Can We Eat a VEGAN DIET in Bulgaria? | Bulgarian Village Life живот на село

[@petyobenov]

Don't forget you can order specific spices online from Indian and other Asian stores in Bulgaria. Aside of it, your Bulgarian is getting better

[@the_phoenixproject]

Thank you! Much appreciated 😊💕🙏

[@TROONATNOOR]

you are officially my favorite youtubers now ... great how you introduce this theme into your channel in the same way you would approach a cat or dog that does not know you : ) well done. Truly inspired now with some hope for humanity. Thankyou : )

[@lazypanda8906]

Wow.. your pronunciation when you were counting the carrots was perfect… 64, бисквити and харесва ми/не ми харесва were also good.. good job 👍 you will speak like native in no time..

[@the_phoenixproject]

Благодаря ти много ❤️💕☺️

[@Cv3T0m1R]

I noticed it too. I even thought that someone was counting in bulgarian in the store. It is very rare that a person from an Anglo-Saxon background can do such a good job of pronouncing slavic languages.

[@the_phoenixproject]

@@Cv3T0m1R Aw guys. You don't know how much this means to me. I try so hard to speak Bulgarian and teach our children, and lately I have been struggling with feeling unwelcome in our village. Thank you for such kind words 🙏

[@Cv3T0m1R]

​@@the_phoenixproject knowing what strong dialect the people in the villages speak with (and how many outdated words they use) you probably speak more correct bulgarian than them.

[@writerlass5924]

Loving the Bulgarian lessons - I am trying to learn before I move back - you are doing so well! I really struggle with the pronunciation!!😅🤗🇧🇬

[@the_phoenixproject]

It's so difficult isn't it? I use the uTalk app and it's amazing. Here is a 20% off code so you can check it out uta.lk/phoenix ❤️

[@NewBulgarians]

Thank you @@the_phoenixproject 👍

[@writerlass5924]

@@the_phoenixproject ooo thank uuu! I haven’t tried that one - will give it a go! 😅🤗

[@rm6857]

Nice to see normal home, nothing fake super clean and ordered every single piece in house.

[@the_phoenixproject]

We try to keep it real! 😆❤️

[@nataliadimitrova1454]

If you want to be a real villige family start preping your garden. We live in a villige and I have a big garden full with fresh veggies durring the summer. And if you grow your own tomatoes and put it in a 🫙 for the winter it will be way cheaper. We make 50 🫙 every year just tomatoes. We make cabbage,cucumbers,papers,green beans and a lot of other.. sweet jars..Now is the time to put tomato seeds in soil in some plastic cups we did it today. Good luck cant wait to see your next project..

[@the_phoenixproject]

We only arrived in September, so we haven't had time to grow anything yet! We bought lots of seeds last week and we can't wait to start germination! 😊 I was holding off planting the tomatoes because a gardener friend advised Feb would be better for us. Stay tuned!

[@Foodgloriousfoodish]

I love your videos and your journey but I’m gonna have to pass on that curry!! 😂😂😂😂 thanks guys for another great video. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@the_phoenixproject]

Haha it was more delicious than I made it look 🤣 Unfortunately no time for presentation with two little hungry gremlins nipping at my heels!

[@vladivladi6004]

Здравейте приятели 🙋, много ми харесвате ❤😀👍🍀

[@the_phoenixproject]

Здраве приятел 😊❤️

[@billathighwoods4289]

Merci, enjoying your Bulgarski doma

[@the_phoenixproject]

Благодаря ти много приятел 🙏❤️

[@jeffright6627]

Supper cool British family ,lovely kids in the mature and old but not so rich Bulgaria.Thanks to counting in Bulgarian language the carrots and we must be friends

[@the_phoenixproject]

Да, приятел! Благодаря ти много ❤️💕☺️

[@flow8eraleutica]

Been a while since i saw your videos. Glad to see your isolating the windows the traditional way 😂Makes a difference.

