Despite the many spots available for a quick bite, the vegetarian and vegan food options at McMaster are very limited and leave many of us hunting for greens  

By: Maya Elfizy, Opinion Contributor

It is safe to say that, at one point or another, most of us have found ourselves famished on campus and not really sure what to eat. The food options vary from a $5.00 pizza slice from Pizza Pizza to a $20.00 bowl from The Chopped Leaf. This does not offer much variety for those trying to eat healthy while on a student budget.  

Not to mention the difficulty in finding plant based vegetarian and especially vegan options. Many students cannot eat animal products for religious or ethical reasons. The few vegan and vegetarian options on campus tend to cost more and few of the vegan options have a decent amount of protein.  

A reoccurring frustration in the realm of campus food is the price. McMaster claims to care about student mental health, but makes it so hard to access healthy and affordable food as prices have increased since last year. This is especially significant considering research showing the relationship between a healthy diet and mental health.  

A study done at the University of Middlesex discovered that what we eat now is strongly linked to our health later in life. Researchers at the University of British Columbia also found that poor eating habits specifically in post-secondary students are linked to poorer health throughout their lives. For these reasons, the university should ensure that healthy and religiously considerate food options are accessible.  

An obvious solution would be to bring food from home. But this argument does not consider students with busy schedules, a lack of culinary skills and a lack of cooking equipment. Not to mention, the increasing grocery prices that force many students to opt for the cheaper fast food or instant noodles.  

It is only fair to assume that a university for which we pay thousands in tuition could put more effort into ensuring students can access affordable, healthy and vegan options.

Fortunately, in the meantime, there is an MSU affiliated organization, called the Food Collective Centre, which is a food security resource. Students can access an on-campus food bank and cooking workshops, to provide them with the skills and ingredients to make healthy meals themselves. This is a great way to solve some of the limitations to bringing your own food on campus. 

However, the general student body might not access this resource due to stigma surrounding food assistance. So, the responsibility falls back to McMaster University to ensure that students can eat healthy while also observing their religious and/or ethical convictions. The food options on campus should both be affordable, inclusive and equitable for both students who do and do not eat meat and dairy products. 

Photo by Ainsley Thurgood/Photo Assistant

Four delicious recipes you can try this holiday season

I know the holiday season is here when I begin to see Christmas Pillsbury cookies at Fortinos. During my first year at McMaster University, my friends and I went through over a dozen boxes of Pillsbury cookies and it was always an intense battle to get our hands on them at the grocery store. I still remember the smell lingering in our communal kitchen all throughout December finals. 

I’ve never been much of a baker myself but during the pandemic I have been cooking and baking more fresh food. This year I’m especially looking forward to making winter holiday treats for my family and friends. I’ve gathered below a few beginner and budget-friendly recipes from friends and fellow Mac students.

The Recipe: London Slices

The Chef: Una Pasagic, a human behaviour student, shares her Bosnian family holiday recipe.

Ingredients:

Dough:

 Filling:

 *Allergy warning: walnuts

Directions:

Dough:

  1. Mix flour and baking powder in a large bowl.
  2.  In a separate bowl, whip butter and sugar together until slightly fluffy.
  3. Add the butter and sugar mixture to the large bowl with flour then combine the ingredients by hand.
  4. Add yolks and zest to the bowl then combine ingredients by hand.
  5. Set dough aside to make filling.

Filling :

  1. Whip egg whites and sugar until fluffy.
  2. Fold in 150 grams of walnuts.

Assembly:

  1. Spread the dough onto a large rectangular baking sheet pan. The dough should only cover the base and does not need to go up to the sides of the dish.
  2. Spread a layer of jam, enough to cover the surface of the dough.
  3. Add the layer of filling and top everything with 60 grams of walnuts.
  4. Bake at 375 ˚F for a maximum of 25 minutes.
  5. Let it set after removing it from the oven.
  6. Once set, cut into rectangular pieces and serve.

The Recipe: Vegan brownies

The Chef: Emma Sood, a student studying psychology, neuroscience and behaviour, shares her favourite vegan dessert recipe.

