Reviews of Vegan Products and Services

Quinoa Milk - so good for you!

2011-10-03T15:40:00.000-07:00

My latest try out is this milk made from quinoa.
A bit on the pricey side (around £3.15 a carton), but well worth it, when you taste the delicious, nutty flavoured, smooth, creamy tasting milk. I easily drank it on it's own, which is good for me, cos sometimes some milks can be a bit hard to swallow unless on cereal.
Our baby liked it too, in fact he guzzled it down and wanted more, that has to be a good recommendation!

I would definitely treat myself to this yummy drink again. it's very good for you and very tasty.

For interesting info about quinoa, click here.
It's high in protein and essential amino acids.
It's a good source of dietry fibre and phosphorous and is high in magnesium and iron. A complete protein source.

Ever stuck for what to do with left over cabbage?

2011-09-25T11:33:00.000-07:00

A cabbage goes a long way. Nice steamed with a cooked dinner, but even feeding a few people, usually leaves some left over. So what do you do with it? Feed it to a friendly rabbit? Make cabbage soup? mmmm, maybe - I'll have to work on a recipe for that (cabbage soup that is!)
How about spicy sauteed cabbage. I admit it doesn't look too inviting, but it tasted delicious. So now thatIi have that recipe, I'll never have waste left over cabbage again! It's quick, it's tasty.
Ingredients: cabbage (any cabbage, any colour, any amount and the cabbage doesn't have to be pre-cooked), olive oil for sauteing, cayenne pepper, now experiment with this, as we tend to like spice food, so try a small shake the first time, as cayenne pepper is hot. Add garlic, again adjust to taste, as we are BIG fans of garlic, and I added 4 large chopped cloves. A shake of natural sea salt (or not if you prefer). That's it simple. All in a large deep sided frying pan, turn up heat, and saute. let it brown slightly, keep turning it. It doesn't take long, as it's nice to have the cabbage textured (but not crunchy!) and not all over cooked. Voila! Spicy cabbage. Serve hot, with vegetables of your choice, a lovely addition to any meal.

Careful when shopping at Sainsbury's!

2011-07-23T14:19:00.000-07:00

Sainsbury has added fish to one of it's olive oils. Not nice Sainsbury's!
And the bottle is stacked amongst it's ordinary olive oil. making it a very easy mistake to pick up by mistake. I mean, even if you're not vegan, would you really want your olive oil tainted with fish? Yuk! Double YUK!

The label is very similar to their other olive oils. OK, so it has in small print omega oil from fish. But who really reads the small print? Well I will be from now on. I don't expect my olive oil to be fishy. And you know what..... you can taste the fish in it too! AWFUL!
Come on Sainsbury's leave it out, keep the olive oil pure as nature intended, and shoppers expect.

Update on my Ikea lamp.

2011-04-26T14:54:00.000-07:00

Ikea not such a good idea. days of glorious sunshine, and the light still does not work. Faulty product or not suitable for UK environment? Either way, I've given up on it, and given it away.
Fab idea but if the product doesn't live up to expectations, it's just no good!

However, I've found another light product that I'm super impressed with - a wind-up torch. It works, and I've used it when the fuse box blew. It does what you'd expect it to do, and is easy to wind up. I like it. Can't remember where I bought it, but it may have been a garden centre or somewhere like that? anyway, I recommend it as a good little gadget, put it in a safe place, and next time the power goes out, wind it up, and hey-presto- you have light. easy peasy, and it's light and compact, so easy to keep anywhere.

The world of reusable nappies..........................

2011-04-26T14:45:00.000-07:00

The world of reusable nappies gets ever so complicated. Different brands and different fabrics, different fits and different washing instructions.
I was glad to find a washing powder that has been made specifically for reusable, nappies. Potion made by TotsBots fits the bill.
It has been designed to be used at a lower temperature of 30degrees, so saving on heating water costs to the pocket and planet.
Not tested on animals and stated as vegan. Excellent buy!

Reusable is so much better for so many reasons! at least that's what I think...

2011-04-09T13:44:00.000-07:00

There are many versions of reusable nappies on the market. They come in a range of colours, patterns, sizes, fabrics. Something for everyone. But where does a novice start? We had that predicament. We researched the market a bit, and tried quite a few makes, but in the end it's very much try it and see what suits the individual.
We found the type that suits us the best (as in seems to keep waste in best) is the PopIn by Close Parent. They have a good selection, and seem comfortable, easy to use, adjustable, washes well, and will keep baby dry for about 2 hours or so. Some of the others we tried, leaked very quickly. Some seemed less comfortable around the leg. So all in all these seem to fit our need. We still use disposable for night-time or going out, as the reusable do not keep the waste in as long, so going anywhere for longer than an hour or so would be difficult, and overnight would mean too many changes. However, while at home, we happily use these reusable nappies. It's a compromise, but every little counts!
But, now here's a big BUT! reading about the impact on disposable nappies (diapers) v reusable, apparently there's a big debate going on. Now without going into the whole argument, briefly summarised it's about landfill v energy and water use (for washing nappies) and the land needed for cotton for reusable. More can be read by googling the subject or click here for one article about the debate from familiesonline. So I guess it's about personal choice. And now I'm off to do a bit more reading about the pro's and cons of nappy types!

Vegan by chance, eco by design.

2011-04-04T03:43:00.000-07:00

I went shopping in Ikea recently, and found this solar charged desk light. A fabulous idea, and I had to have one. Now, I know the UK is not very sunny, not even in summer are we guaranteed glorious sunshine! But I assumed that if they were selling them in the UK, they would be suitable. Well, hmmmmm, maybe I have to wait until the summer for my final judgement on this, but so far, it doesn't work :(
The instructions say the initial charging time is 12hours of sunshine, outdoors sunshine, not through a window. I've put the charge pack outside for several days in various places outdoors, on days when it has been sunny, and so far ....nothing...... No light.
The solar pack pushed out of the light base easily, so it is simple enough to charge. it's a great idea. Free power for lighting, and portable - it's quite light and the arm is flexible (bendy) so could be used anywhere. But without being able to get enough sunshine to charge it up, it's a waste of money. It may be just a money making gimmick, it may be a fabulous energy saving, eco deivce, that I can sing praises about, while saving money and helping the earth, but so far, it's just a desk light that doesn't work. I'll keep my fingers crossed for a happy surprise in the summer!

Trying to replace plastic in the home, one item at a time ..........

2011-03-26T12:00:00.000-07:00

I won't claim to have done any research on this. I'm just going by what feels better for me. But lately i have been thinking a lot about replacing plastic in the home. Of course I already use re-usable bags for shopping, recycle what I can, and am trying to only buy things I need, rather than for the sake of it. But I am concerned about the effect plastic has on our well being. I use containers for storing food, in the fridge for keeping food fresh, and it occurred to me that the kettle is also plastic. it would be wasteful to just throw it away, as it works perfectly well. So I decided I will give it away to someone who doesn't mind plastic and really needs it. I bought a metal kettle.I may be wrong in thinking that metal is better (stainless steel), but my instinct tells me it's better for my body and the environment. As for performance, - the metal kettle is noisier, quite a bit noisier. and of course the outside of the metal kettle gets a lot hotter, so careful around it! At first the water tasted add, but after a few boils, it seems to taste fine. Now I must do some research into the benefits of a metal kettle as opposed to a plastic one, and I'll post my findings when I have.......................

Not such a website geek!

2011-03-18T12:01:00.000-07:00

I've tried, oh how I've tried, but I cannot get on with a website! I've tried Mr Site, couldn't suss that out, tried 1and1, but no joy there either, my latest attempt is with Bluehost, but things are still not going right. I want a website that is easy to use, that I can update myself, and looks good. I tried the site feed from this blog, to go to my website, but no, after the first few feeds, it seems to have stopped, so I've just deleted the feed, as I didn't want my posts to be hanging in mid air (cyberspace), and gone back to good old blogger, that I understand on a basic level, maybe this is as good as it gets for me? If anyone has any ideas on how I can get a website that i can easily use and update as I please,, without spending a fortune on web designers, I'd like to know. oh, and if anyone wants to have a look at my pathetic attempt at a website via blue host, the address is: www.veganessa.com .
Any ideas on how to improve the site would be gratefully received too!

