PETA Celebrates Landing A Vegan Dish On American Airlines' In-Flight Menu

Fort Worth-based American Airlines will have a new, vegan menu item starting Oct. 5, PETA said in a press release.

Credit: WFAA

American Airlines will offer a new vegan dish on its cross-country flights, PETA, the animal welfare non-profit, said.

Fort Worth-based American Airlines will have a new, vegan menu item starting Oct. 5, PETA said in a press release. Passengers on select cross-country flights will have the option to select a vegan egg scramble, including hash browns, vegan cheese, spinach, corn, red pepper and Just Egg, a popular egg substitute.

PETA celebrated the addition as the latest vegan-friendly move. Last fall, the airline added oat milk creamer to its in-flight beverage program after talks with PETA, the press release states.

“American Airlines is soaring above the competition with a savory vegan egg dish that’s kind to hens and appeals to conscientious travelers,” says PETA President Tracy Reiman. “PETA urges other airlines to get on board by following American Airlines’ compassionate and business-savvy example.”

By Rachel Behrndt

Travelore Tips For Vegan Travelers

Unless you are planning to have all of your meals at a resort or on a luxury cruise ship, being a vegan traveller can be challenging. We can highly recommend both Viking Cruises and Regent Seven Seas for Vegan travel, both serving delicious and creative vegan alternatives including breads and amazing desserts.

Just Ask

1. Finding an option can be as simple as asking - Most restaurants will allow some kind of substitution when it comes to ordering food. You can look for vegetarian options on the menu and request them without dairy and eggs or find meat options without dairy and eggs and request either a vegetable substitution or a vegan protein option if there is one available. Remember that vegetables have lots of protein and can be greatly satisfying alone.

Use Apps

2. Use apps like Google maps or Happy Cow - On Google Maps, you can find a vegan restaurant near you with a simple search. While Happy Cow will show you fully vegan, vegan - friendly, vegetarian or vegetarian-friendly restaurants around town and somewhat close to you, google maps will show you a restaurant nearer to you with some options you can work with. Google is a bit of a more convenient option for vegan eating on the go, but if you are willing to go the distance to find the restaurants registered with Happy Cow, you can find more options all together at once.

Ghost Kitchen

3. Be Prepared for Vegan Restaurants to be Ghost Kitchens - Many vegan restaurants are not places where you can have a sit down meal. To prepare for this, have a space ready to eat your meal. You can search for a nearby park or some kind of outdoor seating. You could also use the spaces in your hotel or vacation rental to dine.

BYOP

4. BYO Vegan Protein - Bringing your own protein on the go is another easy option. You can bring a number of different kinds of things. You can bring lunch meat, hot dogs, hamburgers, and countless other things.

Diversity is Key

5. Oftentimes, the easiest way to find vegan options is by looking for restaurants from cultures that have a large meatless element to their diets. These diets will often include some kind of vegan protein as well as countless vegetable options. These kinds of foods can be found at Mediterranean, Indian, Thai, Lebanese, and Vietnamese restaurants.

Think Spiritual Communities

6. Look for religious groups who eat meatless - In many places, around the world and within the United States, there are various religious groups who follow a vegan diet. These groups can be found anywhere with various religious associations. Sometimes they even offer free meals to groups on a certain day of the week.

Cook on the go

7. Consider cooking in your hotel room - Another great option to consider is bringing cooking appliances on the road to cook for yourself. You can buy or bring appliances such as a small electric fry pan, a small crockpot, or a small blender to make vegan meals for yourself in your hotel room on the road.

Consider Renting a House

8. Get a vacation rental - Getting a vacation rental is always going to be a great option for vegans because though you may go up in price or your accommodations, you will go down in price on food and the cost will balance out. It also gives you control over your meals. Your vacation will be a bit of a disappointment if you cannot find yummy foods to eat, so it’s great to know that you can go back to your unit to prepare them yourself.

Bring your food with you

9. Pack a fully cooked meal - One great, though possibly harder, option will be bringing your own meal to places like planes and other transportation modes. You can bring food inside of a cooler or a cooler bag. You could also bring food specially wrapped up and sealed with you to ensure you’ll have an option.