[@the_phoenixproject]

Yes we heard this from our neighbours! ❤️

[@vesimaslenishka7719]

Are you strictly vegan or veggie? Either way, the Bulgarian diet is predominantly vegetarian. You can get a lot of seasonal dishes. For winter things like soups, stews, surmi (fermented cabbage filled with rice and veggies), stuffed peppers these can be dry in winter and fresh in summer, people fill these with rice or bulgar or other gains, sauerkraut with beans or rice is also a big one. We have winter salads like turshia, which is a great probiotic, they’re really easy to make as well. Then in the summer, you can enjoy lots of fresh veggies, grilled or in salads. People love corn on the cob out there and you will often see people selling this on the side of the road. Seasonal fruit and nuts are also eaten often. Fresh walnuts in autumn are my fave, make sure to peel the skin. It tastes so milky and sweet! You can also find wild hazelnuts. And in spring/ summer you can get fresh fruit like white or red cherries and wild blueberries and strawberries! They’re sooo delicious. Apricots and peaches are also so good out there and don’t forget watermelons. If you’re not strictly vegan you can also try all of the pastries like banitsa (filo filled with feta) or tikvenik (filo filled with squash). Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and peanuts are also big in Bulgaria and if you go to veliko turnovo you will probably find an independent kiosk which sells them fresh (so good)! though these are imported, olives are really popular out there, more on the expensive side but because its so close to the medeteranian, theres really good options.This is veggie not vegan but guveche is another really good its full of veggies but it has egg and Bulgarian white cheese (not sure if you have these). things like aubergine shallow fried with tomato sauce or courgettes, shallow fried with a garlic and dill homemade sauce are amazing. We love potato out there, so a boiler potato salad with onion, dill, oil and vinegar dressing is delicious. Fried potatoes or bakes too of course, with lots of dill and freshly grated garlic, delicious. also purlenki and so good! theyre like flatbreads with toppings like garlic and herb. sauces like lutenitsa (made with peppers predominantly) and kiopolo (made with aubergibe) and sooo yummy. Some other classics as snacks include , tsiganska banitsa - this is basically a slice of bread with sunflower oil and some chubritsa (mixed Bulgarian herbs) and paprika. You must try to go to a market somewhere to find home grown regional herbs, they’re so much better than the ones you’ll buy from Lidl. Paprika especially, home made cannot compare. For breakfast as well, something called Mekitsi or buhti. It’s basically fried dough, so good! Make sure if you come across a baba (grandma) selling jams somewhere that you pic some up. These go delicious with the doughy goodness. All in all, the real Bulgarian diet is very much vegetarian and seasonal, and I think if you spend the time to navigate and try it out, you will save a lot on shopping as well. hope this helps :)

[@the_phoenixproject]

Cheers! We are more veggie these days but 99% vegan I would say.

[@TROONATNOOR]

inspires me even more to move to Bulgaria : )

[@eddiebirch2067]

Very interesting vid , thanks for posting

[@the_phoenixproject]

Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂👍💗

[@masubg]

Of course you can. According to the orthodox Christian calendar there're more than 200 days of fasting through out the year, which in the recent past was strictly followed

[@the_phoenixproject]

Thanks! 💕💝

[@TROONATNOOR]

fast every day ... eat only from 4 or 5 pm to around 9 pm ... optimal ... you will see ... all the best : ) see my wordpress troonatnoor channel for the notes for my next writing project on fasting etc

[@part9952]

Whats the song in the beginning of the video? Amaaaaazing content btw i absolutely love your videos!!

[@the_phoenixproject]

Thank you so much. We are having a tough day and this has really cheered us up ❤️ Ill find out the name of the song and get back to you!

[@part9952]

@@the_phoenixproject absolutely no problem! Didn’t expect a response so quickly anyway!! Take your time :)

[@NewBulgarians]

We're vegetarian so we realise that won't be a problem. I think you will be enjoying lots of lovely salads in the summer, but I imagine it must be hard to eat out otherwise as you have to be very trusting of the ingredients. Good job you are learning Bulgarian so you can translate the ingredients also.

