dr th45 4h w3 by Derek Kolush

WIN! £250 WORTH OF VEGAN-FRIENDLY WINE

The lifestyle magazine written by vegans for vegans

June 2021 | issue 72 | £5.99

o c es alfr

FIESTA

Beauty

boosting foods

delicious recipes

Ready Player One Video games for veganism

Vegan foodies on Instagram

Lotus Heart Sanctuary

Has the social media platform helped the movement?

5 swimwear picks for diving into summer | UK picnic beauty spots

Lynn Jolly is on a mission to save male calves

Hello,

PRIME IMPACT EVENTS & MEDIA 1 Nags Corner, Wiston Road, Nayland, CO6 4LT T: 01787 224040 Info@veganlifemag.com | veganlifemag.com MANAGING EDITOR Emily Saunders EDITOR Gemma Tadman Gemma.Tadman@primeimpact.co.uk DESIGNER Laura Harvey MANAGING DIRECTOR Julie Saunders PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Keith Coomber ADVERTISING SALES Claire Rogers | 44 (0)1787 220650 Claire@primeimpact.co.uk SUBSCRIPTIONS AND BACK ISSUES Hannah Irons Hannah@primeimpact.co.uk MARKETING AND PRESS Jane Lambert PROMOTIONS AND BLOGGER COMMUNITY MANAGER Jane Lambert

Summer is here (whether the weather knows it or not!), and what better way to embrace the new season, than with an outdoor feast? If you enjoy dining alfresco, you’re in luck; our recipe pages this month are brimming with dishes and goodies for enjoying in your garden or out in glorious nature. Picnic lovers are in for an even bigger treat — our ultimate guide to picnicking will help you pack the tastiest food hamper, host the most enjoyable experience and pick the best place for your blanket. Aside from an alfresco fiesta, we’ve got a whole host of healthy breakfasts, gazpacho lunch recipes — perfect for enjoying in the sunshine — and dinnertime bowls of goodness. You are certainly spoilt for choice! As well as food, the Vegan Life team have been lucky enough to meet with some extremely inspirational people this month, including the winner of PETA’s 2020 competition to find the UK and Ireland’s Most Beautiful Vegan Over 50, Karl Fogg. Whilst a beauty contest might sound superficial, PETA’s comp is anything but that. Karl chats to us about how he has been using the competition as a platform for animal activism and vegan awareness, and how he intends to disrupt the UK’s meat and dairy industries. Also this issue, Laura Nualart from Vegames tells us why vegan video games are brilliant portals for advocacy, Jake Yapp has discovered the 'secret' to losing weight (and developed a mild obsession with cabbage), and we are introduced to the founder of the remote Lotus Heart Sanctuary, Lynn Jolly, who talks us through how the pandemic has affected her life-saving organisation. Have a lovely month!

LICENSING Bruce Sawford | 44 (0)1280 860185 Bruce@BruceSawfordLicensing.com ACCOUNTS Yolande Arnold The publisher accepts no responsibility in respect of advertisements appearing in the magazine and the opinions expressed in editorial material or otherwise do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher. The publisher cannot accept liability for any loss arising from the appearance or non-publication of any advertisement. Information about products and services featured within the editorial content does not imply endorsement by Vegan Life magazine.

Gemma Tadman Editor

Every effort is made to ensure that all advertising is derived from reputable sources. Vegan Life magazine cannot, however, accept responsibility for transactions between readers and advertisers. The paper in this magazine originates from timber that is sourced from responsibly managed forests, according to strict environmental, social and economic standards. The manufacturing mill has both FSC and PEFC certification, and also ISO9001 and ISO14001 accreditation.

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Cover Image: Alfresco party spread , p71 Recipes by Vegan Life in house chefs.

Contents 16 43

On The Cover 24

Vegan foodies on Instagram

Five Sustainable swimwear picks

UK picnic beauty spots

An alfresco fiesta

Beauty boosting foods

102

Lotus Heart Sanctuary

110

Ready Player One

Vegan News 06

08 14

102

What I eat in a week Broadcaster Chantal Cooke shares her food diary Picnic Drinks Oliver Coningham talks us through cool box tipples Grow your own Piers Warren helps us grow potatoes

Vegan Special – Alfresco Fiesta

Vegan Life meets… Karl Fogg We chat to the PETA competition winner and passionate activist Ask the experts The team at Veganuary answer your questions Vegan Life loves Our favourites this month The power of clean, healthgiving water Karin Ridgers dives into our water supply Vegan Camp Out 2021 Preview The ultimate plant-based festival is back The beauty edit The vegan products you need on your radar The unstoppable rise of vegan restaurants Sean O’Callaghan on plantbased eateries The ultimate vegan summer Our columnist Maria Slough meets amazing emerging brands Vegan roundup: Father’s Day Treat them from this plant-powered gift guide

Vegan pages All about the brassica Jake Yapp on the highs and lows of consistently eating cabbage

Vegan Eats

Vegan Lifestyle

Why am I vegan? We invite you to tell us why you became vegan Vegan news All the latest stories Over to you Your letters, emails and musings

112 114

How to have the perfect picnic We help you to pack the cool bag and have fun Prep a picnic like a pro Our favourite goodies to add to your basket UK picnic hotspots Where is the best place to go?

Vegan Health 90

Sleepless in summer Lewis Rixon explores the pandemic’s effect on insomnia and sleep

Vegan Planet 100

104 106

108

It’s a vegan world Stories from around the globe celebrating all things vegan Vegan founded We meet Juliet Gellatley from Viva! Too good to go Laura Gaga uncovers the power of food waste-saving apps Seven ways to save the world without really trying There are some effortless was to help the planet

Vegan Recipes Healthy Start

34 52

Overnight Turmeric Porridge

Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie

Superfood Breakfast Of Champions

Cherry Chia Breakfast Pots

Bramley Apple & Coconut

Smoky Pepper, Cashew & Chilli Dip

Chilli Lime ‘Chicken’ Tacos

Oumph! Kebab Loaded Flatbreads with Pickled Turnips

Vegan Buffalo ‘Chicken’ Burger with Zesty Slaw

Coconut Chilli Lime Strip Kebabs with Toasted Coconut & Lime

Chia Breakfast Bowl 32

Breakfast Rice Pudding

Dairy-Free Chocolate Mousse

Scrambled Tofu with Kimchi

Almond, Tahini, Raspberry Heart Biscuits

CRACKD No-Egg-Egg Vegan Lemon Drizzle Cake

Hot Sauce, Avo & Hemp Seeds 34

Mango & Coconut Overnight Oats

Gorgeous Gazpacho

Bowls Of Goodness 93

Tofu Buddha Bowl

Garden Poke

Mutti Cherry Tomato

Tamari Dressing

Tomato Gazpacho

Jamaican-Style Sweet Potato Bowl

Simple Delicious Beet Gazpacho

‘Mexican-Buddha’ Bowl

Super Green Pea Gazpacho Smoothie with Coconut Yoghurt

Fiesta Quinoa with Sweet Lime Vinaigrette

Almond & Grape

Quick Quinoa

Pineapple & Daikon 98

Instant Almond Cheese Crumble

Alfresco Fiesta

Creamy Tahini Tofu

Grilled Supergreen Salad

Competition

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Salad

Five Spice Tofu Skewers

Fruit & Nut Coleslaw

Homemade Fluffy Burger Buns

Cajun Mushroom & Black Bean Burgers

Summer Corn Salad with Chive Sheese Dressing

Massaged Kale Avocado Salad

Classic Gazpacho

Cucumber, Avocado & Mint

Win £250 worth of veganfriendly wine from Veo Wines

Why am I

Vegan?

NAME: Henry AGE: 28 NUMBER OF YEARS VEGAN: 2 years LOCATION: Swindon, Wiltshire

I WENT VEGAN BECAUSE… The exploitation of animals and the planet's resources became too impossible to ignore. In that moment, I knew I had to align my morals with my actions. With so many vegan alternative products cascading into the market, there has never been a better time than right now! MY HOPES FOR THE FUTURE… Are for people to love all animals as much as their pets. ADVICE TO ASPIRING VEGANS... It’s not as hard as you think, you’ll wish you did it sooner! Want to be on this page? Send your answers and a high-res photo to Gemma.Tadman@primeimpact.co.uk

Vegan

news

Product of the month

All things vegan from the worlds of entertainment, politics, sports, animal advocacy and more. Got news for us? Email vegannews@primeimpact.co.uk

The alternative protein industry raised $3.1 billion in investments in 2020 — three times more than in any single year in the industry's history

Artisan Raw Indian Dosa Crepe Batter and Kimchi Jeon Pancake Batter Artisan Raw have just launched a delicious new product type in two variations — pancakes, featuring Dosa Crepe Batter and Kimchi Jeon Pancake Batter. The dosa pancakes are tasty served with coconut chutney, masala potatoes and sambhar curry, whist the kimchi jeon pancakes are incredible sprinkled with spring onions and any Asian-style sauce. Simply add your desired batter to a hot pan and enjoy in under six minutes! From £4.99, artisanraw.co.uk

Source: gfi.org

LoveRaw bring White Choc Cre&m Wafer Bar to UK shops LoveRaw has just added another mouthwatering new product to its top selling vegan Cre&m Wafer Bar range — this time, in white chocolate. Made from LoveRaw’s very own branded white chocolate, the LoveRaw Cre&m Wafer Bar in White Choc contains no artificial nonsense, no palm oil and no dairy. Already stocked at multiple retailers around the UK, it’s also available to buy directly from eatloveraw.com at an RRP of £1.69. There are also rumours of a third flavour of wafer bar to be joining the current range… With news to be announced by the brand later this year. The founders of LoveRaw, Manav and Rimi Thapar, are ‘very excited’ that their first vegan version of a confectionery favourite has been such and hit and know that this second product in the range is very much anticipated.

Home-X launch first-ever vegan dining experience: Green Haus Born over lockdown last year, HOME-X create intimate and delicious dining and lifestyle experiences for people to enjoy in their own homes. In March 2021, HOME-X announced their firstever vegan experience: Green Haus — bringing home-diners a carousel of eight decadent vegan dishes, with a menu that changes with the season. Customers need only order the experience for a date of their choosing, for it to be delivered to their door. Designed to be shared, some dishes will be ready to enjoy, and others just need to be warmed! All you have to do is follow the guidelines and enjoy the vegan wine. The current menu ‘Green Haus, Spring Volume Two’, includes tasting dishes of patatas mojo verde

with baked new potato salad, wild garlic salsa and jalapeno chilli; masoor dal with spiced brown lentil dip, coriander oil and flatbreads, and gnocchi di spinaci al pesto with spinach gnocchi, roasted courgettes, pesto toasted pine nuts and globe artichoke, and three other savoury dishes. There are two sweet options to finish — the apple and gooseberry crumble with fruit and nut crumble topping and coconut and vanilla anglaise, and lemon drizzle cake and blueberry compote. Every menu is paired with an artisanal bottle of vegan white wine, serves two and costs £60. For more info, visit home-x.com

3 of the best... Vegan mousses

Alpro

Wicked Kitchen

Freaks of Nature

Alpro’s Pistachio Mousse is two layers of decadence — featuring one layer of pistachio mousse atop a bed of creamy chocolate ganache. £2 for two, alpro.com

For ultimate indulgence, spoon into this Chocolate and Salted Caramel Sundae. With salted caramel and chocolate mousse layers, chocolate and salted caramel sauces and dark chocolate drops, it’s heaven. £1.30, tesco.com

This Lemon Mousse is not only vegan, but gluten-free. It is light and bursting with zingy citrus, making it a perfect summertime treat. £2 for two, freaksofnature.co.uk

VEGAN ENTREPRENEUR ThinK Wine No less than three years ago, Katherine Jones was working as a marketing manager in Manchester, driving day-in-day-out to the office from her home in Liverpool. But on the weekends, with the earnings she scraped together to fund flights to Italy, she was meeting with winemakers from all over Treviso, Italy's prosecco-growing region, with a view to creating her own vegan and organic prosecco with reduced sugar content. Against all the odds and in the arcane, hierarchical male-dominated world of wine, two years later, Katherine has a hugely successful wine business — ThinK Wine Group — distributing her healthy wines across the UK. She has recently caught the eye of the producers of Amazon Prime's forthcoming reality show, The Social Movement in which young CEOs come together to compete and find solutions to global social problems. She still can't believe she's travelling to Miami to film this June and will have her face on a billboard all over the city! An extraordinary tale of triumph over adversity, Katherine launched ThinK Wine in September 2019 intending to distribute through stockists across London and the UK. She quickly switched her business model during lockdown and began to sell online, initially packaging and selling from her home, and over the last year her business has gone from strength to strength to deliver vegan prosecco to the nation. For more information, visit thinkwinegroup.co.uk

Follow me socially

Usha’s Very Own When Usha, a microbiologist, was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2014, she feared her life was over. To stop disease progression, she followed medical advice, but also transformed her family’s Indian vegetarian recipes to be lean, vegan and glutenfree. It worked. And now, she’s launched a food blog so everyone can create her delicious and health-conscious meals. Usha’s Very Own — with recipes, photos and videos on its website, Instagram and Facebook — is attracting curry-lovers, health nuts and, of course, people trapped at home keen on a new hobby. “This food comes from the heart,” says Usha, who has taken early retirement. “The recipes are authentic and true to the flavours my mum shared with us. But I use organic, fresher ingredients, strip out most dairy, gluten and refined sugars.” Follow Usha’s Instagram and head to her webpage for hearty curries, veg-filled flatbreads, chutneys, salivating snacks and luscious desserts. Visit ushasveryown.com and follow @ushasveryown on IG

Editor's Choice Ethique

‘Tone It Down’ Purple Solid Shampoo This purple solid shampoo is great for silver foxes and blonde bombshells — it helps to keep yellow tones at bay and hair sleek. The bar is made from babassu and jasmine oils to add shine and body, and beetroot extract for colour power. It’s also free from sulphates, petrochemical-derived dyes, and plastics! £14, ethique.co.uk

Image: Jane Unchained

Squeaky Bean expands range with Smokey BBQ and Spicy Sriracha Chicken Style Bites Available in two delectable varieties, Smokey BBQ and Spicy Sriracha, leading meat-free brand Squeaky Bean’s new Bites will allow vegan food lovers to sink their teeth into breadcrumbed snacks that are more than just chicken substitutes. Made from oak-smoked tomatoes and smoked paprika, the new Smokey BBQ Chicken Style Bites possess a sweet grilled flavour, which deliver that straight-off the barbeque taste sensation. The Spicy Sriracha Bites pack a habanero chilli punch combined with creamy vegan mayo that will deliver a moment of plantpowered bliss.

Vegan TV cooking show wins two Taste Awards Amazon Prime’s hit plant-based cooking show, New Day New Chef, has just won two prestigious Taste Awards — considered the ‘Oscar’s of food’. Not only did the show win the award for Best Series Pilot, but also for Best Filmed at Home Episodes or Film. Both awards were Viewer’s Choice, proving that people enjoy vegan cooking and food, and are keen to learn more. New Day New Chef was nominated for eight Taste Awards in total, up against meat-heavy competition. The show’s triumph shows that vegan cooking shows are thought of by the public as being as good as, if not better, than meat and dairy orientated TV programmes.

In 2020, Brighton was found to be the most vegan-friendly city in the UK Source: trends.google

3 ways to eat... Caribbean

Make:

Buy:

Eat:

Jamaican Rundown, veganlifemag.com/jamaican-rundown

The Jerk House, Caribbean Hot Mustard Sauce, £2.49, thevegankindsupermarket.com

All Nations Caribbean Vegan House, Dalston, London, UK, allnationsvegan.co.uk

WIN: £250 worth of vegan-friendly wine. If you’re vegan, you’ve no doubt spent hours standing in supermarket aisles Googling wine brands in an attempt to determine if something is suitable for you to drink. Veo Wines have a new approach to vegan wine buying. Every single bottle they sell on their website is suitable for vegans and certified organic. To view the full range and to find out more visit veowines.co.uk. To be in with a chance of winning £250 of vegan-friendly wine, please answer the following question: Veo Wines sell wine from how many countries? (HINT: You'll find the answer at www.veowines.co.uk) A. 10 B. 12 C. 14

Enter online at www.veganlifemag.com/veo-wines Closing date: 21st June 2021. UK entry only. Over 18s only.

Over to you Your letters, emails and musings

H WORT £50! OVER

Stay Social

@originswellbeing

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Next Month’s Star Letter Prize Send your emails and poems to Gemma.Tadman@primeimpact.co.uk to be in with a chance of winning a selection of goodies from plant-based kitchen sidekick Squeaky Bean, including a case of their brand new Chargrilled Cajun Mini Fillets — one of the most realistic plant-based chicken alternatives on the market — as well as a case of Smokey BBQ and Spicy Sriracha Bites. Plus, we’re giving away a Squeaky Bean branded Chilly’s Food Pot, perfect for picnics or food on the go, and a ‘Tuck into Tasty’ apron, which is great for summer barbecue occasions. You can find Squeaky Bean at Asda, Co-op, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose. Visit squeakybean.co.uk

Balloo the cat enjoying the mag. Sent by Maria Altoft on Facebook

@veganlifemagazine

Why I am vegan They say the normal thing to do is to drink milk from gentle animals, hundreds pressed together in the stink of little to no fresh air, no room for their hooves to move, kept in continuous pregnancy, I say ...that's not normal. They say it's good for us to eat hormone-laden meat and the little ones are tastiest, while their mothers search, lowing. I say ...that's not good for any being.

@purplecarrotliverpool

@veganlife_mag

They say work without asking where the company's money is going, bank without knowing it's supporting the arms race and deep Earth oil drilling. I say I want to live with awareness. I want to live with love. I want to live with harmony in a clean, growing, natural world. That's why I don't drink alcohol to numb the pain. That's why I changed to an ethical bank. That's why I left my company job. That's why I'm vegan. Extracted from a poem by Giulietta

STAR LETTER PRIZE Hi Vegan Life, I would like to say what an inspiration your magazine is for so many. I became vegetarian over 40 years ago and thought I was living a cruelty-free life. Then one day, at a Mind, Body, Spirit show in Manchester, I came across a magazine from The Vegan Society with adverts for non-leather boots, which I liked. So, I bought the magazine and read it from cover to cover on the tram home. My eyes were opened, and I was vegan by the time I arrived home! That was 25 years ago, and now Vegan Life is the magazine doing the same for people. It only takes one product or recipe to spark an interest and then you find out so much. There is no turning back from this wonderful cruelty-free life. Thank you so much for inspiring us all. From Jules

Jules wins a bundle from Vadasz, worth £50.

Vegan Lifestyle

VeganLife meets...

Karl Fogg The UK and Ireland’s Most Beautiful Vegan Over 50, Karl Fogg, believes in taking on any and every opportunity to create awareness of animal cruelty. Here, he tells Vegan Life how he used a beauty contest to spread the vegan message.

rom dock worker to vegan beauty contest winner, Karl Fogg’s journey has been a surprising one. In 2020, Karl Fogg won PETA’s annual search to find the UK and Ireland’s Most Beautiful Vegan Over 50 — although the competition is not what it sounds like. PETA’s contest isn’t simply looking for exterior beauty — but about finding someone with an inert passion and kindness towards animals and the planet. Something that Karl epitomises.

F 16

We talk to the activist and entrepreneur about his mission to save the Earth.

Tell us about your winning of PETA's Most Beautiful Vegan Over 50 title. How did it come about? Ok, I realise this was an odd thing to do. Why would a 57-year-old man of average appearance with hardly any hair left, enter a national beauty contest?! That was my first thought, too, when I read the email from PETA, entitled ‘Could you be the UK and Ireland's most beautiful

vegan over 50?’. I'm only the third best looking vegan in my house, after my wife and dog. Then, I read the part that said the winner will be expected to talk to the media… I was in! Of course, I didn't really expect to win anyway. What I did think was, this'll get the message out to a far wider audience than I can possibly reach on my own. I was thinking maybe a bit of local press as a contestant would give me a chance to talk about the unethical treatment

Vegan Lifestyle

of animals. As my wife would tell you, I don't need asking twice (or even once) to talk about animal rights, so I'll take any opportunity, knock on any door, or if there aren't any, I'll make my own door. It all got a bit out of control quite quickly. I hadn't told anyone I'd entered, and then a couple of days later, my wife was reading one of the national papers out to me and said, “Have you seen this? You should enter." I knew that as she read on, the next flick of her finger to scroll down the page would reveal my face as one of the contestants, so I quickly diverted her attention… Then the phone started ringing! It turns out, a few people had seen the national papers, and the local and regional journalists wanted interviews, which was great. They sent photographers and I talked their ears off about veganism. Then the BBC called… This is it, I thought. I'm going to get my crack at Piers Morgan or Philip Schofield. I've always wanted to tear their facile antivegan arguments apart. Anyway, I'd obviously got ahead of myself. It was a journalist from North West Tonight. He said: “We'd like to get you on the TV tonight. I'll be at your house in 40 minutes with a film crew. Oh, and could you cook something on air?”. I sprinted to the fridge. I had some potatoes, a carrot, a parsnip, and an onion. My wife went off to get some mushrooms whilst I got chopping. I always have dried lentils in jars, so I went for cottage pie. I'm not the fastest of cooks, but it's amazing what you can do with a surge of adrenaline. We did the interview as I prepped, and it came out of the oven all bubbling and crispy, just in time for the closing shot. What a day. Altogether, I talked for well over an hour, and they obviously must cut that down to a ten-minute segment. Talking to the journalist afterwards, he said a lot of what I told him wouldn't make it into the programme. I had talked about the Yu Lin dog meat festival, and how everyone is appalled at the killing of 10,000 dogs there every July, but will happily support the brutal killing of 70 billion other animals a year, and use exactly the same arguments to justify that. He said: "The BBC has to show balance, so if they go too far with the animal abuse thing, they then have to interview someone with the opposite point of view, for balance". I asked him if, by their own logic, they'd apply

that same rule if I'd been speaking on behalf of say the NSPCC, against child abuse, instead of PETA. Would they then interview someone who supported child abuse, or profited from child abuse for balance? He accepted my point but said he didn't make the rules, which of course he didn't. Having learnt that lesson, I took full advantage of the opportunity to get the uncensored version out there on a live radio interview. I'd been told that the presenter of the breakfast show was a known anti-vegan, so I was determined not to get diverted. I was told that the interview would last four or five minutes. I had notes all over the walls in my office at home, in case I needed them, and although he did attempt

I'll take any “ opportunity, knock on any door, or if there aren't any, I'll make my own door

”

to keep the conversation to the PETA competition, asking me about the prize, and what the other contestants looked like, I just talked about the dog meat trade, the slaughter process in the UK, and how terrified the animals on the breakfast plates of their listeners would have been before they were brutally killed for our taste preference. I played it back afterwards, and I got nine and a half minutes. Interestingly, they didn't want me back when I won the title.

