigns and our annualNational Community Meals Week.As well as providing a tasty,nutritious meal, it plays a crucialand immeasurable social role,addressing loneliness and socialisolation and safety in the homeand community, and ultimatelyenabling the elderly to liveindependently in their own homesfor longer.

“It is imperative that a ‘meals onwheels’ provider caters for alldietary requirements, such as thoserelating to lifestyle choices, religion,culture and food intolerances. I

have seen some great examplesof varied and creative meals,including vegetarian and vegan,and this guide will really helphighlight these to the customer.”

Vegetarian for Life is appealingto its supporters to distributecopies of the Dinners to your Doorguide locally to ensure that itreaches those most in need.Possible channels include yourlocal branch of Age UK; ValuingOlder People Networks; CitizensAdvice Bureaux; Community andVoluntary Services; and religiousorganisations. Please contact us forfurther suggestions or support.For more information or to ordercopies of the guide, call Vegetarianfor Life on 0161 445 8064 or click here.

Ready, steady… enjoy!

How about sitting down to a buffetof nut roast, veggie Glamorgansausages, rich onion gravy, celeriacfritters, and aubergine tagine withdates? Chefs from Sunrise SeniorLiving sampled these and more atDemuths Cookery School this March.

At a second caterer trainingcourse held at the Cordon VertCookery School, Sunrise’s northerncontingent learned to make a tastysuperfood salad, carrot, lentil andsesame bites, vegetarian ‘chicken’and mushroom pie, tofu ‘meatballs’and vegan chocolate pots.

Sunrise – which caters for around2,500 residents in the UK across 27communities – had commissionedVegetarian for Life to train its chefsin care home catering for oldervegetarians.

Sunrise has already reached theregional finals of this year’s CareCook of the Year competition with avegetarian menu – but was keento learn more.

Each training day lasted around5 hours and included practicaldemonstrations and theopportunity to taste and assessthe foods prepared. Delegateslearned more about vegetariansand vegans, the relevant nutritionand how to adapt recipes easily.

Said Alex Connell, Principal Tutorat Cordon Vert: “Working with thechefs from Sunrise was a realpleasure. We looked at andsampled a range of easy toprepare vegetarian main mealsand desserts. The trick to creategreat vegetarian or vegan disheseveryone will enjoy is simply to

think about the basics of whatmakes any dish good. So,presentation, contrast, colour,flavour, and of coursenutrition. Once you havedone that, get creative!”

Demuths added: “Everyonetook away a pack of all thetaught and demonstratedrecipes plus recipes for a variety ofveggie ‘alternatives' – with 2 pagesof suggestions for using vegetarianingredients and seasonal produce”.

Training courses are available onlyto members of Vegetarian for Life’sUK List. Membership is free andjoining couldn’t be easier – just goto the best practice page on ourwebsite, check you meet our criteriaand join online. There are manyother benefits of being a member,including free marketing for yourhome and regular new recipes foryour residents to enjoy. And, of

course, membership and thetraining are valuable in your effortstowards equality and diversity.

Said Chris Dean, Sunrise’s RegionalDirector of Dining and Procurement:“This training should be an essentialpart of all care chefs’ training to fullyunderstand the intricacies ofvegetarian and vegan diets.

“It was great to see silken tofu andmeat-substitutes used in dishes thatwe would not normally considerthem in, as aids to fortifying dishes.Every head chef in a care homeshould have this training.”

Sophie Murray, Sunrise’s Headof Nutrition and Hydration added:“The training was incrediblyhelpful for everyone in cateringand could be renamed‘Maximising flavours through useof herbs, spices and vegetables’.

“It was an excellent balance oftheory of nutrition and practice ina professional kitchen. Taste-testing highly nutritious foods wasan extra bonus for each attendee.If you have a meat-dominateddiet, this will still be a benefit”.Courses can be held in Cheshireand Bath, and we can even travelto you – all for just £25 per head,including lunch. Contact us forfurther information.

