The Veganuary campaign to encourage people to try vegan in January is now in its fifth year, and is all set to be bigger than ever with Veganuary predicting more than 150,000 people going vegan for the month. Last year, there were 60,000 registered participants from 172 countries, and one of its passionate supporters is Dubai resident, Chloe Boughton, who lists the top places to eat out in Dubai if you plan to go the Vegan way!
‘Back in 2009, my husband and I watched a documentary called Eating 2,’ she says ‘and that changed everything. I was sobbing at the end, angry at myself that I had never once considered how or where most of my food was coming from. Those open, green fields in the dairy adverts, the chicks snuggling under their mummies’ tummies – it’s all a lie. We opened our cupboards and threw out all the meat. We were vegetarian from that moment onwards.’ But things changed even more for Chloe when she went travelling. ‘We experienced so much of nature’s beauty and the animals in our world that we realized how wrong we were to be contributing to their pain and misery. A voice in my head told me I could do this, I ordered my first soy cappuccino and that was it! There was no looking back!’ Chloe has been vegan for more than two years.And it’s been a great decision. ‘Liberating!’ she says. ‘I’m conscious of the products I buy and where they come from. I support local businesses and buy locally-sourced fruit and vegetables. But it’s also made me more creative and more compassionate – going vegan has created this immeasurable love for all living things.’ And she has found the food tastes pretty good, too! In fact, she has named her favourite local restaurants that serve the best plant-based foods, and says they’ll appeal to vegans, vegetarians and omnivores alike. She particularly hopes that anyone taking part in Veganuary 2018 will try them out.
- Be Super Natural Kitchen, Gallery Lafayatte, Dubai Mall ‘This is the only raw vegan cafe in Dubai. The food is fresh and delicious and there is a good range of salads to choose from. One thing I love about this place is that there are postcards on the tables that have a list of documentaries, books and online resources to check out called the Vegan Starter Kit.’
- Taqado, Dubai Mall ‘A Mexican kitchen where you can build your own burritos. They’re packed full of black beans, salsa, avocado and more.’
- Organic foods and café, Sheikh Zayed Road ‘This is a hot spot for families and during the week it usually has a vegan soup on the specials board as well as a curry option on the a la carte menu, which remains the same. The food is organic which I believe is very important and now they have introduced a weekend Vegan brunch.’
- Pure Vegan Love, Jumeirah Lake Towers ‘A new company has launched a range of vegan cheeses that are delicious and have become a bit of a monthly treat now!’
- 5. Le Pain Quotidien, Dubai Marina Mall ‘A French bakery that serves a great soy cappuccino, chia seed pudding and a delicious avocado and beetroot hummus on toast! It’s a very relaxing spot for breakfast and the staff are always nice.’
- Freedom Pizza, Marina View Towers ‘Not only do they offer vegan sausage and soy cheese for your home-delivered pizza, but they have introduced a new vegan meat loaf sandwich as well as a vegan ice cream sandwich, a welcome addition to their expanding raw vegan dessert menu.’’
- 77 Veggie Boutique, Jumeirah Lake Towers ‘A menu full of different vegetarian dishes and each one can be made vegan, you just have to ask.’
- Life’n One, Jumeirah Beach Road ‘A cozy well-being centre with its own cafe, serves a great variety of vegan options with the all-important vegan burger too! You can enjoy breakfast or lunch in a relaxing garden surrounded by greenery which is a bonus living in the desert!’
- Roseleaf Café, Sheikh Zayed Road ‘Located inside the Dubai Garden Centre on Sheikh Zayed Road, this little cafe does a good brew, and an avocado and chickpea smash sandwich! It’s great for dine-in or take-away, and you can even grab a book from the upstairs second-hand shop and find a cozy corner.’
- Comptoir 102, Beach Road, Jumeirah 1 ‘A fancy little cafe not too far away from the beach, it has lots of healthy food options and a few of the sandwiches are vegan.’
- Eat Well Restaurant at Dubai herbal treatment centre ‘ The restaurant is located in the Herbal treatment centre and they have a fantastic Vegan breakfast board with avocado on toast, homemade granola with coconut yoghurt and soy milk as well as some protein balls.’