[@the_phoenixproject]

Yes exactly. We have to be more laid back with our diet and we try to eat vegan as much as possible! It's quite easy to do here but there aren't as many substitutes ❤️

[@Olli_on_bord]

Haha! Funny to see German groceries in your shelves. Do you have Lidl somewhere near? I love your channel and your project. As a child, I spent some summers at the coast of Bulgaria. You’re doing really well with your Bulgarian. 😊

[@the_phoenixproject]

They're from Kaufland! 😆 Thank you!! 😊❤️💕🙏

[@TROONATNOOR]

all the big shops seem there from Germany ... kaufhaus, praktika ... germany is marked for destruction, but as it fails by design, and is genocided, it still keeps exporting the best 'German' things ... including now its people ... all over Estonia German shops appear, just like in germany, every few kms a lidl, aldi, etc ... and in Sweden, on Gottland, a huge german supermarket ... sorry forget all the names now, been so long since I stepped foot in occupied germany

[@carmenantolich3113]

Hello, O may God "Icy cold there". How about a garage for cars and others appliances? God bless you and family.

[@the_phoenixproject]

Yes, eventually we will build one. Thank you! ❤️😊💕

[@abhimanyuroy6644]

I can't believe that you people are vegan . In that situation being a vegan is very difficult. ❤

[@the_phoenixproject]

We are flexible 😆💕

[@abhimanyuroy6644]

@@the_phoenixproject yes it's indeed 😁

[@kuyumdzhiev]

You should start prepping tomatoes and peppers seed germination soon. If you want to harvest good crops in july and not the end of the summer.

[@the_phoenixproject]

Yes, we are starting them this week! ☺️💕

[@ev4et000]

Have you tried лютеница? And if so, which do you prefer homemade or from the store? Also do you prefer roasted or raw лютеница? When I was little I preferred to eat from the store and my mother constantly scolded me because it was loaded with preservatives and homemade was better, but I didn't want to hear her now that I've grown up, I've changed my mind. If you are not, we Bulgarians like to eat it spread on a slice of bread with сирене on top. But if you don't eat сирене, you can put черни маслини or кисели краставички on top. Also, in the winter, Bulgarians in the village drink компот instead of juice. Even like tea, we drink компот in different situations. For example, drink компот от сливи if you have constipation or компот от дюли when you have a cough. People make компот in the summer to stock up in the winter when they may not be able to go to the store and so they eat and drink something with vitamins in a season when there are not many vitamins.

[@the_phoenixproject]

I've only tried shop-bought but I would LOVE to try some homemade. I will ask my neighbour if he has any 😊❤️💕🙏

[@nedachobanova34]

Maybe you should learn to cook Bulgarian dishes as we have quite few vegan ones. We love meat but veggies too. Then i guess it wont be that expensive. Explore the Bulgarian cuisin. It might take you sometime to get used to the taste but give it a try....you want to live in Bulgaria 😊.

[@the_phoenixproject]

We love everything we've tasted so far (such as the white bean soup!). I have a cookbook so I'll be trying some recipes soon!

[@nedachobanova34]

@@the_phoenixproject Try to cook lentils soup too, but not the red one (it's also nice but not typical BG dish). Sour cabbage is very popular in winter and very healthy. There are many options as these exotic spices and food in Bulgaria will cost you more. Good luck!

[@victoriabezfamilii965]

My diet is 80 per cent vegan, and I find it really cheap for me, but I don't consume any soy products and vegetable milk (not able to digest plus don't like the taste) . Basically it's fruit, veggies, nuts, legumes, cereals and chocolate of couse😅. Quite boring diet, very simple food but it works for me. As soon you start growing your own tomatoes the price of canned ones won't bother you, I have so many jars of chopped toms and also bags of frozen small ones that haven't looked at the price of the can for about a year.... I have a question: have you been offered cooked food by your neighbours yet or invited for dinner? Would you eat/taste food beyond your diet range out of politeness or stay strict? I found it interesting that most Bulgarians are tolerant to vegans and vegetarians, I personally have never been manipulated to eat what I don't want, in this country, but I have also heard different stories.