Do Your Research

10. Do your research - Like with anything you do, the best thing to do to be prepared for your journey is to do your research. It’s easy to google where in your destination there will be vegan options or restaurants available. You could find out which market to buy vegan options from or even which markets offer freshly cooked vegan meals. A great place to find this information is in our facebook group, Vegan Soul Food.

These tips are contributed by Rev. Dr. Brooke Brimm. Her non-profit Brooke Brimm Ministries, Inc., 501c3, supports women and she is also the founder of two Facebook groups offering guidance. Vegan Soul Food has over 215,000 members who enjoy plant-based food and Metaphysical Black Women is comprised of 2,200 Black women who are of all religions.

Brooke teaches yoga and plant-dominant cooking weekly in Atlanta and online. She is sought after to facilitate her women-centered and holistic programs at conferences, retreats, and special gatherings throughout the world.

For more information, please visit:http://vegansoulfood.co/

Tasty Irish Experiences For Vegan And Vegetarians

Aside from a huge range of dining options, there are plenty of experiences in tune with the vegan and vegetarian lifestyles on the island of Ireland

Ireland is the land of a hundred thousand welcomes, and so when it comes to catering for lovers of plant-based eating the Céad Míle Fáilte is as strong as ever.

While great plant-based dining is widely available, also waiting to be discovered right around the country is a range of vegan and vegetarian-friendly experiences and places involving natural Irish food and beverages.

One of the best ways to experience Ireland’s natural produce is to go foraging. When you’ve sourced the vegetables, herbs and other ingredients all yourself, your food will taste and feel so much better.

Spend time foraging in woods, fields and hedgerows for wild safe food foods with the likes of Blackstairs Eco Trail in County Carlow, or Harty Culture in the Orchard County of Armagh. Wild Food Mary will also connect you to Irish places and heritage through exploration, observation and the use of wild plants in County Offaly and beyond.

Ireland’s Ancient East is rich in experiences that suit the vegan or vegetarian. If you want to learn how to grow your own vegetables to sustain your plant-based lifestyle, head to County Waterford, where the Grow HQ offers tours around its three-acre urban garden, finishing at its award-winning zero waste café which showcases sustainable Irish food.

If you are interested in seaweed products, seaweed snacks, cookery and the health benefits of seaweed in the vegan or vegetarian lifestyle, check out The Sea Gardener also in County Waterford.

More natural and wholesome produce can be found at River Run, located on a family homestead in County Wicklow. This fermentary and wood-fired micro bakehouse specialises in sourdough breads, koji based ferments, seasonal vegetable ferments of all kinds, and plant-based cheeses. Fermentation and sourdough workshops are available on-site and also around Ireland.

For a vegan-friendly beverages, Ko Kombucha in County Offaly produce a range of organic fermented pick-me-ups, Highbank Orchard Ciders will take you on a journey ‘from pip to sip’ in their organic orchard in County Kilkenny, while Ballykilcavan Brewery has thirst quenching vegan beers.

Another great stop is the unique Wicklow Way Wines, where you can take part in a tour and appreciate the tastes and aromas of Ireland’s Ancient East, delicately captured in delicious, small-batch vegan-friendly wines made from Irish berries.

From the country to the city, and the hot and cold vegetarian deli at The Wellness Centre in Sligo will set you up with a selection of organic raw salads, homemade hummus, and kimchi made with the finest Irish ingredients.

And an experience of somewhere like Belfast as vegan or vegetarian means being able to grab anything from a vegan hot dog, chocolate fudge and some orange tea at the renowned St George’s Market, dipping into the vegan food scene in the likes of Pizza Punks or dining in style at Jumon, where the Asian fusion style and vegan cocktails create something of a plant food heaven.

www.ireland.com

Berlin Budget Vegan: 10 Places To Get Vegan Meals In Berlin for Less Than €10

In 2013, when we were last in Berlin, there were a couple of good places for a Berlin budget vegan food. Since then, the Berlin budget vegan scene has gone totally insane, in a good way.

There are signs for vegan food wherever you look and it would be a year’s work to try all the options available. As with any food scene that goes trenderiffic (curry wurst, I’m looking at you), bad apples are popping up everywhere, threatening to spoil the bunch.

