There is no entry fee to visit stalls. All classes can be attended by purchasing a day ticket that costs only 8 euros in advance and 10 euros on the day. Free entry for children.

Practical Infromation:

• Event: Brussels Yoga & Vegan Festival
• Date: Sunday| 15 September
• Venue: Be-here, Rue Dieudonné Lefèvre 4, 1020 Bruxelles
• Time: 10-19
• Website

The post Brussels Yoga and Vegan Festival 2019 appeared first on Brussels Express.

A beautifully filling and healthy breakfast that can be vegan if you use vegan chocolate and tastes a bit nutty and creamy.

Ingredients (For 1 person):

1 cup buckwheat

2 cups water

about 3 cups coconut, almond or normal milk

a pinch of salt

2 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp chopped, roasted hazelnuts

1-2 tbsp chopped dark chocolate (75-85%)

Preparation:

1. Put buckwheat and water into a bowl and let soak overnight.
2. The next day drain water and put buckwheat together with coconut milk (should be twice as much in quantity as the buckwheat) into a sauce pan. Bring to boil and then let simmer while stirring constantly.
3. After around 10 minutes, once the buckwheat absorbed the milk and gets creamy and thicker, turn off the heat. Put in a bowl, add maple syrup, chocolate and hazelnuts and eat warm.

The post Buckwheat-coconut milk porridge with chocolate and toasted hazelnuts appeared first on Brussels Express.

However, a very diverse line-up of different Yoga teachers and styles awaited the visitors. From morning to evening you could attend classes ranging from Ashtanga, Power Vinyasa, Hatha, Yoga Nidra, Iyengar, Tibetan Tantrayana Buddhist Healing Yoga, Kundalini and OM & Bass Yoga Rave. A wide spectrum of yogic possibilities was on display, but missing was a significant one which would have complemented the other styles immensely. What was really needed was inclusion of Anusara Yoga, which is a fast growing style of Yoga in Belgium and worldwide. Its foundation is rooted in ancient tantric philosophy, modern body alignment and community. New teachers are being trained at the Tree of Life in Tervuren from January 2019.

Many different talks on Yoga, food, philosophy and nutrition were organised in parallel to the classes. Peter Verhaegen the founder of Yogakitchen drew the line between  how the Yoga tradition is tightly connected to living a vegan lifestyle. Vegetarianism/Veganism originates from an ancient yogic text that compiles all previous traditions into one: The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. It draws on many different traditions and therefore describes many different ways of how to reach a harmonious and peaceful state of mind. One of the ways is the practice of Ahimsa (non-violence/not wishing to do harm). Factory-like animal “production” is a constant violation against every creature’s birth right to live in harmony and peace. By not letting any products from these “factories” onto your dinner plate and into your body shifts your yoga and meditation practice from the sticky yoga mat to real life implementation of principles. An active contribution to world peace!

Well, after a hearty Yoga practice on the mat, many Yogis were on the look out for the expected yummy vegan food options. Equipped with “bring your own plate and fork” in order to avoid and reduce waste, most wandered down to the food stalls. Of which there were only two! Where was the rest of the Belgian vegan scene? The two options, however, were excellent. Nirvana kitchen the Leuven based Indian restaurant offered some fantastic vegan dishes. After a taste of India – onto the deserts at the next stall. Banana bliss balls! Simply mind and taste bud blowing. Ike Uwa, the healing power of nature with a Nigerian twist and innovative sustainable business cards, too.

After the most reasonably priced yoga classes in the whole of Brussels, it was something of a shock to find that the banana/melon smoothie at the bar was even more expensive than one yoga class. There were still plenty of opportunities for other retail therapy at the various stalls selling cosmetics, meditation cushions, mats and jewelry. But clearly there exists a gap in the market and plenty of scope for entrepreneurs to develop more reasonably priced and innovative vegan and vegetarian food and drink offers for the growing demand in the city.

The organizers are planning to take the concept next to Greenwich and Cork in October, and next year to Helsinki, but at present there are no plans yet to repeat the festival in Brussels next year.

The post The First Brussels Yoga and Vegan Festival – A Review appeared first on Brussels Express.

The day-long festival will consist of all-day Yoga and meditation classes, talks on mental health, stalls and lots of yummy vegan food. Teachers from different countries and backgrounds will come together to spread the love and well-being of Yoga. Live Kirtan (spiritual music and chanting) and Bollywood dancing promise to make the festival even more vibrant.

The festival is being organized by Yogific, an organization that runs Yoga and Vegan festivals in many places across Europe. Yogific is based in London.

« We are overwhelmed with the response we have received from the people of Brussels. Nearly 4,000 people have shown interest in attending the event – that’s unbelievable! We thank all local Yoga teachers, volunteers and La Tricoterie, » said the Yogific team.

Good to know:

The entry fee starts from 4 euros.

www.yogific.org/Brussels

www.facebook.com/events/230851167712312

The post Brussels’ first-ever Yoga and Vegan Festival at La Tricoterie appeared first on Brussels Express.

The most important event for vegans started today in Brussels: Veggieworld. This event is Europe’s largest and oldest vegan trade fair for products and services aimed at both the general public and industry.

The term « vegan » was coined in 1944 by a small group of vegetarians who broke away from the Leicester Vegetarian Society to form the Vegan Society. According to this Society, veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, animals and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.

The general public thinks that vegans are limited in their choice. Veggieworld aims to fight this prejudice. A vegan diet is richly diverse and comprises all kinds of fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, seeds, beans and pulses. In Veggieworld Brussels you’ll find multiple stands inviting all to discover the vegan lifestyle.

Good to Know:
Address: Tour & Taxis
Sunday 22/10/2017 | 10.00 – 18.00
Adults | EUR 10.00 incl. VAT.
Pupils, students, disabled persons, senior persons citizens & EVA members | EUR 8.00 incl. VAT.
Children aged 14 or under are admitted free of charge when accompanied by an adult.

As an example, check out this vegan brownie recipe.

The post Veggieworld in Brussels appeared first on Brussels Express.