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UK’S BEST SELLING VEGAN LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2017| issue 31 | £4.99

Speaking for the

VOICELESS

Siobhan Pyburn’s brave road to veganism

Subscription Box Special

The best on the market

Myths of

SOYA VEGAN HALLOWEEN PARTY No tricks, all treats

Paradise Lost Pig Beach isn't the utopia you'd expect

p.60 Tofu Florentine

Welcome Every morning I sit down at my desk with an almond milk Earl Grey (in my red starry mug) and read emails, press releases and the latest news. It continues to amaze me that so much of what I read in the mainstream media is relevant to veganism. Negative articles about vegans and veganism seem to be diminishing to be replaced with pieces highlighting the benefits to the environment, animal welfare and our health.

The number of businesses embracing compassion and removing animal products from their products, as well as making sure they are cruelty-free, is astounding. With this in mind, we have brought you a business feature which I am really excited about.

We have spoken to Stephanie Redcross who founded a vegan marketing, consulting and coaching company to advise entrepreneurs and professionals about how to run their businesses without compromising their core values. There has been an explosion of small vegan enterprises over the last few years and there are still so many gaps in the market — if you have an idea for a vegan product or service which you want to make a reality, this feature is perfect for you.

We have also noticed that the number of people taking part in animal tourism has increased recently. You may have seen pictures of people visiting swimming pigs in the Bahamas and with the clear sparkling water and cloudless blue skies you would be forgiven for thinking that this looked like paradise. Unfortunately, these pigs do not live the life of luxury that you may expect and it is so sad, though not surprising, that in 2017 tourism still exploits animals for commercial gain.

TEAM Published by Prime Impact Events & Media Park House, The Business Centre, Earls Colne Business Park, Earls Colne, Colchester, Essex CO6 2NS T: 01787 224040 | F: 01787 223535 info@veganlifemag.com|veganlifemag.com Managing Editor Emily Saunders emily@primeimpact.co.uk Assistant Editor Olivia Haddock 44 (0)1787 224040 olivia@primeimpact.co.uk Assignment Editor Blake Roberts 44 (0)1787 224040 blake@primeimpact.co.uk Publishing Director Keith Coomber keith@primeimpact.co.uk Managing Director Julie Saunders julie@primeimpact.co.uk

Finally, we have some incredible recipes for you in this issue including a personal favourite, scones with cream and jam, and a whole host of fun Halloween recipes which you can make with your kids or, if you’re a big kid like me, for yourself!

Designed by Scott Tyc scott@primeimpact.co.uk

Have a happy Halloween and make sure you stock up on some vegan sweets for those trick or treaters!

Advertising Sales Claire Rogers 44 (0)1787 224040 claire@primeimpact.co.uk

Olivia Haddock Assistant Editor

Subscriptions and Back Issues Hannah Allen 44 (0)1787 224040 hannah.allen@primeimpact.co.uk /veganlifemagazine

Marketing and Press Hannah Irons 44 (0)1787 224040 hannah@primeimpact.co.uk

@VeganLife_Mag

Promotions and Blogger Community Manager Liz Tuthill 44 (0)1787 224040 liz@primeimpact.co.uk

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"If you think being vegan is difficult, imagine being a farmed animal."

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Merchandise Chloe McGarry 44 (0)1787 224040 chloe.mcgarry@primeimpact.co.uk Photography & Videography Toby Essex 44(0)1787 224040 Toby@primeimpact.co.uk p.60 Tofu Florentine

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.

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.

Food Creative Katy Simmons 44(0)1787 224040 Katy@primeimpact.co.uk Licensing Bruce Sawford 44 (0)1280 860185 Bruce@BruceSawfordLicensing.com Accounts Yolande Arnold 44 (0)1787 224040 accounts@primeimpact.co.uk

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contents ON THE COVER

86 Show me the money Vegan Life talks business 102 Kindred spirits We spoke to Craig Norcross about his phantasmagorical vegan art

RECIPES

26 Dustin Harder's signature dish Salted coconut sunflower fudge 72 Miso Hungry This easy recipe will make aubergine a staple in your kitchen 76 Souperb soups These warming soup recipes are perfect for a healthy nutritious lunch 98 Well travelled These Japanese-inspired dishes are sure to get your tastebuds tingling

VEGAN INSPIRATION

28 Trick or treat yo'self Try these heart stopping Halloween inspired recipes

18 Mark Haldor Actor, model, writer and director, Mark Haldor, spoke to Vegan Life about his love affair with vegan food

46 Boxcited We bring you the best subscription boxes on the market

22 Animal in focus - Kestral We take a look at this beloved bird of prey

58 Lazy sunday brunch Mix up your breakfast routine with these veganised weekend favourites

24 Meet the chef Dustin Harder

66 Dispelling the Myths of Soya Nutritionist Rishi Kumar Nursimloo addresses the misnomers surrounding soya 74 Speaking for the voiceless Kim Willis reports for Vegan Life on Siobhan Pyburn’s brave road to veganism 94 Paradise lost Swimming with pigs in the Bahamas is not the paradise people expect

SPECIAL FEATURES

106 Vegano a Milano What to see and where to eat in the northern city of Milan and nearby Bergamot

LIFESTYLE, HEALTH AND NUTRITION 44 Why choose vegan beauty products Victoria Eisermann from K9 Angels talks about the hidden animal products in your beauty staples

114 The first 5 minutes The memoirs of vegan comedian Jake Yapp

RESOURCES

6 Vegan diary Unmissable events

8 Vegan news All the latest stories 14 Vegan planet Vegan news from around the world 16 Subscribe Subscribe to Vegan Life magazine 110 Vegan pages

COMPETITIONS

81 Bean and Pod A luxury hamper of Bean & Pod dark chocolate - worth £250!

109 PHB Win a £500 PHB Ethical beauty gift voucher!

17 SUBSCRIPTION OFFER Subscribe today for just £39.00 and receive a FREE Two bottle starter box from Splosh – worth £9.95!

45 The accidental vegan A selection of products that are vegan by chance

34 How do you eat yours?

Afternoon tea is finally becoming accessible to vegans

64 Parents tale - Was ist das?

Telling children the truth about meat by Charlotte Meyer Zu Natrup

54 A taste of sustainability Sylvia Smith reports for Vegan Life

73 Vegan spotlight Our round-up of the best new vegan products

68 China is Changing The pollution bad boys are on the road to recovery

100 Drinks to die for Oliver Coningham’s recommendations for the perfect Halloween drinks

84 Eating out Harmonium Bar and Kitchen, Leith

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13 1 15 4 15 7 22 OCTOBER 1 CAMBRIDGE VEGAN MARKET

The first 100 people to arrive to this event in October will receive some free vegan goodies, and free tea or coffee will be supplied to anyone that brings their own mug. Held right in the centre of Cambridge, and less than an hour on the train from London King’s Cross, it’ll be easily accessible — so make sure you take all your friends and family! There will be a wide selection of food and drink vendors, charity stalls, and ethical clothing and cosmetics stalls. The Guildhall, Cambridge, 10:30am to 4:30pm. Tickets £2, under-12s go free.

OCTOBER 1-7 TEXAS GO VEGAN WEEK

Launched in 2006, Texas Go Vegan Week does what it says on the tin; it’s a week-long initiative to celebrate and promote the vegan lifestyle and encourage people to give it a try. Vegan food restaurants and cafes are encouraged to host events during this week. There are also public screenings of films such as Forks Over Knives, and people hold stalls and exhibitions to show how great vegan food can be. It varies year on year, with no set structure, so it’s bound to be exciting.

OCTOBER 4 WORLD ANIMAL DAY

Celebrated on the feast day of Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, World Animal Day is a day for action in the field of animal rights and welfare. The first World Animal Day was organised in 1925 by German writer Heinrich Zimmerman, and has been celebrated on October 4 since 1929. Events, such as charity fundraisers, awareness campaigns and workshops are arranged worldwide. Go to worldanimalday.org.uk to get involved or find out what’s being organised near you.

OCTOBER 7-8 BRIGHTON VIVA! VEGAN FESTIVAL

A massive favourite in one of the UK’s best places for vegans, the Brighton Viva! Vegan Festival is back for another year.

With live cookery demos, talks and workshops alongside the expected stall holders and caterers, be sure to set some time aside for this one, as you won’t want to miss it! The city of Brighton and Hove has previously been called ‘The Happiest Place in the UK’ as well being well known for its provision for vegans, so this festival is in a perfect setting. Hilton Hotel Metropole. 11:00 to 17:00. Admission £5, under-16s go free.

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OCTOBER 13-15 THE ANIMAL LAW CONFERENCE

This year’s Animal Law Conference (now in its 25th year) will be held in Portland. Starting with a welcome reception on Friday evening, the conference will feature a number of Keynote speakers over the three days and talks from such experts as Joyce Tischler, co-founder of the Animal Legal Defense Fund. All guests at the conference will receive vegan banquet dinners in the evenings, as well as a cocktail reception on the Saturday. General admission $329, other rates available. animallawconference.org

OCTOBER 15 IPSWICH VEGAN FESTIVAL

Located on the River Orwell, Ipswich is the county town of Suffolk and the fourth-largest urban area in the East of England. There will be plenty of vegan food as well as talks on nutrition, live music and other performers. So why not take the family out for the day? The event has expanded since taking place in the The Cornhill last year, and will now be held at Portman Road, home of Championship football side, Ipswich Town. All proceeds to go to animal rescue charities/sanctuaries. 10:00am-4:00pm.

OCTOBER 15 OSAKA ETHICAL VEGAN FESTIVAL

This bi-annual festival celebrating and promoting ethical veganism is bound to be busy — the last one was attended by around 1,700 people! Just a 15 minute walk from the Yodo River in Osaka, you’ll find all sorts there, from vegan burgers and donuts to vegan takes on more traditional, local delicacies. Osaka is the 2nd biggest city in Japan, so why not make a weekend of it and explore the bustling city? Nakazakicho Hall, Nakazaki, Osaka.

OCTOBER 22 SCOTTISH VEGAN FESTIVAL

Another festival organised by Farplace Animal Rescue, the Scottish Vegan Festival in October is also going to be the event’s third occurrence. Marathon Runner and Animal Activist Alex Lockwood will be giving a talk entitled ‘How To Turn A Man Vegan in 45 Mins’, whilst there will also be a demo on how to make a flaxseed egg, and a screening of Kip Andersen’s Cowspiracy. Edinburgh Corn Exchange.

Various tickets available. Standard entry £3, book in advance for entry before 1pm.

vegan news Bite–sized updates on all things vegan from the worlds of entertainment, politics, sports, animal advocacy and more. Got news to share with us? Get in touch! vegannews@primeimpact.co.uk

RUDE HEALTH ADD FRESH MILK ALTERNATIVE

Rude Health are adding fresh milk alternatives to their range of organic nut and oat drinks. The chiller section of Waitrose and independent stores will now be stocking 750ml sized cartons of Coconut, Almond and Oat drinks by the company. The organic drinks are also gluten free and no more than four ingredients are used in each of their recipes. Camilla Barnard, a representative for Rude Health, said: “We've been working towards the launch of our Fresh Drinks for some time, following a growing demand for quality dairy-alternatives in the fridge as well as in the ambient aisles, where we’ve been sitting (very) comfortably since we launched our bestselling Almond Drink back in 2014.”

FIRST EVER WORLD PLANT MILK DAY

On August 22nd 2017 the first plant based milk day was celebrated.

The day was organised by ProVeg UK, Plant Based News, Animal Aid, Veganuary and Viva! and widely promoted among vegans around the world. Jimmy Pierson, Director of ProVeg UK, said: “The first ever World Plant Milk Day ushers in the start of a new post-milk era in which everyone makes healthier, more compassionate food choices. Whether it’s oat, almond, soya or coconut, there are plant milks for every taste, for every cup of tea and every bowl of cereal. World Plant Milk Day aims to widen their availability and further accelerate their popularity.”

“The dairy cow must be one of the most exploited and abused animals in the modern farming system.” said Ben Martin, Campaign Manager, Animal Aid. Animal Aid offered different plant milks for people to try as well as educating people and providing information about the dairy industry and the alternatives currently available. The hashtag #worldplantmilkday trended on Twitter all day and after the success this year, World Plant Milk Day looks set to be a staple in the vegan calendar.

WORLD PLANT MILK DAY

READY-MADE VEGAN PIZZA HITTING SAINSBURY’S SHELVES

Sainsbury’s aisles are soon to be graced with a ready-made vegan pizza from The White Rabbit Pizza Co. The White Rabbit Pizza Co. was founded in 2013 when three colleagues, who worked in the White Rabbit Pub, found the perfect recipe for a gluten free, organic pizza base. The company now specialises in these gluten free, organic pizzas, but have now expanded their range to provide Sainsbury’s with a vegan pizza for their chilled aisles. A report published earlier this year predicted that the dairy-free cheese market will hit $3.5 billion by the year 2023 and therefore it appears that this ready-made vegan pizza will be a hit. The White Rabbit Pizza Co. vegan pizza is topped with dairy-free cheese, peppers and olives and will be available in 150 Sainsbury’s stores from the 27th of August, priced at £4.99 each.

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NEED A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP?

Nutritionist Libby Limon and Dr Neil Stanley, a sleep expert, have reported that the three things you need to get a good night’s sleep are magnesium, protein and cherries. According to the experts, in excess of three quarters of the UK are not getting enough magnesium, which is preventing their bodies from working effectively, especially when it comes to sleep.

Libby said that supplementing magnesium may be beneficial for those who are not consuming enough magnesium through their diet. You can get magnesium by eating dark leafy green, nuts, seeds and avocados.

Protein is also important for the production of serotonin, the ‘happy hormone’, which plays a crucial role in the sleep/wake cycle. Finally, cherries are one of the few natural sources of melatonin, a hormone which helps our body to regulate our sleeping patterns and therefore eating a few cherries an hour before bed will help you sleep soundly.

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MADE IN HACKNEY LAUNCH CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN

On October 16th, World Food Day, Made in Hackney will be launching their new crowdfunding campaign to raise £45,000.

Made in Hackney is an award winning eco-community kitchen and cookery school which opened in 2012. Since then, Made in Hackney has helped over six thousand people to cook healthy, plant based food, especially focusing on young people from low income families, recovering addicts and those with learning difficulties or long term health problems; 90 per cent of participants said that they felt more confident cooking plant based meals from scratch. The campaign, launching on crowdfunder.co.uk, aims to raise £45,000 to secure the future of Made in Hackney, which doesn’t charge people to attend their cookery courses. Sarah Bentley, Made in Hackney’s founder said: “We teach people how to cook and eat food that is not just good for their health — but also the health of the planet. Everyone knows we need to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and less processed foods, sugar and meat — but most people don’t know where to start. Many don’t even know how to cook from scratch at all and especially how to prepare vegetables in an exciting, tasty way.

That’s where we come in.”

FIRST EVER HEDGEHOG CENSUS

Earlier this week, the first National Hedgehog Census was launched by Hedgehog Street. Hedgehog Street is a campaign set up by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) and People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES). The aim of Hedgehog Street is to help combat declining hedgehog populations thought to be a result of loss of hedgerows and changes to farming practices in the UK. Populations are thought to have declined by up to a third in urban areas and at least half in rural areas since 2000. Between now and the end of October 2017, the Hedgehog Housing Census is going to explore hedgehog habitats including the prevalence and effectiveness of artificial hedgehog houses. This information will be gleaned using an online survey which will be filled out by 44, 000 Hedgehog Champions across the UK. The data will then be studied by scientists at the University of Reading. This information can be used in hedgehog conservation to ensure that this species remains in gardens across the UK in the future. The results will be published in spring 2018.

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LINDA MCCARTNEY’S LAUNCHES NEW VEGETARIAN SEASONAL TREATS

As we enter the middle of autumn and the weather begins to worsen, our meal time cravings change. As such, Linda McCartney’s has launched a new selection of treats to bring family and friends together around the table. Linda McCartney’s Vegetarian Beef Roast with Red Wine and Shallot Glaze is an indulgent treat and SFV alongside Vegetarian Beef, Mushroom & Spinach Wellington Bites, Vegetarian Cocktail Sausages and Vegetarian Chorizo Cocktail Sausages.

VEGAN CAFÉ CHARGES ‘MAN TAX’

ENGLISH SLAUGHTERHOUSES TO INSTALL CCTV

Michael Gove has announced that CCTV will soon be mandatory in slaughterhouses across England in government plans to improve animal welfare standards. The cameras will cover all areas which hold live animals and the Food Standards Agency veterinary professionals will have access to the footage. Michael Gove, the Environment Secretary, says that the implementation of CCTV in all slaughterhouses will make the UK a global leader in animal welfare standards.

Gove said: “We have some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world and the actions I am setting out today will reinforce our status as a global leader. “As we prepare to leave the EU, these measures provide a further demonstration to consumers around the world that our food is produced to the very highest standards.” There have been concerns that Brexit will affect the animal welfare standards in the UK as well as the importation of chlorinated chicken. Gove said: “I made it perfectly clear, and indeed this is something on which all members of the Government are agreed, that we are not going to dilute our high animal welfare standards or our high environmental standards in pursuit of any trade deal.” The CCTV will only be mandatory in English slaughterhouses and will be voluntary in Scotland and Wales.

In an attempt to bring people’s attention to the gender pay gap, a vegan café in Melbourne, Australia, is charging men more for their coffee and cake.

Male customers are paying 18 per cent more than female customers for the same products.

This percentage reflects the gender pay gap in Australia with women earning 82 per cent of what men do on a yearly basis. House rules at the café, called Handsome Her, include ‘women have priority seating’ and ‘respect goes both ways’. The proceeds of the increased price for males is being donated to Australian women’s charities and is only in place at the café once a month. Alex O’Brien told The Mirror: “We’re bringing it [the gender pay gap] to the forefront of people’s minds. I like that it is making men stop and question their privilege a little bit. “If men don’t want to pay it, we’re not going to kick them out the door. It’s just an opportunity to do some good.”

BLUE CROSS CHOSEN CHARITY FOR VEGAN MAKEUP BRAND

W7, a cruelty-free make up brand, has named Blue Cross Victoria animal hospital its national companion charity for the year and has donated £1000 to the charity. W7 and its ambassadors, Olivia Buckland (Love Island) and popular beauty YouTuber Stephanie Lange, were given a tour of the Blue Cross hospital to visit the animals being cared for. Steve Broomfield, Victoria Hospital Manager, said: “It’s great to be the chosen charity for W7. The companions and clients we look after every day are true testament to the many ways that companions change lives. We want to continue to offer low-cost veterinary care to people in need and it’s through donations like this that we’re able to keep going.”

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A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE IN BRIXTON HAS GONE VEGAN

Café Van Gogh, Brixton, which was previously vegetarian has now gone 100 per cent vegan. The social enterprise invests the profits made from café sales into food workshops, training and employability opportunities for marginalized groups in the local area. The café has had several high profile customers including the model, Lily Cole. Cole said: “I was excited to learn that Café Van Gogh is becoming fully vegan. It’s so hard to find delicious and varied vegan food when eating out and so the more cafés we have like Café Van Gogh, the better in my book!”

The café is probably best known for its sticky seitan ribs with potato and pickled onion salad, grilled corn and ‘bacon’ butter.

Other delicious offering include jerk plantain with smoky beans, brown rice and mango salsa and Sri-Lankan jackfruit and aubergine stuffed chapatti. The eclectic menu reflects the heritage of the people who work there with chefs from Brazil, Portugal and the Caribbean. Café Van Gogh is supported by Big Issue Invest which supports social enterprises tackling poverty and disadvantage.

NEW APP WILL HELP PEOPLE IDENTIFY ANIMAL PRODUCTS IN MEDICINES

Talking Medicines, a start-up based in Glasgow, has created a free app which helps people to manage their medicines to ensure that you know if animal products such as lactose, gelatine and glycerine are ingredients in your medicines. This has long been a real problem for vegans in the past and this app could really help to take some of the pain out of finding the right medicine. MedSmart Meds and Pill Reminder will allow you to scan medicines to check what it is, watch short videos about how your medicine will work, unlock information about ingredients and the app will allow you to set reminders so that you can track what you have taken each day. The app also allows you to input diet, allergies and intolerances.

Available on the App Store and on Google Play.

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VEGAN ACTIVISTS COVER THEMSELVES IN FAKE BLOOD IN TRAFALGAR SQUARE

Vegan activists took to one of the most iconic London locations, Trafalgar Square, to stage a protest against speciesism. The activists covered themselves in fake blood and lay under plastic sheeting to give the impression of packaged human meat. The London protestors were enveloped in plastic, labelled ‘Human Meat’ and ‘Certified Humane’. One anonymous activist told the MailOnline: 'We as vegans want to show other people there's a compassionate way to live and how to treat animals.” “We want to stop this animal cruelty, we want to stop the meat trade, the fur trade, the leather trade, and we want to show people there's a way of living without animal products. “Some people might do it for the environment when they realise meat eating and animal agriculture is the number one cause of pollution in the world.” The bikini-clad protestors drew crowds and further protestors from the group, Direct Action Everywhere, held signs reading slogans such as ‘It’s not food, it’s violence’. Co-ordinated protests were carried out in Brazil, Canada, Germany, Peru and the US by the group.

20 PER CENT FINNS CUTTING DOWN MEAT CONSUMPTION

A new survey from the Foodwest shows that a third of Finns occasionally leave meat out of their weekly diets and one in five is actively reducing meat consumption. The study found that the national trend for meat reduction has remained strong in Finland. Researcher, Emmi Penttilä, said: “In 2012 we found that meat consumption is going down, and the tendency is ongoing.

Five years ago one in ten respondents had cut down on meat; now it is one in five. This year more people told us they were motivated to cut down on meat due to the sheer pleasure of eating vegetarian food. Personal taste in this may in fact have little to do with social or global factors.” Interestingly, the study found that young urban women are the most likely to cut meat from their diets and older men are the most likely to consume animal products regularly. However, there is still a long way to go for Finland to be a nation of plantbased eaters. The Natural Resources Institute reports that meat consumption in Finland is growing on average and it is estimated that around 93 per cent of the population eats meat.

However, with an increase in meat reduction among the younger generation we are sure to see the tides change in Finland in the future.

VEGAN SUPPER CLUB GROWS IN POPULARITY

Kara Hayward is the chef and host of Kara's Vegan Supper Club which has been running since October last year. Kara’s love for food led her to the idea for a Vegan Supper Club. At the time she was working at Café Boscanova, in Bournemouth, and she decided to ask her boss if she could put on her own vegan night once a month at the café. The Vegan Supper Club went from strength to strength and Kara now runs the club on the last Friday of every month. Kara serves a three course meal, with a homemade drink, for just £20 per person. Kara told us: “I wanted to create a family feel atmosphere and serve homemade comfort food at its best.

Also, I am a strong believer of using fresh, local ingredients. It makes me so excited and happy that people are enjoying my food that I have prepared and all the food is freshly made by myself the night and morning before each and every supper club. Cooking is my passion and I love every minute of it. I am always thinking of my next dish and always improving my menu for each supper club.”