What has the title helped you to achieve as an activist? As an activist, I'm always looking for a conversation starter, or a new platform. The title certainly gave me a conversation starter, but due to the pandemic, I haven't been able to do any of the things previous winners have done. Obviously, there were no events for me to speak at, and I wasn't able to meet any influencers etc, so I could say it hasn't been very useful. It's a bit of a quirky headline though, and that's what gets you the exposure. It seems that there's a game you have to play in order to get your message out there, and that's so much harder when it's a message that readers, listeners or viewers don't want to hear, as it challenges their morality. What I've learnt is that if you call any mainstream 17

Vegan Lifestyle

media outlet and say, ‘I'd like to talk about animal rights’, the shutters will come down very quickly, so activists and organisations have to be creative. Headlines like ‘57-year-old former dock worker wins beauty contest’ lift those shutters. I might have to look a bit silly, and open myself up to ridicule, but this is nothing compared to the suffering of the animals I'm here to speak up for. I've got quite a thick skin, so I'll put myself up for anything if it gives me a platform to stand up for animals, as I know most activists would. This was just my shot.

Tell us more about your background and journey to veganism. How did it start? I was a big meat eater for 51 years. My daughter converted me. As the family cook, when my three kids went off to uni, I'd make their favourite meals when they came home for the holidays. When my eldest daughter called to say she was coming home for half term, I prepared to go to the butchers for ribs, her favourite. Then she hit me with it — "Dad, I'm a veggie now". Although I was unsure what to cook at first, I adapted my recipes, and did a week of veggie cooking. We'd often have conversations over the kitchen table, and of course I asked her why she'd chosen not to eat meat anymore.

Ephie explained that she'd seen what happens to animals when they go to slaughter, and I looked at some footage. That was it for me. We had a rescue dog, Fraggle, and we all loved him. I imagined him in that situation and made the connection. I'm embarrassed to say, as a middle-aged man, we have a tendency to assume we know things about how the world works, but actually, I'd just bought the ‘humane’ sales pitch, and never thought beyond that. Life's much easier that way, after all. As time went on, I did more research, and the more I learnt, the more appalled I became. I still wasn't an activist at that point though, as I saw it very much as a ‘personal choice’ (I know). Then I went to the cinema. I watched a film called 12 Years A Slave. That made me realise that I could make a difference. The people who stood up against slavery were seen as extreme, they were laughed at or ridiculed but of course we all now agree how abhorrent slavery was. I used to think I couldn't make a difference, but slavery was a huge industry, arguably larger than meat at the time, and people changed that without any of the resources we have at our disposal today. I then saw it as my duty to stand up for the victims of the meat and dairy industry from then on.

“

It seems that there's a game you have to play in order to get your message out there

”

People often say that we shouldn't use the comparison with slavery, and anti-vegans like to jump all over it, as if to suggest a comparison between animals and the human victims of slavery. First of all, I'd be honoured to be compared to an animal, but that's not the argument. The comparison is between one societally accepted, legally supported abuse that we now look back on as abhorrent and another societally accepted legally supported abuse that we will look back on in the same way one day. The victim is the difference, not the similarity.

Do you think there are any big stigmas associated with veganism? How can we disrupt these? We often hear that vegans are middleclass, perhaps students or millennials who don't work for a living. I've been at various outreach events where people have shouted ‘Get a job’. Well, I'm a northern man, from a working-class background. I was brought up on a council estate in the 70s and probably have more in common in that respect with the people who shout at us. I've worked since I was 12, and had some success and some failures in business, but I've always worked, like most activists I know. I respect people who give their lives to activism. I think names like ‘angry’, ‘preachy’ or ‘extreme’ are actually part of the anti-vegan narrative, designed to put us off speaking out for fear of playing to the stereotypes they've invented. The activists I know are knowledgeable, courageous and often calm and courteous in the face of ignorance and aggression. The conversations we have with people inevitably involve a little discomfort, as we're asking people to confront their own, probably previously unrealised hypocrisy. The truth can't be avoided, but it has to be communicated or we

Vegan Lifestyle

don't change anything. As a salesperson for nearly 40 years, I've learnt that it's important to establish rapport or common ground. People ‘buy’ from people, so if you can connect wherever possible by being someone they identify with in some way, that's far more effective than being argumentative. So, I often start with the abuse in the dog meat trade, as people identify with dogs, and then try to lead them to the conclusion that it's equally cruel to subject, say, a pig to the same suffering based on the values they agreed with previously. We need activists from all walks of life, so that we can connect with people from all backgrounds. I think we all need to be an example too, so if we can look fit and healthy, be friendly, approachable and perhaps someone people respect, they're more likely to follow our lead.

The world’s food system is geared towards the meat and dairy industries. How do you propose we instigate systematic, global change regarding how food is produced, and how people view animals? One of the reasons I started my company PHYTON, was to fight systemic injustice. I realised that the effectiveness of activism and market forces can be significantly restricted by systemic support for the meat and dairy industries. We're making huge progress in many areas, this can be seen in every supermarket, with vegan aisles where there'd be hardly any vegan products just a few years ago. In countries that don't subsidise dairy, market forces can be truly affective, but in the UK, we don't have that level playing field. It's frustrating to know that all our activism, and the reduction in demand doesn't force the industry to adapt to survive, as subsidies artificially prop up meat and dairy producers. We need to fund political activists to effectively lobby for change to the subsidy system.

Tell us more about your newest business venture, PHYTON. Why join the already crowded protein industry? I was thinking about how I could make the biggest difference. I could see that as veganism was growing, sanctuaries were under increasing pressure to take more animals with reducing income. Like most people, I had direct debits going out to quite a few, but it wasn't enough, so I decided to set up a business that would use its profits to help them. As a fitness enthusiast for over 40 years, I had some knowledge of protein supplements. I knew this was a multibillion-pound business and that the market leaders were whey, a dairy derivative. I talked to several industry experts, nutritionists and sports scientists with a view to formulating a product that would be nutritionally, ethically and environmentally superior to whey. This would enable us to reduce demand by taking market share and provide profits to fund the sanctuaries.

If you could buy a better product “ for the same price and the profits supported animal sanctuaries, why wouldn't you?

”

The market is crowded, but veganism has grown by 700 per cent in the last five years, and plant-based nutrition within the fitness space has grown exponentially, as has the increase in female interest in strength training. The whey brand market leaders all have vegan brands now, as they recognise this growth, too. This presents both a threat and an opportunity, to offer their customers a better product with true ethical credentials, making their gains go further. If you could buy a better product for the same price and the profits supported animal sanctuaries, why wouldn't you?

How are you using the brand to support the vegan movement and why is this important? It's my purpose in life, as I see it, to make a difference if I can, so I'm just using what I know to hopefully achieve that. Once we're up and running, we plan to use our profits first of all to fund sanctuaries. Going forward, we'd like to fund political lobbying to effect systemic change, and remove or reduce subsidies, and we'd like to help farmers to transition to more ethical revenue streams. For more from Karl, visit phyton.org.uk, search for him on Facebook and follow his IG @karlsvegankitchen

Vegan Lifestyle

Ask the

experts

The team from Veganuary answer your questions about veganism

ach month, send us your questions and we’ll pitch them to those in the know. Whether you’re unsure about the best way to cook tofu, or you need some vegan dating advice, we’ve got your back.

Now that gyms have re-opened, I’d like to up my protein intake — what are the best vegan sources? It certainly feels good to be back in Lycra doesn’t it? There are two ways to increase our protein intake: we can specifically choose foods that have more of it, and we can add supplements to our diet. Of course, we can also do both. High-protein foods include tofu and other soya products, peas, beans and lentils, nuts and seeds. And there are plenty of easy ways to include these products like adding soya milk to our tea, choosing houmous or peanut butter to go on our toast or drizzling tahini over a salad. You may be surprised at how easy it is to get 100g of protein a day just by making deliberate choices, such as: • Scrambled tofu on wholegrain toast for breakfast • A big bean salad with houmous and seeds for lunch • A product made from seitan served with peas and broccoli for dinner • Soya yoghurt as a snack If we want to add more, we can choose one of the many vegan protein powders available on the market. Some are plain, others flavoured with vanilla or chocolate. We can make smoothies or shakes with them, add them to baked goods, or make protein balls by whizzing them up in a blender with peanut butter, dates and walnuts.

Our

star

product

Train Kind Protein Powder in Vanilla, 1kg Train Kind powder is packed with 32g of protein and an ideal balance of carbs, essential fats, fibre and 26 vitamins and minerals. Mixed in a shake, porridge or baked goods, this protein powder will help you achieve your fitness goals. £23.99, trainkind.com

I’m hosting an outdoor dinner party for my five friends — none of whom are vegan. What do you recommend I cook them? I need something that’ll impress fussy omnis! So, you need something warming to combat the chill of evening, something you can get from the kitchen to the garden quite easily (which rules out soup), and something tasty enough to win around your omni friends. No pressure! To keep things communal, why not serve a selection of dips and antipasti as a starter with some warm bread. It takes the pressure off you as a host as these are simple but tasty dishes that can be made ahead of time. Think baba ganoush, minted pea houmous, guacamole, beetroot and dill, and roasted red pepper dips. Even if your friends are fussy, there is bound to be something there that they like. And you can keep the same approach with the main. You could cook a selection of curries, for example, throw in some onion bhaji and samosas, add some papadums and pickles, and people can eat the bits they love the best. Or serve a section of Spanish, Greek, Lebanese, Japanese or South American dishes. All these cuisines are flavourpacked and should dispel a few vegan myths. As for dessert, if you have a food mixer, you can really blow their minds with a vegan pavlova. There are some fantastic recipes online, and we’d recommend the Oatly whippable cream to go with it. Otherwise, cheesecake and sticky toffee pudding are always crowd-pleasers. For more from Veganuary, visit veganuary.com. Email Gemma.Tadman@primeimpact.co.uk with your questions about veganism and the planet.

Vegan Lifestyle

Beauty From Within Radiance Cleanse Signature Cleanse Ingestible skincare and beauty-boosting elixirs are one of 2021’s up-and-coming trends — and these divine drinks are just the ticket. Radiance Cleanse has your total wellbeing at its core, specialising in premium quality, cold-pressed juices. Their dedication to using only the freshest and most nutritious vegan ingredients doesn’t just enhance the taste of Radiance but the health benefits, too. One day cleanse from £65, radiancecleanse.com

VeganLife

Loves

Our favourites this month

Health Boosting Viridian Vegan EPA & DHA Oil

Calm In A Can Slow Cow Mind Cooler Originating from Canada but now available in the UK, the Mind Cooler from Slow Cow is here to help people calm and focus their minds. The icy infusion, known as the ‘anti-energy’ drink, contains botanical extracts flavoured with dragon fruit and citrus to create the perfect blend of stress-release and calm, whilst keeping the mind clear and focused without drowsiness. From £1.49, uk.slowcow.com

Sustainably sourced omega-3 featuring marine algae derived EPA and DHA with chia seed oil from South America and natural orange oil. A daily intake of 2ml per day contributes to the normal function of the heart, eyes and brain. £22.45, viridian-nutrition.com

Go Nuts Nutty Bruce Activated Almond and Coconut M*lk Nutty Bruce’s smooth Activated Almond and Coconut M*lk is made with filtered water, organic coconut, organic brown rice, activated organic almonds and sea salt. Unlike other plant milks, Nutty Bruce contains no nasties — so zero thickeners, gums, preservatives, colours, stabilisers, nut pastes or added oils. Nutty Bruce’s organic ingredients and unique activation process create a creamy, thick and delicious milk that doesn’t separate. £2.25, drinkbruce.com

Get Zesty Microplane Premium Classic Zester Want to make life that little bit easier? Grating citrus fruits for summer cocktails and cakes can be tricky with a normal grater, but this chef-quality zester makes it easy. It also works brilliantly on chocolate, cheese, ginger and garlic. From £17, amazon.co.uk

Gut Helper Steeps One Shot Original + 250ml Shot Glass Steeps One Shot is a fiery once-a-day gut-boosting wellness shot, designed to aid digestion and metabolism. The drink is a blend of seven raw, natural, sustainably sourced ingredients including turmeric, ginger, chilli, garlic, onion and horseradish. The mixture is infused and steeped for 12 weeks with apple cider vinegar to produce the powerful anti-inflammatory shot. £15.95, steepsoneshot.com

Potted Indulgence Nush Choc Pots in Orange The all-natural Choc Pots by Nush are guilt-free but beyond decadent, making them perfect for both dinner parties and self-indulgence. Each pot is smooth, creamy and thick like ganache, with the balancing flavours of Belgian chocolate and fresh orange. They are low-calorie and protein-rich, with plantbased cultured almond milk, making a light but truly satisfying dessert. 2 x 75g pots £3, nushfoods.co.uk

Vegan Lifestyle

Instagram

Vegan foodies on

How has social media helped veganism to take flight? By Amy Rohu

nstagram is one of the most popular social media sites in the world with millions of users logging on daily to check in on their favourite accounts, share snippets from their day and spend hours scrolling, liking, sharing and saving. Since its launch in 2010 the platform has evolved considerably and has kept up with the times. What was once a simple photo sharing app has now become a place of carefully curated content, with some 24

people carving out careers for themselves. Instagram became the birthplace of the ‘influencer’ and has taken the term 'oversharing' to a whole new level. Following alongside this growth of social media there’s been something else rapidly growing too, veganism. In the last 10 years the vegan movement has grown exponentially, with supermarkets bringing plant-based food into full focus, big companies launching vegan versions

of old favourites and Veganuary becoming a well-known event in the vegan calendar. It was inevitable that social media and veganism would team up and take on the world together, both assisting each other to continue to share, communicate and grow.

An invaluable resource Small vegan businesses have been given an invaluable resource to find potential customers by showcasing their products

Vegan Lifestyle

online, using hashtags and working with influencers to share the business with their own followers. Instagram plays a huge role in helping people showcase their wares to a worldwide audience, connecting with others in a meaningful way through comments and messages. Big businesses have used the platform to tease when they are launching a vegan product, getting hype around the launch by sharing snippets of green packaging or of a big V. All someone needs to do is share the words ‘coming soon’ and the keen eye of the vegan community jump to share the exciting news. One of the most recent examples of this is the launch of a vegan Kit-Kat bar. Without Instagram this announcement might not have reached as many people as it did until the bar was on the shelf. With social media, we are all patiently waiting. The same can be said for restaurants and cafés, from small scale to large business. When Starbucks announced they were offering vegan whipped cream late last year, everyone’s feeds got filled with images of decadent hot chocolates and lattes in a matter of hours, and within a few weeks it was a staple to everyone’s Starbucks order, with many premises selling out of the cream on several occasions. This just shows the power of social media and its innate ability to spread awareness.

The ‘Vegan Foodie’ Amongst all these big announcements, product launches, Instagram influencers and celebrity vegans, there’s been a shift in the last year and social media has a brand new contender. Enter the ‘Vegan Foodie’. This person is an ordinary individual who shares pictures of their vegan meals, takes snaps while in the supermarket and tells you honestly what the latest offerings are like. They are doing it because they love being vegan and most likely have a completely

separate job so social media is a hobby to them — a labour of love. The vegan foodie knows all the best spots to get vegan food in their local town and is your favourite person to follow for actual things you can walk outside and get, just like they did. They aren’t trying to sell you anything, but they will inform you when your local M&S has the Plant Kitchen cookie back in stock. In the last year with the pandemic, more and more people have been going online to seek entertainment while at home. People have rediscovered a love for baking and cooking and many of these people just so happen to be vegan too. There has been a huge rise in small scale accounts simply sharing what they eat and by doing this, they are slowly building up a reliable following of likeminded curious people. They are the ‘influencer next door’ and they are a lot more approachable then someone who has 500k followers and does nothing but share sponsored content.

Online activism While big influencers do a great job at promoting new vegan finds and brands, what is the role of these smaller accounts, if any at all? It could be suggested that what they are doing is a form of vegan activism. They are promoting the vegan lifestyle and plantbased food in an easy, relatable way. It makes veganism seem inclusive, friendly and approachable. These small accounts are always happy to help out new vegans by answering questions and sharing their favourite vegan tips and tricks with them. There is a huge amount of support within the vegan foodie community and it shows. A recent survey conducted for this article found that 86 per cent of people use Instagram to find vegan recipes and 99 per cent of people surveyed said they found the vegan food community on Instagram to be

helpful, with 97 per cent saying they were approachable. Another 78 per cent said they themselves feel part of a wider vegan community online. These figures show that these small accounts are playing a vital role in helping the world become a more vegan place. Of course, there are so many other forms of vegan activism but during the last year in particular, when so many events and gatherings in person would have been postponed, it’s so positive to see the vegan community emerge online as an unequivocal voice for the animals, for the environment and for our health and to do so in a way which makes people feel like they are part of a bigger group, too. This year saw Veganuary get the most sign ups yet and it is clear that more and more people want to start eating plant-based, meaning they need all the help and advice they can get. For someone to choose to go vegan in the midst of a global pandemic, it could suggest they are educating themselves online, because it’s really the only voice vegans have at the moment to use. When asked if they felt that posting their vegan food online was helping to grow the vegan movement, 97 per cent of people said yes. A simple act of taking a picture of your ‘accidentally vegan’ breakfast cereal or sharing the simple chickpea curry recipe you love, is actually doing good for the vegan movement as a whole. Even if you only have a few hundred followers, you can be guaranteed even one person will see that and think ‘Wow, that looks nice’ or ‘I didn’t know what was vegan!’. We are reaching out to others by sharing our food and in turn we are sharing our compassionate way to life, too.

A supportive community While we are spending so much time on our phones lately and connecting in person is difficult at the moment, a positive take away from the last year is that a new group of vegans have emerged online and are ready to inspire and help you with your vegan journey. Whether you’re plant-based, vegan or just curious, now is the time to embrace these virtual vegans until we can all be together again sharing vegan food over a table and not a screen. If you are feeling really brave, then why not take a snap of your next meal and put it online? After all, the world can never have too many pictures of banana bread now, can it? Words by Amy Rohu. For more from Amy, follow @vegan_with_amy on Instagram 25

Vegan Lifestyle

The power of clean, health-giving water Do you know what’s really in your glass? By Karin Ridgers

have always had a fascination for water. In the 1990s there wasn’t as much awareness about water (or plastics) as there is now. I remember working in my previous life in private banking and seeing copious amounts of lattes being consumed daily by the majority of my colleagues. Free hot drinks from a vending machine meant that another set of co-workers could enjoy hot chocolates and coffees too during the day. I won’t say that I abstained completely, however I was the one with a refillable bottle, downing several litres of water daily, alongside herbals teas. I love the taste of water and feel many benefits after these years of drinking several litres most days. But now, with the knowledge that micro plastics are abundant in our water, I am greatly concerned. So, I was delighted to chat with my friend, as well as client for over 10 years, Roddy McDonald, whose passion for good quality water outweighs my own!

Why is water important? “Water accounts for nearly 70 per cent of our physical body and flows freely out of our taps,” Roddy says. “Consequently, few people really reflect on its life-giving and lifeenhancing properties. We take it for granted, yet good, clean, energising water is vital for our well-being. Water has a much more vital role in the quality of our health than we might think.” Sadly, much of the world’s water has been polluted both chemically and energetically. Most people in the Western World assume that the water coming from our taps is safe and healthy, but is it? It will meet internationally recognised standards, however is that really water that is beneficial for our health? Roddy continues: “Personally, I believe that water should be regarded as the number one nutrient for the body. It is vital that we keep the body properly hydrated with good water to help preserve our health, our vitality, our immunity and our fitness. Of course, it is not only important that we 28

drink good water, however we must also ensure that the water we drink is properly absorbed. That is one reason why we need adequate levels of electrolytes in our diet. I do believe it is important that along with good health-enhancing water that we consume adequate levels of unprocessed salt to supply the body with electrolytes and trace minerals.”

Is our tap water really clean? “In the UK, many of the areas of concern of the latter half of the last century, such as lead, are not as major an issue,” Roddy says. “However, there are areas of considerable concern and rightly so. Current concern are micro plastics, drug residues (both illicit and prescribed), hormone residues, pesticides and glyphosate (Round Up). There is also concern regarding chemicals added during water treatment including fluoride, chlorine and chloramines. We are told by the authorities that these contaminants are at safe levels, but there is no research to show what impact that a cocktail of these contaminants, even at very low concentrations, can have on human health.”

Are bioceramics the answer? “These natural mineral crystals have been carefully combined and formed into filter media referred to as bioceramics,” Roddy says. “These filter media now offer a lot of potential to enhance the properties of water. In Asia, they understand that water should have a number of properties to be classed as health-giving water.” These properties are:

1.The water must be as clean as possible of contaminants. 2.The water should have an alkaline pH. 3.The water should have good structure. 4.The water should have antioxidant properties. 5.The water should have good energy. “Now, with advances in bioceramic

technology it is possible to achieve these criteria to varying degrees. It is important to firstly clean the water of impurities. Not only is bioceramic technology used in drinking water systems, but it has also applications in vegetable growing. It is also used as an alternative to using washing powder for clothes washing significantly reducing the environmental impact of detergents, not to mention reducing potential allergic reactions to these chemicals.” It sounds like bioceramics can bring health-giving water within the financial reach of most people. They are used in domestic water systems, in jug filters, in drinking water bottles and also in shower heads to remove chlorine from the water. And I should know, as I have a Biocera shower filter and my hair and skin felt amazing after the first time I used it. When I shower at the gym it doesn’t feel as good on my skin! Water seems to be another emotive subject — like veganism, and as a vegan who cares about the planet (and animals, of course) as well as what I consume, I wonder what else can be done to improve water quality for all. To learn about Roddy’s work, check out Water for Health Ltd, water-for-health. co.uk. For more from Karin, visit veggievisiondating.com and mad-promotoins.com.

Healthy start

Get off to a great start each day, with a nourishing and delicious breakfast or brunch. Whether you enjoy sweet or savoury foods in the morning, there is sure to be a dish that’ll put a spring in your step and fuel you for the day ahead.

Overnight Turmeric Porridge Serves 2-3

Start your day on the bright side with this sunny yellow porridge. The toppings can be varied — try sliced banana or blueberries and sesame seeds, or a pinch of ground cinnamon with stewed fruit.

• 100g (3.5 oz) rolled oats • 700ml (1.2 pint) almond, soya or light • • • • Recipe from Vegan Slow Cooker: Over 70 delicious recipes for stress-free meals by Saskia Sidey (£12.99, published by Hamlyn, octopusbooks.co.uk).

coconut milk 2 tsp ground turmeric 2 tbsp demerara sugar 1 tsp vanilla bean paste Pinch of salt

To serve: • Slices of mango • Pomegranate seeds • Toasted coconut flakes

1 Put all the ingredients into the slow cooker, cover with the lid and cook on low for 4-6 hours. If your slow cooker has the function has the function to swich over automatically to ‘keep warm’ once the cooking time is up, leave to cook overnight. Alternatively, set a separate timer to make sure the porridge doesn’t overcook and burn. 2 Give the porridge a good stir before serving, as it will probably have a slight crust on top. Loosen with a dash of water or extra dairy-free milk if it seems dry. 3 Serve warm, topped with sliced mango, pomegranate seeds and toasted coconut flakes, and drizzled with maple syrup if you like. 29

Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie Serves 1

For those of you out there that suffer with arthritis or achy joints this smoothie is going to hit the spot, or spots, literally.