Superdrug - They label products suitable for vegans!

2011-03-12T11:25:00.000-08:00

What a super surprise I had when I went into a Superdrug Store and found that they label the products that are suitable for vegans.
So instead of just buying the one thing I had gone in for, I ended up with a basket full of moisturisers, toiletries, oh, everything I could use, and all labelled vegan! So, other shops, how about you follow the good example of Superdrug and give vegans a clue as to what is suitable for them, after all, it can only increase sales!
Thank you Superdrug, and WELL DONE!

Freedom Frozen Dessert .............. for Allergy sufferers and everyone else!Recipe Free From... * Dairy * Sugar * Gluten * Soya * Egg * Nuts * Artificial flavours or colours Suitable for vegetarians, coeliacs and vegans

2011-02-04T06:23:00.000-08:00

An interesting introduction to Freedom Frozen Dessert.
Available from a range of large Supermarkets, as well as independent retailers, so easily available. I happened to spot the Vanilla flavour at a local Adsa store, and the "vegan" labelling drew me to it. I had to try some. A new vegan product always has to be tried! It reminded me of a glace rather than an ice-cream, and was refreshing and sweet. I liked it. i like the company's profile and history. I like the fact that it can appeal to such a wide audience, why shouldn't allergy sufferers have treats too. A fabulous idea, and a lovely product. It was kinda luxurious without the guilt! or at least that's what it seemed like to me. Now I want to try the other flavours, mmmmmmmmm quite fancy the chocolate one right now!

Tasty Vegan Treats

2011-01-09T13:07:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I posted any reviews, so I thought I'd make up for it with some sweet treats.

LazyDays Tiffin is the perfect chocolate treat. It's rich, smooth chocolate, with biscuit bits and raisins. Sensational, and every bite to be savoured and enjoyed. truly a plush, delicious, luxurious, decadent treat. I love them with a cup of tea.

They melt in your mouth and leave a very satisfying sweet chocolatey taste afterwards.

What more can I say, try some, you won't regret it.

Eat Out Vegan Wales

2010-09-04T14:51:00.000-07:00

A few of my favourite things..............................

2010-09-03T15:14:00.000-07:00

A look through any Vegan Etsy Team Members shop, will show a wonderful array of items all very inspirational and original. Here are a few of my favourite shops and items:

This darling kitty brooch by Mvegan5 is a wonderful example of the creative pieces you will find on Etsy.
Mvegan5 has a shop full of enchanting cards and jewellery. And for those that want something truly unique Mvegan5 offers Custom Animal Paintings.
Another favourite of mine is DaisyWares.
At DaisyWares you will find the most wonderful cruelty-free, vegan suitable toiletries, such as lip balms, face masks, body scrubs and soaps, including this amazing Lemon and Lime Soap - my favourite.
DaisyWares also sells beautiful and meaningful jewellery, some with a heartfelt message.

MerryBluesArt has a fabulous assortment of art and paper goods that are eco-friendly, useful and very interesting.
Check out these DIY non toxic cleaning recipes. A novel idea, and handy to keep in your cleaning
cupboard for inspiration on green cleaning.

Finally I found this cute print by myzoetrope.
The print is titled "I got your back"
It's from the Forever Friends series of adorable prints.
Myzoetrope also sells cards and original art work. a delightful, colourful shop, with enchanting artwork.

By searching VeganEtsy Team, you will find a superb assortment of vegan items, something for everyone. And with christmas around the corner, maybe it's time to start looking!

Twig and Leaf Botanical - an amazing Etsy shop.

2010-08-15T14:06:00.000-07:00

Twig & Leaf is a small, couple owned and operated business in Boulder, Colorado. They use only vegan ingredients and organically grown or wildcrafted plant materials in all of our products.
Their products are made from natural, organic plant material, without any chemical additives.
All of their packaging is RECYCLED! Their glass jars are thick recycled glass.

A wonderful shop selling a huge variety of natural herbs and potions, that will not only be good for your body and skin but fill your senses with joy. How about a home spa treatment or a coconut body scrub? Something for every skin type.
Want to know more about this wonderful shop? then read on......................

When Kelly was young, her mom thought she would be a chemist - but she is lousy at math - and her dad thought she would be a park ranger.
I suppose she did an unexpectedly splendid job of blending the two together.
Kelly has always been passionate about plants and their properties. Somewhere along the line a few years ago, she decided this is what she wants to do with her life, despite having gone to 3 colleges and changed degrees from photography, creative writing, to elementary education and traveling and living all across the united states.
She is working on her Clinical Herbalism degree, and he is working in economics.
Kelly and Scott are both 24 years old and currently reside in Boulder, Colorado with our rescue cat - kitty face. We live in a small, beautiful cabin nestled at the foot of the Flatiron Mountains, surrounded by plum trees and ivy. What’s not to love?
Kelly has been vegan since she was 6 years old, which started out as a health issue and evolved into a conscious decision. Scott has been vegan for over two years now.
When Kelly started her business, she was just making bulk organic herbal teas, each with different health benefits, and selling them to a café in Boulder. We are still doing that, but she decided that enough is enough with having to rely on other shady businesses for every day products. What are those ingredients? Why are they in there? What do they do? She developed her own lip balms and lotions with simple, organic ingredients, with no animal products, and wanted to share them with everyone. So came about twig & leaf botanicals. We use only organic butters, oils, and plant materials, and strive to use organic locally grown plants when we can. We believe that everyone should have access to simple, natural, and healthy products with an affordable price. We also use ALL recycled paper and glass packaging, and no plastics, because plastics contain harmful chemicals that can leak into your products - and we’re pretty sure no one wants to rub that into their skin.

Check out their Etsy Shop and browse the wonderful products, and for interesting information and lovely photos, hop on over to their Blog, wonderfully inspiring, and a fabulous blog.

On a lovely sunny day, who wouldn't want a delicious vegan ice-cream?

2010-08-14T12:02:00.000-07:00

Take a wafer cone - I used one from the Carousel Wafer Company which is vegan suitable, and available from Sainsbury's supermarket.

Fill it with a mix of chocolate, strawberry and vanilla ice-cream from Swedish Glace. Available from good supermarkets or wholefood shops. Swedish Glace make a wonderful selection of non-dairy "ice-creams", all vegan and kosher certified.

Top if off with a couple of minty crisp wafer thins, I had a box of Mint Thins from Waitrose, that are vegan suitable and very tasty indeed.

The result is a very satisfying, delicious vegan ice-cream cone with chocolate mint wafers.
Being vegan certainly doesn't mean missing out on tasty treats.

Chocolate Rice Milk that hits the spot!

2010-07-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

Being vegan, it's not always easy to find a chocolate drink that satisfies you, and lives up to ones expectations.

My two favourite are
Provamel Organic Soya Chocolate Drink
and Rice Dream.
Both companies have an excellent range of dairy free, vegan suitable products. And both companies produce a vegan suitable chocolate "milk". Rice dream is slightly sweeter that the provamel, but I enjoyed them both. As with all milky type drinks they taste better cold, so refrigerate before use, would be recommended.

