love ♥ living ♥ vegan
Following a plant-based or vegan lifestyle, is about food, drink, clothes, shoes, body treatments, hair products and more.
It's a conscious decision to think, walk and possibly, talk a better lifestyle.
I support individuals who are thinking about making the shift, as well as, those who have already begun their plant-based journey.
In October 2012, Suraj and I went to San Francisco. We were amazed to find that there was an abundance of vegan food! Not the 'regular' kind which most places manage to source/make BUT a few things that we've not eaten since we began following a vegan diet. It was so exciting!
We had our first doughnut after following a plant-based diet almost 5 years ago. They were ALL vegan so we got one of each and shared them between 8 of us ! :)
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Suraj made this meal, which didn't take very long and it consisted of only a few ingredients. Although it was simple, it was delicious and satisfying! :)
This recipe serves 2.
• 2 handfuls of vegan spaghetti – about 120g
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of chilli sauce
• pepper to taste
• 10 cherry tomatoes – left whole
• 2 handfuls of wild rocket
• 2 pieces (or more) of Taifun Basil Tofu
• 1 tablespoon of salt
1. Boil some water in a kettle and put it in a pan
2. Hold the spaghetti upright in the pan of water for 20 seconds, when it will begin to soften, allowing you to bend the spaghetti around the pan
3. Add the salt and stir, leaving it to cook on a medium heat for 10 minutes
4. When it's ready, drain the water and drizzle the olive oil over the spaghetti
5. Add the chilli sauce, stir and season with salt and pepper if needed
6. Put the spaghetti in a pan, add the cherry tomatoes and let it cook for a few minutes
7. Mix and serve in a plate or a bowl, with a large piece of Basil Tofu on top of the spaghetti
Garnish with Wild Rocket Add a piece of Basil Tofu Serve and enjoy!
I had travelled around Europe a few years back. One of those tours where you visit different cities over two weeks. Well...we stopped over at Salzburg for only an hour or so and I've wanted to go back ever since!
The little part I saw was beautiful, clean, scenic, green and just so inviting.
So Suraj and I booked a trip there.
Find out how it went...
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I made this soup for the first time a couple of days ago.
It didn't take too long to make and was full of flavour, so I will definitely make it again!
I must admit that I cheated by using pre-cut Butternut Squash!
This recipe serves 2.
• a (350g) packet of butternut squash – roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil or sunflower oil
• 1/2 a teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 of a teaspoon of pepper
• a pinch of cinnamon powder
• a pinch of nutmeg powder
• 1/2 a cup of coconut milk
• 2 mugs of water – 700 ml
1. Put the pieces of butternut squash on an oven tray and drizzle the oil over them
2. Roast them in the oven for about 20 minutes
3. Put the water, salt, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg in a pan and boil it
4. When you are happy that the butternut squash is roasted enough, add it to the pan mentioned in step 3
5. Boil it until it’s tender and then blend it using a hand blender
6. Heat it for 3 minutes before adding water if it's too thick or boil further if it's too watery
7. Taste it and add more salt, pepper, cinnamon or nutmeg if required
8. Serve in a bowl, drizzle with coconut milk and enjoy
Put some in a bowl and drizzle with coconut milk before serving.
Serve with wholegrain bread.
Suraj and I went away for the weekend.
We drove to Stamford, which was near where we were staying and we spotted this gorgeous Cafe which overlooked the river.
We went in and were impressed with the variety of vegetarian options on the menu. We asked the waitress if there was anything that could be 'made' vegan and she said she'd ask the Chef.
Find out what happened next.
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This was a creation fuelled by desire! I fancied something different and I knew I wanted to use certain things, so I put it together and made this light snack.
This recipe serves 2.
Cheezly Pepperjack Style - my favourite vegan cheese!
Toast which is savoury yet refreshing
Suraj made this for us a couple of days ago. It was quick, tasty and positively different.
This recipe serves 2.
I am a little person and I've been quite fragile after being involved in a few car accidents. So...when I shifted to a plant-based diet, my family were worried that I'd get ill because I wouldn't get getting what I needed from what I ate. Over 5 years on, I feel better than before and I am not lacking in anything. I even have blood tests to prove it! :)
It's worth reading what Gary L. Francione & Anna Charlton have to say about vegans and the need for animal products.