• • • • •

125g (4.4 oz) frozen pineapple 70g (2.4 oz) frozen dark sweet cherries 1-inch chunk turmeric ½-inch chunk ginger 120ml (4 fl oz) unsweetened almond milk (or plant-based milk of your choosing)

1 Add all ingredients to a blender and blitz until smooth.

Recipe from Plant Based Cooking Made Easy by Jill and Jeffrey Dalton (Published by Hatherleigh Press, Ltd. Available at Amazon UK).

Superfood Breakfast of Champions Serves 1

This recipe may sound simple, but it packs a playfully flavourful punch. It’s super quick and easy to make!

• • • • •

1 small punnet of organic blueberries 1 sliced banana 1 tbsp flax meal 1 tsp cacao nibs 120ml (4 fl oz) unsweetened almond milk • A few raw walnuts • A few sliced strawberries

1 Add everything to a bowl and eat heartily!

Recipe from Plant Based Cooking Made Easy by Jill and Jeffrey Dalton (Published by Hatherleigh Press, Ltd. Available at Amazon UK).

Healthy start

Vegan Bramley Apple & Coconut Chia Breakfast Bowl Serves 4

Apples are high in fibre, great for our guts and full of essential vitamins and minerals, making them the perfect start to your day.

• 3 Bramley apples, peeled, cored and • • • •

finely chopped 3 tsp minced fresh ginger 6 tbsp apple juice 4 tbsp maple syrup 90g (3.1 oz) chia seeds

• 1 x 400g (8 oz) tin of coconut milk • 50g (1.7 oz) toasted coconut flakes • A handful of berries 1 Add chopped Bramley apples and ginger to a saucepan over a low heat with the lid on and cook until the apple has broken down, then stir through the apple juice and maple syrup. 2 Stir the chia seeds into the coconut milk and leave for 30 mins (this should have a jelly-like consistency). Add in a splash of water if you prefer a looser consistency. 3 Spoon the Bramley apple mixture into four bowls and top with the coconut chia, garnish with the toasted coconut flakes and berries to serve.

Recipe by British Apples and Pears, britishapplesandpears.co.uk

Breakfast Rice Pudding Serves 3

Finding yourself with a huge amount of plain cooked rice but you’d rather not go for fried rice again? If you like your breakfast to be filling and healthy, this is a good option that’s also fairly fast to prepare.

• 300g (10.5 oz) cooked jasmine rice • 1 can (13.5 oz/400ml) full-fat coconut • • • • • • • • • •

milk, or half coconut milk and half plant-based milk of choice 1-2 tbsp sweetener of choice, or to taste (optional) Pinch Diamond kosher salt 390g (13.7 oz) chopped hulled strawberries 60g (2.1 oz) pomegranate seeds 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses 420g (14.8 oz) chopped fresh pineapple 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice 1 tbsp agave nectar 1 tsp golden milk powder, or ¼ tsp ground turmeric and ½ tsp ground ginger Diced crystallised ginger, chopped vegan halva, toasted coconut flakes, toasted cashew nuts, fresh mint leaves, for garnish

1 In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the cooked rice, coconut milk, sweetener (if using), and salt. Cover the pan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat slightly and simmer until creamy and thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 2 In the meantime, and about 30 minutes before eating the pudding, have two medium-size bowls handy. Place the strawberries and pomegranate seeds in one. Pour the molasses on top and gently fold to combine. Set aside. 3 In the other bowl, combine the pineapple, lemon juice, agave, and milk powder. Gently fold to combine. Set aside. 4 The rice pudding can be eaten warm, at room temperature, or cold. Once ready to eat, serve the pudding in bowls. Generously top with the fruit mixture of choice and garnishes of choice.

Recipe from No-Waste Save-thePlanet Vegan Cookbook: 100 Plant-Based Recipes and 100 Kitchen-Tested Methods for Waste-Free Meatless Cooking by Celine Steen. (© 2021 Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc. Text and photographs © 2021 Celine Steen)

Top Tip: It’s important to refrigerate rice within 1 hour of being cooked because of a bacterium called Bacillus cereus. The lifespan of refrigerated cooked rice should be no longer than 3 days for safest eating.

Healthy start

Scrambled Tofu with Kimchi Hot Sauce, Avocado & Hemp Seeds Serves 2

This breakfast option will help you start the day right; it’s proteinpacked, thanks to the tofu and hemp seeds.

• • • • • • •

1 300g (10.5 oz) pack of silken tofu ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp turmeric ¼ tsp cumin ¼ tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp nutritional yeast 3 tbsp soya milk

To serve: • ½ avocado, sliced • Drizzle of kimchi hot sauce • Sprinkle of hemp seeds 1 Mash the ingredients together with a whisk and then fry the mix — just like you would with scrambled eggs, until it forms a similar consistency. 2 Serve with toast, half an avocado, your favourite hot sauce and hemp seeds.

Recipe by Katie White, olivewoodvegan.com, @olivewoodvegan

Recipe by @bitesbybecs for Whites Oats, whitesoats.co.uk

Mango & Coconut Overnight Oats Serves 1

The perfect breakfast if you are short on time as it can be made up easily and quickly the night before making a perfect grab and go breakfast option. Packed with fibre, protein and plenty of vitamins and minerals to start your way the right way and fuel you for the morning.

• • • • 34

50g (1.7 oz) White’s Organic Jumbo Oats 10g (0.3 oz) chia seeds 2 tbsp natural dairy-free yoghurt ½ mango, chopped into cubes

• 200ml (6.7 fl oz) coconut milk • 2 tsp desiccated coconut 1 First, prepare the mango. Using a sharp knife, cut in half around the stone. Still in its skin, slice into cubes and using a spoon simply spoon out the cubes. 2 In a porridge bowl, jar or container, add oats, chia seeds, yoghurt, fresh mango, desiccated coconut and milk. 3 Mix all together thoroughly. 4 Either cover with cling film or a lid and place in the fridge overnight. 5 Your breakfast will be ready waiting for you the following morning to either take to work with you or tuck straight into at home.

Vegan Lifestyle

What I eat in a week...

Chantal Cooke, journalist and broadcaster, and co-founder of PASSION for the PLANET radio shares her vegan food diary Monday Each morning, first thing, I feed, water and muck out my gorgeous seven rescue piggies, and fluff up or top up their straw bedding. One of them needs special attention at the moment as he has been very poorly, so I separate him out and he gets his feed as a warm mush, which he seems to love. In the evening I repeat the process. Once the pigs and my two feral cats have been fed, it’s my turn. Every morning when I wake up, I make myself a mug of hot water with freshly squeezed lemon juice. I love it. Breakfast was coconut and cardamon porridge with Mylk (my favourite). This is a new recipe I tried out from The Vegan Chef School’s Healthy Breakfast Course (theveganchefschool.com). Lunch was homemade roasted swede and veggies soup with a dollop of plant-based plain yoghurt. For dinner, I enjoyed a mixed stir fry with whole peanuts and a satay sauce.

Tuesday Breakfast today was wholegrain toast with marmite — simple, yet, satisfying. For lunch, I had homemade spicy carrot and red lentil soup with a dollop of plant-based plain yoghurt and a slice of garlic bread. Dinner was a large salad with toasted cashews and a Dijon mustard dressing

cottage cheese, but as that’s not vegan I tried swapping it for mushed up silken tofu — and it works brilliantly.

Friday I work a half day on a Friday, so I have time to do a big muck out of the pigs. Breakfast today was vegan pancakes with roasted apple slices. I use 50 per cent gram flour so you don’t need eggs to bind the batter. Lunch was a large salad with coconut and sesame tofu fried in the wok — so it has a crispy outside and soft warm inside, served with a sweet chilli dip. I had pea and potato Rogan josh with brown rice for dinner, and on the side a plain coconut-based yoghurt with mint — yum!

Saturday I have a polytunnel which I am addicted to, so once I finished looking after the pigs, I spent the day tidying, weeding and preparing the beds in the polytunnel ready for the start of the growing season. I have big plans this year! I had a cooked breakfast of mushrooms, tomatoes, fried bread, veggie sausage, baked beans — with a dollop of homemade caramelised onion chutney (great on the sausages). Lunch was a big bowl of ratatouille with a slice of garlic bread. Today’s dinner was celeriac gratin — made with caramelised onion houmous instead of cheese. Super yummy! With a green salad on the side.

Wednesday I started today with oats soaked in Mylk with berries and banana on top. Lunch was another soup — homemade creamy mushroom with garlic bread. I ended the day with potato and green bean goulash for dinner.

Thursday Today’s breakfast was wholegrain toast with homemade marmalade. Lunch was West African peanut and sweet potato stew on a bed of fresh spinach. For dinner, I enjoyed red lentil lasagne with a silken tofu bechamel, with roasted leeks and carrots. This is a recipe from Cranks that used Wholegrain toast with marmite

Sunday After feeding the piggies I headed out into the hills. I live in a beautiful area and am surrounded by wonderful walks. Leave my house and pick and direction! Breakfast was coconut and cardamon porridge with fresh mango on top. I didn’t have much for lunch today — a flask of tea and a few oreos to keep me going! Dinner was sambal okra with coconut rice. Not as spicy as the recipe suggests, but with a little kick. For more from Chantal, visit passionforfreshideas.com and follow @ChantaldCooke on IG

Spicy carrot and red lentil soup

Pea and potato Rogan josh

Try the new No Meat range at

Vegan Lifestyle

Vegan Camp Out

02 21

The ultimate plant-based festival is back and better than ever before this August

t’s almost that time of year again — when for two nights in the summer, vegans from all over the world come together for the ultimate plant-based celebration: Vegan Camp Out. Last year’s camp-out had to be postponed due to Coronavirus, but don’t fret, because Vegan Camp Out is coming back to bring you the greatest plant-based food, drink and entertainment on the planet. Returning for its fifth year, 2021 is set to be Vegan Camp Out’s biggest and best yet, with over 10,000 people coming together at Newark Showground, Nottinghamshire, UK. Already tickets are selling like vegan hot cakes, with only 10 per cent remaining, so make sure you grab yours before they are gone. The organisers say: “We are so excited to be back at Vegan Camp Out, for the first time since 2019. After 12 months of lockdown, this one is going to hit differently. We have sold more tickets than we've ever sold, it's going to be big, and we can't wait to see you all again.”

Genesis Butler

Important information When: 20-22nd August Where: Newark Showground, Nottinghamshire, UK. What’s happening? As part of the ticket price, attendees will enjoy talks, live music, afterparties, yoga/ fitness/meditation workshops. Who’s on the line-up? • Russell Brand • Chris Packham • Joey Carbstrong • Fiona Oakes • Patrik Baboumian • Simnett Nutrition • Heather Mills • Genesis Butler • Cosmic Skeptic • BOSH!

Russell Brand

Who are the music headliners? • P Money • Benjamin Zephaniah & The Revolutionary Minds • Mobius Loop What food is available? • Purezza • Unity Diner • What the Pitta • Wholesome Junkies • Halo Burger • One Planet Pizza • Eat of Eden • PickyWops • Döner Summer • VBites • Dappa • Booja Booja Vegan Camp Out is partnered with Viva! — the vegan charity. For more information and tickets, visit vegancampout.co.uk

BOSH!

(& THE REVOLUTIONARY MINDS)

(DEREK SIMNETT)

TICKETS FROM VEGANCAMPOUT.CO.UK ADULTS = £60 | KIDS = £30 | 0-3 = FREE VEGANCAMPOUT

VEGANCAMPOUT

Vegan Lifestyle

the

Beauty

edit

The vegan products you need on your radar this month

Lyonsleaf Calendula Cream

Inika Organic Pressed Mineral Eyeshadow Duo in Khaki Dessert

A 100 per cent natural, soothing emollient for adults and children over three years. Made with pure plant oils, home grown herbs and nothing else. 30ml for £10.95, lyonsleaf.co.uk

Two gorgeous and complimentary shades of eyeshadow, made from naturally pressed pure minerals for long-wear colour. £22, uk.inikaorganic.com

FRUU.. Bergamot and Neroli Deodorant Balm Want something that keeps you smelling fresh all day? That is 100 per cent natural and aluminium-free, and without sodium bicarb? FRUU is here for you. £8.99, fruuurskin.com

Ethique Sugarplum Lip Balm

Q+A Chamomile Night Cream

A tinted lip balm to nourish and hydrate lips made with cocoa butter, castor seed, moringa and jojoba oils. It also comes in plastic-free, home compostable packaging! £6.50, ethique.co.uk

This cream blends soothing chamomile, aloe vera, nourishing jojoba seed oil and antioxidant packed grapeseed oils — all of which can help to regenerate and repair your skin. £12, qandaskin.com

Monat Scalp Purifying Scrub A two-in-one scrub that gently exfoliates the surface of your hair and scalp, using apple cider vinegar, AHAs and sugar. £48, monatglobal.com/uk 40

Vegan Lifestyle

R + Co Bleu Featherlight Hairspray This hairspray is vegan, cruelty-free, gluten-free, colour-safe AND boasts packaging that is made from postconsumer recycled plastic. £40, randco.com

Kin Kind CLEAR my head! Shampoo and Conditioner Bars With a fresh apple fragrance, these shampoo and conditioner bars work wonders for itchy and flaky scalp, all while helping you to reduce your plastic use. From £12.15, kinkind.co.uk

By Sarah London Lauren, co-founder of By Sarah London talks to us about the sibling-founded beauty company

Tell us about By Sarah London. By Sarah London is the sister-founded skincare brand, inspired by my sister's recovery from life threatening leukaemia and my journey to formulating innovative skincare to restore her sensitive skin. We know what it’s like to have sensitive skin and feel overwhelmed and underserved by skincare: our collection actively supports the health of the skin by promoting a healthy skin microbiome through scienceled formulas rich in plant-based nutrients, enzymes and lipids. No fragrance, no essential oils, no hidden surprises.

Why was the company founded? I saw my sister, Lauren's skin become so sensitive, fragile and at times, so sore during her cancer treatment, and discovered the healing power of plant oils to restore her skin. By bringing radical transparency to skincare — with full transparency of formula on the front label — we are empowering women and men of all ages to enjoy happy, healthy skin. It's a powerful purpose that's at the heart of our brand.

What makes By Sarah London special?

Anything exciting in store for the future?

We have been on such a rollercoaster journey and now we get to share my formulations with so many women and men who are experiencing the transformative benefits of our skincare, not just for their skin, but their mental health too — freeing themselves from the excess and clutter of many cosmetics products; streamlining their skincare into their By Sarah London favourites.

So much! We have just launched our NEW Desert Rose Moisture Retention Complex Hydration Mist which is a summer skin saviour, I love to spritz throughout the day to maintain a healthy skin barrier and instantly achieve a radiant glow. We have more exciting innovations coming soon, plus exciting partnerships that we can't wait to share — stay tuned! You can keep in the loop with all our news by following @bysarahlondon on social.

What are your hero products? Our Organic Facial Oil was the first formula I developed for Lauren and has picked up more than 380 five-star reviews and is loved by beauty editors. More than this, it's truly loved by our customers — every amber bottle of golden plant oils delivers on its promise of simplicity and efficacy. Our Raspberry Seed Cleansing Oil is our beautiful daily cleanser that's wonderful to use morning and night. And just a few drops of our Organic Hair Oil after each hair wash keeps hair so soft and swishable.

By Sarah London Desert Rose Moisture Retention Complex Hydration Mist A gorgeously natural spray that will help to revitalise your skin throughout the day, giving you a fresh, glowing complexion. £30, bysarahlondon.com

Vegan Lifestyle

The unstoppable rise of

vegan restaurants There is no stopping the plant-based eatery and food revolution in the UK By Sean O’Callaghan

o you remember the olden days when the only vegan option was a baked potato with houmous? Seriously. This was once the only thing I could eat during a stop at a café in the UK’s Lake District just over seven years ago. Baked potato might not have been the plant-based go-to in your town but I’m sure if you’ve been vegan for as long as I have, you will have similar hardship stories even though the food itself probably differed. As pioneering vegans 10 and 20 years ago, we became overly familiar with baked beans, mushroom risotto, and salad with chips when dining out. There were few choices and even fewer vegan restaurants, food stalls, cafés or eateries. A day trip out of your local area often meant you packed your own sandwiches because you were most definitely going to be left without a solid meal and you had no choice but to be an expert on the veganfriendliness of all major crisp brands. These domestic tales of inconvenience were nothing when compared with heading overseas.

The arrival of change When the Ms. Cupcake vegan bakery opened on April 1, 2011 in Brixton, London, it sent shockwaves around the country. People came from all over the country just to experience the store and the delicious food. It almost doesn’t feel like a real memory as I write this. Vegan eateries in the UK capital now number close to 100. What had started as a glacial change in the UK was supercharged by the arrival of Ms. Cupcake, the annual VegFestUK consumer exhibition, and my very own Hackney Downs Vegan Market. The city is now overwhelmed by change and additions of completely vegan restaurants and cafés are difficult to track because they arrive almost non-stop. This rise in vegan dining options has not been confined to London or even other capital cities. Of course, major hubs such as Brighton, Glasgow, and Manchester have been vegan-friendly destinations for many years, but 100 plant-based establishments are now springing up in places that might have seemed unbelievable even a few years ago.

Eating out abroad During my first trip to Mexico City in 2009, every single meat-free dish I could find contained cream or cheese. I was even turned away from a vegetarian restaurant which insisted that nothing on their menu could be veganised for me! Of course, not all cities on Earth were as vegan-unfriendly two decades ago. I recall being nothing short of shocked by the vegan restaurants dotted around Los Angeles during my first visit to that city, while New York and San Francisco also impressed me with plant-based cuisine 20 years ago. A few major mainland European capitals were also early to the vegan party, as were major hubs around southeast Asia. But the vegan scene outside these major cities was a completely different story. It might feel unbelievable to modern day vegans, but even 10 years ago London was struggling to put itself on the plant-based culinary map.

Vegan restaurant revolution Hebden Bridge is a town of approximately 4,500 people and two vegan cafés. That is a pretty decent ratio and similar situations can be found all around the UK. Vegan eateries are popping up in remote villages, vegan food trucks are serving Cornish beachgoers, and vegan food markets number in their dozens. It might have taken a few decades to really get kickstarted, but it is clear there is no stopping the vegan restaurant and food revolution in the UK. Get eating!

Follow Sean’s vegan adventures on Instagram @fatgayvegan

Vegan Lifestyle

5 swimwear pieces for diving into summer The warmer weather is coming, so be prepared for beach trips and pool days with these gorgeous swimwear items By Victoria Featherstone Pearce

Make a splash this summer, with my top five sustainable swimwear brands. Each piece has been sourced, tried and tested by myself during my own search for planet-friendly, luxury fashion. Every item is an investment for the long-term that you can wear for years to come — they might be at the higher end of the price scale, but they are made from high-quality materials and don’t support fast fashion.

Peony Swimwear Porcelain String Tri Bikini, Porcelain String Pant £61 and £53.80, peonyswimwear.com Hailing from sunny Australia, is Peony’s signature String Tri. Featuring an original panelled design with dainty scalloped lace detail, often imitated but never the same. Achieve your perfect fit with adjustable straps and cups that slide along under bust ties. To match, there’s Peony’s signature string bikini bottom. Featuring dainty scalloped lace detail with tie sides for a versatile fit and premium gold toggles. Inspired by intricate porcelain from the Renaissance era, this antique-like floral is fresh and romantic in soft blue and cream hues. You can make waves in this truly stunning itsy-bitsy ethical bikini, knowing that every Peony Swimwear piece is made entirely from recycled and sustainable fabrics, both main fabric and lining. Stockists include Selfridges & Co, Harrods, Browns Fashion and Net-a-Porter.

Eco Swim® Angelina One Piece Swimsuit £75, ecoswim.com All Eco Swims designs are super cute and stylish. Made of ECONYL® which is regenerated yarn from recycled fishing nets and other discarded nylons. Swimwear never looked so good and did so much by turning polluting trash into luxury swimwear. You will be doing your bit for the planet with every piece you wear. A staggering 640,000 tonnes of fishing gear are left in the oceans each year, remaining in the marine ecosystem for hundreds of years. Over 100,000 sea mammals and a million sea birds are killed in the ocean by pollution each year and 300,000 dolphins die each year as a result of becoming entangled in discarded fishing nets. Eco Swim not only helps to alleviate this destruction, but it proves you don’t have to take from our planet to look stylish on the beach. 44

Vegan Lifestyle

Sqorpios Elements Mesh Swimsuit £155.59, sqorpios.com You are sure to stand out in the crowd wearing the Elements Mesh Swimsuit, it’s a true eye-catcher defined by the use of mesh fabric giving the impression of a transparent bikini. Without doubt this swimsuit is bringing sexy back! Made from high-quality sustainable fabrics, this swimsuit is form fitting and figure hugging. It comes with a low-back cut and medium coverage. The elements come in both black and white but whatever colour you choose this is an absolute stunner of a swimsuit. I’d say the elements swimsuit is definitely not for the faint hearted and is worn by those who aren’t afraid of attention.

Paper London Shell Bikini Top in Navy, Cindy Bottoms in Navy £75 and £70, paperlondon.com Channel your inner mermaid with this Shell Bikini Top. It’s such a cutie! Featuring flattering panelling and the twist of a scalloped neckline and scooped bust with removable padding. With matching sporty high-cut bottoms to elongate legs and maximise the oh-so-important sun tan. Totally eco-friendly, it’s made from sustainable, recycled materials. Apart from looking fabulous on the beach what I also love about this brand is for every piece of swimwear purchased they will plant not one, but five mangrove trees within Madagascar, Mozambique or Kenya. Trees are vital in the health of our planet and ecosystem. We’d like more of them! These specific trees are a gem for keeping underwater and coastal ecosystems healthy as they filter and purify the water systems they are planted in. Who is planting these trees do you ask? The local communities are provided crucial income through reforestation projects, meaning your purchase is doing a whole lot of good as well as looking fantastic poolside. After your purchase has been made, you’ll receive a link to track the progress of your reforestation impact. How cool is that!

Pursuit The Label The Viper Sculpt Suit in Psyco’ Pink £155, pursuitthelabel.com Add a pop off colour and Bond girl vibes to your beach attire with this absolutely stunning shaping swimsuit. The Viper Sculpt Suit in Psyco’ Pink features a functional front zip and detachable metal buckle waist belt. It is made from recycled ocean waste with contrasting sculpting panels, transforming regenerated ocean waste into luxury sustainable swimsuits. Every Pursuit The Label piece is designed in house and ethically made to the highest quality in London with sculpting pieces designed to empower and enhance the female silhouette. Swimwear that never sacrifices style for sustainability, that’s my kind of swimwear!