Introducing a Fabulous Cake Maker and Raw Food Wonder Woman

2010-06-20T14:26:00.000-07:00

I recently met the lovely Nicola who makes the most delicious and healthy cakes under the name of Miss P's and divine raw chocolates as Kali Star. All wonderful. Cardiff based. Nicola is expanding her soon to be empire of delicious food. Currently looking for premesis, that need to be fairly central, holding raw chocolate workshops with her good friend Emma Jones, and working at raw food retreats, Phew, a busy lady. Nicola is interested in superfoods, and raw foods. Her blog has some wonderful, nutricious and delicious recipres, and is a jolly good read too. As soon as she has found suitable premesis, she will take orders for ready made meals, bake wonderful cakes, also she's also interested in taking orders for a food co-op. So many ideas. These are indeed exciting times for Nicola.

I sampled her lemon and poppy seed cake. Nicola makes cakes with ingredients that are naturally much better for you than with refined ingredients, that go into most cakes. So they're gluten free, sugar free, and vegan. Nicola used a sugar subsitiute for sweetening (can't remember what it's called), but it works well. The cake was a good size, so plenty to share around. It went down well with friends, and was very tasty indeed.
to find out more about Nicola's plans and latest endevours check out her blog or email her at lovelivelearndreamgrow@hotmail.com

Totnes - a nice town to visit.

2010-06-13T09:54:00.000-07:00

I have just come back from a short mid week break in Devon and Cornwall. Because we left it late to book b&b's we had to juggle a bit, so the route went - Totnes - Looe - Totnes, a lot of travelling.

The reason for going to Looe was to visit the Monkey Sanctuary, which I had heard a bit about and wanted to visit. the staff at the Monkey Sanctuary are friendly, and they have a lovely cafe serving vegetarian and vegan food. We had a wonderful carrot cake and coffee, perfect for the start of our visit. The monkeys are all rescued from appalling situations, so it helps to keep this in mind, as they are confined to enclosures with wire runs, and it may on first sight seem a bit concerning, seeing them confined. One of the workers gave a talk about the Sanctuary and it's rescues. It was interesting to learn more about the history of the place, and it's future plans. The layout of the Sanctuary is well thought out, and they do as much rehabilitation of the monkeys as is possible. There are lovely sprawling gardens to relax in, and a pond which is a haven for wildlife. the Monkey sanctuary do admirable rescue work, and the woolly back monkeys are so very cute.
Back at Totnes we stayed at a wonderful B&B called Dart Villas. It was a lovely, clean, fresh place, with an amazing view from the master bedroom. The bed was very comfortable. I recommend the fresh fruit salad and porridge of the day breakfast, delicious - I've never had banana and ginger porridge before, and it was very tasty.

Totnes is a quaint town, with quite an eclectic mix of shops and people.

We found a fabulous vegetarian cafe selling tasty vegan food, called Willow Cafe:

We had Vegan paella, which was interesting and tasty, and I must look up a recipe for it! this was served with a lovely mix of vegan salads. A very tasty, wholesome lunch! there was also a nice selection of vegan cakes. So nice to go somewhere where we can get vegan food easily.

Another funky veggie cafe was Fat Lemons. They had a basic menu, which was fine for a quick bite or a light lunch.

There was a fab wholefood store, which was a decent size and carried a good range of products, situated in the 'square'. later that day we bought a vegan 'ice cream', made of coconut and rice milk among other things, and sat in the square watching the world go by.

Later we found a beach, just up the road from Blackpool Beach, which was less popular, and paddled our toes in the cold, cold water, then sat on the pebbled beach, enjoying the sea air, and peacefulness.

Altogether a wonderful break, very relaxing and interesting.

To Happy Vegans

2010-05-29T14:29:00.000-07:00

Just come back from a fabulous day at the Eco Veggie Fayre in Bristol. a bit dissapointed that not all stalls were 100% vegan, but the fayre was mainly vegan, so we went along. A website that I have been following with interest had a stall there: To Happy Vegans.

I was excited to meet them, and try their fabulous cakes. I immediately eat their carrot cupcake, and it was wonderful. Moist and sweet, a perfect little cake. i have bought a mixed box, and look forward to trying them tomorrow, and maybe the next day, although i'm not sure I can be that disciplined. The two women there, were friendly, they had a lovely assortment of cakes, and I am very pleased to say the cakes are delicious!

Anyone in the bristol area, can pop along to the Eco Veggie Fayre tomorrow, as it's still on. i highly recommend it. we had a good day
eating, shopping, socialising and generally relaxing. FAB!

NOTE TO ORGANISERS: PLEASE CHANGE IT BACK TO THE VEGAN FAYRE - that way at least vegans will not have to check what's vegan at the fayre!!!!

The courage of a dog.

2010-05-08T02:24:00.000-07:00

This post about activists in Greece is truly amazing.

Positive thoughts for a very brave dog, that s/he keeps safe amongst the riots and danger.

next time you're in Brighton.............

2010-05-04T07:36:00.001-07:00

I love Brighton! I love to visit Brighton. I must get my Brighton fix about once a year, it seems that a weekend does the trick! It is veggie heaven. Brighton is a very liberal sort of city, a bit alternative a bit touristy, very gay in many ways, and a wonderful place for veggies, especially vegans.
No-one could possibly check out all the veggie places in a couple of days, but there are a few tried and tested cafes and shops, that I throughly recommend.
Firstly, a place to stay. we usually stay at Paskins Town House . The rooms are clean and bright. the owners are friendly, and they cook a very satisfying full vegan breakfast. that'll set you up for the day! A bit of advice though- it's not exclusively vegan, so try to sit as far away from anyone who looks like they may order smoked kippers or a full english breakfast- yuk!
It's a gentle walk, about 10-15 mins, along the seafront to the town. Just take in that fresh sea air, and stroll on down.

The town can get very busy, after all, it's a very well known tourist spot, so I would recommend going into town early to avoid a lot of people traffic. I prefer the North Lanes to the Laines, as the Laines tend to be a lot of expensive shops and jewellery shops, whereas the North Laines are hip, cool, trendy, all styles and prices, something for everyone, lots of cafes in the street, with colourful people watching the world go by.

My favourite shops include Vegetarian Shoes, where you can buy vegan suitable shoes in all sorts of styles, including the famous Vegan Airseal boots.

The North Lanes are full of eclectic shops, and it's easy for the day to pass by while you browse in them.
There happened to be an Art and Craft fair at Komedia, which has stalls of handcrafted items from gifts to clothes to household goods. it's held monthly, and is worth checking out, Free entry.

At Cafe Iydea we had the most delicious vegan cake and coffee. It had pieces of fruit in it, and was sweet and creamy and light, and simply divine. One of the best vegan cakes I have ever had.

Later in the day we called into Terre a Terre. Where we were lucky enough to get seats without a reservation, although it would be wise to book if you had the time to plan it. the food was wonderful, the ambiance calm, the staff attentive and polite. It was lovely.

The next day we visited V Bites. It's funky, it's fun, it's family friendly. The amazing Heather Mills has opened her very own Vegan Cafe , how cool is that! she's also bought Redwoods who sell a range of meat and cheese alternatives that are all vegan suitable.Heather has recent launched V Bites in the US, and I hear it's going very well.
Thank you Heather for having such admirable beliefs, and putting her money where her mouth is. She's a straight talking no nonsense kinda gal, who is a fierce defender of animals rights and human rights, and has done some wonderful work promoting causes and raising funds. I can't praise her enough, and hope her ventures go from strength to strength.

Brighton is the place for fashion, politics, cafes and shopping, and I love it.

Sweet Vegetable Spanish Omelette

2010-04-30T14:57:00.000-07:00

1 medium sweet potato
1 medium white potato
piece of swede about 2 inches square
piece of butternut squash about 2 inches square
1 parsnip
1 carrot
1 onion
1 stock cube
8 tablespoons chick pea flour
5 tablespoons soya milk
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
shake of cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil

Wash vegetables, peel carrot, parsnip, swede, butternut squash and onion. scrub potatoes and cut off any undesirable bits on the skin. chop all the vegetables into small cubes, about 1 cm square or less.
Water in a large pan, bring to boil, add stock cube, add vegetables, and boil until soft (cooked).
Put soya milk, oil, vinegar and and 8 tablespoons of water from the cooked vegetables into a large bowl, and mix (with a hand held mixer if you have one). the consistence should be soft but not slack. add more vegetable water if needed.
Add the cooked vegetables, and mix with a large spoon, turning until all is covered and mixed.
cover a large, deep frying pan with cooking oil, and heat on a low setting. when hot, add the mix, and let it cook with the lid on, still on a low setting. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the mix looks to be solidifying, and going brown on the bottom.
Now this is the very tricky bit - loosen the omelette from the base of the pan, and turn over. Let it cook through for about 5 minutes more. When it loook firm but soft, it is ready.
Can be eaten hot or cold.