- Zaroob, Sheikh Zayed Road ‘A Levant street eatery turned restaurant has a few vegan options such as falafel wraps and mezzes, but you have to make sure they don’t put any garlic sauce on your wrap!’
- Greenheart Organic Farms, Arjan, Al Barsha ‘Although not a restaurant they are a local fruit and vegetable shop that also sell other ethically-sourced goods. Everything is picked fresh that morning from their farm and the owner is extremely passionate about organic food. They even make their own almond milk which is to die for.’
Says Veganuary CEO Simon Winch: ‘Chloe’s top tips for eating out in Dubai look amazing, and indicate the extraordinary range of plant-based options that are available right across the city. Most people take part in Veganuary because they have concerns over the way animals are farmed and slaughtered, but thousands more take part for their health or because they want to reduce their environmental impact. These are all excellent reasons, and everyone is welcome! But no matter what prompts someone to try vegan, good food is really important, and those taking part in Veganuary will soon find out that they do not need to compromise on great flavours, and nor will they struggle to eat out with friends. And, thanks to Chloe, we know exactly where we’ll be eating out next time we’re in Dubai!’
The Veganuary campaign to encourage people to try vegan in January is now in its fifth year, and is all set to be bigger than ever with Veganuary predicting more than 150,000 people going vegan for the month. Last year, there were 60,000 registered participants from 172 countries, and one of its passionate supporters is Dubai resident, Chloe Boughton, who lists the top places to eat out in Dubai if you plan to go the Vegan way!
‘Back in 2009, my husband and I watched a documentary called Eating 2,’ she says ‘and that changed everything. I was sobbing at the end, angry at myself that I had never once considered how or where most of my food was coming from. Those open, green fields in the dairy adverts, the chicks snuggling under their mummies’ tummies – it’s all a lie. We opened our cupboards and threw out all the meat. We were vegetarian from that moment onwards.
But things changed even more for Chloe when she went travelling. ‘We experienced so much of nature’s beauty and the animals in our world that we realized how wrong we were to be contributing to their pain and misery. A voice in my head told me I could do this, I ordered my first soy cappuccino and that was it! There was no looking back!’ Chloe has been vegan for more than two years.
And it’s been a great decision. ‘Liberating!’ she says. ‘I’m conscious of the products I buy and where they come from. I support local businesses and buy locally-sourced fruit and vegetables. But it’s also made me more creative and more compassionate – going vegan has created this immeasurable love for all living things.’
And she has found the food tastes pretty good, too! In fact, she has named her favourite local restaurants that serve the best plant-based foods, and says they’ll appeal to vegans, vegetarians and omnivores alike. She particularly hopes that anyone taking part in Veganuary 2018 will try them out.Says Veganuary CEO Simon Winch: ‘Chloe’s top tips for eating out in Dubai look amazing, and indicate the extraordinary range of plant-based options that are available right across the city. Most people take part in Veganuary because they have concerns over the way animals are farmed and slaughtered, but thousands more take part for their health or because they want to reduce their environmental impact. These are all excellent reasons, and everyone is welcome! But no matter what prompts someone to try vegan, good food is really important, and those taking part in Veganuary will soon find out that they do not need to compromise on great flavours, and nor will they struggle to eat out with friends. And, thanks to Chloe, we know exactly where we’ll be eating out next time we’re in Dubai!’
It is free to take part in Veganuary, and everyone who does so receives daily support emails that offer shopping lists, an eating out guide, nutrition advice, recipes, meal plans, and answers to common questions. They also receive social media support in a closed Facebook group where they can connect with other participants, and a free celebrity e-cookbook. There are competitions with great prizes and special offers throughout the month.
Chloe loves the Veganuary initiative and encourages her friends to take part. ‘What is one month out of the year?’ she asks. ‘Your body might go through a detox stage within the first week and you may feel like it’s not agreeing with you but power through and you will be amazed at how good real food can actually taste and how energised you will feel. You might even lose some weight! Not only that the most important thing is that you will not be partaking in the daily torture of innocent animals!’
Chloe has a travel blog where she posts new vegan foods and restaurants. Visit: http://www.backpack2thefuture.com/
For more information, visit Veganuary.com