Words by vegan writer, animal rights advocate and K9 Angels Charity founder, Victoria Featherstone Pearce. Visit IG @victoriapearcewriter

Vegan Lifestyle

The ultimate

vegan summer Maria Slough meets the people behind the emerging brands that can help you to have the perfect summer 46

Vegan Lifestyle

s the longer days of warmer weather stretch out before us, I decided to look for some summer inspiration for entertaining and self-care. What I found was creativity in abundance from a handful of groundbreaking companies in a plentiful vegan marketplace.

Natural yoga mats I was determined to come out of lockdown and into the summer with improved fitness but finding the perfect vegan yoga mat was surprisingly hard. After a lot of false starts, I found Zen Bear (zenbear.co.uk) with a stunning selection of uplifting bright designs. Their Nila mat, like all their mats, has a vegan suede top and at 6mm thickness gives your body an all over support — it cocoons you as you relax into your routine. As a beginner, this has been a game changer for my feet and wrists. “Unlike PVC yoga mats or rubber-top mats, which contain nasty chemicals, the Zen Bear mats are natural, made entirely from natural tree rubber from the Para Rubber Tree,” founder Emma explains as we chat on the phone. “Natural rubber is an ecologically sustainable crop that actually contributes to the maintenance of the global carbon balance in the atmosphere. The oozy latex material extracted from the trees is strained, diluted with water, treated, and rolled into yoga mats using water-based dyes. Using sustainable farming, these nonAmazonian trees are only partially tapped by a small incision on the tree’s outer surface, which is used for a period of time, and then allowed to heal naturally.” “In 2016, after watching some eyeopening documentaries, my partner Kyle and I decided to transition to a plant-based lifestyle, and we felt the benefits so soon. For us, it was only natural that the journey became a part of the company too.”

Natural yoga mats

Probiotic power

Probiotic power After finding the ideal yoga mat, next came the search for a vegan probiotic. In 2014, husband and wife team Steven Hegarty and Janett Lozano founded Biomel (biomel.life). “We started the company out of the desire to do something healthier and more meaningful. We saw a clear gap in the market for vegan probiotics and we were inspired with the opportunity to show the world that plant-based products can be exciting and delicious. Our plant-based probiotic drinks are made using a blend of vitamins, minerals and billions of live active cultures and one serving of the complete health powder gives you 50 per cent recommended daily intake (RDI) of vitamins B6, B12, D and calcium. We strive to make our vegan products better than the non-vegan alternatives, because your gut interacts with every aspect of your health and wellbeing, impacting your digestive health, immune system and mood.” The yummy Vanilla Complete Gut has become a part of my daily routine and always leaves me wanting more.

So, with my “ body nourished from the inside out, I turned my eye to summer entertaining Artisan cheese

”

So, with my body nourished from the inside out, I turned my eye to summer entertaining — starting with great food. Enter brother and sister Mike and Beth Moore of London-based Honestly Tasty (honestlytasty.co.uk). In 2016, after watching Cowspiracy Mike gave up meat and went vegan two years later. “I was quite shocked to find that there wasn’t a cheese, that to me, stacked up, so I decided to make my own.” Working in corporate banking, with a Masters in spacecraft engineering, Mike went on a vegan cheese-making course in Berlin in March 2018. After much research he started to combine different techniques and ingredients to achieve the ‘melt’ on the cheeses. In September that year, their blue cheese Veganzola was born. “It was how I remember blue cheese tasting. In November 2018, I left the bank, stripped out a room in my Grandmother’s house, got it food safety approved and launched the business. For six months we created new recipes and started selling. My sister Beth joined Honestly Tasty in January 2020. We moved into bigger premises and the team is now 20 strong.” The Herbivoursin is creamy and light, 47

Vegan Lifestyle

Artisan Cheese

melting on the tongue into a decadent taste explosion while the Shamembert has a gentle rind that gives way to velvety richness with a subtle bitterness. The range is definitely a game-changer for the vegan cheese market. “If we can remove that need for people to buy dairy-based cheese,” Mike told me, “that is how we will impact animal welfare on a large scale and that is our goal.”

Nature’s preserves Moving South West in my search, I met mother and son team Deb and Oz of Go Wild Preserves (gowildpreserves.co.uk). Oz was diagnosed with a brain tumour aged two, caused by Neurofibromatosis (Nerve Tumours) which caused some disabilities, including visual impairment. The position of the tumour impacted his appetite and from an early age he loved experimenting with intense flavours. With an inherent flair for cooking Oz has found a lifestyle that plays to all his strengths in an environment that he can manage, creating slow food with care and attention. All but one of their products is vegan (honey is present in the curried rhubarb) and they are always happy to take enquiries about their ingredients. Oz told me: “We spent our childhoods roaming the Welsh Marches that surrounded

Nature’s Preserves

our home. We claimed kingdoms in the woods and named them, returning day after day to pick the treasures we found there. Helped by our goat Dill, we would take the picnic in panniers to the blackberry patch at the edge of the wood and we returned home to help turn these jewels into edible feasts. Preserving our produce as the seasons unfolded was part of the rhythm. We have spent the last few years turning a way of life into a business which has enabled us to share our products with others and care of our environment is at the heart of our business.” My favourite is the strawberry and balsamic jam. Whole strawberries sit provocatively in a generously filled jar, and the freshness of the ingredients and care in the artisan process is translated into the tasting experience as the sweetness dissolves on your tongue. With savoury sauces and chutneys on offer, you are guaranteed to find what you need for any perfect summer feast at Go Wild Preserves.

Sparkling tea So, to my final find — sparkling tea courtesy of The Copenhagen Tea Company (sparklingtea.co) and available from greatwine.co.uk. In slender neck bottles with a generously ample base the perfectly pitched popping sound of the cork tells you that you are in for a luxury treat. Jacob Kocemba, founder of Copenhagen Sparkling Tea, explained to me in a rich accent that sparkling tea is a whole new category in the marketplace and advises not to compare it with anything you have drunk before. I was tasting GRØN as we talked on Zoom, which is made up of seven teas including assam, lemongrass, green Darjeeling and lemon tea that make up a refreshing delicate herbal taste experience. Jacob’s background as a high-end sommelier in Europe is where this all started. “In 2008, I had to make a wine pairing with a dessert of wild fresh French strawberries, but of the 1,700 wines I had in the cellar, not

Sparkling Tea

one matched. So, I started working with tea and extracting the flavours to put into my base beverage. It was a huge hit with the guests. Then, I added CO2 in the next brew and produced sparkling tea for five years with my brother. Finally, in 2017 Copenhagen Sparkling Tea was born when I formed a partnership with Bo Hansen, the co-founder, and we created the organic company. We made a conscious decision to be fully vegan in 2019 and even our cleaning process is vegan-proof.” Jacob talked with passion about the process. “I extract flavours from 6-15 different teas over temperatures from 5-65 degrees, using white tea to soften the palette, black tea to give the flavour strength and backbone and green tea to give depth and umami flavours and then I build the aroma profiles. We extract the flavours from the teas and we use it as a blend just as you use different grapes to blend wines. The nonalcoholic versions LYSERØD and BLÅ have 0.0 of alcohol which means it has never been de-alcoholised and this is a huge advantage for those taking medicine or who do not take alcohol for religious reasons.” I have to admit to tasting them all in the name of research and every bottle became my favourite. As you pour, bubbles cascade vertically as the glass frosts. The VINTER, a seasonal special from November to March, is amber in colour with warming undertones of sweetness that caress the tongue. Both Pink offerings are decadently dry with a blessing of hibiscus and whichever you try from this innovative alchemist they are guaranteed to turn any summer gathering into an exceptional occasion. Follow Maria’s photography journey at mariaslough photography.com and Instagram @mariaslough photography

s u o e g r o Ggazpacho

Gorgeous gazpacho

With the warmer weather, we thought it time to introduce you all to the wonderful world of gazpacho. Essentially, gazpacho is a cold soup from the south of Spain and Portugal, usually made from stale bread, garlic, olive, oil, and raw vegetables or fruit. The most popular variety uses tomatoes, but we’ve selected a more wide-ranging variety.

Top Tip: For variations, thyme, oregano, rosemary, parsley, chervil, tarragon or chives all work well, or a mixture of fresh herbs. For a contemporary twist, serve it the modern Spanish way: in glasses over ice, with a reusable straw, blended very smooth.

Classic Gazpacho Serves 4

This beautiful cold Andalusian soup is best made fresh on a hot summer’s day. It provides a symphony of flavours, textures and colour.

• 10 vine tomatoes, cored and diced • ½ cucumber, peeled and diced • 1-2 peppers (green if you want to be • • • • • • • • •

authentic), diced 1 red onion, chopped 1-2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 tbsp sherry/red wine vinegar 75ml (2.6 fl oz) extra virgin olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tbsp lemon juice Handful fresh basil leaves Cold water Chilli pepper, finely chopped

1 Reserving a handful of raw ingredients

Recipe from Nomaste by Miranda Moore (£14.99, published by Summersdale Publishers).

for the garnish, place all ingredients (chilled) except chilli in a blender and blitz. Add a little cold water and blend until it has reached your preferred consistency (We like it smooth but with small chunks for texture). 2 Serve with fresh basil, diced remaining vegetables, and chopped chilli. 51

Cucumber, Avocado & Mint Gazpacho Serves 4

This cold soup is the perfect light lunch for a hot day. It is wonderfully refreshing and can also be drunk as a smoothie if the garnish is removed.

For the soup: • Handful fresh mint, chopped • 1 avocado, chopped • ¾ cucumber, chopped • 2 garlic cloves • 3 spring onions • 30g (1 oz) spinach • 360ml (12.1 fl oz) water • 1 lime, juice only For the garnish: • 1 red chilli, finely diced • 1 red onion, finely diced • ¼ cucumber, seeds removed and finely diced

• ½ avocado, finely diced • 1 tomato, seeds removed and finely diced

• Handful mint, finely chopped 1 Add all the soup ingredients to a blender and blitz until smooth. Place in the fridge to chill. 2 For the garnish, simply mix the ingredients together. To serve, divide the soup between four bowls and sprinkle a little garnish over the top of each.

Gorgeous gazpacho Recipe by Vegan Life in-house chefs

Mutti Cherry Tomato Gazpacho Serves 4

This gazpacho is the perfect summer lunch recipe, with the fragrant flavours of basil and thyme pairing perfectly with the rich tomato base.

• • • • • • • • •

2 400g (14.1 oz) Mutti Cherry Tomatoes 50g (1.7 oz) fresh basil 30g (1 oz) fresh thyme 2 tbsp Mutti double concentrate 2 tbsp maple syrup 1 tbsp white wine vinegar 200ml (6.7 fl oz) olive oil Sea salt and pepper Optional to serve: diced strawberry and cucumber, halved cherries, pepitas, sunflower seeds and amaranth

1 Combine all of the ingredients expect 50ml of olive oil, in a blender and blend on a high speed until smooth. If you like a silky smooth gazpacho you could also pass it through a sieve, making sure to extract as much liquid as possible. 2 Transfer the mixture to the refrigerator to cool for at least 30 minutes. To serve, incorporate the last of olive oil, divide amongst bowls and top with complementary herbs, nuts and seeds. Season with sea salt and pepper. Recipe by Mutti, mutti.co.uk

Tomato Gazpacho Serves 4-6

Gazpacho is particularly nourishing on a warm sunny day. What we love about Gazpacho is the combination of ingredients which give a sweet and sour taste to this flavoursome dish.

• • • • • • • •

800g (1.7lbs) plum tomatoes 5-inch cucumber, peeled Bunch of spring onions (5 or 6) 2 garlic cloves 1 pepper 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 3 tbsp sherry vinegar Salt and pepper (to taste)

For garnishing: • Couple of sprigs of mint • Couple of sprigs of parsley 1 Place the tomatoes into some boiling water to loosen the skin. Take them out and remove the skin using your hands. 2 Blend the tomatoes, cucumber, spring onions, garlic, pepper, oil and vinegar on a high speed until fine. Season to taste. Transfer to a large bowl. 3 Chill in the fridge for at least a couple of hours. 4 Serve garnished with mint and parsley.

Recipe by Edward Daniel ©, ethivegan.com

Simple Delicious Beet Gazpacho Serves 4

A refreshing and delicious cold beet soup with cucumber, avocado and fresh dill.

• 340g (12 oz) beets (4 medium beets, • • • • • • • •

smaller than a tennis ball, 3 inches in diameter) 15g (0.5 oz) red or sweet onion, finely diced, divided 1-2 garlic cloves (1 large or 2 small) 3 small Turkish cucumbers, divided 5g fresh dill, divided 2 tbsp sherry vinegar, plus more to taste ½ tsp kosher salt, more to taste ¼ tsp fresh pepper For garnishes: avocado, diced cucumber, diced beet, finely diced onion, chopped dill, baby nasturtium leaves, olive oil or vegan yoghurt or sour cream

1 Place beets in a medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Turn heat down to low and simmer until fork tender all the way through, about 45-60 minutes. Chill beets and their cooking liquid. 2 Once beets are cold, slip off their skins using your hands. Slice and place 3 of the 4 beets (saving one) in a blender with 480ml (16 fl oz) of the cold cooking liquid (or use ice water, or cold veggie stock). Add the half of the chopped onion, 2 garlic cloves, 2 sliced Turkish cucumbers (saving one) salt, pepper, vinegar and about ⅔ of the fresh dill (saving some for garnish). Blend until very smooth. Taste and adjust salt and vinegar. Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve. 3 Prep the garnishes. Finely dice remaining beet, cucumber, avocado and chop the remaining dill. Pour chilled beet soup (the colder it is, the better) into bowls. Top with the garnishes. Drizzle with a little olive oil or a swirl of yoghurt or sour cream if you like. Serve immediately!

Recipe by Sylvia Fountaine, feastingathome.com

Gorgeous gazpacho

Super Green Pea Gazpacho Smoothie with Coconut Yoghurt Serves 2

So much goodness packed into one delicious gazpacho smoothie!

• • • • • •

80g (2.8 oz) frozen peas, defrosted ½ a ripe melon, peeled and cut into cubes Juice of 1 lime A dash of agave 250ml (8.4 fl oz) apple juice 2 tbsp coconut yoghurt (optional)

1 Put all the ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth.

Recipe by Yes Peas!, peas.org

Almond & Grape Gazpacho

• 3 tbsp sherry vinegar • 500ml (17 oz) filtered water • 200g (7 oz) white grapes, seedless

Serves 3-4

Almond and Grape Gazpacho is a refreshing Spanish dish served chilled, great for cleansing the appetite, and it makes a great nourishing pick-me-up. We love this gazpacho for its simplicity and elegance. It has a piquant taste, a melding of sweet and sour.

• 200g (7 oz) almonds, blanched • Bunch of spring onions (5 or 6) • 2 garlic cloves 58

1 Place the almonds, spring onions, garlic, vinegar and water in a liquidiser. Blend until smooth. Season to taste. 2 Place in a serving dish. Cover and chill for a couple of hours. 3 When ready to serve, cut the grapes in half and add to the gazpacho. 4 Serve chilled.

Recipe by Edward Daniel ©, ethivegan.com

Gorgeous gazpacho

Pineapple & Daikon Gazpacho

Recipe by Edward Daniel ©, ethivegan.com

Serves 4-5

A fruity variation that will have you dreaming of summer holidays.

For the gazpacho: • 200g (7 oz) pineapple • 150g (5.3 oz) Daikon (alternatively • • • •

known as mouli) 100ml (3.3 fl oz) filtered water 1 shallot 1 tbsp sherry vinegar Season to taste

For garnishing: • 2-3 radishes • Couple of sprigs of mint 1 Whizz all of the gazpacho ingredients together in a high-speed blender until fine. Season to taste. 2 Transfer the gazpacho to a serving bowl and chill in the fridge for at least a couple of hours. 3 Serve garnished with radishes and mint.

Vegan Eats

Grow Your Own:

potatoes The humble potato is versatile in dishes, filling and delicious! Here’s how to grow them. By Piers Warren

otatoes are easy to grow and easy to store. Even if you only have a small garden you can still grow your own small crop in a bucket, large pot or bag on the patio. There’s nothing like your own new potatoes, straight from soil to pan. Recommended varieties First earlies, fast growing, eat as new potatoes rather than for storage. Red Duke of York: Deep red skinned with yellow flesh, less susceptible to disease than the old and well-known Duke of York, but retaining texture and flavour. Maris Bard: Smooth skin, scrapes well.

Second earlies, can be eaten as new potatoes or left to grow bigger. British Queen: Great flavour, good for roasting. Orla: Smooth white skin, some resistance to scab and blight. Early maincrop, ready for harvest around September. Sante: The most commonly grown variety on organic farms, resistant to eelworm and blight, yellow flesh. Desiree: Great for roasting, red skin and yellow flesh. 60

Late maincrop, take the longest time to grow, good for storage over winter. Linda: Great tasting and stores well. Arran Victory: Eye-catching purple/blue skin and white floury flesh, good yield and blight resistance. Early varieties can be sown as soon as February under cover — in a large pot in the greenhouse for example. Later varieties in a trench in the garden in March and April. They benefit from a good layer of moistureretaining compost at the bottom of the trench. Water well during dry periods. As the leaves show, gradually earth up the shoots to create a mound along the row — the leaves will keep pushing through — this will enable more tubers to form and reduces the chances of any turning green through exposure to the sun. Blight, a disease spread by a fungus, can be a common problem, especially during warm and wet summers. Leaves and stems will turn brown and collapse and eventually the rot will spread to the tubers underground. Remove affected foliage as soon as you notice blight damage and harvest the tubers early. If blight is a common occurrence in your area, grow early varieties and practise crop rotation. There is a web service called Blightwatch

(blightwatch.co.uk) which gives warnings about blight activity — you can subscribe to email alerts for your area. New potatoes can be harvested in May and June as required. For the maincrops, once the foliage has died down at the end of summer, cut the stems off at ground level and remove them, but leave the tubers in the ground for a further week or two. Then carefully dig up the potatoes on a sunny day and leave on the surface to dry for a few hours. Throw away any green potatoes as these are poisonous. Storage: Once dry, the tubers can be stored in boxes or hessian or paper sacks in a dry building in the dark. They should keep in good condition until spring, but check regularly and remove any that are rotting. Piers Warren is the co-author (with his daughter, Ella Bee Glendining) of The Vegan Cook & Gardener: Growing, Storing and Cooking Delicious Healthy Food all Year Round available from tinyurl.com/VONCOOK21

MAKING A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE

It’s in our nature Ethically and sustainably improving the health of the nation, we provide a wide range of market-leading vegan nutritional products. We are driven by our charity work, investing in health and nutritional projects which address issues such as community wellbeing and mental health. Every product purchased is helping us to help others. To see our full range of nutritional supplements www.cytoplan.co.uk

NATURE MEETS SCIENCE

Vegan Special — Alfresco fiesta

How to have the

perfect picnic It’s time to pack the cool bag with tasty vegan food and head out into the great outdoors

Vegan Special — Alfresco fiesta

hink that picnicking is a modern-day activity? Not at all! Around the world, we have been enjoying picnics, in one form or another, for centuries, although they have changed a lot over the years. The word ‘picnic’ fist cropped up in the 1600s, originating from the French word ‘pique-nique’, a term for wealthy gourmands bringing along bottles of wine to restaurants when dining out. The ‘pique-nique’ evolved to highbrow al fresco meals, eventually becoming big in Victorian England for people from all walks of life (littlepotatoes.com). Today, picnics allow us to enjoy great-tasting food amongst nature and our favourite people. They allow a slightly freer dining experience than meals taken up a table and help us to reconnect with the Earth from which our food was grown. But, when picnicking, what do we need to remember and how can we go that extra mile?

Pick the right spot Probably the most important aspect of a picnic, is where you have it. At the beach, in a meadow, on a hill at sunset or in a forest, the options are virtually endless, but there are some things to consider. Ideally, you want somewhere that is scenic — or else you might as well stay at home. Though there is nothing wrong with a humble picnic in your own back garden! Aim for somewhere that is lush and grassy or with soft sand, so that the ground is not uncomfortable to sit on, and make sure there is some shade in case it gets too hot — under a tree is great. Base your spot on what kind of experience you want. For a quiet, romantic picnic, it’s probably best to avoid a busy beach filled with excited children — a forest or meadow is perfect, complete with birdsong and the gentle sounds of wildlife. If you are taking along your kids, you will probably want to make sure there is enough space for them to run around safely, but not so much that The Range you lose them — a local park Blue Pop-Up Gazebo, 3x3m is ideal. £69.99, therange.co.uk Most importantly — make sure you have a rainy-day location or shelter lined up, just in case the rain prevails. Pop-up gazebos are perfect if you need some quick-to-setup shelter. For our favourite places to picnic in the UK, check out p68.

plates and cutlery. There are also lots of insulated picnic bags made from recycled materials, so choose the one that’s right for you. Pack your basket in reverse order so that it is easy to get to the items, drinks or food you want when you arrive at your picnic destination. Place nonperishable foods at the bottom, then perishables like salads above those, with Elephant Box serving items and tableware The Original, 2 litres on top — and remember to £31, elephantbox.co.uk intersperse ice packs for fresh chilled items. Avoid using plastic bags to store food in. Companies like Elephant Box (elephantbox.co.uk), Huski Home (huskihome.com) and Chilly’s Bottles (chillysbottles.com) make tonnes of reusable food storage containers.

Remember something to sit on There’s always that person who attends the picnic without a blanket or chair and forces you to make space for them on your own — don’t be them. Vegan Haven Take along a comfy throw Oxford Tabby Blanket or blanket that’s got enough £45, veganhavenco.uk cushioning, but that’s also machine-washable in case of grass or food stains. Bring along a pillow or two for extra comfort and for afterfood naps. If you have a bad back or the floor is just not for you, an upright camping chair is another easy-to-bring seating option.