Vegan Apple and Cinnamon Muffins for Dogs - But you don't have to be a Vegan Dog to enjoy them!

2010-03-27T08:08:00.000-07:00

The wonderful Molly of It's a Vegan Dogs Life very kindly donated recipe cards to the Vegan Sample Bags and I have wanted to try one for quite some time. Finally earlier today, I got baking!

I had some ingredients ready, but the ingredients I didn't have, I decided to 'make do' with very similar. The main ingedient that was different was 'Corn Flour' instead of 'Corn Meal', I sort of thought they may be different, but decided to use it anyway, as I haven't seen Corn meal recently. I discovered that they are quite different in their results. Corn flour is easily available in UK and used to make sauces, or as a thickening agent, whereas Corn Meal is more popular in USA and used to add to muffins etc. So the end result was maybe not quite as it was supposed to be, but edible nonetheless. Also I couldn't find a non sweetened apple sauce, so I used a tin of apples, and doubled the amount, it seemed to need it, but that may be due to the corn flour! I also used plain white flour, as I didn't have any wholemeal flour in the cupboard, and couldn't wait to try out the recipe. So not entirely different, but adjusted to my cupboard! I should say also, that US recipes use cups as a weight measurement, whereas UK uses grams or ounces, I looked up 1 cup= 230g. I decided to quarter the recipe, as my dogs are small, and are a bit overweight already, also I only have a small 12 cake baking tray. That's why you can see pencil notes on the recipe!

I must say, they were really easy to make, very quick, and simple. Took no time at all. I put them in the oven and left them to bake. Now this is where the corn flour mistake made a difference! they came out very pale, and a bit sticky in the middle, even though they were cooked. I had to try them, of course, mmmm not bad, just another bit, mmmm quite nice, better leave some for the dogs!
Left them to cool down. Took the dogs for a walk, to work up their appetite and make them work for their treat!

When we got back the muffins were cool, the house smelled of apple and cinnamon, lovely! I got my camera, and tried to take some photos of the dogs eating their muffins, but they were too eager to wait, and would have had my hand off! Therefore the photos are not brilliant, but as you can see they thoroughly enjoyed their muffins. look at Maggie's eyes, she wild for the muffin! And I couldn't even get a photo of Kady with hers, I just wasn't quick enough, here's the best photo I managed:
The muffins are a hit!
Thank you very much to VeganDogsLife for the recipe. I've put the rest of the muffins securely away, and will ration them, so that Kady and Maggie can look forward to them over the next few days (assuming I don't eat them first! - only joking -as tasty as they are- I'll leave them for Maggie and Kady!). You too can treat you doggie companion by baking them a fab, tasty vegan treat, courtesy of It'sAVeganDogsLife, and either download a free copy (PIF), or buy a hardcopy. Your dog doesn't have to be vegan to enjoy them, they're a healthy alternative to mass produced junk food. Also Molly's website It's A Vegan Dogs Life is a fabulous read with lots of information, adorable photos, and wonderful insights. I thoroughly reccommend it.

Beautiful Handmade Polymer Clay Beads

2010-03-24T03:15:00.000-07:00

I recently purchased these adorable beads from ContinuumDesigns.
They are beautiful. I love the colours and the detail. They remind me of something very sumptious and slightly vintage, kind of like a treasure. I haven't decided where I will use these gorgeous beads yet, but I know wherever i do use them, they will add a touch of opulence.
ContinuumDesigns has an amazing collection of Handmade Polymer Beads, suitable for a multitude of purposes such as jewellery, textile work, card decoration, their uses are only limited by your imagination. Everything in the shop is vegan friendly, and they store owner is a very friendly vegan who lived in the UK. She has a fab blog All Those Things , which is full of information and photos of beads and supplies. Well worth checking out!

Part three of the fabulous Vegan Sample Bag

2010-03-07T10:22:00.000-08:00

Wow, the samples go on forever, so many lovely goodies, it's such a treat receiving a Vegan Sample Bag.

This is an amazing Flowering Tea called Shooting Star. The instructions are: place one Flowering Tea in a durable glass teapot. pour water over the tea. Admire the unfolding leaves. Allow to steep 2-3 minutes or to the desired stength. Flowering teas may be re-steeped 2-3 more times. How wonderful. Donated by sbsteas. Their website has delightful gourmet, custom blended teas, coffees, and more. An enchanting website, and a very intriguing selction of goods.

Then there is this adorable handmade card by Scrappy Rat Designs - Your Animal friendly stationer.
Scrappy Rat Designs Esty shop, is filled with the most gorgeous cards for every occassion. Scrappy Rat Designs will even design collage cards with your own pet and it's personality reflected on them.

Next is a fabulous Peace (CND) pin, in bright pink and black from Teeny Tiny Tantrums. Their Etsy shop has a whole range of pins with funky, fashionable sayings and images. A fabulous accessory with a message.

This wonderful card from Vegan Dogs Life has a sooper-dooper recipe for dogs biscuits on the back. Although I've not got around to trying them yet, they're on my list of things to do, and I'll let you know how well they go down when I make them. I will, of course, try them myself too! Vegan Dogs Life has a fabulous, interesting Blog, with all sorts on interesting and unusual articles. Check it out for a good read.

Here is an adorable Scrabble Tile Pendant from YumYum Pendants. If the idea was to give it to someone you love on Valentine's Day, it didn't work, it was so cute I just had to keep it myself (oops!). Well made, sturdy yet delicate. their shop has so many Scrabble Tile Pendants, at a reasonable cost, it would be hard to chose just one, and you'll be tempted to buy several. Theres one for everyone and every occassion. With cute pictures, quotes, and patterns, who could resist. I want them all!

And finally, my personal favourite, a sample mini zine from Uber Duper Creations. and Ginger Card Co. The zine is packed with articles, information, artwork and more. It's trendy, it's interesting, and not just because I have contributed to it! I love reading it, and the artwork is always fabulous. The Zine focuses on a different topic each issue, so all the articles etc are based on a theme.The next one being 'Civil Rights', and I've already submitted my written piece. Can't wait for it to come out, it's gonna be a good one.

So, the end of my Vegan Craft Samples Bag, a wonderful bags of fabulous surprises. And all helping animals. A chance to treat youself and do some good at the same time, guilt free shopping is the best! Next bag out soon, check out the website for further info.

These Caramel Chocolates melt in your mouth.

2010-03-06T11:31:00.000-08:00

Being vegan, it is not always easy to get chocolates, let alone chocolates that taste divine. So whenever I see chocolates that look good enough to try, try then I must!
I have seen other chocolates by Celtic Chocolates, but I think mainly sugar free, and after dinner chocolate mints. Today, in my local Sainbury's store, although probably in other supermarkets too, I found the gorgeous Caramel Flavoured Choices Chocolates. I just had to have some. And I am so glad I did. They taste wonderful. A firm chocolate shell with a smooth creamy caramel centre. Hard to believe there's no dairy, they are so creamy tasting. They melt on your tongue. They are just too good. Hard to stop at just one, or two. They cost about £2.99 for a box of 12, so not cheap, but nor are they so expensive that they are prohibitive. They are super, smooth, creamy, melting, gorgeous! And so easily available. Chocolate heaven. Well done Celtic Chocolates for making a caramel chocolate that tastes delicious and is dairy free, wheat free, gluten free, egg free. Now if only they could make them calorie free....................

