veganism Archives - GlenMyu Estate Luxury Bed and Breakfast

Veganuary is Coming!

Food and Drink, Holiday, Plant Based Menu, Recipes, Sri Lankan Cooking, Vegan, Vegetarian / By Mikeez

Veganuary is Coming!

Veganuary is Coming!

The launch of the registration for Veganuary 2024 opened on the 7th December 2023.
Are you going to join in?

Perhaps you have your Christmas dinner and are working your way through those turkey sandwiches? Meat, meat and more meat is one of my recollections of the festive period.

I used to get to the stage where I didn’t really want anymore and I was feeling quite unhealthy.
My thoughts turned to healthy vegetables and salads to get my body back in balance.

However, living in the UK, the range of vegetables around the winter period were mainly heavy root vegetables. Some I like and some I don’t. Although I know they are good for you, just ask my wife my reluctance to allow beetroot, cauliflower or cabbage anywhere near my mouth. (apart from coleslaw of course!).

The temporary enthusiasm for a more vegetarian diet quickly disappeared from my mind.

That was then and this is now.

If I was still living in the UK life would be a little different.

The choice of vegan, vegetarian and plant based restaurants to eat was not there when I left seven years ago.
Supermarkets now have a large rang of plant based meals on offer made by good producers such as Bosh.
There are cookbooks such as:
Anything You Can Cook, I Can Cook Vegan by Richard Makin
Plant-Based India by Dr Sheil Shukla
Whole Food Cooking Every Day by Amy Chaplin
East by Meera Sodha
The New Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone by Deborah Madison
Mildred’s Vegan Cookbook

Flavour by Yotam Ottolenghi and Ixta Belfrage

If celebrity chefs are in the bandwagon then......

It was a little bit of a surprise that Gordon Ramsay was cooking vegan dishes. I guess he has to cater for everyone in his restaurant empire!

Here is Jamie Oliver with just some of the plant based recipes for some British classic dishes.

An easy change to a more weighted plant based diet in Sri Lanka.

When we started GlenMyu Estate we quickly realised that the good quality ingredients that we sourced were much more suited to a vegetarian or vegan menu.
My wide also loves to experiment with the produce we can source and try different types of dishes.

It’s easy to mainly eat a plant based diet as there are many dishes that are mainly made from a vegetarian base.

I do still eat some fish and chicken however, if I have the option I will opt for mushrooms, tofu or our Sri Lankan sharing platter.

Veganuary is coming! It's easier at GlenMyu Estate!

So, it’s easy at GlenMyu Estate to join in with Veganuary.

The dishes are delicious and varied. being in the tropics, we have a wider variety of fruits, vegetables and spices available to make the dishes at this time on year.

Veganuary is coming. Dip your toes in!

If you are nervous about trying some plant based food then we would welcome you to book a stay at GlenMyu Estate and try some of the dishes that Ru and the team makes.
You may find this a pleasant surprise!

Try our Vegan food when you stay at GlenMyu Estate.

A stay at GlenMyu Estate as you explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country and see sights like Horton Plains National Park is a unique experience.

We only have three bedrooms and you will need to book early during the peak holiday season.

The estate is usually within an hours drive of the major sightseeing locations such as Nine Arch Bridge, Ella Town, Upper Diyaluma Waterfall, Lipton’s Seat, Bambarakanda Waterfall and many more,

GlenMyu Estate is listed on Booking.com and Airbnb.
Contact us by the WhatsApp button on our website for direct booking rates.

Veganuary is Coming! Read More »

Vegan Recipes our Guests Love

Cookery Courses, Organic, Recipes, Ru's Recipes, Sri Lanka, The Organic Garden at GlenMyu, Vegan / By Mikeez

Vegan Recipes at GlenMyu Estate

At GlenMyu Estate we have adapted our menus to reflect our guests tastes and requirements. We have been surprised and delighted that we have had so many guests that are Vegan since we opened in late 2022. Our guests enjoy the Vegan recipes that Ru cooks for them and here are some Vegan Recipes that our guests love.

Why Vegan?

Well, I guess we have to move with the times. In order to care for the planet, use locally produced ingredients and change to a more healthy lifestyle is reason enough.