And what about all of the people you know who ate animal products and have developed cancer, heart disease, etc.?
This “But” is yet another attempt to characterize consuming animal products not as a matter of pleasure but one of physical necessity. As we mentioned earlier, even traditionally conservative organizations, such as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, formerly the American Dietetic Association, agree that an “appropriately planned” vegan diet can be completely healthy. And there is no evidence to the contrary.
It is, of course, possible to get ill eating only plants just as it’s possible (and more likely, actually) to get ill eating animal products. Although some vitamin B-12 is made by bacteria in the human body, not enough is reliably made for our needs and the unhealthy habits that humans have prevent maximum production and absorption of the endogenous B-12. Therefore, it is necessary to supplement B-12 from external sources whether you consume a vegan diet or a diet of animal foods. So all humans need to get their B-12 from somewhere outside their bodies. We get our vitamin B-12 from yeast; omnivores get theirs from meat. But all B-12 comes from bacteria — whether it is found in the gut of ruminating animals who get it from fermenting plant material in their hindgut, or in certain strains of nutritional yeast. So if you adopt a vegan diet but don’t consume an alternative source of B-12, such as yeast, yes, you may get ill. But there are plenty of people who have B-12 deficiencies despite their consumption of animal foods.
How about DHA and EPA, the long-chain fatty acids that aren’t found in plant foods and that people eat fish to get? Most people can convert the short-chain fatty acids found in chia seeds, walnuts, dark leafy greens, and canola oil into long-chain fatty acids. Or you can get long-chain DHA and EPA directly from the source that fish get it—algae. There are now many DHA/EPA supplements that are algae derived.
Occasionally, one hears about a parent prosecuted for manslaughter because their child died on a “vegan” diet. But when the facts are revealed, we learn that the parents had fed the child only iceberg lettuce (or something similar) and nothing else for some extended period of time. If the parents fed the child nothing but steak three times a day for an extended period, the child would also become ill. But no one would say that the child died or became ill from eating meat. They would say that the parents engaged in abuse by feeding the child an inadequate diet. The same is true of a diet consisting only of lettuce. That’s not a vegan diet; it’s a ridiculously inadequate diet.
In the 30 years that we have been vegans, we have heard of a number of people who supposedly became ill while on a vegan diet. An inadequate vegan diet will make you ill because it is inadequate and not because it is plant-based. Eat nothing but celery and soy yoghurt and you will not feel very energetic. Surprise, surprise.
We have also encountered people who say that their bodies “tell them” that they must eat meat or fish or chicken or dairy or whatever. But such assertions are really no different than saying, “I like the taste of meat (or whatever).” In other words, they are assertions about palate pleasure and nothing more. A related issue is the “need” to eat meat or other animal products based on blood type. The so-called “blood type diet” has been debunked as junk science.
An exploration and rejection of the various excuses — the “Buts” — that keep us eating animal foods.
"Whoever acquires knowledge but does not practice it, is like one who ploughs a field but does not sow it." Anonymous
When my friends and family found out that I was following a vegan diet, I'd often get asked 'How do you make sure you get enough Calcium?' I found it strange that the false equation between dairy milk and calcium was so strong. Everyone seemed to believe you needed one for the other! Some of us are able to answer questions like this, others don't want to answer, and for some, they'd like something to help them give a response.
Whichever category you fall into, it's worth reading what Gary L. Francione & Anna Charlton have to say about vegans and calcium intake.
Yes. In fact, if you don’t consume dairy, and are conscientious about getting calcium from plant foods, you may well reduce your chances of getting osteoporosis.
“What?” you ask. “But we are told that we need milk and other dairy products in order to have strong bones.” Yes, we are told that — by the dairy industry. But that does not mean that it is true. We don’t need to drink the milk produced by another species; indeed, we are the only species that does so. In order to perpetuate the profitable notion that we need cow’s milk, we are subjected to nutritional disinformation.