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 ˚F.
  2. Line a muffin tin with a paper liner.
  3. Prepare flax eggs by mixing 1 tablespoon of flaxseed meal and 3 tablespoons of water stirred to a smooth, gel-like consistency in a small bowl and let it rest for a couple of minutes.
  4. Melt vegan butter in a mixing bowl. After stir in flax eggs, brown sugar, vanilla extract, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder. Whisk to combine.
  5. Add all-purpose flour. You can fold in chocolate chips, nuts or fruits at this point. 
  6. Scoop the batter into the muffin tin until three-fourths full and bake on the middle rack for around 24 minutes. It could be a little less or more. Look to see if the brownies start to pull away from the sides of the tin.
  7. Remove from the oven and let the brownies rest for a couple of minutes. Enjoy!

The Recipe: Toblerone cookies

The Chef: Subin Park. This is a recipe I learned from a friend. You can never have too many chocolate chip cookies!

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 300 ˚F
  2. Coarsely chop one chocolate bar into quarter-inch pieces (approximately 1/3 cup). Set the remaining chocolate bar aside.
  3. In a mid-sized mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar until light and fluffy. 
  4. Beat in vanilla and salt.
  5. Using a wooden spoon, stir in one cup of flour until just mixed.
  6. Stir in remaining flour and chopped chocolate bar pieces until mixed.
  7. Scrape dough into an ungreased eight-inch square baking dish. Lightly flour fingers then pat mixture into an even thickness. 
  8. Use a fork to pierce the dough in one inch increments.
  9. Finally, chop the remaining chocolate bar and sprinkle over top of the dough.
  10. Bake on the lower rack at 300 ˚F until the edges are deep golden and the centre is pale golden for 35 to 40 minutes.
  11. Remove from the oven and immediately cut into 16 squares.
  12. Cool completely in the pan. Once cool, store in an airtight container in a cool place or refrigerator for up to two weeks.

C/O Yoohyun Park

Check out these five local vegan restaurants in the Hammer 

By: Edwin Thomas, contriubtor

The rise of plant-based diets in the past few years is part of an overarching trend involving environmentally conscious practices. Due to their reduced carbon footprints, plant-based diets are more sustainable than traditional omnivorous diets. 

Plant-based meals can range from modified vegetarian meals to using meat substitutes such as tofu and tempeh. The rise in popularity of plant-based diets is reflected in Hamilton’s diverse restaurant scene offering great plant-based options.

These spots are classic go-tos for members of the plant-based community and serve as a great introduction for non-vegans into their culinary style. 

Planted in Hamilton, 225 John St. South

A vegan and kosher establishment, Planted in Hamilton aims to serve familiar foods using plant-based ingredients only. Popular bites include pulled-jackfruit sandwiches, build-your-own-bowls and their mac and cheese. The restaurant also includes a vegan bakery, featuring donuts, cakes and milkshakes, among other options. The average price for a meal is around $12-14.

Planted in Hamilton offers takeout, delivery, indoor and patio dining. They are operating at full capacity now, though proof of vaccination and masking unless seated are required, as per current COVID-19 guidelines.

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Rise Above Pizza & Wings, 274 James St. North

Established in 2019, Rise Above quickly gained popularity with their specialty vegan seitan wings, pizzas and wraps. Seitan is a dough made of gluten and flour used as a meat substitute. The restaurant features a family-sized nugget bucket with 30 wings. Their pizzas include toppings such as seitan sausage and grilled tofu and include vegan cheese and sauce options. The average price for a meal is around $8-16, with pizzas ranging from $14-32, depending on size.

They offer takeout, delivery and patio dining, in compliance with all current COVID-19 guidelines

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Democracy*, 202 Locke St. South

Democracy* offers a wide range of meals inspired from different cultures. From avocado quinoa bowls to Banh Mi, the menu consists of popular vegan ingredients like tofu and tempeh. House favourites include cauliflower wings and fries supreme. They also feature a breakfast menu consisting of tempeh bacon, breakfast burritos and scrambled “eggs.” The average price for a meal is around $12-16.

 Fun fact: Democracy* was the first dine-in vegan restaurant in Hamilton. 

They offer takeout, delivery and indoor dining. For indoor dining, proof of vaccination is required, as per current COVID-19 guidelines.

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The Hearty Hooligan, 292 Ottawa St. North

The Hearty Hooligan is a punk-themed vegan restaurant and bakery. Popular bites include their anti-warrior bowl, pizza pockets and crunchwrap. Their bakery displays new desserts daily, including butter tarts, cupcakes and cookies. The restaurant also features a lot of Simpsons art. The average price for a meal is around $10-14.

They offer takeout, delivery and indoor dining. Proof of vaccination and masking unless seated are required as per current COVID-19 guidelines. They are also collecting contact tracing information.