Pack an impressive spread Obviously, the other crucial part of a picnic is the food, so make sure it is delicious, won’t go off and is easy to transport and eat outside. Finger food is great as it can be picked at throughout the day — think mini sandwiches, snack pots of fruit, crisps, vegan sausage rolls and mini cakes. Salads and crudites are also wonderful, enjoyed sitting in the sun. Head to our picnic recipe and product pages for inspiration! It’s wise to estimate how much food your group will actually eat before you make or buy it to avoid leftovers and waste. Note down who will be attending and what you are planning to take, and coordinate with other attendees to make sure you don’t bring the same thing. Be mindful of what you pack your food and eating utensils into — wicker baskets are charming and usually eco-friendly but are not always the most practical option. If you want to opt for the wicker basket aesthetic though, use one that has a sturdy handle and insulated compartments for food — some even come with reusable 63

Vegan Special — Alfresco fiesta

Provide entertainment

Create ambiance Make sure there are good vibes at your picnic — with a music playlist that creates the type of atmosphere you want, be that laid-back and chilled or playful and merry. Make your own playlist for the day and take along some speakers — but be mindful of noise; if your group is sharing a space with other people, be considerate that they may not want to listen to your music. If you’re in a secluded field away from others, then — within reason — music should be fine to play, just not so loud that it disturbs nearby wildlife. TRIDNT If your picnic is scheduled 10 Solar Eureka Vintage Bulb for or continues past sundown, Fairy String Lights create ambiance by taking £21.99, etsy.com along battery-powered fairy lights or solar lights (also remember to take torches!). Softly glowing string lights are perfect for adding romance to the evening. If you do take solar lights though, remember to allow them to charge in the sunlight before use.

Remember eating and drinking utensils It’s easy to forget things like knives, forks, spoons, bowls, plates and cups — so if you’re in charge of the picnic, make sure to take along enough for everyone to use. Don’t opt for paper or plastic cutlery — take along those from your own home, or on-the-go reusable bamboo sets. If you’re taking wine or glass bottles, remember a corkscrew Wild & Stone and bottle opener, as well as Reusable Bamboo Picnic wine glass and cup holders to Cutlery Set, 8 Pieces avoid spillages. £10.50, wildandstone.com Napkins and kitchen roll are important, too — there are loads of reusable cotton, linen and hemp napkins and towels that are great at mopping up food and spillages. A few bottles of sanitiser are also recommended when exploring the great outdoors! 64

Picnics are not just for eating! They are a chance to have fun with friends and explore the beautiful outdoors. After you’ve eaten, why not indulge in some outdoor games? Sports like badminton, football, frisbee or rounders can be played almost anywhere, so consider how much space you have and what your group might enjoy. RSPB Things like giant Jenga, Pocket Guide to British Birds Twister or French boules are £6.99, shopping.rspb.org.uk also lots of fun in the sunshine and require little setting up. Nature enthusiasts will love hiking, birdwatching, wildlife spotting or even foraging, so make sure that your location is suitable and plan ahead. If you want to go bird or wildlife spotting, remember to take along a pair of binoculars and a guidebook!

Leave your picnic area as you found it At the end of your picnic, make sure you pick up litter and clean up after yourselves. Take along a bag or two for collecting rubbish, and don’t leave anything behind. Pick up any dropped food so that animals do not eat it — as it may not be good for them. Respect the environment that hosted you, so that others can enjoy it too, and so that any wildlife that lives in the area can remain undisturbed and unharmed.

Ecozone Biodegradable Bin Liners, 90 litres £6.99, ethicalsuperstore.com

Vegan Special — Alfresco fiesta

Preplikeaapicnic pro Our favourite vegan goodies to add to your basket Before you head out on your alfresco adventure, make sure to pick up a few of the below items — they are certain to help you to enjoy your day!

CRACKD CRACKD The No-Egg Egg CRACKD The No-Egg Egg, the UK’s first liquid egg-replacement, is perfect for making egg sandwiches and mini quiches. Recently, it became available in Morrisons for the first time ever! £3.99, crackd.com

Think Wine Group Think Pink Sparkling Rosé, 11% ABV Add some bubbles, with a bottle of Think Pink Pinot Grigio Sparkling Rosé. It’s vegan, low-sugar and low-calories, and contains zero carbs! 75cl £21, thinkwinegroup.co.uk

Holy Moly Guacamole Original Holy Moly Guacamole is lovingly hand prepared in rural Mexico on a family-owned orchard, using sun-ripened avocados. There’s no dairy, gluten, added sugar or preservatives, just wholesome ingredients you’d use at home. £2.50, holymolydips.com

Wicked Kitchen Pesto Pasta Salad Bowl Tasty pasta with spinach, sunflower seeds, pine nuts and chickpeas in a zingy pesto dressing. £3, tesco.com

Cake or Death Sea Salt Letterbox Brownies Make No Bones Vegan Brioche Buns Four fluffy vegan buns for BBQ’s and lunches! £1.30, waitrose.com 66

Order a batch of these to arrive in time for your picnic… you won’t be disappointed. Gooey and decadent, every mouthful is divine. From £17, cakeordeath.co.uk

Vegan Special — Alfresco fiesta

OGGS Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes These are perfect to share out at a picnic — if you can stop yourself from scoffing them all! £3.95, loveoggs.com

Bute Island Sheese Mild Cheddar Style Slices

Banhoek Chilli Oil

Sheese Mild Cheddar Style Slices are a vegan and kosher-friendly, medium strength alternative to cheese made with coconut oil. They’re delightful in a sandwich! £2.65, buteisland.com

Great Taste award winning artisan chilli oil handcrafted in small batches in South Africa. Just two ingredients, the highest quality rapeseed oil and Thai Birdseye chilli’s. £8.50, banhoekchillioil.co.uk

Karma Drinks Lemony Lemonade

Meatless Farm Plant-Based Sausage Roll

A deliciously zingy lemonade made from organic fruits and Fairtrade organic cane sugar. 24 bottles for £28, shop.karmacola.co.uk

Meatless Farm’s first ever sausage roll uses a range of plant proteins to create a meaty, succulent texture and taste that is delicately wrapped in puff pastry, delicious either hot or cold. £1.50, meatlessfarm.com

Fairfields Farm Sea Salt & Black Pepper Crisps These moreish hand-cooked crisps are made using renewable energy! They come in individual and share bags. 24 x 40g bags £18, fairfieldsfarmcrisps.co.uk

Squeaky Bean Chargrilled Cajun Mini Fillets Ready to eat, these Chargrilled Cajun Mini Fillets are delicious in rolls and salads. £2.75, sainsburys.co.uk

The Tofoo Co. Tofoo Falafel Take a culinary adventure to the Middle East with the first-of-its-kind Tofu Falafel! It’s amazing dipped into houmous. £2.50, tofoo.co.uk 67

Vegan Special — Alfresco fiesta

UK picnic hotspots Your friends are gathered and your food is packed, but where is the best place to go? n the UK, we are spoilt for choice when it comes to beautiful picnic spots; sometimes it can be difficult to know where is the best place to go. Next time you plan a picnic, head to one of these gorgeous destinations for a day out to remember. There is something for everyone — whether you enjoy city views, beaches or woodlands!

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On the coast at Durdle Door, Dorset, England — postcode: BH20 5PU

Next to a loch at Loch Lomond, Rowardennan, Scotland — postcode: G63 0AR

Dorset’s Durdle Door, near Lulworth Cover, is well-known for good reason. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is a geography-lover’s paradise — with a breath-taking natural limestone arch, that was formed over 10,000 years ago, eroded by waves opening out a fault line in the rock. Whether you want to picnic on the beach right next to the awestriking landmark, or stay on the headland that overlooks it, this area of the Jurassic coastline is a wonderful and easily accessible place to enjoy a day out with family or friends.

Set within the spectacular Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park is the tranquil Loch Lomond. The lake is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Scotland, nestled beneath the magnificent Ben Lomond mountain. Head to the small rural community of Rowardennan, at the foot of the mountain, where you can picnic beside the loch and even take a dip. Head to the hills for walks around the area with varying difficulties.

Vegan Special — Alfresco fiesta

In the forest at Rendlesham, Suffolk, England — postcode: IP12 3NF Rendlesham Forest in Suffolk is situated in an Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty. With trees that stretch for miles in all directions, it’s the perfect place to get lost in nature. The forest is a delight to discover by bike or foot, so take your picnic with you in a rucksack and find the perfect spot beneath the trees. There is even a UFO trail that celebrates the forest’s famous UFO sighting that took place back in December 1980.

With a city-view at Bathwick Hill, Bath, England — postcode: BA2 6EN On the riverside at Dedham Vale, Essex, England — postcode: CO7 6DH The Dedham Vale Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty is renowned for its gorgeous picnic spots and riverside walks. Also known as Constable Country, Dedham Vale was loved by famous landscape painter, John Constable, and inspired many of his artworks. Find the perfect spot next to the River Stour, and after eating, there are plenty of footpaths to explore and vistas to take in.

In a park at Greenwich Park Flower Garden, London, England — postcode: SE10 8XH If you live in London, finding a quiet picnic spot can be a challenge in the summer — but you can escape the crowds if you head to the top of this park to picnic in its beautifully calm flower garden. Enjoy vegan delights sitting underneath a towering cedar tree, surrounded by spectacular spring and summer blooms. The Flower Garden is a favourite spot for parents with young children, due to its floral displays and the potential to spot deer — wander through the woodland and you might spot the small herd of red and fallow deer, but remember to keep back and give them space to be.

Bathwick Hill is the perfect spot for admiring the historic city of Bath from above. You can get there in various ways, but the most popular is via the Bath Skyline Walk — three or six miles, depending on which trail you take. Both routes take you through grand old streets, public gardens, along the canal and onto Bathwick Fields. At the top, there is a harmony between countryside and city that will invigorate your appetite — although the hike will do that too!

On the marshes at Tollesbury, Essex, England — postcode: CM9 8SB In castle ruins at Carreg Cennen Castle, Carmarthenshire, Wales — postcode: SA19 6UA Built at the end of the 13th century, the ruins of Carreg Cennen casts a dramatic silhouette against wild, open countryside. The castle is perched atop a limestone crag nearly 300ft/90m above the Rover Cennen, and it dominates the skyline for miles around — commanding all to cast their eyes towards it. With intense views and a rich history, the castle and surrounding area are perfect for those who want a quiet and romantic picnic.

Nature lovers will adore a picnic among the saltmarshes and pebbled beaches of Tollesbury — the historic maritime village is abundant in walks and wildlife. The area spans 600 acres of rough pasture, borrowdykes, sea walls, wet flushes, pools and saltmarsh, where vole, pygmy shrew, marsh harriers, reed warblers, butterflies and dragonflies live. Find a spot on the seawall to take in the expansive views around the Blackwater, and enjoy an afternoon with Mother Earth.

o c s e r f l A fiesta Summer is here! And that means picnics galore, as well as alfresco dining. To help you to enjoy your next outdoor eating adventure, we’ve brought you a selection of fabulous finger food and tasty treats to make ahead.

Cover Recipe

Alfresco fiesta

Alfresco party spread Serves around 6 people

These dishes make up the ultimate summer fiesta spread for enjoying in the sunshine. You can make most of it ahead of time to take along to a picnic or cook at your next garden dinner party! All of this is great served with a side of BBQ sweetcorn, and your favourite vegan sausages in a roll. Why not even try grilling some bananas on the BBQ (simply slice in half lengthways with their skins still on, and grill for a couple of mins until caramelised)?

Grilled Supergreen Salad Serves 6 as part of a meal

This pretty, charred green salad makes a stunning centrepiece. The griddled vegetables give a lovely smoky edge to the dish which is enhanced by the sweet acidity of the balsamic glaze.

• • • • • • •

2 courgettes, sliced lengthwise into thick strips 1 bunch large spring onions, washed but left whole 2 avocados (slightly firm is best), sliced thickly 1 large butterhead lettuce, leaves separated and washed 3 tbsp balsamic glaze Olive oil, a little for brushing Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

1 Preheat a griddle pan or BBQ grill to very hot. Brush the courgette and avocado slices and the spring onions with oil and cook until charred on both sides. Set aside to cool slightly and season well. 2 Arrange the lettuce leaves on a serving platter. Add the griddled vegetables on top of the lettuce. Drizzle over the balsamic vinegar and any juices from the griddle pan. Serve immediately.

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Salad Serves 6 as part of a meal

Everyone will love this smoky, gluten-free pasta salad, which uses mostly store cupboard ingredients. Serve warm or cold!

• • • • • • • •

250g (8.8 oz) gluten-free pasta (we used chickpea penne) 2 large roasted red peppers, from a jar 1 clove garlic, peeled 6 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp smoked paprika 250g (8.8 oz) tinned or frozen sweetcorn, defrosted if frozen 1 small bunch spring onions, trimmed and sliced Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

1 Cook the pasta according to the package instructions or until al dente and drain well.

2 Add the peppers to a food processor with the garlic, olive oil, paprika and seasoning. Whizz to make a puree and taste to check the seasoning. 3 Mix the pepper sauce with the pasta, sweetcorn and most of the sliced spring onions. 4 To serve, place in a large bowl or on a serving platter and sprinkle over the remaining spring onions. Dust with a little paprika, if you like.

Top Tip:This can be made up to 4 days in advance if covered and stored in the fridge until needed. Perfect to help you get ahead for a picnic or BBQ party. 71

3 4

Five Spice Tofu Skewers Makes 6

An essential healthy addition to any BBQ or griddle pan, these tasty, veg packed kebabs will have everyone wanting more!

For the marinade: • 400g (14.1 oz) block extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cut • • • • • • • •

into 2cm cubes 60g (2.1 oz) natural peanut butter 60ml (2.1 fl oz) tamari 2 tsp Chinese five spice 2 tsp garlic powder 2 tsp maple syrup 2 tsp rice wine vinegar 1 lime, juice only 1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)

For the skewers: • 1 large yellow pepper, deseeded and cut into large chunks • 100g mushrooms, halved • 1 large red onion, peeled and cut into large chunks • 100g cherry tomatoes, whole • 1 courgette, trimmed and cut into large chunks • Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Fruit & Nut Coleslaw

Serves 4

A punchy coleslaw for enjoying with fresh salad, burgers, and sandwiches.

• 1 small white cabbage, • • • • • • • • •

1 Mix together all the marinade ingredients in a shallow dish and add the tofu cubes. Mix well until evenly coated with the marinade on all sides. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or ideally overnight. 2 When ready to cook, preheat your BBQ or griddle pan until hot. Thread the tofu and vegetable chunks onto skewers, alternating the ingredients as you go, until everything has been used. 3 Grill the tofu skewers, turning often, until lightly charred. Brush the kebabs with any remaining marinade as you go. 72

•

core removed and the leaves finely shredded 70g (2.4 oz) whole almonds, roughly chopped 90g (3.1 oz) sultanas 1 large red onion, peeled and finely sliced 120ml (4 fl oz) mild olive oil 120ml (4 fl oz) sunflower oil 120ml (4 fl oz) unsweetened soya milk 1 tsp sea salt 1 small garlic clove, peeled (optional) 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 Place the sliced vegetables in a large bowl and mix to combine. 2 Place all the rest of the ingredients into a blender and pulse until combined and thick. A hand blender also works well for this.

3 Add the dressing to the vegetables and mix everything together until will coated. Taste to check the seasoning and adjust if necessary.

Top Tip: This keeps well, covered, in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Alfresco fiesta

Homemade Fluffy Burger Buns Makes 6-8

These super simple, light and fluffy buns will mean you never want to buy store-bought ones again. Add in activated charcoal powder to create a striking black colour.

• • • • • • • • • •

385g (13.5 oz) strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting 1 tbsp fast action yeast 1 tbsp caster sugar 2 tsp sea salt flakes 2 tbsp butter, melted 60ml (2fl oz) aquafaba, plus 1 tbsp for glazing 300ml (10.1 fl oz) tepid water 1 tbsp activated charcoal powder (optional) Olive oil, a little for greasing Black or white sesame seeds, for topping

1 Measure the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the sugar, yeast, salt and activated charcoal, if using. Mix well. 2 Mix together the melted butter, aquafaba and water and add to the flour. 3 Mix the liquid into the flour with your hands, bringing everything together into a rough ball of dough. 4 Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. 5 Make a ball with the dough and coat it with a little olive oil. Return to the bowl, cover with cling film or a damp tea towel and leave to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size. 6 Once risen, remove the dough from the bowl and place on a floured surface. Knock the air out of the dough and knead again for a few seconds. 7 Divide the dough into 6-8 equal portions and roll each into a ball. Arrange the buns in a baking tin, 1-2cms apart. 8 Brush the tops of the buns with the remaining aquafaba and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise for a further 5-10 minutes. Preheat your oven to 200°C (Gas Mark 6, 400°F). 9 When the oven is hot and your dough has risen, transfer the tin to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly before serving, or store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Top Tip:Freeze the cooled, well wrapped buns for up to 3 months.

Cajun Mushroom & Black Bean Burgers

Makes 4

Zingy burgers for enjoying straight off the BBQ or packed into a roll and taken along to your next picnic.

For the burgers: • 1 tbsp olive oil • 3 large flat mushrooms, finely chopped • 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed • 1-2 tsp Cajun seasoning blend • 1 tsp sea salt flakes • 1 x 400g (14.1 oz) tin black beans, drained • 75g (2.6 oz) brown rice flour (We used Indigo Nutrition) • 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped To serve: • 4 large burger buns, split and lightly toasted • Lettuce • Tomato • Fresh or fried onions • Egg-free mayo or your favourite sauces • Pickled jalapeños

Defrost and toast before serving.

1 Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the chopped mushrooms, onions and garlic. Fry gently until starting to soften.

2 Add the salt and Cajun spices and continue to cook until all the excess water from the mushrooms has evaporated.

3 Roughly mash the black beans and add these to the mushroom mixture with all the remaining burger ingredients. Mix well with your hands until everything is combined. 4 Shape the mixture into 4 patties and chill until needed. 5 When ready to cook, transfer to the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until browned and piping hot. 6 Serve in buns, with some lettuce, tomato and onions and all your favourite sauces.

Top Tip:To get ahead, these burgers will keep for 5 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer. Simply wrap the unbaked patties in foil. Cook in the oven as above to serve, adding 5 minutes to the cooking time. Check the burgers are piping hot before serving. 73

Summer Corn Salad With Chive Sheese Dressing Serves 2

The sweetness of the corn with the cheesy Sheese dressing work wonders here. Make sure you serve this at your next alfresco dinner!

• 4 ears corn on the cob, cooked • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved 74

• 1 large shallot, diced • 2 avocados, pitted and cut into • • • •

½ inch cubes 2 tsp fresh lemon juice 1 tbsp fresh dill 1 tbsp fresh chives Salt and pepper

For the chive Sheese dressing: • ⅓ cup Chive Sheese Spread • 2 tsp fresh lemon juice • 2 tbsp almond or oat milk 1 In a small bowl prepare the dressing by

stirring together Sheese Spread, lemon juice, and almond or oat milk. Set aside. 2 Carefully cut corn kernels off the cob into a large bowl. Add cherry tomatoes and shallots, then carefully toss with avocados. Add lemon juice, dill, chives, and salt and pepper to taste. 3 Divide into bowls and drizzle with Sheese dressing. Sprinkle additional herbs on top before serving, if desired.

Recipe by Bute Island, buteisland.com

Alfresco fiesta

Massaged Kale Avocado Salad Serves 4

This is the perfect dish to enjoy in the summer sunshine. Healthy and delicious, the kale is more tender and less bitter than usual when massaged with avocado, lemon juice, and nutritional yeast.

• 1 bunch kale, cut out the stems or just tear pieces away from the stem 1 avocado 1 lemon 15g (0.5 oz) nutritional yeast A few spritzes Braggs Liquid Amino Acids • Sliced strawberries, optional

• • • •

1 Rinse and cut kale into bite sized pieces. 2 Put into a large bowl. 3 Add avocado, lemon, nutritional yeast, and Braggs. 4 Massage into kale until kale leaves are soft. 5 Serve with sliced strawberries if desired. Recipe from Plant Based Cooking Made Easy by Jill and Jeffrey Dalton (Published by Hatherleigh Press, Ltd. Available at Amazon UK).

Smoky Pepper, Cashew & Chilli Dip Makes approx. 4 servings

This smoky dip tastes amazing and makes the perfect addition to any picnic spread.

• • • • • • • •

1 large pepper (capsicum) 75g (2.6 oz) raw cashews 60ml (2 fl oz) olive oil 2 small garlic cloves 1 tsp salt 1 tsp crushed chilli ½ tsp smoked paprika Squeeze of lemon juice

1 Cut the pepper in half and deseed it. 2 Lay it face down, skin-up on a baking tray and bake for 40 minutes at 185°C/365°F/ Gas 4. 3 When it’s cooled, peel off the skin. 4 In a food processor, place all ingredients and blitz. 5 Serve with some thyme leaves, vegan feta and Turkish bread.

Recipe by Katie White, olivewoodvegan.com, @olivewoodvegan.

Chilli Lime ‘Chicken’ Tacos Makes 2 tacos Make these delightfully zingy tacos for your next picnic or outdoor dinner party, and you are sure to wow all who try them!

• ½ red bell pepper, chopped into small chunks

• 1 tbsp Banhoek Chilli Oil • 2 spring onions, chopped • 100g (3.5 oz) vegan Quorn pieces • • • •

(or another chicken substitute) ½ tsp onion granules ½ tsp garlic granules ¼ tsp paprika ¼ tsp black pepper

Recipe by Shannon Michelle Skinner for Banhoek Chilli Oil, @veganshannon, shannonmichelle.co.uk

• • • •

Pinch of salt Juice of ½ a lime 2 mini tortilla wraps Small handful of rocket or other salad leaves, optional

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Chop up the red bell pepper and spring onions. 2 In a medium-sized frying pan, add the chilli oil. Place the pan on medium heat and throw in the veggies and the vegan chicken. 3 Allow everything to cook for around 5 minutes before adding the dried onion granules, dried garlic granules, paprika, salt and pepper. Stir everything so that the flavours coat everything. Squeeze the juice of half a lime into the pan and stir everything once again. Keep on low heat

for a further 5 minutes. 4 Warm up the tortilla wraps in the oven and allow them to crisp for around 4-5 minutes. To keep them in a taco shape, we turned a cupcake tray upside down and placed the tortillas in between the gaps of the cupcake tin. This will hold the shape of the taco. 5 Once the tortillas have crisped slightly, remove them from the oven and place them on a plate. Add the rocket/salad leaves to the tortillas. By this time everything else should be cooked so remove the pan from the heat and serve up the chilli lime ‘chicken’ and veggies into each tortilla shell. Top with your favourite vegan mayonnaise or salsa!

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Top Tip: For a colourful variety of the Pickled Turnips, swap the beetroot for a tiny pinch of saffron and you'll get stunning yellow pickled turnips!

Oumph! Kebab Loaded Flatbreads With Pickled Turnips Serves 2-4

A unique blend of herbs and spices give a plant-powered kick to the award-winning Oumph! Kebab Spiced strips. This Middle Eastern inspired recipe takes Oumph! to the next level — full of colour and bursting with flavour.