[@the_phoenixproject]

We would eat what we were given by neighbours if it was offered. We live in a very poor village so I feel like that may be why we haven't been invited. We visit our elderly neighbour who gives us homemade wine, but no dinner as of yet 😆 we are mostly wholefoods plant-based.

[@r.a.3984]

@@the_phoenixprojectum….. we do not do so much dinners here , I’m sure the chance that some neighbours would invite you to drink like wine or rakia is bigger than to invite you for dinner xd my neighbors invite me every weekend during the summer but shhhhhh I don’t like her so I always find excuses to not go for a drink xd

[@the_phoenixproject]

@@r.a.3984 hahaha hilarious!! Yes, we have been invited for Rakia 😊❤️

[@victoriabezfamilii965]

We have been invited several times for dinners and lunches, but it's not in our nature to sit for hours and do nothing but eating, so we try to find excuses not to go. Our village is poor too , and somehow, unintentionally, we have created a barter system with some of the dwellers, old people, we do some jobs for them or favours, like fixing stuff, giving a lift to the town, lending tools etc and they give us produce that we don't produce, like rakia, wine, lard for the husband and honey, hazelnuts, fruit and veggies (I can never have enough😊) for me. We don't want them to give us anything but they do anyway. I am pretty sure in summer people from your village will bring a looot of extraproduce to your gates, Bulgarians always grow more than they are able to consume 😂

[@the_phoenixproject]

@@victoriabezfamilii965 I'm not overly sure people know we've moved in because we live down a secluded lane 😆 I know people talk, but our neighbour is always lonely and doesn't seem to chat to people in the village. I can't wait for Spring time - I'm so over this cold weather now 😆 It will be better this winter when we can prepare for longer!

[@pippawise6877]

Hi guys I’m looking to come to bg soon love your videos just curious when you renew your visas every year do you have to have a lump sum in your bank to show you can support yourself thanks

[@the_phoenixproject]

I don't think so. I think that's just for the visa application and not the residency, but we'll maybe include this information when we get our residency in two weeks.

[@theindividual93]

You can learn to make indian vegetarian dishes. I am a vegetarian and in the starting i have face the same issue here in asenvograd

[@the_phoenixproject]

I make Dahl and some other Indian inspired dishes but I would love to take a cooking course!

[@suzimasterson5730]

the junk food is another level in Bulgaria isnt it. last time we were there we sat in the car and ate our own body weight in it :) some from germany funnily enough too

[@the_phoenixproject]

So delicious 😆 We have a balanced diet at least so we can enjoy ourselves a little 😄💕

[@stepho9999]

I hope the plaster didn't fall of the wall in to the curry .😇

[@the_phoenixproject]

Haha! Extra flavour 🤣😅🙈

[@sheilajoseph9953]

Be careful of marshmallow as most contain either beef or pork gelatine. If something has too many ingredients in ie processed food then iavoid it. 😊 Your curry looked tasty.😋

[@baconcraving3259]

Stop encouraging eating disorders.

[@the_phoenixproject]

@@baconcraving3259 what a weird comment 😆

[@the_phoenixproject]

Thank you 😊

[@ed1808]

Another great video 😎 i noticed a almost namesake at the end as a supporter. I did try to support you on your last video but PayPal didn't seem to work. Looking to move to Bulgaria is there any particular part of the country that is warmer in winter? 🤦 Well done to the both of you!!