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Vegan news from around the world

USA: IVY LEAGUE UNIVERSITIES ORDER MOST VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN MEALS

Students at Ivy League Universities are more likely to order vegetarian and vegan dinners than other universities, according to Grubhub — a food delivery service. Topping the list is Yale University, Connecticut, with students attending this top ten ranked institution being 130 per cent more likely to order vegetarian or vegan food than students at other universities. Yale is followed by Harvard, a top five ranked university, and Wesleyan (part of the Little Ivies).

Both of these historic institutions, according to Grubhub, ordered meals without meat over 75 per cent more often than other students. The Ivy League is a group of universities in the US which are considered to be particularly prestigious and are ranked among the best in the world.

The eight institutions included in the Ivy League are Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, and Yale University.

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UK: NATIVE ANIMAL DEGREE COURSE IS UK’S FIRST

Kendal College, in Cumbria, is thought to be the first degree course which focuses on caring for and rehabilitating native UK wildlife. Animal care students can now spend another year at the University of Cumbria and gain a full degree in British animal management and wildlife rehabilitation. Students will spend the first two years at Kendal college, which has an intensive care room as well as an operating theatre to care for sick animals.

The proposed third year will take place at the University of Cumbria and will focus on conservation of UK species. Tutor Sarah Neil said: "The course is one of a kind. There will be a British focus, so it will be animal management, ecology, conservation management and the rescue and rehabilitation of British species."

BULGARIA: VEGAN UNION PROTEST IN SOFIA The Bulgarian Vegan Union organised a national protest on the 31st August against fur farming in Bulgaria. The protest took place in front of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food in Sofia, the capital city of Bulgaria, and participants from across the country travelled to Sofia to demand a ban on the fur industry in Bulgaria. A spokesperson said: "Is law-making allowed to pursue business interests instead of civilian ones? Is it permissible not to apply any sanctions for such general violations of ordinances?

Is it permissible to become a 'third world' country in this respect, since such activity is forbidden throughout Europe? We will not stop fighting!”

AUSTRALIA: DAIRY BRAND’S SALES DROP 22 PER CENT

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INDIA: VEGAN-ONLY MENU AT INDIAN SCHOOL

AUSTRALIA

A German International school in Chennai, on the eastern coast of India, has been awarded the Compassionate School Award from PETA for its vegan-only menu which includes dahl, pumpkin spice muffins and pesto pasta bake. This impact on the environment was the main driver for the change. PETA also recognised the work which the school was doing to incorporate compassion, empathy and healthy eating into the curriculum.The school said: “As a school, we feel that it’s imperative that our students start learning at the beginning of the age of the importance of healthy food choices and the benefits they reap. These values will be the life and we are hoping that this decision will affect parents and other schools to rethink and make more environmentally conscious and healthy decisions!”

Austalia’s largest dairy supplier, Murray Goulburn, announced that its sales have dropped by 22 per cent in the last year. As a result of the drop in demand, they have discontinued a line of infant milks and are shutting down three processing facilities. According to Google Trends, the most popular dietary search term in 2016 was the word vegan signalling a significant movement towards veganism in Australia. The company is estimated to have lost around $370 million during its 2016-2017 fiscal year. In a statement the company said: “MG has experienced a difficult year as a result of the significant reduction in milk intake and adverse seasonal conditions.”

Murry Goulburn produce brands including Devondale and Liddell.

The drop in milk consumption in Australia is expected to drop even further over the next fiscal year as people become more aware of the cruelty of the dairy industry as well as the health and environmental impacts.

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Making his

MARK Actor, model, writer and director Mark Haldor spoke to Vegan Life about his love affair with vegan food 18

M

ark’s Birmingham accent is fairly soft after four years in London. He has an easy smile, olive skin and friendly eyes as he shakes my hand, quite firmly. His unusual look is striking and it is understandable that most people think that he is Swedish.

He laughs as I ask him about his heritage — a common question apparently — and tells me that he is, in fact, 100 per cent British despite his long blond hair and angular cheekbones.

It is probably this individual look which got him his first acting job on the 2012 film Snow White and The Huntsman starring Liam Hemsworth, Kristen Stewart and Charlize Theron. He laughs again when I ask him about his role: “Blink and you’ll miss me.”

This moment wasn’t merely a fleeting taste of fame for Mark though; he says that being on the set for Snow White and The Huntsman proved to him that he was finally in the right place after years of modelling and graphic design. Mark said: “The thing I took away from [Snow White] is that I didn’t feel daunted by it all like I thought I would. I knew that it was what I wanted to do.”

Five years later and Mark has just released Crossing Over, a film which he co-wrote, directed, edited, produced and acted in on a shoestring budget of less than two thousand pounds. Crossing Over, starring Louise Jameson who is best known for her role in EastEnders and Doc Martin, is a witty tongue-incheek observation of struggling actors and casting agents trying to make it in Hollywood with a surprising twist.

Crossing Over was the first feature film which Mark directed but he wasn’t fazed by the mammoth task which he took on: “I just knew I could do things and I did them. I just seem to have an eye for things and I have a vision for what I want. My acting, directing, editing and producing is what I’m really passionate about.” Mark is now writing the Crossing Over TV series to follow on from the film.

The premiere for the film was sponsored by a whole range of vegan companies

such as Vego, lush and Vegan Life!

Additionally, all profits, around £1,000, made from ticket sales and the raffle went to the Orangutan Foundation to raise awareness for the ongoing conservation crisis. The demand for the film following the successful London premiere has been so great that Mark is going to be showing Crossing Over in Birmingham. He will be showing Crossing Over as a benefit screening for a friend in America who is in hospital after a tragic accident. Mark said: “I wanted to do something positive for her.

If showing my film helps her then it will be worth it.”

At the moment, Mark is on cloud nine with so many projects on the go (he even eluded to an idea for a vegan film in the pipeline) but life hasn’t always been easy for the 39-year-old actor; Hollywood is a tough industry and Mark has suffered with his mental health. After living in London for four years, he found the nonstop, busy, cramped lifestyle too much.

Mark said: “I was done. I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I was in the middle of a film and I just needed a break. I needed an out and Australia was the furthest place I could go. I just booked a three month trip.”

Mark immediately fell in love with Sydney and it was this trip which changed his mind set about his relationship with food.

“I was in Australia and I was prepping all of my food for the week and the last part I was eating everyday was chicken.

I just didn’t want to eat it. I thought that I would try going vegan for a week. I had all of the usual questions about protein because I did body building. Where was I going to get my protein? I thought I would try it for a week and genuinely, for the whole week, all I could think about was the chicken, and how I didn’t want to eat it the next week.

“Within the first three days I felt better than I’ve ever felt. I felt cleaner, more alive. I did two weeks, which turned into months and the rest is history.

“I remember on the flight back my meals were booked before I was 19

Mark’s upbringing, like many vegans, was very traditional.

“When I was young I ate what my mum cooked. Every Sunday we would have a different meat; lamb, chicken, pork, beef or turkey. I was never fond of it but I just ate it. When I was in my teens I started bodybuilding and I took my diet on myself so it became lean chicken and fish,” Mark said. “I was on 400 grams of protein a day.”

I’m not saying that going vegan solves everything but I think that what you put in your body affects your mental health.

I ask him about his current diet and he explains his routine of interval fasting to me.

“When I’m being super good (because I’m the same as everyone else and I do love vegan junk food sometimes) I will eat at 2 o’clock, 4 o’clock, 6 o’clock and 10 o’clock. Basically I do interval fasting so I will fast for 16 hours and then eat for 8 hours. I try to keep it as pure as possible. I just keep it very simple but I can’t deny that the odd Vego bar slips in.”

vegan. I was turning all of the meals down but eventually, after seventeen hours, I needed to eat something.

They brought me this Greek pitta with mince and cheese and I just ate it. I was overwhelmed with sickness and that was it. I never went back.”

Mark didn’t just begin to feel physically healthier, but mentally.

“Without question I feel better now I’ve cut animal products from my diet. With my mental health it was something I thought I would always live with, but I’ve found mine becoming dormant. I have bad days like anyone else but before I would have spiralled. I’m not saying 20

that going vegan solves everything but I think that what you put in your body affects your mental health.”

He admits finding it hard to cut sushi, his favourite food, from his diet. After binge watching documentaries he finally cut fish from his diet after finding out about the enormous amount of mercury in fish. It also took a little longer for him to understand the honey debate: “Honey is one of the things that people don’t get straight away. You have to do a bit of research. Honey is such a big problem. We’ve already killed so many species of bees and yet there are so many great alternatives.”

Mark’s meals: 2pm: Oats with Blueberries, peanut butter, chia Seeds and Cacau Nibs 4pm: Blueberries, Almonds, Cacauo Nibs, Chia Seeds and Sunflower seeds 6pm: Pea and Rice Protein Blend 8pm: Mixed Beans/Peas/Lentils and Steamed Vegetables 10pm: Rice Cake with Almond butter Mark says that going vegan made him fall in love with food again and he now doesn’t worry about his protein intake at all: “My mentality for body building was low carbs, moderate fats and high protein. Now I don’t worry because this [being vegan] is how my body is meant to work.”

“I don’t miss it because the food I’m eating now is so much better and I know

[the health problems] associated with meat now. I feel lied to. I feel lied to for all of my life. It’s so frustrating because people make the connection but eating meat is just what you do; it’s what you are taught in school. The way I used to eat feels so alien to me now. Why would we kill an animal? Why would we eat an animal? I can’t believe that it used to be so normal.”

Being vegan in his industry can’t be easy. Being asked to play roles which oppose your personal beliefs and fighting stigma around veganism, even with the increasing number of people following a plant based diet, can be tricky. It must be even harder to write as a vegan for a mainstream audience. I ask him about finding a balance.

“I’m yet to write as a vegan. I wrote the film three years ago and the transition began towards the end of that process.

There are things I see in the film now that make me uncomfortable. At the beginning there is some animation and I wanted each character to have an input on their character. One guy asked if he could ride a bull and I said fine. Watching it back now…” he starts shaking his head. “It isn’t what I’m about at all.

“The one thing I try not to do is become a preachy vegan. We get a bad enough rap as it is. I just try and inspire people and encourage people through my own

actions and my diet. It has to be their choice, I can’t make them do it.”

I feel lied to. I feel lied to for all of my life.

He has, however, successfully educated many of his friends and family about the benefits of a vegan diet, including his mother who has cut animal products from her diet after watching What the Health.

Does he think that there is more he could do still?

“Originally, I wanted to be an all or nothing vegan but it’s so hard without it taking over your life. First and foremost you can control food and I try and avoid anything I can but you can’t do everything.

“I consciously don’t buy toiletries and clothes that aren’t vegan. I think it’s a natural progression. Once you have nailed the diet you are just going to keep chipping away at things. You can’t do it all overnight; you have to be rational.”

Watch the trailer for Crossing Over at crossingoverfilm.com.

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kestrel IN FOCUS

We take a look at this beloved bird of prey

K

estrels (falco tinnunculus) are one of the best known, and best loved, birds of prey in the UK and are instantly recognisable by their unique ability to hover in situ above prey, their pointed wings and fanned tail feathers. Kestrels are the most common bird of prey in Europe, although it appears that the numbers are in slight decline in the UK. Kestrels are also considerably smaller than other common birds of prey such as the red kite or sparrow hawk.

• According to the IUCN, kestrel numbers are declining, but they are classified as a species of least concern. However, this classification applies to worldwide kestrel populations. In the UK, the kestrel is included on the RSPB Amber List of Birds of Conservation Concern.

• It is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to kill or injure kestrels or to damage an active nest.

• The RSPB estimates that there are around 46,000 mating pairs in the UK. • There have not been any extreme fluctuations in kestrel populations.

However, there was a slight decline in the 1970s, thought to be attributable to changes in farming practices. The kestrel rapidly adapted to industrialisation and urbanisation; they have now learned that tractors often flush prey and watch farming operations. They are also able to survive in cities.

• Kestrels are pervasive and have adapted to most environments save areas dense with trees or large areas without any trees. Kestrels often use trees to perch whilst locating their prey at considerable distances. A kestrel can see and catch a beetle from 50 metres.

• The kestrel is also known as the Wind Hover. Gerard Manley Hopkins wrote a poem called ‘The Windhover’ and describes his delight at watching the hovering bird.

• Generally, kestrels are solitary but can sometimes be seen travelling in flocks of up to ten individuals at sources of abundant food or during migrations.

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• Kestrels typically eat small mammals and birds, typically voles. Kestrels need to eat around six voles per day and therefore it is not unusual for kestrels to catch several voles in one hunt and to cache some for later.

This allows kestrels to save energy as hovering while searching for prey is energy intensive.

• In cities, kestrels eat more birds than mammals, which are scarce in urban areas.

• The kestrel has sharp vision and can detect UV light which it uses to follow traces of urine left by voles and locate their prey.

• In February the breeding season begins with display, courtship and finally the formation of a mating pair. The female will then lay 3-6 eggs in April or May (with a couple of days between each lay), although in years of reduced food availability females may not lay at all.

• The incubation period is just under a month per egg and therefore the eggs hatch at differing times and require constant brooding for the first 15 days, until hatchlings can control their own body temperature.

• Unusually, there is no aggression between chicks which often stay together for some time after fledging. However, mortality in young birds is quite high. Only 20 per cent of young kestrels will reach the age of two, when they will secure their own mate and territory.

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Meet The

Chef Dustin Harder

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D

ustin Harder works in recipe development alongside celebrity chefs, including Chloe Coscarelli when he helped to develop the menu for the fast casual vegan chain, By Chloe. As well as helping chefs and companies to create delicious vegan food, he is working on his first cookbook — Easy Vegan — which is set for release in early 2018.

Dustin is also the face of The Vegan Roadie, a plant based television series, available on Youtube. The first season was filmed in 2014 and Dustin is now filming the final season, set in Italy.

The Vegan Roadie will visit Sicily, Amalfi Coast, Naples, Puglia, Tuscany, Florence and Rome to share the rich culture, and delicious vegan food, on offer in Italy.

We spoke to Dustin about recipe development and the future of vegan food.

Tell us about your own vegan journey I was raised a meat and potatoes guy.

In 2009 I started exploring ways to maintain my weight and when I started eating less meat I was not only finding it easier to maintain my weight but I also felt better in general. I was a little turned off by the vegan scene at the time, it felt very aggressive and I

often felt judged for the life I had led up to that point in terms of my food choices. But eventually I read Skinny Bastard. It was funny, educational and entertaining and that resonated with me. So, I put meat and dairy products down for good and I’ve never looked back. As time passed, being vegan became about much more than health; I’m a kind and compassionate person (I think anyone who eventually is vegan is), but we all have our own path to that and I think it’s important we respect and encourage each other.

How did you learn to cook great vegan food?

After I went vegan, food became exciting for me in a way it had never been before. Suddenly I was faced with the challenge of recreating staples I grew up with and I loved it. I always felt such satisfaction when something turned out the way I had hoped or even better, and I loved cooking for friends.

This eventually led to me attending The Natural Gourmet Institute in NYC to take my culinary aspirations up a notch using real whole plant based foods and not relying on processed food so much.

How do you develop recipes?

I research the flavour profiles and build from there. If it’s something like mac and cheese, burger or pizza I always try and outdo the last recipe I did. Whether that is by the sharpness of the mac and cheese, the texture of the burger or the crust of the pizza, I always try and take it another step and make sure I give each client something different than I created for the last client.

Sometimes something going differently than you had hoped opens up the door to the secret ingredient to send that recipe into completion. Sometimes you work and work and work on a recipe and it just won’t get to the place you are trying to get it to and you have to take a step back and leave it alone for a while. Patience is the hardest/worst part, creativity is the best and most rewarding part. I’m creative by nature so working in one restaurant with the same food every day would bore me to tears.

Did you find it difficult writing your first cookbook?

It’s actually been easier than I anticipated. I’m writing it with my sister in mind and she loves to say: “I would go vegan but it’s too hard", or "I don’t know what all this stuff is”. So I have made a conscious effort to not use nutritional yeast throughout the entire book, except for the staples section to make some sauces. And I did everything I could to stay away from specialty ingredients as much as possible so that if a first time vegan curious consumer picks up the book they aren’t overwhelmed and hopefully have most of the stuff in their pantry already.

What do you hope to achieve with the book?

To feed the curiosity of non-vegans and help people feel comfortable in the kitchen. I want people to have fun; we all take things too seriously in life. Every recipe in this book was created from joy whether it was me dancing around my kitchen belting out Beyoncé as I wrote in “1/4 teaspooon salt” or creating a delicious meal for friends, I developed all of these recipes with enthusiasm and joy. I hope that transfers to people’s homes.

What do you think is the future of vegan food?

We are there. It’s trickled into the mainstream in a way that is inventive and all encompassing, it doesn’t alienate anyone, it’s welcoming. And when it comes to the food it all comes down to that one thing that I think everyone can agree on, delicious food.

Who doesn’t like delicious food? Vegan or not. Most importantly, vegan food is being created for the non-vegans which is who it should be created for; if we want the message of vegan food to reach everyone, we have to make vegan food that resonates with everyone.

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e r u t a n g

dustin's

Si

SALTED COCONUT SUNFLOWER FUDGE Makes 16-20 pieces • • • • •

170g (¾ cup) sunflower seed butter 80ml (1/3 cup) coconut oil 30g (¼ cup) fair trade cocoa 115ml (½ cup) maple syrup Flaked sea salt, to sprinkle

1 Gradually mix the sunflower seed butter and coconut oil together until you get a creamy consistency.

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dish

2 Add the cocoa and maple syrup, stir slowly and combine ingredients until smooth, pay special attention to work the lumps from the coconut oil out.

3 Layer a bread loaf tin with cling film, using enough to fold wrap back over the top and pour the mixture into the tin.

4 Make the fudge as thick as you would like; I generally go for 1 to ½ inch high.

Sprinkle some flaked sea salt over the top.

Be careful not to use too much, this isn’t about it being salty so much as a hint of salt… don’t get crazy.

5 Fold the wrap over the top of mixture

and place in the freezer for at least 2 hours.

Remove from the freezer and cut into squares.

6 Enjoy!

Tip When left out over 30 minutes they start to melt. If serving at a party it is best to bring out in small batches and replenish as needed!

Per 100g Calories: 558, Carbohydrates: 25.0g, Sugars: 20.0g, Fat: 44.0g, Saturates: 24.0g, Protein: 13.0g, Salt: 0.63g

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Trick Treat YO' SELF OR

Try these heart stopping Halloween inspired recipes

H

alloween is a time of year that you either love or hate. Apple bobbing, dressing up and telling ghost stories have all become modern traditions. You may think that Halloween is merely a corporate ploy but Halloween has been celebrated for thousands of years. Halloween is a contraction of All Hallows Evening and is celebrated around the world on the 31st October.

Historically, All Hallows Evening, or Halloween, is the celebration prior to All Saints' Day on the 1st November

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where Christians celebrate the honour and sacrifice of all of the Saints. In the evening Christians would visit churches and light candles on the graves of the dead leading to the modern traditions of watching scary films, visiting haunted houses and carving pumpkins into lanterns.

Interestingly, many Christians believe that you should not eat meat on All Hallows Evening and that is reflected in the typical foods eaten at Halloween including apples and pancakes.

In this Halloween feature we will be giving you vegan-friendly trick or treat ideas as well as fabulous and fun recipes to celebrate the holiday.

Whether you love Halloween or hate it, we’re pretty sure that making pastry mummies and strawberry ghosts will put a smile on your face and, if you have children, little ones will love getting involved in making these recipes.

Sweets WITH A

BITE! Candy Kittens Sweet Pineapple

Founded by Made in Chelsea star Jamie Laing, Candy Kittens is a range of gourmet sweets and the sweet pineapple is SFV. These sweets are fantastically tropical, and incredibly moreish. They are clearly labelled as vegan on the front of the packet.

Skittles

E120/carmine/cochineal has been removed from the ingredients list in the UK. Only a few old packets (with E120) still exist. So if a pack is marked ‘Suitable for vegetarians’ then it will be vegan and safe to eat!

Haribo Rainbow Strips

Be careful not to accidentally buy the similarly named Haribo Rainbow Twists, which contain beeswax, so are not vegan. These Rainbow Strips, however, are sour, fizzy, and totally safe for vegans.

It’s rare that a Haribo product contains neither gelatine nor beeswax, so make the most of it!

Starburst

As long as you’re buying in the UK, and your packet is labelled ‘suitable for vegetarians’, Starburst is vegan! It also does not contain any artificial colours or flavours, using concentrated fruit juices to make these chewy treats. Unfortunately, the US version contains gelatin so be careful to check that your retailer has not imported their Starburst from across the Atlantic.

BEAR Apple, Pear & Pumpkin Claws

Available in four fresh flavours, Vive energy snack bars are filled with at least 10 grams of plant-based protein each, are all under 152 calories and contain 100 per cent natural ingredients. Get 25 per cent off your first box of 8 by using the discount code ‘VEGANLIFE’. eatvive.com 29

Happy Halloveen

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PUMPKIN CUPCAKES Makes 12 For the Cupcakes: • 75g (1/3 cup) vegan butter • 150g (3/4 cup) granulated sugar • 170g (3/4 cup) pumpkin puree • 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract • 90ml (6 tbsp) non-dairy milk • ½ tsp cinnamon • ½ tsp nutmeg • ½ tsp ground ginger • 2 tsp baking powder • Pinch sea salt For the Frosting: • 115g (1/2 cup) vegan cream cheese, chilled • 115g (1/2 cup) vegan butter, chilled • 275g (21/4 cups) icing sugar, sifted • 1 tbsp maple syrup • Freshly grated nutmeg, to decorate • Halloween themed decorations — we used Hotel Chocolat's Wingston The Bat chocolates 1 Preheat oven to 170°C (Gas mark 3, 340°F) and fill a 12 hole muffin tin with cupcake cases.

2 In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

3 Add the milk, pumpkin and vanilla to the butter and sugar and mix.

4 Sift the flour, spices and salt into the bowl and fold together until combined, but do not over mix.

5 Spoon the mixture into the cake cases until they are 2/3 full to allow for rising.

6 Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes before checking them. The cakes are cooked when a cocktail stick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

7 Leave to cool completely before icing.

8 To prepare the icing, whip all the ingredients together until fluffy and combined. Use a pallet knife or a piping bag to decorate the cakes. The icing will soften and spread at room temperature so keep cool or chilled until serving.

9 Finish the cakes with a grating of nutmeg.

Per 100g Calories: 327, Carbohydrates: 46.0g, Sugars: 43.0g, Fat: 15.0g, Saturates: 4.3g, Protein: 1.2g, Salt: 1.1g

HOT DOG MUMMIES Makes 12

• 6 large vegan hotdogs • 1 pack ready made, vegan croissant dough • Ketchup or mustard, to serve.