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People Under the Staircase, 27 Dundurn St. N

Built within the Staircase Theatre, the restaurant combines food and entertainment through its fully vegan menu and an in-house movie theatre. The menu features vegan pub food such as nachos, staircase chips and a yellow griffin burger. The theatre plays movies multiple times throughout the week. The restaurant also hosts live performances and contains an arcade room.  The average price for a meal is around $12-17.

They offer takeout, delivery and indoor dining. They are operating a full capacity now, though proof of vaccination and masking unless seated are required, as per current COVID-19 guidelines.

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The aforementioned restaurants are a delicious and environmentally-conscious introduction to plant-based diets for Hamiltonians and Marauders to try.

C/O Dolled UP Desserts

Katarina Poletto, the founder of Dolled Up Desserts, reveals her journey from the Health Sciences program at Mac to opening her own bakery 

After graduating from her undergraduate studies in health sciences at McMaster University in 2016, Katarina Poletto was ready to begin her master’s degree at the University of Chicago. However, her plans took an unexpected turn when she decided to take a year off to pursue her true passion — baking. She opened her award-winning bakery, Dolled Up Desserts, that same year, specializing in gluten-free, vegan desserts with a pin-up vintage twist. 

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Poletto entered the health sciences program at McMaster thinking she would go into medicine. But when she realized she didn’t want to pursue it anymore, she began to explore her other interests in holistic health and wellness. 

“I really went in a really different direction than most of my peers. In second year, I realized I wanted to [do something different] because I became disenchanted with the medical system,” said Poletto.

For her fourth-year thesis project, Poletto had researched alternative therapies for eating disorder treatment under the supervision of Dr. Parmjit Singh and she wanted to continue on a similar pathway for her career, focusing on research and policy making for alternative therapies and holistic health. 

Poletto received an offer and scholarship to attend the University of Chicago for graduate studies in social service administration and policy in the fall of 2016. However, it all changed when she received the Summer Company grant for entrepreneurial students after learning about it from her partner, and now husband, earlier the same year. 

With the $3,000 and business mentorship provided through the grant program, Poletto started Dolled Up Desserts.

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Poletto had always loved baking and grew up in a household with a sweet tooth. However, during university, she developed intolerances to gluten, dairy and eggs. Following this change in her diet, she began to bake for herself more because she noticed there was a gap in the market for high-quality gluten-free and vegan baked goods. 

“Oftentimes, [gluten-free food] tastes like cardboard or sandpaper and I wasn’t going to settle for that. I really focused on trying to make tasty gluten-free items,” said Poletto.

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Poletto was already an avid baker, baking at least twice a week, and worked on converting all her recipes into gluten-free and vegan items she could enjoy. With her recipes and knowledge about the gap in the market, she was inspired to create a business to fill that gap.

Dolled Up Desserts started as a wholesale gluten-free and vegan dessert manufacturing business. Within the first few months after the launch, the business saw tremendous growth and the demand for her products were high. In fact, the Union Market at the McMaster Student Union Centre was one of her first customers. 

Seeing the great potential for her business, Poletto never turned back to her graduate studies. 

“I had no idea what I was doing. I was absolutely just going at it, learning as I was going and I felt confident in that,” said Poletto.

In July of 2020, Dolled Up Desserts finally opened its brick-and-mortar location on James Street to offset the losses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to opening the physical location, Dolled Up Desserts was mainly focused on providing dietary-inclusive desserts for restaurants, school cafeterias, stadiums, hotels, banquet halls and other event centres. However, during the peak of the pandemic, they lost many of their food service customers. 

“We were doing some really big things leading up to the beginning of 2020 — huge, massive things — and we lost it all in a week when the lockdown happened because gluten-free and vegan products aren’t part of a restaurant’s core business. It’s an accessory product that’s good to have. So, I’m grateful for the store. It’s definitely given us a bit more presence in the community and given our brand awareness overall,” said Poletto.

Poletto is still looking to get the business back in the food service sector while continuing the store front as it is her firm goal to have inclusive desserts be available and accessible everywhere. 

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Looking ahead into the holiday season, Dolled Up Desserts will soon launch their holiday menu at the end of November. The holiday menu occurs once a year where every item is replaced with the best of the best, limited-edition Christmas and holiday themed baked goods.

The story of Dolled Up Desserts may not be a typical one. Poletto did not pursue a predictable career in the science field coming out of the health sciences program, but she says the skills and knowledge gained from the program have been integral to her success and starting a business for the first time. 

