Vegan Cheese

One of the main reasons many people avoid going vegan is because they love cheese. I know this because it was my reason for many months when I was debating going vegan. Looking back I hate how much cheese I used to cover my food with, I loved it on pasta, pizza and sandwiches and probably ate it every week. It was a staple of my diet so the thought of giving it up seemed impossible. However there came a point when I could no longer ignore the ethical, environmental and health reasons in going vegan and I decided that giving up cheese was a small price to pay for living a cruelty free life. I wasn't looking forward to giving it up but I did it anyway. 

Now after over a year of being vegan I don't miss cheese and my taste has changed to the point where I don't really eat vegan cheese much but it is something I occasionally buy. I am so impressed with the choice of vegan cheese, it is so realistic that anyone thinking they couldn't give up cheese should try the alternatives as you can still have the flavour without supporting the cruel and unhealthy dairy industry. 

The picture above is my pasta meal topped with grated Violife cheese. This is one of the most popular brands of vegan cheese as they have a range of flavours. This cheddar style block has a mild flavour and looks and tastes just like mild cheddar cheese. Try it and see if you notice a difference but I imagine anyone just looking at the picture would be surprised to know it is vegan, it doesn't look any different and can be used in the same ways. I always say that everything has a vegan alternative, the vegan food industry is very creative and is making alternatives to everything so why choose the cruel option when you can have any flavour of food you like without any animal products?

It's also good to remember that your taste does change once you start eating healthier, I am now eating foods I had never tried before as going vegan makes you try new foods. Your taste also changes and things you thought you couldn't live without become the same foods you can't believe you ever ate. Don't be put off because you 'love' something because one day you will look back and wonder why you ever ate it in the first place.  

But what do you even eat?

Another day, another ridiculous question vegans get asked. Is it really that hard to understand what a vegan can eat. All you have to do is understand what we don't eat- any animal related products. What's left is an abundance of food- fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and believe it or not pizzas, pastas, curries and cakes. That's right a vegan can eat anything that everyone else does as there is a vegan version to everything. You simply replace the animal products with alternatives. If you eat burger and chips there's a vegan version and many meat alternatives that can actually taste weirdly similar. If you want pizza you simply use vegan cheese and with so many vegan sweet options from cakes to chocolate to ice cream you are spoilt for choice. I think most people assume vegans eat like rabbits when the truth is there is so much choice and not all vegans eat the same. There is such a thing as vegan junk food or vegans who are ultra healthy and only eat whole foods or raw foods. 

The question really does annoy me as it shows a real ignorance towards food. Do meat eaters really eat dead flesh at every meal and can't possibly think of any foods that don't contain animal products. Have they never eaten a salad? It seems strange to me that most people's food revolves so much around meat they don't even understand what you can eat without it. There is a whole world of food with thousands of edible plants and amazing vegan options. I feel like I should have a list prepared for when people ask me this question and just reel off all the foods I eat or maybe carry around a food diary but this might be too much effort. For now I keep repeating the same things, I eat what everyone else does I just have the vegan version because there is a cruelty free version of EVERY food! So the real question is not about what I eat but why do you choose to eat animal products when there is a healthier, murder and cruelty free option? 

Not the only Vegan in the Village

I was happy to come across this poster on my walk in Downham Market. 

The countryside so far has felt like a lonely place to be Vegan. No cafés cater for you, there's hardly any choice in supermarkets and it seems like an alien concept that people surrounded by dairy farms and butchers can't understand so I was so happy to see this poster pinned to a post. 

Turns out I'm not the only vegan in the village! Other people have the same beliefs as me. I'm not sure how many people will read the poster or want to learn more but it caught my eye so hopefully it will grab the attention of more people. Turns out there are other ways to spread the vegan message- I prefer the digital world but it's nice to think of vegans trying to get the message out there in all different kinds of ways. 

Sending a virtual hug to who ever put up this poster! 

Support the Vegan logo

I like when products have a vegan logo. No need to check ingredients, no need to spend half a day walking round a supermarket, no doubt or wondering whether something is actually vegan. 

Apart from the practical side there is another reason to support products that hold the vegan label. By buying a product registered with the vegan society it supports vegan businesses and shows demand. 

If vegan products become popular companies will invest more in other vegan products. It is simply supply and demand, there will only be an increase in vegan products if people are buying them. 

I heard a saying once that every time you spend money you are buying the world you want to live in. Do you want a cruelty free world or do you want cheap, fast food and poor quality. 

Sometimes vegan products can be more expensive and if it's organic and fair trade too it may cost even more but think about how much your health is worth and how much are you willing to pay to support your lifestyle. 

Where possible buy items that have the vegan logo and support your lifestyle with every pound that you spend. 