We made it our mission to find the best vegan cheap eats in Berlin and taste them for you. We also scoured the streets for nearby alternatives, in case your chosen Berlin budget vegan restaurant is mysteriously closed when you get there.

(This happens all the time in Berlin! Plan ahead.)

From least expensive to most, here’s all the Berlin budget vegan food we tried, with honest opinions about each option.

Momos, Mitte

Vegan & Vegetarian
Fehrbelliner Str. 5, U Senefelderplatz

Photo via Momo.

This tiny lunch spot is hidden away on a residential street. It’s popular with office workers on their lunch break, so expect the tables to be busy if you go between noon and 1:30pm. Inspired by a trip they took to Nepal, Marc and Martin serve plates of small dumplings called momos. Veggie-friendly adventurers, our favourite kind of people!

The dumplings come in six flavours (2 veg, 4 vegan) with a choice of three dips and three plate sizes. The piping hot little pockets were tasty and filling; a medium plate of 14 momos made a terrific lunch.

Price for a vegan meal:
Plate of 14 fried momos with dip: €6.90

Did you know? If you like tall, fit German men with friendly smiles, you will want to visit Momo. Trust me.

Nearby: Cold-pressed juices, healthy shakes, and vegan salads are on offer at Daluma, Weinbergsweg 3.

Il Casolare, Kreuzberg

Vegan Options (if you ask), Serves Meat
Grimmstr. 30, Berlin, Kottbusser Brücke

If you have a hankering for a traditional Italian pizza, but the closest you can get to Italy is Berlin, then Il Casolare has your back. Il Casolare is staffed by exceptionally grumpy waitresses, who give the impression that speaking to customers is way below their pay grade. Fortunately, the food makes up for the unpleasantries. It’s not a vegan pizza place and you won’t find anything vegan on the menu, but just order one of their selection of veggie pizzas ohne käseand you’ll be transported straight to Italia with the first bite.

Il Casolare has two sister branches in Berlin. Il Ritrovo in Friedrichshain (Gabriel-Max-Str. 2) and I Due Forni in Prenzlauer Berg (Schönhauser Allee 12).

Price for a vegan meal:
Generous personal pizza: about €7

Did you know? Rumour has it that Quentin Tarantino eats at Il Casolare when he is in Berlin.

Nearby: Just across the river at Erkelenzdamm 49 is Viasko, which will break your budget, but will also fill your belly with vegan delights.

Sushi Cube, Kreuzberg

Vegan Options, Serves Fish
Zossener Str. 18, U Gneisenaustr.

Packed out pretty much every time I’ve been there, Sushi Cube won’t win any awards for swift service or relaxed dining. But, it does have an amazing selection of veggie and vegan sushis on the menu at a terrific price. We found it impossible to ask our busy waitress for a glass of water, let alone to find out if the tempura batter has eggs in it, so ask before you order. If it does, there are lots of options that don’t involve any batter at all.

Did you know? In summer, you can enjoy your sushi out on the sidewalk tables – oh so European.

Price for a vegan meal:
Two filling sushi rolls: around €8

Nearby: Planet Veganus is a small vegan bistro just around the corner on Schenkendorfstrasse 1.

Pêle-Mêle, Neukölln

Vegan
Innstr. 26, Geygerstr.

After failing to eat at Sfizy (randomly closed until some day in February) and Let it Be (doesn’t open until 4pm), I found myself at Pêle-Mêle, a homey little restaurant on a side street in Neukölln. What was going to be just a back-up plan turned into one of the best budget vegan meals I had in Berlin.

The veggie-burger is a homemade green spelt patty topped with fresh, crisp veggies on a sesame bun. And it was damn tasty. After lunch, I treated myself to a slice of hazelnut chocolate cake for dessert, which was iced with a caramel-like peanut butter topping. Yum.

Did you know?
Pêle-Mêle does an organic vegan gourmet brunch every Sunday from 10am to 3pm. This is a must-eat on my list for next time we’re in Berlin.

Price for a vegan meal:
Veggie burger: €6.50
Side of potato wedges: €2.50

Nearby:
The pizza at all-vegan Sfizy is supposed to be great. Next time we’re in Berlin, maybe I’ll have an update for you.

