Saturday 20th November, 1 hour 15 minutes

07.00 US PST  |  09.00 Mexico  | 10.00 US EST  |  12.00 Brasilia  |  15.00 IE & UK |  16.00 Europe CET  |  20.30 India

Online Indian Cooking Class: Recipe for Mixed Vegetable Curry and Naan with Dharmachari Ariyanatha, native of India

in English with Portuguese translation

Indian cooking is an art, and the best way to learn is from a native Indian. This special online event is a rare chance to learn how to cook an authentic Naan Bread and Vegetable Curry with Ariyanatha, an Indian Buddhist passionate about the food of his country.

In this class you will receive:

• all the basic guidelines as you accompany preparing the meal live on Zoom
• a complete list of ingredients beforehand by email
• short moments of questions and answers with Ariyanatha
• a video recording of this class after the event

I'm sure you'll find Ariyanatha's instructions clear and practical, giving you everything you need to prepare the dish at home later on.

The event will be free and donations will fund the costs of a flight to Mexico in January so that Lucas, a practicing Brazilian Buddhist who is in the process of ordination, can travel there and attend one of his training retreats. So please come, participate, enjoy the learning and make a donation.

***

This online event is open to anyone. Limited spaces.

Cost: This is a donation-based event, following the Buddhist principle of Dana (or generosity). Please feel free to give what you can, and receive what you need! After enrolling, you will receive an e-mail with the information of how to make your donation.

Please get in contact as soon as possible if you want to participate so that you can receive the Zoom link, the list of ingredients, and the orientations on how to make your donation: contato@budismosaopaulo.com.br

Who doesn't love a sweet treat? And what could be sweeter than a sweet treat that has only four ingredients, involves no baking and takes hardly any time at all to make?!

These are delicious with tea or coffee and as they are also quite filling they are probably one of the few treats out there where you can happily say 'one (or two!) is enough'.

Ingredients:

• Medjool dates – as many as you like!
• Almond butter (or for a variation on a theme: peanut butter)
• Good quality vegan dark chocolate
• Salt flakes

Method:
1. Take the stones out of the date, fill in with nut butter and then seal the dates again.

2. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of boiling water. Dip the dates into the chocolate, and spoon the chocolate over to completely cover them.

3. Sprinkle salt flakes on top.

4. Put in the freezer to set and then store in the fridge.

This vegan riff on Irish stew is great warming, nutritious comfort food and can be easily adapted depending on what’s in season. Stock flavoured with tamari, nutritional yeast, bay leaves and lots of thyme (fresh or dried), along with potatoes, onions and garlic form the base (I add leeks and celery too if I have them). I like to include vegan sausages (with a robust texture that won’t disintegrate in the pot) and lentils (tinned, or dried and rehydrated by pre-cooking).

Here are two variations of the recipe, one pared down and one with bells and whistles, plus suggestions for alternate veg to include. The method described at the end is the same for both. 

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4)

Basic version:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable or mild olive oil
• 1 large onion, red or white
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 medium potatoes
• 2–3 firm vegan sausages
• 1 tin green lentils (400g) / or dried equivalent
• 1 litre vegetable stock (I use homemade stock made from saved frozen veg offcuts)
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp thyme, preferably fresh
• 3 tbsps nutritional yeast
• 3 tbsps tamari or soy sauce
• Salt and fresh black pepper to season if required

Bells and whistles version:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable or mild olive oil
• 1 onion, red or white
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 leek
• 2–3 celery stalks
• 2 medium potatoes
• 1 large carrot
• 1 large parsnip
• 2–3 firm vegan sausages
• 1 tin green lentils (400g) / or dried equivalent
• 1 litre vegetable stock 
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp thyme, preferably fresh
• 3 tbsps nutritional yeast
• 3 tbsps tamari or soy sauce
• Salt and fresh black pepper to season if required
• Fresh parsley to garnish

Optional extras/substitutes:

• 250–400ml Guinness (reduce stock amount as appropriate)
• Mushrooms in place of sausages (or in addition to)
• Turnip (small size)
• Brussel sprouts (handful)
• Peas and sweetcorn (handful of fresh or frozen, add at the end and cook for 2–3 mins)
• Kale or spinach (fresh or frozen, add at the end and cook for 2–3 mins)

METHOD

Prep:

