'Naturo' 100% Natural Fruit Bars, All India

Naturo’s '100% natural fruit bars' with no added sugars, sweeteners, and preservatives are a good way to grab a bite when you are feeling hungry between meals. Please note that Naturo manufactures different types of fruit bars and you must look for the '100% natural' variety; only this variety carries the label “suitable for vegetarians and vegans”.

The 100% natural variety is available in four flavors: apple, mango, orange, and strawberry.

Availability: Naturo’s 100% natural fruit bars are available at leading modern retail stores in metros and major cities. The company wishes to make an India-wide launch very soon. To make inquiries, you can communicate at the contact address provided in the Naturo website.

“I believe that veganism is something we must adopt to cleanse the earth of the damage that the meat, fishing and diary industries have caused to global eco-systems.” ~Paul Watson, Sea Shepherd Society~

Vegan Bakery Products from 'Bagels & Bakes', Bangalore

For more bakeries that offer vegan bakery products in Bangalore reviewed in this blog, you can click here.

Some products from Bagels & Bakes are quite impressive. These are the vegan muffins, vegan breads, and the vegan chocolate fudge cake.The vegan muffins are available in three varieties: raisin bran, chocolate fudge, and chocolate chip. These muffins are very filling and flavorsome.

Also available at Bagels & Bakes is a range of healthy multi-grain breads and most are Vegan. 

Please check the label to make sure that the variety of bread you wish to buy does not list 'milk' or 'milk solids' as an ingredient.

You can also pick up other vegan baked items such as bread sticks, bagels, buns, rusk, and so on. Ensure that you have read the labels to be absolutely certain. 

Bagels & Bakes retails through Namdhari's Fresh, MK Ahmed, MK Retail, and Heritage outlets in Bangalore. Some selected products, especially breads and muffins, can be spotted in other supermarkets as well. Keep a lookout. 

“The question is not, ‘Can they reason?’ nor, ‘Can they talk?’ but rather, ‘Can they suffer?’”  ~Jeremy Bentham, English Utilitarian Philosopher and Social Reformer~

'Green Path' Service Apartments and 'Green Bowl' Restaurant, Bangalore

For more vegan-friendly restaurants in Bangalore reviewed in this blog, you can click here.

You are welcomed at Green Path as the “Earth People”. Your other identities simply do not matter! Often at the dining table and reception area of Green Path, you meet people in animated discussions—all of which seem to have a central theme: how to preserve the Earth better. There are environmentalists, organic farmers, researchers, eco-and-responsible tourism professionals, journalists, passionate vegans and vegetarians, and you name it—all trying to put forth their arguments on preserving the Earth better!

The Green Path Lobby

Are you wondering what Green Path is? :-) Well, Green Path is a 50-bedroom service apartment in Bangalore. Each apartment at Green Path has two-or-three completely furnished bedrooms with all facilities for a comfortable, homely, and eco-friendly stay. These service apartments are ideal for both short and long term stays.

Background: Green Path is the brainchild of Mr. HR Jayram, well-known organic farmer and environmentalist in Karnataka. Mr. Jayram has tremendous vision. He envisages Green Path as a tool to spread love for the Earth. Says Mr. Jayram, “When we do not own anything on Earth and are simply the custodians, then why not celebrate life by loving everything and everybody as part of this Universe?!” Hurting animals for food is not ethical, he declares. Therefore, Green Path’s restaurant called Green Bowl is largely vegetarian/vegan and organic. “Largely” vegetarian because eggs are served to guests on their specific request. The restaurant is sensitized towards veganism. You can ask for vegan food and you will be understood. Milk and milk products are not encouraged; green tea and herbal tea is always available as healthier alternatives. More details about Green Bowl as you read along.......

Green Path principles: 

• Promotes slow food—slow food is defined as locally-grown organic food. For example, Green Path offers you luscious farm-fresh, locally grown organic cheekus (sapota) in plentiful but not apples… apples are not a fruit of this region and are often exported from foreign countries. Slow food is characterized by the minimum expenditure of energy to reach you.
• Follows a policy of no ajinomoto, no coloring agents, no preservatives, no frozen ingredients, no hydrogenated oils, and no baking soda in the food.
• Restricts from serving aerated drinks and colas.
• Maintains an organic kitchen garden and a 40-acre organic farm to supply the raw materials for the kitchen.
• Harvests rain water to tend to the plants in the premises and prevent rain water from percolating down into the sewerage.
• Maintains a bio-gas plant within the premises which supplies most of the fuel used in the kitchen.
• Outsources plastic wastes to be recycled.
• Promotes local artisans by purchasing their paintings and wall hangings for décor.
• Follows a strict policy of not selling packaged water. The kitchenettes in all apartments are fitted with RO systems.
• Offers tours to organic farms and organizes farm stays on request.
• Uses solar energy to power water heaters in the apartments.
• Provides shampoos and cosmetics in the bathrooms that are herbal, natural, organic, and handmade.

