Safura Osmani on Vegan Eating in Northeast Florida

What is your background in the food industry?

I have always been passionate about food and learned a lot about ethnic cuisine and cooking skills from my mom. Growing up in a large family, I loved working in the garden and picking fresh fruits and vegetables with my siblings. We cooked at home and all the ingredients were fresh picked from our garden. I loved to watch cooking shows and experimented blending Indian-fusion foods and flavors with Western dishes and spicing them up with different herbs and spices. To further my passion for cooking and to hone my skills I became certified in Forks over Knives nutrition cooking classes. Since we became vegan I learned new ways to add flavor and creativity to all the dishes I make. What I love MOST now is to be able combine my desire to cook plant-based food with the knowledge of what is a healthy diet and to create a cuisine that is oil-free, hearty and flavorful. Taking all the childhood comfort dishes I have perfected them to a healthier version. I love to teach others how to cook this way and in fact have taught Indian cooking classes at JAX Cooking Studio.

Have you always been a vegan? If not, what led you to change your diet?

My husband Ubaid and I have been vegan for over 10 years and are passionate about whole-foods, plant-based eating and love to share our knowledge with others. When we went vegan we began feeling more energetic, stronger, creative and happier than ever before. Many of our family members had passed away from stroke and heart disease at a young age. This led us to do tons of research and follow all the plant-based experts in the food and health field to find out how to live healthier without disease. We read the book,The China Study, watched Forks Over Knives and follow the teachings from these expert doctors: Joel Furhman, Michael Greger, Joel Kahn, Michael Klaper, John McDougall, Caldwell Esselstyn and Neal Barnard. We were thrilled when we got an opportunity to meet with these doctors on a vegan cruise we went on last year.

Friends and family always came to us for advice and tips on healthier eating and how to reverse their disease. Therefore, we launched our social channel JAX Vegan Couple last year with the mission to educate, engage and inspire others and help them on a healthy whole-foods plant-based journey! We offer free tips, resources and recipes to our followers to educate, engage and inspire them to make better health and lifestyle choices. We created a 21-Day Meal Plan eBook with over 70 recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. It also has a getting started guide, FAQs, grocery list and menu for anyone thinking about going on a plant-based diet. We donate all the proceeds from the sale of this eBook to farmers, this is our way of giving back to the community.

What is the most challenging aspect of adhering to a vegan diet?

The social aspect of a vegan diet can be frustrating – especially when you are at parties, friends and families do not understand our decisions for becoming vegan. The temptations are all around us from meat dishes to desserts, we just have to remind ourselves why we chose this healthy lifestyle to begin with. There are some people who understand and ask questions and even prepare vegan dishes when they invite us, and others who just don’t get it and can’t understand why we are helping others to make their lives better.

Another tough area for a plant-based diet is finding foods we can eat at restaurants. Fortunately, vegetarian and vegan options are becoming more readily available and easy to identify. Also, more restaurants are helpful in preparing a vegan meal, all you have to do is ask!

Many people stay away from healthy foods because they perceive it has higher price tags. I will admit, it can be discouraging walking through the organic section of the produce department and seeing some high prices. Some factors play into our budget, though, including quantity of food needed and quality of food (whole foods make us feel full quicker, and we don't need to load up on unneeded processed foods). There are so many long-term savings too, such as healthcare costs which reduce because we become healthier. Additional savings can also be gained by learning how to become self-sustained and growing our own food.

What do you think the NE Florida food community is missing?

Supporting the local farmers and farmers market, purchasing produce from them instead of from the grocery store. Slowly the trend is changing as more neighborhoods have the farmers' market. I would love to see more restaurants adopting the whole-foods, plant-based, no-oil (wfpbno) concept. We have some great vegan restaurants and pop-up events but none that are taking it to that next level. Although I will admit it was so much fun to coordinate with Sawgrass Mariott Vernon’s in Ponte Vedra in their vegan pop-up events. It’s refreshing to see TPC Sawgrass Nineteen also introduce several vegan options on their menu and Chef Azher always does a great job of inviting us to try the vegan cuisine.

What is your favorite meal to make? Favorite place to dine out?

My favorite meal to make is during the holidays and festive Eid celebrations. When we became vegan, Eid was a bit hard because we still craved comfort celebration food and traditional Indian dishes. I took all the dishes my mom made and recreated my own healthier versions with delicious taste. I invited friends and family to over and they loved all the flavors from the traditional dishes without all the fat and calories in a much healthier recipe with wholesome ingredients and no oil.  
These delicious dishes are a classic in our house, and our family loves them:
•    Khubooli - Lentil Basmati Rice Biryani
•    Tomato Chutney
•    Roasted Vegetables
•    Sheer Khorma – Vermicilli Dates Dessert
Sheer Khorma, literally means “milk with dates” in India. On special occasions such as Ramadan Eid, this dessert is made with vermicelli, non-dairy milk, nuts, raisins and dates.

True Food Kitchen has to be my favorite place to dine out in Jacksonville these days. From delicious healthy salads, to poke bowls and even vegan pizza and ice cream you will find amazing, healthy options on the menu. The quinoa burger and butternut squash soup is my favorite hands-down! They are a health-focused restaurant serving seasonal, sustainable, and organic food with plenty of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options, which is a win-win in my book!

Interested in learning more about vegan cooking and dining? Check out Jax Vegan Couple  to connect with Safura.