Feeding theimaginationEarlier this month, 14 chefs from Sunrise SeniorLiving took part in Vegetarian for Life’s caterertraining courses at the Cordon Vert CookerySchool in Cheshire, and Demuths CookerySchool in Bath. Amanda Woodvine reports

Get a vegetarian cateringDVD for FREEWe have ashort (20minutes)training DVDthat iscondensedfrom thetrainingcourses. It givesnutritional tipsand demonstrates three recipes. It isfree to UK List members and relatedcharities. If you are a member andhaven’t already received a copy, let usknow and we’ll be happy to post one.

www.vegetarianforlife.org.uk 5

6 eBites

Sweet Potato SoupServes 6, Vegan

1 In a large, heavy-based saucepan, heat the oil over a medium–high heat.2 Add the onion and ginger and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutesor until soft.3 Add the curry paste and salt and cook, stirring, for a furtherminute or so.4 Add the sweet potatoes, coconut milk and stock and bring to the boil.5 Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for about 20minutes or until the sweet potatoes are soft.6 Purée the soup, either in batches in a blender or food processoror using a hand-held blender. Return the soup to the heat andbring back up to a simmer. Just before serving, stir in the lime juice.7 Serve hot, garnished with coriander.

Recipe from Vegan: 100 Everyday Recipes, part of Parragon's rangeof Love Food Cookbooks. For more information visitwww.parragon.com/lovefood The Vegan Society sells this book inits shop for just £2 plus p&p. Visit www.vegansociety.com/shop

a time for newbeginnings,inspiring recipesand treats!

All around the world Easter is celebrated as atime of new life and fresh beginnings. Wehope that we have captured this feeling ofoptimism with some delicious and refreshingrecipes in our new guide, Easter Treats.

From a delicious Sweet Potato Soup to anenticing Pink Rhubarb and MascarponePudding and from a warming Pine Nut andCarrot Loaf to a refreshing Hot CitrusPudding our there is something in the guideto delight everyone. And not forgetting thatEaster is a time of treats, there is also asimply wonderful Black Cherry and KirschTruffle Dessert!

Ingredientsl 2 tsp vegetable oill 1 onion, dicedl 1 tbsp finely chopped

fresh gingerl 1 tbsp vegan Thai red

curry pastel 1 tsp salt

l 660g/1lb 7oz sweetpotatoes, diced

l 400ml/14fl oz cannedreduced-fat coconut milk

l 1 litre/1¾ pints vegan stockl Juice of 1 limel 30g/1oz finely chopped

fresh coriander, to garnish

For a free copy of Easter Treats in the post, please click here to email us, orcall 0161 445 8064.

Easter

www.vegetarianforlife.org.uk 7

Black Cherry andKirsch Truffle DessertsServes 8, VeganThe classic combination of cherries, darkchocolate and nuts in this recipe is simplywonderful.

Ingredientsl 350g black cherries, stoned and

chopped (canned may be used)l 4 tbsp kirsch liqueurl 1 tsp almond essencel 200g quality dark vegan chocolatel 175g creamed coconut, roughly

chopped or gratedl 100g hard (block) vegan margarinel 200g vegan almond crunch biscuitsl 50g hazelnuts, roughly chopped

1 Lightly oil 8 ramekin dishes with a flavour-freeoil and line with silicone baking parchment.2 Place the fresh or canned cherries in a bowland pour over the kirsch liqueur and almondessence. Leave to marinate for 2 hours.3 Melt the chocolate, creamed coconut andmargarine together over a gentle heat.4 Roughly crush the almond crunch biscuitsand stir into the melted mixture with thehazelnuts. Add the marinated fruit and anyremaining liquid.5 Pour the mixture into the preparedramekin dishes and lightly smooth the top.Cover and chill for 2 hours.6 Turn out the desserts and serve onindividual plates.

© The Vegetarian Society (recipe created bythe Cordon Vert Cookery School)www.vegsoc.org

Rose Elliot’s Pine Nut & CarrotRoast with Mushroom SauceServes 6, Vegetarian

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.2 Grease and line a 500g loaf tin.3 Melt the butter in a large pan and fry the onion, withoutbrowning, for 5 minutes, then add the carrot and celery andcook uncovered for 10 minutes.4 Remove from heat and add the pine nuts, parsley, lemon juiceand eggs.5 Season well with salt, pepper and nutmeg.6 Pour into the tin and bake for 40 minutes until golden brownand firm in the centre.