1. Roughly chop onion (and celery and leeks if using)
2. Finely chop garlic
3. Cut all other veg into bite-sized chunks
4. Drain and wash tinned lentils, or pre-cook to pack instructions if using dried
5. De-stem and chop kale if using
6. Cut sausages into bite sized pieces

Cook:

1. Heat oil in large pot over medium heat.
2. Cook onions till starting to soften but still have a crunch, then add garlic and cook for further 2 minutes.
3. If using celery, leek, carrot, parsnip, and/or turnip add to the pot with salt, then sweat with a lid on for 5 mins on medium-low heat.
4. Add sausages, potatoes and sprouts (if using) and continue to sweat with the lid on for another 10 mins. Add a splash of water or stock if needed.
5. Add stock, lentils, tamari, bay leaves, thyme and nutritional yeast. Give a good stir and turn up the heat.
6. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for 15 mins.
7. If using, add peas, sweet corn, kale and/or spinach, and cook for the last 2–3 mins till cooked through/wilted.

Serve:

• Ladle into bowls.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Garnish with fresh parsley.
• Serve with fresh, ‘buttered’ bread.

After years of relying on dairy to enhance my vegetarian cookery, I’ve had to learn lots of new flavour tricks with new and sometimes unfamiliar ingredients on my journey toward veganism. 

If you are also embarking on this path, the ingredients below will have you well-stocked to take on a broad range of soups, salads, sauces and tasty garnishes to lift your dishes. 

Salty
Tamari: more depth and a stronger umami flavour than soy sauce, it is a staple flavouring in many vegan recipes.

Nutritional yeast: another staple, nutritional yeast is commonly used in sauces to give a nutty, cheesy flavour. Also works very well in gravy-type sauces and pie-fillings when paired with tamari.

Sea salt: in flake form or roughly milled, it is particularly good for final seasoning of any dish.

Sweet
Maple: another staple in vegan recipes, it is frequently used in preference to sugar or honey in sauces and salad dressings. 

Agave syrup: a sweeter honey substitute than maple. 

Mirin: a sweet, low alcohol rice wine particularly for use in Japanese cookery and salad dressings. 

Sour/sharp
Apple cider vinegar: this has dozens of different uses and is well known for its health benefits. It often appears in vegan recipes to help give a tangy kick to a sauce, as well as in salad dressings. 

Balsamic vinegar: used primarily in salad dressings, it can also be used (in moderation) to add punch to big-flavour sauces. I sometimes use a few drops of it in tomato-based pasta sauces, balanced with lots of saltiness (from salt, tamari and/or nutritional yeast) and sweetness (from carrot, sugar or maple).

Dijon mustard: a classic salad dressing essential.

Rice wine vinegar: for use in salad dressings and for pickling, it’s also nice paired with soy or tamari in stir fries, dipping sauces and marinades such as teriyaki. 
 

Flavour enhancers
Vegetable stock: the most important ingredient in my larder/freezer, and the quickest way to flavoursome soups and sauces. As well as the shop-bought cube and powder varieties, I make my own stock by saving veg scraps in a bag in the freezer (tops and tails of onions, spring onions, garlic, herb stalks, carrot tops and root veg skins etc), cooked up with lots of seasoning (including bay leaves, peppercorns and cinnamon sticks) to use in soups, stews and sauces. 

Garlic powder: a dash of garlic or onion powder delivers a delicious flavour boost. 

Miso: for adding umami to broths, marinades and salad dressings. 

Tahini: an essential ingredient in hummus and various Middle Eastern dishes, also adds nutty creaminess to salad dressings.

Sriracha: adds a powerful tangy hit of chilli to dishes. I always finish my stir fries and ramens with a liberal squirt. Also adds a moreish heat to broths and dipping sauces. 

Hot sauce: thinner and paler than sriracha, hot chilli sauces can be used similarly to finish a dish. Cauliflower smeared in hot sauce, generously salted and roasted in the oven is also delicious. 

Baking powder: while chiefly used in baking it is also good for lightening the texture in veggie patties/cakes, particularly those prone to wetness (courgette/zucchini, potato).
 

Oils
Coconut oil (also good to have a few tins of coconut milk and cream in your cupboard).

Olive oil (light flavoured for cooking, extra virgin for salad dressings).
 

Basic spices
Black peppercorns (for fresh grinding).

