To celebrate world vegan month (November), we have collaborated with Azra Gilna-Duffy from The Littlejohn Centre in Dublin to learn more about business travelling on a vegan diet.
The Oxford Dictionary defines ‘Vegan’ as ‘a person who does not eat or use animal products’, often related to health or ethical reasons. The vegan lifestyle is still very much in its infancy in many cultures, and therefore it can sometimes prove difficult when travelling on a vegan diet unprepared.
Whether you are choosing to commit to the vegan lifestyle for health or ethical reasons, or if you are curious to learn how to go about incorporating vegan meals gradually into your diet, Azra is here to answer a few of our questions, and share her experience and advice on how to business travel on a vegan diet.
Larragh Healy from VenuesWorld took the opportunity to interview Azra about the vegan lifestyle, and below are some tips and recipes shared, to help us incorporate the vegan diet into our business trips for World Vegan Month.
I know most airlines offer vegetarian meal options, but what about vegan dishes?
Yes most airlines will cater for specific dietary requirements for long-haul flights, but it is crucial to reserve your meal in advance of travelling. I normally arrange everything during the booking process, and I also re-iterate what I mean by vegan, and clarify which ingredients I can’t eat.
Most short-hop airlines have limited meal options available, so for short trips I would always prepare my own food in advance. If you are in a rush though, do your best to buy your meal before arriving at the airport, as many airports don’t yet have a great selection of vegan friendly restaurants and shops, but this is gradually changing.
What sort of meals would you recommend for travelling on a vegan diet?
I always make sure to prepare something that can be enjoyed cold, that is filling and satisfying, and of course I avoid dishes that are too liquid as they may not be accepted onto the flight due to security regulations. Sandwiches, wraps, frittatas and salads work best, and I always make sure to bring fruits and nuts to snack on too. I will share some of my favourite recipes with you so you can try them for yourself. They are very simple recipes, so beginner friendly!
Is there anything we need to watch out for when travelling on a vegan diet?
Yes, it is important to research the ingredients in food served, as even if the dish is labelled ‘vegan’, sometimes innocent mistakes can be made due to lack of knowledge, such as tinned fruit being served in non-vegan syrups, or cheese toppings added to the dishes. Always make sure to communicate clearly about what you cannot eat, and bring some basics such as non-dairy milk sachets and vegan friendly seasoning for dishes lacking in flavour.
And how about when you arrive at your destination? Is it easy to find vegan friendly restaurants?
This really depends on the where you are travelling. I always recommend my clients to do 
some research in advance of their trip to avoid any disappointment. Food cultures vary, but the vegan lifestyle is growing around the world and there are almost always vegan communities to be found online where people share their knowledge of vegan friendly restaurants and shops in their local towns. There are also plenty of vegan forums and social media channels where restaurants are reviewed and rated for their vegan meals. I suggest calling restaurants in advance where possible. Don’t be afraid to reach out, as in my experience I have found chefs to be vary accommodating if given enough notice. Some actually relish the opportunity to escape their usual menu and get creative!
Can you suggest any websites for people travelling on a vegan diet?
Yes absolutely! I have so many favourites, its hard to know where to start! Well one of the biggest internationally known vegan sites is the HappyCow which was actually set-up in 1999 with the focus on bringing vegan communities together online specifically to share information on location based restaurants. For inspiration and recipe ideas, I love OhSheGlows website which also offers plenty of meal options catering to various diets and allergies, and MyNewRoots was set-up by an Holistic Nutritionist, so there are some lovely educational guides on how to ensure a healthy and balanced vegan diet. GoodnessGreen is a great site for families. It was set-up by a married couple, and since having their child they have incorporated lots of ideas and health advice for children too. And for a people who enjoy video tutorials I can’t recommend the HappyPear YouTube channel enough! These two brothers grew their vegetable shop into an award winning restaurant thanks to their innovative, creative and delicious recipes and now they are sharing fantastic video tutorials to show you just how easy and rewarding vegan cooking can be! I could go on, but I think that should be enough start with!