1 Cook the hot dogs according to pack instructions. Cut in half widthways and set aside to cool.

2 Remove all the packaging from the croissant dough and unroll onto a floured surface.

3 Using the point of a sharp knife, cut the dough into 36 long, thin strips.

4 Take a hot dog half and begin to wind the strips of dough around it, leaving small gaps, to resemble bandages. Use 6 strips per sausage.

5 When all the hot dogs are wrapped in the dough, bake in the oven, on a parchment lined baking sheet, at 200°C (Gas Mark 6, 400°F) for 10 mins or until golden and cooked through.

6 Serve warm, with mustard dots for ‘eyes’ and ketchup ‘blood’

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until smooth and totally combined. Set aside for the flavours to combine.

3 When the squash is almost ready, bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Add the black pasta, bring back to the boil and allow to simmer for 3-5 minutes, until cooked.

4 Drain the pasta, add it straight back to the pan and pour over the pesto. Toss to coat the pasta in the pesto.

5 Serve in bowls with the squash cubes, some dairy free parmesan and some pine nuts scattered over.

STRAWBERRY GHOST HALLOWEEN SCAREBERRIES • 200g vegan white chocolate • Approx 20 strawberries • 20g dark chocolate

BLACK-AS-NIGHT PASTA WITH KALE PESTO AND ROASTED SQUASH Serves 2 For the Pasta: • 100g Orwell Organic Soybean pasta • ¼ small queen squash, peeled and cubed • 1 tbsp olive oil • Sea salt and black pepper For the Pesto: • 200g (1 cup) kale, steamed for 5 minutes • 2 cloves garlic, peeled 32

• • • •

1 tbps pine nuts 4 tbsp fruity olive oil 1 tbsp nutritional yeast Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

To Serve: • Dairy–free parmesan • A few extra pine nuts 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (Gas Mark 6, 400°F). Place the cubed squash in a roasting dish, drizzle over a little olive oil and season well. Cover with foil and place in the oven to roast for 30 minutes, or until tender.

2 Place all the ingredients for the pesto into a high speed blender and process

1 Start by melting the white chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Make sure the base of the bowl does not touch the water. Break the chocolate into small pieces and allow to melt slowly without stirring. While this is happening, lay a piece of parchment paper down.

2 Once the chocolate has melted, remove from the heat, and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Holding the strawberry by the leaves dip the strawberry completely into the chocolate, right up to top, so just the green is left. Hold the strawberry up and allow the excess to drip off.

3 Carefully lay the strawberry down onto the parchment paper and allow to cool completely. Continue with all the strawberries.

4 Melt the dark chocolate in the same way.

5 Pour the dark chocolate into a disposable piping bag. Snip a tiny hole in the end of the piping bag, and decorate the chocolate strawberries with a ghost face.

6 Allow to set completely, and enjoy.

Recipe and Image from: www.berryworld.com

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How do you

eat yours?

Afternoon tea is finally becoming accessible to vegans

T

he classic argument — cream or jam first — is debated with as much passion as whether you say sc-ow-ne or sc-o-ne. However, one thing we can all agree on is that scones loaded with cool cream and sweet fruit jam are simply delicious. For so many years the wonderful experience of afternoon tea has eluded vegans. Thankfully, afternoon teas SFV have been popping up all over the UK in recent months and therefore we will be giving you a list of excellent establishments to visit which will satisfy your afternoon tea craving.

The idea for afternoon tea dates back to the 1840’s where late evening meals left a long period between lunch and dinner.

At this time, tea was becoming incredibly fashionable and adding a light snack to the mid-afternoon cup of tea soon evolved into a tradition. Today, the light snack has evolved into a meal in its own right and this quintessentially English tradition is still popular today.

In this feature we will be reviewing the afternoon tea at Carey’s Manor, located in the New Forest National Park. We also have some incredible afternoon tea recipes for you including rye bread open sandwiches, crostini with tapenade and carrot cake with cashew frosting.

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C

arey’s Manor Hotel introduced a vegan afternoon tea this summer after witnessing a rise in vegan and flexitarian diners at their hotel.

Hotel Manager, Lorella Negro, told us: “The main reason we started the vegan afternoon tea was simply the rise in demand from our guests coming to tea.

We found we had a lot of requests for vegan afternoon tea and we wanted a consistent and unique offering that we could be proud of and really to make our guests feel as privileged and welcomed as our other afternoon tea guests.

“The reaction so far, from people I have spoken to and reviews I have read, has been very positive. Our guests have enjoyed having a lovely afternoon tea that is just as special as our [traditional] offering.”

The experience began with perusing loose leaf teas from Camella’s Tea House.

You can choose from mango tea, mint green tea, chocolate tea, rooibos, white apricot, chai or Carey’s Manor signature black tea, among others. The white apricot tea is floral, clean and cooling, perfect for the summer but you must try their signature tea (when in Rome…), which is strong and full — perfect for those who like a ‘proper’ tea.

Traditionally, you begin your afternoon tea with finger sandwiches but Carey’s offer miniature wraps — tomato and

avocado, carrot and pomegranate — as well as open sandwiches topped with avocado and falafel.

Following this, you will be presented with fruit scones accompanied by coconut cream and strawberry jam.

The freshly baked scones are crunchy on the inside and fluffy, soft and warm as you bite through them. The jam, clearly homemade, is packed with whole strawberries and is just a little runny; the coconut cream is fresh and cuts through the sweetness perfectly.

Finally, the afternoon tea finale comprises of chocolate compote, an apricot and pistachio tart, coconut chocolate truffles and peanut butter rice crispy cake. The apricot and pistachio tart is a pleasant combination of sweet, soft apricot and crunchy pistachio enveloped in puff pastry. However, the unlikely star has to be the peanut butter rice crispy cake, not something that you would expect to see on an afternoon tea menu.

It is sticky, crunchy and a deliciously savoury treat.

This mammoth afternoon tea is not something to take on lightly. You will need several lackadaisical hours to get through it all, and an empty stomach, but for just £24 you definitely get your money’s worth.

You can indulge in hydrotherapy following your afternoon tea as the spa at Carey’s uses vegan, cruelty-free products.

The SenSpa is an authentic Thai spa and was voted Best Spa in The South-East in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. Whether you choose to recline on the underwater benches, soak in the hydrotherapy pool or detox in the sauna, the SenSpa is a guilt-free paradise. Access to the pool, Jacuzzi, gym and sauna are also free for guests staying at the hotel.

If the thought of taking a dip so soon after eating doesn’t appeal, stretch your legs and enjoy the peaceful surroundings in the New Forest National Park. Mind has reported that walking in the forest can reduce feelings of depression by approximately 70 per cent. Try the nearby town of Highcliffe to visit the historic home of Harry Selfridge (founder of Selfridge’s) or stay closer to the hotel and walk through Brokenhurst Park. The concierge at Carey’s is fantastic and can point you in the right direction, whatever your need.

Carey’s should be congratulated on its vegan afternoon tea. As a wellknown, historic hotel, Carey’s could be resting on their laurels. However, they have recognised the growing number of vegans looking for the afternoon tea experience and have risen to the challenge.

careysmanor.com

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The

1

ICING on the cake

Afternoon teas around the UK 1. The Willow Tearooms, Glasgow

Not exclusively vegan, you will need to pre-book for an afternoon tea SFV. The service is particularly good here and they have a large free-from menu. £12.95.

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2. The Tea Parlour, Liverpool

The vegan afternoon tea at The Tea Parlour is a fantastic take on the traditional afternoon tea with egg tofu sandwiches and coconut clotted cream. GF options also available. £23 per person.

3. La Suite West, London

If you like the sound of cashew nut cream and BBQ tempeh sandwiches followed by warm homemade scones and a selection of cakes and desserts then try LA Suite West, located just two minutes from Bayswater Station. £29 per person.

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4. Treffner's Restaurant, Belfast

Set in the idyllic countryside of Templepatrick, Belfast, you can enjoy your afternoon tea overlooking an award winning golf course. Gluten free, nut free, halal and vegan catered to on request prior to arrival. £29 for two.

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5. Fortnum and Mason, London

This historic establishment is modernising its afternoon tea with finger sandwiches followed by scones and a selection of vegan sweets including banana cake. See the whole menu at fortnumandmason.com. £44 per person.

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6. Loaf Bed & Breakfast, Northumberland

This vegan bed and breakfast offers afternoon tea but you will need to book in advance to ensure you get a space.

Homemade breads, jams, tarts, pastries and cakes are on offer. £60 for two or £130 for four with room decoration and theme for special occasions on request.

7. Pettigrew Tea Rooms, Cardiff

Centrally located on the edge of Copper’s Field, Pettigrew Tea Rooms offers afternoon tea for gluten free, vegan and low sugar diets. £16.45 per person.

8. Terre à Terre, Brighton

This is afternoon tea with a twist; steamed buns with Szechuan marinated tofu followed by orange and almond polenta cake and chocolate hazelnut truffles. £24 per person.

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5

8

RYE BREAD OPEN SANDWICHES WITH RED PEPPER CREAM AND AVOCADO Makes 18

For the Red Pepper Cream: • 75g (½ cup) cashews, soaked in hot water for 30 mins then drained • 1 large red pepper, halved and deseeded • 1 tsp white wine vinegar 38

• • • •

1 tsp lemon juice 1 garlic clove, peeled Pinch sea salt Pinch smoked paprika (optional)

For the Sandwiches: • 2 slices of square, black rye bread • 1 medium avocado, peeled and sliced • Chives, for decoration 1 Place the pepper halves in a 200°C (Gas Mark 6, 400°F) oven, on a baking sheet, and roast for 30 minutes or until soft and charred. Once cooked, put the

pepper into a sealable, plastic food bag to loosen the skin as it cools.

2 Peel the charred skin, as much as possible, from the pepper and add to a high speed blender, along with all the other ingredients for the cream.

Process until very smooth.

3 Using a sharp knife, cut the rye bread into 18 even sized rectangles.

4 Spread or pipe the red pepper cream onto each piece of bread, top with avocado slices and some chives.

Keep chilled until serving.

CROSTINI WITH CASHEW CREAM CHEESE AND TAPENADE Makes 18

For the Cashew Cream Cheese: • 75g (1/2 cup) cashews, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes, then drained.

• 2 tsp lemon juice • Pinch sea salt For the Tapenade: • 10 large, stoneless, black olives • 5-6 sundried tomatoes • 1 clove garlic, peeled • A few fresh basil leaves

For the Crostini: • 1 part baked baguette, cooked • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil • Freshly ground black pepper To Serve: • 2 small tomatoes, deseeded and finely diced • 18 small basil leaves 1 Slice the baguette diagonally into 18 rounds, lay them out on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle generously with black pepper and bake at 200°C (Gas Mark 6, 400°F) for 15 mins, or until golden and very crispy.

2 To make the cashew cream cheese, add all the ingredients to a high speed

blender and whizz until very smooth.

Set aside as this will thicken as it stands and will be easier to spread or pipe neatly.

3 For the tapenade, finely chop all the ingredients together or pulse in a mini chopper until roughly chopped and combined.

4 When the crostini are ready, allow to cool before topping with the cream cheese, then the tapenade, the diced tomato and a basil leaf on each. Keep cool until serving.

39

SCONES WITH JAM AND WHIPPED COCONUT CREAM Serves 6

For the Scones: • 40g (1/4 cup) vegan butter, chilled • 225g (21/4 cup) white, self-raising flour • 1 heaped tbsp caster sugar • Pinch sea salt • 110ml (1/2 cup) unsweetened soy milk • Flour for rolling out For the Coconut Cream: • 1x 400g tin full fat coconut milk, chilled overnight in the fridge • 75g (3/4 cup) icing sugar

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• ½ tsp vanilla bean paste/extract • 1 tbsp tapioca flour • 1 glass or metal mixing bowl, chilled overnight in the fridge You Will Also Need: • A 5cm plain or fluted metal, circular cutter • A non-stick baking tray, lined with parchment and lightly greased.

• Vegan butter and jam, to serve 1 Sieve the flour into a bowl and quickly and lightly rub in the butter, using your fingertips, until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

2 Stir in the sugar and salt.

3 Using a metal spoon or butter knife, mix in the milk, little by little, until you have a soft dough you can bring together

with your hands.

4 Knead the dough gently for a couple of seconds and add a little more milk if the mixture too dry.

5 Place the dough on a floured board and roll out to approx 3.5cm deep.

6 Using the cutter, cut out as many scones as possible from the dough, before bringing the remaining mixture together with your hands and rolling out again to repeat the process and use all of the dough. You should end up with 6-8 scones in total.

7 Arrange the scones on a lined baking sheet and dust the tops with a little more flour.

8 Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 mins, or until they are golden brown and have risen.

9 Transfer to a cooling rack and leave to cool slightly before serving. These scones will keep for a day or so, but are definitely best when freshly cooked.

10 For the coconut cream, open the tin of chilled coconut milk and scrape the solid part only into the chilled bowl.

11 Using an electric or hand whisk, begin to whip the coconut cream.

12 Add the rest of the cream ingredients and continue to whip for a couple of minutes, until light and fluffy.

13 This mixture needs to be kept chilled and will keep well, covered, in the fridge for 5 days.

14 Serve the warm scones with vegan butter, jam and the coconut cream.

Per 100g Calories: 243, Carbohydrates: 30.0g, Sugars: 11.0g, Fat: 12.0g, Saturates: 7.5g, Protein: 3.5g, Salt: 0.42g

CARROT CAKE WITH CASHEW CREAM CHEESE FROSTING Serves 10-15

For the Cake: • 175g (3/4 cup) light muscovado sugar • 175ml (3/4 cup) sunflower oil • 175g (13/4 cup) self-raising flour • Vegan egg replacer made up for 3 large eggs • 3 medium carrots, peeled and grated • 100g (1/2 cup) sultanas • Grated zest 1 large orange • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda • 1 tsp ground cinnamon • ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg (plus extra for topping) For the Cashew Frosting: • 250g (1⅔ cups) cashews, soaked overnight • 115ml (½ cup) coconut oil, melted • 115ml (⅓ cup) maple syrup • 80ml (⅓ cup) water • 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract • 2 tsp lemon juice • Pinch sea salt 1 Preheat the oven to 170°C (Gas Mark 3, 325°F) and line a 50cm (20in) cake tin with baking parchment.

2 In a large mixing bowl, mix together the sugar and oil, followed by the carrots, sultanas and orange zest.

3 Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and

the spices into the bowl and mix.

4 Once everything is combined, add the egg replacer and quickly mix together until the mixture is smooth.

5 Transfer the batter to the prepared tin and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. The cake is cooked when it feels springy to the touch and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

6 Once cooked, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.

7 To make the cashew cream cheese frosting, place all the ingredients into a high speed blender and puree until very smooth, scraping down the sides if necessary. Keep the frosting chilled until ready to use.

8 Generously top the cooled cake with the cashew icing and finish with a sprinkling of grated nutmeg and orange zest.

The un-iced cake can be kept, well wrapped, in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Per 100g Calories: 431, Carbohydrates: 28.0g, Sugars: 14.0g, Fat: 33.0g, Saturates: 11.0g, Protein: 5.8g, Salt: 0.54g 41

42

VEGAN why choose

beauty products

Victoria Eisermann from K9 Angels talks about the hidden animal products in your beauty staples

I

think it’s fair to say that whether you follow a vegan diet or not, you wouldn't want to use beauty products that contain the likes of crushed insects, fish scales or animal bones. It's shocking to know that these 'ingredients' are in some beauty products and it can sometimes be confusing to know exactly what you are buying.

without synthesised ingredients (they will say 100 per cent vegan if they are) as this could mean it contains fish/animal bones, connective tissues and skin.

Love your lipstick? Carmine (also known as cochineal, crimson lake, natural red 4, c.i.75470, E120 or carminc acid) is the colour taken from the bodies of crushed insects known as cochineal, one of the most common non–vegan ingredients found in makeup.

Another common misconception is that cruelty-free and vegan are synonymous.

The definition of cruelty-free is a product which is not tested on animals at any point in their production, including the composite ingredients. However, it does not necessarily mean that the product is vegan. You should always check the ingredients to make sure that there aren't any fish or crushed insects lurking in your lipstick. It's not only in non-vegan make up that animal parts could be lurking... many makeup brushes could be made using animal hair including goat, squirrel, mink, sable or horse hair — and these are often as a by-product of the fur industry.

This cocktail of animal bones and skin

Ever wondered how beauty products get that shimmer effect? Have you heard of Guanine, also known as CI 75170?

Guanine is actually fish scales taken from dead fish to add shimmer and glimmer to beauty products.

Collagen supplements plump the skin, right? Well, be careful of supplements 44

Beeswax is often listed under different names and can be known as cera alba or cera lava and is often found in lip balms and mascaras.

can easily be avoided by opting for vegan beauty buys instead.

People often think that all vegan products are very expensive but it is certainly not the case. As well an array of great vegan and cruelty free beauty buys online, you can now also find plenty on the high street too including Superdrug’s own brand, Barry M, Gosh, Lush, Models Own and Sleek to name just a few, and for higher end brands try Too Faced Cosmetics, Bare Minerals and Becca. Arbonne is amazing too, although this is only available online.

Being vegan is not easy. There are so many different things to consider — what you eat, drink, wear, support and buy reflects your lifestyle choice. Therefore, make sure that you use your considerable consumer power to make compassionate purchases to show your opposition to animal testing and the use of animal products and bring about change in the beauty industry.

MARYLAND TREATS BIG COOKIES CHOC CHIP

CO-OP MAPLE AND PECAN CRISP CEREAL

With clusters of wheat, oats, rice, pieces of pecan nut and a sweet maple syrup flavour, this cereal from the co-op comes without any animal products disguised as E-numbers, unlike other similar cereals. The cereal clusters and pecan pieces are complemented well by nut milks such as almond, making this a perfect addition to the breakfast table.

Unlike Maryland’s original chocolate chip cookies, advertised as ‘the nation’s favourite cookie’, these new treats cookies from the company are SFV, as they don’t contain the whey powder of their predecessors. Perfect for cheat day or to accompany a nice hot cup of tea as the cold weather rolls in.

FLYING GOOSE SRIRACHA MAYONNAISE SAUCE

This spicy Thai mayonnaise will certainly add a kick to your sandwiches, and is completely SFV, with soybean oil and corn starch taking the place of egg in the ingredients — not your typical mayo recipe! Great for dipping sushi or bread into, or try it instead of mustard on a hot dog or burger.

the accidental vegan A selection of products that are vegan by chance rather than design

This page is all about top treat and snack food finds that just happen to be suitable for vegans. These products aren’t advertised as vegan, but we scan and check the ingredients, and share our discoveries with you. If any of these products say they may contain milk or other animal–derived substances, this is due to the item being made in the same factory as other food produce. All ingredients listings are subject to change.

M&S ULTIMATE FIVE GRAIN CRUMPETS

Looking for a bit of inspiration at breakfast, or want to make your mid-afternoon snack a bit more exciting? Look no further than these M&S crumpets. The embedded grains offer a different texture and new burst of flavour to a run of the mill crumpet, and they crisp up nicely whilst staying fluffy in the middle once toasted.

Have you found a brilliant accidentally vegan product? We want to know!

Share it with us on Facebook (facebook.com/veganlifemagazine)

MCCAIN SWEET POTATO SMILES

Potato smiles are a teatime favourite for kids far and wide, but nobody will notice if you have a few past your teens, will they? The latest twist on the children’s classic incorporates sweet potato. 77% potato and sweet potato, they are low in saturated fat. Ideal for a light bite or as part of a meal, and they only take 15-17 minutes to cook in the oven!

Instagram (@veganlife_mag) Twitter (@veganlife_mag) or you can send us an email or a letter: editor@veganlifemag.com The Accidental Vegan, Park House, The Business Centre, Earls Colne Business Park, Earls Colne, Colchester, Essex CO6 2NS 45

46

BOXCITED We bring you the best subscription boxes on the market

F

inding new great vegan products is a fantastic feeling. Knowing that you have discovered a product which meets your needs without compromising the wellbeing of a single animal can’t be matched.

However, it is not always easy to scout out new vegan treats without trawling health food shops and unfortunately, vegan, cruelty-free beauty products are not easy to spot in beauty aisles awash with the same old brands which hold the monopoly.

With this in mind, we are bringing you the best subscription boxes on the market to cut out the somewhat tiresome job of hunting out the newest, vegan brands.

Subscription boxes have exploded in recent years and there are now so many on the market that it can seem

overwhelming. Therefore we have picked out some of our favourites.

Firstly, we will be exploring the most common subscription box — the food box. Whether you have been vegan for your whole life of you are a newbie, you will know the feeling of seeing a new brand in your go-to section of your local supermarket or shop and scanning the ingredients list. On the discovery of unnecessary animal products in the list, disappointment ensues.

However, these boxes are all 100 per cent vegan so that you need not worry about your products (we bet that you still check the ingredients anyway though…).

Next we are going to bring you a list of our favourite beauty boxes offering vegan and cruelty-free brands so that you can try a whole host of different brands

before deciding which one suits you best.

As we all know, finding ‘your brand’ is not an easy process, especially when you are vegan.

We have noticed an increasing demand for information relating to gardening and all things green. As such we have summarised some of our favourite gardening boxes to get you started on the road to self-sufficiency.

Finally, we will be giving you a taste of the best recipe subscription boxes on the market. If Tuesday night dinner ideablock sounds familiar, this may be the one for you.

Whatever you fancy, subscription boxes are a great way to find new products and mix up your routine and they make a great presents too!

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BOXCITEMENT FOR FOODIES

EDITOR'S PICK

These monthly subscriptions will bring you tasty treats SFV

The Vegan Kind Lifestyle Box — £10 a month (excluding p&p)

VITL believe that a great day starts with you feeling your best, and you need the right balance of nutrients to feel 100 per cent. When you subscribe to VITL you receive a 28-day supply of tearable strips, each containing 4 daily vegan supplements formulated for optimal health. With multivitamins, omega 3 and a whole host of antioxidants, you'll have everything you need to support all areas of wellbeing to help your body function its best.

The Vegan Kind was founded by Karris and Scott McCulloch in 2013 after hours wasted trying to find products SFV in supermarkets. The business is small and family focused with a strong link to animal charities; 10p from each box is donated to a different animal charity each month, voted for by their Facebook followers. So far The Vegan Kind has donated to over 30 charities including Greyhound Gap, Teen VGN and Lotus Sanctuary. Recently featured brands include Proper Corn, moo free, Almighty Foods and Good Hemp. The Vegan Kind delivers their lifestyle box worldwide and offer gift subscriptions for 3, 6 and 12 months.

vitl.com

thevegankind.com

VITL Vegan Essentials — £32.95 a month (including p&p)

Vegan Cuts Snack Box - $22.95 a month (excluding p&p) This US box ships worldwide and is perfect for any homesick American friends you may have living in the UK or for those who love classic flavours from across the Atlantic such as peanut butter and jam or Ranch/Tex Mex. Each 48

The Really Good Box — £20 a month (free p&p) This box is really very good. It is a holistic box with a bit of everything included for the ethical consumer.