Organic produce and the price factor: We ask Mr. Jayram to comment on the general notion that organic food is expensive. He explains, “The cost of organic produce has come down in the last six years, now it is more affordable than what it was before. To reduce the cost further, we need more supply chains. As people ask for organic, more supply chains will be created. The only way to beat the price is to buy organic.”

Accommodation at Green Path: Green Path can accommodate 100 persons at a time in their 50-bedroom service apartment. You must book in advance. An organic breakfast is complimentary with the package.

Conference facilities at Green Path: Green Path can offer conference facilities for 30-35 persons at a time. This includes meal facilities as well.

Green Bowl Restaurant: As said earlier, Green Bowl is Green Path’s organic restaurant that prepares slow food with certified organic products. All food is cooked in organic cold-pressed oil. Green Bowl serves traditional South Indian and North Indian food as well as Chinese and Continental food.

One unique feature of Green Bowl is that food is served on a single long dining table. However, it is also possible to have your food served in your apartment. The kitchen may have a menu but food can also be made on your preferences. Also, you may not have to necessarily stay at Green Path apartments to have food at Green Bowl. If you wish to dine at Green Bowl, you must call in advance and discuss the menu before coming. Most of the food is in any case organic and vegan, you can specifically ask for vegan desserts also. As said earlier, Green Bowl is sensitized towards veganism.

How to contact Green Path: Click here for the complete address and contact details of Green Path.

“It is just like man's vanity and impertinence to call an animal dumb because it is dumb to his dull perceptions.” ~Mark Twain, American Author~
 

'Marmite' Yeast Spread

You either like it or hate it. That is Marmite for you. But, if you like it, Marmite may help supplement some of your Vitamin B-12 requirements!

We were introduced to Marmite by a fellow vegan, a believer in alternate therapies with a quest to end dependency on pharmaceutical supplements. As vegans with similar beliefs, we tried Marmite on an experimental basis. Tests revealed that our Vitamin B-12 levels had increased notably after two months.

Vitamin B-12 plays a key role in the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system, and for the formation of the blood. Vitamin B-12 is not available from plant sources; it is present in fermented foods only.

How is Marmite made? Marmite is a by-product of the beer brewing process. It is a substance that is collected just before a clearing agent is added to the brew to filter the beer. A packaged jar of Marmite is simply a yeast spread that looks like jam but more thick in texture. Marmite is a rich source of Vitamin B-12 because this group of vitamins is produced by micro-organisms present in fermented foods.

Marmite is Vegan: Marmite is certified “100% vegetarian” by the Vegetarian Society. The jar too carries the same declaration. This also means that Marmite is vegan since the ingredients listed on the Marmite jar are free from animal’s milk and related substances.

Disclaimer: It is necessary that you do your own research and experimentation with Marmite to check the suitability of this yeast on your bodies.

Vegan links on Marmite: Below are links to the opinions of fellow vegans on Marmite. Read them to get information about the chemical components of Marmite, how to consume Marmite, how to use Marmite in your recipes, etc.

The Vegan Club Product Review on Marmite

Marmite review from The Great Vegan Conspiracy site

Vegan Marmite Marinade, Making It, Using It, Eating It!

Yeast Extract (Marmite, Vegemite, etc.) from Bryanna’s Vegan Feast

The Marmite FAQ site

Availability of Marmite: Marmite is available in India in specialty shops or gourmet stores in metros and big cities. We got ours from Dorabjee’s at Pune. If interested, you will need to run an independent check on the availability of Marmite in your own cities.
 

“May all that have life be delivered from suffering.” ~The Buddha~

'Carlsberg' Vegan Beer

For beer or any alcohol to be vegan, it must satisfy two conditions. First, the ingredients in the alcohol must be free of animal parts. And second, the products used to filter the alcohol must also be free from animal ingredients.

Carlsberg beer satisfies both conditions; therefore it is vegan. Carlsberg beer does not contain any animal ingredient. You will find the 'green' vegetarian symbol stamped on each bottle. Click this link to find out the non-vegan ingredients that may be present in non-vegan alcohol. 

We have confirmation from Carlsberg company, the PETA list of vegan beers, Barnivore Vegan Wine and Beer Guide, and most importantly from fellow vegans that Carlsberg beer does not use isinglass or any other non-vegan ingredient in the process of filtering the beer. Isinglass is a substance derived from the swim bladder of the fish. Isinglass may be used as a processing/clearing agent in the alcohol filtration process. 

And what’s more, vegans who like beer also know that beer is a source for the B group vitamins!

Availability of Carlsberg beer: Carlsberg, originally a Danish company, now manufactures their beer in India and thus is available all over India.

 “Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened.” ~Anatole France, French Poet, Journalist, and Novelist~

'Kalyani' Vegan-friendly Restaurant, Pune

For a vegetarian restaurant to be “vegan-friendly”, it is important for the restaurant staff to listen carefully and courteously to the instructions, understand the instructions, and expedite the order without a flaw. The willingness to cut out the dairy and tweak the dish as per our request is the attitude we look out for. Kalyani Veg restaurant in Pune not only met our expectations but exceeded them; thereby we classify the restaurant as “vegan-friendly”.