“From the outside, it’s really hard to see this and it’s gotten lost in translation over the years, but the health sciences program really gives learners the opportunity to develop different skills to be lifelong learners and do and learn about things that interest them in a way that makes sense to them,” Poletto explained.

Poletto valued the inquiry learning model from the program the most which allows the students to be directors of their own education. 

“[Inquiry] is a free form space or you to try and unlearn all the things you’ve learned from traditional school . . . and that learning model really opened up my mind and awareness to who I am as a person and really helped me develop the skills to be a lifelong learner,” said Poletto. 

“[Inquiry] is a free form space or you to try and unlearn all the things you’ve learned from traditional school . . . and that learning model really opened up my mind and awareness to who I am as a person and really helped me develop the skills to be a lifelong learner,”

Katarina Poletto, Founder of Dolled Up Desserts

Today, Poletto often returns to McMaster as a guest speaker and mentor for health sciences and commerce courses. 

Poletto’s journey of wanting to go into medicine to opening her own bakery has been challenging and difficult. So what’s the secret ingredient behind her success? She says flexibility and open-mindedness to new opportunities. 

“If I was so focused on, ‘This is the way I have to do things and this is the only goal I have,’ I would have never [started Dolled Up Desserts]. I believe having goals is really important, especially long-term goals, but there also has to be room for flexibility and opportunity there. If you are ever presented with a really exciting thing that may be off kilter to what you think you should be doing, just do it because you never know — it could change your life,” said Poletto.

“If I was so focused on, ‘This is the way I have to do things and this is the only goal I have,’ I would have never [started Dolled Up Desserts]. I believe having goals is really important, especially long-term goals, but there also has to be room for flexibility and opportunity there. If you are ever presented with a really exciting thing that may be off kilter to what you think you should be doing, just do it because you never know — it could change your life,”

Katarina Poletto, Founder of Dolled Up Desserts
Photo C/O @markandkait

Thanksgiving pulls people back home. Set at the beginning of Reading Week, it will see many students travelling both near and far to spend time with their families and old friends. It causes most of us to pause, even for a moment, and reflect on who, what and where we’re grateful for.

However, Thanksgiving is not always festive and fun. Founder of Every Golden Moment Carina Noyes knows that the holidays can be hard. That is why she created Friendsgiving Dinner, a community Thanksgiving meal.

Friendsgiving Dinner takes place on Oct. 7 at vegan and gluten-free restaurant, Planted in Hamilton. Featuring a plant-based diet, it is the first in a series of holiday gatherings hosted by Every Golden Moment, the business that Noyes launched earlier this year that curates bohemian style picnics.  

“Friendsgiving was created initially because I had my parents separate last year. [I]t just inspired me to think…with our little groups of friends, you have your little celebrations...But what can I create that can bring more people together in the community?” explained Noyes.

The result of this thinking is Friendsgiving. Open to all ages, Noyes wants to bring people from all different backgrounds to experience the magic of new connections. She loves the idea of strangers becoming family by eating together and sharing what they are grateful for.

Gratitude is important to Noyes. In the past year she’s seen drastic shifts in her life, replacing partying and drinking with more depth and thankfulness. It’s this journey that inspired her to create Every Golden Moment.

“I've seen my journey and…I want to create a platform [for] people that have that moment [of] life is more than what this is right now… I wanted to create Every Golden Moment to… connect … people that are on a similar journey…[T]hat's what I come down to: community and connection,” she explained.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bni3yMCnBHf/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

[spacer height="20px"]She has seen what gatherings like these can do. They have restored hope after failed relationships and joined strangers together in friendship. Whereas media and many we may know focus on one type of family, events like these remind us that the word also describes bonds that aren’t blood.

Thanksgiving is often tied to tradition. The idea of stepping outside of one’s comfort zone on this holiday might not seem appealing. However, Noyes notes that there are so many people in this city that we can learn from and form genuine connections with.

It is a genuine connection that partnered her with Planted in Hamilton. Vegan and gluten-free herself, Noyes always features plant-based food in her gatherings. She chose Planted because the staff always value her as a person and appreciate her business. Their support of her vision and their commitment to creating community made them a perfect fit. [spacer height="20px"]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BoIczn5ha1t/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

[spacer height="20px"]Noyes aims to partner with new establishments during each upcoming holiday gathering. It is important to her to support Hamilton businesses.

