I’m Going Vegan. Do I need To Gadget Up?

blender blender blender blender from Flickr via Wylio — © 2008 Karen, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio

You’ll be happy to know that minimum gadgetry is required for a healthy, vegan, whole food plant-based diet!

You can get along absolutely fine with just the basic equipment – pots, pans, sieve, knives, oven etc.

Yet…

spiralizer to make zucchini noodles from Flickr via Wylio — © 2014 Chuck Feder, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio

…once you foray into the online world of healthy, plant-based eating, you’ll come across pictures of spirilisers, dehydrators, and…wait for it…. the God of gadgets – the Holy Vitamix.

Dehydrator (Excalibur) from Flickr via Wylio — © 2008 Larry Jacobsen, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio

Look, if you’re a gadget freak, go get them. There are worse things to spend money on, and it might be fun experimenting. And if you have kids, I don’t doubt they’ll love spiralising tons of stuff, (though courgette/zucchini spaghetti just tastes like really damp spaghetti to me).

To be perfectly honest, if I had the cash flow and the will to sit down and order a Vitamix (and the space in my kitchen to store it!), well, yeah, I’d probably get one.

The spiralizer in action! from Flickr via Wylio — © 2010 jessica mullen, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio

BUT my point is, you don’t NEED any of this. So if you are thinking of moving in a plant-based direction, and feel a bit intimidated by beautiful pics of spiralised this, dehydrated that, and think that you’re gonna have to throw the entire contents of your fruit bowl and vegetable drawer in the Vitamix every day – relax.

It’s often the raw crowd that use this stuff (see my post on why it’s not necessary to be raw to achieve optimal health). Be careful not to get vegan/plant-based mixed up with raw. Cooked grains and beans need to be a big part of a health-oriented diet for most of us, and all you need for these is pots and pans and a stove-top.

A whole food plant-based diet is eating about as close to nature as it gets. I don’t think any ancient civilisation, or any community known for longevity and health was in the habit of spiralising zucchini. And if they needed anything dehydrated, it was probably left out in the sun.

We really only ever need containers that hold the food while it’s being prepared, and stuff to poke it with while it’s cooking. The rest could actually be improvised if needed! Though let’s face it, it’s helpful to have knives, measuring cups and spoons, a sieve, a colendar etc.

However…

There is ONE, itty-bitty gadget that I DO endorse (not for dosh, unfortch!!), and that is the Magic Bullet, or it’s cheaper, yet identical cousin, the Hinari Genie.

This is mainly because of the benefits of including flax seeds in your daily diet (as detailed here).

IMG_20150628_191708429 — My Hinari Genie – right little grafter!

Some seeds are so small it’s difficult to break them down sufficiently enough between our teeth to get the maximum benefit from the goodness they have inside, and many will just get digested whole. Blitzing them with ‘the bullet’ makes them a lot easier to eat and ingest.

Many years ago, pre-Magic Bullet, I used to crush two tablespoons of flax seeds every morning with a pestle and mortar.

This took frickin’ ages. Ages I didn’t have. And my hand was permanently sore from the job – flax seeds are tough little muthas to crush.

Some people recommend coffee-grinders, but these are more expensive, and you would need a dedicated one for seeds – if you used it for coffee too it would leave a taste.

I can’t even remember how I got the notion to try a Magic Bullet but it ranks as one of the best notions I’ve ever had. It blitzes flax in an instant.

As I’m doing the flax anyway, I’ll sometimes throw in a couple of teaspoons of sesame, pumpkin or sunflower seeds. And not that I often use them but I bet it would blitz hemp and chia seeds amazingly as well.

I don’t throw nuts in there because they don’t blitz very well. They contain oil and won’t completely break down in a Magic Bullet – but nuts are big enough to bite and chew, so it’s better to eat them from their normal state, or roughly chopped.

If you think I’m missing a crucial gadget, let me know in the comments. And buy me one. Or maybe don’t! If I’ve lived this long without it, I don’t need it!

6 Easy Ways To Incorporate Plant-Based Habits Into Your Life

With meat and dairy-strong diets being a prime contributor to climate change; pretty much all chronic diseases; and of course to the unhappy, short, brutal lives of animals; it’s no wonder many of us are considering how we might either go plant-based ourselves, or at the very least make a shift in that direction.

For some, it’s not too difficult. I, personally, was not particularly red meat-oriented; I always preferred chicken or fish options; and I never liked milk, so when I went vegan it was not too drastic a change for me.

However, this is a world in which most of us have been encouraged to eat meat and drink milk from a very young age in the belief that it was good for us, so it’s understandable that for lots of us, it’s not so easy making a change.

How can we all, even the most bacon-loving of us, incorporate some changes into our diet, to help us tread lighter, feel better, and maybe even reap a few of the health benefits a plant-based diet offers?

Here are 6 very manageable ways. You can try one of them; several; or all if you’re feeling it:

1. Make sandwich filling an animal product-free zone.

Use a vegan spread in place of butter, then top or fill your bread with mashed avocado, a sprinkle of soy sauce and chopped spring onions; or hummous, sliced tomatoes and arugula; or sliced veggie sausage and sauerkraut, or good old peanut butter and jelly.

Continue reading “6 Easy Ways To Incorporate Plant-Based Habits Into Your Life”

As A Vegan, What DO You Eat At A Barbecue?

Veggie BBQ Rules! from Flickr via Wylio — © 2007 lostintheredwoods, Flickr | CC-BY-ND | via Wylio

Oh dear.

I have to confess, I’m a total Debbie Downer when it comes to barbecues.

I think they’re stupid.

Yes, I’m completely aware I’m alone in this.

My feelings may have something to do with the fact that, like a lot of Londoners I live in a small flat with, oooh, approximately two square feet of garden. Pretty much every sunny summer weekend, neighbours (whose gardens are no bigger than mine) seem to think it’s a great idea to squeeze lots of friends into their garden and fire up the barbie.

My problem with this is as follows:

I don’t like my laundry on the washing line to end up stinking of smoke from burning pig.

