Cibare Food and Drinks Magazine Issue 13

Cibare Issue Thirteen, Spring 2018

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Contents

FOOD FOR THE SEASON Veganism for Meat Eaters 10 Sides As Mains 14 Haloumi Chips & Tofu Strips 18 Vegan Cookies 20 Jar Food 22 Cauliflower Steaks 24 Rolls and Dips 26 Mushroom Tart 28 Vegan Ice Cream 30 Thai Eggs 32 Spanish Style Rice 34 Ruby Murray 40

FEATURES

Is Being Vegan Really Healthy 36 Vegan Beer 46 Veganism 50 One Step At A Time 54 Canine Pals 60

GARDENING At The Flower Field

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BOOKS Vegan 100 6 Feed Me Vegan 62

SOURCES AND CREDITS 2

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What’s the newest trend? Being so awesome that you don’t eat meat!

Even those of us who do eat meat are thinking that this may be a bad idea.

More and more people are not only giving up meat but going the full Vegan hog. It’s something everyone has an opinion about and it’s so hot right now in both directions and we are no exception. With a divided set of writers, it was only fitting that we join in on the conversation.

Myself included. Being a meat eater I am massively on the cut down route, searching for new and delicious ways to enjoy that vegan life, so it’s totally appropriate that this issue is Vegetarian and Vegan only. If you are a meat eater and want to cut down but still eat really healthy delicious food here are some handy hints. Also if you are on the fence about it all, you’ll find some healthy discussion. Some articles have the writers’ personal ideas on this subject so please be respectful to them as we are to you.

Let the cooking begin…

Cibare

Editor’s Note

FOOD

LioBites

Delicious parcles of fruit and coconut.

So vegan and vegetarian!

REVIEW

VEGAN 100

by Gaz Oakley

By Despina Mina

Due to high demand, over farming is at a crisis point and raising animals for food with poor practice is causing deforestation, damage to the soil and sea. Our eco system is suffering, which is having a knock-on effect on our health, not forgetting the conditions some of these animals are kept in, in order to feed us. I believe that encouraging people to eat more plant-based food and minimising meat consumption to once or twice a week, ensuring that what we do eat is sustainable, ethically and responsibly sourced can only be a good thing.

but it also means that a fair bit of Gaz’s book is off limits. Why? Because he uses a meat substitute called seitan in a fair few recipes.

It’s made from wheat gluten, high in protein and when marinated and cooked, becoming similar to the look and texture of meat.

So with this in mind, I crack on with my menu: Starters: Tofu Tikka Kebabs with Carrot Salad - Gaz claims that this is the tofu dish to make if you have friends who say they hate it and as I’m feeding the carnivores, it feels like a good dish to start with. It needs to be eaten straight out of the oven, so if you’re tempted to make this at home give yourself an hour beforehand to marinate. Tofu is the blank canvas of the food world - letting it soak up all those big bold flavours is the key to making this dish work. It did get mixed reviews but I think this is mainly to do with its unfamiliar texture, the flavours worked well together and the carrot salad went down a storm. I’d be tempted to cook this on a bbq next time, just to see if the charcoal and flames enhance the flavours.

Gaz Oakley has become a bit of an Internet sensation as the Avant-Garde Vegan and his new book Vegan 100 gave me a chance to find out why. I invited my friends over to help critique food cooked from the book and interestingly none are vegans. Also, one Picking a main proves a little more challengof them is a coeliac which unfortunately for ing, seitan is off the menu, tofu has been her means she’s hypersensitive to gluten, used in the starter and did I mention the 6

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PICTURE CREDITS: Despina Mina

Veganism is the new Black, it’s having its moment in the spotlight and it seems that everyone is trying it on for size. I’m not vegan but more like a part time vegetarian, a conscious eater - the official word apparently is Flexitarian. Hi I’m Despina aka Forked LDN, and I’m a Flexitarian.

Vanilla to be precise. I don’t have an ice cream maker so the challenge was to make this by hand. An arduous job of hand churning every hour for up to 6 hours which resulted in a wave of middle class smugness when asked if I made this from scratch. I’ve never made my own ice cream, nor have I eaten a dairy free ice cream where the main ingredient is cashew nuts but I can tell you that it tasted pretty good! I couldn’t taste the mango, were my mangoes not ripe enough? (said the tart to the vicar…) so on this occasion, I’d be more inclined to call this Cashew & Vanilla Ice Cream.

Vegan 100 highlights the ingredient seitan and as long as gluten isn’t a problem, this book is bountiful in recipes. Having said that, there are still enough recipes to explore, lots of exciting flavour combinations, and classic dishes re-imagined. I’ll be giving the Chocolate NotElla, Hazelnut Spread a go and the Hot-Pink Beetroot Ketchup is on my list, taking my pink food obsession to the next level. I With full bellies of avant-garde burger and already have the ingredients waiting chips, the obvious choice for dessert was an patiently in my kitchen for the Chocolate avant-garde ice cream, Raw Mango & truffles…no guests required.

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PICTURE CREDITS: Despina Mina

friend who isn’t a fan of aubergine? That’s off the menu too. As the choices in the book are now quite limited I consider making some new friends. Failing that I opt for the American diner inspired experience: The Mexican, a burger with classic Mexican flavours served in a gluten free bun and Tomato Salsa, Gaz’s Guac, Quick Onion Rings, Herb & Lemon Polenta Chips and washed down with Sunshine Orange juice.

The stand out dishes were the onion rings, the light and crispy batter kept everyone coming back for more and Gaz’s Guac, with the charred pepper and mango making this a winning dip. I’ve already shared the recipe and will definitely be making it again. Like the tofu kebabs, the polenta chips need to be eaten straight out of the oven, with plenty of lemon juice. They were sadly neglected once they grew cold, it turns out polenta gets a little rubbery and the dried herbs within each chip feel a little sharp on the palate and made me wonder if I should have stuck with the sweet potato fries.

FOOD

Veganism For Meat Eaters

By The Editor

It’s felt like there has been some kind of build up towards last January with it being VEGANUARY and now it’s passed it’s become the hottest thing around to be Vegan.

Everything and everyone is now promoting more Vegan food, not vegetarian, VEGAN!!

Also this really does feel like it’s gaining popularity in the same way as the fact that we are all getting a little fed up of cupcakes and are now only eating doughnuts! Now I’ve got nothing against a doughnut. In fact as many doughnuts as you can hold against me the better!! (But who honestly KNEW, they were made with bloody eggs!!!) So now all hail the Vegan doughnut, and honestly God bless them as they are not only the new shit, but everywhere, from small independents to massive companies, retailers are now taking on Vegan chefs and turning out all new Vegan products so that those animal lovers can actually eat something other than a damn salad and not feel guilty about what they are doing to the ecology and the environment.

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And I’ll be honest, I’m right there with them!