Third part of the Vegan Craft Samples Bag - such a lot of goodies!

2010-02-20T12:24:00.000-08:00

The Vegan Sample Bags contain lots and lots of wonderful vegan goods. Opening the bag is such a wonderful surprise, filled with a fabulous assortment, all from amazing talented artists and crafters. I excitiedly dipped into my Vegan Sample Bag to find this adorable card by Pandabunny:
Just in time for Valentine's day, and such a cute card. Pandabunny sells original artwork, prints, cards and more. A very talented artist, with everso cute designs.

Next out of the bag was this Lemongrass and Clary Sage soap from EatMeAlive . A curious name, I checked out the 'about' section of their shop. None the wiser, but nice to read about the shop. The soap smells divine, so fresh and inviting, I am so looking forward to using it.

The next item was an interesting, colourful packet that contains seeds to grow Ruby Queen Beet from Hudson Valley Seed Library. Inside the packet are the seeds, instructions on sowing, and a bit about the artist that designed the packet. very cute indeed.

Kittyanydots is the designer of the lovely bag that the Vegan Craft Samples arrives in. Their shop sells cute kawaii cat and animal cards, prints, mirrors and other cute and delightful things. An adorably cute selection of birds, bunnies, cats and other animals, all very beautifully designed by Kittyanydots. A real Etsy treasure of a shop!

I absolutely adore this Pink Piggy Keychain/Zipper Pull from Ladies Blend Design Studio. As well as her own website, Ladies Blend has an etsy shop, selling imaginative Jewellery, many with hand stamped messages of inspiration.

The next item out was this sweet little mini lavender sachet from Brynnalex. I love the smell of lavender. This little lavender sachet is going in my sock drawer, to keep them smelling lovely. The shop Brynnalex at etsy .
was set up as a memorial to Brynn who tragically lost her life in a traffic accident at the age of 12. There is a site dedicated to Brynn, and shares her hopes and dreams, with photos and words. Elaine, Brynn's mother has set up a memorial fund, to grant a bursary to help one student annually, who is excelling in the arts, fashion design or journalism, just as Brynn would have been. A wonderful way to remember a precious child, who was tragically taken away from her family.

The next sample I picked out was this lovely pot of cosmetic mineral eye shadow powder from PURE natural minerals. Wonderful Iced Mocha colour, an easy colour which will go with most things. The list of eye shadow mineral make up is fantastic, with a colour for every occassion. The etsy shop sells eye shadows, concealers, foundations, all in natural minerals.

So, another look at my amazing Vegan Sample Bag and a review of the wonderful items. And you know what? There's still more to come. I look forward to dipping deeper into my fabulous Vegan Sample Bag and seeing what delights I pick out next!

The Crafter of the Red Pendant

2010-02-14T04:00:00.000-08:00

In my previous post I mentioned that a Red Pendant included in my Vegan Craft Sample Bag had come seperated from the identity of the craft person who donated it. I'm very happy to report that the very talented crafter who donated the pendant was the wonderful Michele who's Etsy shop is called Mvegan5.

Michele is a very special Etsy member, as she founded Etsy for Animals which has done amazing work raising funds for animal charities worldwide. I admire Michele's dedication and drive in helping animals, she is truly an inspiration.
Her shop sells gorgeous, funky, Jewellery, cards, prints and lots more.

10% of everything sold at Mvegan5 is donated to an animal cause, and Michele also donated items to http://heartsforhaiti.etsy.com/ , http://handmade4hounds.etsy.com/ and http://brynnalex.etsy.com/.Indeed a very busy, generous, caring person, and I'm so delighted to have received one of her pendants.

Second part of Vegan Craft Samples Bag Review.

2010-02-13T02:28:00.000-08:00

Another day, another exciting dip into my Vegan Craft Sample Bag.

So many goodies, which to look at first! How about this little mix:
A little Compassionate Shopping Guide from Leaping Bunny -
Lots of info about Cruelty Free Shopping from companies that do not test on animals.

Then there's the adorable Red Pendant, which I'm sorry to say I am not sure who donated it, as it's got mixed up with so many other goodies, it must have come away from it's sender. Wherever it's from, it's darling, and maybe the crafter who made it can let me know, and I'll review their shop in another post.

This funky card comes from Late to the Revolution. A novel card, showing vegan love in a unique way. I love it. Their shop sells imaginative items such as handmade headphones, paper goods, beanies and lots more.

This sweet magnet, displaying a pretty pattern inspired from Japanese Temari balls from CraftyPanties.
Their shop has the most adorable Temari Balls and Fabric Balls, in wonderful colours and patterns. For those that don't know what Temari Balls are, check out Crafty Panties, and prepare to be amazed.

Crye's Creations was adorable little envelopes, the right size for business cards, I know i'll be using them soon! also cute little note books for those very inportant messages. love the pretty paper used. Her shop is full of lovely creative goodness such as art doll kits and mini envelopes.

A very useful lip balm from Earth Natural Essentials . The lip balm is a tasty (!) peppermint flavour, and I used it straight away, this cold weather does nothing for my lips and the lip balm is fab! Their store has lots of vegan toiletries and cleaners, all vegan and made from earth freindly ingredients. there's also lots of information on the site, and it's well worth checking out.

Phew, lots of lovely vegan goody fun! and this is only just a little way through my Vegan Craft Sample Bag.

Have you got yours?

Vegan Craft Samples Valentine's Bag

2010-02-12T09:20:00.000-08:00

Having just received my Vegan Craft Sample Bag, I wanted to blog about it. However, instead of posting a few photos and a general write up, as I have done previously, I decided to review each item and shop seperately. A bit of a mammoth task, since the bag is full of many lovely goodies, so I'm going to write about it in stages. Starting with a photo of the bag itself and a couple of photos of the items swished accross it.

As you can see, a fab mix of vegan goodies. Wanna see them close up? So did I. I had so much fun looking through my bag, and more fun photographing the individual items, cos I could them look at them all again!
In no particular order:

Anam Cara Candles Store
An adorable 'rose bouquet' scented t-light, in a little cute basket. it's a very pretty two tone pink, and smells light and lovely. I can't wait to try it.
The website has lots of adorable candles, just waiting to be tried out. (Be careful not to eat them - they look very tempting!)

I wanted to photograph the label as much as the incense sticks from Mrs Tattooed Geek.
The label is funky and very intriguing. the incense sticks have a strong smell, that will scent my room nicely. they are dusted with glitter, a very nice effect. The gorgeous Etsy shop sells such wonderful items as air fresheners, jewellery, candles, and lots of other fabulous delights.

How's that for starters, lots more samples and reviews to come, keep checking back, as I sample the samples, and am delighted at the delights!
Vegan Craft Samples can be bought HERE, and check out the blog for further information.
And I forgot to mention the important bit- as well as receiving a bag full of fantastic vegan items, 100% profits from the sale of the bags go to help animal charities - a perfect chance to treat yourself without the guilt of spending - it's all good!