Cayenne (ground; also smoked cayenne).

Chilli (powder and flakes).

Cinnamon (ground and sticks).

Coriander (ground and seeds).

Cumin (ground and seeds).

Curry powder (or paste).

Garam masala (ground).

Ginger (ground).

Mustard seeds (mild yellow and stronger black. Be sure to bring Kisagotami to mind).

Paprika (ground; also smoked paprika).

Turmeric (ground).

Basic dried herbs
Bay leaves

Oregano 

Thyme

Rosemary

Parsley
 

Garnishes

Seeds 
I always have a batch of toasted sesame, pumpkin and sunflower seeds ready to top salads, breakfasts, stir fries, ramens, etc.

Flax and chia seeds are also good for garnishes, as well as being used to make binding substitutes in place of eggs. 

Nuts 
Pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, pinenuts, cashews are great additions to salads, and can be used to make pestos and other sauces. 

Dried seaweeds
To add to Japanese broths or to top off salads. 

Pickles
Ginger, cucumber etc. Nice pops of flavour to top off noodle dishes or salads.

Fresh
Essential fresh ingredients to always have in stock include onions, garlic, chillies, ginger, lemons, mint, parsley and coriander.

***

Liz Evers is a member of the Buddhist Centre Online team. She is the author of a number of non-fiction reference books, and currently specialises in biographical research. 

Learning to grow my own food has led to a big shift in consciousness – from the detachment of living exclusively on restaurant-served or shop-bought produce to the grounding intimacy of eating home-grown fruit and veg – and helped me greatly on the path toward veganism.

In 2015 I got involved in a community garden in inner city Dublin, not far from the Dublin Buddhist Centre (DBC). At the time I was living in a first floor flat with no outside space and found myself pining for a little garden to grow a few vegetables in. 

As the community garden didn’t have many volunteers (a common story for such gardens in Dublin at the time), I didn’t have many opportunities to learn from others and most of the time was spent in maintenance mode: trying to keep the unruly space under something resembling control. Ultimately, I didn’t progress much further than weeding and watering over the course of the two years or so that I was involved. But, while planting was done in a haphazard way, there was always something (usually green and leafy) to eat and in the summer and autumn there were gluts of delicious strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, currants, plums, apples and pears.

Coming home from the garden on a Saturday afternoon armed with an assortment of mismatched vegetables and fruit made me a more adventurous eater, and cook. And while the food was objectively tastier for having been organically grown, its flavour was also enhanced by the effort of the small group of garden enthusiasts who had brought it into being. 

The community garden was also the site of some ‘meitheal’ events I organised with the DBC sangha, where a team of volunteers came along to help in the garden for the day to help us get on top of the big jobs: painting the walls, shed and benches, laying wood chip paths, cutting back the overgrowth. Meitheal is a beautiful Irish word describing when groups of neighbours come together to help each other with farming work, such as harvesting crops. 

When I finally moved to a house with a garden, I began my urban growing career in earnest: converting a neglected 48 ft by 15ft  tangle of overgrowth into a pleasant space with a bountiful vegetable plot. Over three growing seasons there, I made all the rookie mistakes: let ‘pests’ take off whole crops, had far too little of the crops I wanted and far too much of the ones I wasn’t that keen on, and learned a huge amount along the way. Not least the satisfaction of cooking a complete meal with food you’ve grown yourself and learning how to build a larder frugally and efficiently so those sometimes mismatched ingredients can be transformed into something tasty and filling. 

Though not in quantities anywhere close to self-sufficiency, growing food has had a profound impact on my daily life, on my views and on my practice. My desire to scale up my growing endeavours expedited a move to a small town in the west of Ireland, where housing is more affordable, gardens bigger and rainfall abundant – which in turn has greatly simplified my life and created conditions for a more spacious Buddhist practice.

Through nurturing plants from seeds (bought from small Irish organic enterprises), I have become aware of the inputs required to grow them, and the potential for ethical missteps on my own micro-level (around water use, artificial inputs that could damage the soil and wildlife, dealing with ‘pests’, use of animal manure etc), never mind the frequent agricultural and environmental travesties involved in producing our supermarket food at the macro level. Standing in the vegetable aisle of a supermarket, I now have a much keener sense of the frequently poor working conditions for the labourers who produced the cheap bounty on the shelves, the tonnes of polluting carbon emitted to ship much of it around the world so we can have access to off-season or exotic fruits and vegetables, the dangerous degradation of soil and water supplies which is part and parcel of industrial monocropping. Also glaring is the fact that so much of what lines the shelves could be grown responsibly within Ireland, but instead is expensively shipped in to the island from elsewhere while in their stead our agribusinesses ship out vast quantities of animal products, whose production is economically unsustainable and has to be heavily subsidised. 