• • • • • • • •

1 packet (280g) Oumph! Kebab Spiced 4 plant-based flatbreads ½ red cabbage finely sliced 1 bell pepper, sliced A squeeze of lemon juice 1 white onion, finely sliced A pinch of sumac A pinch of sea salt

• Plant-based cooking oil, for frying • Turkish peppers, to serve • Pickled turnips, to serve (see recipe) 1 Lightly dress the cabbage with a pinch of salt and squeeze of lemon juice. Mix and set aside. 2 Lightly dress the sliced onions with a pinch of sumac and salt and set aside. 3 Fry the Oumph! Kebab Spiced in oil in a hot pan until it turns a nice colour, add 50 ml of water and bring to a simmer until most of the water is absorbed/evaporated. Add a squeeze of lemon then cook for a minute more. 4 Lightly dry fry the flatbreads to make them a bit more pliable. 5 Load up your flatbreads with cabbage, Oumph!, onions, peppers and pickled turnips. Enjoy!

Top Tip:Oumph! Kebab Spiced is available at Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Morrisons, Iceland and Ocado.

Pickled Turnips • • • • • •

4 small turnips, about 400g 2 small raw beetroots 1 tsp dried chili flakes 250ml white wine vinegar 100g caster sugar 2 tsp sea salt

1 Peel the turnips and beets then cut in half and into thin wedges. Put the veg in one large or two smaller sterilised jars. 2 Put the chili flakes, vinegar, sugar and sea salt in a pan with 250 ml water. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. 3 Pour the liquid over the veg then leave to cool. Seal the jars then leave in a cool dark place for a week. Once opened, the pickles will keep in the fridge for 2-3 weeks. Recipe and photography by Scott Ball @scottcaneat for Oumph!, oumph.uk, @eat_oumph

Alfresco fiesta

Vegan Buffalo 'Chicken' Burger With Zesty Slaw Serves 2

This fiery burger is the perfect fake-away! It can be cooked on an indoor grill or out on the BBQ. It's best enjoyed in a sunny garden — or around the fire with good friends and a beer — but this crispy treat can bring the heat indoors too!

• 1 Pack of LikeMeat Breaded Chicken or Like Schnitzel (2 in a pack)

• 2 burger buns (to make the dish gluten-

For the buffalo hot sauce: • 4 tbsp hot sauce, sriracha works great — • • • •

but any smooth hot sauce will work 3 tbsp plant-based butter 1 clove garlic — very finely minced ½ tsp vinegar Salt to taste

For the zesty slaw: • 1 medium carrot — grated • 200g (7oz) red summer cabbage — • • • • •

finely sliced 1 tbsp plant-based aioli Zest of 1 lime Juice from ½ lime ½ tsp sugar Salt to taste

free, use gluten-free bread)

• Plant-based aioli • Chopped salad

1 To make the buffalo hot sauce, slowly melt the plant-based butter in a pot, once melted

— but not browned — remove from heat and whisk in the remaining ingredients. Have a taste and season with salt if needed. 2 For the slaw, mix your grated carrot and sliced cabbage with sugar, pinch of salt, lime zest and lime juice. Use your hands to massage the veggies and soften them op a bit, before adding aioli and giving it a mix. 3 Grill or fry the Like Schnitzel/Like Breaded Chicken for a few minutes on each side. Toast your buns and assemble your burgers, with aioli on both buns, salad, Like Shcnitzel, zesty slaw, and pour over plenty of buffalo hot sauce before finishing with the top bun. 4 Serve with homemade fries, or as part of a BBQ feast! Recipe by Line Tscherning for LikeMeat, likemeat.com/uk, @likemeat_int. Photography by Rasmus Bundgaard.

Top Tip: The Like Breaded Chicken from LikeMeat is sold frozen in Iceland and Ocado, and you'll find it by its other name — Like Schnitzel — in the chilled isle in Tesco.

Coconut Chilli Lime Strip Kebabs with Toasted Coconut & Fresh Lime Serves 4

• Juice of 2 limes, keep a little aside • • • • • •

for serving 60ml (2 fl oz) apple cider vinegar 60ml (2 fl oz) maple syrup 3 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tsp grated fresh ginger 1 red chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

This delightful summer recipe is perfect for lazy afternoons in the garden. This recipe uses Fry’s chicken-style strips (available in Tesco and Sainsbury’s) or chunky strips (available at Morrisons).

For the skewers: • 1 x 380g box Fry’s chicken-style or Fry’s

• 8 wooden skewers, soaked in cold water

To serve: • 35g (1.2 oz) toasted coconut flakes • ½ tsp dried chilli flakes (optional)

overnight or soaked in boiling water for 15 minutes

For the coconut lime marinade: • 100ml (3.3 fl oz) soy sauce • 150ml (5 fl oz) coconut milk 80

chunky strips, slightly defrosted

• 1 red pepper, sliced into thick strips • 1 red onion, sliced into thick strips

1 Begin with the marinade. Place all the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and blitz together until

combined. Set aside. 2 For the chicken-style or chunky strips, thread the strips onto wooden skewers, alternating with slices of red pepper and red onion. 3 Pour over the marinade and leave to marinate for 15-20 minutes (or overnight if possible). 4 Heat the braai (or BBQ) to a medium-high heat and grill for 5-8 min, turning often. 5 Remove from the heat and immediately sprinkle with the lime juice that was set aside. 6 To serve, sprinkle over the coconut and chilli flakes.

Recipe by Fry’s Family Food, fryfamilyfood.com

Alfresco fiesta

Dairy-Free Chocolate Mousse Makes approx. 6

Delicious pots of chocolatey joy that are perfect for an alfresco feast. Just make sure not to leave them in the sun — although we’re betting on them being eaten as soon as your guests arrive!

1 Crush pack of bourbon biscuits and mix with melted spread in bowl. 2 Spoon mixture into around 6 ramekins. 3 Carefully melt the Moo Free chocolate. 4 Once melted, whisk the coconut milk and stir in the melted Moo Free chocolate. 5 Add the coconut mixture on top of the biscuit mixture, for added decoration (if you have leftover Moo Free chocolate) grate some on top of the mixture. 6 Put in fridge to set.

• 200g (7oz) Moo Free Baking Drops (available from Tesco, but you can substitute Choccy Buttons or Mini Moo Original Bars if you don't have a Tesco store near you.) • 1 x pack of gluten-free bourbon biscuits • 3 tbsp free-from spread • 400ml (13.5 fl oz) coconut milk

Recipe by Rachael and Nick Hopkins for Moo Free, moofreechocolates.com

Almond, Tahini, Raspberry Heart Biscuits Serves 4

These biscuits combine some fantastic ingredients — ground almonds, tahini, sticky sweet raspberry jam and a little white miso into the mix which adds depth of flavour. But don’t worry if you don’t have any miso — just add some nut butter instead.

• • • • •

200g (7 oz) ground almonds 3 tbsp tahini 2 tbsp maple syrup 6 medjool dates pitted 1 tbsp white miso — If you don’t have any add 1 tbsp peanut butter • 2 tbsp buckwheat flour • Pinch sea salt flakes — optional • 4 tbsp raspberry jam

1 Preheat oven to 180°C/355°F/Gas 4. 2 Line baking tray with baking paper. 3 Add all the ingredients (except the jam) to a food processor and blitz to combine. 4 Scoop up the mix, squeeze together to combine and roll into a ball then roll out with a rolling pin. 5 Using heart shaped cookie cutters — cut out 8 large hearts and then smaller ones out of the centre of 4 of the hearts. 6 With a pallet knife carefully place the hearts on a lined baking tray. Remove the smaller hearts and place on the tray separately. 7 Bake for 15 minutes, allow to cool before spreading jam over the solid heart. Place the heart with a hole over the top.

Recipe by Niki Webster, Rebel Recipes (Bloomsbury) and Be More Vegan (Welbeck) — cookbooks out now. For more recipe inspiration visit rebelrecipes.com.

Alfresco fiesta

CRACKD No-EggEgg Vegan Lemon Drizzle Cake

Top Tip We used:

Serves 10

A delightfully summery and delicious cake for enjoying in the sunshine, made with the innovative CRACKD No-Egg-Egg.

For the cake: • 60ml (2 fl oz) CRACKD No-Egg-Egg • 160ml (5.4 fl oz) soya or other • • • • • •

plant-based milk 200g (7oz) caster sugar 75ml (2.5 fl oz) rapeseed oil Juice of ½ a lemon Zest of 1 lemon 250g (8.8 oz) self-raising flour 1 tsp baking powder

To decorate: • 2 tbsp caster sugar • Juice of 2 lemons • 200g (7oz) icing sugar 1 Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas 3. 2 Combine the sugar, rapeseed oil and lemon juice and zest and whisk until creamy, 3 In a separate bowl, whisk the CRACKD No-Egg-Egg and plant milk together until frothy. 4 Pour the CRACKD/milk mixture into the sugar/oil and whisk well until smooth 5 Sieve the flour and baking powder into the other ingredients and whisk on a slow speed until all the ingredients are just combined and smooth. 6 Line a 900g (2lb) loaf tin with a loaf tin liner and pour the mixture into the tin. 7 Place in the centre of the oven and cook for 35-45 minutes until golden brown, test if the cake is cooked by inserting a metal skewer into the cake, if it comes out clean it’s ready if not return for 5 minutes and test again. 8 Remove the cake from the oven but while still in the tin, mix together the 2 tbsp of caster sugar with 1 tbsp of the lemon juice. Poke several holes in the top of the cake with a skewer and spoon the lemon mix over the top. 9 Allow to cool in the tin and when cold remove from the tin and take off the liner. 10 Place the icing sugar in a bowl with ½ the remaining lemon juice, add more juice as required until a thick drizzle forms and spoon over the top of the cake allowing it to run unevenly over the sides. Don’t worry if it seems wet, it will go hard as the lemon juice dries out. 11 Cut into slices and serve. Recipe by CRACKD, crackd.com

Vegan Eats

Picnic

drinks

Pack your cool box full of ice and these tasty tipples By Oliver Coningham

s the weather warms up and we spend less time indoors, our time spent eating and drinking also moves outside. Picnics in the park, barbecues on the beach and beers on the balcony. Whether it’s under the shade of trees or in full sun with sand between your toes, it’s the season for alfresco dining and drinking! This month we’ve put together an eclectic range of drinks 84

for you to enjoy outside, surrounded by the elements. From an incredible tasting, low-alcohol Pale Ale to an English rosé wine spritzer born out of an urban vineyard on an allotment Find out more about vegan food and drink on the forkandcarrot.com website or follow Oliver Coningham on Instagram and Twitter @forkandcarrot.

Vegan Eats

Pale Ale (0.5%) — Another Dimension Brewing Company £10 for 10 x 330ml, anotherdimension.uk Another Dimension Brew Co was formed in Brighton in 2019 to create a range of fullflavoured, low alcohol beers that are 100 per cent suitable for vegans. The sweetness and strong carbonation usually found in alcoholfree beers have been dialled down, allowing the juicy, tropical hops and mouthwateringly bitter finish to come through. Another Dimension Brewing Company is veganowned and all their beers are vegan-friendly.

English Rosé Wine Spritzer (5.5%) — Nania’s Vineyard £24 for 6 x 250ml, naniasvineyard.co.uk Nania’s Vineyard came into being from a small urban vineyard on an allotment in central Bristol. For their first product, they’ve produced a rosé spritzer made from English Rondo grapes grown on a little vineyard in sunny Essex. Light and refreshing, it exudes summer with the aroma and taste of vibrant summer fruits. Suitable for vegans.

Pale Ale (3.7%) — Cloudwater Brew Co £3 for 440ml, tesco.com Cloudwater Brew Co is highly revered as one of the finest breweries in the country. They have recently had several products listed in Tesco featuring a collaboration pack designed to promote and deliver needed changes to both the industry and wider society. Alongside the collaboration pack, there are four brand new beers including this Pale Ale. All Cloudwater beers always have been, and always will be 100 per cent vegan.

Spice 94 & Grapefruit Tonic — Seedlip £2 for 250ml, sainsburys.co.uk Inspired by 17th-century alcoholic and nonalcoholic remedies documented in The Art of Distillation, which was first published in England in 1651, Seedlip drinks are designed to be enjoyed anytime, anywhere. Seedlip Grove 94 is mixed with zesty Grapefruit Tonic to create an elegant non-alcoholic botanical drink. Seedlip is vegan-friendly; they do not use any animal derivatives in their production and distillation processes.

Sundial (4.5%) — Yonder Brewing & Blending £4.50 for 440ml, brewyonder.co.uk Based in the Mendip Hills of Somerset, Yonder is a modern farmhouse brewery with a passion for foraging, flavour and fermentation. Brewed in collaboration with Donzoko Brewing Company, Sundial is a Helles-style lager made with Somerset nettles which creates a similar herbal flavour to some of the more traditional hop varieties. The majority of beers from Yonder Brewing & Blending are vegan-friendly. The odd exception will indicate any non-vegan ingredients.

Galipette Cidre Brut (4.5%) — Galipette Cidre £2.10 for 500ml, waitrose.com Made from 100 per cent fermented apple juice, only the finest French cider apples are used by Galipette Cidre to keep the natural taste, aroma and colour. The cider is produced following traditions of the Northwest of France that date back centuries. Galipette Cidre Brut is a dry cider with intense flavours of ripe apples and earthy fruit tannins. Naturally gluten-free and vegan-friendly.

Vegan Lifestyle

Will’s Vegan Shoes Classic 3.5cm Belt A beautiful, buckled belt, handmade with Italian vegan plant-leather and bio-oils; this is the perfect gift for a stylish dad. £37, wills-vegan-shoes.com

Toast Ale Gift Case Toast Ale uses surplus bread to replace virgin barley, meaning they use less land, water and energy to brew their tasty beers — AND they avoid carbon emissions. Their mixed Gift Case makes the perfect present. From £22.50, toastale.com

Vegan roundup:

The Big Cheese Making Kit The Big Vegan Cheese Making Kit Is your father figure a cheese lover? Show him the wonders of vegan cheese, with this brilliant DIY kit — with enough ingredients to make 20 batches! £27.50, bigcheesemakingkit.com

Father’s Day

June 20th marks Fathering Sunday, a day for showing love and thanks to the father figure in your life. Take a look through our assortment of goodies to find the perfect present.

Moo Free Every Day Bars Here’s something really substantial for Father’s Day. Moo Free’s whopping 80g Every Day Bars come in Original, Orange Crunch and the mighty Fruit and Nut. £1.79, moofreechocolates.com

Global WakeCup Temperature Display Bottle Friendly Soap Co. Shaving Bar in Orange & Lavender Forget your foams and junk your gels, this naturally soothing bar makes a wonderful lather for a luxurious wet shave. Free from plastic, cruelty and preservatives. £2.75, friendlysoap.co.uk 86

This nifty eco-friendly bottle has an internal thermometer so the drinker can see via the digital display when their drink is at the optimal temperature for them. Made from sustainably sourced organic bamboo, it’s durable, lightweight and stylish. £25, globalwakecup.com

Vegan Health

Eating for

beauty health The vegan food hacks to unlocking healthy hair, skin and nails By Yvonne O’Halloran, plant-based dietitian

re you seeking ways to improve the health and strength of your hair and nails? Do you want to know how you can improve the health and appearance of your skin? Good nutrition may help you!

Hair loss New vegans can experience an unusual and sometimes worrying transitional period where their hair seems to thin out. Many attribute this to their new lifestyle. This is, in part true, because when someone suddenly cuts out animal products, they may experience hair shedding more than usual particularly if they were big consumers of dairy. This is because the body experiences a reduction in estrogen, a hormone that has a positive effect on scalp hair growth. The traditional western diet causes unnaturally high levels of estrogen which could potentially be a factor in many women’s health problems. When you transition to eating only plants, it brings estrogen (and other growth hormones like IGF-1 and insulin) back down to normal levels. The hair follicles may initially go into a withdrawal state, resulting 88

in increased hair shedding, but gradually adapt to the reduced (normal) hormone levels and hair growth returns to normal. This issue usually resolves itself withing a few months of the dietary change. If you lose weight rapidly or you are not consuming a healthy and well-balanced diet, this can trigger hair loss. Telogen Effluvium is a temporary scalp disorder that can be triggered by rapid weight loss, hormonal changes and nutrient deficiencies. Aim to lose no more than two pounds per week for a nice steady and sustainable weight loss. So, let’s take a look at the nutrients that are touted to promote healthy hair, skin and nails and discover if they are necessary.

Protein Protein is important for growth and repair and so, plays a big part in the health of your hair, skin and nails. However, insufficient protein is extremely unlikely if you are consuming adequate calories and a varied diet. Protein deficiency is usually seen in less economically developed countries or in those who suffer with anorexia nervosa. Furthermore, the theory of protein

combining has now been debunked and there is no need to worry about doing this once you eat a variety of plants every day. Most adults require about 0.8g/kg per day (or 0.36g per pound per day). Ensure you are including foods such as nuts, nut butters, lentils, beans, tofu and soya products, green vegetables, quinoa and hemp seeds.

Omega-3 fats Omega-3 fatty acids may protect your skin. Pollution, stress and a poor diet can lead to inflammation, and when this happens the collagen in your skin may suffer, too, making it harder for your skin to bounce back like it usually would. Including ALA rich foods such as chia seeds, hemp seeds, flaxmeal, spinach and kidney beans will help with your skin’s elasticity along with a marine algae supplement containing DHA and EPA. There is a phenomenon known as the gutskin-axis. Basically, a poor diet can lead to unhealthy changes in our gut bacteria which may disrupt the quality of our skin. Highsugar, high-fat diets that are traditionally low in fibre have been shown to alter the gut microbiota leading to higher insulin levels which has been linked to acne (Bowe et al,

cer pcan .health o st

2014 & Kim et al, 2017). Omega-3 fats have been linked to an improved gut microbiome so taking a marine algae supplement may be a good idea along with daily intakes of ALA rich foods listed above.

Biotin Biotin is a type of B vitamin that is important for the metabolism of fats in your body. Biotin essentially, helps turn the carbohydrates, fats and proteins you eat into the energy you need. Though biotin is constantly pushed as a magic fix for brittle hair and nails, the research is very limited. So, instead of rushing out to buy supplements, ensure that you consume adequate biotin through your diet. Plantbased sources include seeds, nuts, sweet potatoes, oatmeal and bananas. However, if biotin intake is poor, supplementation may assist with brittle nails, scaly skin or thinning hair.

Vitamin C Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin meaning our body does not store it. Therefore, we must eat vitamin C rich foods daily such as different citrus fruits, bell peppers, broccoli, papaya, guava and kiwis. Vitamin C is an important aspect of your diet, particularly because vitamin C is involved in collagen production. Collagen is a vital component of our skin, tendons, ligaments, bones, blood vessels and our gut. Vitamin C is also a powerful antioxidant which neutralises free radicals and therefore can slow the aging process by keeping wrinkles, fine lines and dryness at bay. Studies have found that collagen promotes gene expression and decreases the appearance of wrinkles (Pullar, Carr and Vissers, 2017). Vitamin C also aids the absorption of non-haem iron which ensures

we have healthy and strong hair.

MN An h rc ima a e s l- fr ee R e

Zinc Zinc may help prevent acne flare ups. Pimples develop when a build-up of oil, bacteria and skin cells block pores, causing the skin around the pore to turn red, swollen and tender. Zinc can help boost immune function, and therefore may help control that inflammatory response. As zinc’s job is to regulate cell production and cell turnover it can help reduce the amount of natural oil your skin produces potentially preventing pores from clogging in the first place. We don’t need much zinc, men require about 11mg and women need about 8mg. However, zinc can be a little harder to absorb for vegans due to the phytic acid zinc-rich plant-based food contains. Aim to include foods like chickpeas, nuts, seeds, oats and tofu daily. Fermenting, soaking, sprouting and heating will help with increasing zinc absorption from vegan food sources.

Take away In summary, a healthy, well rounded plantbased diet will ensure strong and healthy hair skin and nails. Supplement with B12, Marine algae and vitamin D (if necessary) and care for your mental health as much as your physical health to minimise stress which can hinder the health of your skin hair and nails.

Find Yvonne on Facebook @livingvegandietitian and visit her website yvonneohalloran.com

Charity Commission No: 1052205

Funding Non-Animal Tested Cancer Research Into Childhood Cancers We target Cancer Not Animals! Prevention NOW saves Treatment LATER ● Treatment and Prevention for Childhood Leukaemia. ● New Therapies for Childhood Cancers. ● Lifestyle, Diet and Environmental change for Cancer Avoidance. ● Heightened Cancer symptom awareness by Parents and GPs. ● Youth2Go Healing Holidays for kids recovering from Cancer. Join us to create Cancer-Free Tomorrow for our Children of Today!

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Vegan Health

Sleepless in summer Has the Coronavirus pandemic caused an increase in insomnia sufferers? By Lewis Rixon, We Are Kynd f you’ve had trouble sleeping recently, then you’re certainly not alone. With the massive disruption to daily life from the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us are finding it challenging to maintain normal routines. And, now, more people than ever are seeing an occasional restless night turn into sleep problems and insomnia. Fortunately, there is a range of natural and healthy ways to improve your sleep patterns, allowing you to recharge and earn a few well-deserved Zzzz’s without resorting to pills and medication. As a family business based around sustainable wellbeing, we’ve seen a significant increase in We Are Kynd customers asking if CBD will help with insomnia. And from our experience, it can certainly play a part in maintaining a healthy routine. It’s important to remember that everyone has the occasional night of broken sleep once in a while. Sleeplessness may result in a day of brain fog, bad moods and reaching for those sugary snacks, but typically you’ll be able to catch up on your rest and return to a regular sleep pattern reasonably quickly. But suppose you’re starting to experience recurring sleep problems. In that case, it’s much easier to tackle them early on — before they begin to impact your daily life and those around you. Especially as long-term insomnia can increase your risks of health issues, including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Why has COVID-19 led to a rise in insomnia? As adults, we know that we should typically be aiming for between seven and nine hours of sleep each night to remain healthy and for optimum brain function. But even before the global pandemic, as many as 67 per cent of UK adults said they suffered from sleepless nights, and 31 per cent had insomnia (aviva.com). Juggling family and work commitments

can be a struggle at the best of times. But add the challenges of COVID-19 and, understandably, the University of Southampton (southampton.ac.uk) found the number of people experiencing insomnia in the UK had gone from one in six to one in four during the first national lockdown. Described as ‘Coronasomnia’ by some experts, this chronic sleeplessness is a perfect storm for increased energy and health problems, not only from the risk of COVID-19, but also the impact of the measures introduced to tackle it. Most of us will have experienced more stress, anxiety and depression since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which are all common causes of insomnia. And many of the ways we might try to cope, like bingewatching TV into the night with a glass of wine or beer, can make things worse. Especially if you then start napping during the day to try and catch up on sleep. Unfortunately, while national lockdowns have helped slow the spread of COVID-19, they’ve also contributed to the rise in insomnia. Our everyday routines are typically governed by alarms waking us up for the school run or commute to work. And scheduled lunch breaks or clocking off at 5:00 pm signal the end of the day. Working from home, particularly if you’re worried about risks to your job, can lead

Even before the “ global pandemic, as many as 67 per cent of UK adults said they suffered from sleepless nights

” 91

Vegan Health

to longer and irregular hours with no clear boundaries to separate professional and home life, especially if you’ve also been dealing with home schooling and other commitments. This, in turn, contributes to a lack of motivation to start work and means it’s more challenging to switch off at the end of the day, increasing feelings of burnout. It may be tempting to turn up to the occasional Zoom meeting in your pyjamas (we’ve all been there!). But if you have insomnia, there’s a real risk that spending all day working from your bed can worsen the situation. If you start associating your bedroom with work-mode, it will be even harder to sleep at the end of the day. And even more so if you watch videos on your laptop or smartphone, as the blue light will change the production of melatonin, the hormone produced by your body to trigger sleep. All of this impacts your internal circadian rhythm and body clock, especially if you aren’t getting outside in sunlight for your Vitamin D fix regularly.