Now I’m no Vegan or a vegetarian for that matter, but I honestly do care. I’ve always been one to choose the vegetarian option as in my house, my entire life, we have been meat eaters, so getting a decent veggie meal at home hasn’t always been a simple regular occurrence. But I do consider myself to be someone who has certainly been cutting back on animal products for some time, particularly since having a child last year who is just not able to tolerate any dairy or eggs in my diet never mind her own.

This has in some ways made me a Vegan product buyer just to get by. Who knew dairy products are in absolutely everything!!

Seems that so many manufacturers are chucking either an egg or some milk into the foods that once made my processed lifestyle manageable that it’s now making me miserable, as I can’t consume those foods. That was until I found Veganism.

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So before I go on I have to say that yes I do eat meat. Yes I do feel this terrible sense of guilt that makes me cry when I think of eating a beautiful animal. Yes I agree that the way that the dairy and farming industry operates is, at least in part, disgusting and I try to buy meat from animals that have been reared to the very highest standards of animal husbandry, but it’s so hard on a budget, which again fills me with more guilt. In fact I don’t buy any dairy any more, expect for the occasional box of eggs that are either organic or from a happy place so I know the chickens are happy too. Which I also don’t eat!

Whilst on the subject of sandwiches I’m also loving VEGANISE. Oh deep joy!!! This company makes regular mayo and all kinds of flavoured ones too and honestly bless your cotton socks it’s a great way to make the most mundane of sandwiches happy with your mayonnaise flavours. You can’t really taste the difference either.

Now whilst I’ve been on my journey it’s been boring not really being able to have much that’s sweet without making it myself, and although I do love a good bake and have been no stranger to working without various ingredient in the past, you can’t always be arsed to make a whole cake just for yourself.

So all that said, not completely but whole That’s when I found PUDOLOGY. To be preheartedly, a big hello to Vegan food. cise THE CHOCOLATE ONE!!!

I thought that I would share with you four of things that have quite simply made my life better this last year. Each of these things has made me smile and has stopped me missing all that other dairy filled stuff and I’m sure that if you are reducing what you are consuming it will help you too.

When I tried it I honestly had a little cry.

Loving dark chocolate and not too sweet puddings it was the most divine thing I’ve ever tasted in my life and I couldn’t be happier that it exists. Many an evening I’ve just sat with a pot and a spoon enjoying its taste (and texture which is sometimes the problem with Vegan food) and just couldn’t be Firstly we all need to talk about CHEESE. happier. Go and try it. This is not an ad! Its Now cheese is bloody amazing and you can- just a pleasure. not really replicate it. But there are some nice alternatives that once you have given One last thing that I can’t get over and has yourself in to the fact that you will never changed my ‘cow’s milk drinking straight taste cheddar again, actually make your life from the bottle’ husband is OAT MILK!!!! so much nicer. Having a lovely pizza with Vegan cheese almost brought me to tears, So in the last issue I wrote about hot chocoand sprinkling it onto some beans on toast late and I mentioned oat milk then. We have is all kinds of happiness and joy I can tell no other milk now in the house since that you. Find what you like the taste of and take article was written. Oatly Barista milk is in it from there. Personally Violite grated moz- our tea, in our hot chocolate obviously but zarella cannot have a more ‘pride of place’ it’s even in my coffee too. spot in my fridge and I’ve had their cream cheese too which is mild but does the job I (obviously, ha!) invented the ‘breakfast cofwhether you are having it with… coughs, fee’, which means that I’m allowed to put salmon and capers bagel, or some roasted milk into it, not spoiling it as some would vegetables mixed into some pasta. That is say but making a meal out of it. Oat milk up to you and works so well. tastes like full fat cream being poured into 12

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my coffee and it froths up perfectly. It’s the perfect addition to my coffee and I’m so happy that more and more coffee houses are taking it on. Although coconut milk is lovely and things like almond and soya are being used more and more widely, they are often sweetened which is unnecessary and I think ruins your coffee. A nice oat milk latte or cappuccino is delicious.

So these are my four Vegan pointers to get any die hard dairy chugging consumer to cut back, change or simply widen their horizons to another possibility.

What do you think? Let us know!

Dates filled with peanut butter and dipped in dark chocolate. TWICE! And an oat milk breakfast coffee.

FOOD

Vegan And Vegetarian Food Ideas Sides As A Main cessor until smooth.

Then add lemon juice, mix and taste to see if it needs any more salt.

All that’s left is to be added into a pretty bowl and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds to decorate.

Baba Ganoush Ingredients

2 aubergines 1 small clove of garlic, chopped 1 tablespoon of tahini ½ teaspoon of cumin 1 tablespoon of olive oil 1 large lemon Salt to taste Pomegranate seeds to decorate

Humous Ingredients

1 tin of chickpeas 1 clove of garlic 2 tablespoons of tahini Method 1 medium lemon Preheat the oven to 180°C. Wash aubergines and princk them with a Olive oil fork a few times then put them onto a baking Salt tray with a little oil and bake them for about Paprika 45 minutes depending on their size till they are soft in the middle.

Method Cut them in half so that they may cool and Drain the water from the chickpeas and add when ready discard the skin and place flesh them to a food processor along with the garinto a blender. lic (peeled), lemon juice, tahini and about 1 Add garlic, tahini, cumin, olive oil and a tablespoon of oil, then blitz. pinch of salt and blitz them in a food pro- You will have to scrape the sides down a few 14

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times but humous is best when it’s relatively smooth. If it still seems quite thick, add a few drops of water.

Then add a pinch of salt to taste.

When at your preferred consistency add to a pretty bowl and very lightly drizzle some olive oil on top and some paprika, that not only makes it look great but it tastes delicious.

Tzatziki Ingredients

Half a tub of natural coconut yogurt, (or a dairy version) Half a large cucumber About 3 to 4 teaspoons of dried mint or enough to suit your palate Salt Olive oil

Method

Tabouleh Ingredients

Handful of fresh coriander Handful of fresh flat parsley One large tomato Half a cucumber 200 grams of couscous Boiling water Olive oil Salt Red wine vinegar or 1 large lemon

Method

Boil the kettle and place your couscous into a bowl. Add water and cover with a plate or tea towel for a few minutes till it fluffs up.

Then allow to cool.

Finely cut the coriander, parsley, tomato and cucumber and mix together with the cooled couscous.

Add a glug of oil and a pinch of salt. I’ve used both a lemon and vinegar on different occasions and like both but I’d personally go with the vinegar if you have it and add about a couple of tablespoons then taste to see if you need any more.

Then mix together and pop into a pretty bowl or of course straight to face.

Chop up cucumber into small pieces, how large or small is up to you. (Some people like to grate it).

Add cucumber to yogurt in a bowl with the mint, a drizzle of oil and a good pinch of salt and mix together.

Taste to see if you need any more salt.

The mint should look evenly distributed into the yogurt.

Not forgetting some fresh bread or pitta to You can add a little olive oil to decorate. dip and pile on to.