The Really Good Box always use vegan, cruelty-free items and where possible use fair-trade brands. The items in the box range from food, wellbeing products, cosmetics and household items. Each box is 100 per cent recycled cardboard and a portion of the cost of is donated to Depaul UK, a charity whose mission is to end homelessness. So, what’s inside? You will get different brands every month but recently the box has included a range of teas, meditation books, clif bars, biona jelly dino sweets and seed and bean organic chocolate bars. the-really-good-box-limited.cratejoy.com

month you will receive at least 10 vegan products to try and each product is tried and tested by the team before sharing it with their subscribers so you know it will be a good product.

vegancuts.com

The Vegan Goodness Box— £8.50-£17.95 The Goodness Project aims to give you a healthier, greener and kinder box and comes in three sizes; the letterboxfriendly goodness box, mini goodness box and maxi goodness box. Treats including nut butters, strawberry muesli minis and booja booja truffles have recently been featured

Graze — 3.99 for four snacks (free p&p) Graze was one of the first major food subscription boxes on the scene. Not all of the products are vegan, although they now have nearly 90 products which are SFV. Delightful, and mostly healthy, treats include Super Maca Flapjack, Triple Berry Smoothie and

by The Vegan Goodness Box recently. This all natural, no nasties box is sure to excite every month.

thegoodnessproject.co.uk

Protein Peanut Butter Dipper with Baked Hemp Sticks. To ensure that you only receive snacks suitable for vegans, you can use the filter on your food preferences page and each snack has a full ingredients list on the website.

graze.com

49

BEAUTY BOXCITEMENT Orglamix Beauty Box — £29 (excluding tax and shipping)

Try one of these cruelty-free, vegan beauty boxes

EDITOR'S PICK

Orglamix actually create the products which go into their vegan and cruelty-free beauty boxes. The products are handcrafted in Chicago and for every box sold, the company gives money to orphaned children in need. You will receive between four and six products per month and past products include eye crème, bath bombs, perfume and eyeshadow.

orglamix.com

Full of Kindness — £17.99 (free p&p to UK)

The Vegan Kind Beauty Box — £18.15 for one box (including p&p) The Vegan Kind Beauty Box is not delivered on a monthly basis and therefore you pay per box. You can subscribe for one box, two boxes or four boxes. The latest Beauty Box contained 50

a Chirp Hair Mask, Zerreau Bodywash Foam 70ml and Figs and Rouge HydraActiv 3 in 1 Hero Cream 80ml. The Beauty Box, unlike the Lifestyle Box, is only available for delivery in the UK and is delivered in February, May, August and November.

thevegankind.com

Full of Kindness is still relatively small compared to other beauty boxes, but don’t let this put you off. Each of these boxes contains up to five vegan and cruelty-free items with a variety of new brands exhibited every month.

50p from each purchase is donated to an animal friendly charity. To date twelve lucky charities have received donations from Full of Kindness. Each product is tested by the team before being dispatched to make sure that you receive the highest quality make up.

fullofkindness.com

The Pip Box – £14.99 a month (plud £3.35 p&p to UK) The Pip Box brings you five vegan, cruelty-free products every month, which is a mix of full and travel sized products. Named after the founder’s dog Pippa, their mission is to end cosmetic testing on animals by informing people about the cruelty of the cosmetic industry. Additionally, 50p from every Pip Box is made to Animal Free Research UK. Recent delights have included self-heating eye masks, M lip balms and Kitenest Organic Dry Shampoo.

thepipbox.co.uk

Beauty12 — £15 a month (plus £2.90 p&p to UK) This new subscription box was the brainchild of two inspirational vegans who struggled to find replacements for their favourite beauty products.

The main problem they encountered was finding out about the testing policies of brands and their parent companies and thus Beauty12 was founded. Recent products include Ve Liquid Matte Lipstick, Raw Passion Skin and Bath Melts in vanilla and Lime and Medusas Makeup Deluxe False Eyelashes.

Beauty12.com

51

GREEN FINGERED BOXCITEMENT

EDITOR'S PICK

Try and grow your own produce with these boxes

Allotinabox Super Seed Box — £11.99 one off payment

Grow Club Discovery Box — £12.99 a month (free p&p)

With the motto ‘Breathe, De-stress & Grow’ Bloombox aim to bring you unique plants which can make your mind and home a little more relaxed.

The boxes are delivered every three months and you can choose from outdoor plants and indoor plants. Each box contains one plant, its own ceramic pot and a care card. Outdoor plants include hessian sack planters and five litres of soil to get you started.

Allotinabox is a grow-your-own box aimed at people of all ages to encourage us to greenify our urban spaces. The seed box allows to you to start growing your very own herbs, fruit and vegetables at home. With a whole range of seeds including aubergines, coriander, pak choi and peppers, you will be growing your own produce before you know it. Allotinabox also gives guidance on growing your seeds in a whole range of different spaces from a whole plot to a single pot, making it accessible to all.

The Seed Pantry monthly grow club offers seasonal seeds so that your box arrives at the right time to grow. They source seeds from around the world and therefore, you will be learning about a different plant every month.

You are also able to personalise your order by picking what you particularly want to grow. Along with the seeds, you will receive easy to understand 10 minute task guides and information on each of the plants you will be growing.

bloomboxclub.com

allotinabox.com

Bloombox — £35-59 a quarter (including p&p)

Plant-n-Grow — £13.95 a month Plant-n-Grow are based in Edinburgh and their subscription service is designed to make growing easy, even in densely populated urban areas.

They offer a selection of indoor and outdoor grow your own boxes which are selected and sent out prior to growing time to allow you to sow and grow your 52

seedpantry.co.uk plants at the correct time of year, giving you seasonal, fresh produce. Boxes are posted at the start of the month and come with seeds, propagator, seed mats, instructions, seed markers and a pencil. They will also send a recipe with the box but these recipes are not always SFV.

Plant-n-grow.co.uk

RECIPE BOXCITEMENT A new type of subscription box is breaking onto the scene

Plant Curious Box — £42 one off payment Plant Curious is the UK’s first exclusively plant based recipe box.

Bringing colourful, tasty dishes whilst maintaining variety and sustainability, Plant Curious boxes contain 100 per cent organic vegetables, recipe cards and special products from their partners whilst avoiding artificial chemicals, livestock manures and animal remains from slaughter.

This ensures that your produce is

Mindful Chef Vegan Box — £19.95 per week The Mindful Chef is not an entirely vegan company and therefore when you choose your recipes, you need to filter the recipes. However, there are over 100 vegan recipes to choose from so you are still spoilt for choice.

You can choose from a box for one person (£9 per portion), two people

completely vegan and maintains the quality of the ingredients. With incredible recipes like Samurau Miso Ramen and Loaded Sweet Potatoes, you will never be bored with your dinner ideas. Plant Curious have only just launched earlier this year and therefore their Launch Box is the only box available to order at time of print.

Keep an eye on this company though, we think they are destined for great things.

EDITOR'S PICK

plantcurious.co.uk

(£7 per portion) or four people (£6 per portion). Once you have chosen your recipes and the number of people, the ingredients you need are sourced and delivered to you. All you need to do is prepare and cook the healthy evening meals using the easy to follow recipe cards.

mindfulchef.com 53

A Taste of Sustainability E

Sylvia Smith reports for Vegan Life

very morning brings a fresh surprise whether it is a formerly crook-back, slender stem that has straightened up or a tightly packed bud that has flung itself open, there is always something new to see on one of Britain's smallest but most productive vegan small holdings run by British couple, Yolande and Andrew.

The size of the tiny plot, which measure 0.6 hectares (1.5 acres), of which a mere 0.035 hectares (350 square metres) is cultivated for vegetables, grains and soft fruits, is surprising considering the bounty of plentiful food which is the main food source for the couple.

But while size seems irrelevant, the condition of the soil is everything, according to Andrew. Andrew was once a consultant IT manager, but now leads experiments in how to grow food without manure or any other animal by-product.

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"I've found a way to nurture the soil using new methods in addition to crop rotation," he explains. "And we don't dig!"

Self-sufficiency without the security blanket of keeping animals for a supply of regular protein might sound challenging, but Andrew and Yolande sit on the top of Howle Hill in Hereford talking in passionate terms about their vegan small holding and the absence of moans about back-breaking toil is strikingly absent from our conversation.

"We put in about two hours a day," calculates Andrew. "We'll harvest about nine kilogrammes of quinoa, six kilogrammes of amaranth and eight kilogrammes of beans this year. We'll keep all of these because they are easy to store for use throughout the year."

Compost comes from their organic waste — whether carrot peelings or cabbage

stalks — a waste-free system that was common until industrial-scale agriculture took over. A book dating back to the war years was the launch pad for their venture into self-sufficiency.

Common Sense Compost Making by the Quick Return Method by Maye Bruce taught them how to make a compost heap and about natural homeopathic conditioner made from various dried herbs. Its effect is to speed up the process of decomposition turning what looks a bit like dried grass into a super-charged fertiliser. "The first time we tried it over the winter it made the most beautiful compost in 3 months," recalls Yolande.

"The next summer we made a lot in 6 weeks!"

By combining the special compost with the tenets of crop rotation, Rudolph Steiner's bio-dynamic ethos and the principles of permaculture, production

rather than frugality. Food security is naturally paramount.

"There will always be something growing for us to eat on every day of the year!" exclaims Yolande. "We also don’t feel we go through a hungry gap in spring, although variety can be a bit challenging.

We have chosen crops to provide us with starches throughout the winter and into spring by growing oca (which matures in November), Jerusalem artichokes (which last well into spring) as well as parsnips."

has steadily increased in the five years since their agricultural adventure first began.

"Crop rotation is straightforward," says Yolande. "It makes sense that if one year you put in plants that produce food in the form of leafy vegetables, the following year we introduce a root vegetable that depends on different elements in the soil. Ideally you give the earth time to recover."

Andrew is experimenter-in-chief when it comes to making homeopathic compounds to add to compost heaps, which are kept in containers made out of old pallets. He is wizard-like in his ability to conjure up his own special magic mix using a wide variety of ingredients including yarrow, dandelion, camomile, wild valerian and oak bark all of which he dries in his hand-made solar dryer.

worms, bacteria which condition the soil and which help moisture penetration and retention, all need to be taken care of," Yolanda says. "There's a symbiotic relationship between mycorrhizal threads and the plants growing in the soil."

In terms of priority, honouring the life force in the soil rather than following modern ways underpins their approach.

"We found our own way through reading widely," says Andrew commenting on the plot which formerly houses lime kilns.

"We used our own intuition and really listened to nature's messengers and messages."

Andrew continues: "Like the internet they [the mycorrhizal threads] provide a flow of information between plants and soil and assist the flow of nutrients from soil to plant. Digging is the equivalent of breaking a connection."

For the first year the couple added 6 inches of horse manure to the plots, but have subsequently discovered that yields are better and more consistent using pure green plant fertiliser. Andrew and Yolande are part of a small but growing band of farmers following a system of cultivation now known as vegan organics.

The method avoids artificial chemicals and sprays, GMOs, livestock manures and animal remains from slaughterhouses or fish processing.

Careful not to break any vital connections in the real food chain, the no-dig policy has paid off and there is spare produce

"We believe in feeding the soil and have put huge amounts of organic materials on the land and especially on the places

"I dissolve half a teaspoonful of the resulting powdered mixture in a pint of water and leave for 24 hours," he points to a mound that is sprouting seedlings.

"I then make about six holes in the compost heap and pour equal measures of the compound into each. The results are extraordinary."

The results are even more extraordinary when you consider that the couple never dig the soil. "The micro-organisms, 55

"We intentionally produce more vegetables, and forage more fruits, than we need." says Yolande. "We either trade the surplus for goods or services or we sell it via the Dean Forest Food Hub. This is a website as well as a logistics system that allows us to advertise our surplus on a weekly basis."

Every Friday the couple cut what has been ordered and deliver it to a dropoff point 3 miles away. With over 30 producers and over 50 customers it is a practical way to sell or source really fresh produce, most of which is organic and biodynamic, at affordable prices. where the soil is meagre," Andrew points out. "This is having a dramatic effect on the quality of the growing areas as well as on the soil systems."

While quinoa, amaranth and tree spinach all provide protein (as well as seeds for the following year), their diet is enriched with chickpeas, lentils and borlotti, cannellini, pinto and butter beans which flourish on the plot. The couple are proud to depend on the soil they tend rather than money and welcome visitors either to work with them on the land or simply to come and stay as paying guests.

"We earn a joint income of £5,000 in a year from Caenwood (our bed and breakfast) and have no other regular income," says Yolande. "We live in an alternative economy and yet we live a rich life."

Andrew explains that they are a carbon neutral household with solar panels making more electricity than they need.

"We only heat our house using wood either foraged from local sources or traded for our time and skills. We build large wood piles in the Scandinavian style to keep them dry until needed."

Andrew is particularly proud of his home made solar dryer created out of old bits of wood and a corrugated steel sheet painted black. "It dries our herbs and excess produce perfectly," he confides. "It gets up to 65 degrees Celsius and dries the herbs in a half a day, keeping in the full flavours."

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Yolande and Andrew have converted their freezer into a larder because they have fresh produce readily available in the garden or hedgerows. "We try to do everything the most natural way possible and loath using motorised mechanical equipment," Andrew continues. "I cut the grass areas annually with an Austrian scythe and we turn most of the grass into hay which we use for compost making, lining the strawberry beds and for protecting crops from birds and frosts."

The rest of the grass goes for seed source of meadow flowers of which the couple have over 70 varieties. A passion for doing everything themselves by hand extends into the kitchen where most of their foods are made from scratch.

From breads to preserves, and cider to liqueurs, there is a certain Caenwood flavour to everything they turn their hands to.

The couple refer to their endeavour as A Taste of Sustainabililty and teach volunteers their methods in exchange for help on the plot. Even those who stay at the Caenwood B&B learn something, even if just how to forage from local hedgerows.

"In spring we love nettle and wild garlic soup and in autumn we forage berries from our hedgerows and apples from our neighbours' orchards,” Andrew explains.

"It's all free and we don’t eat anything fresh that hasn’t come from within walking distance. It’s hard to realise just how normal this used to be!"

Clearly, sustainability is achievable and Andrew and Yolande really are living the good life.

Photographed by Richard Duebel

57

Lazy Sunday

Brunch Mix up your breakfast routine with these veganised weekend favourites

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CHIA FRENCH TOAST WITH CARAMELISED BANANAS Serves 4

For the Batter: • 1 ½ tbsp ground chia seeds • 2 tbsp maple syrup • 235ml (1 cup) unsweetened vegan milk (we used soy) • ½ tsp vanilla bean paste • Pinch freshly grated nutmeg • Pinch ground cardamom (optional) Additional: • Mild flavoured oil and vegan butter for frying.

• 4 thick slices of rustic, crusty bread (slightly stale works best) • 2 just ripe bananas • Maple syrup, vegan butter and icing sugar to serve 1 Mix together all the batter ingredients in wide bowl and leave to thicken in the fridge for 15 minutes.

2 When the batter is ready, take out of the fridge and heat a wide frying pan on a medium high heat.

3 Add a tablespoon of oil and a teaspoon of butter to the pan, and begin to dip the slices of bread into the batter, one at a time, leaving each slice to soak for 10 seconds on each side.

4 Lay the soaked bread carefully into the pan and cook, turning every few minutes, until golden and cooked through.

5 Slice the bananas into ½ cm rounds and add to the pan with an extra teaspoon of butter for the last 5 mins of cooking time.

6 Serve the toast with the banana slices, a drizzle of maple syrup and a light dusting of icing sugar.

Per 100g Calories: 142, Carbohydrates: 24.0g, Sugars: 7.9g, Fat: 2.9g, Saturates: 0.6g, Protein: 4.7g, Salt: 0.35g

CHICKPEA OMELETTE Makes 2 large omelettes

Batter: • 70g (¾ cup) chickpea flour • 180ml (¾ cup) unsweetened soy milk

• • • • • • • •

2 tsp apple cider vinegar 2 tsp nutritional yeast ¼ tsp turmeric ¼ tsp garlic powder ¼ tsp onion powder ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda ¼ tsp Kala Namak Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Filling: • Olive oil, for sautéing • 7-8 mushrooms, sliced • 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced • ½ large red onion, finely sliced • 1 glove garlic, crushed • 2 large handfuls washed baby spinach • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

To accompany: • A few handfuls asparagus tips • Squeeze lemon juice • Drizzle olive oil 1 Measure all the dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix until well combined.

Add the vinegar and soy milk and whisk until you have a smooth and bubbly batter. This mixture can be made in advance and stored in the fridge until needed.

2 Over a medium high heat, sauté the onion, pepper and mushrooms in

a non-stick frying pan until starting to soften. Add the crushed garlic, spinach and season well with salt and black pepper. Remove from heat as soon as the spinach begins to wilt and set aside in a bowl.

3 Wipe the pan with kitchen paper and return to heat with another splash of oil.

Once hot, pour in half of the chickpea batter and cook until bubbles begin to appear on the surface.

4 Place the sautéed veggies on one half of the omelette and cover the pan with a lid for a couple of minutes to steam cook.

5 Meanwhile, lightly steam the asparagus and drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil. Set aside.

6 Fold the omelette over to partially cover the filling, transfer to a plate and sprinkle with your choice of herbs. Serve with asparagus.

CHEF'S TIP Sprinkle this dish with your favourite fresh herbs. we love chives, but tarragon or parsley also work well here.

Per 100g Calories: 101, Carbohydrates: 8.8g, Sugars: 1.9g, Fat: 4.7g, Saturates: 0.7g, Protein: 4.8g, Salt: 0.19g 59

TOFU FLORENTINE Serves 4

Tofu: • 1 block of extra firm tofu, drained, marinade well and pressed • 2 tbsp soy sauce • 2 tsp liquid smoke • 1 tsp smoked paprika • 1 tsp garlic powder • 2 tsp olive oil Hollandaise: • 500g (2 cups) silken tofu • 2 tbsp lemon juice • 1 tsp white wine vinegar • A pinch turmeric • A pinch cayenne pepper • 1-2 tsp Dijon mustard • 4 tbsp sunflower or other neutral tasting oil • Sea salt and black pepper, to taste To serve: • 4 vegan English muffins, split and toasted

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• 1 large bag of baby spinach, washed well • Asparagus tips, 4-5 per person • Finely chopped fresh chives 1 Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a zip lock bag.

2 Cut the tofu block into 8 triangles, add to the marinade, and store in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour, or overnight.

3 For the hollandaise, remove silken tofu packaging and heat on a plate in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute until warm.

Place in a blender and whizz until smooth.

4 Add all the other ingredients except the oil and blend.

5 With the motor running, slowly add the oil until emulsified.

6 Transfer to a pan and keep warm over a low heat, stirring often, until ready to serve.

7 When ready to serve, remove the

tofu from the marinade and fry over a medium heat until golden and caramelised on both sides.

8 While the tofu is cooking, lightly steam the spinach and asparagus, and toast the muffins.

9 To assemble, top muffin halves with some spinach, asparagus, tofu, and finally the warm hollandaise.

10 Garnish with fresh chives and serve.

CHEF'S TIP You can get liquid smoke from most large supermarkets and independent health food shops in the sauces aisle.

Per 100g Calories: 135, Carbohydrates: 7.1g, Sugars: 1.3g, Fat: 7.5g, Saturates: 1.1g, Protein: 9.1g, Salt: 0.54g

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FLUFFY AMERICAN STYLE PANCAKES WITH BERRY, MINT AND LIME COMPOTE Serves 2

Batter: • 100g (1 cup) plain flour • 1 tbsp sugar • 2 tsp baking powder • 235ml (1 cup) unsweetened soy milk • 2 tbsp sunflower oil • Pinch sea salt Berry, Mint and Lime Compote: • 250g (2 cups) mixed, fresh berries, washed. We used strawberries, blueberries and raspberries 62

• Few sprigs fresh mint • 3 tsp icing sugar • 2 tbsp water • Juice and zest ½ lime To serve: • Fresh mint • Plain, non-dairy yogurt of choice.

1 In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the batter until no lumps or pockets of flour remain.

2 Preheat a large, non-stick frying pan on a medium heat and add a knob of vegan butter.

3 Add all the compote ingredients to a small saucepan and allow to gently bubble until the fruit begins to soften.

4 Using 60ml (¼ cup) of batter per pancake, fry in the pan until golden on both sides, in batches, until all the mixture is used. Keep warm on a paper lined plate until ready to serve.

5 Pile the pancakes onto plates, and top with yogurt, berry compote, fresh mint and a little lime zest.

CHEF'S TIP Use maple sugar for a caramel - like flavour.

Per 100g Calories: 126, Carbohydrates: 18.0g, Sugars: 6.0g, Fat: 4.0g, Saturates: 0.5g, Protein: 3.0g, Salt: 0.62g

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63

A parent's tale

Was ist Das?

Telling children the truth about meat by Charlotte Meyer Zu Natrup

I

t finally happened. A moment that I have anticipated and thought about for years. Since before my children were conceived. Since before I knew that I would be trying for children. Since I finally gave up trying to delude myself that it was ‘OK’ to eat some animals but not others.

When I gave into the feelings that I had been kidding myself about for years. The feelings about how wrong it is to ship sentient beings off to slaughterhouses just because we crave a burger or hanker after a chicken curry.

I have wondered for a very long time how I would respond to a child if they asked me where their dinner came from.

Jess, Florian and I are in the supermarket doing our weekly shop. Jess has recently achieved a new height of responsibility and now pushes her own toddler-sized trolley around with us as we shop. I am torn between wildly celebrating and throwing my hands up in horror at these trolleys. On the one hand they can keep a

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toddler engaged as we traverse the long aisles to the checkout. On the other, it is rather like handing a small weapon to a monkey and saying: “Here, let’s see what you do with that.”

Jess has been delighted by them. There have been good days where she has wowed me with her maturity by correctly selecting foods from the shelves and putting them in her trolley. And there were very few putting-everything-in-the-worldon-top-of-the-raspberries incidents, too.

Simultaneously, there have been darker days when she has propelled the trolley as fast as possible bowling-ball style so that the elderly shoppers have become bowling pins and the shins of other customers have turned dark with bruises.

We are in the meat aisle. Jess, picking up a cellophane-wrapped piece of meat. I think it is bacon but I am no connoisseur.

‘Was ist das?’* ‘I think it is bacon, Jess.’ If she were two, I would have been satisfied with this reply,

knowing that there would be a thousand or so similar interrogations before we got to the checkout. At that age she was more interested in identifying objects. Now she is three and I have committed myself to giving explanations to her answers. ‘From the piggy, Jess. Oink oink.’

‘Piggy?’

‘It’s a piece of the piggy’s back. They cut it out of his back.’ I need to be explicit. With toddlers I have found that you need to be as clear as possible.

I had been perturbed about these discussions. My fear had been that I would be seeking to persuade my child to think a certain way, to make up her mind for her.