Make sure “ to switch off your electronic devices and avoid caffeine and other stimulants in the hours before bed

”

What are natural ways to tackle insomnia and sleep problems? If you’re looking for ways to improve your sleep, there are a variety of steps you can take, along with a selection of natural remedies which can improve your slumber. Starting by setting a regular time to wake up, getting regular exercise and dragging yourself out into fresh air and sunlight can help a lot, especially if you can get out into nature. This is one reason we support the One Tree Planted initiative, with a percentage of our profits going towards reforestation. A new bedtime routine can also help your body understand when it’s time for sleep. Make sure to switch off your electronic devices and avoid caffeine and other stimulants in the hours before bed. And to 92

ensure your bedroom’s more favourable for a good night’s sleep, keep it comfortable, quiet, dark and not too warm. Natural remedies to promote rest include chamomile tea, the scent of lavender, and eating cherries, which are a great source of melatonin. And there’s growing research into Cannabidiol (CBD) as a natural plant product that can potentially reduce insomnia, stress and anxiety. Studies in 2018 and 2019 (ncbi.nlm.gov) have shown a reduction in insomnia, stress and anxiety in adults given CBD, and studies as far back as 2012 (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.gov) have suggested this may be due to an improvement in the quality of sleep. The endocannabinoid system within your body comprises transmitters and receptors, which help regulate mental and physical functions. These essential functions include sleep, appetite, memory, the immune system, and stress responses. Positive responses can be triggered by exercise and potentially by taking CBD, which is produced naturally by hemp and cannabis plants. And you don’t need to worry about being

'high' or 'stoned' after taking CBD products sold legally in the UK. The chemical responsible, THC, is only included in tiny trace amounts in broad or full spectrum oils to encourage a more beneficial halo effect, and isn’t anywhere near enough to have an influence on you. While more potential benefits are suggested by new research, the existing evidence has led organisations, including the WHO (who.int), to conclude CBD doesn’t have abuse potential or cause harm. As a food supplement, our certified organic vegan CBD products comply with all regulations. Everything goes through government accredited lab testing, with the results provided for all the products we offer. As a company focused on sustainability and customer service, we ensure all our We Are Kynd bottles and packaging are recyclable and compostable (where possible), with vegetable ink printing. Which means you can sleep easy knowing you can try CBD in confidence that it’s provided legally from a reputable retailer and you’re simultaneously helping the environment. Sweet dreams!

Bowls of goodness

Bofogwoolsdness There’s something about eating food from a bowl that we can’t quite put our finger on — but if these recipes are anything to go by, it’s the nourishment and taste that comes from trying to pack a large variety of healthy foods into a small space!

Tofu Buddha Bowl Serves 4 This yummy and nutritive tofu Buddha bowl has broccoli, red pepper, sweet potato, spinach, rainbow quinoa, tahini and delicious crispy sesame tofu!

• • • • • • • • • • •

Top Tip: Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to cook the tofu one block at a time or use two pans. Recipe by Caitlin Conner @plant.well, beplantwell.com

2 blocks extra-firm tofu 450g (16 oz) broccoli florets 1-2 red peppers 1 large sweet potato 90g (3.1 oz) spinach 500-740g (17-26 oz) quinoa, cooked 2 avocados 3 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp sesame oil (and more if needed) Soy sauce to top Salt and pepper to taste

1 Cook quinoa according to package instructions. 2 Preheat oven to 175°C/350°F/Gas 4. Chop peppers into pieces and thaw broccoli if using frozen, or chop into pieces if using fresh, then cut sweet potato into cubes. 3 Toss these with the olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Place on a baking dish covered with parchment paper and spread out evenly. 4 Bake for 45-60 minutes or until tender when poked with a fork. 5 Press tofu using a tofu press or by wrapping it in a towel and placing something heavy on top to drain out as much water as possible. 6 Heat 2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a pan over medium heat. Cube tofu and add into pan, flipping to fry each side until golden brown. 7 Add all ingredients to a bowl and enjoy with tahini and soy sauce! 93

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Bowls of goodness

Garden Poke Serves 2-4

Any and all root vegetables work great for this dish. The key thing is to roast them long enough, so they soften but don’t turn mushy.

• 450g (about 1 pound) 1-inch cubes root

• • • • •

or sturdy vegetables, such as sweet potato, taro, carrots, turnips, beets, parsnips, yuca, radishes Olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 60ml (2 fl oz) Tamari Dressing, plus more to taste (see recipe) ½ cucumber, roughly diced ½ medium sweet onion, thinly sliced

• 2 or 3 small radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced • 40g (1.4 oz) roughly chopped ogo seaweed (optional) • 1 tbsp finely chopped roasted macadamia nuts

1 Preheat the oven to 175°C/350°F/Gas 4. 2 In a bowl, coat the vegetables with a splash of olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Lay out the vegetables in one layer on a baking sheet and bake until tender but slightly firm (think of the texture of raw tuna), 15 to 20 minutes. 3 Once the vegetables have cooled, transfer to a bowl and toss with the dressing. Let sit for a few minutes, then gently fold in the cucumber, onion, radishes, and seaweed (if using). Season with more dressing if

needed. Top with the macadamia nuts and serve.

Tamari Dressing • • • • •

120ml (4 fl oz) cup tamari 1 tsp grated fresh ginger 1 tsp sambal oelek 1 tsp toasted sesame oil 2 Hawaiian chilli peppers, thinly sliced, or red chilli flakes to taste

1 In a small bowl, whisk together the tamari, ginger, sambal, sesame oil, and chillies. The dressing can be kept refrigerated for weeks.

Recipe from Cook Real Hawai’i by Sheldon Simeon and Garrett Snyder, copyright © 2021. (Published by Clarkson Potter/ Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House.) Photography by Kevin J. Miyazaki © 2021.

Jamaican-Style Jerk Sweet Potato Bowl Serves 2

Be inspired by the wonderful flavours of the Caribbean with this delicious sweet potato nourishing bowl.

For the jerk sweet potato: • 1 tbsp jerk seasoning paste • 2 tsp maple syrup • 1 lime, juice only • 1 large sweet potato, scrubbed and cut into chunks For the rice and peas: • 1 cup brown rice, well rinsed in cold water and drained • 200g (7 oz) cooked red kidney or borlotti beans, rinsed • • • • • • •

and drained 200ml (6.7 fl oz) coconut milk 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed 1 scotch bonnet, pierced with a knife but left whole 2 spring onions, trimmed and chopped 240ml (8 fl oz) vegetable stock ½ tsp sea salt 3 stalks fresh thyme

For the plantain: • 1 medium, semi-ripe plantain, peeled and quartered lengthwise • 1 tsp garlic powder • 1 tsp all-purpose seasoning For the greens: • 1 280g tin callaloo greens, drained (see tip) • ½ red pepper, deseeded and chopped • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced • Sea salt and black pepper, to taste 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. In a bowl, mix together the jerk paste, maple syrup and lime juice. Add the sweet potato chunks and toss well to coat in the spice mix. Spread the sweet potato pieces out in a baking dish and transfer to the oven for 30 minutes to roast. 2 In a large saucepan, mix together all the ingredients for the rice and peas. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and stir well once. Cover with a lid and leave to simmer gently for 30 minutes. 3 Dust the plantain with the seasonings and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Transfer to the oven and roast for 20 minutes or until lightly charred and caramelised. 4 Heat a frying pan or wok over a medium heat and add the garlic, red pepper and a splash of water. Stir fry for a few minutes, until the pepper has softened. Add the callaloo to the pan with some salt and pepper, and sauté until piping hot and any water has evaporated. 5 When the rice has finished cooking, remove the lid and fluff the grains with a fork. 6 Spoon some rice into 2 large bowls, add some greens to each and top with roasted sweet potato and plantain. Callaloo is available, in tins, Serve with lime wedges and plenty of hot sauce.

Top Tip:

from world food stores, Jamaican shops and some of the large supermarkets. If you can’t find any, feel free to substitute your favourite cooked greens in this recipe. Kale, spring greens, spinach or savoy cabbage all work well here.

Recipe by Vegan Life in-house chefs

Bowls of goodness

‘MexicanBuddha’ Bowl Serves 2-4 A Mexican-inspired Buddha bowl that is full of the good stuff; chickpeas, beans, quinoa, corn, and served with a truly delicious salsa.

For the salsa: • ½ red onion, chopped • ½ pineapple, peeled and roughly chopped

• 1 tomato, skinned and chopped • ½ tsp fine Himalayan salt • Juice of ½ lime (keep the rest for the toppings)

• A handful of fresh coriander, chopped For the bowl: • ½ x 400g (14.1 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed, drained and dried

• 280g (9.8 oz) peeled and cubed butternut squash 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp ground cumin ½ tsp ground cinnamon Salt and pepper, to taste 300g (10.5 oz) uncooked quinoa, rinsed 720ml (1.5 pint) water 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 brown onion, sliced 1 red pepper, sliced ½ tsp chipotle chilli powder (or for a milder version ½ tsp smoky paprika and ½ tsp ground cumin) • ½ tsp Himalayan salt • ½ x 400g (14.1 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

• • • • • • • • • •

• ½ cup cooked corn (sliced off the cob) or canned

• Whole kernel corn, drained • 1 avocado, sliced • 1-2 jalapeños, sliced Toppings: • Hemp seeds, lime wedges 1 First make the salsa. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. 2 Preheat the oven to 200°C/425°F/Gas 6. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place the chickpeas and butternut in a bowl, then add the oil, cumin and cinnamon. Toss to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper. 3 Spread the chickpeas and butternut on the prepared baking tray and roast for 30 minutes. 4 Boil the quinoa in the water for 15-18 minutes until soft. Drain any excess water. Heat some oil in a pan. 5 Add the garlic, onion, red pepper, chipotle powder and Himalayan salt and fry for about 5 minutes, until the onions are soft and translucent. Remove and set onion mixture aside. Add the black beans and corn to the same pan and fry for 3-5 minutes over high heat to slightly char. Set aside to cool. 6 Add the quinoa mixture to a bowl, followed by the onion mixture, black beans and corn, the roasted chickpeas and butternut, avocado slices, sliced jalapeños and toppings. Serve with the salsa. Recipe from Made with Love & Plants by Tammy Fry (Penguin Random House South Africa). Photography by Nigel Deary and Sonja Wrethman.

Fiesta Quinoa Bowl With Sweet Lime Vinaigrette Serves 6

This is not your average taco salad, but it’s full of the robust flavours we know and love in a traditional taco bowl. This version is very grain-and-veggie forward with an abundance of greens. The irresistible sweet vinaigrette with spiced quinoa will satiate anyone’s appetite.

For the Sweet Lime Vinaigrette: • 80ml (2.7 fl oz) olive oil • Juice of 1½ limes • 2 tbsp agave • ¼ tsp sea salt For the Fiesta Quinoa Bowl: • 555g (19.5 oz) Quick Quinoa (see recipe) • • • • • • • • • • •

or cooked quinoa 2 tsp chilli powder 135g (4.7 oz) kale, stems removed and roughly chopped into small pieces 1 can (15 oz/425g) black beans, drained and rinsed 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced 165g (5.8 oz) frozen or fresh corn, thawed if frozen Sea salt 2 avocados, peeled and sliced Instant Almond Cheese Crumble (see recipe, optional) 1 bunch spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced (optional) Pumpkin seeds (pepitas) (optional) Chopped fresh coriander (optional)

Quick Quinoa Serves 6

• 200g (7 oz) red, white, or tricolour quinoa, rinsed thoroughly

• 475ml (16 fl oz) water • ¼ tsp sea salt (optional) 1 Combine the quinoa, water, and salt (if using) in a saucepan and cover. 2 Quickly bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to low heat and simmer for 12 to 14 minutes, until the water has been absorbed and the quinoa has doubled in size. Keep covered and remove from the heat. Let sit for 10 minutes. Remove the lid from the saucepan and fluff with a fork. Enjoy the quinoa as is or seasoned with your favourite oil and spices.

Instant Almond Cheese Crumble Makes 1 cup (145g)

• 145g (5.1 oz) blanched almonds • Juice of ½ lemon • ¼ tsp sea salt 1 Add the almonds, lemon juice, and salt to a food processor. Process until fine and crumbly. This will keep for 1 month in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

1 To make the sweet lime vinaigrette, combine the oil, lime juice, agave, and salt in a bowl or container with an airtight lid or salad dressing shaker. Mix or shake with the sealed lid tightly on until well combined. Set aside. 2 To make the fiesta quinoa bowl, combine the quinoa and chili powder in a bowl. Add the kale, black beans, bell pepper, and corn to the bowl, and mix until well combined. Add the lime vinaigrette to taste, and toss until well combined. Add salt to taste. 3 Serve in one big bowl family-style with avocados fanned out on top or portion into meal prep containers for quick and easy meals throughout the week. If meal prepping, add the avocado fresh when consuming. 4 Garnish with Instant Almond Cheese Crumble, scallions, pepitas, and coriander (if using).

Recipe from Epic Vegan Quick and Easy: Simple One-pot and One-Pan Plant-Based Recipes by Dustin Harder. (© 2021 Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc. Text © 2021 Dustin Harder). Photography bu Ashley Madden from riseshinecook.ca, @riseshinecook.

Bowls of goodness

Top Tip: Creamy Tahini Tofu

If you don’t like a lot of sauce, instead of tossing your tofu in the creamy tahini sauce, drizzle it on top of the baked tofu.

Serves 3-4

Calling all tofu lovers! You must try this Creamy Tahini Tofu. This recipe is creamy, comforting and savoury. Made with only eight ingredients, you have yourself a simple and easy recipe.

• 2 packs (400g/14 oz) of extra firm tofu • • • • • • • •

or high-protein tofu, pressed with the water removed 1 tsp neutral oil (we used spray oil — this is for the pan) 60g (2.1 oz) tahini 1 tbsp sriracha, add more for a spicy tofu 2 tsp soy sauce, gluten-free 1 tsp maple syrup 1 tsp rice wine vinegar 1 tsp garlic powder 2-3 tbsp water

1 Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. 2 Spray a large pan with oil or line your pan with parchment paper. Depending on the size of your pan you might need to use two pans. 3 Cut the pressed tofu into 1 inch by 1 inch bite size cubes and evenly place them on the prepared pan. 4 Bake tofu for 20 minutes. Take out, flip, and bake again for an additional 20 minutes. 5 In a medium bowl combine the sauce ingredients together and whisk. 6 Take the baked tofu out and add it with the sauce and mix. 7 Pair the tofu with your favourite grain and veggies. Eat and enjoy! 8 Leftovers will last wrapped up in the refrigerator for 2 days.

Recipe by Martha of It’s All Good Vegan itsallgoodvegan.com, @itsallgoodvegan

Vegan Planet

It’s a

vegan world Stories from around the globe celebrating all things vegan

The Netherlands: Dutch sushi restaurant adds vegan fish to menu Popular restaurant, Sushi Point (sushipoint.nl), in the Netherlands, recently added five new vegan dishes to its menu at all 32 locations throughout the country. Now on the menu, you’ll also find Lemon Ebi Urakmaki (julienned carrots with avocado and sriracha vegan mayo topped with daikon cress); plant-based deep-fried Lemon Ebi; vegan Spicy ‘Salmon’ Rolls and other tasty plant-based seafood items. As well as this, Sushi Point now offers a ‘Happy Vegan Combo’, which includes 18 pieces of vegan Spicy ‘Salmon’, Lemon Ebo, nigiri Miami and edamame. All dishes are made with plant-based fish, produced and supplied by Dutch brand, Vegan Zeastar of food company Vegan Finest Foods (veganfinestfoods.com). Vegan Zeastar is renowned for creating vegan seafood that offers the taste and texture of animal-based seafood, without the cruelty. Its products currently include vegan Sashimi Zalmon, Sashimi No Tuna, Crispy Chilli Shrimpz, Tasty Codd, Kalamariz and Crispy Lemon Shrimpz.

United States of America: Young vegan activist honoured by US doll brand for environmental activism Vegan teen activist Genesis Butler is being celebrated by popular US doll brand, American Girl, as part of its Conversation for Change series. Genesis, along with other youth environmental activists, is honoured in the latest episode in the series, ‘Use Your Outside Voice: Climate Change’. Genesis, who has been vegan since the age of six, says: “Partnering with American Girl to spread my message about the connections between climate change and animal agriculture really made me hopeful because American Girl has such a huge audience. So many people who weren’t aware of this issue will now know after seeing my feature on American Girl’s website. It also makes me hopeful because this shows companies like American Girl are helping to raise awareness on all causes of climate change, not just fossil fuels, which there is so much focus on.” (vegnews.com) 100

JHVEPhoto / Shutterstock.com

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Toronto, Canada: Globally Local becomes world’s first vegan fast-food chain to go public Canada’s Globally Local Technologies Inc. is to begin trading on the Toronto Stock Exchanges Venture Exchange, under the symbol GBLY, making it the first-ever publicly traded vegan fastfood chain in the world. The first Globally Local restaurant opened in 2016, growing with its second location in 2017, which was also the planet’s first 24-hour vegan drive-through. Menu items include the ‘Faconator’ (which features a sausage patty, vegan cheddar, and a tofu‘egg’), burgers like the ‘Vopper’ (a chickpea-based patty finished with tempeh ‘bacon’), plant-based ‘chicken’ sandwiches and salads, milkshakes and ice cream. The company also make their own plant-based dairy and meat alternatives, which help Globally Local to control their own supply chain; these are also distributed in the foodservice sector.

London, UK: Vegan Michelin Star chef Alexis Gauthier opens new plant-based café Alexis Gauthier recently made the news after revealing that his luxury London eatery, Gauthier Soho, has adopted a fully vegan menu. Now, the renowned chef has opened another plant-based eatery, this time to offer a more casual dining experience. The new café is called 123 Vegan (123vegan.co.uk) and is located within the Fenwick department store on Bond Street, London, an area that’s well-known for its abundance of luxury stores and restaurants. The new cafeteria, according to Alexis, features a menu of ‘modern, fresh, plant-based food for everyone’, exuding wideranging flavours from Southern California to Mexico, Thailand and the South of France. On his website, Alexis states that “123 Vegan is a three-part message born out of a love for the planet, the animals and ourselves as human beings, which we believe is on a path to change for the better.”

Delhi, India: Indian professor wins first prize in competition after developing vegan egg substitute Indian professor, Kavya Dashora of the Centre for Rural Development and Technology (part of the Institute of Technology, Delhi) has developed an egg replacement that cooks like the chicken-based version. Professor Dashora’s egg substitute is made from mung beans (moong dal) and comes in syrup form. The substitute, which was designed to help address malnutrition, won first place in the United Nations Development Programme Accelerator Lab in India. Professor Dashora was awarded $5,000 USD for developing the cholesterol- and gluten-free egg substitute, which was created in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which include ‘zero hunger’ and ‘good health’. In an interview with NDTV, Professor Dashora said: “The mock egg [was] developed from very simple farm-based crop proteins. [It] not only looks and tastes like an egg but [it’s] also very close in nutritional profile to a poultry egg.” 101

Image: Nick Hanson Photography

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Lotus Heart Sanctuary Lynn Jolly is on a mission to save male calves and other innocent creatures — here, she tells us why her work is so important estled amongst 76 acres of beautiful croft land in the aptly named village of Dunvegan, on the gorgeous Isle of Skye, you’ll find Lotus Heart Sanctuary. Its aim is to become a haven for both non-human animals and people, with an on-site rescue shelter for animals, as well as glamping pods and a holistic healing centre. Lotus Heart also has its own online clothing and merchandise shop. We talk to founder, Lynn Jolly, about why she started the sanctuary and accompanying businesses, and how they have fared throughout the Coronavirus pandemic.

How, when and why was Lotus Heart sanctuary set up? Lotus became a vision in 2010 following a retreat with Zen Buddhist Master, Thich Nhat Hanh. It started to become more of a reality when I began rescuing farm animals in 2016 — the meeting of Nipper (Jack Russell dog) and Prince (Holstein Friesian bullock) really 102

set the Lotus wheels in motion. I was doing a lot of vegan advocacy and activism at that time, and then I began to rescue these bigger animals — animals who are either used in the food chain or are unwanted companion animals etc.

The other projects under the Lotus Heart Sanctuary umbrella like Lotus Camping Pods and Lotus Holistic Healing will help to sustain the sanctuary, the land and care for all who live there.

What facilities do you have? Tell us a little bit about what you do. We are more than a sanctuary. The Lotus Clothing and Merch on our website has been 100 per cent non-profit since 2015, when it was originally set up as Bohemian Hippy. It is still 100 per cent non-profit today and always will be. The products in the store are about sending out messages and starting conversations due to the pictures or text they carry. Our most popular design was one of our first back in 2016, it is of Nipper and Prince — I brought both their heads together in one design to make people understand there is no difference between species such as dogs and cows.

We have 76 acres of croft land in the village of Dunvegan on the stunning Isle of Skye. We are half an hour from Portree; half an hour to the world-famous Fairy Pools and the stunningly breath-taking Neist Point, and 40 mins to the Cuillin Mountain Range. On the sanctuary itself we have a purposebuilt animal barn called — not the ‘bee's knees’ — but The Cow's Knees (I had an obsession with cows' knees from childhood). We have four glamping pods, which were also purpose-built. The pods are individually named — The Cow Shed, The Pigsty, The Dog House and The Chicken Coop. Each pod has a comfy double bed, toilet, shower, sofa bed, table and chairs, fridge/freezer and microwave — so they really are glamping

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not camping. The pods have beautiful views as they have the world-famous Skye Cuillin Mountain Range to their left, Macleod’s Table in front, and Lotus Animal Sanctuary and Loch Dunvegan off to the right.