“[T]here's so many vegan restaurants… popping up… I want to cycle the business back to these Hamilton businesses. I don't want to take away their business. I want to put a new spin on it and make it like these cool events and have people come out,” said Noyes.

In getting people to come out to these holiday gatherings, Noyes is starting a new tradition in Hamilton. She hopes that attendees walk away feeling closer to the city and the people in it, giving everyone another reason to be thankful.

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PHOTOS BY KYLE WEST

If you have walked into TwelvEighty or Bridges Café since school started, you might have noticed some significant changes from last year. Both campus restaurants have introduced new menu items, seeking to expand the types of foods offered and introduce fresh takes on typical campus foods.

TwelvEighty, the bar and grill situated in the basement of the student centre, is known for its affordable restaurant-quality foods and campus nightlife events. TwelvEighty usually swaps six or seven menu items at the beginning of each year. This year, however, 16 items were added.

“This is the first time we have majorly renovated the menu for about five years,” said food and beverage manager Richard Haja. “So this year we did quite a large revamp.”

The restaurant held focus groups before the year began to test out new items on potential customers.

Haja is particularly excited about the addition of vegetarian bowls, which consist of a mix of vegetables to which a variety of protein options, such as chicken or tofu, can be added. According to Haja, these have garnered a very positive student response thus far.

“It’s kind of on trend right now,” said Haja. “The bowls themselves are all in the $6.99 range. That’s one of the cheapest values on campus because it alone as a vegetarian option in some cases is by far the cheapest you’ll find around.”

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Other new items include various desserts, a jerk chicken club wrap and macaroni and cheese balls. TwelvEighty has been working to add more vegetarian, halal and gluten-free options. Haja says that the ethnic diversity of McMaster has inspired the chefs to appeal to a wider variety of tastes and cultures.

“It’s not just the individual’s ethnicity,” said Haja. “It’s that people are traveling and people are experiencing new tastes and new cultures, so they’re almost expecting those flavours to be in their everyday life now.”

Along with a culinary revamp, TwelvEighty has undergone a physical transformation. In addition to opening The Grind last year, TwelvEighty renovated its floor. It is also considering the addition of seating spaces.

Like TwelvEighty, Bridges Café has also recently redesigned its menu, adding ten new options for customers this year.

Currently, Bridges Café is the only campus restaurant that exclusively serves vegetarian and vegan options. The new items include vegan sloppy joes, vegan pad thai and crispy avocado halves.

Director of McMaster Hospitality Services Chris Roberts said that the menu changes were made with the growing diversity of McMaster in mind.

Bridges is also experiencing its fifteenth anniversary in Jan. 2019. To celebrate the milestone, the café is adding highlights from the past fifteen years back to its menu.

Ultimately, Roberts is pleased with the changes. Bridges had record sales during opening week and Roberts says that student feedback on the rebranding has been positive.

Bridges remains committed to providing quality vegetarian and vegan food for many on campus at the same standard prices. With these new changes, Roberts hopes that even more students, particularly non-vegetarians, will come in for a meal.

“We hope the new branding and menu will attract a new customer base, one that has not traditionally eaten plant-based foods,” said Roberts. “We want to encourage a healthier, more nutritious diet for students. You no longer have to be a vegetarian to enjoy plant-based foods. It’s a lifestyle choice now.”

As students have been getting settled in to the rhythm of classes, TwelvEighty and Bridges have been spicing things up by offering fresh foods and environments for Mac students.

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What is it?

The two most common misconceptions that people have when it comes to eating plant-based meals are that they’re boring and not filling enough.

For a while, I was adamant that choosing juicy beef over a veggie patty was a no-brainer until I realized that it wasn’t the concept of eating plant-based that was hindering my food experience, but rather my choices of what and where to eat reinforced my misconceptions.

A garden salad is indeed boring and not fulfilling, but The Boon Burger Café’s extensive menu of 100 per cent plant-based burgers and poutines puts the thought of deeming them boring to shame.

The Boon Burger Café is a vegan restaurant that has seen remarkable success since opening its doors on Ottawa Street this past December. It joins a small but distinguishable group of restaurants offering vegan eats in Hamilton.

How to get there from campus:

Take the 10 Eastgate Square bus from Emerson at Main for a 20-minute bus ride to Main at Ottawa.

Walk along Ottawa Street North towards Barton Street East until you reach 295 Ottawa Street North.