The Vegan label

I've noticed a change in food products lately. More and more food products are labelling themselves vegan, I've seen it in bread and now I've noticed it on peanuts 

Some might say this isn't necessary, surely something like peanuts would definitely be vegan but sometimes companies add in flavours and additives that you can be unsure about. I'm an obsessive label checker so I welcome this change. It saves you from scrutinising the ingredients and making a shopping trip longer than it needs to be. 

It also shows that veganism is gaining in popularity as companies are recognising the need to label a product as vegan. It is not difficult to add a label and it puts peoples minds at rest, it also makes sure a product has more buyers, surely this is the best thing for any company. 

I for one welcome this change. Let's hope more products follow suit and the vegan label is everywhere.  

What is Veganuary?

You may have heard of Veganuary- it's the idea of trying to go vegan for the whole month of January. I only heard about it recently but there is a whole movement aimed at getting people to sign up to the challenge. 

There are many reasons to try it such as if you love animals, wanting to improve your health or even as a challenge as it's not easy to change your whole diet. Even though January has already started it's not too late to sign up and give it a go. 

You may find that after the month you want to stick to being vegan. There are many benefits associated with the vegan lifestyle and you will only really appreciate them when you give the challenge a go. 

Going vegan can have a huge impact on your health, research has shown it can lower cholesterol and reduce your risk of getting diabetes and heart disease. And if these reasons alone aren't enough to make you want to try going vegan you can always try it because it is better for the environment and saves animals. 

Why not give it a go this January or try your own challenge from one week to a month. Most people think they could never go vegan but you don't know until you try. 

Find out more information, recipes and reasons to go Vegan at http://www.veganuary.com/

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to all- I hope 2016 brings you good luck and happiness. Make positive resolutions today not ones you will give up on in a couple of weeks. 

And if you are thinking of going vegan today is a great day to start. Take the plunge and try it for a month....you may never go back and it could be the best decision you make all year. Who doesn't want a healthier lifestyle, a more positive outlook and delicious, tasty, cruelty free food to eat. 

January is also known as Veganuary, a movement aimed at getting people to try the vegan lifestyle for the whole of January are you up for the challenge? Find out more at http://www.veganuary.com/  

Winter Warner- Vegan hot chocolate and marshmallows

Winter's here, shorter days and darker nights means only one thing it's the perfect time for cosy nights in watching films and keeping warm. It's the kind of weather where you want warming luxurious drinks like hot chocolate with marshmallows and just because your vegan doesn't mean you have to miss out. 

The perfect combination is Choc Shot mixed with your choice of non-dairy milk and Anandas marshmallows. 

Choc shot from Sweet Freedom is vegan, 100% natural and only 14 calories per teaspoon, it can be used in many ways such as spreading on toast, making milk shakes or adding to fruit. It can also be added to heated non-dairy milk to make hot chocolate. It is a healthier and most importantly vegan solution to making guilt free hot chocolate. 

Anandas Marshmallows are handmade in the UK, made in small batches and contain natural ingredients. Available in a variety of flavours such as vanilla, peach, raspberry and caramel you'll be spoilt for choice! Available on-line and at vegan fairs and festivals these beautifully packaged treats make great gifts or are perfect for added to your hot chocolate. 

Both these products together are a healthier, natural hot chocolate perfect for lazy winter nights. 

To find out more about these products visits: 

http://www.sweetfreedom.co.uk/

http://www.anandafoods.co.uk/

Vegan Starter Kit from Peta

Handy tip for all new vegans needing advice and inspiration, you can get a FREE starter kit from PETA. 



You can have a digital copy e-mailed to you or receive one in the post. It's full of information on what foods to buy, which foods contain protein and calcium and has an invaluable meal planner. 

This is perfect for new vegans or anyone struggling with what to eat on a vegan diet. It also contains information on why going vegan is good for the environment and your health making it perfect for anyone considering going vegan, it will give you all the facts to make your decision. 

It is a really informative and handy guide- recommended for all. 

Get your copy here: http://action.peta.org.uk/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=5&ea.campaign.id=23376

Ten questions you will get asked as a Vegan

Prepare yourself for the many, many questions. Going vegan seems to come with a large neon sign above your head which says please ask questions about my lifestyle. 

Prepare yourself for the top 10 questions vegans get asked. 

1) Where do you get your protein? I imagine most people don't know where they get their own but they want to know where yours comes from. 

2) Why did you go vegan? Get ready to list your many, many reasons. 

3) How long have you been vegan? Some people think it's a prison sentence, make sure you keep that tally chart going.  

4) What can you eat? And people laugh at Vegan's taking pictures of food- it's only because everyone is so interested in our meals! 

5) Do you want to eat {Insert non vegan food here}? Even when people know you are vegan they will offer you something containing animal products. Maybe this is why people start wearing vegan t-shirts? 