[@ingevansand9180]

Below the Balkans towards Greece and Turkey, but it also means warmer in summer 😊

[@ed1808]

Thank you 🤗 🙏

[@the_phoenixproject]

Yes and much drier in the south! Good luck with your property search 😊❤️

[@ed1808]

Thank you. Although I love the snow I just feel to old now for the colder weather. Aircon in the summer suits my bones better 🤦 😜 ​@@the_phoenixproject

[@the_phoenixproject]

@@ed1808 it's fine when you have heating and wood stoves! It's lovely and cosy and before we know it, it will be very hot. Christmas Day was 20 degrees here! So, we do get the odd warm day in winter.

[@desislavausheva5404]

The best ever vegan food. ❤

[@the_phoenixproject]

We love it! 😊💕

[@pippawise6877]

And you use ves from ideal homes for your visa and now your residency. Is your residency for 5 years now thanks for replying to me as Im buying a hse in bg but don’t know who to use for my d visa and tgt you had to wait 4 years before getting your residency.. I might need to ring you for a chat and I’m happy to make a donation for your time xx

[@the_phoenixproject]

Yes, we used Ves from Ideal Homes for the whole process. I don't believe anyone knows the process better than him. We receive one year's residency at a time and have to renew it for five years I believe. A very lengthy and expensive process, but worth it 👍 Definitely go to Ves and tell him we say hi! ☺️

[@pippawise6877]

Hi did you guys buy your house before or after brexit please

[@the_phoenixproject]

After Brexit!

[@belindax4897]

I zm vegan too but in uk and I steer clear of all the Vegan sausages meats etc as its got so much stuff in that I have no idea what they are.I use various beans and legumes as my main protein sauce .curries chillies etc I just make a huge batch and eat it all week.i do use canned tomatoes a lot but no idea hiw much they cost there but guess its similar to here. I do use soya chunks but I get mine online so is that possible?

[@the_phoenixproject]

I've been told of a website where we can buy nutritional yeast etc so I'll let you know when we check it out! Tomato sauces and tinned tomatoes are so expensive here and I have no idea why! 😆 I prefer not to use the meat substitutes as well, honestly. The soya chunks are nice though to add some substance to a stew or curry ☺️💕

[@NewBulgarians]

Hiya all thanks for another great episode. I think most Bulgarians grow/can home grown tomatoes so have no need to buy them in the shop, so maybe if you have a veggie garden this year you could save some 'stinkies'. @@the_phoenixproject

[@the_phoenixproject]

@@NewBulgarians we have our seeds at the ready!! We are waiting until February because we don't have a greenhouse and I want them to have a fighting chance 😊

[@NewBulgarians]

@@the_phoenixproject perfect! Good luck!

[@SuneBerlin]

I can understand your point of view to get vegan, but you will miss so many vegetarian dishes. As a MasterChef and Bulgarian traveller, I can't image not to eat the Bulgarian Yoghurt and I did then train ride to Razlog to get my favourite Büffel youghurt🎉, have to find tomrrow some боров елексир...great as not to eat honey

[@the_phoenixproject]

We are going to be flexible while living here because, as you say, it is a shame not to taste the traditional food. If my neighbour offers us food, we will eat it. I think it is disrespectful otherwise. You are right ❤️

[@victoriabezfamilii965]

A question regarding your Bulgarian language skills: have you already mastered the right noding/shaking head for yes and no? After five years I am still struggling, there are almost deaf old people in the village and I try to use a lot of gesturing and my inability to move my head in a correct way always causes some misunderstanding 😅

[@the_phoenixproject]

Nope 😆 And I doubt I will!! We always laugh about this because they do it so enthusiastically 🤣

[@victoriabezfamilii965]

@@the_phoenixproject you should film some of the most enthusiastic ones and show in slow motion 😂

[@the_phoenixproject]

@@victoriabezfamilii965 haha I'm sure they'd love that 😆

[@Mary4sky]

The only bad thing about being vegan is that you can’t eat the Bulgarian musaka😢

[@the_phoenixproject]

I'm sure we can make something similar once we have spent some more time with our neighbours 😆

[@95georgiev]

МНОГО ЯКО!