If I’m sitting in my garden, trying to enjoy the delicate scent of the orange blossom tree, I’m not keen on instead choking on smoke from burning cow/pig/lamb.

Even if I’m indoors with the windows open (cuz you WANT them open on a sunny day) I still get smoked out – because wouldn’t you know, the wind always seems to be blowing in the direction of my house on these days. Do these people check which way the wind is blowing before starting? Would they even have the barbecue if they got blowback into their house?

At a previous address (on a street that had similarly small gardens), I once approached neighbours and asked them nicely if they would mind extinguishing their barbecue as my house was getting full of smoke. They suggested I close the windows.

I won’t tell you what I did then, but it may have involved a garden hose 🙂

I also hate the whole ‘women cook in the kitchen but men cook on the barbecue’ BS too. Wtf is THAT about?

And why does a sunny day equate cooking outside?

I get that it’s absolutely lovely eating outside; I try and do this as often as possible, but why not cook in the kitchen and bring the food outside? Or go on a freaking picnic?

F%^&K BARBECUUUUUUUES!

And don’t even get me started on barbecues’ even more evil cousin – the hog roast!

No really, DON’T.

AAAARRRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

OK. I feel better now.

Of course, when I think about it rationally, I realise the problem is inconsiderate arseholes, not barbecues.

I’m sure you have a MUCH healthier relationship to barbecues than I do, so what can you eat at these traditionally meat-based fests if you are vegan? Do you have to avoid them altogether?

The good news is that no, you don’t. Barbecues are as much for you as they are for the most rabid meat-eater.

Assuming you or your barbecue host have an APPROPRIATE.SIZED.GARDEN, what goodies can you enjoy grilled outside?

Firstly, you should know that barbecues are potentially MORE fun for you, as in my barbecue experience, meat-eaters tend to only grill about three types of meat, and maybe have potato salad or coleslaw as a side (yes, the nineties probably WAS the last time I went to a barbecue!) Whereas, pretty much the entire plant world and a gazillion permutations of it are open to you.

Easy, practical, no brainers are as follows:

Barbecue from Flickr via Wylio — © 2012 Lablascovegmenu, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio

Corn – Delicious grilled as it is, or slather on a marinade of your choice (chilli lime for example) before wrapping it in foil and putting it on the grill

Portobello or field mushrooms – Just brush with olive oil and season before grilling.

Veg skewers – (See header pic) Use chunks of red, green, yellow pepper, baby plum tomatoes, whole chestnut mushrooms, squares of red onions, thick slices of yellow and green courgettes (zucchini). Intersperse veg with chunks of firm tofu or seitan if you desire a meaty element.

Dip your veg and tofu chunks in a mixture of olive oil, juice of 1 lemon, 1/2 tspn basil, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Thread the skewer with the veg and grill.

world's best-tasting grilled eggplant from Flickr via Wylio — © 2008 woodleywonderworks, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio

Aubergine (eggplant) – Marinade sliced aubergine in a simple Teriyaki sauce (soy sauce, rice vinegar, olive oil and some crushed garlic and ginger) for an hour or so, then throw on the grill.

Grilled sweet potato spears with maple syrup and mustard glaze #food from Flickr via Wylio — © 2013 Steven Depolo, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio

Sweet potatoes – Either chop them into thick wedges, or wrap them in foil and throw them on the barbecue. How ever you’re eating them; my favourite flavours for sweet potatoes are salt, paprika and garlic powder (mix equal measures of the paprika and garlic in a bowl). Spray wedges with oil, salt generously and sprinkle the paprika/garlic mix on top.

For foil wrapped potatoes; when they’re cooked add some vegan margarine, salt generously and fork in some paprika/garlic mix.

Otherwise: I’ve picked out what I consider to be the best of the best plant-based BBQ recipes (both mains AND great BBQ sides) on the internet for you.

Enjoy…

50 mouth-watering ideas are right here.

23 more are here.

21 more right here.

17 slightly simpler, but no less delicious ideas are here.

You can even grill avocados! This was news to me; I just learned that right now. And fruit!! Did you know that? I didn’t. Did you see the caramelised grilled peaches?

Wow. I’m literally just learning what I’ve been missing out on!

You know, looking at all these recipes as I’m compiling this post, I am (very unexpectedly I might add!) starting to feel a nascent desire to have a barbecue! Not in my garden of course, I’m not a douche, but maybe in a park somewhere with lots of space. I’m grinning broadly as I’m writing this, because I thought I’d be a ‘cue hater for life. It’s amazing what food pictures can do. I love learning while I’m writing!

Vegan in Vegas

Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas from Flickr via Wylio — © 2010 ADTeasdale, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio

I’m just back from my third Las Vegas trip, and once again had an amazing time (apart from the 5 ½ hour delay getting there – cheers American Airlines!).

I’m guessing the first words you think of on hearing the name of this desert city are casinos, whores, steakhouses, strippers, cheesy shows, decadence and opulence, tat and trinkets, debauchery and desperation.

Maybe you think of expressionless, over-tanned, leathery-skinned old people in sun visors clutching on to coke cups full of quarters, banging away at the slots until the early hours.

Or maybe it’s the Chinese business men (‘cos it is always Chinese men for the moment) sitting stoically at the baccarat tables; and serving them are the slightly hard-faced, scantily-dressed, fake-boobed cocktail servers (‘cos they are always female for the moment – when women have more money and power, then we’ll see the topless buff waiters!).

If the name Las Vegas gives you a visual similar to the one I’ve described, you are not wrong. You’ll find all this nonsense and plenty more just like it.

The first time we came to Vegas six years ago, I was expecting it to be nothing BUT how I just described it. We were doing a road trip through the southern Utah National Parks and I was absolutely disgusted that we’d have to fly into Vegas as a starting point!

But, sleaze aside (you do have to kind of compartmentalise this – unless you’re into it of course!), I have to admit we were a little mesmerised by the spectacular Bellagio fountains, the stunning fresh flower creations everywhere, the insane daredevil rides at the top of the Stratosphere, the fake volcanoes and light displays etc. The Vegas strip forces you to forget your cares and suckers you into a state of awe and wonder at the outrageousness, the ridiculousness, the sparkle and fantasy of it all. There is no place like this anywhere else in the world and its frivolous and fun; but definitely guilt-inducing at the same time when you think of the water and energy it takes to maintain (in the middle of the freakin’ desert!), and the poor Latino immigrants everywhere on the strip handing out flyers for prostitutes who undoubtedly deserve our sympathy even more than they do.