We don’t profess to be a Vegan venue and will always cater for the range of guests that visit GlenMyu Estate, however, we have found that there is a growing demand for Vegetarian or Vegan food.

It’s amazing that, when we have a pair of guests, one Vegan or Vegetarian and one that eats meat, after sampling the Vegan or Vegetarian food that we serve then often the request is for non meat from then on.

Another reason for concentrating on Vegan and Vegetarian food is that we grow organic produce at the 5 acre estate and we like to serve food with ingredients that is as fresh and tasty as we can.
We don’t have the ability to serve everything we need from the garden however it is important to us to support local producers and help the local economy.

Other options are available!

We still serve fish or chicken if our guests request this. As we are and Island surrounded by water it would be wrong for us not to offer a seafood option.

Our aim at GlenMyu Estate.

Our aim however, if we can make it economically viable is to mainly cater to Vegan and Vegetarian clients in the future. We would hope that our non vegetarian guests would be happy to forego meat as the food is so tasty. So, I guess that it is over to you! If we have mainly Vegan or Vegetarian guests and can make it work we will be able to achieve our aim.

Nevertheless, we aim to make GlenMyu Estate the go-to place in Sri Lanka for fabulous Vegan and Vegetarian food.

Great ingredients in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka is a country that is abundant in vegetables, fresh fruits, herbs and spices. That is why Sri Lanka is a great destination choice for Vegans and Vegetarians. Rice and Curry is a staple meal in Sri Lanka.

There are many variations of Sri Lankan Vegetable curry and the ingredients will vary from house to house, restaurant to restaurant and hotel to hotel.

We provide garden tours at GlenMyu Estate so you can see where the ingredients is sourced from.

There are some classic Sri Lankan recipes that you will find on your travels around the Island. You will find that there may be slight differences to recipes and tastes around the country. I have found that Parripu (Dhal Curry/Red Lentil Curry) changes in density and taste depending upon who makes the curry and what additional ingredients they use.

Varieties of Rice

In Sri Lanka there is a large variety of types of rice which also changes the taste of your meal. Back in the UK we would normally buy Basmati Rice, Long Grain or Brown Rice (or Arborio when making Risotto).

In Sri Lanka you will come across healthy Red Rice, Rose Rice and White Rice in most shops.

Varieties include:

Suwendel.
Kuruluthuda wee.
Madathawalu.
Sulai.
Murungakayan.
Pachaperumal.

Each type of rice brings a different texture and taste to your dish.

You can read more about the different types of rice in Sri Lanka in the following link.

Guest favourites at GlenMyu Estate Hotel

Here are some of the Vegan recipes that our guests love at GlenMyu Estate.

Ru keeps experimenting with new recipes from ingredients grown on the 5 acre estate so there will be more exciting meals to sample in the future at GlenMyu Estate.

Sri Lankan Vegetarian Sharing Platter

Although this meal is called Vegetarian, it is actually Vegan.

This is the most popular choice for our guests that stay with us at GlenMyu Estate, whether they are Vegan, Vegetarian or meat eaters.

Ru’s mother is the main chef preparing this meal and she regularly does a complimentary cooking demonstration which our guests love. Some even get involved on the cooking themselves.

The Sri Lankan sharing platter dishes vary depending upon what ingredients are available from the garden and to purchase from local suppliers.

Normally it would include one or two types of Jackfruit curry, Aubergine (Eggplant) curry, Banana curry, Kohlu (a lentil curry), Mallum and a fish tasting salad.

The platter is normally served with Parathas which are wonderful for dipping into the different dishes and soaking up the gravy.

Complimentary Cooking Demonstration.

A guest cooking with Ru’s mother.

Find our more about a stay at GlenMyu Estate Hotel

We are listed on Airbnb and Booking.com.

See our Food menus.

Our food menus are regularly updated on our website.

Please visit our food menus at this link.

Mushrooms in Cashew Sauce

Another favourite dish which has a taste of this Tropical Island.

Abalone or Oyster mushrooms (whatever is available locally and fresh) in a creamy cashew sauce served with green beans and a fresh side salad.

Breads are also served and a delicious soaked in the cashew sauce ensuring the cleanest of plates.

Roasted Pumkin Ravioli.

Handmade Ravioli stuffed with roasted pumpkin served with tile bread and red pepper salsa.