Tianfuzius, Schöneberg

Vegan & Vegetarian
10777 Berlin, U Viktoria-Luise-Platz

There was a time, about three months into our cycling trip through China, that I thought I would never be able to eat Chinese food again. That time has passed, so I was excited to find out about Tianfuzius, a vegetarian Chinese restaurant in upmarket Schöneberg. Tianfuzius is decked out to impress the well-to-do locals, with a modern, chic take on an ancient Chinese villa. You could easily spend €50 per person on a splash-out meal here.

But, just like the upscale vegetarian restaurants in China, the dim sum section of the menu offers affordable filling options on a budget. They have a range of dumplings including Xiao Long Bao, Bao Zi, and Jiao Zi for less than €5 a plate. While my order of Bao didn’t compare to the fluffy cloud-like buns of perfection that came from street vendors in remote villages in China, they were pretty good. At least I could be sure I wasn’t going to bite into a bun full of pig!

If you want to splurge, come and try the Mapo Tofu and Green Beans with Mountains of Chilis (my name for them) that we so fondly remember from our time in China.

Did you know? Tianfuzius also offers a lunch box special (Japanese Bento style) for less than €10.

Price for a vegan meal:
Soup plus an order of dumplings: €9

Nearby:
It’s a bit of a trek, but Chay Village on Eisenacher Str. 40 does veggie and vegan Vietnamese food and is the closest good option in the area.

Cat Tuong, Prenzlauerberg

Vegan
Kastanienallee 89, Schwedter Str.

Our meal at Cat Tuong was easily the best we had in Berlin. We were excited to have the chance to sample some Vietnamese delights without having to pick through our food for random bits of pork or tiny dried shrimp! The menu made us want to come back multiple times, because there was so much we wanted to try.

The crispy Banh Xeo pancake was as tasty as we remember from the market in Ha Noi and our main courses were rich and flavourful, while being completely different from each other. The best part about Cat Tuong’s meals is how they use thin slices of seitan and mushroom to recreate the delicate pieces of pork (or chicken or dog) so prevalent in Vietnamese cooking.

Price for a vegan meal:
One main dish: €9

Did you know?
Cat Tuong is a famous Vietnamese actress (but the word also means something like “Fortune”).

Nearby:
Fill up on vegan salads, wraps, and scrumptious fries at Fast Rabbit on Eberswalder Str. 1.

Bonus Listing: Vegan Grocery Store Veganz

Vegan
Locations in Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain, and Prenzlauer Berg

As proof that Berlin has been possessed by vegan insanity (hooray), there is a chain of vegan grocery stores in the city. Yes, you heard that right. A CHAIN of VEGAN grocery stores. Anyway, they sell every vegan product you’ve ever heard of but can’t get in your town back home.

Gardein? Yup, with more varieties than we could ever find in Canada, where the stuff is made! Beyond Meat? You betcha? Veganaise? Yes, again with more different kinds than I knew existed. Plus, there are oodles of types of Europeanvegan cheese slices and yogurts which are actually good!

While there is a minor snobbery among Berlin’s vegan populace about vegan

 “products” (yes, yes, we should all eat raw beans and kale the whole time) for travellers with access to a kitchen, Veganz is tha bomb! Combine some of their non-meat products with a plate full of veggies from the Turkish market and you have a tasty, nutritious vegan meal for well under €10.

Want even more budget vegan

 Berlin?

There are about 476 (give or take) budget vegan places we didn’t get to try in

 Berlin, not to mention all the high-end vegan restaurants in Berlin.

Check out these blogs for even more Berlin budget vegan restaurants (plus some fancier ones for splurge nights):

13 FANTASTISCH Vegan Restaurants in Berlin Not To Miss
The 10 Best Places to Eat in Berlin for Vegetarians & Vegans
Berlin Vegan Guide

♥  Happy adventures (in vegan eating), Stephen & Jane

http://www.myfiveacres.com/

Travelore Cruise News: Costa Cruises Launching Dedicated Vegan Menus

While many cruise lines now offer vegan or vegetarian options as part of their on-board culinary offering, Costa Cruises have gone one step further and created a dedicated vegan and vegetarian menu that will be available on cruise ships.