Because of this increased awareness of our broken food system, I have come to value and appreciate food in a way I never had before. Working with fresh, home-grown ingredients with different combinations of produce available at different times, has challenged me to be an inventive cook, rather than relying on dairy-based foods as the centre-piece of meals. 

From a Dharmic perspective, growing food has brought up ethical challenges that had otherwise been hidden away behind the packaging of shop-bought goods. I have used organic growing methods from the outset, and use only rainwater to feed crops, as well as trying to co-exist as best I can with all the creatures who naturally want to share my bounty. But home growing can often be a brutal business, and in establishing my garden I will have doubtless destroyed whole civilisations of insect and microbial life. 

The garden does, however, frequently provide the opportunity to practice generosity: in sharing food with friends, family and neighbours, as well as giving help to other gardeners, along with spare seed. It also provides a living exposition of conditioned co-production (that things arise in dependence on conditions/the existence of other things). When I plant my seed potatoes, I think of the millennia of their cultivation in South America, then conditions that gave rise to the age of ‘exploration’, with all its terrible implications, that brought those ancient tubers West, and then around the world. Then the hundreds of years more recently during which new varieties of potato were bred for growth in different climates zones and for different tastes. Then the logistics of acquiring the varieties for my current conditions, and all of the people and other unseen beings involved in getting them to this spot in north Roscommon. Then there is the soil they are placed in, composted from a broad range of organic matter, home to billions upon billions of microbial life forms and insects evolved for infinitesimal time periods to thrive in those conditions, each feeding off some element of the soil or the other life forms within it, including the specific plant or seeds placed there, and whose activities are vital to the good health of the soil and the flora growing there. Then inputs of rain, of enrichment, my stewardship of the plants to fruition… All of the myriad conditions that bring that tasty potato to my plate... There is a lot to be grateful for! 

And there is a lot to be cognisant of within that gratitude. The life force of plants cannot be denied, their ‘will’ to grow. As food, each is a gift of incredible value. And seeing them thus, I cannot deny the yet more tangible suffering of our closer relations in the animal world. Living in ‘dairy country’ brings this home daily. And so, for me, the necessity of veganism is now undeniable (but yet the cognitive dissonance persists, I have still not committed fully, but it is close).

Of course, for many people growing food is out of reach. If you do not have access to a garden, a community garden or allotment, even growing cress on a windowsill is a worthwhile endeavour. It’ll be the tastiest cress you’ve ever eaten, and it might just lead you on a path to greater food awareness, with all its related spiritual benefits.

***

Liz Evers is a member of the Buddhist Centre Online team. She is the author of a number of non-fiction reference books, and currently specialises in biographical research. 

I’ve always had this impression that jam and jelly were incredibly tricky to make. I’ve never properly used pectin, and any discussion of disinfecting and sealing Ball jars provokes anxiety. And yet, I’m well versed at compotes and fruit sauces to top pancakes and French toast in the morning! And they’re not so different. The ease with which every contestant on the Great British Bake Off whips up a jam for their cakes or trifles inspires me, and I’ve wanted to make some strawberry jam for a while.

Strawberry season here in New England is so short and sweet that I’d always rather have these fruits fresh - as they are, or maybe sliced atop a cake or chopped and used for strawberry shortcake. But! This week my CSA share (like a veg box) included some frozen strawberries from earlier in the year. And I knew the time had come. The time for jam.

I struggle to get excited about desserts without chocolate, so naturally my strawberry jam had to top a double-chocolate brownie cheesecake! 

The small size means its sweetness doesn’t overwhelm, and the tang of the cashew-coconut “cheesecake” marries the brownie and jam perfectly. You’ll love the contrast of textures in this dish. For the average vegan chef I think it’s classy enough to be a showstopper!

*

Need a cooking conversion guide for this recipe? Get one here!

*

Makes 18. Takes about 3 hours total!