Price range:

The Boon Burger Café had a three-tier system to their burger menu. As you venture into more ingredients or unique combinations, the prices increase. The Standards are $9.25, Dressed Up are $12 and Over the Top is $13.75.

Their poutine selection and chili cheeze fries ranges from $8-$10 for a regular, while most large choices are $12.

You can add a side soup, salad or sesame-potato fries for $5, or a generous serving of poutine or chili fries for $6 and $6.50, respectively. If you plan on adding a side, go for the +$5.95 meal deal that lets you add a side and drink (hand-made lemonade or iced-tea) to any burger choice.

For no extra charge you can have your burger in a whole wheat tortilla wrap or bed of romaine lettuce instead of a bun.

What to get:

During my first visit, I tried the “Backyard BBQ” burger, which is part of “the Standards” tier of the Café’s menu.

Despite being a simpler option compared to others menu choices, the burger arrived overflowing with fresh vegetables, pickles, relishes and other condiments reminiscent of summer days over the grill. What’s really exciting about the burger is that the grilled boon patty is packed with mushrooms, brown rice, onion, garlic and lentils.

The chili cheeze fries are also a must-order item. Signature chili and guacamole are doused over delicious sesame-potato fries and vegan cheese, along with a sprinkle of green onions and tomatoes.

The bacun cheeze burger off the Dressed Up tier is also a favourite, while Bollywood fire, which comes with a grilled Buddha patty basted in Frank’s hot sauce, yams and curry mayo, may be a more adventurous option off the Over the Top tier.

Why it’s great:

The restaurant space is aesthetically pleasing, with a living plant wall, portraits of animals and toy elephants and zebras as table cards. It can seat around 30 people comfortably, and individuals have the option to dine in or take out.

It’s also welcoming. Before your order at the register, a server will come to your table and thoroughly explain the menu. They’ll often come back and chat with you about your experience, encouraging you to ask any questions.

The Boon Burger Café joins the growing number of vegan eateries in Hamilton, while still being conscious of its non-vegan competitors. The prices are competitive with most standard burger joints around the city, but the value is even more justified in the size of portions, quality and diversity of the ingredients and of course, the flavours.

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Now that the first month of university is over, most students have come to the realization that eating healthy is not only difficult, but a lot of the time expensive and inconvenient.

My plan to meal prep and eat right didn’t last past the first week of September, and the hunt for an affordable wholesome eatery near campus was not as fruitful as I hoped.

In dire need of a break from over-priced pizza, I turned to Instagram.

That’s when I came across an account boasting all plant-based and gluten-free meals, from curried beet soup with crisp tandoori chickpeas to Swedish-style lentil “meatballs” and mushroom gravy.

The Winged Bean is a Hamilton-based service that allows you to pick a subscription plan, while the chefs cook your meals on a weekly rotation and deliver them right to your door at no extra cost.

Every week features a new menu, but their commitment to entirely animal product-free, gluten-free and locally sourced meals stays the same.

A five-meal subscription is amounts to a little over $7 per meal, making it one of the most affordable vegan friendly options in Hamilton.

At only 20 years old, Daniil Kiselev and Melanie Kuntz founded the Winged Bean.

Kiselev and Kuntz met at McMaster University in their first year, where they found themselves in a draining cycle of spending long hours studying, then cooking, then back to studying.

As vegans, it was difficult for them to eat well on a budget.

For aspiring vegans or anyone who wants to adopt a plant-based regime for their own health and the wellbeing of the environment, it’s even more difficult.

“For us, it’s been all our friends and people around us who genuinely appreciate that sort of lifestyle, but don’t follow it because of the difficulties,” explained Kiselev. “[The Winged Bean is a] solution that we made up and it fit in with both aspects of having a plant-based routine as well as an affordable and convenient [eating] solution.”

The Winged Bean also recognizes that eating plant-based foods can also change lives. Seven years ago, Kuntz was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, a chronic inflammatory disease of the digestive tract that led to countless hospital stays.

“What was really able to help her out, and she’s been in remission ever since, is switching to a plant-based diet; that’s one of the reasons why we’re such huge advocates and it’s been amazing how many issues have been solved by eating that way,” explained Kiselev.

The Winged Bean’s 100 per cent gluten-free policy allows them to cater to a demand in the food industry and expand their market reach.

Kiselev and Kuntz’ experience in the food industry spans several years but as first-time entrepreneurs, their passion for good and purpose driven food is what fuels their ambition to run their business.

