Booja Booja Ice Cream

I am currently enjoying this delicious chocolate ice cream. Even though I am back at work after Christmas there's still room for ice cream at the end of the day. 

If you haven't tried this brand of vegan ice cream put it on your to do list. It has won awards for reason, it is full of flavour, rich and delicious. It is also made with minimal ingredients which is a favourite thing of mine in any food products. 

The brand is a little expensive but a small tub can last as it's so rich you only need a small amount, small individual pots are also available if you want to see if you like it. 

Find out more at http://www.boojabooja.com/ice-cream/

Vegan Christmas Dinner

Well Christmas has certainly come around quickly this year. If you are preparing for a Vegan Christmas dinner or cooking for a vegan friend or family member here are some ideas of what you can have for your meal, most of the food will already be Vegan- potatoes, swede and carrot, broccoli and sprouts all you need now is some mains to add to the dish: 

• Nut roast- Makes a great main that can feed the family. Home made is tasty but if you don't have time there are many shop bought versions. Artisan grains available at health food shops or Holland and Barrett have a roast easily made by adding water and baking. Cooking Christmas dinner just got easier. 

• Turkey style roast- V Bites have a vegan roast to add to the meal. Vegan, GMO Free and most importantly vegan. These have a short shelf life so make sure you pick it up this week and enjoy on Christmas day. 

• Sausage Rolls- The Linda McCartney range has many vegan options including sausage rolls. These are delicious, easy to cook and will be a popular addition to any Christmas dinner. 

These options make having a vegan Christmas dinner simple. Take the stress out of cooking and pick up some hassle free mains so you can enjoy the day. 

Corkers Crisps

There's nothing better than finding something that's suitable for vegans when out and about. These gorgeous sea salt and cider vinegar crisps are delicious and vegan. It's a great twist on a classic flavour with simple ingredients- perfect if you like snacks that aren't over processed and filled with unknown chemicals. 

I found these at Manchester's Craft and Design centre which caters for vegans very well with a range of vegan options. More vegan snacks are needed in cafes as it makes it easier to eat out with friends. 

Ci Sono Vegan Leather Jackets

Ci Sono Vegan leather jackets have been spotted in TK Maxx!! This brand is so realistic you will think they are leather. Luckily for the handy label you can be sure they are not. 




It's great to see more vegan clothing on the high-street, with clear labels and prices that don't break the bank this is hopefully a sign of things to come. Grab one before they sell out! 

Raw food Lunch

Some days a sandwich just won't cut it. Having the same thing for lunch can get boring so if you are in a rush, want to be healthy or just want a change try a raw food lunch. 

A mixture of fruit and vegetables will make it interesting and having a variety of flavours will make lunch time exciting again. 

This picture shows raw organic carrots, grapes and nectarines. Eating raw foods whole as opposed to in smoothies helps keep you full longer and they are filled with essential nutrients and vitamins. 

Keep it healthy and simple this lunch time and step away from the boring bread! 

Vegan Christmas Gifts

December's here- you might have started thinking about what gifts to get your loved ones. If you are a vegan or buying for a vegan here are some great gift ideas that are ethical, cruelty free and perfect for sharing your beliefs or showing the vegan in your life that you have put a lot of thought into their present. And remember Christmas shouldn't be too commercialised, it is the thought that counts and getting someone an ethical present says a lot more than simply spending a fortune. 

Here's a list of some Vegan gifts that you may want to share: 

1) Lush gift sets: Lush have amazing gift sets that make the perfect gift. Many are certified vegan and come gift wrapped taking all the work out of gift buying. 



2) Moo free selection box: What's Christmas without a selection box. Just because you're vegan doesn't mean you have to miss out with this amazing selection box from Moo Free. 



3) Booja Booja truffles: If you like chocolate that's a little more decadent and want to spend a little more money Booja Booja have a range of chocolates that will add a little class to your Christmas gift. 



4) Veganwinesonline: If you need to bring a bottle of wine or champagne to that Christmas party shop at the specialist vegan wines website and buy knowing that your drink is free from animal products.