There is another Vegas however.

For me, Vegas means quick access to lush, pine-forested mountains (35 minutes away) and gorgeous red rock canyons (25 minutes away). There is the 12,000 foot Mount Charleston and the surrounding Spring Mountains that are almost paradisiacal to hike in, and only forty minutes away from the city. The smell of the sun-soaked pines at that altitude is addictive; you just want to breathe it in forever.

IMG_20150531_153049664_HDR — Me, interacting wid naycha..

The ancient canyons with their red and white strata are like nature’s own playground; there seem to be steps perfectly placed for you to climb as high or as low as you want, all the while being gently cooled by the desert wind (though wear a hat!).

Vegas for me ALSO means great food.

Believe it or not, there are plentiful vegan options in Vegas.

Now it’s not New York or Los Angeles, or even Austin or Portland in terms of the sophistication and imagination of the plant-based food, and there is not particularly a health-awareness to it. You can get great superfood salads of course, but anything involving flour (veggie burger buns, pastry, cakes, pizza bases, burritos etc) is likely to be white flour. I try and avoid white flour at all times because of these reasons; but it’s up to you if you want to make an exception when you’re on vacation.

There are still great meals to be had nevertheless, and even the US Airways (international) magazine advertises the fact:

Part of the reason for the plant-based Vegas restaurant scene is because big time hotelier, Steve Wynn, is vegan himself, and has ensured that there are lots of vegan menu options at ALL of the restaurants and cafes at his opulent Wynn and Encore hotels. With ten fine dining and nine casual dining establishments, you could eat at a different place every meal! Several of these restaurants actually have a separate vegan menu. Here’s one from the Terrace Point Cafe at the Wynn:

IMG_20150531_113430589_HDR — It says ‘vegetarian,’ but everything is vegan – I guess ‘vegetarian’ is a less scary word for some!

IMG_20150531_115727935_HDR — The French toast

IMG_20150531_115339004_HDR — The Ranchero scramble

This progressive attitude isn’t confined to Wynn’s restaurants only. There are several restaurants at the Mandalay Bay with fantastic vegan options – and Mexican restaurant Hussongs and pizzeria Slice of Vegas have separate vegan menus! MGM and the Aria also have excellent vegan choices on some of their restaurant menus.

IMG_20150601_125809648_HDR — Soft corn Gardein fish tacos at Hussongs Cantina

Lots of hotel suites in Vegas have full kitchens, so if you get tired of eating out, you can shop at one of the several Whole Foods where vegans are extremely well catered for, and either eat from their hot/cold bar, or cook ‘at home.’

IMG_20150528_185817832_HDR — Vegan friendly version of the iconic Las Vegas sign at Whole Foods

I’m always completely gobsmacked at the abundance of choice there is for vegans in shops in the US compared to the UK and Europe (and I live in London where we have the widest choice in the country!)

These are just SOME of the plant-based ice-creams on offer!

Plenty of ready meals if you don’t want to go out but don’t fancy cooking!

There is also better quality fresh veg and fruit. Huge bunches of full leaved kale and collard greens (not chopped to within an inch of its life, packaged in plastic and full of stalks).

Bulk bins provide a multitude of cheap organic grains, lentils, beans, nuts and seeds. With all the choice available and at every budget level, it really IS easy to be vegan here. Also, there is practically NO limitation as to what you can eat, just in the veganised version – there is even vegan bacon if you are transitioning and have a bacon craving:

We got through a pint of this…

…two pints of this (not one after the other!)…

…and a pint of Mint Choc Chip that we ate before I could take a photo. And we STILL lost weight because of all the mountain and canyon hiking!

It’s easy to believe Vegas is just a seedy, steakhouse ridden blight on the desert, especially when you read about places like the pretty odious Heart Attack Grill, with their ‘vegan menu’ of 100% full leaf tobacco..HARHAAAAAAAAAAAAAR…ugh.. (and where, surprise surprise, people actually die). But now, some steakhouses (the SW Steakhouse at the Wynn, for example) actually have excellent vegan menus!

It just once again proves that old cliche to be correct – never judge a book by its cover. Or, never judge a showy casino town by the, er, hookers and cigarette smoke.

Over three trips we’ve discovered the awe-inspiring natural beauty that surrounds Vegas, and the plethora of plant-based options open to us.

Now we know the quality and quantity of the vegan food options available and with the nature there is easy access to from Vegas, it’s often amongst our top choices for a get-away.

Seriously, How DO You Give Up Cheese?

Cheese stall, Borough Market, London SE1 from Flickr via Wylio — © 2012 Paul Wilkinson, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio

I’ve touched on this subject before, but it’s such a common stumbling block for newbie vegans, it’s always worth coming back to.

I honestly do get the cheese thing. And in a moment you’ll see I’m not just saying that to sound relatable.

I lived in France in my teens and early twenties and probably ate some of the world’s best cheeses. Can I say that? I think I can. Approximately 65 – 75% of the world doesn’t eat dairy, it’s mostly a European thing (or seems to have its origins in Europe), so I think it’s fair to say France probably has what is generally considered to be the best cheese.

I wasn’t a huge blue cheese fan, but I never met a soft cheese I didn’t like, Camembert and Brie were definite favourites, Emmental on fish soup tasted like heaven (OK, that’s Swiss), gouda and apple was a well-loved snack (OK that’s Dutch), and fromage blanc with sugar was a yummy simple dessert (that’s pretty damn French).

And I ate SO MUCH of it. I always found it hard to stop eating cheese in terms of the amount I ate at one sitting. I will never understand those diets that say you can eat what you ate before, just smaller amounts. How DO you do that? If I ate some of the cheese, I wanted ALL of the cheese. Being an animal product, cheese has ZERO fibre, so it doesn’t fill you up. This is why it’s more difficult to stop eating cheese than it is to stop eating rice, say, or beans.