We need calcium for strong bones. The dairy industry tells us that cow’s milk is the sole or primary source of calcium. But cow’s milk is not the only, or the best source of calcium. Many plant foods are excellent sources of calcium: molasses; almonds; figs; sprouted sunflower seeds; sesame seeds; tofu processed with calcium sulfate; calcium-set tofu; bok choy; broccoli; Chinese cabbage; kale; mustard greens; okra; beans; and fortified soy, almond, coconut, hemp, and rice milks.
Moreover, not only is cow’s milk not by any means the only source of calcium, it’s not the best. The body needs magnesium to absorb calcium and cow’s milk does not have sufficient magnesium to support its level of calcium. This results in the accumulation of excessive calcium in the body and that can lead to the development of calcium deposits in our joints and kidneys.
The consumption of animal protein, including the protein found in dairy products, causes our blood to acidify, which results in the leaching of calcium from our bones and our eventually excreting it from our bodies. So the consumption of dairy products not only does not prevent osteoporosis but it can actually cause it!
In The China Study, Dr. T. Colin Campbell found that a protein found in cow’s milk — casein — promoted cancer. Dr. Joel Fuhrman also notes in Eat to Live that there is a strong correlation between dairy lactose and heart disease.
Do vegans have to be sure to eat enough calcium-rich plant foods to ensure that they have sufficient calcium? Yes. But given that more than 60% of Americans who consume milk are deficient in calcium, diligence is not only a matter for vegans. Indeed, given the other issues involved with cow’s milk and the proteins contained in it, the vegan, once again, has the nutritional advantage.
Where do vegans get their protein from?
How do vegans get enough iron if they don't eat meat?
Link to a book by Gary L. Francione & Anna Charlton: An exploration and rejection of the various excuses — the “Buts” — that keep us eating animal foods.
“Men have a tendency to believe what they least understand.”
It's quite hot in the UK at the moment. It isn't a complaint as I do like a warm/hot climate BUT I tend to want to eat raw foods and lighter dishes when it's not cold. So I've been having lots of salads and sandwiches too.
Here's some recipes for yummy sandwiches I've had:-
Vegan mayonnaise
Vegan sausage
Vegan Wiener
It's funny, as a vegetarian, I didn't get asked about where I source iron from. However, when I shifted to a vegan diet, one of the questions I'd be asked is 'But where do you get your iron from? Don't you need to eat meat for it?' Some of us are comfortable in answering such questions, others don't want to, and for some, they'd like something to help them articulate a response.
Whichever category you fall into, it's worth reading what Gary L. Francione & Anna Charlton have to say about vegans and iron.
Yes.
We need iron for the formation of blood. Women need more iron than do men and pre-menopausal women, and especially pregnant women, need more than post-menopausal women. Iron is a central part of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs to our tissues. It is also a constituent of certain enzymes. Iron is found in two forms, heme iron, which is about 40% of the iron found in meat, poultry, and fish, and non-heme iron, which makes up the other 60% of iron in animal tissue and all the iron in plant foods. Heme iron is more easily absorbed than non-heme iron and this leads some people to fear that a vegan diet will not have enough iron.
Have no fear.
Studies have shown that iron deficiency anaemia is no more common among vegans than among the population generally. Many plant foods are actually higher in iron than animal foods. Spinach has 15.5 mg. of iron per 100 calories; steak has 0.9 mg. per 100 calories. Lentils have 2.9 mg per 100 calories; a pork chop has 0.4 mg per 100 calories. Whole grains, dried fruits, nuts, green leafy vegetables, seeds, and beans are also good plant sources of iron. Moreover, vegan diets tend to be higher in vitamin C, which increases the absorption of non-heme iron.
It is easy to obtain all the iron you need on a vegan diet, whether you are a man, woman (pre- or post-menopausal, or pregnant) or child. Indeed, it is easier to get all the iron you need from plant foods than from animal foods, and you’ll certainly have to consume fewer calories of plant food to get the iron you need.
Where do vegans get their protein from?
How do vegans get enough calcium if they don't eat dairy products?
Link to a book by Gary L. Francione & Anna Charlton: An exploration and rejection of the various excuses — the “Buts” — that keep us eating animal foods.
“Seven Deadly Sins: Wealth without work, Pleasure without conscience, Science without humanity, Knowledge without character, Politics without principle, Commerce without morality, Worship without sacrifice.”