6) Do you get enough calcium? Just like protein, everyone is obsessed with calcium and they probably won't believe you when they say you can get calcium from plants. 

7) What do you eat when you go out? At a vegan restaurant everything! At a non-vegan place probably nothing or chips even when you don't like them it can be the only vegan item on a menu. 

8) Why don't you eat dairy or eggs since they don't kill the animal? Some people don't see the dairy and egg industry as cruel as no animal dies. This is wrong male chicks dies as they are of no use to the industry, baby calves are taken from their mothers used in the milk industry and often killed for meat and the cows used in the dairy industry are eventually used for meat. Sorry to break it to you but the meat and dairy industries are linked and are both cruel! 

9) Isn't it expensive? Maybe people don't realise a main part of your diet is fruit and vegetables. Anyone on any budget can go vegan. 

10) How do you live without bacon/milk/cheese/eggs? Easily is a good answer. Don't think about Veganism as giving up meat and dairy but as giving up animal cruelty. 

It's easy to change your habits when you know you are doing it for a good reason and it's easy to answer questions on Veganism when you are prepared with all the answers. Love your lifestyle enough to answer all the questions you will get asked and share your many reasons for going vegan. 

Happy World Vegan Day

Happy World Vegan Day! 

In honour of the day, whether you are vegan, going vegan or interested in the lifestyle I wanted to share a great organisation which I have recently joined- The Vegan Lifestyle association. 

They are a non-profit organisation for anyone interested in Veganism and provide tips, support for vegans and promote an ethical lifestyle. They provide invaluable information and a helpful community, why not join today and be part of this friendly and growing group. 

It is FREE to join and run by volunteers. The website is easy to use and full of helpful information. 

Check it out at https://veganlifestyleassoc.com and sign up today 

Vegan Vampires- Not so scary Halloween Treats

The witching hour is upon us and Vegans want to share in the fun and rot our teeth too! So here's a break down of some vegan treats you can share with friends, give out to trick or treaters or just eat by yourself as you hide in the dark and ignore the knocks on the door. 

1) Tesco Free From Chocolate buttons: 


Kids will love them because who doesn't love chocolate buttons and the best thing is they are milk and dairy free. Find them in the free from section in Tesco. 

2) Starburst:

This is one of the amazingly accidentally vegan products that is perfect for a Halloween party, fill up a bowl and enjoy a guilt free vegan treat. 

3) Goody Good Stuff Cola bottles:



Found in Holland and Barrett and many health food shops these vegan cola bottles are perfect for Halloween treats. It just shows you that anything can be made vegan, check out the range for more vegan sweets to add to your many treats. 

4) Love Hearts: 



Go back to your childhood and see if you get the message you want with Love Hearts. They are almost too nice for Halloween but since they are vegan you can add them to the collection and show all the ghouls at your party how much you love them. 

5) Kettle Chips: 



 If you can't take any more sweets, try something savoury instead with Kettle Chips. Some of their range is labelled vegan and perfect for parties. 

Who says Halloween has to be scary for Vegans- you can carve pumpkins, dress in ridiculous outfits and eat your body weight in sweets like everyone else! Happy Halloween everyone. 

What does Milk taste like again?

I honestly can't remember what milk tastes like. Isn't that strange? The thought came to be the other day when I was enjoying a soya hot chocolate in one of my favourite vegan cafes Earth. I was trying to remember how different milk tastes from soya or if it tastes different at all and I couldn't, after around four months of being vegan I have forgotten what something I used to have all the time tastes like. 

I've never been a huge fan of dairy products anyway but having spent so long being vegetarian I didn't realise how quickly I could forget the taste of something and how I no longer cared. I am happy to have my hot chocolate with soya, oat milk or even water, I don't crave dairy or feel that I need it in my diet. I actually feel healthier now that I've removed it, maybe it wasn't as good for me as I once believed.  

So for everyone who feels that they will never live without the taste of milk, cheese or meat trust me you will, you will even forget the taste of it or why you loved it so much in the first place! 

The things I thought I'd never be able to live without were cheese, milk chocolate and milk in my tea. Now I love the Violife alternative to cheese, to me it tastes the same so I'm not missing out, vegan chocolate wins hands down in the taste competitions to any chocolate I ever ate in the past and I now love the creamy oat milk I have in my tea and couldn't imagine a brew without it. Apparently it takes your taste buds around 21 times of eating something to get used to it, which is always good to remember when trying new foods, but maybe it also means that after a few weeks of not eating something you forget what it's like.  

Taste changes if you allow it, your body adapts, your mind changes. You CAN live without meat and dairy, you might even prefer the alternatives. Why not give it a go? 