And you wanna know why cheese is just so damn hard to give up?

Because it’s smack, that’s why.

Well, almost.

Dairy contains casomorphins. These are opiate-like peptides designed to keep the calf interested in suckling its mother’s milk.

All dairy contains a protein called casein. Because cheese is the most concentated form of casein, it contains an abundance of casomorphin and is thus more addictive than other dairy products.

When you know this, it helps with the intellectual motivation to give cheese the old heave-ho; isn’t it weird that natural opiates that were meant for a baby cow are having their wicked way with YOU, an entirely different species?

OK, you get this. But now let’s get practical. How do you actually get cheese out of your life without feeling deprived or having cravings?

Now I’m not sure we can eliminate cravings entirely – casomorphin is a drug after all; but we can reduce them, and distract ourselves from them by eating a ton of delicious, flavourful, texture-rich food.

They say it takes approximately twenty-one days to make or break a habit, so absolute worst case scenario; in three weeks, any cravings you’ve had should be gone.

Now the billion-dollar question:

How do we stay sane for three whole weeks without cheese?

Here are some ideas:

1. While transitioning away from cheese, if you have hellacious cravings, try cheese substitutes.

Don’t worry; there are some great ones now.

Want melted cheese, on toast, on pizza, on pasta or on a baked potato?

In the US, try Daiya or Follow Your Heart.

Daiya comes shredded too – excellent for pizza topping or on toast.

I’ve tried both of these many times and in my opinion, they are the best.

Brits, you can order Daiya here.

In the UK, the rest of Europe, South Africa, Israel and Jordan, try Violife. I’ve had the slices and they were excellent, but they do cheese that melts too (I’ve not tried this, but if the slices were anything to go by, it’s probably great. If you’ve tried it – let me know in the comments!)

There are other vegan cheeses in the UK that have been around for a while (naming no names!) but they are pretty gross, and even grosser melted. I believe Violife is the best vegan cheese to date.

Want a soft cheese?

In the US, try Kite Hill or Treeline Treenut Cheese.

I tried the plain version of Kite Hill and it absolutely blew me away with how much like Camembert it tasted. They’ve basically put the same plant-based cultures that are in dairy soft cheeses – into almond milk. The effect is uncanny. I don’t think you could tell it wasn’t a dairy cheese if you didn’t know.

In the UK, Tyne Chease is about to launch, which is the same thing but with cultured cashew milk instead of almond milk. This promises to be fabulous too.

Spreadable cheese anyone?

Daiya to the rescue AGAIN!

I ‘ve not yet tried this, and there are lots of other options, so find what’s best for you.

Violife do a spreadable cheese too, so I’d try here first in the UK and Europe.

None of these cheeses are too unhealthy either. In the past vegan cheeses have been made with yucky trans-fats, but no more. The soft cheeses, being made from cultured nut-milk and nothing else, are definitely healthy. In any case, NO vegan cheese contains saturated fat, cholesterol, casein (the most relevant food-based carcinogen in existence) and hormones, like animal cheeses do; so health wise they’ll always be a better bet.

2. Replicate that cheesy taste and texture with other foods.

For many years, Nutritional Yeast has been best friend to many vegans, particularly in the US.

IMG_20150529_201316230 — Affectionately known as ‘nooch’

Thanks to the internet, it’s now available everywhere.

It’s ace at bestowing a cheesy flavour upon your favourite foods. Use it on pasta dishes, popcorn, in vegan ‘cheese’ sauces, on mashed potato etc. Anywhere you want essence of cheese, really.

Don’t worry if you’re yeast-sensitive, it’s actually de-activated yeast so shouldn’t trigger any issues.

It’s also a good source of vitamin B12!

Tahini sauce can do a good job of tasting like a cheesy dressing. Mix light tahini with water to make a thin sauce; add lemon juice, soy sauce (or salt), and garlic powder. Pour it on salads, over jacket potato, or just dip into it with whole wheat bread or rice crackers etc.

My recipe for it is here. The internet can surely provide others. The more you make it the more you’ll make it to your taste and you’ll find you develop your own version.

3. Explore, explore, explore. Try food from all around the world. Try eating food from cultures that just don’t eat cheese.

Because we have cheese in our culture (or culture in our cheese 🙂 ), some dishes were created AROUND it, so to just take the cheese out of these dishes will often mean you’ll feel like you’re missing something.

If you eat Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Indian, Ethiopian, in fact food from most African, Asian and Middle Eastern countries where cheese is just not a part of the daily diet, you’ll find the flavours and textures so rich, full and satiating, you won’t miss cheese at all.

Final note:

If you’re trying your hardest to go fully plant-based but just can’t let cheese go, then DON’T.

Vegan police: WTF?

Me: Shutup

Here’s why I say this:

If cheese is your only weakness, then give up every other animal product apart from cheese – for now. As myself and many other vegan teachers say, don’t do nothing because you can’t do everything.

I’m confident that as you progress and learn more about the ethical, environmental and wellness benefits of a plant-based diet, and as you start to feel better health-wise and clearer of mind, your body and intuition will gradually see that you turn away from it.

Yummy, HEALTHY Banana Bread Recipe. You’re So Welcome.

I don’t know about you but at the weekend I haven’t got time to be experimenting with lots of different cake recipes (though I truly wish I did have).

Sometimes I make something different to shake things up; but mostly, if I don’t have too much time, I’ll make some good old banana bread.

This particular recipe is genius. I discovered it two years ago, and I’ve made it pretty much every weekend since.

It’s SUPER easy, and it’s practically healthy. You can keep it gluten-free if you need, and it’s absolutely free of refined flour and sugar (but doesn’t taste like it!).

You can sex it up by adding chocolate chips, or keep it virtuous and plain.

You can spread your favourite non-dairy spread and some jam on it, dip it in your tea or coffee, or just munch it as it comes.

It makes an ideal addition to a packed school/work lunch. Grab a coupla’ slices and go!

It lasts pretty well too, but if you’re in a hot place, or if it’s summer, I’d probably keep it in the fridge after the first day.