Created in response to the growing demand for such cuisine, the menu cuts out all dairy products and even eggs, instead using ingredients derived from plants that will produce the same bold Italian flavours that reflect Costa’s proud Mediterranean roots.

The comprehensive menu covers breakfast, lunch, dinner, appetizers and dessert, and includes an array of Italian delicacies such as Venetian ‘ris e bisi’ soup, and a delicious trenette with pesto as part of the Luguria regional menu.

Other culinary specials include a dish consisting of celeriac and creamy caciocavallo cheese, a vegan burger made with kidney beans, a delicious rocket and apricot salad, and a subtle cauliflower and fig tempura with porcini mushrooms.

Antonio Brizzi, Costa corporate travelling chef, said: “Vegetarian dishes have always been part of Italian culinary tradition and we are delighted to introduce them as a full and separate menu on board our cruise ships. We aim to fulfil the needs of our customers and ensure they enjoy their time on our ships.”

Source: www.cruisediscuss.com

Shangri-La Hotel, Paris Launches First Vegan, “100% Green Dinners” Of Parisian Palace Hotels

© ©Roméo Balancourt

© ©Roméo Balancourt

Shangri-La Hotel, Paris launches a first in the world of Parisian palace hotels by hosting a series of “100% Green Dinners”. On the first Thursday of each month, La Bauhinia will present a special five-course vegetable-focused menu and invite one of the hotel’s exceptional French market purveyors to meet with diners. To further enhance the evening, La Bauhinia will be transformed by a nature-inspired decor and a DJ will create a celebratory atmosphere.

A 100% Green menu

Shangri-La Hotel, Paris Executive Chef Christophe Moret has been cultivating his nature-driven cuisine since his arrival at the hotel in January 2015. As the grandson of a market gardener, it was natural for him to imagine a “Rooted in Nature” menu that placed vegetables at the forefront without sacrificing taste and pleasure. Guided by values that are dear to his heart – freshness, local, transparent, and ethical – the chef will create each Thursday a different green menu full of vibrant and complex flavours such as Tomato Bloody Mary and Spring Rolls made from watermelon stuffed with soup herbs; Kasha and Green Vegetables En Cocotte with almond milk; Turnips and Red Beetroots roasted in a wood-burning oven and Tofu Ravioli with borsch vinaigrette; Strawberries scented with Sangria, and coconut and lime sorbet. Guests can also enjoy market-driven dishes daily on the a la carte menu at La Bauhinia.

Special drinks and cocktails To accompany this unique menu, Head Sommelier Cédric Maupoint has chosen wines produced through biodynamic agriculture, specific teas, coffees and non-roasted cocoa beans, all hand-picked and distributed through fair-trade channels. Even the choice of sugar has been carefully considered, with Panela produced from organic sugar cane, agave syrup and coconut sugar.

The cocktail menu receives an energy boost with the addition of a shot of cucumber, kale, celery and ginger juice.

Special rendez-vous every first Thursday of the month Sharing this wish to promote terroir products in a new way, Shangri-La Hotel, Paris’ suppliers will join these celebratory events to meet La Bauhinia’s customers. Every first Thursday of the month, a market gardener, wine grower or farmer will explain his approach and how the seasons affect his work while also learning about the preferences and tastes of La Bauhinia’s diners. By creating an opportunity for dialogue between the farmers, the chefs, and the restaurant’s patrons, Chef Moret hopes to highlight the extraordinary quality, variety and taste of France’s vegetables, fruits, and flowers.

Green Dinners at Shangri-La Hotel, Paris will be served every first Thursday of the month. A five-course menu is priced at €68, excluding drinks.

Upcoming dates are Thursday, 9 July, and then the first Thursday of each month from September to December.

**About Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts **

Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts currently owns and/or manages 90 hotels under the Shangri-La brand with a room inventory of over 37,000. Shangri-La hotels are five-star deluxe properties featuring extensive luxury facilities and services. Shangri-La hotels are located in Australia, Canada, mainland China, Fiji, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Sultanate of Oman, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. The group has a substantial development pipeline with upcoming projects in mainland China, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Myanmar, Philippines, Qatar and Sri Lanka. www.shangri-la.com

Shangri-La Website