Ru is happy to show you how she makes the Ravioli from scratch.

Ru Making pasta at GlenMyu Estate.
Please subscribe to her channel Ru’s Recipes for more videos and YouTube Shorts.

Vegan Mac and Cheese

Macaroni serves with Cashew Cheese.

Mushroom Risotto

A classic mushroom risotto.

Pulled Jackfruit Burger.

Jackfruit harvested from the garden in a Barbecue Sauce served with chunky chips and fresh crispy salad.

The chips will be made with potato or sweet potato depending upon what is available.

Soups, Soups, Soups

Although we are on a Tropical Island sometimes there is nothing better than a hearty soup.

The temperatures in the Hill Country of Sri Lanka get cooler in the evenings and therefore a warming soup accompanied;anied with freshly made bread is a really comforting light evening meal.

Our favourites are:

Carrot & Ginger – a touch of ginger really adds to that warming taste.

Roasted Pumpkin – we love pumpkin. When it is roasted and blended it makes a delicious soup.

Leek and Potato – another homey staple that is a simple winner with our guests.

We have Vegan Desserts too!

Sometimes you just need sweetness to finish a delicious meal.

Fresh Fruits with Vegan Ice Cream – A simply classical dessert.

Pineapple and Cinnamon Sorbet – Locally sourced Pineapple and Cinnamon from the garden at GlenMyu Estate.

Baked Banana, Banana Sorbet topped with Caramelised Cashew Nuts – naughty be soo, so nice.

Rice pudding with freshly cut oranges – Mandarin oranges sourced from our garden.

We are listed on Airbnb and Booking.com.

Read our reviews - see what our guests think of our food.

Our guests love the food that we serve. Please see our reviews on Booking.Com, Airbnb, Google and TripAdvisor.

Homemade breakfast with freshly baked bread and jam every day in addition to fresh fruit and local specialities. The dinners are simply fantastic and made with love from mostly local ingredients

Food: ....THE FOOD!! Ruwanthi and her mother's cooking is beyond delicious, the best food I've ever had? I think so yes!

The food is exceptional, with products directly grown in the garden.

Vegan Recipes our Guests Love Read More »

Veganuary 2023

Sri Lanka, Travel, Vegan / By Mikeez

Veganuary 2023

In 2022, at GlenMyu Estate we launched our Vegan menu in support of Veganuary and to reflect the changing requirements of our customers. We are revamping our Vegan menu in support of Veganuary 2023.

How was our Vegan menu launched in 2022 received?

Our guests really enjoyed the dishes that Ruwanthi has devised.

When our guests arrive we normally offer a small range of meal options and lots pick our Sri Lankan Paratha Sharing Platter.

The platter varies depending on seasonal items available and normally consists of:

Freshly prepared parathas

Aubergine curry

Jackfruit curry

Kohlu curry

Passionfruit leaf salad

We had two ladies from Austria who said that they had not eaten as delicious food in Vienna.

A couple from Melbourne, Australia really enjoyed their Vegan meals as they had found that Vegan meals had mainly been just eating rice and curry around the Island.

And we have also been surprised on the number of guests who have either been Vegan or Vegetarian who have stayed at GlenMyu Estate in 2022.

If you want to view our existing Vegan Menu please click the tab

We are not Vegan but…

At GlenMyu Estate we still offer meat, fish and vegetarian meals.

We feel we need to do this to reflect the requirements of our customers.

However, we are pleasantly surprised of the amount of people that have stayed with us that are vegetarian or vegan.

We will continuously adapt our Vegan and Vegetarian Menus with a plan to establish a reputation as a place to go for Vegan and Vegetarian food.

A change is coming

There are several factors which has led us to come to the conclusion that there will be more requirements for Vegan food in the future.

The events of early 2022 should result in the change in peoples habits being quicker to take place.

We list some of the events that have led us in our thinking.

Inflation and rising costs

The economic crisis in Sri Lanka had led to change in habits for people on the island.

The lack of fuel available earlier in 2022 lead to goods not being able to be transported around the island.This led to us looking at substitutes for things like butter and milk leading us to more use of fresh coconuts.