The recipe is from the Babycakes NYC cookbook, but I add a little nutmeg, and change up half the flour type to make it a wee bit more economical (but you can totally make the original version if you want it super light, or specifically need it to be gluten-free).

Look how well-worn and, er, cake-mix spattered these pages are!

IMG_20150524_161551660_HDR — Mary-Louise Parker loves banana bread too!

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

You’ll need:

2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour (As this can be quite pricey, I use 1 cup of Bob’s and 1 cup of whole spelt flour. If you are gluten-free and/or want ultimate lightness of sponge, use 2 cups of Bob’s Red Mill; but you’ll still get a decent enough texture with 1 cup of Bob’s and 1 cup of whole spelt)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda (bicarb)
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon (I like 3/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg)
1/2 cup coconut oil
2/3 cup agave nectar
2/3 cup rice or soy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups of pureed bananas (I usually use around 4 bananas for this)
To take this recipe ALL the way to heaven, add 1 cup dark chocolate chips at the same time as the banana

If you’re wondering what the heck xanthan gum is, it’s a plant-based binder. It replaces egg so well you’ll wonder why you ever used eggs in cakes in the first place.

You can get it from any supermarket, witness:

What you do:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a 7x4x3 inch loaf pan with oil (or two smaller loaf pans). Use greaseproof paper if the loaf pans are a little past their best!

Measure all the dry ingredients out into a medium bowl and whisk them together.

Add the coconut oil (this is my brand)

IMG_20150523_125153904 — Other brands are available 🙂

You may need to melt it in a pan first, as it’s solid at room temperature or from the fridge – don’t let it get too hot!…

IMG_20150523_124736690_HDR — Yeah, kinda looks like lard!

…then add the agave, milk and vanilla extract. Stir with a wooden spoon or desert spoon until mixture is smooth and lump free.

Blitz your bananas and add them to the bowl. This is also the time to add the chocolate chips if you’re gonna do this. DO IT!

Lightly FOLD the blitzed banana into the rest of the mixture with a thin spatula. You’ll need to do this for a good two or three minutes so it gets well incorporated into the batter.

Dollop(!) the mixture evenly into your oiled or lined loaf pan(s). The mixture should fill the pan(s) halfway – trust me it will rise like nobody’s business.

Bake your banana bread in the centre of the oven for 20 minutes, then rotate the pan(s) and bake for another 15 minutes.

IMG_20150523_135739083 — Can you even wait 15 more whole minutes?

You’ll know for sure it’s done as it’ll bounce back lightly when pressed, or an inserted toothpick or skewer will come out clean.

Let it stand in the pan(s) for 20 minutes or so to cool, then carefully run a knife around between the cake and the pan and empty it onto a cutting board.

Eat warm or cool. It’s good any which way!

Behold my pal Lisa, loving on the banana bread…

What The Hell Is In My Vegan Kitchen?

OK, some practical blog posts are needed around here I reckon!

One of the blocks to people going vegan is that they can’t possibly imagine what vegans eat. They can’t imagine how you’d shop for ‘vegan food,’ or what their kitchen cupboards and fridges would be full of if they were vegan.

Well, we ALL know by now that vegans eat a vast array of delicious and indulgent meals, but what does that look like in its raw material form? As individual ingredients in the kitchen?

I figured it might be helpful if I shared the food that is in my kitchen in an average week.

You could also add to (or edit from) this post and use it as a sort of weird shopping list with pictures.

Now I’ve written many times on how eating plant-based is inexpensive, and it is.

My budget is such that I buy a few specialist items (like Biona Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Flour, a Coyo or two), and I always try and buy organic grains and organic fruit and veg that are in the ‘dirty dozen,’ but these slightly dearer prices are easily offset by bulk bags of dried black-eyed peas, beans and lentils, and cans of chick peas and sweet corn etc. You’ll see from my pics that I get a ton of stuff from budget supermarkets, and lots of it from the world food aisle.

I buy enough fresh greens and fruit to last a few days, and shop again when these run out. I have hardly any freezer space, so I can’t buy frozen fruit and veggies, so it’s fresh (preferably), dried or canned.

Please note: This is what I have in my kitchen RIGHT NOW, and it’s pretty much stuff I always have. I haven’t gone out to buy anything especially for this post to make it look like I have lots of fab stuff. I actually did a weekly shop earlier tonight and ATE some of the foods I was meaning to photograph. So you see, it really couldn’t be any more honest. I like to keep it real. And my tummy full.

Here goes:

Grains

Porridge oats

Brown rice

Quinoa

Brown rice noodles

Wholewheat couscous

Whole wheat pasta

Dried beans and lentils

(None of these are organic! I actually get pretty much ALL of these from the world food aisle. The lentils and black eyed peas come in HUGE 2kg bags)

Dried red kidney beans

Dried black-eyed peas

Split peas

Red lentils

Green lentils

Puy lentils

Flours

Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free flour

Whole spelt flour

Wholemeal flour

Cornflour

Baking items

Bicarbonate of soda

Baking powder

Xanthan gum (works perfectly in place of eggs)

Madagascan vanilla flavouring

Non-dairy milk

Several cartons of organic soy milk

Cans

Several cans organic chopped tomatoes

Organic red kidney beans

Several cans sweet corn

Several cans chick peas – these particular cans are REALLY economical!

Baked beans (spot the Brit!)

Breads

Cranks Wholemeal Loaf

Wholemeal Pitta

Herbs (dried)

Basil

Oregano

Rosemary

Thyme

Sage

Parsley

Bay leaves

Kaffir lime leaves

Tarragon (I’ll be honest, I think I’ve only used this once)

Spices

Behold the ~~utter chaos~~ rustic poetry that is my ‘spice rack.’ Again, most of these spices I get from the world food aisle in the supermarket.

