The new year is an opportunity to set goals for the months ahead, including making changes that improve your health or make the world better in some way. Switching to a vegan diet is a choice an increasing number of people are making, and Veganuary is a movement that helps you do so.
Middle Eastern food is probably not the first option that comes to mind when you think of veganism, but you’d be surprised how many great vegan meals Syrian food includes. Find out how Veganuary started, what vegan protein sources Arab cuisine has to offer, and some must-try vegan recipes from Tayybeh to start your 2023 off right!
The Origin of Veganuary
Veganuary is both a charity and a global movement that inspires and supports people to try a vegan diet during January and beyond. This initiative was started in 2014, and in 2022 it had more than half a million people around the world commit to eating only vegan meals for the first month of the year.
Similar to ‘dry January’, during which people give up alcohol for a month, or month-long yoga or fitness challenges, Veganuary is an opportunity to try veganism for long enough to experience some of its benefits.
Going fully vegan all at once would be quite a challenge for most people. Veganuary is a great way to gradually introduce this lifestyle and supports you by offering plenty of vegan recipes to try. After all, you can do just about anything for a month!
What is Veganism?
To be vegan is to eat an entirely plant-based diet. In other words, it means not consuming any animal products, including meat, fish, eggs, honey, and dairy. There are several benefits of veganism, and you’ve no doubt heard that a plant-based diet is good for your health.
However, Veganuary highlights the role that consuming vegan meals has in promoting environmental sustainability and a kinder, more compassionate world for animals. Animal agriculture is known to be a big contributor to deforestation, water pollution, and climate change. Many farming practices also lead to unnecessary suffering for animals. Including more vegan meals in your diet is a way to benefit the planet, animals, and your health!
Health Benefits of Going Vegan for a Month
Several studies have shown that a diet high in plant-based foods lowers the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. This should be no surprise given that fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fibre, which all aid functions in your body and help preserve a healthy gut full of the good bacteria you need to thrive.
The longer you maintain a vegan diet, the greater the benefits, though a 2018 study demonstrated that eating exclusively vegan meals for as little as one month can reduce cholesterol levels, which is an important factor in preventing cardiovascular disease. Yet another reason to give Veganuary a try to experience these benefits for yourself!
Tayybeh Makes it Easy to Join Veganuary This Year With Vegan Meals for Everyone
Plant-based options are becoming ever more popular, but Syrian food has always had some delicious vegan protein sources to offer. Next time you’re looking for catering in Vancouver, whether it’s an easy vegan dinner or a vegan lunch, we’ve got you covered with some great vegan recipes.
Vegan Lunch Ideas
Everyone loves a good sandwich for lunch, especially when it comes to convenient catering for office lunches. So why not opt for vegan sandwiches, which in Arab cuisine, can take the form of a falafel wrap?! We can happily prepare vegan lunches for your needs, including fava bean stew and other authentic Syrian meals if you let us know your needs.
One of the most popular hot lunch buffet options in Tayybeh's catering is The Vegan which includes a mouth-watering medley of Hummus, pita bread, cabbage salad, falafel and rice with vermicelli.
Through Tayybeh's catering you can order boxes of vegan meals for groups of 12 or more to share this special month together.
Easy Vegan Dinner
Legumes and pulses are fantastic vegan protein sources, and our frozen falafel is the perfect thing made from chickpeas to have on hand for an easy vegan dinner. Simply pop them in the oven and serve them up with some nutritious whole grains and veggies. Be sure to also try our spinach fatayer which is equally convenient to prepare.
And if you're ready to go all out with some of Syrian food's most remarkable main dishes, prepared to be wowed by Tayybeh's vegan options. These include chickpea pilaf; Mjaddara (lentil and rice pilaf topped with golden caramelized onions); our baked eggplant, zucchini, and potato moussaka; and slow-cooked fasoulia green beans in a tomato sauce!
Vegan Snacks
Participating in Veganuary doesn’t mean you have to give up flavourful snacks! We offer a variety of vegan dips that pair wonderfully with pita chips, carrots, crackers, or anything else you like to enjoy with dip. Try our smooth Hummus, a delicious dip made from chickpeas, which are a wonderful vegan protein source. Or, sample our popular Mhammara dip or Mutabbal.
Let’s not forget the Ftayers and the Sambousaks: olive, cheese and spinach fatayer, and more which you can try all with our sampler box.
We can't have s Veganuary write up without mentioning the crowd favourite– the beehive! This beehive shaped collection of delicious rolls are filled with either cheese and parsley or olives and is the perfectly shareable snack or hors d'oeuvre.
Tayybeh also has a wide variety of exquisite salads available to order through catering. These include crispy cauliflower, cabbage salad, chickpea salad, fattoush, eggplant fattoush, tabbouleh, beet tabbouleh, and falafel salad.
It’s not too late to try Veganuary – order some scrumptious vegan meals from Tayybeh today and see what Arab cuisine has to offer!
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