Import restrictions and the depreciation of the Rupee led to a shortage of chicken feed which in turn reduced the number of eggs being produced. A forecast food shortage led to the Government encouraging people to grow more fruits and vegetable in their gardens, in pots on windowsill and other means to try to fill this expected gap.

Inflation has skyrocketed here.

CCPI based headline inflation recorded at 64.3% on year-on-year basis in August 2022.

It is a real challenge for people to cope as wages have not increased and this has led to many missing meals as it is unaffordable.

The Current Situation

A fuel quota system has been introduced so we are seeing supermarket shelves filled again and those stales are in reasonable supply.

The costs of some staples have been reduced however are significantly higher than last year. For example rice was around 110 rupees per kilo and now is 240 per kilo.

A fertiliser ban was revoked and is now imported and being donated by other countries. This should lead to an increased production of crops such as rice next season.

The Country wants to go down the organic route and we think it will achieve this in the future however it must be phased in slowly.

An increase in Tourist numbers

We were pleased to see that in August 2022 most Foreign Office advice was lifted by many countries and it was considered okay for tourists to visit this paradise island again.

There have also been press about the number of airlines that will start flying to Sri Lanka again from early November.

The country really needs to generate more foreign income to try to get the economy back on track so we really appreciate tourists coming wherever they stay in Sri Lanka.

So, we at GlenMyu Estate, are looking forward to welcoming guests and them sampling the menus we have to offer.

Veganuary 2022 - The Numbers

According to the Veganuary website the good news is that.

629,000 signed up

228 Countries & Territories took part

1,540 new vegan products and menus launched

There is a free celebrity recipe booklet to download if you sign up with your e mail.

On the website there are also Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks and Sweet Treats recipes that you can try and experience homemade Vegan food for yourself.

Maybe sampling some of our Veganuary 2023 will start you on your Vegan journey.

Although we still eat meat, chicken and fish we have changed our own diets so that it is much more plant based. Our aim is to do our bit for the environment along with eating healthier.

As more of our guests opt for Vegetarian and Vegan dishes this reflects what we tend to eat also.

When I was growing up in the UK there was very little in the way of offering for Vegetarian and Vegan food. I’m delighted that there are so many tasty options nowadays and we hope that your experience at GlenMyu Estate will provide a reason to consider a change of lifestyle.

Experience our Vegan menu supporting Veganuary 2023 at GlenMyu Estate

You can contact Ruwanthi at GlenMyu Estate for bookings via the green WhatsApp button or write to Michael by E-mail michael@resortglenmyu.com

Here is a taste of what GlenMyu Estate is all about;

3 Kingsize Double Bedrooms with Spectacular Views

2 Spacious Lounges with views over the hills below the house

A Natural Spring-Fed Infinity Swimming Pool

5 Acres of land to explore

Delicious bespoke meals freshly prepared by the host

A selection of places to dine

A place to relax and be closer to nature

Within reach of the following tourist sites:

Diyaluma Waterfall and Upper Diyaluma Pools

Horton Plains National Park – Mini Worlds End, Worlds End and Bakers Falls

Adisham Bungalow

Lipton Seat

Dambetenna Tea Factory

Bambarakanda Waterfall

Thangamale Bird Sanctuary

Ella Town

9 Arch Bridge

Little Adams Peak

Ravanna Waterfall

Please also visit our website for further details and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Veganuary 2023 Read More »

Veganuary – launching our new Vegan Menu.

Our food menus at GlenMyu Estate, Sri Lanka, Vegan / By Mikeez

January may be over however we just love our Vegan Menu!

We supported Veganuary 2022 and we are delighted with the response to our menu.

The menu will continue to be available and we will tweak it every so often depending on what local produce is available.

We hope that you come to GlenMyu Estate in the near future, enjoy a wonderful stay and sample our menus.

Veganuary 2022 - Supporting this cause by launching our new Vegan Menu

In order to support this worthy challenge and to encourage a more healthy lifestyle whilst looking after the planet we at GlenMyu Estate are launching our new Vegan Menu.

To find out more about the challenge please click on this link. https://veganuary.com

Our New Vegan Menu

We understand that some of our clients will not wish to participate in the challenge and therefore we are still offering our normal menus which can be found on the following link.

Veganuary – launching our new Vegan Menu. Read More »