Tags: Croft Bulk Foods Edge Davao Kindred Cafe Meghann Hernandez Metro Mom Plant-based diet Sahara Casteel The Vegan Dinosaur Vegan Diet Vegan Food Veganism Vegans of Davao Zero Waste
Tips and thoughts from Sahara Casteel as she shares her advocacy and how it all “vegan”.
New Year, new goals. As you embark on a fresh start, have you also considered eating healthier not just for your own good, but also for the environment?
Sustainability is a hot topic across the globe and there is no better time than now to take it more seriously—especially after series of disasters and devastations caused by climate crisis and unsustainable food system. A number of studies show that plant-based diets, including veganism and vegetarianism, can help reverse the effects of climate change, aside from being a practical solution to multiple health and wellness issues.
While there is, undeniably, more heart and compassion in this kind of wellness journey and lifestyle change, crossing to the opposite end of the spectrum might seem daunting or close to unimaginable at first. Most of us have been used to eating meat, fish, dairy products, and poultry since childhood. One could not help but wonder what we could possibly eat that’s devoid of any animal product.
Fret not. Vegan entrepreneur, Sahara Lara Casteel, assures us that there’s a multitude of nourishing and delectable options and plant-based alternatives to our favorite dishes. Aside from sharing her advocacy, she also gives us a 101 on how to transition to a plant-based or vegan diet.
Sahara Casteel at Croft Bulk Foods.
Green awakening
Sahara is the woman behind Croft Bulk Foods, The Vegan Dinosaur, Kindred Café—concept store and restaurants in Davao City which offer wholesome options on the table. She is also the founder of the Vegans of Davao community group on Facebook, which now has over 3,500 members.
This graduate of Business Management and Marketing was born in Digos and attended college in Australia. Prior to setting up her first venture, she worked at Iku Wholefoods, a vegan macrobiotic fast food chain in Sydney.
Her veganism journey started a little over 10 years ago. “I was an avid reader growing up and I found myself researching and gaining an interest in environmentalism. As I followed the Greenpeace movement, I was introduced to vegetarianism. I discovered that, as an environmentalist, it was quite hypocritical to still consume and use animal products while they are one of the largest contributors to climate change. This led me to shift to veganism.”
“Veganism is a lifestyle. It is an ethical and conscious decision to help reduce (or stop) animal cruelty by abstaining from meat, fish, dairy, eggs, honey, gelatin, cleaning products and other items which contain animal products or derivatives.”
Delicious wraps served at Kindred Cafe.
Sahara points out the key difference between a vegan diet and a plant-based diet.
“In principle, a plant-based diet refers to a diet that consists solely or primarily of food derived from plant sources. On the other hand, a vegan diet is a main starting point in adopting veganism as a lifestyle. Vegans also eat plant-based food. Furthermore, some other people start out eating a plant-based diet and eventually decide to become vegan by changing the rest of their lifestyle and eliminating animal products in non-food areas.”
“Once I understood all the pros and health benefits that come with veganism, I never looked back. I learned the culinary basics while working at Iku Wholefoods, which is one of the oldest whole food, plant-based establishments in Sydney. During that time, I also started a side business, creating and selling raw cakes.”
No-bake snickers and oatcake squares.
Planting the seeds of change
When Sahara moved back to the Philippines, she was surprised to discover there were only few vegan food options in Davao City. “Coming from Sydney—one of the vegan capitals of the world and where veganism is so easy to follow even in social settings—I didn’t think vegan options would be rare here in Davao. So, I decided to create my own eatery called The Vegan Dinosaur. It started out as a small, two-table restaurant, as I was more focused in offering takeout. Our menu only had one burger, one pasta, one salad, two desserts, and a few juices. In the beginning, I ran the operations by myself. I managed the groceries, prepared the food, handled customer service and everything in between.”
Wheat-free and oil-free choco chip oat banana loaves
The Vegan Dinosaur became a game changer in the local dining scene. Its customer base grew in number and this prompted Sahara to move the restaurant to a bigger space. She also expanded her menu, to cater to different cravings, intentions, and health goals.
“Our Western menu eventually included a few Asian-inspired dishes, with more options from burger to pasta, salads, juices, and smoothies. We put our focus on whole food ingredients, which meant minimizing the use of refined ingredients such as oils, sugar, preservatives, colorings, or highly processed ingredients.”
Croft Bulk Foods
Three years later, Sahara opened Croft Bulk Foods. “It’s a grocery store featuring eco-friendly items that are unpacked and all vegan guaranteed. This is where you can find a variety of essential vegan ingredients. Customers can buy as little or as much as they need. We want to encourage people to embrace zero-waste lifestyle and conscious consumption.”
Kindred Café opened shortly after. While the menu categories are pretty similar to that of The Vegan Dinosaur, there are selections which are unique to Kindred Café. “Our signature specials include Beyond Burger and other mock-meat style food, which are more refined and made up of proteins and oils.”
“All of my businesses and brands aim to encourage and show people that vegan food doesn’t have to be boring. There are so many things you can do with plant-based ingredients.”
Kindred Cafe
Something to chew on
Switching to a vegan or plant-based diet can be difficult. It is, after all, emotionally and socially challenging to break free from the norm. “The aspect which makes the switch difficult for most is replacing the meaty substance of the meal with a plant-based alternative,” Sahara explains. “But, this has become easier than ever with the option of imitation meats. You can also use tofu, tempeh, beans, lentils, or nuts.”
She adds, “Don’t get dissuaded by misconceptions. You have to understand that other people may have different views about vegan and plant-based diets. Just respect how they feel.”
“Some have raised concerns such as where we get our protein, thinking it’s only sourced from meat. Protein is made up of essential and non-essential amino acids. There are 9 essential amino acids found in differing amounts in multiple plant sources. The most common food which has all essential amino acids, making it a complete protein, is tofu.”
“’Veganism is expensive’ is another common misconception you might hear. Some think it is because there are expensive commercial products in the market that are labelled as vegan. But, if you strip the diet side of veganism down to the basics, you have fruit, vegetables, beans, and grains. Here in the Philippines, we have an abundance of those at our disposal, which make the foundation for a healthy diet and eating plant-based incredibly affordable. In addition, whole foods and essential ingredients are easily accessible to us all.”
Plant-based burger.
The way forward
If you firmly believe veganism is for you, Sahara suggests you take the transition slowly.
“You can start by looking at your plate and fridge. Identify what’s not vegan and what you can do to change it. Typically, that would be the meat and dairy in your meals. You may opt to use the vegan or plant-based alternatives of the food you love.”
“You have to become an avid label-reader. Be diligent in reading ingredients when you buy packed products and be familiar with the animal derived ingredients which are less commonly known. Once you have adjusted to eating plant-based food, you can then check and change your other lifestyle choices such as cleaning products, makeup, beauty products, clothing, etc.”
“You might encounter challenges. But, always remember your why. This will be your motivation to stay committed and to succeed. In my case, it was challenging to introduce and offer vegan food to a population and place where the traditional food is far from plant-based. When I started my business, I didn’t solely focus on money as the key to my success. There were days with no sales. If I focused only on the profit, I would have closed the business a long time ago. But, 5 years later, I am still passionate about providing food that’s compassionate to the animals and the planet, and our team has no plans of stopping anytime soon.”
Follow @thevegandinosaur, @croftbulkfoods and @kindredcafeph on Facebook and Instagram to find vegan options for your diet and lifestyle.
Story also published on my Metro Mom column in Edge Davao newspaper. Photos courtesy of Sahara Casteel.