VegiDeli Organic Brussels Style Pate

2010-01-18T16:36:00.000-08:00

A vegan alternative to Pork Liver Pate.
I must say, I was a bit hessitant to try this, as I don't like fake meats that are too realistic (meaty), kinda scary. But as I've not seen this pate before, I thought I'd give it a try. Made some toast, buttered it, which I don't know if one would butter toast to spread pate on, or if one should just have the pate on toast, but I fancied mine buttered!
The pate spread quite thickly, which I guess is what it's supposed to do, after all it is a pate copy not a paste.
The taste, hmmmm, well, the taste was meaty. scarily meaty. I can't say I liked it. It left a fatty meaty aftertaste in my mouth. I suppose that if you like the taste of meat but don't want to eat it, or if you want to give your meat eating friends something vegan without them moaning they've not got meat, then this would be a good product to use. I can't remember ever having pate (pre vegan days), so I looked it up on the web, to see what brussels pate contains, the ingedients varied but the overall idea is pork liver, pork fat, some had chicken liver too.
here's a typlical ingredients list:
Pork Liver (35%), Pork Fat, Pork (17%), Cows' Milk, Water, Preservatives (Sodium Lactate, Sodium Nitrite), Salt, Onion, Pasteurised Whole Egg, Milk Protein (From Cows' Milk), Spices (Celery), Emulsifier (Mono- and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids), Dextrose, Antioxidant (Ascorbic Acid).

nutrient	per 100g
Energy kCal	390	kCal
Energy kJ	1,612	kJ
Protein	10.6	g
Carbohydrate	1.1	g
of which sugars	1.1	g
Fat	38.2	g
of which saturates	16.6	g
Fibre	Trace
Sodium	0.7	g
Salt	1.8	g

compared to :

Organic ham style pieces, water*, sunflower oil, textured soya protein, tofu, wheat starch & protein, yeast extracts*, sugar, onion powder, salt*, carrageenan* & locust bean gum, herbs & spices, iron oxide*

Energy:	1143.90kJ / 273.40kcal
Protein:	15.20g
Carbohydrate:	8.00g
(of which sugars)	1.80g
Fat:	20.40g
(of which saturates)	3.90g
Fibre	1.30g
Sodium	0.88g
Calcium	0.00mg

Both high in fat content, but there is a difference (if fat content counts for you), the vegan option has about half the fat compared the the animal one. Also the vegan pate has higher protein content. so hey, when someone asks the silly question "were do vegans get their protein?" - well from vegan brussels pate of course!!!!!!!!!!

Two of my favourite things.

2010-01-04T16:01:00.000-08:00

I guess it's the time of year, or maybe I just feel indulgent, but recently I had the pleasure of acquiring two of my favourite things. perfume and Cheesecake, and not always in that order!

Last year, when I was in Swansea, I visited Govinda's Restaurant in Swansea. What a delight that turned out to be. First impressions was that it was very clean, the decor a bit like a canteen, lots of white and metal. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The food was simply amazing! The Restaurant is vegetarian, but has plenty of vegan options. They serve mainly Indian styled food, which was delicious, aromatic and not too spicy. The real treat came when we selected our dessert. They had Lemon Vegan Cheesecake. Wonderful.
A quick trip to the loo was worth it too, as the toilets were spotless, I've
never seen such clean premises. While we were at the restaurant, one of the waiters mentioned that they were bringing out their own line of cheesecake to be sold at Holland and Barratt (I guess he could see how thrilled we were with their cheesecake!). Which brings me onto the next item Cheesecake found in Holland and Barratt -

Now I don't know if this is the one they were talking about, but it's vegan and delicious. I have only seen it in strawberry flavour, which is fab, as I love strawberries. It is sold frozen, so once defrosted eat it! I eat half of one earlier - I just couldn't stop- well actually, I didn't want to stop, you know how it goes - 'just one more piece', looking at the calorie load on the box, i managed to consume about 900+ calories in one go! oops! luckily I'm not on a diet! Moderation is not my strongest point. the cheesecake has a tasty biscuity bottom, and was sweet, strawberry flavoured and creamy tasting. a real treat.

Wonder how long the other half of it will last!

My other treat was this sumptuous fragrance by L'Occitane. A quick read on their website FAQ under "are L'Occitane products vegan products" -
"Yes, since we do not use any animal products or by-products, except for beehive products such as honey or royal jelly." also "Ever since the company was created in 1976, we have chosen not to test our products on animals. As a reflection of this approach, we have never used products of animal origin, with the exception of beehive products (honey, royal jelly, propolis) and we were among the first to indicate this commitment in writing on our products."
Which actually means NO, but many of their products are suitable for vegans, although not all. The bee ingredients are in the minority, and easy to avoid.
The sell online, and also have nationwide stores. Their shops are a delightful experience, with friendly staff, and testers to try out. They have a wonderful range of perfumes, each splendid and different.

I chose one of my favourite scents - Rose.
I comes in two sizes, of course I chose the largest :).
The Eau De Toilette 75ml.
The description on their website says it much better than I ever could, it reads:
"The delicate freshness of a bouquet of roses, the velvety softness of petals kissed with dew.
Provence holds many secrets and legends of which the passer-by is often unaware.
The daughters of the Count of Forcalquier were as beautiful as the roses they cherished - the Grasse rose, the Bulgarian rose, the Moroccan rose and the Turkish rose. Each one of these daughters married a king, and so it was that Marguerite, Eleonore, Sancie and Beatrix became the four Queens of Forcalquier.
Their favourite roses are blended together, concentrated in the 4 Reines Eau de Toilette, a fresh, delicate and velvety scent."

How I love to treat myself - I know I'm worth it ;)

The most delicious Coconut Ice ever!

2010-01-03T08:33:00.000-08:00

The Ultimate Candy Company has produced this wonderful Coconut Ice.
This Coconut Ice is simply the best I have ever tasted.
It is pure luxury.
It tastes of strawberries and coconut. It is sweet without being too sweet. It tastes creamy. It is very satisfying.
It is Vegan!
I have only found this delicious candy at Holland and Barrat Food stores.

Starrlight Jewelry - Trendy, Gothic and Fabulous.

2009-12-29T08:36:00.000-08:00

One of my favourite shops on Etsy is this fabulous shop called Starrlight Jewelry .
Everything in this shop is Cruelty Free, vegan suitable.
The owner Starr has a wonderful, kind, caring spirit and is very helpful and friendly. She makes beautiful jewelry, gifts and home decor, as well as caring for many homeless cats, and raising funds for worthy animal causes. Certainly a busy lady!

I purchased this stunning necklace, made with black and red beads, and a beautiful black rose cameo. It looks gorgeous on, and I've received many lovely comments about it. I've worn it on 'dressy' occassions, as it goes very well with black clothing, of which I have many! It certainly turned a plain outfit into a glamourous one.

A look at Starrlight Jewelry will show you a good assortment of fashionable, alternative jewelry, in a Gothic/Victorian style. All unique and handmade.

If black is not your colour, then with luck, you may catch a beautiful coloured item such as this multi coloured ring, which would look gorgeous with everything, and could be worn as an evening piece or equally look good in the daytime. Just wear it with confidence, and accept the compliments!

I'm a big fan of spiders, and this brooch is one of my favourites. It's Stylish and exciting.

Starrlight Jewelry has a good assortment of jewelry at reasonable prices. Actually, considering all the time and effort that goes into creating such gorgeous, individual pieces, they are well worth the money. There's Home Decor such as fan/light pulls, to add a touch of elegance (or decadence - depending on your choice) to any room, and who could resist this adorable stich marker. If I was the lucky owner of it, I would just have to wear it as a brooch - sorry Starr - it's far too beautiful to be hidden away with knitting, it needs to be shown off, on a black jumper or wrap!

So next time you are on the internet, feast your eyes, by checking out this wonderful shop, Starrlight Jewelry and treat youself - you know you want to!

Where to find vegan information.

2009-12-26T15:39:00.000-08:00

Anyone looking for vegan information will sooner or later come across
The Vegan Society. The website if full of information on subjects such as the History of the Vegan Society, Nutrition, Lifestyle, Faith, News and Events, Shopping and a whole lot more.
It states "Veganism is a way of living that seeks to exclude, as far as possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing and any other purpose."
Another useful website is The Vegan Village , with a useful noticeboard, groups and forums, shopping and services, health, charities etc.
Here's the link for a list of animal ingredients to look out for: http://www.happycow.net/health-animal-ingredients.html
and an interesting site that lists foods that are 'accidentally vegan' - I can't believe it's vegan!, which lists American products that just happen to be vegan suitable, but were not made to intentionally be vegan. Cool eh? Wish there was a UK site like that, maybe there is......
PETA has a whole load of information about being vegan, it's a very useful site. I find the American site has more information than the UK site, but it's all good.
To Happy Vegans is an interesting and informative site from written by two women Mitsu and Sasha, about all things vegan. Well worth a read.
Another fab read is The Vegan Family House Blog , which has some interesting recipes and information. Including the link to these white chocolate buttons which are a vegan godsend to chocoholics and can be bought from Goodness Direct if your local health food shop or supermarket does not stock them.