[@the_phoenixproject]

Благодаря ти много приятел 😊💕

[@ingevansand9180]

Is the ginger and lime juice also from Kaufland?

[@the_phoenixproject]

Yes it was! It's really delicious 😋

[@ingevansand9180]

@@the_phoenixproject I was in Kaufland today... Didn't find it 😔

[@the_phoenixproject]

@@ingevansand9180 Oh no! I'll ask Anthony and get you some specific instructions 😆

[@the_phoenixproject]

@@ingevansand9180 he said he bought it in the Gorna Oryahovitsa Kaufland in the drinks section ❤️

[@ingevansand9180]

@@the_phoenixproject thanks!

[@bobtailvw22]

Feel this title is misleading, most of the junk food you bought from Kaufland contained dairy

[@the_phoenixproject]

Your eyes must be mint if you can read the ingredients from there! 😆

[@r.a.3984]

You fink so ? Nah, the “junk” food is sweets and we do not make it with milk here in Bulgaria bruv…. Mostly sugar and plant based butter but not milk … we eat milk (yogurt) separately in a dish, with more sugar to make our life even sweeter , milk is milk sweets are sweets it’s different and separated… and I can assure you no other dairy products In the sweets no cheese no dairy butter nah…

[@the_phoenixproject]

Also, how is the title "misleading" when all I talk about is cooking vegan food and where to buy ingredients. We're just going to pretend that didn't happen? 😆

[@angelnormmohammed2290]

If your Vegan why are you building a chicken coop???

[@the_phoenixproject]

Firstly, "you're." Secondly, because we like chickens.

[@dzetagamma4287]

so you were living on benefits in England and begging on the streets and you've decided to move in Bulgaria to feel a bit richer and to start to cook.... a Curry there... Funny and Hilarious!

[@the_phoenixproject]

Who are you? HMRC? I've got two jobs! I'm a freelancer 😂 Glad you find our videos funny though 👍

[@dzetagamma4287]

you kidding me? most of the Bulgarian traditional cuisine is vegan... Curry? In Bulgaria....Do you mistaken the country? You would acheive a better Curry in India dont you think...or it is a misconseption form your point of view, knowledge and level of thinking.....(with other words IQ - I have to explain as for a kid 3-5 years old, in case and in the case you do not understand me, which I have to expect in your situation)????!

[@the_phoenixproject]

Firstly, I suggest you take some English lessons. I'd be happy to oblige because this is my main profession. Secondly, our content is designed to entertain and illicit engagement. Your comment is proof that what we do is working, so thank you so much! The video was specifically about finding vegan food and ingredients in Bulgaria and what we tend to eat in our diet. We aren't Bulgarian (although you can find me speaking Bulgarian and attempting Bulgarian cuisine on our Tiktok channel) so I wouldn't know where to begin with cooking a Bulgarian dish! Also, most Bulgarian cuisine contains milk, yoghurt, or meat. Not very vegan, is it?

[@dzetagamma4287]

@@the_phoenixproject hahaha ''bulgarian food is not vegan'' another sign of your total IGNORANCE!

[@dzetagamma4287]

A HINT: TRY WITH THE ONE AND ONLY MOST TRADITIONAL BULGARIAN DISH: WHITE BEANS STEW!

[@the_phoenixproject]

@@dzetagamma4287 Bulgaria is literally famous for fermented yoghurt. There's milk, eggs, and cheese is almost everything. Shopska salad is with white cheese. Banitsa - white cheese... I think maybe you are thinking vegetarian.

[@nikolai.georgiev]

⁠@@the_phoenixprojectPlease don’t pay attention to ignorant people 😊. I am very happy that you chose to live here with your family and that you sharing all of it with us. Stay healthy and positive and keep up the good work. P.S We are not all that ignorant in Bulgaria like this individual and you are 100 percent right about the traditional cuisine of Bulgaria being vegan.