It was not too difficult to verify that our platter is indeed free of dairy. In a vegan dish you can get the full flavor and aroma of the spices and herbs. Each vegetable and each ingredient retains its natural taste! Vegetarian dishes seem bland because they smell and taste (we remember the taste from our vegetarian days) of ghee (clarified butter), butter, or crème only!

Coming back to Kalyani Veg, the food is essentially vegetarian-Indian, consisting of South Indian and Punjabi meals and snacks. The menu has a Chinese section as well. You can get many of the dishes from the extensive menu 'veganized' as per your specifications.

Kalyani Veg contact details:
Address: Fortaleza, Opposite Gold BIG Cinema, Kalyani Nagar, Pune
Telephone: 020-64004965/26608866/26686737

Kalyani Veg service details:
Timings: 8:00am to 11:30pm
No home delivery

Cost factor: A meal for two costs between Rs.200-250/-

“The Gods created certain kinds of beings to replenish our bodies; they are the trees and the plants and the seeds.” ~Plato, Greek Philosopher, (circa 428-347 B.C.)~

'Dario’s' Italian Specialty Vegetarian Restaurant, Pune

If you are in Pune, try not to leave the city without visiting Dario’s. Dario’s is an Italian specialty vegetarian restaurant by Rebecca and Dario Dezio that has an ambience, service, and food to die or live for – whichever way you wish to look at it! Best of all, you can get vegan versions of most dishes on the menu by speaking to the Chef and the staff who are extremely obliging. The menu is huge, replete with Italian items that will delight your taste buds.

A special mention needs to be made about the ambience at Dario's. The restaurant is laid out both indoors and in an open air courtyard. If you are sitting indoors, you cannot help but marvel at the harmonious décor… the generous physical spaces that seem to give a sense of eternity… the old world charm brought about by the furniture… the purple tablecloths that have such tremendous character…

If you have chosen to sit in the courtyard and are lucky, you may get to behold the blessed sight of a peacock emerging from the bushes and walk past you, inches apart. Not to mention the songs of cuckoo birds in duet! Perhaps it will help to know that Dario’s is next door to Osho’s Ashram at Koregaon Park. This part of Pune has preserved its natural beauty to a large extent.

Dario’s is a must visit; one of the best restaurants we have been to over our research for Vegan India!

Dario’s contact details

Address: Sundarban Hotel, Lane 1, 19 Koregaon Park, Pune-411001
Telephone: 020-26053597/26053596/32405960

Dario’s service details

Timings: 8am to Midnight
Free home delivery: Yes

Cost factor: A good meal for two costs anything from Rs. 600/- and up

“Animals are my friends... and I don't eat my friends.” ~George Bernard Shaw, Recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature (1925)~

Healthy Vegan Lunches from 'Angelfoods', Mumbai

Angelfoods, the brainchild of Marissa and Rachna, introduces the concept of healthy cooking into the consciousness and kitchens of its customers. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, Marissa and Rachna conjure up delicious lunches from locally- available organically-grown fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole grains, cereals, nuts, and seeds. The dishes are free from animal ingredients and are cooked in cold-pressed oil.

Making healthy changes in your kitchen: As explained to us by Marissa, Angelfoods inspires people shift to healthier lifestyles by demonstrating that healthy food can be delicious. Over a period of time, people get motivated to make changes in their own kitchens.

Luncheon dishes from Angelfoods: The lunch served by Angelfoods is essentially Mediterranean with tastes from Greece, Spain, France, Morocco, and North Africa. In Mediterranean cuisine a lot of fresh herbs, seasonal vegetables, and olive oil is used – all in the right quantities for a harmonizing effect. Some Asian dishes are also offered in the menu. You can check this link from Mumbai Ready Reckoner to get an idea about the kinds of dishes offered by Angelfoods.

Marissa and Rachna prepare the food themselves. In Marissa’s words, “We don’t use any ingredient that the human body can’t metabolize. We use only those ingredients that the body can break down easily. So, we use ingredients such as nuts, vegetables, whole grains, fruits, and cold pressed oils. These five groups are essential elements in all the foods we prepare.”

What else Angelfoods offers: Apart from the lunches, Angelfoods also offers vegan cakes (chocolate cakes and carrot cakes), dips, desserts, ice cream, muffins, muesli, and smoothies. All cakes and desserts are made with organic raw sugar only.

How Angelfoods operates: Anglefoods operates from Marisa's kitchen preparing and serving lunch three days a week as mentioned at the beginning of this story. One needs to sign up for the entire week in advance. You can also opt for a one-day trial. Every week has a unique menu. The lunch can be picked up from the Anglefoods kitchen or you can request for a home delivery.

How to contact Angelfoods: You can call Marissa or Rachna at 0-9833151229 or write at angelfoodmumbai@gmail.com to seek more information or to enroll yourself for the weekly healthy veganny lunch!

“Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given... every green plant for food.” ~Genesis 1:29, from The Bible~