Brownie Base

Adapted from Adapted from neverhomemaker’s Change-Your-Life Vegan Brownie 

• 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 3 Tbsp warm water 
• 1 3/4 cups flour 
• 1/4 tsp baking soda 
• 7 Tbsp cacao powder
• 6 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (or chocolate chips)
• 1/2 cup hot coffee
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 Tbsp margarine (I use Earth Balance - any butter substitute will work!)
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla 

Chocolate Cheesecake Filling

Adapted from Minimalist Baker 

• 1 1/2 cups soaked raw cashews (pour boiling hot water over the cashews, soak for 1 hour, then drain)
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
• 7 ounces melted dark chocolate
• 1/4 cup maple syrup or agave nectar

Strawberry Jam

This jam doesn’t require pectin, as it cooks down to a consistency perfect for topping!  

• 16 oz strawberries, leaves removed
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 18 muffin cups and add two strips of parchment paper to each cup in an X, so your bites can easily be removed! 
2. Make your brownie bases. Start by combining flaxseed meal with warm water. Let sit. 
3. Combine flour and baking soda. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine cacao powder, dark chocolate, and salt. Add the hot coffee and mix to form a paste.
5. Add sugar and margarine and mix.
6. Add flaxseed mixture and vanilla. 
7. Stir in flour & baking soda. This batter will resemble cookie dough more than baking powder!
8. Press your mixture into muffin tins - making sure to fill less than halfway. 
9. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
10. While your brownie bases are baking, make your jam!
11. In a heavy bottom saucepan, mix strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice.
12. Stir over med-low heat until the sugar is dissolved.
13. Increase heat to med-high and bring mixture to a rolling boil.
14. Stir frequently mashing the strawberries as you stir, continuing to boil, until jam is thickened and bubbles completely cover the surface of the jam. (about 10 minutes.)
15. Transfer jam to a jar and let cool to room temperature.
16. When brownies finish baking, let cool to room temperature.
17. Blend all your filling ingredients in a blender on high for 2-3 minutes, or until smooth.
18. Pour filling into muffin tins. Fill to the top.
19. Put muffin tins in the freezer to firm up, 1-2 hours. Then, remove to fridge until ready to serve.
20. Once your bites are firm and jam is at room temperature, use your parchment paper tabs to remove from tin. Then, top with jam and serve!

I split a weekly CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share - a veg box! - with my husband and another friend. I love that it gives us local produce throughout the year, connects us to the landscape and the seasons where we live, and the farmers who provide our food, and is much more environmentally friendly than getting all our fruit & veg from the grocery store. 

In our last November share, we were given a surprise bag of fresh cranberries. While cranberry sauce is integral part of the Thanksgiving holiday here in the U.S., I knew I would be making a pot pie that evening, and went looking for a savory recipe that incorporated the singular tartness of these berries.

I did some research and found chicken and cranberry pie recipes that could be adapted. I had intended originally to use white beans as the protein, but forgot I didn't have any left in the pantry! I used tempeh instead, but the recipe should work well with either. Mustard and nutritional yeast are both essential to give this pie its rich umami flavor. 

This dish takes about 3 hours to come together. You can prepare the pie crust ahead of time and store it for several days to make it an easier after-work meal, or you could also use a store-bought vegan pie crust. This is the first time I’ve tried the Bon Appetit recipe, and it was the best pie crust I've ever made, and probably the easiest to work with.

This pie will feed 6-8 people with a nice side salad. We even had the leftovers the next day as a savory breakfast! It was THAT GOOD. 🥧 

It is a perfect recipe for the holiday season if you're looking for something special to make for lunch or dinner with friends and family!

Crust
Adapted from Bon Appetit Test Kitchen 

• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Earth Balance (or your favorite butter alternative!)
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 3 Tbsp ice water 

1. Dice butter and put on a tray in the freezer to chill for 20 minutes.
2. Mix flour and salt in a large bowl. 
3. Toss butter in flour mixture to evenly coat. Working quickly and aggressively, use your fingers to rub butter into flour to create large, shaggy pieces of dough (the idea is to smash the butter into the flour, creating some pieces that are flat and thin and some that are large and chunky).
4. Combine vinegar and 3 Tbsp. ice water in a small bowl and drizzle over flour mixture, running your fingers through the flour as you drizzle to evenly distribute (think of running your fingers through your hair). Knead dough in the bowl until it starts to come together (it will still look a little dry).
5. Turn dough out onto a work surface and knead 1 or 2 more times, pressing to incorporate shaggy edges. Divide dough into 2 pieces and press into about 1"-thick disks. Put in Tupperware containers and chill at least 1 hour.