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Haloumi Chips vs Tofu Strips

When cooking make sure it’s nicely browned on all sides particularly the tofu as that really does need to cook through: this shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes depending on your oil temperature. If the oil gets too hot just take it off the heat if you can’t turn it down any more. The food should still happily cook away, just keep an eye on it.

Ingredients

80g arrowroot or flour of choice 3 teaspoons of salt 1 teaspoon of pepper 2 teaspoon of garlic powder 1 teaspoon of chilli powder

1 block of tofu OR 1 block of haloumi (If using this then halve the amount of salt you add to the mix and do The outcome should be lovely spicy haloumi or tofu fries or slices however you would like a taste test slice.) to eat it. They’re delicious in a wrap, or in a burger bun with relish and salad.

Oil for shallow frying. I used rapeseed oil.

Method

Add all ingredients into a bowl (except cheese or tofu obviously) and give it a little mix so everything is evenly distributed.

Then cut your tofu or haloumi into strip like fries or slices to eat like a burger.

Cover the tofu or haloumi in the dry batter.

Ensure that the oil is hot, (not too hot!) and your tofu/haloumi is nicely covered in the mix and pop it into the oil gently. I would do a taste test checking on how salty you like your dry batter for the tofu or haloumi (as obviously this is already quite salty).

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Vegan Banana and Oat Cookies

By Anne Iarchy

Ingredients:

3 ripe bananas 2 cups of rolled oats 1 cup of dates, pitted and chopped (or use some date paste to make it easier) 1 large handful of raisins 1/3 cup of coconut oil 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat the oven to 175°C. Melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan on the hob. If you do use date paste, add it to the mix to soften it a little.

In a large bowl, mash the bananas.

Stir in the oats, melted coconut oil, dried fruit and vanilla extract.

Mix well and allow the mixture to sit for 15 minutes.

Put some greaseproof paper on a baking tray.

Drop a tablespoon of the mixture onto the paper and flatten it a little, repeat until all the mixture is used up.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly brown.

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Jar of Veggies and Noodles

When it’s almost lunchtime, boil the kettle and add hot water to the jar, almost to the Jar or thermos if you don’t have a jar. top, pop the lid back on and maybe give it Fill with a little shake. You can also add soy sauce if Rice noodles or cooked wheat noodles Any veggies that you have around that you you like too.

Leave for about 10 minutes so that you can can eat raw!! just about hold the jar and pop off the lid.

Half a stock cube of your choice The food should be cooked enough to enjoy Boiling water and leave you with a tasty soup like broth to Swig of soy sauce if you fancy drink too.

Ingredients

Method

SUPER EASY! Take your Jar Fill it with your delicious ingredients. These can be some cooked noodles, or rice, and any vegetables that you enjoy a little al dente or raw and cut them into bite sized pieces.

Add them into your jar either by layering so that they look pretty or just shove as much in as you can as you don’t care!

Add your stock cube.

You could also add any cooked meat or tofu should you feel you need to but this is delicious as it is.

Put lid on jar till you are ready to eat.

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Curried Cauliflower Steaks

Ingredients

Favourite curry paste from a jar Cauliflower - how much varies on how many people are eating and how big the vegetable is. You’ll have to use your own discretion here.

Method

Slice your cauliflower into steaks, about 1cm thick or as you prefer Place them onto an oven tray lined with parchment paper Take your curry paste and give the cauliflower a generous covering. Don’t pile it on too much as the paste is strong. Just enough so it’s nicely covered on both sides.

Pop them into the oven for 30 minutes at 180°C or Gas Mark 4, till they are cooked through. This may vary depending on how thick you cut your cauliflower. When they are done place them into a frying pan and give them an extra bit of cooking to crisp up any little bits. This doesn’t need any oil but does make them taste even better, trust me!

You can also do this the next day to make a quick meal if you have any leftovers.

Enjoy them with rice or quinoa with a big dollop of Greek or coconut yogurt. They’re delicious.

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Veggie and Noodle Rolls

Ingredients

Peanut Butter Dip

spring roll rice paper rice noodles (cooked) Ingredients fillings: whatever you like - I used cab- One large tablespoon of peanut butter bage, avocado, coriander, carrots and bean One teaspoon of soy sauce sprouts One teaspoon of sriracha hot water The juice of half a lime kitchen towel or a tea towel

Method

Method

You take your rice paper and dip it into warm water for about 10 seconds till it’s soft. Then carefully place it onto a piece of kitchen towel or a clean tea towel to absorb the water. Carefully making sure that you open it up and take care not to rip it. It’s very sticky.

After a minute you can peel it off and place it onto a plate or surface where you can fill it. I’ve placed coriander leaves first so that it looks pretty but that’s up to you.

Place the noodles and the other fillings in the centre of the paper and when ready fold in the ends before carefully but as tight as you can roll the side pieces across and around so that it looks like a raw spring roll. Which is basically what this is.

You basically mix it all together but I’d warm up your peanut butter in the microwave first so that you can combine everything much more easily.

Then enjoy hot or cold.

Fancy a dip?

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Mushroom Tart

If you didn’t use them and the pastry has puffed up, don’t worry, just gently push it 1 packet of shop bought puff pastry (it’s down, the weight of everything going on top usually vegan but do check!)

3 handfuls of mushrooms of your choice (this of it will sort that out, it’s not cooked enough amount is also dependent on the size of tin for you to worry just yet. or tray you will use to cook the tart in) Take your garlic butter or spread and paint 1 handful of thyme your pastry with it to get a nice layer on the 1 garlic clove 1 tablespoon of butter (both vegan or dairy bottom and put the rest aside. Then add your mushrooms, and don’t be afraid to pile work) them on as they do shrink. Then sprinkle 1 or 2 pinches of salt to taste some thyme over the top and the rest of your 1 or 2 pinches of pepper to taste 1 9” tart baking tin or larger should you wish garlic butter or spread.

Greaseproof paper Pop it back into the oven for about 20 minutes on the middle shelf. You can Method Take your tin and line it with greaseproof decide at that point if you feel it needs longer. paper. Take your pastry and cover your tin Cooking it slowly seems to stop the pastry or tray allowing some extra round the sides from getting soggy and the mushrooms from to fold in to give you some extra structure getting dry. Just keep an eye on the pastry (or just pastry to eat as it’s delicious. Poke so that it just goes a light brown, like the colthe pastry with a fork to stop it puffing up our of sand.

Ingredients

too much when it’s cooking or you can put a layer of greaseproof paper on top of the pastry with baking beans if you have them.

Cook for about 10/ 15 minutes at 160°C till it starts to harden.

When done you can eat it as it is or add some feta, be it vegan or dairy they are both delicious. Also some pomegranate seeds and some salad leaves really complement this dish. Then you just need to try and share it.

Whilst that is cooking, chop up the mushrooms. Crush the garlic and add it to the butter or spread and pop it into the microwave for about a minute till the mixture has melted.

Note: I do find that the mushrooms always shrink more than I think they do but to be honest, it’s better to see some pastry underneath than to overload it and have a soggy pastry. Cheese is a great hole filler Take the pastry out of the oven and remove and makes it look amazing. the baking beans and greaseproof paper.