5) Vegan Hamper from Debenhams Flowers: Go all out with this hamper with a selection of treats to surprise your loved one. 


6) Charity Donation: If Christmas feels too commercial get your loved one a gift that benefits someone else. Musthavegifts from World Vision allows you to buy a mosquito net, winter coat or school dinners for people in crisis. You will get a card saying what gift you have bought rather than a material item, give someone the gift of making the world a slightly better place. 


7) Body Scrub: The OkieSoapySoapShop sells these beautiful whipped sugar scrubs. Found on Etsy this is a great site for finding Vegan gifts as well as supporting independent businesses. 



8) Handmade jewellery from People Tree: People Tree is home to handmade, fair trade and sustainable clothing, jewellery and gifts. The perfect place to find an ethical, beautiful and unique gift. Forget fast fashion and give someone a gift that benefits everyone. 

9) B. Men: For the man in your life why not treat him to some B. Men skin care. with a great selection and even a Christmas hamper of products you'll be spoilt for choice. The range is currently half price and is suitable for vegans what more could you ask for!  




10) Fair trade photo frame from Shared Earth. This is a great place to buy ethical gifts, many are from recycled materials, they have jewellery, bags, diaries and accessories you'll be spoilt for choice. 


These are just some of the vegan, ethical and fair trade gifts you could choose from for Christmas presents. Hopefully you will have some ideas of where to look to spare you from the last minute impulse buying. 

Quick Lunch Idea- Vegetable Pate from GranoVita

This Vegetable Pate makes a great vegan lunch. Made by GranoVita it is made from onions, herbs and spices, perfect on sandwiches or crackers it is full of flavour, easily spreadable and is in a resealable tin which you can keep in the fridge. It's perfect for those days when you need a quick lunch. 

Quick way to add vegetables to your diet

If you are struggling to get your five a day fruit and vegetables a great way to add veg into your diet is to roast different vegetables to have with your main meal. 

This is the selection of vegetables I chose. There is sweet potato, celery, mushrooms, new potatoes, carrot and red onion. Coconut oil was added along with mixed herbs, paprika, cumin, turmeric, pepper and chili these are to add flavour and coconut oil adds taste and is one of the healthiest oils to use. Although any vegetables and spices you have available to use can be added to the mix. 

Making this half of your evening meal means you are gaining nutrients, vitamins and increasing your vegetable intake. It is also a tasty addition to have alongside vegan sausages, nut cutlets or the new vegan quorn burger. It is filling and most importantly healthy. Add more veg to your diet with this easy method. 

Dough Pizza Kitchen Manchester

It's true Vegan's don't have to live without pizza and dairy free cheese on a pizza can taste amazing! 


If you live in Manchester or are visiting the city Dough Pizza Kitchen is a great place to visit, you can easily add dairy free cheese onto any of their pizzas, so adding it onto a pizza which is already marked vegetarian makes it a vegan option, it means you can dine with non vegans and actually be able to eat something. Gluten free and whole wheat bases are also available making everyone's dietary requirements catered for. 

Peanut Power from Meridian Foods

100% peanut butter, 100% vegan, 100% amazing. If you are looking for an easy way to add protein into your diet peanut butter from Meridian foods is a great option. It has nothing added and no added palm oil. Most peanut butters have salt and oil added for flavour so this brand is different and healthier. It is made from 100% peanuts roasted then ground until smooth and that's it! 

It is delicious and packs a protein punch perfect for vegans and is great if you are into weight training as it's a great protein filled addition to your diet instead of using protein powders. 


It comes in a variety of sizes perfect whether it's an occasional treat, a weekly staple or you are using it for many reasons. It can be added to cakes, used in baking and on toast so if you love peanut butter and use it for breakfast and for baking you are more likely to want the 1KG tubs. They may not last as long as you think when you find out how delicious it is! 