Filling

• 1.5 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion - diced
• 4 cloves garlic - minced
• 2 large carrots - diced
• 1 small sweet potato - diced
• 1.5 tsp mixture of dried basil and rosemary
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 3 Tbsp all purpose flour
• 1.5 cups vegetable stock
• 2.5 cups tempeh - diced
• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 3/4 cup frozen peas
• 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast

1. In a pan on medium heat add olive oil. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
3. Add carrot, sweet potato, herbs, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Cook veggies 5 minutes until they start to get a little tender, stirring often.
4. Stir in Dijon mustard. Sprinkle flour over top and stir to combine. Stir to combine.
5. Add vegetable stock, bring to simmer and cook 3 minutes. Add tempeh, cranberries, peas and nutritional yeast. Stir to combine. 
6. Remove filling from heat. Add more herbs, salt and pepper to taste! 

Assembly

• 3 Tbsp non-dairy milk 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. (177 degrees C, or Gas Number 4)
2. Sprinkle a clean tea towel with flour. Roll one crust out to a few inches wider than your pie plate.
3. Flip towel onto pie plate and allow the crust to sink into the dish. Place in the refrigerator.
4. Roll out the second crust using the same method. Leave on tea towel for now.
5. Remove dish from the refrigerator
6. Fill your pie with filling - it should look like a raised mound, but you may have a little extra filling. This can be used for a weekday lunch!
7. Brush the edges of the bottom crust with non-dairy milk. Cover filling with second crust. 
8. Use kitchen scissors to trim excess crust, then use a fork to crimp the edges of your pie to seal. Cut three slits in the top of the pie to vent.
9. Optional: Use the scraps of the crust to cut small shapes to adorn the top of your pie!
10. Brush outer crust with remainder of non-dairy milk.
11. Place on a sheet tray in the oven. Bake for 60-90 minutes, or until crust is golden brown! 

Here's some interesting reflections on the ethics of veganism by Dhivan:

"A recent article in the Guardian (that I read via a post about Buddhist Action Month) shares some new research about the environmental effects of meat and dairy farming compared to growing cereals and plants. The results are stark; “even the very lowest impact meat and dairy products still cause much more environmental harm than the least sustainable vegetable and cereal growing”. In short, growing peas has a comparably miniscule environmental impact compared to raising beef. And the opening words of the article sum up the implications: “Avoiding meat and dairy products is the single biggest way to reduce your environmental impact on the planet.” So should we eat peas?

I decided to try being a ‘domestic vegan’ 18 months ago, following a hunch that it was time to give a predominantly plant-based diet a go. By ‘domestic’ I mean vegan at home, but not strictly outside. Previous attempts at veganism had been idealistic but short-lived, though overall I have maintained a mainly organic vegetarian diet for 32 years. This time round veganism is easier: it’s more popular, so there are more vegan dishes on offer in restaurants, and more vegan burgers in shop freezers. The invention of Oatly Barista means that vegan coffee drinking is actually pleasant. Still, as the narrator in Simon Amstell’s film on veganism, Carnage, jokes: “a breakthrough in the quality of nut cheeses” would really make a difference.

So I find myself wanting to encourage others to shift to a plant-based diet. As part of doing so, I’d like to present a way of thinking about the ethics of veganism, as it is important to pitch this appropriately. I will conclude that veganism is not an ethical obligation, but rather a reasonable consequence of valuing universal welfare.

From a Buddhist point of view, there is nothing wrong with eating meat. It is well known that the Buddha himself was not vegetarian. On occasions, I get offered cooked meat. If the alternative to my eating it is that the meat gets thrown away, I sometimes eat the meat. Buddhist ethics is based on the principle of not harming living beings, and having an attitude of kindness. What follows from that principle is that one should not act in such a way that animals are knowingly harmed. This precludes buying meat or choosing it on the menu. Vegetarians also avoid fish and seafood since these creatures are harmed by being caught. 