Vegan Cupcakes really do rule the world (no need to take it over!)

2009-12-20T08:55:00.000-08:00

This is my favourite recipe book. The cupcakes are amazing. I tend to stick to the basic vanilla cupcake with the buttercream topping or the chocolate cupcake, with ganache topping. I usually change a bit here and there, adding something or substituting something either for convenience (that's all I've got in stock) or to try it out or cos it's what i fancy. They have always turned out fabulous. So I can very highly recommend this book. There are superb basic recipes, also some very fancy cupcakes, with mouth watering pictures and easy to follow recipes. I'm not much of a baker, so if I can make a decent cupcake anyone can.

Today I fancied lemon cupcakes. Actually I've been fancying lemon cupcakes for a few weeks but only just got around to making some today. I finely shredded the rind of 2 unwaxed lemons. Then squeezed the juice from them. Quite a bit of lemon for a cake, but I really fancied the 'zing' of lemon with the sweetness of a cake. I used the basic vanilla cupcake recipe from this book, leaving out the almond essence (I find it too overpowering- even in small amounts), and added two-thirds of the fresh lemon juice and rind.

For the topping, i used the 'lemon cream cheese frosting' recipe from the above book, but added a bit more sugar and the rest of the fresh lemon. I already had some vegan soft cream cheese in the fridge, which has a sweet taste, and not savoury as I was expecting it to be, so perfect for cakes, or even a vegan cheesecake. I found this dairy free spread at Waitrose, it's new product to me, so I don't know where else they sell it.
The recipe for toppings in the book, are always generous in the amounts that they make, so unless I want lashings of a topping, I will half the ingredients. Today, I went for the full amount.
The cakes cooked in about 20-25 minutes on a low heat. they smelled delicious. I waited for the to cool down, then added the frosting, which as predicted, the recipe made a bit too much topping. Still, it was nice, no, it was more than nice, it was delicious. Sweet and Zingy, lemon cupcakes with lemon frosting, perfect!

To see this recipe and lots more, check out theppk.com, where you will find this book, and lots of other recipes. The ppk.com is a wonderful place to interact with vegans. There is a forum, blog, shop and much more. Very funky cool.

This amazing cupcake book is available at Amazon. Which is a convenient way to shop, or by searching google you can find lots of suppliers that sell it.

Brunch on a budget

2009-12-19T08:32:00.000-08:00

Brunch has become a favourite with us lately. It's easy and quick to make, and there are no set rules as to what to include. Brunch originates from a combination of Breakfast and Lunch. Our brunches tend to be along the lines of a cooked breakfast, but I like the term 'brunch', and it usually differs a bit from traditional cooked breakfasts, being a) we're vegan and b) it depends on what's in the cupboard!
A lot of pre-made vegan options for a cooked breakfast can be very tasty, but on the expensive side. Also not that readily available, unless you happen to have a wholefood store nearby, or indeed a very good supermarket. we have neither. our supermarkets are bog standard - Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury's, Waitrose - in no particular order other than where I shop- depending on my budget. As my budget is usually tight, I thought I'd write down today's recipe, for what was a particularly tasty brunch, that was produced on a shoestring (so to speak). I must add that some of the ingredients used are personal taste, such as raw garlic, as I'm sure many people with find the flavour too strong, and prefer toasted garlic, or no garlic at all, but we're garlic freaks, and never mind the consequences. Therefore I'll try to mention alternatives, where I think it may be overload for others, actually i think garlic is the main one!
This particular brunch ended up being piled high on toast, but would work equally well laid side by side, flat on the plate, again whatever you fancy.
The items were: buttered toast, garlic, yeast extract, tinned tomatoes, patties (my version of a burger!) and mushrooms. ta-da: -

Now then, how to reach this stage: It doesn't take long but does require a bit of juggling, especially since only one of the rings on our cooker is working!

To start with , how to make the patties (burgers). For a base, I use a packet or Sage and Onion Stuffing Mix, or any other flavour stuffing mix if I fancy a change. Around Christmas time, there is a multitude of mixes to try, so good other a bit weird, but all interesting. Supermarkets basic range of Sage and Onion Mix can costs as little as 16p a pack. You only need one pack. of course, you can make your own mix from breadcrumbs and stuff if you are so inclined, but that would be another recipe all by itself!
Add the tomato juice from the tin of tomatoes, also a little olive oil. the olive oil is optional, but I find it helps the patties to stick together (any oil would do the same).

Add a small amount of hot water. the mix will be quite wet now, so add some dry potato flakes to thicken up. Other options at this point could be to add oats or breadcrumbs, or anything that is absorbent, that you fancy. I also added a sprinkle of seed mix at this point. Again optional, and you could add anything that takes your fancy, such as:- Baco Bits, nuts, seeds, mushrooms, onions, veg etc. I also added a shake of cayenne pepper (optional - experiment with flavours!). This is what the mix looked like before cooking:

Put them under the grill, until cooked,
they will look darker, and the outsides firmer.

While they are grilling, make the toast (separate toaster if you have one), crush a much garlic as you can handle! I used 3 cloves- hardcore!

Chop the mushrooms, and saute with butter, add salt and pepper to taste. I'd like to mention that the cheaper, odd shaped mushrooms usually taste better than the perfectly sized and lined up ones, don't know why.
While the mushrooms are cooking, butter the toast, add yeast extract, if desired, and spread with crushed garlic. Timing is crucial to get food hot!. While this is going on, make sure you have flipped the patties. When the mushrooms are cooked quickly swap the tomatoes to heat up, or in most cases (more than one cooking ring), this can be alongside the mushrooms.

Add tomatoes to prepared toast, unless you prefer crispier toast, if so, add the tomatoes last. I prefer the tomatoes to partially soak into the bread.

The final part is to add the patties and top with mushrooms. voila! A very tasty and satisfying brunch!

You can make variations of this by using different types of bread, you could use beans instead of tomatoes, oh the variations are endless. I guess by just starting with a cheap pack of Sage and Onion Stuffing Mix, you can make no end of delicious meals and it won't cost much at all.

A Fabulous Vegan blog!

2009-12-16T10:28:00.000-08:00

While searching for a recipe to cook a vegan omelet, I came across this site:
http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/
It has the most amazing, delicious recipes, and pictures.
I must try some of the recipes!
I will post pictures and the recipe of the omelet I make, when I have found a recipe I am happy with, or one I can adapt. In the meantime, browse any section on this site to get you thinking of food :)
http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2005/12/recipe-index.html

2009-12-12T03:15:00.000-08:00

From the Vegan Village notice Board:

ADI USA vacancies
Animal Defenders International is expanding, and moving from San Francisco to Los Angeles. We are looking for campaigns and office management staff. We will also be looking for lobbying staff for a satellite operation in Washington. See www.ad-international.org/work_with_adi for details.

Fancy something sweet?

2009-11-22T09:45:00.000-08:00

With christmas approaching, it's always nice to have the odd sweet treat. Well actually, who needs an occassion to eat sweets, if I fancy it, i'll have it! It just seems that at this time of year, maybe because it's colder, I quite often fancy something sweet. Lucklily, there are plenty of sweet treats in plenty of shops to satisfy my cravings. the lastest 'finds' are easilty obtainable and are not too expensive.