To prepare the sauce:1 Put the mushrooms and water in a saucepan, bring to the boilthen remove from heat and leave to soak for 40 minutes, thendrain, reserving the liquid and chop the mushrooms.2 Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the onion and fry for 10minutes until lightly browned.3 Add the mushrooms and gently cook for 30 minutes until tender.4 Mix the cornflour with the reserved liquid, Madeira and soy,then add to the mushroom mixture. Bring to the boil, stirringuntil slightly thickened. Season to taste.5 Turn the roast out onto a plate, slice thickly and drizzle with the mushroom sauce. www.vegetarianforlife.org.uk/recipes

Ingredientsl 25g butterl 1 onion, finely choppedl 225g carrots, finely gratedl 2 celery sticks, finely

choppedl 225g pine nuts, gratedl 2 tbsp chopped parsleyl Squeeze of lemon juicel 2 free range eggsl Sea salt and freshly ground

black pepperl Freshly grated nutmeg

For the sauce:l 7g dried mushrooms,

rinsedl 600ml waterl 25g butterl 1 small onion, thinly slicedl 2 tsp cornflourl 2 tbsp vegetarian Madeira

or fortified winel 2 tbsp soy sauce

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Aging changes the body in multipleways. Although we might choosenot to dwell, most are obvious: ourhair goes grey, our skin wrinkles,and muscle tone wanes. Ourhearing and eyesight worsen, wemay move more slowly and fallmore easily.

One of thechanges that'scommon withadvancing agerarely makes the list,though. It’s howfood tastes to us.And that, oddlyenough, is intricatelytied to our sense of smell.

Like other bodily functions, oursense of smell (olfaction) oftendeclines with age. In fact, a studysuggests that over three-quarters ofover 80s have evidence of majorolfactory impairment. Paired withour sense of taste, smell allows usto perceive ‘flavour’.

When we chew, food releasesaromas that blend with the fiveuniversal tastes: salty, sweet, bitter,sour, and savoury. Each, along withtexture and temperature, affectsflavour and how we perceive it.When our sense of smell declines, itcan affect the pleasurable tastes weassociate with food. Many olderpeople complain that food tastesbland, bitter, or metallic.

While it might not seem like aserious problem, it often is. Whenfood tastes ‘funny’ to us, ourpleasure – and interest – in eatingcan wane. That may causemalnutrition, dangerous weight lossand impaired immunity. It can evenworsen other medical conditions.

Making food more interesting,attractive, and palatable to olderdiners can be a challenge. Here areour top tips.

THE FIRST BITE IS WITH THE EYEPaying attention to how food ispresented can make a hugedifference. A breakfast of eggs oryogurt and toast will look moreenticing with bright fruit on the side.You could also try varying the shape,

colour, or pattern ofthe dishware thatmeals are served on.

Says GeorgeSampson, Head ofHospitality at MHACare Homes: “Takingextra time and carefor specific needs isimportant. Many

residents have conditions that affectswallowing and require food thatmatches the National Dysphagia DietFood Texture Descriptors. Our chefsand kitchen staff are experimentingwith presenting these foodsattractively on the plate – we’ve hadpureed broccoli forming the leafy topsof carrots, and dots of cream to makethe seeds in pureed strawberries.Sometimes residents struggle withtheir appetites, but having attractivelypresented food definitely helps.”

SPICE IT UPIt may be tempting to jazz food upwith extra salt or sugar, but that mayinvite or worsen other problems,such as high blood pressure or type2 diabetes. Instead, try flavourfulherbs and spices for an exotic kick.Lemon juice, vinegars and aromaticspices like paprika, chilies, fennel,cumin, and turmeric can add flavour,colour, or both. Look for exoticblends, like Chinese Five Spice, toenhance a familiar dish that's grownuninteresting and bland. Herbs likelemon thyme can make the usualunusual – and fresh herbs are alwaysmore flavourful than dried. Anythingthat mixes and livens things up canhelp stimulate an aging appetite.

Tempting aging appetitesOur sense of smell often declines with age, decreasing our interest in eating, too.Making food more enticing for older diners is a vitally important challenge. LeslieVandever presents some top tips

Leslie Vandever is a professional journalistand freelance writer with more than 25 yearsof experience. She lives in NorthernCalifornia and writes for Healthline.

Spruce it upl By arranging foods of

different and contrastingcolours, textures, andshapes on the plate, you'llmake the whole look moreinviting. Think dark greencourgettes with orangecarrots, or a mix of red-skinned apple wedges, fat,oval green grapes,tangerine segments, andruby pomegranate seeds.

l Add brightorangecarrots,crunchydarkgreens, andthe snappy reds ofradishes and tomatoes toeveryday staples like beansand rice.

l Always try to avoid servinga meal with several foodsfrom one colour group.

l Add colourful sauces withan artistic flair, orsprinklechoppednuts orgranola onyogurt orice cream.

l Pastas in new and unusualshapes can make a mealmore interesting.

l Brighten plates with aparsley garnish or a base oflettuce leaves.

l Offer a cooling, nutritioussmoothie on a warm dayrather than the regularbreakfast or lunch.