This, to a certain extent, is the unavoidable landscape of parenthood. It is impossible to raise someone and not influence how they view their existence. Every decision that I have made in my life so far and that I will make, impacts on her, to a greater or a lesser degree. Being raised vegetarian is part of this, as is, for example, learning English and German because her parents

are English and German. However, something about the discussion of where meat comes from, for me, was different. It did not feel like just another unintentional part of my life that holds sway over hers. It seemed like an instance where using my parental power to influence all her further decisions seemed manipulative.

In the process of soothing myself on this matter, I scouted online to see what other vegan and vegetarian parents said to their children about meat and animals.

I found some good advice and a general consensus that the truth could be told, gently, without the use of graphic pictures from slaughterhouses. I agreed entirely.

It is confusing. As a parent, I do wish to imprint on my children. I am very strongly of the opinion that they should not walk out into the road in front of a car, now or ever. I will do everything in my power to ensure that they understand this wish and follow my commands on the matter.

What is the difference here then? I know that eating meat, eggs and dairy are both bad for their health and cruel to animals.

So why do I stop myself from spreading the persuasion on here as thick as vegan butter icing on a toothsome vegan cupcake and making the message stick?

What kept coming up in my research, however, were articles aimed at meateating parents. Articles which addressed the dilemma of how to break the news to little Charlie. How to tell him that what was on his plate was a friend of the cow whose nose he had stroked at the local petting farm. Or a companion of the bunny whose exploits he had read about in a book. Basically, how to convince children that it is OK to eat meat. They were a frightening and an illuminating read. Why was I worrying about influencing my children, when what I was telling them was the truth? I was being honest, and as long as I didn’t employ terrible shock tactics that would scar them, then I could take a certain amount of assurance from this fact. What was persuasive, and a form of indoctrination, were the lies that meat-eaters were constructing to make the ‘Let’s Eat Meat Dance’ seem fine to their children.

I feel some hesitation here might be natural and that it is only exacerbated by the opinions of other parents around me. These range from the more mildmannered parents who only raise their eyebrows at my ‘foolish’ ideas, to those with stronger views. The former perhaps only suppose that I am raising my children in this way in order to follow a new fad and thereby compete in the award that all parents seem so dedicated on receiving these days: The Undoubted Best Parent Ever Hitherto Let All Parents Bow to Your Wisdom Award. There are also the more vocal parents who speak up against what they seem to feel is my indoctrination of my children into a third rate lifestyle.

And the key word there is ‘indoctrination’.

Other parents fear that we indoctrinate our children and I would argue against this. I do not indoctrinate but I am entitled to show my opinion. This does not disappear because I believe in something different to everyone else. And this will be the case for the rest of their lives. I will not manipulate my child when they come to me and tell me the decisions they have made in life, even when I disagree, but I will give my opinion and I will try to support them in coming to their own conclusion.

And so, back to Jess who is still standing behind me in the refrigerator aisle, with a piece of pig in her hand and a sad little face. She is trying to compute what is going on.

‘That makes Piggy sad, Mama?’ she asks.

And I get down on her level, remove the piece of pig from her hand and pick her up.

‘Yes, Jess. It does make the pig sad and it kills him. Some people like to eat pig. We don’t. We like to take care of animals’.

THE BIG BREAKFAST BAR

• • • • • • •

2 large bananas 270g (3 cups) rolled oats 150g (1 cup) raisins 75g (½ cup) dried cranberries 65g (½ cup) pumpkin seeds 75g (½ cup) toasted sesame seeds 45g (½ cup) chopped, blanched almonds • 115ml (½ cup) golden syrup • 115ml (½ cup) coconut oil • 175ml (¾ cup) almond milk 1 Cut out a piece of baking paper to fit a roasting tin and preheat the oven to 180°C or 150°C for an air oven.

2 Mash the bananas in a bowl and mix in the oats, raisins, cranberries, nuts and seeds.

3 In a saucepan melt the golden syrup and coconut oil together and add this to the oat mixture. Add the almond milk and mix well together.

4 Spread the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 30-35 minutes.

5 Remove from the oven. Make sure mixture is cool before cutting into individual pieces.

And that is enough for one day. Jess and I can discuss this again in more detail at a later date. For now, we rescue Dummer Bunner (Florian’s toy) once again from the fridge, and head to the checkout with our shopping. *What is that?

Charlotte Meyer Zu Natrup 65

Dispelling the Myths of Soya Nutritionist Rishi Kumar Nursimloo addresses the misnomers surrounding soya

S

oya foods have been consumed in traditional Asian populations for thousands of years. However, in many other populations, there have been many concerns surrounding the consumption of soya; it is bad for me?

Can I over-consume soya? Will it increase my male breast tissue? To answer these questions, we have summarised the current literature on the effects of soy on our health.

The Science of Soy Soybeans and soy products contain a plant-derived compound called isoflavones, which are a class of phytoestrogens (plant based estrogens).

Whilst you may be concerned when discussing the hormone oestrogen, these specific compounds (phytoestrogens) actually provide beneficial oestrogenic and anti-oestrogenic effects.

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Oestrogen receptors are present in many tissues and these isoflavones bind to and trans-activate oestrogen receptors.

This means they mimic the effects of oestrogen in some tissues and block the effects of oestrogen in others. It is these two effects that spark scientists' interest as oestrogenic effects may help in maintaining bone health, reduce the likelihood of coronary heart disease and the anti-oestrogenic effects may help to reduce the risk of hormone-associated cancers.

not considered a replacement for antiosteoporotic medication.

Bone health Some observational and clinical studies have shown a link between soya intake and improved bone health, especially in Asian women. People who regularly eat soya appear to have higher bone density and lower rates of fracture than those with low intakes. Research is in this area is on-going and dietary interventions are

Cardiovascular Disease Both diets high in saturated fat and having too much low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or ‘bad’ cholesterol in the blood are major risk factors for coronary heart disease. Consuming soya foods as part of a healthy low-saturated fat diet, which is typical in a vegan diet, can help lower LDL cholesterol and therefore

Lactose intolerance affects around 5 per cent of the UK adult population, along with other adverse effects in comparision to cows milk. Consumption of dairy and lactose-free alternatives are suitable for children over six months of age and adults with lactose intolerance (around) and with. As a general guideline, ensure when replacing dairy that soya products are fortified with calcium.

lower our risk of heart disease. One way that soya can help in reducing LDL cholesterol is by lowering the body’s natural cholesterol-producing capacity in the liver. Additionally, the replacement of foods high in saturated fat such as fatty meat and full fat dairy products with soya foods, which are naturally low in saturated fat, contributes to higher unsaturated fat intake, helping to reduce LDL cholesterol.

These changes can lower LDL cholesterol by as much as 10 per cent if you eat 15-25g soya protein per day — approximately two glasses of soya milk.

Research has also highlighted the benefits of combining soya protein with other plant foods in aims to reducing LDL cholesterol, such as nuts, plant sterols/ stanols and beta-glucan rich foods, such as oats or barley. Cholesterol levels can be reduced by as much as 12-24 per cent, depending on the types and amounts of these foods consumed.

Atherosclerosis (fatty build-ups in your arteries) and thrombosis (blood clots) are two key processes in the development of cardiovascular disease. There are some small studies which show that soya isoflavones may help improve the flexibility and function of the lining of key blood vessels but despite great potential, more research is currently needed in this area to prove this theory.

Men’s health Studies consistently show that eating soya foods does not raise oestrogen levels, reduce testosterone, upset hormonal balance or concentrations in men. Furthermore there are no reports to show soya had adverse effects on fertility or sexual health, such as erectile dysfunction or feminisation and thorough peer reviews of the literature have found no basis for concern. However, in the long term, comprehensive human studies are needed.

Thyroid function In healthy individuals with a normal functioning thyroid gland, the latest review of 14 studies has confirmed that there is no harmful effect of soya food

consumption. However the exception to this appears to be people suffering with an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyrodism), as the consumption of soya isoflavones can inhibit with the absorption of synthetic thyroid hormones. A recent study has indicated that soya isoflavones may worsen the condition for individuals with a mildly underactive thyroid. Therefore, according to the British Dietetic Association, if you have thyroid issues and would like to consume soya foods, consult with your doctor and get your thyroid levels checked.

Soya and Cancer The benefits of choosing plant based proteins in comparison to animal protein are massive and well known to the vegan community. IGF-1 (Insulin Growth Factor 1) is a hormone heavily associated with increased cancer risk. A study which compared meat-eaters to vegans showed that the association between protein intake and higher IGF-1 levels were only associated with animal protein intake.

Consumption of plant proteins seemed to decrease IGF-1 levels, which therefore lowers the level of the cancer promoting growth hormone in comparison to meat.

Many countries with high soya intakes also have a low rate of hormoneassociated cancers, such as breast, prostate and endometrial (uterine).

Some studies suggest that lifelong soya consumption and exposure to isoflavones — especially before and during puberty — may protect against the development of breast cancer, the most common cancer in the UK, and other studies suggest that intakes of soya isoflavones, ≥10 mg/day, was associated with a 25 per cent reduced risk of tumour recurrence in breast cancer survivors.

Furthermore, soy food consumption has been associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer, the most common form of cancer in males in the US. In terms of increased breast cancer risk, one study by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) in 2012 found that there are no indications that eating soya is unsuitable for people at risk of breast cancer, breast cancer patients, for survivors of breast cancer, or those with

an increased risk of breast cancer. The AICR latest review research indicates that soya isoflavones may in fact lower the risk of cancer, in some cases.

Soya and menopausal symptoms Many women undergoing the menopause experience symptoms of hot flushes, which are believed to result from fluctuations in the brain’s temperatureregulating system as a consequence of the decline in the production of oestrogen, which raises cholesterol level and increased risk of cardiovascular disease as much as 25 per cent. Having two servings of soya foods daily can help with both lowering cholesterol and reductions in the severity of hot flushes.

In observational studies, up to 75 per cent of Western women experience hot flushes, whilst only around 20 per cent of Japanese and Chinese women, who consume a traditional diet based on soya foods, experienced the same symptom.

In comparison to Western women, the Chinese group consumed around 10-20 times the amount of isoflavones (1540mg per day). Several studies show that consuming around 50-80mg soya isoflavones daily for 8-12 weeks can help lower both the frequency and severity of hot flushes by a quarter. The benefit seems to be gained by women who experience at least five severe hot flushes daily. 50mg isoflavones can be achieved by consuming around two to three servings of soya foods daily.

To this day, according to the British Dietetic Association, Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is still the most effective treatment of menopausal symptoms, and you should consult your healthcare professional about HRT. In conclusion, consumption of soya foods are completely safe for men and women throughout all stages of life and indications of any potentially harmful effects from isoflavones have not been shown in humans. The safety of soya has been thoroughly reviewed and soya foods are permitted for use in the UK under the Food Safety Act. If you do have any concerns, please visit a dietician or registered nutritionist for further information.

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China is Changing The pollution bad boys are on the road to recovery

W

hat images spring to mind when you think about pollution? Chances are, you’ll think of plumes of smog emerging from towering power stations. Now imagine that smog descends on your day-to-day life — your commute to work or your weekend shopping trip. It’s not a nice thought, and it’s not a nice reality either.

Really brought to light in the western world by the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the state of the environment in China leaves a lot to be desired. According to the World Health Organisation, China is the world’s deadliest country for outdoor air pollution; the most recent data available is from 2013, when around 1.6 million people died from breathing in dirty air.

Water scarcity and pollution is also a big problem in China. 60 per cent of the country’s 665 cities face seasonal water shortages. On a large scale, this issue

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has the same source as the air pollution — the burning of fossil fuels. In 2013, around 15 per cent of the country’s water was used to run coal-fired power plants.

Industrial emissions are also the largest contributor to lowered drinking water quality in China. The Haihe River, which flows through the northern cities of Beijing and Tianjin, is “badly polluted”, according to the State of the Environment Report by the Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP).

Directly linked to this is China’s huge problem with soil pollution. When polluted water is used for irrigation the soil itself becomes contaminated, posing a threat to plants, animals, food safety and agricultural business alike. In total, one tenth of cultivatable land in China is polluted to unsafe or damaging levels including that polluted by waste.

In short, China’s biggest pollution issues come down to a historical lack of regard for the effect on the environment of burning fossil fuels. The act of burning them pollutes the air, which in turn pollutes the water, and this results in pollution of the land.

Back in March 2014, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Xi Jinping, “declared war” on pollution — so what is actually being done?

The world’s most populous country deservedly gets a bad rap for its environmental awareness, or lack of, and the destruction such ignorance has caused. However it’s not all bad news, as China is really putting the work in to rectify its past blasé approach to environmental damage.

Renewable energy, defined as energy from a source that is not depleted when

eco-development solutions provider”, they sound just like any other provider of renewable energy, right?

Think again. Their mission statement is “to build a green home, and let Panda smiles around the world”. This isn’t just a convenient quip written to link to their name, though — they are quite literally bringing panda smiles to the world with their solar power stations.

How can power stations bring panda smiles? Well, the company quite literally designs and builds its solar power plants in the shape of pandas. used, is certainly the key to a more sustainable future for our planet; and China is perhaps a surprising world leader in this field.

In terms of electricity produced from renewable energy sources, China comes out on top, generating more than twice the amount of energy that the second best country, the United States, manages.

The sheer size of the country certainly skews this, as China understandably has more room and more need for renewable energy than somewhere like the United Kingdom, but we can’t dismiss the effort the Chinese are making with their renewables (as long as data reported is accurate).

Renewable energy accounted for over 23 per cent of the country’s energy use in 2014, compared to 20 per cent the previous year and 17 per cent in 2011.

The growth of renewables is clear to see

in China — so how are they doing it?

Since 2013, China has been the world’s leading installer of solar photovoltaics (solar panels) and in 2015 the country also became the world’s leading producer of them, narrowly overtaking Germany in its manufacturing of the renewable resource.

China’s Qinghai province is, at the time of writing, home to the biggest solar farm in the world, the Longyangxia Dam Solar Park. Originally just a hydroelectric dam on the Yellow River, a solar photovoltaic station was added in 2013, with an 850 MWρ capacity.

As well as making progress in leaps and bounds in terms of solar power production, Chinese photovoltaic producers are also making solar power more exciting. Take Panda Green Energy Group for example. With a vision “to bring clean energy to the world as a leading

In July, the world’s first panda solar station was connected to the national grid in Datong, Shanxi province. The city averages 7.3 hours of sunshine per day, amounting to over 2,670 hours over the course of a year. The panda plant comprises 248 acres and has a capacity of 100MW, which means it can provide 3.2 billion kilowatt hertz (kWh) of electricity in the next 25 years. To put this into perspective, it would take 1.056 billion tonnes of coal to produce the same amount of power — and the panda panels do it pollution-free.

Of course, solar energy harnessed by photovoltaics isn’t the only form of renewable energy China has made serious progress with.

Five of the world’s 20 largest power producing facilities, from hydroelectric to nuclear, are in China; with the famous Three Gorges Dam coming out on top.

The Three Gorges Dam opened in 2003 after nine years of construction, costing

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¥180 billion (£20.4bn) and the project was fully completed in December 2015.

A staggering 2,335 metres long and with its highest point at 185 metres above sea level, it is an immense feature in the landscape of the Yiling district of China, and serves quite a purpose.

The dam has 32 main generators and two power plant generators, all 34 of which total a 22,50MW capacity. In easier-tounderstand terms, the Three Gorges Dam produces 14 per cent of China’s hydrogenerated electricity.

When first implemented, it was suggested that the dam would provide 10 per cent of the country’s electricity as a whole, but the rapidly growing population of China has seen the demand for electricity rise far faster than the dam’s capability to provide, meaning that as of 2011, the Three Gorges Dam was producing for just 1.7 per cent of the electricity demand in China.

So what positive impact has the dam had on the environment? The output of the Three Gorges Dam is equivalent to that of 31 million tonnes of coal per year, so the use of such hydroelectric power (HEP) spares the environment from hundreds of millions of tonnes of poisonous emissions, including sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitric oxide.

The Three Gorges Dam is just piece of China’s massive hydroelectric jigsaw.

Collectively, the country’s HEP outlets produce 1,126 TWh of power, which makes up around 20% of all electricity generation in China.

China is showing the world that innovation is key to environmental protection. If you think the solar power pandas and the colossal Three Gorges Dam are as good as it gets, you’re wrong.

China has plans for a ‘forest city’, where every building, from hospitals to schools, will be enveloped by trees.

Ground has already been broken in the development of Liuzhou Forest City.

Designed by Italian architect Stefano Boeri, the city will be a self-contained neighbourhood spanning 432 acres, and eventually housing 30,000 people. To give some context on the city’s size, it will be approximately half the size of New York City’s Central Park, and nearly 100 acres bigger than London’s Hyde Park.

Various offices, hospitals and two schools will be among the buildings

entirely covered in plants and trees in Liuzhou Forest City. Once complete, the neighbourhood will absorb around 10,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide and 57 tonnes of other pollutants, and produce around 900 tonnes of oxygen every year.

Boeri said: “The first experiment of the urban environment that's really trying to find a balance with nature.”

It is thought that the forest city will decrease the air temperature in the area and provide a new home for wildlife displaced by industry or other human infrastructure; there will be plenty of room for animals, with 40,000 trees and nearly a million plants.

Having a city where a dense population doesn’t intensify air pollution will certainly be a world first, and Liuzhou Forest City is bound to be an intriguing tourist destination upon its planned completion in 2020.

Boeri said of his innovative creation: “The diffusion of plants will allow the energy self-sufficient city to contribute to improve the air quality, to create noise barriers and to improve the biodiversity of living species, generating the habitat for birds, insects and small animals”.

Liuzhou Forest City isn’t the only innovative design China is proud to call its own though — there are some other fantastic examples of how the country are fighting pollution in new and exciting ways.

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Take the giant floating power plant in Huainan for example — and yes you did read that correctly! Floating solar panels have been around for a while, but not on the same scale, by any stretch of the imagination. The Huainan plant rather fantastically floats over the flooded remains of a coal-mining region of the country, and is the biggest floating solar array in the world.

Before the activation of this marvel of the water, the UK boasted the world’s biggest floating solar plant, with theirs producing 6.3MW of power but this latest effort from China produces more than twice as much power, with capacity to power an entire town.

Another in China’s growing list of pollution-quashing designs is the Shenzhen East Waste-To-Energy Plant.

Waste-to-energy (WtE) is the process of generating heat or electricity energy from waste treatment. The plant in Shenzhen is simply an architect’s design at the moment, but once it has been completed it will be the world’s largest WtE development.

Spanning 27 acres, the plant is expected to incinerate 5,000 tonnes (around 77,000 standard wheelie bins) of waste per day;

meaning the plant could convert around a third of Shenzhen’s yearly waste into energy.

energy, as well as producing energy in a far more sustainable manner than the China of old.

The plant will be a big step forward in reducing waste pollution in the area, but it’s no holy grail of energy production, as the combustion process will still emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

That said, WtE is far preferable to non-renewable methods of energy production, as people will always generate waste so there will always be a source for the energy, unlike with the world’s diminishing reserves of fossil fuels.

The problem is that the China of old is not very old at all — the previous topdown refusal to acknowledge the effects of pollution on the environment as well as the health of the population has damaged the country in the eyes of the rest of the world. However, the country of over 1.3 billion people is making improvements in leaps and bounds when it comes to making amends for its careless pollution. China has realised that it’s never too late to start making improvements and is now a gleaming example to the rest of the world’s worst offenders, as far as pollution is concerned.

Danish architecture firms Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects and Gottlieb Paludan Architects won the right to design the plant, and the former have said of the project: “From the outset, the goal was to design a waste-to-energy plant that is simple, clean, iconic and a deserved indicator of the forward thinking developments that are being made within the waste-to-energy sector in China”.

The massive circular building will have a roof spanning 66,000m2, two thirds of which will feature solar panels, meaning that the plant will run on sustainable

Some of the world’s worst-polluted countries are Pakistan, Qatar, Afghanistan and Bangladesh and the entire top 10 contains only Asian countries. This really highlights just how important China’s improvement is; projects such as the Longyangxia Dam Solar Park and Liuzhou Forest City are great examples of how environmental improvements can be made to the rest of the continent.

China is by no means perfect yet, but it’s heading in the right direction.

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Miso

hungry This easy recipe will make aubergine a staple in your kitchen BAKED AUBERGINE WITH MISO SATAY

To Garnish: • 1 tbsp toasted black and white sesame seeds

• 2 aubergines • 1 tbsp olive oil • Sea salt For the Miso Satay: • 80g (½ cup) pre-soaked cashews • 1 tbsp white miso paste • 1 tbsp tahini paste • 1 tbsp tamarind paste • 3 tbsp tamari soy sauce • 1 tbsp pure maple syrup or coconut nectar • 3 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice • 2.5cm (1in) piece of fresh ginger, peeled • 1 large garlic clove, peeled • 1 tbsp olive oil • ¼ tsp ground coriander • 3–4 tbsp coconut milk (optional)

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (Gas Mark 6, 400°F).

2 Cut each aubergine in half lengthways. Score across the flesh diagonally one way and then the other to form a diamond pattern (this allows the steam to escape). Drizzle lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with a little sea salt and roast in the oven for 25 minutes until the flesh starts to soften.

3 While the aubergines are roasting, make the miso satay. Combine all the ingredients with a pinch of salt in a high-speed blender or food processor and process until smooth and thick. Add a little more coconut milk to reach the consistency you desire.

4 Remove the aubergines from the oven, and spread a layer of the satay

Serves 4

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sauce over the top of each one. Return to the oven and bake for a further 10 minutes or until the aubergines have become quite gooey.

5 For the last few minutes, turn the oven to its grill setting and lightly grill the top to brown a little. Remove from the grill and allow to cool slightly.

6 Sprinkle a few sesame seeds on each aubergine half and serve.

Per 100g Calories: 109, Carbohydrates: 4.8g, Sugars: 2.7g, Fat: 7.8g, Saturates: 2.2g, Protein: 3.8g, Salt: 0.48g Recipe from: The Yoga Kitchen by Kimberly Parsons (Quadrille, £20) Photography ©Lisa Cohen.

Kimberly lectures on CNM’s Natural Chef and Vegan Natural Chef Diploma Courses at the College of Naturopathic Medicine. www.naturopathy-uk.com

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VEGAN Spotlight

our favourites this month!

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1. Ombar Coco Almond 70g bar

Ombar's delicious new flavour, Coco Almond, is full of nuts and contains 60 per cent cocoa solids. This bar is slightly larger than their previous bars and is supposed to be a sharing bar‌ but let’s be honest, sharing isn't likely. ombar.co.uk 2. Simple Happy Kitchen

This illustrated book explains plant based nutrition in a colourful, easy-to-understand way to educate children and adults alike. Charts explaining vegan sources of protein and iron helps address vegan misconceptions. simplehapykitchen.com

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3. Rigoni Di Asiago Nocciolata

This organic, vegan and GF hazelnut spread is so delicious that it can be eaten straight off the spoon.