How have you fared as a sanctuary throughout the pandemic? Well, even before Covid, we had already been hit by severe delays when buying the land due to boundary issues. Buying croft land is not like buying regular land, it’s a law unto itself… literally. So, from the offer being accepted on the croft to getting the keys it was over 10 months alone. Then trying to secure tradespeople on the island to make the land habitable for the animals was unbelievably difficult. Getting regular jobs done on Skye is very different to getting regular jobs done on the mainland… ‘Skye time’ really is a thing and it’s very different to ‘mainland time’. The tradespeople here are all in such demand and are incredibly busy. When we got the keys, it felt like we were finally making progress after all the legal delays, then we hit COVID-19 and it held us up massively. That then meant all these jobs which had been booked in just got cancelled… So as a result, I personally and the sanctuary have been without any income at all since Spring 2020. No grants, no furlough, no nothing; because the pods would be a new business about to open but hadn’t yet opened when we went into lockdown, we just fell through every loophole imaginable. We should have been trading from spring 2020, but it’ll be nearing summer 2021 before we are allowed to finally open to the public. The pandemic affected me personally, too, as both my very elderly parents were taken into hospital in August last year and put on COVID wards (even though neither had COVID). This meant I had to return to the central belt to care for them. They had decided by then to move to Skye to be beside me, as they realised at 88 and 91, they’d not do too well without me being

I found I was “ really struggling for anywhere to send the cows/bullocks I was rescuing

”

there. Luckily, there was a house on the sanctuary croft land for sale, so they put an offer in for the house and it was accepted. After weeks of fighting, we finally got Dad out the hospital in October, but sadly, after just nine days at home he passed away. It breaks my heart that he never got the chance to live on the sanctuary with us. My Mum moved up in January.

What are some of your greatest achievements as an organisation? I see myself as a mere vehicle for this work, and I often have a vision of myself as a wee ball of tumbleweed that the Universe is blowing along in its desired direction to serve other beings. I can explain one of our main focuses though. Back in 2016, when I began to rescue boys from the dairy industry, I soon realised that there wasn’t anywhere in Scotland willing to take Friesians (at that time). Breeds other than Highland cows will not stand up to being outdoors in winter, especially not in Scotland’s harsh winters and especially not Friesians. Holstein Friesians are bred for milk production and genetically they are now a very bony breed. They have to be kept indoors during winter but doing this is costly and very time-consuming. I found I was really struggling for anywhere to send the cows/bullocks I was rescuing, and most were having to make long journeys South to sanctuaries down in England. So, I began to deal more with cows/bullocks than any other species, and especially boys from the dairy industry. Some people seem to truly perceive that we have no dairy industry in Scotland, but anyone who knows Scottish farming in any way at all, will know that’s a very wrong perception. There are around 840 dairy farms

in Scotland, and their cows give birth to male calves just the same way as cows on English dairy farms give birth to male calves. Many in England and Scotland are sadly shot because they’re surplus to requirements. There are farmers who will allow their males to be rescued rather than being shot in both England and Scotland. So, our focus has become cows/bullocks/calves mainly from the dairy industry. Lotus is totally male dominated, other than two female sheep, Tara and Calla!

Can people volunteer with you? Absolutely. We are always looking for people to get involved. If people can truly commit to volunteer some time each week or month, we do require help with things like admin, T-shirt design, T-shirt/merch printing, social media, guest blogs, seeking out collaborations and fundraising personnel to organise events such as auctions etc. There are endless jobs that can be done from afar online, so don’t let our remote location put you off; if there’s something you would like to do, please get in touch. Here on the sanctuary itself we desperately need trees and hedging and help with planting, and we need more fencing and gates erected. We do have a large area of land, so there really are endless jobs to be done on the sanctuary itself.

What’s in store for the future of Lotus Heart? Our focus right now is getting all the animals here and settled. We have five new lambs coming and three more calves (shout out to Jon @BrinsleyAnimalRescue and Selena @AnandaAnimalSanctuary for assisting with these rescue — they are both diamonds). We possibly also another have another cow or two coming soon. Then we must get our pods finally open to the public. We have received so many enquiries from people wanting to stay with us; but I am sure everyone appreciates why the delays have occurred! Once we have achieved that and hopefully get through a busy summer on Skye, we will be looking at other areas around the other work involved in our vision such as therapies, meditation and mindfulness and mental health — I am qualified in various therapies and hope to practice them soon here on the sanctuary. Lotus was always going to be a place for humans as well as non-human animals to come together and be as one in peace and harmony For more from Lotus Heart and Lynn, visit lotusheartsanctuary.com and follow @lotusheartsanctuary on IG 103

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Vegan founded

Plant-based organisations you need on your radar

This month’s founder:

Juliet Gellatley Viva! Bristol, UK My vegan story When I was in my early teens, I discovered the horrors of factory farming. I wangled my way on to a ‘mega’ pig farm and witnessed the sheer scale of animal suffering — rows of pigs confined to cages, gnawing on their metal prisons. At the end of a row of sow stalls, there was a large boar who dragged his exhausted body towards me. He looked straight at me, his sad, deep eyes staring into mine. In that moment, I knew I would dedicate my life to saving animals.

Early inspiration Ten years later, I was campaigning nationally on vegetarianism. We were really making waves and starting to gain traction. But it wasn’t enough — I wanted to campaign loud and proud on vegan issues, with a focus on undercover investigations. So, I decided to launch my own vegan charity and in 1994, Viva! was born.

We all know now that “ going vegan is the single biggest action you can take to reduce your impact on the planet — what’s not to love?!

”

The best thing about being vegan Tips for others Now, more than ever, there is a huge demand for vegan businesses so there has never been a better time — go for it! It may seem overwhelming but there is nothing more rewarding than dedicating your life to saving animals.

Knowing that you are actively saving animals lives has to be the most rewarding thing about being vegan. Plus, we all know now that going vegan is the single biggest action you can take to reduce your impact on the planet — what’s not to love?!

You’re stranded on an island. What one vegan treat would you want with you? My treat would be New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc from the Viva! Shop. I would sip it whilst taking in the glorious sunsets… I’m presuming it’s a warm climate!

Fun fact Shortly after the launch of Viva!, we entered a regional fun competition for Brains of NW Britain. We played against a team of butchers in the final and won.

What’s next We’re fighting to create a vegan world! This year we’re focusing on two major campaigns; End Factory Farming Before it Ends Us and our environment campaign, Vegan Now. Find out more about Viva! at viva.org.uk 104

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Vegan Planet

Too good to go Food waste apps are here to save the day By Laura Gaga

first used food waste app, Too Good To Go (TGTG), around five years ago now — for salad boxes, and sandwich wraps in London, and Chinese food in Brighton. Using the app, you can buy a ‘Magic Bag’ of food from stores, eateries, restaurants at a discounted price; surplus food which would otherwise be wasted. The app began in Denmark in 2015 and it is now active in fourteen European countries including Spain, Germany, Austria. It’s great for travelling — I remember when a friend and I bought breakfast using the app whilst on a mini break in Copenhagen in 2018. Sadly, I have no foreign travel plans at the moment, and with Coronavirus, who knows exactly when I’ll be able to jet off on holiday again, so I’ll be heading back to Blighty for now. Travel is not the only uncertainty — with the aim being to eliminate food waste, you do not know exactly what is in your order until you pick up your TGTG Magic Bag. ‘Couldn’t that prove difficult for a vegan?’ I hear you ask! The app allows you to filter diet preferences with options for vegetarian or vegan. On a wet Wednesday I was bored in the house, in the house bored — it being lockdown at the time my options were limited, and my mind drifted to food; to be honest this isn’t really much different to any other time. I guess as someone who buys few takeouts these days, I’m usually pondering on what I can cook, but that Wednesday I wanted something different, a surprise even — a bit of magic in my day, so I started scrolling TGTG. I stopped upon organic supermarket, Planet Organic, listing Food to Go — hot food and salads — being sold at £3.30 rather than their regular price of £10, for collection between 17:00 -18:00. Now, I don’t want

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too many surprises; I definitely don’t want to buy a box to discover that it has meat or dairy in it, and TGTG can’t predict what’s going to be in the bag. They had, however, included the store’s telephone number and advised that they could be contacted directly if you had any dietary requirements. I dialled the number, spoke to a gentleman who assured me that he would leave a note asking the counter staff to omit the vegetarian lasagne, and fill the box with vegan food only. He had a deal, I hit the reserve button and set off. I couldn’t resist popping into the nearby Waitrose as I walked toward Planet Organic, and buying a few reduced-price, yellow sticker items; the Jus-Rol pastry blocks will keep well in the freezer! It felt a little bittersweet as I passed a homeless woman when I left Waitrose. I carried onto Planet Organic, showed the gentleman I’d spoken to earlier my order code as he handed me a brown bag. Of course, I had to physically check that neither of the boxes in the bag contained dairy; are you even vegan if you don’t, ha ha! Whilst the hot food box was filled with Massaman Curry, Turmeric and Spinach Dhal and brown rice, the salad box was a feta salad. “That must have been all that was left on the salad counter,” my gentleman friend explained, “Wait here!” Bless him, he returned with a vegan Mexican salad box for me, free of charge. I thanked him and asked for takeout cutlery; I still had the problem of the feta salad. I hotfooted it back to Waitrose to find the same woman still sat outside the shop, and offered her the salad and cutlery, assuring her that I hadn’t touched the food. She accepted and thanked me, making no mention of her dietary preferences; whilst for us veganism is the ethical choice, let us

not forget that most of us are privileged enough to be able to make it. According to the World Bank nearly two million people in the UK are under-nourished, and with a third of all food globally being wasted, food is too good not to go to someone. Download the TGTG app at toogoodtogo.org/en For more from Laura, follow her on Instagram @reduction_raider1 Or listen to her on episode two of Vegan Life Magazine Podcast, veganlifemag.com/vegan-podcast

ing down on liv Get the low style low waste life

a low cost an

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7 ways to…

Save the world

without really trying There are some effortless ways that you can help the planet, so why not give them a go?

e all know that the planet needs humans to make some drastic changes to our lives, as well as efforts to save and protect it — but in the immediate future, that’s unlikely to happen on a large scale. However, does that mean that we should do nothing? No! If we, personally, cannot instigate widespread changes, then we should do whatever we can do. Small changes and acts, if committed by enough people, can amount to big wins for the environment, its inhabitants and the impacts of climate change. Here are seven ideas to save the world that you can undertake without going to great lengths.

1. Go vegan For those of you that are at the beginning of your vegan journey, adopting a plant-based diet is one of the most direct and impactful ways that you can help the planet — and nowadays, you really don’t have to try too hard to live vegan. There are multitudes of online resources, cookery books and literature (like this magazine!) that offer all the information you could ever dream of, regarding health, nutrition, lifestyle, beauty, food and more. If you do need more support, get in touch with or sign up to brilliant challenges like Veganuary (veganuary.com) or 30-Day Vegan by Viva! (30dayvegan.viva.org.uk). Why can going vegan help to save the planet? Meat, dairy and egg production are among the leading causes of climate change, soil erosion, water pollution, habitat destruction, and the decrease in biodiversity (proveg.com). In fact, research by the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations shows that farmed animals are responsible for 14.5 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions. Farming animals for meat and dairy demands huge inputs of water and feed, as well as space — one of the biggest causes of forest loss is the expansion of agricultural land for animal farming and feed production, like soya. A switch from beef to beans by the US population would free up fields equivalent to 43 per cent of US 108

cropland for other uses, such as rewilding or nature-friendly farming (UN Report 2021).

2. Waste less food Data from food waste app, Olio, shows that between 33-50 per cent of all food produced globally is never eaten, with the value of this wasted food worth more than $1 trillion USD. To put that into perspective, in the US, food waste represents 1.3 per cent of the total GDP (olioex. com). This amount is heart-breaking, when we consider how much energy and resources are used to produce it. Indeed, food production has been found as one of the most significant drivers of wildlife extinction. Research also shows that what we eat contributes to almost a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions and is responsible for nearly 60 per cent of global biodiversity loss (wwf.org.uk). Make a meal plan and write a shopping list before you hit the supermarket or greengrocers. This way, you can ensure that you are only buying what you need for the week, and not extra goods that might end up being left in the fridge to go ‘off’ or be forgotten. Whenever you get leftover food, save this in a tub in the fridge or freezer, to be eaten later or added into your next meal. If you do end up with items in your cupboard or fridge that you know you are not going to eat in time, list them on the Olio food waste app for someone in your local area to take off your hands.

3. Make sure your pension fund is planet-friendly In just a few clicks online, you can find out which companies your pension fund is invested in. With a little more searching, you can ensure that your money is not involved with anyone who is contributing to the climate crisis, habitat destruction or other harmful practices. Luckily, year on year, more pension funds are divesting from companies that generate revenues from fossil fuels and Amazonian deforestation. You can check yours by logging in to your pension online, and then

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searching for ‘fund choices’. In just one minute you can make the switch to an ethical fund within your company’s pension scheme.

4. Buy less and buy better Living a less consumerist lifestyle benefits both you and the planet. Not only will buying less ‘stuff’ save you money, but it will also help you to reduce waste and improve your environmental footprint. However, if you do need to buy something new, make sure to use your purchasing power to go towards positive change. Support local, eco-friendly businesses and products which are less damaging to animals and the environment. That way, you are actively encouraging these companies to continue to source and produce their products in a sustainable way. Your money won’t contribute to companies which are heavily impactful on the Earth, and eventually, they will conclude that unless they change, they will lose business. The best thing about this? You don’t actually have to do anything at all! Simply refrain from making impulse purchases or overindulging in yet another new PJ set or pair of shoes... And when you do buy, it’s only a case of being mindful of where you are buying from.

5. Eat fewer packaged foods And here we have food, yet again — it is definitely a recurring issue when it comes to planetary destruction. However, the problem with it in this instance is due to packaging. Did you know that individually packaged foods use about one third of energy inputs needed for food production? This is because they tend to be shipped across long distances across countries and are packaged to both protect and keep them fresh for longer. As well as this, the most common material used to wrap foods is plastic — which we all know is disastrous for the Earth and its creatures, not only because it is made from fossil fuels, but because it takes years to degrade. This is a blight on our landscape, often washing up on coastlines, but it also harms birds and marine life, when they mistake it for food, or become entangled in it.

6. Work from home If your employer allows you to work from home for at least a few days a week — take them up on it. The benefits extend far beyond simply avoiding office politics. For one, you don’t need to commute via car, train or bus (walking from your bed to your desk doesn’t count as a commute!). And by not commuting, you are able to massively cut travel emissions and fuel usage — in fact, Global Workforce Analytics, estimates that working from home half the week can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 54 million tonnes every year (capital-ges.com). Less office waste is another positive. Employers and employees can cut down on everything from printer paper to plastic. At home, people tend to prefer email and digital tools for messaging, taking notes, and sending and receiving files. Without the commute, and with the kitchen nearby, you will have more time to prepare lunch, snacks and hot drinks, resulting in reduced purchases of packaged foods and takeout coffees, as well as single-use cutlery and bags.

7. Use greywater for plants Greywater is the wastewater from things like sinks, baths, washing up buckets and kitchen appliances — it is relatively clean, but you wouldn’t drink it! Using it, instead of letting it go down the drain, is a great money-saver as well as a way to help the planet. Greywater makes up between 50 to 80 per cent of a household’s wastewater (pebblemag.com) but it doesn’t need to travel miles to go through a treatment process, when it could be used to water your plants. Garden and household plants aren’t fussy about what water they drink — but try to stick to natural cleaning products, since you don’t want lots of chemicals in your soil. 109

Vegan Planet

Ready Player One Vegan Life talks to plant-powered illustrator, graphic designer and video game creator, Laura Nualart, about how games can be used as tools to spread awareness

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Vegan Planet

ost of us are aware that art can be a powerful form of expression, and means of sharing important experiences and messages, but have you ever thought about how video games can also achieve this? Spain-based Laura Nualart is a vegan illustrator, graphic designer and video game creator, who is using all of her artistic talents to accomplish such a thing. We talked to Laura to find out more.

Tell us about your journey to veganism. I’ve always loved animals. As a child, I was obsessed with saving insects and all kinds of creatures and felt horrible every time I saw any animal suffering. As a teenager, I knew that it was very hypocritical to eat animals while wanting their safety and happiness, so I knew that at some point I would stop doing it. It was in 2012, at the age of 19 when I read about an investigation that Animal Naturalis (animanaturalis.org/es) conducted in a rabbit farm here, in Spain. What I read shocked me so deeply, that I decided to become a vegetarian at that exact moment. One year later, and after reading the book Why we love dogs, eat pigs and wear cows, I became vegan.

People have “ contacted me to tell me how my drawings impacted their life, even to the point of becoming vegan

”

When did you decide to combine veganism with art? I had wanted to try digital art for a long time. In 2016, I bought the cheapest graphic tablet I found to try it and have some fun, just as a hobby. I really enjoyed the experience, and I slowly started getting better and more comfortable. I’m a big fan of artivism, and without doubt it is the art that I love and follow the most, so I started drawing about issues that were important to me, like animal cruelty, climate change or poverty.

What does your artwork seek to achieve? I would say that there are two main things: to inform, and to make people think about certain issues that are rarely discussed and that are profoundly wrong in our society.

Tell us about Vegames. Vegames is a project that Samuel (my boyfriend) and I started four years ago. It first started as a vegan themed video game exclusive project, but we finally mixed it up with artwork content. Now, we use it as a platform to show our veganrelated projects.

How useful is art in spreading awareness of animal welfare and vegan issues? I was very skeptical at first about this matter. I knew how other artists’ work affected me, but I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to make a similar impact on others. I was very surprised by how well my work was welcomed. The account grew much faster than I expected, which gave me the motivation to keep working to get better. Since then, a lot of people have contacted me to tell me how my drawings impacted their life, even to the point of becoming vegan, thanks to them.

that we have been working on so far, so we are not sure how long it will take us to finish it. It is quite hard to develop a project like that in our spare time (we both have our Monday to Friday jobs). But that is the only option we have if we want to keep developing games. Our dream is to make a living by making video games that bring ethical insights. Most videogames are about killing things without much concern on why you’re killing in the first place. Video games can be a very intense interactive experience, so it’s a great tool to send messages and bring insights while having fun. We think this is a totally feasible idea, but to make it happen we need resources that we don’t currently have. We hope that step by step, we’ll be able to achieve our dream at some point in the future. For more from Laura, visit etsy.com/shop/vegamesshop and follow Vegames IG @vegames_official

Talk us through your video game — Vegan Odyssey. Vegan Odyssey is the first vegan themed video game that we developed — everything started with it. Currently available in Android, it is a puzzle-like game that mixes logic with humour. In the game, you’ve got to unlock excuses like ‘Proteins tho’, ‘Lions eat meat’ or ‘What if you were in a desert island’. Every time you unlock one, you also unlock a conversation in which the excuse are challenged with counter-arguments. I think it’s a must-play if you’re vegan, so I really recommend it if you haven’t tried it yet. It was available in the App Store as well, but given the yearly high costs that Apple demands to maintain games on their platform, we were forced to take it off. We hope to bring it back soon, when we find ourselves in a better position. Although it looks like a small game, we invested so many hours to develop it because we tried to make it as perfect as possible. Game development is very hard, and it requires a lot of commitment and time.

Any exciting projects coming up? We are currently working on a new mobile video game. It is the biggest game-project 111

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Vegan Lifestyle

All About The Brassica Work sleep eat cabbage repeat By Jake Yapp

he last year or so has seen many of us trying to shed some weight — after we all got sourdoughhappy with the comfort baking, some of us put on a few pounds. Others were more concerned with the health risks of obesity combined with COVID. Let me preface this by saying that as someone perfectly capable of drinking an entire carton of melted vegan Ben and Jerry’s, I am certainly not about to judge anyone for anything, and as long as you’re ok with where you are, then I am too. For me, I decided to lose some weight, but this has been a lifelong story, and not some fleeting lockdown-related Fun New Thing To Try after growing my hair out and spending some (low) quality time with Joe Wicks. I went on my first diet when I was six, I think. But the time felt right to recommit to it.

Work out eat cabbage I signed up to a thing, and it’s been really good for me. But, as I groped around for food that would keep me moving in the right direction, I concluded that cabbage was the best food I could eat, since it seems to be calorifically the emptiest food, after cardboard. And cardboard lasagne, whatever they say, is not as good as the real thing. And so began a series of experiments with brassica. My first dalliances were with raw cabbage, which was a biiiiiiig mistake, as it turns out I can’t digest it particularly well. From there I learned to braise cabbage — chucking it, chopped, into a casserole dish with some vinegar, seasoning, capers and a dribble of olive oil, left in the oven for a couple of hours — when it comes out, it melts in the mouth, and gosh almighty, how darned good would it taste cold, the next day, with some 114

mayonnaise swirled through NO JACOB BAD JACOB. Time went by, and I was starting to lose weight, which was great, but I was getting a little bored. I tried the same sort of technique of cabbage-cooking, but with a different spin on flavours: lemongrass powder, lime juice and chilli, or mixing up some curry powder, too. I got bolder. Despite the ah, setbacks of raw cabbage eating, I started dabbling in making my own kimchi. Turns out you’ve been spending six quid on a jar of the stuff for nothing. Wanna make it?

Kimchi recipe Shred a cabbage. Put it in a bowl with 4 tbsp salt and leave it for four hours or more. Matchstick some carrots, chop some spring onions and reserve. Now for the PASTE: Put a few tbsp of cornflour in a saucepan and add half a cup to a cup of water. Boil it while stirring, until it goes weird and unappetising, like wood glue. Blitz a chilli, garlic and ginger. Stir it into two or three spoonfuls of cornflour paste, and grate a pear into it, too, or add a spoonful of sugar. Optional add-ins include vegan fish sauce or miso. Rinse the cabbage and mix everything together: the cabbage, carrot, spring onion and spice paste. Stuff into sterilised jars. Pack it tightly to ⅔ or ¾ full. It will expand a bit. Put the lids on and leave somewhere

“

Time went by, and I was starting to lose weight, which was great

”

dark and coolish room temperature for 3-4 days, depending on your preference for funkiness. The longer you leave it, the more intense it'll be. Do not fear the fizz. It's fine. Transfer to the fridge and it'll keep fermenting. And I can eat it, and it’s fine. Er. Digestively. The weight continued to drop, but by now I’d reached a level of obsession with cabbage. My latest find comes from Derek Sarno of the Wicked Kitchen, who you can hear on episode 10 of the Vegan Life Podcast. I really like his cooking style. He’s all about minimum effort and maximum reward. And he has taught me how to make Hotbox Cabbage, which sounds like a gym in Shoreditch, but is actually a delicious recipe that involves substantially less effort than kimchi. Look it up on YouTube. And try the podcast, too. It is so joyous. So where am I now? I’ve managed to shed 20Kg and counting, 20 per cent of my bodyweight. My goal is to get myself into the BMI’s ‘Healthy’ zone — something I don’t think I have ever achieved as an adult. If you struggle with your weight, you have my every sympathy, and I hope the time becomes right for you one day soon, too. But honestly — try the cabbage. It’s your best friend. Although you might lose a few friends if you react to raw cabbage the same way I did. For more from Jake, follow @jakeyapp on Twitter. To listen to Vegan Life Magazine Podcast, head to veganlifemag.com/ vegan-podcast or search for it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon and Google Podcasts.

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