But what if the cow or chicken or salmon has been reared with care on an organic farm, and has been killed in a humane way? My brother has started breeding his own sheep for meat, on a very small scale. A lot of petting of happy lambs goes on. My feeling here is that eating carefully-sourced meat is much better than eating meat produced on big industrial farms which are indifferent to animal welfare. The maximisation of animal welfare should be an ethical priority. However, this leaves a residual ethical issue regarding what one might describe in terms of assenting to the intentional deprivation of life. No animal wants to die, but prefers to live and flourish in its own way, just like us. If there is an alternative to eating meat, is it right to kill an animal against its wish? However, the argument here is not straightforward, since domestic animals by definition come into existence by being useful to humans. One might therefore argue that it would be better if domestic animals did not exist. However, in terms of practical ethics, it is still good to maximise animal welfare, even if in theory it would be better still if animals reared to be eaten did not have to exist at all.

This way of thinking about Buddhist ethics does not directly entail veganism, though veganism is a way to contribute to animal welfare. A common argument for veganism among Buddhists has been an ethical perfectionism: that one ought not harm living beings, hence one ought to avoid eating meat and dairy. This argument does not convince me. Ethical perfectionism may be admirable, but the environmental impact, and hence harm to living beings, of human life on this planet is complex. I would rather understand Buddhist ethical perfectionism in terms of working on deep-rooted mental states, as well as on speech and action. Dietary perfectionism is too narrow.

To put it more practically, one of the things that has held me back from turning to a plant-based diet was uncertainty about whether it was any better to eat imported soya beans than local cheese. The environmental impacts on rain forest life are unknown, whereas the positive effects of local organic farming are tangible. My scepticism about dietary perfectionism, together with uncertainty about environmental impacts, meant I had insufficient reason to become vegan. However, the new research presented in the Guardian is completely unambiguous. The evidence is clear that it is would be much better for the planet for human beings to be vegan.

This shifts the ethical emphasis away from animal welfare, and towards the health and diversity of the whole natural world. The human population is heading inexorably towards 10 billion, every one of us wanting to be well-fed. There is a corresponding pressure on land-use entailing environmental changes that are mostly detrimental to biodiversity. With this, the consequences of our continuing to eat meat and dairy will be the impoverishment and degradation of non-human habitats.

The ethical argument for becoming vegan that follows from this perspective is not based on dietary perfectionism, nor even from an ethical obligation not to harm living beings. It is simply an appeal to the welfare of all beings. The welfare and flourishing of the whole planet is good in itself. Human actions that diminish this welfare will harm humans too, for we exist as part of the living whole. From this positive appeal to universal welfare some simple practical reasoning follows. If we believe that human activities are responsible for global warming and environmental change (for which there is plenty of evidence), and if we value the earth’s biodiversity and flourishing (essential for our long-term welfare), then it is reasonable to shift to a plant-based diet, and we ought to do so. Whatever changes we make to our diets, away from meat and dairy, will be good ones to make.

It could be tempting to turn this into a Buddhist ethical argument. Since it is wrong to harm living beings, but right to practice kindness and compassion, then the wholesome or ethically skilful course of action, based on what we now know about the effects of farming practices, is to choose and to promote a vegan diet. But I don’t find it personally helpful to relate to food in terms of right and wrong. I would prefer to promote the positive value of universal welfare, and to invoke the ideal of the bodhisattva, who seeks the well-being of all. From these positive commitments, together with new evidence regarding farming, the practical conclusion rationally follows: “Avoiding meat and dairy products is the single biggest way to reduce your environmental impact on the planet.” Eat peas!"

It's Buddhist Action Month, and you may well be reflecting on the choices you make and the impact they have on the world around you. It is clear that humanity is facing into an unprecedented situation of human caused global warming, and, without taking adequate and immediate action, runaway climate change is imminent- which would ultimately make most of our planet uninhabitable for humans. So far, so alarming. What is one to do in such a situation?

Well, obviously, there is no one simple answer to that question, which must be tackled at all levels: by policy makers, world leaders, communities - including spiritual communities - businesses and more. But it seems increasingly the case, based on the evidence, that the single most effective thing an individual can do is to give up meat and dairy.  A recent article in The Guardian newspaper highlights (following extensive research) that quite apart from the inefficiency of using land for livestock, as it uses a lot more land than that needed for growing food crops, "even the very lowest impact meat and dairy products still cause much more environmental harm than the least sustainable vegetable and cereal growing."  This personal change would have a greater impact than cutting down on your flights or buying an electric car.