With just five ingredients, all of which you will be able to pronounce, you can be sure that there are no nasties here. nifeislife.com

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4. Astonish Mould and Mildew Blaster

Helping to eliminate tough stains without the need for scrubbing, this spray removes mould and mildew and is ideal for use on walls, uPVC window frames, glass, plastic shower curtains and plugholes. Available in most home stores. astonishcleaners.co.uk 5. Zerreau Towel-Off Shampoo

Whether you are at a festival, camping or on the go, this simple to use towel-off shampoo leaves your hair feeling fresh and gives volume to limp hair. Crueltyfree and vegan. waterlessltd.co.uk

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6. Eat Natural Extra Protein bar

This Eat Natural bar combines maple syrup with pecans and peanuts to create a deliciously crunchy treat and, with over 8g of protein, this bar will keep you fuller for longer. Eatnatural.co.uk 73

Speaking for the

VOICELESS Kim Willis reports for Vegan Life on Siobhan Pyburn’s brave road to veganism

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hen I was younger, my father’s visits had seemed a normal part of growing up. But around the time I reached my teenage years, I began to realise that I was caught in a cycle of abuse and self-blame, which made me feel unable to speak out and try to stop it. I was convinced that I could never tell my secret, because then everyone would think I was disgusting and my mum would abandon me and return to India.

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My father used to tell me (and himself) that he wasn’t harming me, that my suffering was all in my head, and that he had a fatherly right to my body, as without him, I wouldn’t be alive at all.

father was brought to trial a year later.

He was convicted and sent to jail. In the years since, I have been peeling back layers of shame and dissociation, and becoming more empathic towards myself in the process. I know how it feels to be utterly defenceless with no way out. The abuser did not see anything wrong with his actions. He was completely switched off to my suffering and inflicted the abuse for his own selfish pleasure, regardless of the impact it was having on me. Is that not how the majority of society treats farm animals? I know I am treading on sensitive ground, to draw such a comparison. But it’s a point that I feel qualified to make. For whom would it be a sensitive point, if not me?

I managed to tell someone I was being sexually abused when I was 15, and my

I remember listening to ‘Meat Is Murder’ by the Smiths when I was 17, and dismissing

the lyrics as melodramatic. I went through all the usual symptoms of cognitive dissonance: it’s okay if the animal lived a ‘happy’ life. Outside of the sexual abuse, my life looked okay. I did well at school.

I didn’t present with obvious antisocial behaviour or mental health problems.

At this young age, I briefly considered the ethical arguments for not eating animals and let them go over my head because I could. Because I wanted to. For me to change, I would need to make a more meaningful, personal kind of connection.

The issue of eating animals must have been on my mind because one day, in November 2015, I absent-mindedly looked up ‘reasons to go vegan’ on YouTube.

You probably know what came up first.

An hour later and Gary Yourofsky had

left me no rational way out. I’ve always seen myself as a critical thinker; someone who, when the tables turn, is capable of changing her mind, rather than sticking to pre-determined views no matter what.

So at that point I had a choice, the same choice we all make whenever we meet a vegan or the issue is raised to the forefront of our awareness: to align myself with rationality and compassion or to keep doing what was convenient and pleasurable for me. Just like my father did.

I became vegan when I realised that, in a different context, I was the abuser and I was willfully turning a blind eye to the pain of the victims, because it tasted nice and on some level I knew I would never be held accountable for it. Besides, without the farming industry, those animal individuals would not have been born. Is it better to live and be abused than to have never lived at all? The answer will change depending on who you ask, and whether or not they can speak. I reject the idea that giving someone life entitles you to abuse them. Fortunately for me, the law rejects this idea as well, as it applies to humans.

The victims in both cases share the characteristic of being utterly innocent, and powerless to help themselves.

The next day, I watched the video again and took notes with pen and paper. I started looking things up online. I went into a Google frenzy for hours. I felt like Rhonda Byrne at the beginning of ‘The Secret’ movie. I made myself watch the slaughterhouse footage, and it all became clear to me. I felt sad and angry at myself and at mankind. Like most humans, I don’t always stick to every decision I make; but sometimes you know there’s no going back. I didn’t announce ‘I’m going vegan!’ to anybody; I waited for them to ask why I was suddenly serving up veggie stew for dinner. I had just started dating a new man. I worried it might put him off.

Then I wondered when I had ever become so dependent on what a man thought to let it determine my dietary choices (then again, if you’d been through what I’ve been through, then you’d worry about that stuff too. So I forgive myself.).

about it that is so intrinsically linked to my worst life experiences and, more importantly, who I want to be in relation to those experiences. I did it overnight. It doesn’t feel like a sacrifice at all. In fact, I enjoy food like never before.

I won’t say that being vegan turned me into a fitness superhero; but I’ve maintained my fitness with no problems and I noticed that my skin cleared up after about a week or two. About ten months into following my vegan diet, I accidentally ate some goat’s cheese, which had sneaked its way onto my pizza, and it made me sick. Cheese is not the least bit appealing to me now.

I know how it feels to be utterly defenceless with no way out. The abuser did not see anything wrong with his actions.

I am also starting to take steps as an activist because simply being vegan is no longer enough; I want to open minds and get people thinking. I believe I have an interesting angle on my own vegan journey, which has made it easy to inspire my relatives to either go vegan completely, or drastically reduce their meat consumption. By the way, the man

I mentioned before? He’s vegan now.

He had to phase out animal products gradually, unlike me, but eventually he accepted the logical and ethical reasons to stop eating animals in the same way I believe almost anyone would, if they thought about it from a neutral perspective. The bottom line, for me, is that no one should have to suffer just because of the circumstances they were born into.

I haven’t finished changing yet. Over time, I am becoming more mindful of situations where I still normalise things that are actually absurd. For example, I direct my mind away from the thousands of children dying everyday in faraway nations of preventable causes just as easily as I might walk past the homeless person in the street: as if they’re not there. Veganism has led me to other altruistic pursuits, and has become about so much more than just food. It’s an ‘awakening’ I think many vegans can relate to. In my experience, the people most likely to make the change are those who have been on the unfortunate side of a power dynamic in their own lives. I am grateful for being born human instead of a farm animal. I would take my life, with my upbringing, over theirs any day.

I found going vegan easier than expected.

I think I have a solid sense of purpose 75

Souperb Soups These warming soup recipes are perfect for a healthy nutritious lunch

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e hate to be the first to say it, but October marks the beginning of the end. The warmth of the summer sun is fading and winter looms. However, this isn’t all bad news. Winter walks, cosy evenings and Sunday afternoons with a blanket are on their way and so we have some delightful warming recipes perfect for this time of year.

Soup is healthy, filling and warming; you really can’t beat a steaming bowl of thick soup (and a hunk of crusty, fresh bread) after a nippy walk through the countryside. People are often worried that soups are difficult to make or time intensive but these simple recipes are healthy and absolutely delicious.

Whether you fancy the comfort of a nostalgic tomato soup or want to try our twist on onion soup, these recipes will hit that soup craving.

CREAMY WILD MUSHROOM AND WATERCRESS SOUP Serves 4-6

For the Soup: • 3 tbsp olive oil, for frying • 1 tbsp non-dairy butter, for frying • 500g (4 cups) chestnut mushrooms, wiped clean and roughly chopped • 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped • 5 large cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped • 2 leeks, washed and sliced • 2 x 50g bags Watercress, washed • 200g (11/2 cups) mixed wild mushrooms, wiped clean and roughly chopped • 2 tbsp mushroom ketchup • Sea salt and pepper, to taste • 100ml (1/2 cup) soy Cream To Serve: • 100g (3/4 cup) mixed wild mushrooms, wiped clean but left whole • 4 tbsp soy cream • 2 tbsp fresh chives, very finely chopped 1 Place the oil and butter in a large pan and heat until the butter is melted and sizzling. Add the onion, leeks, garlic and mushrooms and stir fry until beginning to colour and soften.

2 Add all of the remaining soup ingredients to the pan, along with enough water to cover the ingredients by an inch or so.

3 Leave the soup to simmer for 5 minutes.

4 In a small non-stick frying pan, add a tablespoon of oil and heat until very hot. Add the whole wild mushrooms to the pan, and sauté quickly until starting to caramelise at the edges. Set aside on kitchen paper to drain.

5 When the soup is ready, blend until very smooth using an immersion blender. Check the seasoning and correct if necessary.

6 When ready to serve, pour into bowls and top with a few wild mushrooms, a swirl of cream and some chopped chives.

Per 100g Calories: 63, Carbohydrates: 1.5g, Sugars: 1.1g, Fat: 5.1g, Saturates: 0.8g, Protein: 2.3g, Salt: 0.12g

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SPICED CAULIFLOWER SOUP Serves 4-6

For the Soup: • 1 large cauliflower, leaves discarded, stalk chopped and the rest broken into florets • 3 leeks, washed and sliced • 1 large white onion, peeled and finely chopped • 6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped • 1 tsp turmeric • 1 tsp nigella (black onion) seeds • 1 tsp ground cumin • 1 tbsp curry leaves • 1 tbsp garam masala • 3 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional) • 500ml (2 cups) vegetable stock • 400g tin coconut milk • Sea salt and pepper, to taste • 2 tbsp olive oil, for frying 78

For the Crispy Onions: • 1 medium onion, very finely sliced • 75g (½ cup) gram flour • ½ tsp cumin seeds • ½ tsp fennel seeds • ½ tsp mustard seeds • ½ tsp turmeric • ½ tsp garam masala • 1 tsp salt • Vegetable oil for shallow frying To Serve: • Crispy onions • Coconut cream, to drizzle • Fresh chopped coriander or chives 1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onions, leeks and garlic.

Sauté until beginning to soften and add the spices to the pan. Stir fry for a few minutes until fragrant.

2 Add the rest of the soup ingredients to the pan, stir well and leave to simmer for 15 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender.

3 For the crispy onions, add the flour, spices and salt to a bowl and mix well.

Add the sliced onions to the bowl and stir to totally coat in the flour. Leave to sit for 5 minutes for the flavours to combine.

4 Heat enough oil in a heavy based pan to come 2cm up the sides. When hot and shimmering on the surface, add the onions slices to the oil, trying to keep them separate as much as possible. Fry the onions until golden and crispy and remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon to drain on kitchen paper.

5 Blend the soup until very smooth and check the seasoning, adjusting if necessary.

6 Serve in warmed bowls, topped with a swirl of coconut milk, some chopped herbs and a few crispy onions.

Per 100g Calories: 113, Carbohydrates: 7.9g, Sugars: 2.8g, Fat: 6.8g, Saturates: 4.3g, Protein: 4.1g, Salt: 0.41g

CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP WITH BASIL Serves 4-6

For the Soup Base: • 3 tbsp olive oil • 1x400g tin chopped tomatoes • 1 large onion, peeled and finely diced • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped • 3 tbsp tomato paste or puree • 3 tsp sugar • 500ml (1 pint) vegetable stock or water • Sea salt and pepper, to taste • 100ml (1/2 cup) non-dairy cream, such as soy or oat For the Roasted Tomatoes: • 450g (1lb) very ripe vine tomatoes, halved • 6-8 garlic cloves, unpeeled and gently crushed with the back of a knife • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar • 2-3 sprigs fresh basil, roughly torn • Sea salt and pepper To Serve: • Non-dairy cream • Fresh basil leaves 1 For the roasted tomatoes, preheat the oven to 150°C (Gas mark 2, 300°F). Place the tomatoes into a roasting dish and scatter over the rest of the roasted tomato ingredients. Cook in the oven for 1 hour. This can be done up to 2 days ahead.

2 To make the soup, gently sauté the chopped onion and garlic with the olive oil in a large saucepan until softened and pale golden.

3 Add the rest of the soup ingredients to the pan, except the cream and leave to gently simmer.

4 Once the roasted tomatoes have finished cooking, add them to the soup, along with the basil and juices.

5 Add the cream to the pan and puree the soup, using an immersion blender, until smooth and creamy. Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary.

6 Serve the soup in warmed bowls with a swirl of cream and some extra fresh basil, if you like.

Per 100g Calories: 77, Carbohydrates: 4.2g, Sugars: 3.7g, Fat: 5.8g, Saturates: 0.8g, Protein: 1.2g, Salt: 0.27g 79

ENGLISH ONION SOUP WITH RAREBIT CROUTES Serves 6

For the Soup: • 3 large white onions, peeled and sliced • 3 leeks, washed and sliced • 2 tbsp non-dairy Butter • 1 tbsp plain flour • 2 tbsp olive oil • 6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped • 1lt (1 ¾ pints) vegetable stock • 250ml (1 cup) dry cider • 1 tsp fennel seeds • 1 tsp dried sage • 2 tsp sugar • Sea salt and pepper To Serve: • 12 thin slices of baguette, toasted • 1 clove garlic, peeled and left whole • 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard • 100g (1/2 cup) non-dairy, meltable cheese, grated 1 Melt the butter with the oil in a large, lidded pan over a medium heat. Add the sliced onions and leeks, along with the garlic and a pinch of salt, and gently sweat until beginning to soften. Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Leave to gently cook for 30 mins, stirring occasionally.

2 After 30 minutes, add the fennel seeds, sage, sugar and some seasoning to the pan. Increase the heat to medium and cook for a couple of minutes until starting to caramelise.

3 Add the flour and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes before adding the cider.

4 Stir well and allow to bubble and reduce slightly before adding the rest of the soup ingredients.

5 Allow the soup to simmer, uncovered, while you prepare the croutes.

6 For the rarebit croutes, gently rub 1 side of each baguette slice with the garlic. Spread mustard on top of the garlic and top with grated cheese. Add a few drops of Worcestershire sauce to the top of each and place in the oven or under the grill to melt the cheese.

7 Check the seasoning of the soup and serve, in warmed bowls, topped with the hot croutes.

Per 100g Calories: 132, Carbohydrates: 14.0g, Sugars: 3.9g, Fat: 5.8g, Saturates: 2.2g, Protein: 3.1g, Salt: 0.94g 80

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SOUPER

HEROES 1 Amy’s Kitchen Hearty Organic Quinoa, Kale and Red Lentil Soup — £1.80

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This gluten free soup is packed with organic ingredients including kale, jalapeño, ginger, coriander and olive oil. It is very thick, almost verging on a stew, so you may need to add a little water to loosen it. amyskitchen.co.uk 2 Free and Easy Butternut Squash and Ginger Soup — £1.75

This delicious soup is low in fat as well as being GF. Free and Easy have a whole range of soups SFV in unusual flavours providing interesting and nourishing meals. Available at Holland and Barrett.

3 Heinz Classic Lentil — £0.95

Heinz may be the first brand you think of when you are considering soups. With just 91 calories per serving, this SFV soup with red lentils and carrots would be great in a mug while snuggling by an open fire. heinz.co.uk 4 Biona Spiced Pumpkin Soup — £2.75 (680g)

This seasonal soup with turmeric and nutmeg is deliciously spicy and warming — perfect for a chilly day. Available at Holland and Barrett. biona.co.uk 5 Waitrose Minestrone Soup — £1.90

This own brand soup is quite light and contains tomato, onion, carrot and haricot beans. The addition of pasta ensures that the soup is still filling but it does mean that this soup is not suitable for those with a gluten intolerance. waitrose.com 6 Glorious! Fragrant Thai Carrot — £1.50

This tasty Thai style soup has just 1.7 per cent fat and is GF as well as SFV. The fragrant soup combines coconut, lime and lemongrass with just a mild spice.

Perfect on its own or added to rice noodles for a quick dinner. gloriousfoods.co.uk 82

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EATING OUT Harmonium Bar and Kitchen, Leith

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T

he historic area of Leith is located slightly to the north of Edinburgh, at the mouth of the famous River Forth. Down a cobbled, quiet, residential street of Leith you will find Harmonium Bar and Kitchen.

Harmonium is fairly young, having only opened in late June this year, but we have no doubt that it will become a firm favourite with vegetarians and vegans in Edinburgh. In fact, the Kitchen already has a signature dish — its revered macaroni cheese.

Glasgow is often considered to be the most vegan-friendly Scottish city, but Edinburgh is close on its heels. With a surge of vegan establishments in the city, people from Edinburgh are spoilt for choice and Leith, in particular, is an up and coming area in the city.

The team behind the launch of Harmonium Bar and Kitchen are also those responsible for the ever-popular bars Mono and Stereo in Glasgow and therefore, you can be sure that Harmonium won’t need long to get its feet off the ground.

However, Harmonium aims to bring a unique experience to vegans (and nonvegans) in Edinburgh. Vic Henderson is the Head Chef at Harmonium and is passionate about filling a gap in the market in Edinburgh. In recent years an enormous number of vegan junk food restaurants have emerged to meet the demand for those naughty treats that vegans often feel that they are missing out on. Harmonium is hoping to bring something different to Edinburgh — vegan fine dining.

enjoying the benefits of a fine dining experience. Alongside the food, all of the drinks at the bar (including the wines and beers) are 100 per cent vegan.

Harmonium offer a huge range of local craft beers and spirits and they aim to support local breweries/distilleries where possible.

including smoked tofu hollandaise with sautéed king oyster mushrooms and peppery black pudding, Seitan waffles with maple syrup and streaky bacon with sourdough French toast, Harmonium Bar and Kitchen will undoubtedly become the place to go for brunch.

Head Chef Vic told us that this was one part of the business which they are looking to explore even further to improve the bar offerings even further.

We recommend that you try the YLT which mixes cognac, Seawolf Scottish white rum, pineapple juice, citrus, cabernet franc and angostura bitters.

The taste sensations don’t stop there.

For dessert you can choose from a whole range of sweet treats including the mouth-watering cardamom and custard buns served with vanilla ice cream. If you prefer savoury, try the Harmonium cheese board with cheddar, almond cheese with garlic and chives, walnut, apple, Port charlotte peat whisky chutney, gluten free oatcakes and grapes.

Main dishes include edamame pasta with pistachio and pesto, king oyster and mushroom scallops and the incredible rigatoni with wild mushroom, kale and aubergine ‘bacon’. The main dishes on the menu take inspiration from the local environment as well as from Scottish history and traditions.

Additionally, many of the ingredients are locally sourced, some through practices such as foraging, so you know the ingredients on your plate are of the highest quality.

The only problem with Harmonium?

There are simply too many incredible dishes to choose from!

Harmonium is also gaining a strong reputation as a place to eat at the weekends. Brunch is becoming more and more popular and with specials

Not far from the centre of Edinburgh, Harmonium is in a beautiful spot with a short walk down to the Water of Leith. With a burnt wood and industrial metal exterior, the restaurant and bar is strikingly modern. Harmonium is welcoming and the use of natural, clean materials makes the space feel effortlessly cool.

Being completely vegan, visitors are able to go to Harmonium and choose any dish from the menu, a real novelty for us vegans, whilst simultaneously 85

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Show Me The Money Vegan Life talks business

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alking about money is a sticking point for many people. In a society where we are so open about most aspects of our lives, especially on the internet, asking people about their finances is still considered rude by many.

In this issue we have a guest article from Stephanie Redcross who writes about the importance of vegan businesses making money for the good of the vegan movement. Stephanie very rightly points out that a vehement passion for veganism sometimes makes people question whether they should be making money from their vegan business. However, she explains that

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if you want to help to save the lives of animals through your vegan business, making money is a must. This way you can ensure sustainability and that you increase the number of animals you are able to help.

Stephanie is the founder of Vegan Mainstream, a marketing, consulting and coaching company especially for vegan entrepreneurs and professionals.

Stephanie’s article outlines how to turn your idea into a concrete business concept. So, if you have noticed a gap in the market for a vegan product or service, this article sets out how you can get the ball rolling and see your dreams come to fruition.

With this in mind we also spoke to two vegan businesses. Firstly, we spoke to Votch on their one year anniversary to get to grips with the ups and downs of starting a vegan business. Laura, the founder of Votch, has some great tips for start-ups and budding entrepreneurs.

We then spoke to Will from Will’s Vegan Shoes about how he intends to take the next step and make his compassionate business eco-conscious by going carbon neutral.

We hope that you enjoy the feature and it inspires you to chase that vegan business dream.

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The New Face of

Vegan Activism P

Stephanie Redcross, founder of Vegan Mainstream, reports for Vegan Life

icture yourself sitting in a room full of vegan business owners.

What do you imagine they do?

If you’re like most people, you might think, “restauranteur”, “food product developer”, or maybe even “crueltyfree clothing designer.” The truth is there are probably lots of those, but there are likely also a wide variety of other professionals...anything from web designers to financial advisors to real estate professionals. Because while people might enter the vegan movement thinking about food, they soon realize that true veganism touches every part of life. No matter what work we do, most of us want it to be meaningful and in alignment with our values, and that often means transitioning to a vegan profession of some kind. What does that mean? It’s

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not about quitting your career and going to work in a vegan cafe — it’s about using your strengths and skills to strengthen the vegan movement.

Our passion at Vegan Mainstream is driven by the desire to create a mainstream vegan movement. This means ensuring that veganism is accessible to everyone, everywhere. To achieve this we need an infrastructure to support society so that choices made on a daily basis will support the ideals of veganism. How does that happen? It starts with the development of businesses and organisations that provide products and services that support the vegan lifestyle. This obviously points to businesses like restaurants and other food-related products/services, but the world’s

cruelty-free needs are much larger than food.

How to turn your great idea into a concrete business concept So if you’re not a chef or a foodie, is there space in the vegan business world for you? Hopefully by this point in the article, you know the answer... absolutely!

If you are an accountant, artist, musician, seamstress, motivational speaker, nurse or engineer we need you too! No matter the profession the love that defines the true heart of veganism can be applied. We need art to bring attention to animal cruelty issues, and reflect the care and love we should show all living beings; we

what you want to offer, as well as a path to profitability. You may be taking steps into the vegan business world because you want to do good and change the world, but you can only be that change agent if you can stay in business. One of the easiest ways to see whether there is a niche for your business idea is to do a Google keyword or Amazon search. If you see that a similar product or service exists, and that people are reviewing it, it has a respectable social media following, and articles are written about it, then you know the market exists.

Now all you have to do is find a way to fill a gap that the current providers aren’t filling. Next, it’s time to test your idea and start getting your first group of customers. need authors to create stories with characters making important ethical decisions and filmmakers to show the diverse representation of the vegan movement. We need spas that offer vegan manicures and cruelty-free products; we need health coaches and fitness instructors to teach the benefits and realities of whole foods plant-based diets. We need financial advisors to help us invest in brands that support our ethics, and developers who consider the environment and all the affected creatures on a site, instead of just the profit to be made. You can see where I’m going with this...the list goes on and on.

The fact is there’s room for everyone in the vegan business world. The vegan business landscape needs to be just as diverse as the people who make up this amazing movement.

All it takes is one idea.

A great way to get started is to brainstorm three lists. First, what are your skills? Second, what are your passions? And third, what group do you want to serve? I’d recommend taking about 15 minutes to brainstorm each list. Then, converge these ideas to find your unique combination of skills, passion and audience. This should provide you with some solid business ideas to consider!