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Avocado and Lime Ice Cream

By Anne Iarchy

Ingredients:

2 ripe avocados 1 can of full fat coconut milk juice and zest of 2 small limes 1/4 cup of honey

Method:

Remove the flesh from the avocados and place in a blender with all the other ingredients.

Blend until smooth.

Pour into a freezer proof dish.

Cover with cling film before closing the dish so as to avoid crystals forming.

Take out of the freezer well ahead of time as it takes a while to be soft enough to serve.

Banana and Chocolate Ice Cream

By The Editor Ingredients 3 bananas 1 tbsp raw coco powder A food processor Method Cut up your ripe bananas and put them into the freezer in a plastic bag or a tub.

When nice and cold, pop into the food processor and blitz till it eventually goes creamy.

Then add half into a tub or lunch box.

The other half add one table spoon if Raw Coco Powder and blitz again.

Put that into a tub too and put both back into the freezer to get back to freezing.

Eat when ready for a treat.

Thai Eggs

By Ying Bower

Ingredients

3 large eggs.

3 tbsp of soya milk.

20 gram of dice greens pepper.

20 gram of dice red pepper.

1 tomato ( chopped ) 1 tbsp of finely chopped onion.

2 tbsp of soya sauce. pinch of salt and pepper. chopped spring onion for garnish on the top.

Method:

Beat the eggs together with soya milk.

Then add soya sauce, salt and pepper.

Take a bowl and add the diced peppers and onions.

Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables into the bowlcarefully, making sure there are no bubbles on the top. place the bowl into a bamboo steamer on medium heat for 20-25 minutes and check if the eggs are nicely firm.

Then garnish with chopped spring onion.

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Spanish-Style Rice

By Samina Iqbal

You know when you are just bored with rice, it’s always the same, a bit bland, a bit nothing-y. It seems to be the backdrop of a meal, rather than the forerunner. You need to add ‘the main feature’ of the meal to the rice to make the meal complete…Do you ever feel this way?

Well, this easy and oh-so-quick recipe for a Spanish-style rice is delicious. I could eat it on its own with no other accompaniments every day! There is something particularly pleasing about the vivid colour, and the sweet little pockets of flavour imparted by the red pepper. Best of all, it is both vegetarian and vegan. Have a go.

Add turmeric.

Add a crumbled vegetable stock cube.

Add 1 ½ cups of water.

Bring the water up to a boil on high heat.

Keep boiling on high until holes appear in the rice. Put a lid on and turn the heat off.

Leave to steam for 10 minutes. Do not take the lid off.

You can add some chopped parsley if you want. I prefer it without.

Ingredients:

1 cup of rice ½ red pepper ½ tsp turmeric 1 vegetable stock cube 1 ½ cups of water.

Method:

Put rice into a large bowl and wash with cold water until the water runs clear. Allow to soak for 10 minutes. Drain. Put into a pan.

Chop red pepper and add to rice.

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HEALTH AND NUTRITION

Is Being Vegan Really Healthy?

Being vegan is becoming very trendy these ism when it comes to nutrition is the lack of days. More and more people are going ve- protein. However, that is not really true. gan in January by joining Veganuary. Or just going vegetarian or vegan one day a week.

Being an omnivore, you get your protein from meat, fish, eggs, dairy, vegetables, nuts, For some, it’s due to the ideology of not seeds, pulses and a bit from grains as well. harming animals.

For others, it’s for religious reasons.

As a vegetarian, you cut out the meat and fish sources.

While for many others today, it comes from the way animals are being reared and killed For vegans, the list is even more restricted to produce the meat being sold for con- as you also cut out eggs and dairy. sumption, and the feeling that avoiding it would be healthier.

As humans, we need protein. Protein provides the building blocks for every cell in Let me start by being totally transparent our body. here. I am not vegan, nor even vegetarian. I do enjoy vegetarian and vegan food, but also Protein is necessary for building and I do like my meat. repairing body tissues. Hair, skin, eyes, muscles and organs are all made from However, I’ve been asked to write about ve- protein. ganism and the health aspect of it, so from a nutritional point of view, I will try and an- Protein is involved in the creation of some swer the questions surrounding veganism hormones. Hormones such as insulin (which and health. helps control blood sugar levels), secretin (which helps producing digestive juices) and The main thing people have against vegan- some others all need protein.

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PICTURE CREDITS: Shutterstock

By Anne Iarchy

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I put the word “problem” in quotes, because by eating a variety of plant based protein, you can achieve the same result.

Being vegan requires paying extra attention 38

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PICTURE CREDITS: Shutterstock

Enzymes are proteins that increase the rate to what we eat, and mainly the variety of our of chemical reactions in the body. Massively food. The more variety we have throughout important in our digestive system! our day and week, the more chances we have of ingesting all the essential amino acids, You may have heard of haemoglobin and fer- and as a result, staying healthy and not being ritin if you’ve ever had a blood test. They are deficient in amino acids. both proteins that affect our blood’s circulation, oxygenation and the overall health of Unfortunately, even today, when we’re not our blood. cooking from scratch, most easily available vegan friendly dishes do not contain enough Protein also plays an important part in our protein. Up until recently, the choice was immune system. generally a spaghetti with tomato sauce, or a salad.

And there are many more functions fulfilled by protein including energy production and And when we look at readily available vegan more. friendly snacks, they generally aren’t the healthiest.

Proteins are made up of hundreds or thousands of smaller units called amino ac- Thankfully if you live in larger cities, there ids, which are attached to one another in are more and more vegan restaurants openlong chains. There are 20 different types of ing up. amino acids that can be combined to make a protein.

Being creative with pulses, vegetables and herbs and spices can create some amazing Nine of those different amino acids are flavours. essential ones. They can only be produced from the food we ingest.

I actually spent New Year’s Eve in a vegan restaurant in Tel Aviv with some Complete proteins contain all nine vegan friends, and it probably was one of the essential amino acids, while incomplete best meals I had while being out there. proteins don’t.

Is being vegan healthier, than being a meat To function properly and to be healthy, we eater? do need to ingest those nine essential amino acids, ideally every day.

That’s a question I do not want to answer, and will let everyone decide for themselves.

The “problem” with being vegan is that nearly all sources of complete protein come from animals, so that’s meat, fish, eggs and dairy.

FOOD

RUBY MURRAY

by Emma Walton

PANEER & CASHEW NUT CURRY Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 onion, half roughly chopped and half thinly sliced 3 garlic cloves 2 inch long piece of root ginger ¡ 3 green chillies Handful of fresh coriander, leaves and stalks separated 150g unsalted cashew nuts 2 tbsp coconut oil 1.5 tsp garam masala 1 tsp turmeric 400g can chopped tomatoes 450ml vegetable stock 500g paneer (2 blocks), cubed 1 red pepper, cubed 1 small head of cauliflower, cut into florets 155g Greek yogurt

Method:

Put the roughly chopped onion, garlic cloves, root ginger, chillies and coriander stalks into a small food processer and blitz until a curry paste forms.

Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and dry fry the cashew nuts for 1-2minutes or until they start to go golden brown.

Set the cashew nuts to one side and return

the pan to the heat, adding the coconut oil and the curry paste.

Cook the paste for 5 minutes before adding the garam masala and turmeric for 2 minutes.

Add the chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock to the pan and stir well. Let the mixture bubble for 5 minutes.

Tip the sauce into a blender along with 2/3rds of the cashew nuts and blitz until smooth.

In the meantime, fry the paneer and thinly sliced onions on a high heat (add more coconut oil as required) until the paneer is golden on the outside and the onions have softened.

Add the red pepper to the pan and cook for a further 5 minutes until the pepper has begun to soften.

Pour the sauce over the paneer and vegetables and cook for 30 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.

Add the cauliflower and remaining cashew nuts and let it summer for a further 15 minutes until the cauliflower is tender.

Stir through the Greek yogurt immediately before serving and top with the coriander leaves.

To make the dish vegan, swap paneer for potatoes and leave out the Greek yogurt.

Tastes delicious with jasmine rice and steamed green veggies.

GARDENING

At The Flower Field

by Emma de Sousa

I plant out all my dahlias that have been sitting in the greenhouse since the end of March/beginning of April and these make up a big part of the flowers that I grow. From July they will give me tons of flowers right up until October if I am lucky and they are the queens and kings of the cutting patch. Back in the Autumn I planted lots of bare root roses which I am looking forward to flowering, although I won’t alas be able to cut from them this year ... still, there’s always next year to look forward to.

I protect my newly planted seedlings with crushed, baked egg shells that I have collected all throughout the previous year (I have a small flock of chickens so an easy fix for me) and so far it seems to do the trick. We have very little problems with slugs and this year it has been the weather, the mice and the squirrels that have been the only problem for me so far ... oh and time of course, always a lack of time.

At the cutting patch the alliums are up, the biennials are starting to flower and the tulips are in full swing still. May is the last month of sowing quick growing annuals such as Amaranthus, Snaps and Molucello and if you have any space in your greenhouse then you can start on next year’s biennials, although I prefer to wait until the end of June to start If you have never grown flowers before it is sowing mine when I know there is plenty of a lovely way to encourage wildlife into your space to store them. garden or plot, it’s not as hard as you would 42

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PICTURE CREDITS: Emma de Sousa

So we’ve made it through the first quarter of the year, we’ve had rain, snow, sunshine and lots more rain but now we have made it to May this is the real turning point in the gardening calendar. As a flower farmer it’s a big month for me ... after the weeks of seed sowing, nurturing seedlings in the greenhouses and potting on endless seedlings into bigger pots, it is around the second week of May, when all threats of frost have disappeared, that I start the mammoth task of planting out the seedlings into the new beds. It’s a battle between the weeds and the seedlings at this time of year and needs constant attention, along with all those other jobs to keep on top of ...

think it is when done on a small scale, but a good idea is to start off with something simple and foolproof like Rudbeckia ... an annual, sown in March, planted out in May, it will give you cut flowers all summer long as long as you keep cutting. Another must for me are Sweet Peas ... a little more difficult to grow but once you get it right they are fantastic and can even be grown in a large pot as long as you keep them well fed and tie them in as they grow up canes to support them. There’s nothing nicer than a small jar of sweet smelling Sweet Peas on your table.

It’s too late to sow them now but it’s worth buying a few seedlings to start them off to give you weeks of gorgeous flowers ... just remember to keep cutting! You should be able to find some at your local nursery.

You can directly sow ...

French Beans Beetroot Sprouting Brocolli Carrots Chard Kale Leeks Spinach All salad leaves and herbs can be sown now.

Keep on top of weeds. Hoe between planted rows. Thin seedlings to give them the best chance. Erect poles for runner beans and sweet peas. Beware of the weather … last year we still had frosts during the first week So if you are feeling brave here are my top of May … I always plant out after 10th May … flowers to grow for beginners ...

Rudbeckia Snapdragons Cosmos Dalias And some things you can sow from seed now are …

Foxgloves Hesperis (Sweet Rocket) Sweet Williams Poppies Honesty Things to do on the Allotment this month …

You can sow undercover cucumbers, chillis, broccoli and borlotti beans. I like to sow salad leaves in crates undercover, then you can keep picking and keep sowing for tender micro leaves all summer long.

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PICTURE CREDITS: Emma de Sousa

FEATURE

An Introduction to Vegan Beer I know what you’re thinking. Isn’t all beer Isinglass is the enemy of vegan beer lovers vegan? for several reasons. Firstly, isinglass is an additive - not an ingredient - so it doesn’t It’s a reasonable assumption to make. Almost have to be listed on the bottle. Unless all beer is made from just four main ingre- labelled as vegan, you won’t know if your beer dients - water, grain, hops and yeast. Oth- is made using it or not. Secondly, the use of er than the most outrageous of craft beers isinglass is purely cosmetic. Its only use is (Omnipollo brewed a beer using burgers last to make beer look more appealing. Thirdly, year, Evil Twin and Lervig have brewed one using isinglass isn’t even necessary. Other with pizza...) why should animal products be vegan finings are available, some breweries anywhere near beer? filter their beers through machinery, and others choose not to filter their beer at all.

Well, just as with wine, a surprising amount of beer is not suitable for vegans. Pizza and Although nowhere near as commonplace, burgers aside, this is usually down to one of the use of lactose, or milk sugar, has slowly two additives: isinglass or lactose. increased in recent years. Lactose can add a creamy sweetness to beers, boosting the Isinglass is a type of ‘beer finings’, a body and making it a little velvety. Lactose is clarifying agent used by a huge amount mainly used in dark roasty milk stouts, but of breweries to make their beer clear and some brewers are now creating “milkshake bright. It is made from the most IPAs” and using it in other beers too. As a unappetising of ingredients, the swim dairy product, it is an allergen and should bladders of fishes. I have no idea who first be listed on the label, unless you’re in a pub decided adding fish innards to beer was a and it’s on tap, where you won’t find a beer good idea, but its use is widespread, ingredients list in sight. particularly among traditional real ale breweries producing cask beer.

I feel I should make it clear at this point that I’m not vegan, but I am vegetarian and 46

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PICTURE CREDITS: Jon Moore

By Jon Moore

The good news Considering the above, you might think it is all doom and gloom for vegan beer drinkers.

But happily that’s not the case at all; we are in a golden age of choice in beer, and many brewers are embracing veganism and shunning animal ingredients and additives.