Azra’s Favourite Vegan Recipes for Travel
Raw Veg & Falafel Wrap
Ingredients
1 Wholemeal wrap
1 Cos lettuce
1 Carrot
1 Courgette
1 Handful Parsley & coriander (roughly chopped)
1 Tomato
Cashew cream (1 cup of cashews soaked in water for 6 hours liquidized with a few teaspoons of water to desired consistency- salt, pepper, lemon or chilli added as desired)
3 falafel from own recipe or store bought
Method
Use a spiralizer to create carrot and courgette noodles
Add some carrot and courgette noodles & cos lettuce to the wrap
Layer a few slices of tomato & press the falafel down over the salad
Pour over the cashew cream and sprinkle generously with herbs
Wrap up tightly and store in cling film
Roast Veg Salad with Bulgur Wheat
Ingredients
2 Carrots
2 Beetroot
2 Red Onions
Bunch of Vine Cherry Tomatoes
Fennel
1 Courgette
1/2 Bulb Garlic
1 Tin of Beans (chickpeas, cannelloni, haricot or green puy lentils)
1 Cup of Bulgur Wheat
1/2 Tsp Stock Powder
1 Lemon Wedge
Handful of Parsley and Coriander
Rapeseed oil and seasoning
Method
Slice all the vegetables roughly and toss in rapeseed oil seasoned generously with salt & pepper
Break up the garlic bulb, keeping it in the skin
Bake in the oven at 180 for 30-40 mins, gently shaking the veg after 20 to turn
Cook 1 cup of bulgur wheat in 2 cups of water with half teaspoon of stock for 20 min
Combine the roasted veg, beans and bulgur, mixing gently
Squeeze over the lemon juice to your own taste, and sprinkle the herbs generously.
Wrap in a whole-wheat wrap or serves as a salad.
Tofu & Spinach Frittata
Ingredients
280g Organic Firm Tofu
120-150g Fresh Spinach 
3 Cooked Potatoes
1/2 tsp Turmeric
Salt & Pepper
1 Fresh Chilli (chopped with or without seeds)
Pinch of Nutmeg
1 Clove Crushed Garlic
Handful of Parsley (finely chopped)
1/4 Cup Nutritional Yeast
1/2 Red Pepper (diced)
Method
Use a skillet to gently sauté the red pepper and spinach for 2-3 minutes until it wilts
Mix in the spices
Blend the tofu, a dash of nut milk, 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast & the chilli until smooth
Slice the cooked potatoes and mix into the vegetables
Pour in the tofu mixture
Season & place in the oven for 25-30 mins at 180 degrees
Leave to cool for 20 mins, and then cut into portions.
Store in airtight containers
The Littlejohn Centre was set up in 2000 to provide a comprehensive and integrative resource centre for individual and family health, using the principles of Osteopathy. Treatment includes education on the principles of healthy eating, regular exercise and stress management. Thus applying the principle of “self care”. This leads to improved health and lasting results. This comprehensive and integrative approach to health can be applied in a variety of ways, including osteopathic treatment, counselling, diet, and other treatments. Comprehensive treatment programmes, combining specific lifestyle modifications, can be tailored to individual needs to help reduce symptoms and promote well-being.
A big thank you to Azra Gilna-Duffy and the team at the Littlejohn Centre for taking the time to answer all our questions and share their delicious secret recipe for travelling on a vegan diet.
The Littlejohn Centre is a registered charity (charity number CHY12666) whose aim is to promote this treatment approach and make it generally available.
The Osteopathy for Health team will soon be releasing their promotional poetry CD to build awareness of clean living, cruelty free lifestyle and non-violent communication in family dynamics. You can visit their OsteopathyforHealth website to learn more about the benefits of the vegan diet, and here you can order your own InWhichWeLive CD.
VenuesWorld have local offices in over 36 countries worldwide, offering local expertise and rate on conference venues and services. The VenuesWorld teams know all there is to know about business travel and event management, so feel free to get in touch should you require services or advice on planning your event, or send in your enquiry for free venue finding for your event.
minimum of 200 bed nights guaranteed, complimentary plenary session hire and a 10% discount on accommodation rates, subject to availability. 
Malta Hotel Reviews & Feedback