Why it's important when celebrities go Vegan

Liam Hemsworth recently did an interview for men's health where he announced he has now gone vegan. This is exciting news because when a celebrity does something...anything it makes the news, it has a wider audience and reaches more people. The Hunger Games star will undoubtedly have many fans who will be wondering about his new lifestyle, looking into what it means to be vegan and maybe deciding to follow in his footsteps? This can only be a good thing, it also gets the idea of being vegan into the news. People will debate and question him, some will disagree but it gets people talking because celebrities have power in the media. 

Hemsworth said in the interview he went vegan for his own health and also because he's looked into the mistreatment of animals in the meat industry and couldn't be a part of it anymore. Such great reasons to go vegan and similar to a lot of people's experience. He also used to eat a lot of red meat as it is supposed to be healthy but he said it left him feeling worse. Hopefully this will make people question what they eat. Does your food make you feel good or ill? Intuitive eating is the way forward, just because you have always ate something doesn't mean you have to continue or that it's good for you. Often a lot of what we eat is merely out of habit and habits are easily broken. 

Hemsworth also stated how people now ask where he gets his protein and how he feels- any vegan can relate! No one cares more about your health that when you decided to go vegan. And the reality is people should concentrate on their own diet, a lot of research and time goes into being vegan, you have to make sure you are getting all your nutrients. That's not to say all vegans are healthy as anyone can eat badly but most people don't make the change to become vegan without a lot of thought. The people who question another's diet should look closely at their own first- is it really as healthy as you think? 

One things for sure Hemsworth is joining a growing group of vegan celebrities: Woody Harrelson, his co-star who inspired him to go vegan, Jared Leto, Lea Michele, Alanis Morissette, Toby Maguire and Ellen DeGeneres and many more. These are the people who may have the biggest impact in challenging people's views as fans want to know all about a celebrities life and maybe imitate them. Let's hope more film stars go vegan soon! 

Check out the Men's Health article here: 

http://www.mensfitness.com/life/entertainment/liam-hemsworth-force-nature

Ten Tips for going Vegan

Making the change to become vegan can be daunting and difficult at first. Although it doesn't have to be. Here are the top ten tips for becoming vegan: 

1) Do you research- Perhaps the most important piece of advice. If you simply cut out all meat and diary products but don't replace them you'll probably start your vegan journey tired and hungry. Just know there is a vegan replacement for everything and you can have the same meals in a different version. It's also important to research where to get your essential nutrients from such as your protein and calcium, that way when worried meat eaters ask you, you can answer back with a list of alternatives. 

2) Experiment- So you don't have to become a crazy scientist but do try out different recipes, foods and products. It can take time to get used to new foods and develop your taste buds, you never know what foods you will love so give everything a go and expand your horizons. 

3) Go to Vegan restaurants- If you are lucky enough to live near an all vegan restaurant go there for a meal, if not try the vegan options at a vegetarian place. There will be more variety and thought put into the food. Other restaurants may have one option on the menu that can leave you bored and uninspired. Totally vegan places will mean you don't have to worry about how the foods been cooked, you will be spoilt for choice and the staff will have a wealth of knowledge about vegan food. 

4) Support Vegan businesses- from fashion to food, shop anywhere that supports the vegan lifestyle. The only way to make veganism more mainstream and accepted is to show a demand for the products. 

5) Pack a snack- There's nothing worse than being somewhere and feeling hungry and not being able to find any vegan food. Always keep a protein bar or vegan snack with you to avoid this major crisis. 

6) Share your passion- Judging others for their meat and dairy eating lifestyle isn't likely to change them and it gives vegans a bad reputation. Simply share what you love with others, teach rather than lecture and tell people why you are vegan rather than telling them why they should go vegan. At the end of the day everyone has to make their own decisions in life, you can't force people to see the world like you do but you can show them what you believe in the hope that it will educate them. 

7) Use social media- Facebook, instagram, blogs and twitter are all useful tools. Vegans share recipes, products, ideas and their journeys. So use your social media for more than just stalking your friends and learn from other vegans. 

8) Start a vegan notebook- This is a handy tool for jotting down all your vegan tips. If you notice places that have a vegan option, a new vegan brand or a place that sells your favourite products cheaper you can write it down so you don't forget. 

9) Ask questions- E-mail companies about whether they have vegan options and ask restaurants if they can adapt a meal to be vegan, This again shows a demand for vegan products. 

10) Stay strong- It can be difficult and daunting at first but stay strong and remember why you made the change in the first place. Remember it is a journey and you will constantly be learning about new foods and finding products you love. More and more vegan items are appearing on the market and veganism is increasing in popularity everyday so stick at it, stay motivated and remember that even one person going vegan makes a different to animals lives, the environment and your own health.