The steady rise in vegan beer must be in some part attributable to the ever growing popularity of hazy IPAs. In recent years some of the most sought after beers have been the IPAs produced by the likes of Verdant and Cloudwater. These beers use extreme quantities of American and New World hops, but tend to have a restrained bitterness, which results in a massively juicy aroma and flavour. The best examples of this style have delicious notes of orange, nectarine, or tropical fruit, paired with a pillowy soft body from the use of oats or wheat. These beers are so hop heavy that they have a natural haze. The use of finings like isinglass is actively discouraged, as it would only filter out some of the juicy goodness.

taxidermy animals, which doesn’t sit well with all vegans.

Many other brewers aren’t accredited but are vocal that their beer is vegan, including Verdant, Cloudwater, Moor, and Manchester’s Chorlton Brewing Co, which specialises in sour beer. During the summer months Chorlton hosts regular vegan markets showcasing the best vegan street food from across Manchester. If you aren’t in Manchester but fancy sampling some vegan beer alongside some vegan street food, vegan beer festivals are being held in London, Coventry, Sheffield and Glasgow this summer. Details are at veganbeerfest. co.uk Finally, if you can’t make it to a festival, but still want to enjoy a vegan pint in a local pub that might not have the widest beer selection, rest assured that Guinness is vegan. And who doesn’t like a pint of Guinness every now and then?

Don’t worry if IPA isn’t your thing, because vegan beer isn’t limited to certain styles.

Some modern breweries are embracing veganism and are keen to show their ethical credentials. Magic Rock are accredited by The Vegan Society. Brewdog are also accredited and their bars sell some fantastic vegan burgers, hotdogs and wings, including the excellently named Hail Seitan burger. On the other hand, they have previously sold beer bottles inside 48

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PICTURE CREDITS: Paul Ralhan

sympathise with the frustrations of vegan beer drinkers. It isn’t okay for pubs and bars not to have information on the ingredients of the beers they serve. The best venues will educate their staff and will be happy to give you recommendations, but sadly, many venues simply aren’t aware of vegan issues.

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FEATURE

Veganism - From Fringe To Mainstream

by Gemma Speakman

plate with vegetables stuck like a mushy, vitamin devoid afterthought on the side, the idea of vegetarianism let alone veganism NOUN was considered inhumane to the self. ‘What on earth do they eat?’ Eurgh, how boring!’

a person who does not eat or use were the retorts in the familial enclave, on animal products. loop. At home and at school, meat was always the main event and no one questioned “A way of living which seeks to exclude it nor objected to it; you simply overlooked as far as is possible and practicable, all everything else except for the much coveted gravy straight from the carcass.

Vegan

I knew about vegan and the vegan movement but I have to admit the apparition of ‘Veganuary’ into casual parlance this January came as a surprise to me. I was so engrossed and feeling sorry for myself in the midst of miserable, dry Jan, I had failed to notice another rather large, much more fashionable movement approaching at full pelt in plastic shoes.

For someone brought up with the belief that a meal was only ‘a meal’ or moreover worth eating if a slab of animal was on the 50

ridicule. A time really lacking in vegetable inspiration and devoid of options bar possibly the nut roast that you might choke on without a drink, assigned to the menu footnote. Let’s face it, this was the preavocado era! The avocado today is old news.

It was the tip of the iceberg a few years back but it’s fair to say we’re quite comfortably ‘post or should I say, over avocado’ and now, the world really is the vegetarian’s oyster.

Although vegans won’t eat oysters or mussels but bivalvegans (or ostrovegans) will, on the basis that the nervous system inside the creature is too rudimentary to

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forms of exploitation of and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other But that was the 80’s. A time when being purpose.” The Vegan Society. vegetarian was fairly lonely and ripe for

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have a brain and so they can’t feel pain. In many ostrovegans’ perception, ‘fish, with their lack of facial expressions or recognisable communication, are not seen to count when it comes to welfare.’ says Victoria Braithwaite author of the book, ‘Do Fish Feel Pain?’

In January 2018, the number of vegan pledges was up to 100,000 (from 60,000 the previous year). So why now? What’s changed?

The technological revolution and being able to document and capture everything we do on the go with great cameras in our hands mostly all of the time plus the sophistication of photography filter apps has transformed even the ugliest vegetables into looking desirable. The rise of social media and the compulsion to imitate celebrities’ lifestyles is also a huge factor. In 2015 the behemoth Beyonce single handedly propelled KALE (via a sweater), in her music video into the stratosphere in 2015 with one Instagram post. And kale became cool in an instant.

She topped up her commitment to veganism in January this year as she pledged to go vegan again in preparation for Coachella this April. Other famous vegan accomplices have also added clout to the movement such as Miley Cyrus and Ariana Grande, while Jared Leto has kept it real for the less dedicated with his admission he is a “cheagan” (slang for cheating vegan; someone who is committed to veganism nearly all of the time but has deliberate break outs when faced with meat loaded pizza and ice cream. Basically, a vegan with a propensity for weakness when the animal product is quite far down the ingredients list or they’re just ‘not in the mood’ that day.

and the moral obligation to care better for where we live and for future generations. A heightened realisation that the world population is growing at a rate that makes sustenance a topic of real concern. And, that to rear animals in order to feed everyone (with the water, land and crops they demand) is not a viable, long-term plan.

With the increased talk of vegetarianism and veganism becoming more mainstream, people are waking up to the fact that ethically we can make a difference by what we choose to have on our plates. The attitude to food is in flux - a meal needn’t have meat in it to be a ‘meal,’ and so at last, we look beyond animals to plants for a healthier more sustainable approach to food and our planet.

The other factor is the much wider availability of good vegetarian and vegan restaurants to dine in as well as the increased popularity of pop ups; in particular, street food is serving as a strong force behind the evolution of the vegan movement.

Stalwarts such as Temple of Seitan (serving up filthy vegan junk food) have also been integral as they open our eyes to the potential and the fun you can have with vegan food. No lumps of tasteless tofu, sloppy lentils or tongue clinging powdered soya in sight.

Similarly, Club Mexicana who regularly serve up ‘banging Mexican street food, 100% vegan.’ There’s a whole host of other places too (too many to mention here) but of note, Chantelle Nicholson’s five course Planted menu at Tredwells in Covent Garden, ’Deserted Cactus’ in South London, VX in London and Bristol, The Railway in Southend on Sea (recently a warded PETA’s Best Seafood Dish for its Other factors that have helped bring the vegan fish and chips). Beyond London, Terre movement to a wider public consciousness à Terre in Brighton have a drool is the increased awareness for the planet worthy menu - wonders such as Korean 52

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fried cauliflower with sweet and sour s esame, onigiri rice, soused shiso dikon and khol rabi, pickled mirin ginger jelly and green leaf salt dried chips finished with chestnut purée, pumpkin and sunflower seed nibbles.

Or an ‘aloo sailor’ a potato rösti bursting with fresh turmeric, ginger, coriander and black mustard seed flavours, heaped with podi toor spice paste, packed spinach and pachadi pickle of preserved garlic tamarind tomato. Not forgetting Gizzi Erskine’s Pure Filth burger set to launch after a rip roaring pop up success, in a permanent residence this summer - a beetroot bun with a black bean, black lentils, black quinoa and umami paste patty served with either beetroot ketchup/sticky BBQ sauce or Korean spicy tofu mayo. What’s not to love?