It contains:

Cumin

Coriander

Cardamom (MY FAVOURITE! I know this is irrelevant, but just sayin’)

Paprika

Turmeric

Fenugreek

Garlic powder

Mild chilli powder

Sumac

Cloves

Allspice

Cinnamon

Cayenne pepper

Nutmeg

Black peppercorns

Nuts

Brazils

Walnuts

Almonds

Seeds

Flax seeds (a must)

Sesame seeds

Pumpkin seeds

Sunflower seeds

Fresh Veg

Kale

Broccoli

Celery

Tomatoes

Rocket

Onions & garlic

Spring onions

Sweet red pepper

Turnips (bit random I know – they’re for a couscous dish tomorrow 🙂 )

Fresh Fruit

I’ll let my fruit bowl speak for itself!

I’ll be buying as many berries as I can get my hands on tomorrow though –

Strawberries

Blueberries

Raspberries

And there really should be some apples in there as well.

Sweet things

Agave nectar

Maple syrup

Raspberry jam

Brown rice syrup

Condiments & Miscellaneous

Sea salt

Tahini

Rice Cakes

Pure (non-dairy spread)

Humous

Dijon mustard

Organic passata

Balsamic vinegar

Brown rice vinegar

Apple cider vinegar

‘Regular’ vinegar (mine is Sarsons)

Nori seaweed sheets

Wakame flakes

Dried Shiitake mushrooms

Wasabi powder

Soy sauce

Tabasco

Fresh ginger

Fresh lemons

Homemade kimchi. Here’s how to make it.

Some Berber spice mix

Umeboshi plums (to ward off sniffles!)

Some banana bread I made yesterday

Alright I’ll admit it –

Some salted crinkle crisps. Shutup.

WHEW! That’s IT. That’s the entirety of the edible content of my kitch!

Is there something you think I should always have on hand that I haven’t mentioned?

Let me know!

For The Last Time – There Are No ‘Better’ Choices When It Comes To Meat!

I’ve written about this subject on previous occasions, but I’m seeing and reading things all the time both on social and regular media that tell me this message needs to be put out there continually and consistently.

Look. I make clear on my FAQ’s page that I love consulting with anyone who is reducing their animal product consumption by ANY amount.

I get that we’re all at different stages on this path; that we’re all informed by completely different influences; and that we all approach things in different ways. Sometimes it definitely IS better to start upgrading your diet very slowly; maybe eliminating one thing at a time. This can be more sustainable in the long term. If you know yourself enough to know that you’re not a ‘cold turkey’ type and that you assimilate changes into your life better by making them slowly, this is laudable.

Any reduction in a habit that is negative to all concerned is amazing, and I have so much respect for anyone who starts ANYWHERE on a plant-based path – EVEN MORE SO for those coming from a meat and dairy heavy diet, as that’s an even bigger change.

Can you so tell I’m building up to a rant though?

You’re not wrong.

What gets properly up my nose, is those who have made an effort to cut down their meat consumption, but make the point (loudly) that they are ‘careful’ to ‘make better choices’ when they do consume it.

Case in point:

I saw a French TV report yesterday, where, in light of all the information entering the mainstream regarding our overconsumption of animal products, a reporter goes vegan for 45 days to see what happens. He visits the doctor at the beginning, has his blood work done, his cholesterol tested and gets weighed, etc.

During the 45 days, he not only learns about what to eat and how to read labels etc, but is shown some pretty horrendous stuff taking place in slaughterhouses, and sees chicks being put in meat grinders and garbage bags.

At the end, he assesses what he’s learnt. He revisits the Doctor who, unsurprisingly, tells him his blood work is improved, he’s lost weight and his cholesterol is down.

The Doctor then has a chat with him and says (despite all the positive effects on his body), that he shouldn’t cut anything out of his diet. That he can eat meat, but to eat ‘better’ meat. To think about where the food is coming from rather than just putting anything in his mouth.

When the guy reports back to the studio at the end of the experiment, he says that although he is no longer vegan, he’s learned a lot. He says he now realises that animals aren’t a ‘product,’ that they are sentient beings. He says he will think before eating from now on and will make ‘better choices’ when he does eat animal products.

**Um – if you know a being is sentient, how is there any better way to have it killed for your consumption?**

There ARE no ‘good’ choices when it comes to eating animal products.

You: ‘I thought you said you respect anyone who reduces their animal product intake by ANY amount?’

Me: I do.

But justifying eating meat by saying the little you do eat is better quality (grass-fed, poetry-read, tucked-in-bed or whatever) is just BS.

And it IS just that, a justification. It’s totally giving yourself a reason to continue a harmful habit, just in smaller amounts. It’s kidding yourself that it’s ok, and gives you absolutely NO reason to evolve further.

If someone just gives up chicken, for example, because they know themselves well and this is all they can manage for now; I believe this is admirable. A positive change has been made, and the door is open (once they’ve become comfortable with their new chicken-free life) to make more positive changes further down the line.

If you truly understand why all animal product consumption is inherently harmful, you can only move in one direction. If you are working on eventually replacing all animal products you previously ate with plant foods (however slowly, it doesn’t matter) this is surely more logical and more in alignment with your new understanding of animals being fully sentient – than reducing consumption somewhat, but tricking yourself into believing that the products you DO eat are minimally impactful.

How can you unsee what you just saw? How can you unlearn what you just learned?

Consider these points:

The ‘better’ choice still involves the taking of a life. And isn’t it worse taking a life that was enjoyable rather than one that was miserable?
And we know that lots of animals do NOT actually have a more enjoyable life – a consumer-friendly marketing-term is just used to make you feel more comfortable buying their meat. The difference in quality of life for these animals to that of an intensively farmed animal is minimal. And don’t forget that all food animals are killed at just a fraction of their potential lifespan.
Health-wise; ANY meat, however it was raised, contains cholesterol, saturated fat and ZERO fibre.
Grass-fed cows produce MORE greenhouse gases than intensively farmed ones, and what if everyone in the world wanted to eat ‘better’ meat, which, as poor countries get richer, they inevitably, eventually will? Well they can’t! There’s not anywhere near enough land on the planet to support this.
You think organic meat is a better choice? Think again.

If you really GET ‘why’ you’re changing your diet and set your intention to do this, but find you can only reduce your meat consumption a little for now – that’s cool. I’m confident that when you are ready (and you will know when you are) you will make more positive changes.