The Winged Bean launched in July, but has been in the works since Aug. 2016. Kiselev and Kuntz decided to take time off university and pursue their idea full-time. They’ve had the support of The Forge, a McMaster-affiliated entrepreneurship initiative and Innovation Factory, Hamilton’s incubator for start-ups.

Since then, Kiselev and Kuntz have been doing what they love: cooking, innovating recipes and changing the perception of plant-based foods in Hamilton.

“A big part of having plant-based food is that many people think that it’s boring, many people think that it’s just salads, nuts and lettuce, and we wanted to combat that and show people that there is [an ethnically diverse] variety of foods…. The idea is to show people that it can be both delicious and vary by cuisine,” said Kiselev.

Many Indian dishes that are traditionally plant-based, such as chana masala and coconut curry, inspire the Winged Bean. Kiselev and Kuntz also get creative with substituting for vegan-friendly ingredients to create dishes like cauliflower “butter chicken”.

The Middle Eastern-inspired falafel platter, Italian-inspired handmade gnocchi with basil pesto, and the reinvention of Texas’ chili with quinoa and lime cashew cream make the Winged Bean menu a multicultural experience for customers and even the founders.

“We’re both Eastern European, and for us it’s been a change…. Eastern European cuisine is generally very heavy on meats and dairy, which is the opposite of what we do, so we’ve been having a lot of fun trying to convert those recipes and try and make them plant-based. We have a lentil-walnut ‘kotleti’ served with cranberry sauce; [the goal is] to copy the Christmas dinner at your grandma’s,” explained Kiselev.

The Winged Bean currently only serves Hamilton, but Kiselev and Kuntz’ envision their business moving out of their rental kitchen at the Kitchen Collective and expanding to their own production facility that will service all of Ontario.

Rather than opening up a restaurant, their business model allows them to keep operation costs low, increase affordability to their customers and profitability for themselves. With the Winged Bean, customers can skip the fast food, lines and dishes.

Since then, Kiselev and Kuntz have been doing what they love: cooking, innovating recipes and changing the perception of plant-based foods in Hamilton.

Review

For $39 I was able to try The Winged Bean’s five meal subscription plan. The price included five individually packaged meals delivered straight to the Silhouette door in a cooler bag embellished with The Winged Bean logo. The containers were microwave friendly and all I had to do was heat and eat! For someone who’s always on the go, it was a convenient and cost-effective solution. As for presentation, the general tso tofu, chana masala and basil pesto pasta looked fresh, colourful and visually appealing.

The chana masala and cauliflower ‘butter chicken’ were less spicy and emphasized the taste of tomato more than I’m used to, but the crispy chickpeas made up for that.

The Swedish-style “meatballs” looked plain compared to the other dishes. As a meat-eater I was hesitant to try the disguised lentils but I have to say I was impressed by the taste.

The general tso tofu won me over. I only like my tofu fried, but this dish is an exception I’m more than happy to make. I love contrasting flavours, and this dish is sweet and savoury thanks to the touch of peanut butter, maple syrup and black sesame seeds.

Overall, The Winged Bean is not only an easy way to eat right but it’s tasty multicultural experience too!

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By: Celia Kwan

Dedicated vegan restaurants and bakeries are more often associated with fancy salads and subpar substitutes to classic baked goods than junk food favourites.

The Hearty Hooligan, however, is a vegan restaurant and bakery aiming to change that perception by explicitly specializing in hearty vegan comfort food on the corner of Main Street West and Locke Street South.

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The first of its kind in Hamilton, the Hearty Hooligan is owned by Staicha Kidd and David Haradyn, who have collectively lived a vegan lifestyle for over 16 years.

Kidd and Haradyn did not always plan to be in the restaurant business. The two first oriented their careers towards academia, studying library and informational sciences and biomedical engineering respectively.

“Between the two of us we have five degrees. After a while we didn't think that was really working out for us… so one day we decided to throw it away and do something we are really passionate about: vegan junk food,” said Kidd.

The Hearty Hooligan’s menu mainly features soups, salads and desserts. One notable item is their pizza buns, a vegan take on pizza pockets. Two varieties Kidd and Haradyn have whipped up are stuffed with poutine and mac and cheese. The restaurant is committed to being completely meat, egg and dairy free, while also offering a number of soy-free, gluten-free and raw options.