Find out more at http://www.meridianfoods.co.uk/Products/Peanut-Butters/Conventional/Peanut-Butter-Smooth-100

Vegan Quorn

I have finally found Vegan Quorn at Asda...they must have been getting rid of some old stock first before putting the vegan options out. 

I can't wait to try it- the only vegan options so far are the quorn pieces and the hot and spicy burgers- let's hope they are so popular more of the range goes vegan.  



If you are still struggling to find these products check out this page with a list of all the places stocking them so far: 

http://www.quorn.co.uk/~/media/Quorn/Downloads/Quorn_Vegan_Retailers_PDF.ashx

Vegan Soap

Did you know some soap brands are not suitable for vegans? Some of them contain animal fats. If you wouldn't eat these products you definitely won't want to clean your body with them. 

Luckily there are vegan soaps you can choose from. Try this Aloe Vera antibacterial hand wash for a vegan and germ killing soap that will keep your bathroom cruelty free. It's available in Superdrug for £1.39 but is currently on offer for only £0.68. Grab yourself a bargain! Who says vegan products have to cost the earth. 

Vegan Cosmetics- Cruelty free beauty

Avoiding animal products isn't just something which relates to food. All products such as cosmetics can contain animal products, this is something which is less well known and vegans can struggle to know which products are suitable. 

It's hard to understand all the lists of ingredients in cosmetics as most of them are chemicals so it's almost impossible to tell at a glance which products are suitable for vegans and which ones are cruelty free. Even products that don't contain anything animal related may have been tested on animals which makes buying beauty products difficult. If you avoid animal cruelty in food you are almost certainly going to want to do the same with other products but where do you shop and what products can you buy? 

As well as looking for vegan labels on products it is important to check for cruelty free labels which prove no animal testing is used. 

One shop which makes buying beauty products easier is Superdrug. Their own label products are never tested on animals and the brand is against animal testing, a lot of their own brand products are also labelled vegan taking the difficulty out of choosing products. They are also value for money and perfect for vegans on a budget. 

They also have an exciting make up and skin care range which is completely vegan. B cosmetics is available exclusively at Superdrug, it is their own make-up brand and is completely cruelty free. With a wide range of products, a skin care range for all ages and a men's range, this brand is both cost effective and has everything you need. 

B by Superdrug is such a great idea as it shows vegan products can easily be available on the high street. It also makes choosing ethical products easy meaning more people can do so. A lot of vegan make up brands online are expensive and may put some people off, this brand shows that ethical products can be both cost effective and good quality, hopefully more companies will follow suit. 

Products of note are the Miceller Water cleanser, face cream, eye shadow and lipstick. The lipsticks have brilliant packaging- you have to click the bottom to get the lipstick out and the colours are bold, moisturising and last a long time. The eye shadow has a bold colour, it is creamy and easily applied with a brush and really does last all day. B's stage one day cream is a great day time moisturiser. The stages relate to age groups so you just pick the one belonging to your age range making them easy to choose. It has SPF 15 in it which is a great way to protect your face from the sun all year round. The cream works really well and you only need a tiny bit to cover your face. It does take time to soak into your skin but once it has it makes your face lovely and soft and lasts all day. The cleanser is wonderful too, it visibly removes dirt from your skin and uses 'Micellar water' which is the latest craze in skin care. It is meant to be a gentler way of cleansing your skin. 

B cosmetics is not overly advertised as a vegan brand, if you didn't look for it or notice it on the packaging you probably wouldn't know. There is no big sign on the selves or posters letting you know. Maybe this is because they are trying to be a brand for everyone regardless of whether you are looking for ethical, vegan products or not. Being a vegan brand is not their main feature, it is just part of the product. They promote the brand as good quality, simple solutions to beauty and the fact that the products are also cruelty free is an added bonus. 

So if you are looking to make your cosmetics vegan friendly be sure to buy products which are vegan and cruelty free. Look out for the labels which prove no animals were used and harmed in the production of cosmetics and support vegan brands to show other companies that you gain more customers by being cruelty free.