A word of caution while you are doing this: when you are brainstorming your potential audience, it may be tempting to think that your business can, or even should, serve everyone, but as a longtime business coach who has seen a lot of startups through their early days, I really want to caution you against that approach. A more streamlined, focused approach will get you to the first phase of success much more quickly, helping you yield targeted results faster. Then, once you’ve found a successful business model, you can scale your business to help more people.

Back to the drawing board! Now that you’ve identified some solid business possibilities, you need to ensure there’s a market (aka potential customers) for

3 tell-tale signs of a vegan business that will find success As you get started there are a few things you can do to avoid some of the pitfalls that are so common in the first year of a new vegan business. Taking the time to get the skills and structure in place to avoid these can save you time and money!

1 First, make sure you establish a strong customer feedback loop. You can (and should) start this from day one, so you are always able to take a pulse from the market — what are your customers’ needs, and how well are meeting them? For example, many people use Facebook groups to preview new products or services, and to gather support in advance of their next launch.

2 Second, understand and leverage the metrics in your business to make timely decisions. This means not just being aware of your monthly income targets, but also early indicators in your business that let you know if a campaign, promotion or marketing are on track. Metrics and numbers intimidate a lot of new business owners, but do yourself a favour and get comfortable with them early on.

You’ll have to face them sooner or later if you’re going to be in business for any length of time, so the sooner you do it, the better. The fact is that without knowing your numbers, it’s easy to miss warning signs that your business needs are shifting with the times, or when something that was working isn’t working anymore. Some key metrics to monitor are conversation rates, clickthrough rates, cost per acquisition and lead generation.

3 And third, understand that the vegan movement needs you to make money. This is a pitfall I see talented entrepreneurs fall into time and again. The passion that inspires vegan entrepreneurs to start a business is the same passion that make us vulnerable to this. If it’s helping the animals, how can we charge for it? If it’s making people healthier, or helping the environment, how can we worry about money? But this thought pattern is destructive because it can make you feel bad when it’s time to charge for your product or service. It’s true that many vegan entrepreneurs don’t start 90

their businesses to get rich, but we all deserve a living wage. More important, if you don’t earn one, you won’t be in business for long, and the world will be one vegan business poorer.

Remember, the more successful your business is, the more work you can provide for other vegans, which helps to keep the love going. So, right off the bat, recognize deep down that your business brings value and you deserve to be compensated fairly for what you are offering.

Using your business to become an ambassador for veganism So, you’ve done it. You’ve created your vegan business! You’re seeing some success, and making a bit of money.

Now, thinking back to the original reason you started this business, you may be struggling to figure out how to give back without losing your shirt. I often advise business owners to create a give-back goal in addition to their business goals. This really helps to provide a place to funnel the desire to help the community and become an ambassador for veganism. By establishing “giving back” as its own goal, it shouldn’t compete with other business goals, thus removing the common tug-of-war between keeping your business afloat and helping others. Keep in mind when you are brainstorming ways to give back that it is important to be creative since new business owners often have less cash on hand. So, instead of offering a direct monetary contribution, you may

be able to offer your location to other vegan organisations to host events or community activities. To help other organisations fundraise, you could donate a couple of free tickets to your next cooking class. Another option is using the visibility or tools you already have in place to help spread news, information and ideas about veganism.

The key is finding a way to help others without stretching your resources too thin, or overcommitting yourself or your team.

We all know that money talks, and that means if you are offering your services as a vegan [whatever] you will be raising awareness for compassion in all the circles you travel in. On the other side of the transaction, when you seek out other vegan businesses you will be supporting other vegans in their livelihoods, no matter what they do. And all of this means supporting the movement and standing up for veganism in one of the most powerful ways you can.

BIO Stephanie Redcross is the Founder and Managing Director of Vegan Mainstream, a unique marketing consulting & coaching company especially for vegan entrepreneurs and professionals. Since 2009 Stephanie has been developing tools, training and support for the brave individuals who are starting and running vegan businesses all over the world. To access a free Passion-Based Business Success Bundle offer especially for Vegan Life readers, visit https://www. veganmainstream.com/veganlife, and kickstart your vegan business dreams today!

than offsetting through investment in renewable energy. I would prefer to not to create carbon in the first place.

This campaign also focuses on products which are ethically made, can you explain what exactly that means to you?

I don’t believe in doing something to protect animals whilst harming people.

We are all animals — we all need safeguarding. All my ranges are made in Portugal and Italy in top factories I have handpicked for the quality of their work place standards and production. I refuse to support countries and regimes that do not respect human rights and this alongside the quality of construction and the materials I use is a key reason why my shoes will cost more than a £30 pair of “accidentally vegan” shoes. There is always a story behind a low price.

Tell us about the new materials you will be using in Make A Positive Choice.

I am so excited to announce I will be introducing new materials made from cereal crops & recycled materials to produce 75 per cent of the range.

T

he idea for Will’s Vegan Shoes first became a reality in 2012 when, whilst working for another vegan shoe company, Will noticed a gap in the markets for good quality, affordable, nice looking vegan shoes. The company has gone from strength to strength and now has a loyal vegan following. Will is now taking the company a step further and making the company carbon neutral by launching a campaign called Make a Positive Choice.

What are the aims of Make a Positive Choice?

I founded this company for the animals.

Over the years through my personal journey I have developed an awareness and connection with the planet we live in — and the importance of living in balance and harmony with nature. The Make a Positive Choice campaign is about doing

something that does no harm to the planet or the beings that live upon it.

No matter who you are or where you’re going my shoes and accessories are there when you want to Make A Positive Choice.

Your aim is to become carbon neutral — what challenges does this pose?

Everything we will make and do will be carbon neutral. This is a large commitment for the business not only financially but in resources as every process of the business from manufacturing our ranges to delivering them to our customers needs to be tracked and audited so we know how big our carbon footprint is. Fundamental changes to the product and our operations have been put in place so our footprint is kept as low as possible, rather

For over a year I have been working with a company in Italy to develop a new carbon neutral micro leather made from bio oil sourced from cereal crops. This will replace all the micro leather in the ranges for the uppers and linings. It looks, feels and performs just like the high quality micro leather my customers know and love but without the negative impact on the environment that polyurethane based materials create. Where I have been using canvas and synthetic linings I will be introducing materials sourced from recycled plastic bottles — removing them from rubbish in the oceans to create something new. The insoles in the shoes will all be made from recycled rubber and I am switching soles made from synthetic materials to natural rubber.

Everything will be delivered in natural, sustainable recyclable packaging with no plastics even in the tape and, of course, the delivery will be carbon neutral.

wills-vegan-shoes.com 91

£ ONE TO

VOTCH Laura Way, founder of Votch, on starting a vegan company

L

aura is one of those people who makes you want to immediately drop what you are doing and change the world. It is a skill you are born with, the ability to inspire people, and Laura has it. It is no wonder that she has managed an incredible first year with her company, Votch, with very few bumps along the way.

Laura started cutting meat from her diet at the age of nine when she started making the connection between animals and the food on her plate. Like many vegetarians, she wasn’t aware of the cruelty in the dairy and egg industry until she started to do some independent research.

After contracting a condition called Topical Steroid Withdrawal and being confined to a bath tub for over 20 hours a day, Laura began researching the benefits of a vegan diet. She also began to question why she had worn leather for so many years. Once she learned the truth she vowed never to wear an animal’s skin again.

Laura said: “I went back to work after being sick and I just knew that I had to go

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and do something where I could make a change. I had an old watch, which was leather, that broke and I looked everywhere for a vegan replacement.

“All I could find were cheaper watches, not watches that used high quality materials or had really been thought about from an ethical perspective. Then I thought that if I was having that problem, others must be too.

“We have seen the rise of vegan handbags and vegan shoe brands, but nobody had a vegan watch brand, so that was how the idea of Votch was born.”

Laura had always thought about working for herself and building her own business.

She said: “I had a few ideas and I’d always dreamed of having a business someday. A lot of people had told me to go into vegan food because I love food so much, but I knew that I had to keep loving food, and not for my own business. Then the idea of Votch came to me and it just stuck.

“Fortunately, having been a TV producer and just being given a script and having to make it come to life somehow, I had a lot of transferrable skills from that job. I just thought ‘right, I’ve got this idea; I’m going to find a way to do it. How do I do it?’

“One of the first things I did was to look up The Small Business Centre in London and went to an ideas workshop. Basically, lots of different entrepreneurs sat in a room and one by one we talked through our ideas. When it came around to my idea, I was feeling quite nervous because it was the first time I’d really voiced it in front of strangers but everybody loved it!

“From there I started writing a business plan, which was a really good foundation to lay out exactly in order what I needed to think, how I needed to create and build the structure.

“Then it really did begin with designing. I’d never designed a watch before so I remember going out and buying myself nice pencils and rulers and tools and sitting at my kitchen table and sketching and looking at colours and selfishly creating a watch that I really wanted to wear.

“Then it was really the manufacturing process, so I thought I’d find a factory in the UK to get them made, but then realised that there wasn’t any facility to get watches created. I had to look further afield and the most efficient way to get them made was in Asia.

“It was really key for me, as an ethical business, to work with a factory that has great facilities, great standards and that met our demands. So, I employed a team to go and source factories for me and send me reports. Then I hired another independent team to come with me on a trip to visit those factories, and I sourced the ones that I wanted to work with off the back of that.

“We started with an order of 500 watches and it took off from there.”

Laura is clearly passionate; her words appear fully formed and eloquent, with no hesitation or deviation. The way that she speaks is rallying, making me want to start my own business immediately.

Laura isn’t all about the profits, however.

She is also passionate about making sure that her business is philanthropic. She said: “We wanted to share the love. As opposed to working with one charity, I thought we’d have a charity of the season, so we partner with a different charity every three months. Today we switched to SOS, the Sumatran Orangutan Society.

[Editor’s note: Votch will have been supporting SOS for two months at the time of print]

“We donate 10 per cent of our profits to our charity of the season, which is calculated at the end of that three month period.”

In the first year Votch has been very profitable, selling thousands of watches. I ask Laura what her secret to success is?

“I’m an only child and I grew up incredibly independently in a single parent household. I always knew what I wanted to achieve and how I wanted to do it.

Nothing would get in my way. I think I just learned a lot from not having a sibling and having to figure everything out for myself.

“I don’t get flustered; I do just get on and do things. However, I’m awful at delegating because I’m very precious about it all!

“I think my mistake is worrying too much.

[The business is] a constant anxiety and a constant worry. Sometimes things do go wrong. I check every watch, they’re like my babies, so if I hear that a customer has something wrong with it, which is rare, I get really upset. If I could worry less about things like that’d be great.”

It looks like all the hard work has been worth it though. The business is growing every day. Laura said: “In terms of watches, we sold thousands in the first year and we have over 30 stockists now.

Watch Shop is our biggest one, and they’re the UK’s largest watch seller as well. We sell in eight different countries as well and we’ve raised thousands of pounds for charity.”

I asked her if she had any tips for budding entrepreneurs?

“Talk to people for support, know your market and share your ideas. Also, every day is a learning curve. There are always challenges, there are always ups and downs as a business, but it’s the most fulfilling and rewarding thing I have done to date.”

Votch is available on Watch Shop and directly from the website. 10 per cent of profits go to charity.

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LOST P A R A D I S E

Swimming with pigs in the Bahamas is not the paradise people expect 94

P

hotographs have permeated our everyday lives so much that many people experience the best moments of their lives from behind the screen of their iPhone 7 and it seems as though nothing’s worth doing unless there is a great photo opportunity.

We are saturated in digital media, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Our ability to share, upload and download data from afar has, undeniably, got its benefits.

However, this digital media explosion has had an unexpected side effect.

The need for unique, comment-worthy photographs has led to a significant growth in wildlife tourism.

An incalculable number of photographs documenting camel rides across the desert, tigers in Thailand and swimming with dolphins in glittering blue pools clearly show that people feel the need to interact with animals. In fact, a recent study found that a love of animals is the prime motivator for tourists visiting wildlife attractions, yet the majority of these tourist hubs have been found to have negative welfare impacts, affecting around 550,000 captive animals around the world.

By far the most common animal used in wildlife tourism is elephants, mostly in Asia. Over 75 per cent of elephants are living in unacceptable conditions according to World Animal Protection.

Their report found that elephant tourism is having a significant impact on the welfare of thousands of animals across Asia. Travellers hoping to get an elephant selfie or to cross an elephant ride off their bucket list are frequently unaware of the damage that their activities are having on elephants behind the scenes; this is especially true in Thailand which has twice as many elephants in tourism than the other Asian countries combined.

number of people visiting Pig Island has rocketed and, consequentially, the welfare of the twenty or so pigs living on the apparently utopian island is suffering.

Pig Island is officially named Big Major Cay and is one of over 360 islands which make up the Exuma district of the Bahamas. It has become a unique destination for people who want to see the, now famous, swimming pigs.

Imagine the glittering brilliant-blue ocean, twenty or so friendly pigs accompanied by adorable, happy tiny piglets, a deserted beach and a cloudless sky. Sounds like paradise?

Some things sound too good to be true because they are.

Tourists have been spotted riding on top of the pigs.

The swimming pigs are no different to the 10 million or so pigs which are killed each year in Britain in slaughterhouses, except for the fact that they live in the Bahamas. Tourist boards may give the impression that these animals live a very different life, without a worry, chilling on the beach. However, if people think that these animals are not exploited, live in paradise and die of natural causes, they would be grossly mistaken.

In spring this year, seven pigs were found dead on the island. The cause is unknown, though Humane Society inspector Ventoi Bethune told National Geographic that vets who had visited the site found large quantities of sand in the pig’s stomachs. He attributed the large amount of sand consumed by the pigs to food being thrown on the beach by the hordes of tourists visiting the bay.

The island has little natural vegetation for the pigs to eat and therefore, the animals have begun to rely on food brought to the island by tourists. These foods can range from healthy fruits and vegetables to junk food and some may even contain pork products.

Another contributing factor in their deaths is thought to be dehydration.

There are three freshwater springs on the island but, as global temperatures increase, reports that these springs have dried up are becoming increasingly common. This lack of water is thought to have contributed to the pig’s deaths.

Ventoi Bethune, the Humane Society, said: “We found their natural source of water had dried up, so there wasn’t much fresh water on their island to drink. We believe it’s a combination of factors that lead to the death of the pigs.”

As such, visitors are encouraged to bring water for the pigs to drink. Many tourists

Recently, a new animal attraction is emerging as a must-do on people’s bucket lists…swimming with pigs.

Following celebrity visits from Kourtney Kardashian and Wayne Rooney, the 95

do, but there have also been multiple reports that tourists are also feeding the pigs alcohol to try and get them drunk.

Similarly, tourists have been spotted riding on top of the pigs.

The crux of this issue is that nobody regulates the welfare of these animals, looks after them or ensures that tourists are treating the pigs with respect and dignity. On an uninhabited island, who looks after the pigs when all of the tourists have disappeared with sunset?

Who ensures that the people visiting this wild population are adhering to the rules? Are there any rules?

After the death of seven pigs earlier this year, the Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources, V Alfred Gray said: “People will be able to take photographs and see the pigs swim… but they will not be able to feed them things.” However, we found no evidence to suggest that this has been put in place by the Bahamas Tourism Office and their website (at the time of print) continues to encourage visitors and promotes companies which include feeding the pigs as part of their experience packages.

The pigs are not native to the island.

There are several theories in circulation explaining how the animals came to live on Big Major Cay. According to some, sailors marooned the pigs on the island in case they needed food on their return journey whilst some think that the pigs

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swam from a shipwreck offshore. Others believe the story of a man called Wayde Nixon who claims to have brought pigs to the island in the 1990s. As non-native species, the pigs encounter several, potentially life threatening issues by living in the Bahamas. Firstly, pigs do not regulate their temperature in the same way as humans do. Our sweat glands allow us to expel excess heat from our bodies through evaporation.

Although pigs do have sweat glands, they have very few and therefore they cool down by rolling in mud. With no mud on the island, bathing in the surrounding ocean is the only way for the animals to sufficiently regulate their body temperatures.

This is undoubtedly painful for the pigs, whose only choice is to soothe their sores in the salt water.

World of Vegan founder Michelle Taylor Cehn visited Pig Beach in 2016 and asked the locals some questions about the population of pigs. With ample visitors and no restrictions on breeding, you would expect a far greater population on the island, so she asked where the rest of the pigs were kept.

World of Vegan wrote: “Finally I got a more upfront answer from one of the locals who grew up on a neighbouring island. With confidence, she said, “Oh, they have to kill the pigs or there would be too many — especially when they get aggressive. They can be a danger to the tourists, so they have to go.”

If people think that these animals are not exploited, live in paradise and die of natural causes, they would be grossly mistaken.

The population of pigs is kept low by systematically killing the pigs, which are eaten by the locals.

Rolling in the mud also allows them to coat themselves in a protective layer which will stop damaging UV rays from burning their delicate skin.

This is particularly important for white, non-pigmented pigs. The unprotected animals can develop sores, burns and red raw skin; there is even a chance that this can lead to the development of cancer cells.

So what is the solution? The pigs are not able to live without support from humans on the island and therefore they cannot be left on the island completely alone. Spaying the pigs to reduce further pigs being born would allow the population to naturally decline but procedures need to be put in place to ensure the welfare of these creatures in the meantime.

Pig Island may not seem to be as obviously exploitative as SeaWorld or

caged tigers in Thailand, but, don’t be fooled, it is no different. All animal tourism comes down to money. A report found that wildlife tourism accounts for 20-40 per cent of all tourism worldwide and therefore, travel companies, tour operators, wildlife parks and ultimately, local governments, are making big bucks from the exploitation of these animals.

Indeed, Tourism Director, Joy Jibrilu, said: “As a destination that is worldrenowned for welcoming visitors and providing them with the most beautiful beaches, lavish hotels and resorts, and fine dining, and for being a dream destination, the Islands of The Bahamas are very proud to be the Official Home of the Swimming Pigs. Providing visitors with the once-in-a-lifetime experience of interacting with these wonderful animals is just one more thing that distinguishes The Bahamas. We’ve already introduced thousands of visitors to ‘Pig Beach’, and we look forward to welcoming thousands more in the years to come.”

It appears that increasing tourism to the Bahamas is far more important than the welfare of these innocent pigs. There are also, alarmingly, reports that the pigs are being spread to nearby islands to allow greater number of tourists to visit the swimming pigs.

In these situations, it is easy to feel helpless. However, knowledge and education is one way you can help.

Share your information with friends and family so that they know the truth about Pig Island. Encourage people to choose activities where they can interact with animals without negatively affecting their welfare such as visiting national parks, where animals are free to roam in their natural habitats, or animal sanctuaries where animals saved from agriculture or cruelty are cared for compassionately.

People need to put animal welfare above their own selfish needs to find a social-media-worthy photo opportunity.

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CHICKPEA CROQUETTES Serves 5-7

• 200g (1 cup) dried chickpeas, sorted, washed, and soaked with 700ml (3 cups) water overnight • 2.5cm (1in) square piece kombu • 1 tbsp olive oil or sesame oil • 150g (1 cup) diced onion • 1/4 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste • 1 clove garlic (optional) • 70g (2/3 cup) diced brown mushrooms • 75g (1/2 cup) finely diced carrots • 80g (1/2 cup) fresh or frozen sweetcorn • 2 tbsp minced parsley • 35g (1/3 cup) pastry flour, plus more for coating breadcrumbs, for dredging safflower oil, for deep-frying • Tofu tartar sauce (see below) • Lemon slices, for garnish

WELL TRAVELLED These Japanese-inspired dishes are sure to get your tastebuds tingling 98

1 Drain chickpeas, rinse, and discard soaking water. Place chickpeas in a pressure cooker and add enough water to cover 2.5cm (1in) above chickpeas.

2 Add kombu and bring to a boil, skimming off white foam as it arises on the surface.

3 Close the pressure cooker lid and bring up to pressure. Reduce flame and cook for 40 minutes.

4 Let pressure come down naturally. Open the lid and drain the liquid. Place chickpeas in a mixing bowl and allow to cool down for a while.

5 Meanwhile, heat olive or sesame oil in a skillet, and sauté onion with a few pinches of sea salt until translucent.

6 Add garlic, mushrooms, and carrots, and continue to sauté for about 5 minutes. Add sweetcorn, season with 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, and sauté for a few more minutes. Set aside.

7 Mash the chickpeas roughly using a potato masher. Add the vegetable mixture and minced parsley. Mix everything gently with a spatula.

8 Using your hands, shape mixture into 5-7 oval croquettes.

9 Roll each croquette in pastry flour to lightly coat all surfaces. Pat off excess flour.

10 Mix 35g (1/3 cup) of pastry flour with 6–7 tablespoons of water to make batter. Do not make it too thick.

11 Dip each croquette into batter briefly on both sides to make a thin coating, and then dredge in breadcrumbs, making sure the surface of the croquettes is completely covered. Repeat this process with each croquette.

12 Heat safflower oil in a heavy pot until hot, about 175°C (Gas Mark 4, 350˚F). Deep-fry croquettes until the colour turns golden and the texture is crispy.

13 Place croquettes on a paper towel to drain excess oil.

14 Serve with tartar sauce and a slice of lemon.

TIP Fry the croquettes only a couple at a time to prevent the temperature from lowering. Also, refrigerate shaped croquettes for a few hours prior to deep-frying. These tips help to keep the croquettes from falling apart when deep-frying.

Per 100g Calories: 98, Carbohydrates: 13.0g, Sugars: 2.8g, Fat: 2.9g, Saturates: 0.4g, Protein: 3.9g, Salt: 0.17g

TOFU TARTAR SAUCE Makes 2 cups • 375g (11/2 cups) tofu mayonnaise (see below) • 60ml (1/4 cup) unsweetened soy milk • Black pepper, to taste (optional) • 50g (1/3 cup) diced dill pickles or fresh cucumber 1 Place tofu mayonnaise, soy milk, and black pepper, if using, in a food processor.

2 Blend until texture is smooth and creamy.

3 Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl.

4 Add diced dill pickles and gently mix well.

5 Store leftover sauce in a glass jar and keep in the refrigerator for 2–3 days.

TOFU MAYONNAISE Makes 1½ cups

• 1 (14-ounce) package firm tofu, cut into quarters • 3 tbsp brown rice vinegar • 1 tbsp lemon juice • 1 clove garlic, minced • 1 tbsp mustard • 2 tsp white miso • 2 tsp umeboshi vinegar • 1 tsp brown rice syrup • 2 tbsp olive oil • Sea salt, to taste 1 In a saucepan, bring 700ml (3 cups) of water to a boil and boil tofu for 10 minutes. Make sure tofu is fully

submerged under the boiling water.

Drain and let cool to room temperature in a strainer.

2 In a food processor, place tofu, brown rice vinegar, and lemon juice, blend well until smooth.

3 Add the rest of the ingredients except the olive oil and sea salt and blend until smooth and creamy.

4 Taste and add sea salt if necessary.

Slowly pour in olive oil while the food processor is spinning.