So, for those worried about climate change, that is one compelling reason to seriously consider moving towards, or sticking to, a vegan diet!

Read the full article here.

+Follow the Vegan space to stay updated on Buddhism and veganism

+Follow the Buddhist Action Month space

Buddhafield would like to recruit two people to help run the Buddhafield Café and to be involved with other aspects of the Buddhafield project.

Our ideal candidates would be inspired by the vegan ideal, want to join a community and work within a team based right livelihood business as a context for their Buddhist practice. What we do will be especially attractive to those who have a taste for adventure.

We especially want to increase the representation of women in Buddhafield and to encourage more Dharmacharinis, women GFR Mitras and other committed practitioners from within the women’s Sangha of the wider Triratna Buddhist Community.

A support package, including subsidised accommodation and paid employment, is available.

Contact Satyadaya on 07425132944
dharmacharisatyadaya@gmail.com

Charlotte Lawes from our team was at a vegan festival in London last weekend. Look at all this delicious food!

Check out Veganuary - a great initiative to go vegan in January with lots of helpful recipes and tips. 

Whether you're eating with fellow vegans/veggies or sharing the holiday with meat eaters, why not offer some lovely, kind and inclusive food that everyone can eat? I cook vegan every year for 'mixed' friends and family, all of whom love the all vegan dinner, desserts and everything! 

http://www.viva.org.uk/christmas 

On Sunday 28th September 2015, nine people gathered in a small shrine room at Gaia House to share personal stories and find out more about veganism. The participants in the event ranged from self-confessed 'fundamentalist' vegan to meat-eater. Drawing on points from Buddhism on a Plate, Samacitta presented veganism as a journey and suggested that we can be at different points on that same journey. After the talking, the group defected to the kitchen where Jane demonstrated cooking scrambled tofu with mushrooms and tomatoes. This was easily polished off for lunch, along with a broccoli quiche, chocolate brownies and totally innocent fruit cake - all 100% vegan of course. We were grateful to Gaia House for providing facilities and allowing us to explore our vegan journeys in such a beautiful and relaxing environment.

Here's some great vegan links by Jane from Viva! - she says:

"Here are some useful and free resources - particularly good for new/newish vegans.

The 30 Day Vegan: daily email with breakfast, lunch and two supper ideas (one from scratch, the other from supermarket readies)

The L-Plate Vegan: handy guide. Currently a pdf but the html version almost finished for us to keep updating and you to download.

Making the Connection: The Vegan Soc’s stylish, deeply compassionate and moving 30 minute film. Really worth showing at centres and all.

"At one time, milk was one of the more natural processes in farming. 
A bull would impregnate a cow — an actual bull, before the age of artificial insemination . She was pregnant for 
nine months and then a baby cow 
was born.

Afterwards, from the calf’s birth to up to three months after it was weaned, the farmer would milk the excess dairy by hand, for drinking, butter and maybe cheese. That’s it.

Until now.

With the rise of factory farming, milk is now a most unnatural operation. The modern dairy farm can have hundreds, even thousands of cows. Today’s average dairy cow produces six to seven times as much milk as she did a century ago. Cows spend their lives being 
constantly impregnated in order to produce milk. Bulls can be difficult, so the majority of dairy cows are now artificially inseminated. Sex is a thing of the past. Antibiotics cure infections. Hormones have been designed to increase milk production. The cows 
are pushed hard for this production, and, after roughly three or four years, their production slackens and they are sold off for hamburger meat. Today, 
the United States is the largest producer of milk in the world, followed by India and China.

The animals spend their lives being fed in an indoor stall or a crowded feedlot. Each cow produces milk for as much as 305 days a year. One of the largest dairy farms in the world is under construction in Vietnam and is slated to hold 32,000 cows.

But does it have to be this way? As dairy farmers in the United States struggle to make a living, a new kind of operation has taken hold — one that puts animal welfare and small-scale operations at the heart of the business. It’s an experiment in progress, but during visits to a number of upstate New York operations, there were signs that this “new milk” could be a viable way forward. The lingering question is: Will consumers pay more to know where their milk comes from?"

Photograph by Ben Stechschulte