Just please don’t tell yourself that there are ANY better choices when it comes to consuming animal products because it simply IS. NOT. TRUE.

Plant-Based Is The Optimal Diet For Athletes, These Winners Say So!

Sterling Classic Bike Race from Flickr via Wylio — © 2012 Clara S., Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio

I wrote about one plant-based athlete here (Tim Shieff), but I think it’s important to know just how many are out there; how well they are doing, and how they ALL report better performance, fewer injuries and quicker recovery times since ditching the meat and dairy.

It’s an old myth that you need boatloads of protein for intense physical activity; it’s also a myth that the protein you DO need has to come from an animal.

If you are someone who trains and competes hard, whether at professional or amateur level, and NO MATTER what your sport or activity of choice – carbs are where it’s at baby.

I’ll let the docs elaborate on this.

From Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine:

Because of its high carbohydrate and low-fat content, a plant-based diet is an optimal sports diet……In general, carbohydrates are the primary fuel utilized during high-intensity exercise. On a per-calorie basis, carbohydrate needs for athletes are similar to those for anyone else (at least 55 percent of total daily intake of calories). Specific recommendations for athletes are based on weight and range from 6 to 10 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. An abundance of evidence shows that carbohydrate availability boosts endurance and performance. Whole grains, fruits, and vegetables are excellent sources of carbohydrates. Depending on how strenuous the exercise, carbohydrates should be consumed during recovery, between 30 minutes and two hours post activity, when carbohydrate (glycogen) synthesis is at its maximum. Carbohydrate-rich foods with a moderate to high glycemic index provide a readily available source for glycogenproduction.

I strongly advise you to read the rest of this page if you are an athlete or anyone who regularly enjoys intensive sporting activity. It lays out exactly WHY it’s carbs you need for fuel, and not as much protein as you think.

Now let’s see exactly who a plant-based diet is working very nicely for. These are just a handful of the MANY vegan athletes out there:

Scott Jurek

What do you need to know about him? Oh yeah, this man has run a lot more 100+ mile races than you. He is also the FASTEST PERSON EVER to run the equivalent of 6.5 marathons in one day. Yes, 6.5, you read right. 165.7 miles, to be exact.

He starts talking all things plant-based at 24:33

Scott says:

My performance wasn’t the only thing that improved.

When I went vegan, my blood pressure and triglycerides levels dropped to all time lows, and my HDL, or “good” cholesterol shot up to an all-time high. I had virtually no joint inflammation, even after miles of pounding trails and roads, and on the rare occasions I sprained an ankle or fell and whacked my elbow or wrist, the soreness left faster than it ever had before.

Rich Roll

This guy is an inspiration. Rich had a wake-up call one day when he realised he had chest pains just walking upstairs. With everything to live for (lots of kids!) he made a choice to change his lifestyle from one that was unhealthy, workaholic and unmindful; to one that was plant-powered, considered and fully conscious.

After a mere two years on this path eating whole, plant foods, he found himself 50 pounds lighter, and competing – as the first vegan ever – in the Ultraman World Championships. This is a 320 mile endurance event that you need to be fit enough to merit an invitation to take part in. He was a top finisher in these championships in both 2008 and 2009.

In 2010, he and a colleague completed the EPIC Challenge – 5 ironman distance (140 miles approx.) triathlons in under a week. This was in his words ‘an unprecedented feat of staggering endurance many said was not possible.’

Men’s Fitness Magazine has named Rich as one of the 25 Fittest Men in the World.

Rich says…

…That said, I am well aware that not everyone’s goal is to compete in the Ultraman. And I admit to some genetic predisposition to excel in this arena. But the point is that a whole food plant-based diet is a huge step in the right direction when it comes to taking your life back. Not just towards a healthier “you” per se, but a positive quantum leap forward when it comes to achieving the best and most actualized version of yourself – the person you are meant to be.

Frank Medrano

Calisthenics expert and bodybuilder Frank Medrano had been training for around six years, when he happened to hear that two bodybuilding friends of his were vegan. He was understandably intrigued, and thought he’d try it for himself.

His two friends answered his questions on veganism and helped him practically with meal plans etc, and within a few months he felt the many healthful effects of his new diet. He has called the feeling engendered by a plant-based diet ‘super wellness.’

Frank says:

I thought I was healthy and strong before, but [after adopting a plant-based diet] I started to feel energetic and I was having quicker recovery after training.

Brendan Brazier

I’m getting exhausted just writing the achievements of these guys!

Brendan is a 7-time Ironman triathlete and a champion twice over of the Canadian 50km Ultra Marathon.

He now gives talks all over the US on topics like how to boost athletic performance on a plant-based diet, how a plant-based diet reduces stress, and how the diet reduces carbon footprint significantly.

Here’s a TED talk from him on optimal performance enhancing nutrition for athletes:

Brendan says:

…in my opinion, it’s the best nutrition program for energy, for mental clarity, for physical performance, mental performance, everything really. And less sleep—you simply don’t need to sleep as much, which of course leads to greater productivity; you’ve got more waking time. Things like that are valuable to anyone, really.

Christine Vardaros

Professional cyclist Christine Vardaros has competed against the world’s best in cyclocross, road and mountain biking, winning many events in all three sports. She has represented the US three times in World Championships and been placed top ten in several cyclocross World Cups. She has been vegan since 2000.

Christine says:

A plant-based diet is certainly the key to getting the most out of our bodies. It also feels great to know that no animal had to suffer for my successes.

Tarahumara tribe

In a very isolated part of Northern Mexico in the canyons of the Sierra Madre Occidental live a tribe of indigenous people called the Tarahumara. Their name for themselves is ‘Raramuri,’ which approximately translated means ‘running people.’ They are known – the men and women alike – for their ability to run IMMENSE distances, running up to 72 hours!

The Tarahumara are at least 95% (probably more) vegan. They eat meat very rarely.

So how do they fuel runs of this length? Largely with ‘las tres hermanas’ (the three sisters). The three sisters are corn, squash and beans. The Tarahumara are not the only tribe to use this system of nourishment. Native North American tribes also used to use this. These three plants, when grown together, all contribute to each other. Beans provide nitrogen to the soil, corn naturally provides a climbing structure for the beans, and squash blocks sunlight by spreading along the ground, thereby preventing weeds from growing.