I popped into Lidl. Which Europeans will know is a German store, that sells a mix of branded products and it's own brand, a bit like a small supermarket. Both Lidl and Aldi are known to be reasonable on their prices, and as the advert says 2 don't change your lifestyle, change your supermarket", or something like that. I've certainly known friends go there and buy what they can, and anything they don't have, go to the bigger supermarkets, probably saving a fortune. Anyway, enough of that, I neither advocate using them or not, it's personal choice. here are the sweeties I bought from Lidl:

Coconut Ice was a real surprise find. I've not had this sweet for years. And it's labelled Vegan, so makes identifying it's suitability much easier. Coconut Ice is super sweet. I mean, very, very sweet. really, one piece is all I can manage at any one time. It's actually too sweet for me,but I'm sure many people would enjoy it.

Then onto Aldi, which is another German small supermarket, similar to Lidl. Here I found Riter Sports in minatures. I like novelty things, so the mini squares appealed to me. Of the two flavours that I could see were vegan suitable, I liked the Marzipan ones the best. the other ones being Very Dark Chocolate. the Marzipan squares were light and only slightly tasting of marzipan, whereas the Very Dark Chocolate squars were a bit too bitter/dark for my taste buds. Maybe with a strong coffee when I'm in the mood for a caffeine fix, but not today!

Finally, as it's getting nearer to Christmas, it's almost compulsory to have a mince pie. I have never made mince pies, nor do i want to, as I'm not a big fan of them, but once a year, feel, it's necessary to have one or two, or it won't be christamstime! Sainsbury's Value range do a cheap and cheerful mine pie, which satisfies my need to partake in a mince pie at this this of year, without making me feel too stuffed and yuk1 about them! They're small, less filling, pastry/crust is a bit doughy but fine, and probablt one of the best for the money. That is of course unless you LOVE mince pies, and really know what it takes to make a person really want one! Then of course they may not measure up!

While checking these products on manufacturers websites, I came accross Elizabeth Shaw's Mint Crisp, which used to be vegan, but now contains traces of milk, what a drag! so I've deleted them from this page, and passed the actual chocolates onto a non vegan friend. I do wish manufacturers would stick to their ingedients, or better still label their products as 'suitable for vegans'!

A cross blog reference.

2009-11-22T03:24:00.000-08:00

I have reviewed some vegan products and services in my other blog 'MidnightRabbits', so I thought it may be useful to include some links here:
http://midnightrabbits.blogspot.com/2009/06/bristol-vegan-fayre-09-afabulous-vegan.html
http://midnightrabbits.blogspot.com/2009/04/fine-collection-of-vegan-beer.html
http://midnightrabbits.blogspot.com/2009/03/weekend-in-brighton.htm
http://midnightrabbits.blogspot.com/2009/01/vegan-haggis-one-answer-to-worn-out.html

Just a few to go on with. The Weekened in Brighton post is all about the Vegan Fair in Brighton and vegan places to eat and shop in Brighton, I can't wait to go back there.

A BIG thanks to the EatOutVeganWales crew for a mention on their website- you guys rock!

Peace to all Creatures 'zine

2009-11-21T06:54:00.000-08:00

A wonderful vegan woman called Pippi and a friend of hers, Jessi, produce a quarterly 'zine called 'Peace to All Creatures'
For those not familiar with 'zines, they are a - in the words of Wikipedia -A zine (an abbreviation of the word fanzine, or magazine; pronounced /ˈziːn/ "zeen") is most commonly a small circulation publication of original or appropriated texts and images. More broadly, the term encompasses any self-published work of minority interest usually reproduced via photocopier on a variety of coloured paper stock.

While not wholly about veganism, it has a mainly vegan slant, all of the articles are vegan freindly, and certainly this Fall 09 issue is 'the Vegan Issue' Couldn't get more vegan than that! This is the second issue of this zine that I have contributed to, the first being a written piece about Freeganism, and in the latest issue I sent in a drawing. I get a real kick out knowing my work is in a publication that anyone anywhere can see. How fab is that.
Aside from the self fulfillment contributing to the zine gives me, I must say it is also a fabulously good read. It's refreshing to find real articles from real people, about subjects that they have an interest in, instead of a mainstream magazine that is written by journalists, that do it for a living regardless of the subject. It seems like a much more personal read, and by the end of it, it makes one feel as though you've had a little insight into other people's ideas and interests. The articles are interesting and informative, also varied. The adverts are vegan friendly. The artwork is superb, right from the Front Cover, showing the two beautiful 'Kissing Cows' by Mvegan5, through to the Back Cover, which is a photograph of sweet cows, one looking right into the camera, by Ryan MacMichael - Vegblog.org.
The zine is well made, and is of good quality, both in print and paper. It includes articles such as 'Taking a Road trip with Your Dog', 'Marketing Veganism' and 'Aromatherapy'. And a lovely little surprise is that it arrives with some very pretty postcards and a pin badge.
The 'zine is available from UberDuperCreations Etsy Shop, is available as a hard copy or a digital download, and can be shipped Worldwide. Well worth buying and suitable for vegans, and non-vegans alike, eco friendly peeps and any peeps that want to look 'hip' - carry this super fab 'zine around!

Eat Out Vegan Wales

2009-11-09T05:44:00.000-08:00

This free booklet and Internet guide 'EAT OUT VEGAN WALES' is a must have for vegans in Wales or a Vegan visiting Wales. Areas are listed alphabetically, and it's a big help for vegan eating in the smaller towns of Wales , where one may otherwise not have known where on earth to find vegan food. It's nice to know, cafes and restaurants are being added regularly, and listings amended when establishments are less than vegan friendly.
I will be doing a review of places I come across or have tried, many whom have been found in this guide. Put together by a friendly bunch, Tim and Paul and others? (don't know who else), who are enthusiastic, fantastic vegans. It's worth getting on their email list, as they sometimes arrange a get together for a vegan meal, which has always been a lovely evening out, and a real bonus to sit amongst vegans, and know that animal products are not going to be on the table. With Christmas coming up, I'm hoping they'll arrange a Christmas Meal, as the few I have been to were wonderful. An essential information guide for veggies in Wales.

Jobs at Animal Defenders

2009-11-09T05:37:00.000-08:00

Job ads at Animals Defenders in London and San Francisco. They do fabulous work campaigning on behalf of abused animals worldwide:

Junior Research Associate, London
Closing date: Friday 27 November 2009 Reporting to: Head of Research Hours: Monday–Friday, with overtime as necessary Holidays: 4 weeks, plus 4 days Christmas-New Year office closure

Campaigner, London
Closing date: Friday 27 November 2009 Reporting to: CEO and Campaigns Director Hours: Monday–Friday, with overtime as necessary Holidays: 4 weeks, plus 4 days Christmas-New Year office closure

Fundraiser, London
Closing Date: Friday 27 November 2009 Responsible to: Supporter Relations Director Hours: Monday–Friday, with overtime as necessary Holidays: 4 weeks, plus 4 days Christmas-New Year office closure

Office Administrator, San Francisco
Position: Office Administrator Location: Animal Defenders International, Inc., San Francisco, USA Office hours: 9-5pm Monday-Friday Vacation: 4 weeks, plus Christmas-New Year closure

Latest Hair Styling Products

2009-11-09T03:54:00.001-08:00

I am so happy to have found the latest hair styling products from Tara Smith
Rock on Hard Hold Styling Gel, vegan certified, and smells lovely. It holds very well.
I am a fan of Tara Smith products
and have blogged about her other products in another other blog, VeganEtsy
So you can imagine my delight when I found another addition to her range. I have just tried out the Rock On Hard Hold Gel and it's fab. I washed and conditioned my hair with Tara Smith shampoo and conditioner and applied a small amount of Rock on Hard styling gel . I can assure you, only a small amount is needed, it goes a long way. My hair feels fresh and light, with a good style and strong hold, along with the fact that it carries the Vegan Society Logo I love it.