Indeed there’s a strong case to say that vegetarian and vegan chefs are the better ones. They’re more exploratory and original. Even the most basic of cooks can

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make a steak or a lamb chop taste good (lashings of salt and a flame!) but to make something new from vegetables that is inventive and that tastes amazing is surely more of a skill?

And it’s not only restaurants. The Truman Brewery just off Brick Lane in London regularly prompts queues around several blocks as foodies queue for ‘Vegan Nights’ serving up the best vegan food around in an ambient, celebratory setting with big name DJs giving it a veritable festival feel.

Hackney Downs hosts a weekly Vegan market (a collaboration between social media sensation, the Fat Gay Vegan, and Eat Work Art.) There’s even a dedicated start up for the ‘plant powered generation’ called Vevolution which hosts various events and talks throughout the year that promote the vegan movement. Their approach is welcoming and inclusive - their next event

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But the practical side is still catching up to making being a vegan realistic. It’s insane enough trying to put a normal plate of food on the table, especially if you are a busy working mum. Apparently, the thought is worse than the actual and you quickly adapt to the challenges and learn to be more organized. But in order to make being a vegan a reality, we will surely need help from suppliers? The Vegan Society are campaigning for better ‘vegan on the go’ food - where you can just grab something to eat (a reality of modern day life). But we’re not there yet. Certainly, forays into the mainstream are notable. Big players are waking up to the fact this is not just a passing phase and could be a valuable stream both from a revenue and an ethical point of view. Tesco has just launched a new line of vegan meals and they have increased their vegan chocolate and ice cream options. All Bar One has launched a chilli non carne and Starbucks has introduced oat milk.

Pizza Hut now has vegan crusts available and Sainsbury’s do a mean coconut based cheese range from cheddar to feta. If going out is hell and you’re struggling to find a vegan restaurant to dine at, download the Happy Cow app.

According to Mintel’s new products database, there has been close to a 200% rise in the number of new vegan products launched in the UK between 2012 and 2016.

Indeed any savvy investor would do well to go after this growing market - especially as it would inherently cater for all the

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vegetarians out there plus those with intolerances or allergies that seem to be only in ascent. The movement against animal consumption is fortifying; in 2014 the British Medical Journal announced that milk was bad for us and that those that consumed around 3 glasses of milk a day were twice as likely to die of heart disease than those that did not. And those surveyed and who drank milk did not show any signs of having either denser or stronger bones.

In March this year, it was reported in The Times that idyllic rural scenes on the front of meat wrapping in most leading supermarkets are totally fictitious and actually mask the fact that that the animals have never even been outside. 90 - 95% of chickens reared for meat never go outside - that is 800 million birds a year. Moreover most supermarkets have been found to make up farm names to adorn their packaging to lull the consumer into a false sense of security that they are supporting an idyllic, bucolic reality where animals are happy and free range. They’re not, because the farms don’t exist.

Without doubt, the vegan movement has arrived and is gathering pace quickly. If we don’t convert or change our eating habits that’s ok. It’s a very personal choice and as Esme Carr, founder of Deserted Cactus café put it so well, ‘Yes, I’m vegan but I’m me first.’

Yet, if the noise about it might help start us being more ‘reducist’ then surely that is a good thing? We should be taking baby steps towards leaving our planet in better shape for our children rather than being sporadically appalled and talking about what we are ‘going to do.’ Perhaps that is enough of a prompt to take the first step; as many vegans have told me, food is only the first step and that once your eyes open, the moral dilemmas keep stacking up. For those afraid to go all out, go cheagan. It’s a move in the right direction.

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PICTURE CREDITS: Despina Mina

on 8th May entitled ‘Health and Wellbeing’ will bring together leading plant-powered fitness and health experts to educate and propel the movement wider still.

FEATURE

One Step At A Time...

We’re all becoming increasingly concerned about the use of plastics in our everyday lives and the deleterious effects they are having on our environment, our ecology, our marine life. And to this end we are constantly bombarded, via social media, television and radio programmes, newspaper articles and the like, to reduce our use of plastics. There are some great initiatives out there, such as the banning of disposable cutlery, plates and cups: the promotion by coffee chains of the use of re-usable cups, with a discount for those who do: new inventions of biodegradable or even edible disposables that won’t clutter our oceans or contaminate our air as there’s no need for incineration: charging for single use plastic bags and encouraging people to re-use them or to bring their own.

But it’s the way we shop that, for the majority of us, will have the greatest overall impact. Here in France, all supermarkets now provide compostable bags, like the ones used to line food caddies, in which to put your loose fruit and veg. If you ask for a bag at the checkout, because you’ve for56

gotten yours or just popped into the store on the spur of the moment, odds on they’ll sell you a strong paper carrier that either recycles or can be used as fuel for your log fire in the winter. In fact, they started charging for single use plastic bags and encouraging you to bring your own a long time before the UK adopted the practice.

And at one grocery chain in particular, Le Grand Frais, even though you can still buy all the ‘exotic’ and unusual items to which we’ve become so accustomed, and their choice is very wide, there is an enormous emphasis on local produce, and on selling pretty much all fruit and vegetables loose. Very little of their produce comes prepacked – here you can’t buy your four apples in a Styrofoam tray with a plastic film cover. You pop them into a bag that’s made of brown paper and a clear biodegradable film designed to have the least possible impact on the environment. It’s reminiscent of the good old days when we all shopped at the local greengrocers and our shopping went either loose straight into our shopping bags or first into a brown paper bag. Even berries are sold this way, with a cone provided for

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by Gillian Balcombe

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Historically France may not have had the best environmental record but huge strides are now being made, via recycling initiatives and campaigns to utilise materials that have the least possible environmental or ecological impact. In my commune, each household has been provided with three bins: a black one with a burgundy lid for waste that can’t be recycled (Tuesdays and Fridays), a black one with a yellow lid for recyclables excluding glass (Wednesdays), 58

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PICTURE CREDITS: Gillian Balcome

gently gathering them up. And the quality of and a large green one for all your garden/ the produce is excellent. green waste (every Thursday except during the winter when it’s collected every other Yes their prepared fresh fruit and vegetables week). We’re very much used to collecting come in plastic boxes, their fish is vacuum food scraps too, eitherto supplement the packed in plastic and they still use plastic diet of one’s chickens if you have them, or to tubs for your loose dried fruits, nuts, olives compost for the garden. Glass still has to be and the like, although hopefully that too will recycled at the communal points, which are change. However the majority of these numerous, and then there’s the local plastics are recyclable and all food stores déchetterie or tip, where you can dispose and supermarkets here are doing their best of larger items in the same way as the UK. to up their game on this issue: if you are There are recycling points in all the larger perchance given a plastic bag, it encourages supermarkets and in shopping centres for you to re-use it and not to drop it ‘dans la batteries, light bulbs of various types, nature’ with a simple, printed message. The printer ink cartridges and so on. The best known French frozen food chain, Picard, result of all this is that France now recycles now sells insulated double bags made out of or incinerates 65% of its waste, one of only cotton rather than plastic – and very six European countries to achieve a figure efficient they are too. And the majority of greater than 50%. Sure there’s more work to supermarkets, such as Leclerc and Auchun, be done, but if every individual, every now sell items like grains, pulses, nuts, manufacturer, every retailer and every muesli – even Bombay mix and other snacks! government does their bit, one step at a time – loose from banks of dispensers that pour we’ll make the progress we so desperately the required amount of product into a need! (recyclable) bag, alongside the pre-packaged goods.