5 Store leftover mayonnaise in a glass jar and keep in the refrigerator for 2–3 days.

MABO TOFU Serves 6 • • • •

1 tbsp sesame oil 1/2 tbsp minced ginger 1 clove garlic, minced 60g (1/2 cup) finely chopped burdock root • Few pinches sea salt • 150g (1 cup) diced onion • 50g (1/2 cup) finely chopped shiitake or shimeji mushrooms • 60g (1/2 cup) finely chopped lotus root Seasoning Sauce • 1 1/2 tbsp barley or brown rice miso • 1 tbsp shoyu, plus more to taste • 1/2 tbsp mirin (optional) • Dash chili flakes (optional) • 200g (11/4 cups) medium-firm or silken tofu, pressed for 15 minutes • 1 1/2 tbsp kuzu, dissolved in 3 tbsp cold water • Spring onions, for garnish

1 Heat oil in a skillet. Add ginger, garlic, burdock root, and a few pinches of sea salt and saute for 3–4 minutes until the burdock aroma turns from woody to sweet.

2 Add onion, shiitake mushrooms, and lotus root and keep sauteing for 3–4 minutes until onion turns translucent.

3 In a small bowl, make seasoning sauce by mixing the ingredients together.

4 Add 2 cups of water, seasoning sauce, and a dash of chili flakes, if using, to the skillet, bring to a boil, and reduce flame to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

5 Cut pressed tofu into (1/2in) cubes and add to skillet. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

6 Slowly add the dissolved kuzu, stirring gently until stew thickens.

7 Adjust flavour if necessary with shoyu and serve with garnish.

TIPS Use milder seasoning and no chili flakes for children. It is also nice to use minced tempeh for children instead of burdock. They like its dynamic, enriched protein, and it helps keep up their energy level. If you use tempeh, add a little more oil when you pan-fry it in the beginning.

Per 100g Calories: 98, Carbohydrates: 7.9g, Sugars: 3.0g, Fat: 4.4g, Saturates: 0.7g, Protein: 5.7g, Salt: 0.35g

Recipe and images from: The One Peaceful World Cookbook by Alex Jack and Sachi Kato. Printed by permission of Benbella Books.

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DRINKS TO

DIE FOR

Oliver Coningham’s recommendations for the perfect Halloween drinks

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or many people Halloween is the first significant holiday since Easter, with the exception of perhaps the summer solstice or various bank holidays. On numerous levels it formally marks the end of lighter, warmer months as we transition into the darker, colder part of the year. Our evenings now take the form of a modern human hibernation as we sit aside roaring woodburners or are enveloped by the warmth of our central heating, devouring bowls of soothing comfort food.

Halloween has become a gateway to this change in our habits at this time of year. It is of no surprise then that it

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traditionally represents a time of change or transition. Behind the masks, tricks and treats it was traditionally seen as a point in which to venerate the dead.

Whether it’s All Saints’ Day, the Christian festival celebrated to honour holy saints, or the Celtic festival of Samhain where ancestors are revered and the veil between the worlds of the dead and the living is said to be at its thinnest. It can be seen as a dark and brooding time or one that recognises and celebrates both the cycles of nature and of life itself.

Furthermore, Halloween symbolises the start of a number of festivities from Bonfire Night to New Year's Eve. Despite the drop in temperature and

rapidly diminishing levels of light, there are plenty of opportunities to come together and celebrate the changes in season. As we do so it makes sense that we start to adapt what we consume at this time of year to reflect the changes around and within us. This month we are featuring a range of drinks that fully embody the character of Halloween and autumn. From beers brewed with pumpkins to whisky with the aroma and flavour of bonfire smoke!

Find out more about vegan drink and food on the forkandcarrot.com website or follow Oliver Coningham on Twitter @forkandcarrot.

Pumpkin King (5.4%) – BrewDog RRP £1.95 for 330ml (Morrisons) Part of BrewDog’s rotating seasonal range of beers, Pumpkin King is released in time for Halloween. In America, pumpkin beers are a huge part of this time of year and as a style vary widely from brewery to brewery. Pumpkin King may be brewed with pumpkins and spices, but this isn’t your standard sweet and cloying pumpkin beer. An aroma of clove, nutmeg and star anise is carried to the nose on a wave of caramel. Despite the heady spices, the mouthfeel is surprisingly light and zesty in contrast to some of the other sticky and cloying pumpkin beers available.

BrewDog have the majority of their beers registered with The Vegan Society with a small handful of exceptions beers that contain milk (such as Jet Black Heart) and those that contain honey (Dogma, Electric India).

Stingy Jack (7.2%) – Beavertown RRP £3.00 for 330ml (Independent Bottle Shops) Named after the mythical character apparently associated with All Hallows’ Eve, Stingy Jack is Beavertown’s spiced pumpkin ale. The can artwork features their signature space-like style, with a Halloween twist. Stingy Jack is brewed using an abundance of traditional spices during the boil along with roast pumpkins glazed with maple syrup.

Upon opening the can there is no escaping the pungent spices! Ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg disperse into the air alongside sugary sweetness.

Incredibly rich and sticky in flavour, the spices come first followed by caramelised pumpkin and sweet maple syrup.

The majority of Beavertown beers are suitable for vegans as they do not use

isinglass. There is the odd exception such as Tropigamma that is not veganfriendly due to the use of lactose (milk sugar).

Fire Damage (5%) – Torrside Brewing RRP £2.60 for 330ml (EeBria.com Online Shop) Torrside Brewing is located in Derbyshire’s High Peak on the northwest edge of the Peak District. Consisting of three long-term homebrewers, Torrside brew a diverse range of beers from real ales to world beer styles. Renouncing a core range, their leading styles are heavily hopped pale ales and smoked beers in addition to their ‘Monsters’ barleywine series. Fire Damage is a smoked stout brewed with German beech-smoked malt. The nose is peaty and reminiscent of an Islay whisky. The smokiness is quickly softened by the roasted malts giving notes of cacao nibs and black coffee.

Torrside Brewing’s beers are all suitable for vegans as they are brewed without the use of isinglass or any other animal products.

Toffee Apple English Cider (4%) – Brothers RRP £2.00 for 500ml (Tesco) Toffee apples are closely associated with the autumn celebrations of Halloween and Bonfire Night. These sweet, crunchy apples covered in hard toffee are believed to have been invented back in 1908 by a veteran Newark candy-maker.

Brothers are no strangers to unusual flavours in their range of ciders which includes Coconut & Lime and Strawberry & Kiwi. Toffee Apple English Cider is their bestseller made using an enticing blend of cream soda and smooth toffee. It’s a particularly sweet cider that perfectly encapsulates this iconic treat.

Brothers ciders are suitable for vegetarians, vegans and coeliacs.

Islay (4%) – Glen Marnoch RRP £18.00 for 70cl (Aldi) Glen Marnoch as a distillery does not actually exist, but is instead the brand name of three nonage statement expressions of whisky that are exclusive to Aldi. The small range consists of an Islay, Highland and Speyside; the latter being named one of the best whiskies in the world after being awarded a gold medal following a blind tasting at the distinguished Spirits Business Scotch Whisky Masters. Glen Marnoch’s Islay has all the expected peat and smoke notes combined with wild heather and toasted hazelnuts.

Glen Marnoch whiskies are produced exclusively for Aldi stores and are suitable for vegans.

Original Chai – Pukka RRP £2.45 for 20 Tea Bags (Holland & Barrett) Chai tea is often an exotic blend of spices that has its origins in India.

Due to black tea being an expensive ingredient, milk, sugar and spices were employed to keep the tea flavourful while minimising the expense. Since its humble beginnings, chai tea is often a staple at festivals and continues its popularity during the colder months when something warming and spicy is needed. Pukka’s Original Chai is made using fairly traded ginger, cinnamon, cardamom and licorice alongside black tea. Like all the Pukka teas, Original Chai is certified Fair for Life - the gold standard in fair and ethical trade.

The majority of Pukka teas are veganfriendly, however Lemon, Ginger and Manuka Honey and Chamomile, Vanilla and Manuka Honey contain honey and are therefore not suitable for vegans.

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Kindred

Spirits

We spoke to Craig Norcross about his phantasmagorical vegan art

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raig Norcross grew up in Louisiana in a typical meat and dairy household. After learning about the horrors of the farming industry, Craig went vegan and has now been living a life of compassion for 17 years. Craig teaches art classes, mainly using acrylic paints, after majoring at the University of New Orleans. He creates incredible fantasy-inspired images of animals to raise awareness about the plight of exploited animals around the world. We spoke to Craig about his inspiration and the deeper meaning behind his artwork.

Tell me about your vegan journey It started when I was around 20 years old and my sister was about 23. She went vegan and I learned about it from her. I really looked up to her, she’s a really intelligent person, and I was taken aback by what I found was happening in the world. From then on, I bought into the vegan ethos. It was an ethical decision on my part because I was a really sympathetic person, especially towards animals, so that was something that struck a chord with me.

It’s definitely been easier and easier for me, as with anyone who has been vegan

for a few years, and I have discovered that it opens up a lot of opportunities for me.

When did you start creating your art?

As soon as I could hold a pencil. It was something I get from my mother, who is an artist. My sister is also a respected vegan artist and deals with a lot of vegan issues.

I’ve always naturally had an ability to duplicate things as I see them. I started seeing that I was getting good at it; I had peers who would ask me to draw things for them and that gave me confidence to really think ‘I’m good at this’. When you enjoy something, you become good at it.

I just kept going with it and got into my high school art programme and knew I wanted to do it for the rest of my life.

Have you always focused on vegan art?

Naturally, having an interest in animals even before I was vegan, I did draw them a lot when I was a child because I was fascinated with them. I always loved dinosaurs too and I still do incorporate them into my work.

I wanted to put respect for animals into my images and I just found that it transferred over naturally with me being vegan and incorporating those ideals into my work. My art has definitely become a political and social commentary. I like to make a statement with art.

I think that art is just a form of communication; perhaps when you just don’t have the words to put out there, you have that striking image. I haven’t always done vegan art but I’ve definitely done it since I became vegan.

Tell us a little about your painting Fishful Thinking.

It was just showing a depth of thought in my mind. I imagined some kind of office building where you’d see a fish tank, sort of representing that the fish is too big for that environment.

It’s a common situation for many pets, not being taken care of properly and the stark contradiction to that is the picture of a whale that’s free in the ocean. You see the image and know that there is something off with this — the cramped conditions that the fish is in and just behind it, the natural environment where it would be free.

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What about the image of the chickens and eggs?

That one is more open to interpretation — I was thinking of factory farming with it but I also appreciate dark images and those of horror films and things like that which are on the colder, more morbid side. The image itself is open to interpretation as to what’s going on there.

With the candlelit theme I was trying to give off a strange ambience, like a dream-like situation, you’re not sure what are going on with these eggs which look like they have a noose around their necks even though there’s not a physical noose, they’re just hung up.

It definitely has those undertones, vegan related issues such as factory farming and how chickens are treated.

A lot of artwork is that image that pops into an artist’s head and they have to transfer it to the canvas, so it’s about depicting what that is.

And the tree-like animals?

The thought process with those really is more of the beauty of nature that I want to depict and connecting them with

trees is something that I naturally went for, drawing a lot of forests and trees as standalone images.

to make a certain animal into a tree.

With the crocodile I chose something that naturally shapes into a tree.

I do a lot of images that fuse them together, I make a lot of hybrid creatures that don’t exist or that I’ve made up on the spot. The tree and animal fusions are more direct, I’m showing the relationship between earth and animals.

I am inspired by creating stationary creatures that they are supposed to be trees. Before I make it, I know that I want

On the other hand, with the octopus I had to think about how I wanted to ground it and make it more into a tree, and adding the bubbles was some creative license, making the leaves.

I have to think about it and not just choose any animal, but they’re fun to make — they’re smaller than the works I typically do. They’re just pen and ink works; I really like working with ink.

How would you define your artistic style?

Definitely a mixture… illustrative? I enjoy pseudo-realism and surrealism and I enjoy incorporating them all together, but really the first term I used, illustrative, would describe my work as I have that comic book sort of style, like children’s books.

I’ve been told that I should draw for children’s books and I’ve tried to do some stories of my own, which I’m still working on, and I’ve come up with a vegan theme.

I think it’s something I’d enjoy if I had a full-time position illustrating children’s books, even if it’s not my story, it’s just a style that I appreciate.

Do you draw on fantasy themes a lot?

It’s definitely there. The fantasy aspect is something that I tend to gravitate towards, even if it’s about making a

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personal statement about veganism, or making a comment on society and how things are. It’s something that I like to incorporate into my work. For example, if I’m drawing a piece that relates to veganism that is just a straightforward scene of a factory farm image or something, it’s like the harsh brutality of that, but I find it a more appealing route to take if I incorporate fantasy to make people really have to think about what’s going on.

She definitely manipulates the texture of Earth and rocky canyons and things with a very realistic paint.

Who inspires you?

My older sister for sure, she has a lot of very detailed, time consuming work.

I am also inspired by Surrealists like Salvador Dali and obviously, the masters like Rembrandt. I loved learning about

I also definitely follow a handful of artists like Terryl Whitlatch, she does a lot of fantasy animal pieces that will have a lot of hybrid creatures. I have a book which has her work in it and it was definitely inspiring — my mother got it for me as she knows my work is very similar.

them and the Renaissance period in Art History; I always had an interest in the accuracy of those paintings and Greek sculpture — that’s drilled in to you as an art student.

What’s your favourite piece?

The tree hippogriff and the tree dragon.

I did those back to back. The favourite that I have out of the others would be the ghost animals; it’s one of my favourites.

What is next for you?

I, like many artists, have multiple ideas stirring around my mind for future projects. I have a couple of drawings that I am currently working on: one is a realistic graphite portrait of Daniel DayLewis from There Will Be Blood (one of my favourite movies) and I just started a detailed ink drawing of a tortoise with an addition to its natural protective shell by having some heavy artillery added to it. It's kind of a fun idea with a little commentary on how nature has equipped many beings with specific defence mechanisms.

You can see more from Craig at: facebook.com/craignorcrossartist

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Vegano a

Milano I

What to see and where to eat in the northern city of Milan and nearby Bergamot

taly is not the first place you may think of when you imagine veganfriendly destinations. Pizza, pasta and gelato are all traditionally made with animal products and, in the past, it has been notoriously hard to find vegan (or even vegetarian) options.

This appears to be changing with around three per cent of the country’s population now being vegan.

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It is estimated that nearly 40 per cent of these vegan Italians live in northern Italy, mainly in the cities of Milan or Torino. With this in mind, we visited the fashion capital of the country, Milan, and the nearby hilltop town of Bergamot, to see what it has to offer for vegan travellers.

Milan is located just south of Lake Como and west of Lake Garda and is

therefore within easy day-trip distance.

It is likewise, easy to reach from Turin, Bergamo and Verona and as such, you don’t need to stay in Milan for the entirety of your stay to enjoy the benefits this cosmopolitan city has to offer.

If you arrive by train, you are most likely to find yourself at Centrale FS, a stylish Art Deco station reminiscent of King's

Cross. The metro is fairly easy to manoeuvre, compared to London, and the first place that you should visit on arrival is the breath-taking, though touristy, Milan Cathedral — jump on the yellow metro and get off at Duomo (Italian for cathedral).

The cathedral is dedicated to St Mary and it is the largest church in Italy, and the third largest in the world. The awe-inspiring cathedral is imposing and ominous, attributable to the gothic architecture of the building. Expect to find the usual overpriced cafés, fast food and hordes of people, but don’t let this put you off; the Duomo of Milan is one of the most spectacular sites in the world.

The majority of Milan’s vegan food offerings are located in one small area, just south of the central station area. That means hopping on the yellow metro line again and heading to Repubblica. This area used to be a little run-down but has improved significantly in recent years. This area, also the gay district of Milan, is open-minded and welcoming which is reflected in the rich culture of this small pocket of the city.

Mantra Raw Vegan is located behind the main road and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but closes in the middle of the day and therefore, be sure to check opening times before visiting. The lunch menu is particularly impressive with pumpkin ravioli, seaweed salad, banana pancakes and chocolate brownies (€7-12).

restaurant. Its charming interior reflects its ethos: natural homemade happiness.

Lights dangle casually from the ceiling and the walls are covered in phrases like: “Don’t be a fool, nutrition is cool!”

Almost directly across the road, Joia Kitchen is the gourmet vegetarian food temple of Milan. All of the ingredients are organic and the restaurant aims to make every plate beautiful. Don’t expect a cheap dinner, with the average price per person totalling around 100 euros, but this is an experience of fine dining in Milan. You can choose from four, five or six courses, accompanied by an enormous selection of wines.

Although this restaurant is not entirely vegan, many of the dishes are vegan, or can be made vegan. The drama of the menu adds to the experience and with delights such as barbequed vegetable terrine with melon sorbet and aubergine and oregano ravioli, you’re sure to leave happy (and with a lighter purse).

There are six delicious burgers to choose from and Flower Burger make all of their own buns, patties and sauces. Burgers are priced between €6.50-9. Try the Flower Burger (black bun, seitan patty, salad, soy beans, tomato confit, flower cheddar and red pepper sauce) for the classic burger or for something a little different, the Spicy Cecio (yellow bun, chickpea patty, Tropea red onion tartare, tomato, salad, spinach and spicy sauce). If you have enough room, Flower Burger make a different dessert every day as well as ice cream pots, which are very welcome in the blistering summer sun.

In the afternoon, head to the San Siro, home of A.C. and Inter Milan football

If you are looking for a more relaxed experience, Flower Burger is the perfect place. Just around the corner from Joia and Mantra Raw Vegan, Flower Burger is a 100 per cent vegan fast food 107

In the lower town, Case Maioli offers a vegan friendly vegetable and hummus flatbread called La Vegetariana which was filling, fresh and oozing with olive oil. Universo Vegano offers another suberb option for vegans. Universo Vegano is an Italian franchise, with 19 stores across Italy including two in Milan and one in Bergamot. They use natural, plant based foods to create delicious alternatives to authentic dishes such as lasagne, cannelloni, pizza and… vegamisù. Heaven!

teams, for a tour of the stadium which seats over 80,000 people. You are able to visit usually inaccessible places like the changing rooms, the tunnel and the museum; a must do for any football fan.

You can buy open tickets with a three month expiration date and the museum and tour are open every day from 9.30am to 6.00pm — be sure to check the calendar though in case of a match or event.

If football isn’t your thing, Leonardo da Vinci’s eminent mural, The Last Supper, can be seen in the refectory of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie.

The mural barely survived World War Two and despite restoration efforts, The Last Supper has deteriorated significantly. However, seeing this important historical painting is a superb experience and tickets sell like hot cakes, so you will need to book months in advance.

The nearby hilltop city of Bergamot (about 25 miles from Milan) is perhaps a better place to stay for those who prefer a slower pace of life, and want a taste of Italian life outside of the big cities. Bergamot is split into the lower city and the upper city. The upper city can be reached by riding the funicular, which has been in place for more than 120 years. The upper city is home to several churches, a beautiful piazza and seemingly endless views of the lower 108

city and surrounding countryside. The best way to appreciate this view is to visit the Café della Funicolare, located at the top of the funicular. The café is full of locals and is open until the early hours of the morning. Alongside the food, they serve several incredible cocktails, including a mojito which deserves to be award-winning, if it isn’t already.

The staff at Café della Funicolare were incredibly accommodating and there are symbols on the menu for vegan dishes. The vegetable tartare and sweet potato orecchiette with falafel were particularly good.

Clearly, there are many options for vegans in Milan and Bergamot if you are organised and check in advance.

However, life is not always this simple and therefore, if you find yourself in a pickle, the Italian supermarkets, including Carrefour, have ample options for vegans. Look for Matt Vegan Style products, ice cream ‘senza latte’ (without milk) or anything which says ‘vegano’. Be careful that the label says ‘senza latte’, not ‘senza lattosio’ — which means without lactose and may not be vegan.

Italy is no longer a place for vegans to avoid and with the number of vegans growing worldwide, travelling across this beautiful country will only get easier.

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Sandburne Vegetarian and Vegan Guest House The former home of Donald Watson, Founder of the Vegan Society, invites you to share the wonders of the Lake District.

Beautiful walks and very welcoming.

Caters for Vegans • Free Wifi • Easy Parking • Offers theatre discounts www.sandburne.co.uk • 01768 773546 • anthony@sandburne.co.uk Sandburne, Chestnut Hill, Keswick CA12 4LS

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The First 5 Minutes The memoirs of vegan comedian Jake Yapp

W

hether you’re a brand new vegan (welcome!) or a seasoned veteran enjoying regaling newbies with stories about how hard it was back in 2011, I suspect you’ll be familiar with that mounting feeling of dread when you meet someone new. For me, I’m always praying that the subject of my veganism won’t come up within the first five minutes, so that whoever I have just made the acquaintance of can’t gleefully trot out the weary old joke of vegans being unable to wait to tell you they’re vegan.

The truth is quite the opposite. Vegans in general, I find, studiously avoid mentioning their veganism. I recently met a man I was doing some dealings with (that sounds weird. Ok, fine, I was buying something off him… ok, that sounds even weirder. Look, I’m just trying to protect some identities here. Trust me, it wasn’t anything bizarre, alright?).

This mystery man was kindly giving me directions to the best place in the area to get cakes or great pub roasts. I found myself nodding and smiling with increasing anxiety, hoping that I wouldn’t end up cornered and forced to disclose my veganism. What if he asked me some direct question, like ‘Do you like sausages?’ or, the worst: ‘You’re not vegan, are you?’

Our veganism is embarrassing to them, not us, because deep down, they feel guilty about their own choices.

So I let him carry on with his detailed instructions of which village to drive to and which left to take to go and get the nicest roast limbs of dead animals.

Perhaps I should have given him a jolly good talking to about THE AMIMALS ACKSHULLY etc, but, well, you know how it is. You have to pick your battles carefully.

Anyway, to get back to the point, deploying the word ‘vegan’ is often a last resort. When you go to someone’s house, or out for a meal, after you’ve politely declined offers of biscuits or cake or garlic bread or whatever other godforsaken sundries are knocking about, it becomes more efficient to simply tell the other person you’re vegan.

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I think the reason some people react in such a joking-not-joking way is because they feel embarrassed. Our veganism is embarrassing to them, not us, because deep down, they feel guilty about their own choices. I can imagine the spluttered protestations of ‘NO I DON’T FEEL EMBARRASSED, I JUST THINK VEGANISM MUST BE SO HARD/MISERABLE’ and then the trotting out of wearisome excuses about natural order, desert islands and humane meat… PLEASE STOP. Or, perhaps the most depressingly of all, the resignation to their own lousiness — ‘Well, I know it’s really awful, but I’m just a terrible person’.

I think that to pull out the subtext of what they’re saying, it’s this: ‘By turning down my cheeseboard and telling me you’re vegan, you’re making me feel like a MONSTER’. When, of course, it’s their own values that make them feel like that.

Values which they need to address...

And recently I’ve managed to disprove the five-minute theory.

In the last couple of weeks I’ve made two new friends, and it took a series of conversations with them before we realised we were all vegan.

Maybe we *should* start telling people we’re vegan within five minutes, after all.

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