There is also low incidence of cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes amongst the Tarahumara, largely attributable to their plant-based diet.

This documentary about them was made recently.

Why (Outside Of Household Bills) Food HAS To Be Our Number One Spend

Vegetables in Whole Foods Market from Flickr via Wylio — © 2008 Masahiro Ihara, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio

Along with the weather and last night’s TV, the thing we all chat about to friends, family and colleagues is our health.

We probably don’t even realise just how much on a daily basis we express how we’re feeling physically. From complaining about niggles and pains, to colds, rashes, allergies and oftentimes more serious diseases; we spend a LOT of time discussing our wellness, or the lack thereof.

It’s always surprising to me then, that though we are obsessed with our health on one level, we often do not prioritise it in terms of SPENDING MONEY on good nutritious food.

The simple truth is:

Good food (i.e. whole, plant food) = good health.

Part of the problem here is that although it’s scientifically proven that diet has the most impact on health – even more than genes, this information has not really filtered down to the mainstream yet.

Unidentified vegetable matter. from Flickr via Wylio — © 2012 Alexandra E Rust, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio

We kind of know it a little, I mean; we all know we should eat things like greens and fruit for example, but more information than this has not really been offered to us by doctors (because they don’t really know it either!) This information isn’t widely available. It’s not in the interests of industries like big pharma and animal agriculture for us to learn that we can keep well and heal ourselves with plant food, and they are the ones with influence. So we are, to some degree, deliberately kept unaware of the extent to which how we feel depends on what we eat.

Another reason is that if you haven’t tried going plant-based, you probably aren’t aware how great you can feel. So many people have permanent low-level discomfort or even pain, and have learned to live with it!

My number one non-negotiable expense, outside of the roof over my head and household bills, is food.

It has been for a long time, and unless I become a squillionaire and decide to buy a fuel-guzzling private jet into which to pour my money (which I actually totally would NOT do!) it likely will always be.

Cranberry Chick Pea Salad from Flickr via Wylio — © 2010 Vegan Feast Catering, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio

Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m not saying a healthy plant-based diet has to be expensive – rest assured, it doesn’t.

But the most important thing to me is my health and that of my partner. Our health is the foundation on which we accomplish everything.

It’s simple. If you’re ill, you feel like crap and are not as effective in whatever you’re endeavouring to do. Whether it’s CEO-ing a huge, terribly important company; running a 10k for charity; looking after kids, or running a restaurant, you can’t give yourself fully and authentically to ANY situation because part of you is dwelling on how crap you feel.

Even worse, you may need to take sick days or even weeks. This is just a waste of yours and everyone else’s time.

I think I’m lucky in that I had a heads-up on this message here.

In the past I suffered from chronic health issues (first asthma and eczema, then chronic systemic candida if you must know) that stole one hell of a lot of time from me. Even if I wasn’t taking sick days off from school, college or work, these were still wasted days because I wasn’t fully present in them. Instead I was completely in my head, feeling utterly uncomfortable and my only thoughts were about myself and how much I was dreading getting through the rest of the day – or sometimes hour, even.

This was not living. It was definitely not a situation in which I could be creative, kind, compassionate and of service to others.

Also, I was definitely NOT fun to be around. If you’re in discomfort – you’re cranky. I owed it to myself and everyone around me to get well.

If I wanted to be pain and discomfort free so I could focus on contributing to something outside of myself (not to mention actually ENJOYING life!), I knew my health had to be my first priority.

Vegan California Roll in Rice Paper from Flickr via Wylio — © 2009 Vegan Feast Catering, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio

As I realised over the years that good nutrition is the basis of good health, and eventually learned that the optimal diet for heath is a whole food, plant-based diet, I understood implicitly that food HAD to take centre stage in terms of what I spent money on.

It’s true, there are SO MANY other things out there permanently begging us to spend money on them; our phone contracts, taking kids to Disneyland, our TV cable packages, tech, clothes, spas, car and bike gizmos etc.

But NONE of these are as vital as a foundation of health.

There’s no point having a ‘spa glow’ if you’re feeling rotten inside. How can you stay ‘in the moment’ and enjoy Disneyland with your kid if your irritable bowel syndrome/fibromyalgia/acid reflux is kicking off? You can’t ride your bike; enjoy your car or any outdoors activity if you’re not feeling good. And would you honestly prefer a top of the range phone with all the extra doodads and a TV cable package with a gazillion (more than a squillion) channels you’ll never watch; to feeling great in body, mind and spirit pretty much every single damn day?

(If you can afford all this AND the food then good for you. Lots of us however, have to make choices).

I realise I was lucky that the shift in thinking around prioritising food happened quite early on for me. I certainly don’t wish it upon others that they have this realisation in the same way I did. It’s just hugely frustrating as someone who wishes to see everyone enjoying the same vibrant health that I do, prioritising spending on ipads, gadgets, nail bars etc, when it’s plain to see that they and their families would be better served if some of that money went on food that supports health.

When we know that good diet has the most significant impact not just on physical health (and don’t just think about the most talked about diseases here, think about fertility issues, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, osteoporosis – the list goes on and on) but mental health, moods, hormone levels, emotional and spiritual health too – why wouldn’t food be the first thing we prioritise when allocating money?

Fruit with Swedish Pancake from Flickr via Wylio — © 2009 Vegan Feast Catering, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio

Whether your budget is huge, average, or not as robust as it could be (check!), spending money on good, nutritious food is an investment in your health, and by association, your relationships, your passions – your entire life.

It’s even more important than paying into tons of different types of insurance. Good diet IS insurance! I’m not AT ALL suggesting you ditch your medical or health insurance. I’m just asking you to make sure you do not see these as a ‘get out of jail free’ card or a safety net. These can give us a false sense of security. It is more important and effective to spend more money on whole plant foods every day, than it is to throw money at health insurance in the hopes that this will look after us when we need it. Good diet will maximise our chances of NOT needing it.