What happens when a lawyer and a chef get together? Try Vegan Ready

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Think back to the 1960s vision of dinner. Not the Jetsons version, but overcooked meat, potatoes, and vegetables. Often, it was food that wasn’t fun, or even enjoyable. There was no regard for taste or appearance.

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It is no wonder then that some children were reprimanded and threatened with “you are going to sit there until your plate is finished” and it turned into a battle of wills.

Today, menus should not only have detailed descriptions, but more often pictures of what the dish or item would look like. Maybe the ingredients are listed in full. The plating of the dishes is creative and offers photos that please the eye. Thanks to the technology installed on most phones, there is even a “food” button.

And then there’s the question of your ability to eat and digest, not just your preferences. Are you a lacto-ovo vegetarian, a fruitarian, a pescetarian? For some, there are dietary restrictions and allergies. You might be gluten or lactose intolerant, suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, or a host of other issues.

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And the choice? As if you decide that eating meat will no longer be part of your identity? “Eat plants,” reads the sign at the Vegan Ready building on Notre Dame Avenue.

Owner and lawyer Trent Falldien checked to make sure there was no overlap with existing businesses.

“I started with a domain name and a business registry,” Falldien says. “The brand name is very important. The logo is identifiable. The V in a green circle is easy to understand.”

Falldien reminded us that food is fuel for our body and brain.

“Healthy, delicious eating” is achievable, said director Jennifer Jusic. “The interest is there. At Vegan Ready, we’re all vegan…all the time.”

“Yes, I am a chef and that comes from my grandmother. I took a lot of her recipes and gave them a little twist. I made sure they were vegan and healthy. There is nothing animal in our dishes.

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“Whole-food, plant-based cooking is oil-free, low in salt, and uses no refined sugars.”

This style of cooking was first promoted by Forks Over Knives in 2011 and is now trending worldwide.

“We use spices and dates for sweetness,” Jusic says. “We don’t add any refined sugar to anything. It’s not over the top. Don’t be afraid of the word ‘vegan.’”

Planning healthy meals is imperative. “All of Vegan Ready’s foods are processed right in our own kitchen and are 100% oil-free, including our veggie buns, pizza crusts, veggie burgers, wedges, collards, mashed potatoes, ranch dressing, nooch sauce and condiments. No oil means fewer calories,” Jusic said. “I won’t compromise on taste and I’m an animal lover.”

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“Our plant-based burgers are made with mushrooms, jackfruit, black beans, oats, beets, molasses and spices.”

All the food is homemade. There are also juices and desserts. “It took a lot of work to put this menu together,” Jusic said. “Every dish had to be perfected and then prepared for the photoshoot.”

All of the buns are “made with whole wheat flour and we add shredded cabbage and carrots to the dough for added nutritional density,” the menu states. “The ranch dressing is made with chickpeas, cashews, onions, vinegar, whole dates and spices.”

“Nooch Sauce is a blend of nutritional yeast with cashews, chickpeas, oats, vinegar and spices. This cheesy flavor is high in fiber and vitamin B12.”

How did a lawyer and a chef end up behind the same idea?

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“Food is the common thread,” Jusic said. “I found a job opening. Serendipity, I guess. Trent was looking for a chef/manager. After our first meeting, I thought he was someone I could work with. We want to expand our retail business.”

“We have very complementary skills,” Mr. Falldien added. “We have developed a lot of products. We have kept records of our planning.”

It wasn’t a health crisis that prompted him to change his diet. He watched a movie and many documentaries.

“To me it was very clear and I was convinced that there was good evidence…as a lawyer I try to look at good evidence and come to a conclusion.”

“Vegan Ready started with just takeout,” Jusic added. “Everything is starting to come together. We want to help people and serve them the highest quality, healthiest food. We’re always willing to update and think about seasonality.”

Jusic said it was not a trend and that vegan food was “something you can come here and get. Try it and enjoy it.”

Information about Vegan Ready

854, Notre-Dame Avenue

Open Wednesday to Sunday from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Closed on monday and tuesday

www.veganready.ca

[email protected]

Call 705-222-1121

The Local Journalism Initiative is made possible by funding from the federal government.

[email protected]

X: @SudburyStar

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