Their desserts include a vegan take on Reese’s peanut butter cups, cookies and cookie sandwiches. The Hearty Hooligan also serves a variety of special order cakes, ranging from strawberry shortcake to chocolate salted caramel and pumpkin cheesecake.

“What we are really about is making junky comfort food… [we want] to show people how indulgent you can still be while eating vegan food,” explained Kidd.

cookies and cream 2

“Our policy is we want everybody to be able to eat… We want to make sure everybody who comes in can leave with something.”

Kidd and Haradyn havecommitted to use fresh local ingredients from the Hamilton Farmer’s Market or from Our Father's Farm, a local farm that lets buyers pick their own vegetables.

The restaurant is also planning to host artists’ work, adorning the walls with a rotation of local creations.

“We got a great response from the community – many artists are willing to hang their art in the shop,” Kidd said. “We also want to have a shelf of hand-made arts, [where] local artists and crafters can display their [works].”

Kidd acknowledged that the city has many vegan options, but she hopes that the Hearty Hooligan can add another location that is completely committed to a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle.

carrot giner soup 2

“I'm actually really impressed by how much is offered… what I like about [the city] is everywhere you go you can find something [vegan-friendly]. It’s fantastic… but I don't see a ton of fully vegan places, which is interesting for a city with such a big vegan community.”

The Hearty Hooligan was initially set for an early December open, but has since pushed their opening date for sometime early this year.

Currently, Kidd and Haradyn are taking special orders through social media and selling their foods at a variety of local events.

In the meantime, hungry vegans and curious non-vegans alike can anticipate an additional hub for the local food, vegan, and arts community to enjoy.

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By: Emily Current

At a time when we are realizing that climate change is becoming an increasingly pressing issue, that our society as a whole doesn’t have the greatest eating habits, and that there are ethical issues surrounding meat production, many people are turning to veganism as a solution. Veganism, not eating any animal products, including eggs and milk, is often seen as healthy, environmentally-friendly, and socially-conscious, making it the magical solution to all of our problems, right? Not quite. While veganism is often presented as the best option for everyone, we need to realize that not only is veganism not perfect, but also that it is not an option for everyone.

First, we need to consider the fact that veganism is an individual choice and it is not always the best option for everyone. Consider for instance, people recovering from eating disorders. Veganism requires a large amount of thought and time being put into what foods can and cannot be eaten, and many people in recovery cannot handle this amount of conscious restriction on what foods they can or cannot eat. The fact that veganism cuts away two of the four food groups is extreme, and many people may not have the time or energy to be able to find a healthy, balanced, vegan diet. So while veganism does have the potential to be healthy, it simply does not work for everyone.

One of the selling points for veganism is that it will supposedly help lessen the impact of climate change. It is reasoned that since plant agriculture requires less water and produces less greenhouse gases than farming meat, it is better for the environment. However, veganism isn’t the great solution to climate change that it is suggested to be. With veganism comes an increased demand for certain foods like quinoa and soy products (some of which must be imported) that actually leads to the development of monoculture of such crops. These monocultures lead to water depletion and drain soils of their nutrients, making this agriculture unsustainable. While eating plants may in fact have an impact on greenhouse gasses, it is not a flawless environmental solution.

Because veganism is not limited to food, but also extends to all animal by-products, there are some issues with veganism unrelated to nutrition. For example, some vegans avoid certain vaccines, like the flu shot, because they are typically grown in eggs. While this may only be a minority of vegans, it is still a problem that people are not getting vaccinated, which is important to maintaining health.

Veganism isn’t the great solution to climate change that it is suggested to be.

Veganism is also expensive, meaning that it is simply not an option for many people. For example, soy milk costs almost twice as much as regular milk. Even if you think that veganism is the way to go and that people should adopt it, it is not fair to tell people who cannot afford it that they should go vegan. If someone is struggling to pay for food in the first place, they should not be guilted into buying more expensive foods. It is important to realize that income is a factor for some consumers, and this means that not everyone has the option of even considering ethical purchasing.

Overall, people need to realize that veganism is not what it presents itself as being. Is it inherently healthy? It can be, but not for everyone and not easily. Is it better for the environment? Maybe, but it can lead to monocultures and water depletion. Is it socially-conscious? No, it is not financially accessible. While none of these issues are exclusive to veganism, they are important to take into account. Because of the way veganism is presented as an ideal to be adopted by everyone, it is critical that we stop and think about the ways in which this might not be true.

Photo Credit: Bettaveg

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