It’s also worth mentioning traditional French markets here. Locally produced fruit and veg, honey, jams, cheeses, salamis, olives and much more are available from nearby producers, helping the environment by reducing carbon footprints and enabling the local, individual producers themselves to remain in business.

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FEATURE

Fruit And Veg For Your Canine Pals

by Roz Lishak

manufacturers, but so I feel it is you the consumer who sadly gets the raw end of the deal!

The one sticking point for me is that the idea of crossover products, ie those that replicate a human brand completely, can send mixed messages. Yes most vegetables are safe, but of course there are some which are not, namely onions, garlic, wild mushrooms and rhubarb, all of which are poisonous to pets. On the fruit side, grapes and therefore raisins are also to be avoided, not forgetting any peel, pips and seeds which are also to be cautioned against.

As carnivores, dogs technically have no need for fruit and veg as part of their daily diet, but as the research continues to evolve, it is now agreed that an occasional fruit or veggie as a treat is ok - and by ok, I mean “safe”. It is here that I happily step onto my constant crossover soapbox, to wave the flag for informing, educating and generally spreading the word to ensure that what It’s the hidden ingredients that need to be actually reaches your dog’s food bowl is brought out of the shadows to be given their totally and utterly safe for them to eat (one important limelight. It is a responsible dog foot stepping off!!!) . owner who must take time to read any ingredient list on any product as there, in the smallest corner of a label, when you have These days, there are more and more direct your microscopic patience level switched on human foods finding their way into the to the max, you can often find a hidden canine food chain, with identical ingredients danger to avoid. that anyone and everyone would quite easily recognise. Good on the pet industry “So what fruit and veg can my dog eat?” I regulators, as the pet industry importantly hear a chorus of you ask! have very stringent guidelines for 60

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Let me start by putting the case for the carnivorous canine, as it’s important to mention that dogs digest differently to us humans, and eating any inappropriate food (veg or not!) may lead to continuing health issues and in extreme cases may even be fatal.

There are plenty and also there are a variety of ways to tempt your dog with them.

With fruit, I particularly champion the banana as a good source of potassium, manganese, vitamins B6 and C, as a snack it rates as a good option.

With vegetables, the humble carrot is a natural source of fibre while being low in calories plus crunching on a carrot is great for their teeth.

One little tip with both of these two treat options, which will help them both last longer, is to cut into chunks and stick them in the freezer. Any avaricious dog who wolfs their treats will be taken aback when discovering a cold chunk at the first nibble, and this should lead to them taking their time to savour the treat in the future.

The moral to this vegetable tale is to ensure you do your culinary research into all listed ingredients before assuming your dog can simply scoff your vegetable platter and please, please, beware before you share (standing off soapbox and out!).

BOOKS

Feed Me Vegan

By Lucy Watson

by Rebecca Stratton

Next up is some quick, light bites – tofu ‘chicken’ noodle soup, pearl barley and vegetable soup, peanut tofu Buddha bowl (my favourite go to lunch!) and the most divine looking mushroom mac and cheese.

The Feasts chapter is just that – full of stuff you could dish up to a crowd – amazing cheesy pizza, ultimate cheeseburger, mushroom risotto, chickpea tikka masala, black bean chilli, fajitas with corn salsa. The picture of the sweet potato and kale burritos makes my mouth water – I cannot wait to make them come summer when I am enjoying lunch in the garden.

Sweet treats (my favourite chapter) – Bounty style chocolate bars, mini blueberry cheesecakes, rocky road, gorgeous fudgy Oreo thickshake – none of these look like they are The Breakfast chapter starts with the lus- lacking dairy and really kick that ‘all we eat cious mango smoothie bowl made with co- is rabbit food’ theory out the window! conut, mango and bananas, then topped with fresh fruits, nuts and seeds. If that’s not Feed Me Cake – have you heard of a better your thing, there are banana and buckwheat incentive to turn to the next page! Chocolate pancakes, French toast, avocado toast (obvi- and raspberry brownies, banoffee pie, hot ously!) and even a fry up! I struggled a little cinnamon jam doughnuts ( Just WOW) and with vegan breakfast ideas in the past and cinnamon buns. I wouldn’t even dream that this just shows that you don’t have to miss some of this stuff can be made dairy free! out on the most important meal of the day.

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PICTURE CREDITS: Lucy Watson Feed Me Vegan

I was thrilled when I found out that this was going to be our vegan and veggie issue. As a long time veggie and recent vegan I often review books with stuff I won’t eat in them, so this made a nice change for me!

Recently (well, social media would have us believe) there seems to have been a huge rise in vegan restaurants, pop ups and new foods on the market. It’s great to see it all become more accessible and for people to see that it’s not all mung beans and rice, but there is some really exciting food to be had. Which brings me on to this great little book: I picked it up at the start of my vegan journey a few months back and it gave me so much inspiration. It wasn’t until months later I was told that Lucy Watson was from the show ‘Made in Chelsea’ – clearly I don’t watch enough TV!

Lastly is the snacks and sides – containing the first recipe I made from this book.

Flicking through the pages in the bookshop the recipe for the loaded nachos caught my eye, and I made it that evening. I was not disappointed – crunchy tortilla chips with a delicious smoky vegemince chilli. Then topped with the most velvety cheese sauce made from cashews, potatoes and nutritional yeast – just like the cheesy queso sauce usually served with nachos in Mexican restaurants. The list of ingredients for this was long, but inexpensive, largely store cupboard, and totally worth it! A garnish of spring onions, tomato and coriander for some much needed freshness – as the author puts it ‘plant based junk food at its best’, couldn’t agree more. Some other offerings in this chapter include stuffed mushrooms, corn and green chilli poppers, tofu popcorn chicken and the most amazing looking mushroom pâté.

I have really enjoyed this book – unlike a lot of vegan cookbooks it strikes a good balance between healthy and indulgent. Yes we eat salad and enjoy it, but we sometimes want a sticky, gooey plate of comfort just like the next person! The ingredients are accessible and affordable, the recipes are straightforward and well photographed and I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to enjoy some fun plant-based eating.

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Photo Credits Despina Mina © Despina Mina Emma de Sousa © Emma de Sousa Gemma Speekman © Jon Moore © © Roz Lishak © Rebecca Stratton ©