Being Vegan by Joanne Stepanik

Book Review by Emily, Vegan Pledge Buddy 2012 

Being Vegan reads like a definitive guide to vegan living. Incredibly easy to read, the author appears to speak in a soothing tone as she answers many of the common questions that people often have about this lifestyle. The book itself is a compilation of some of the thousands of questions that she has received about compassionate vegan living from individuals all over the world.

The questions and responses reflect a number of varied topics. These include definitions of veganism, veganism and evolution/religion/spirituality, alternatives to animal fibres, vegan students on campus, employment, reproduction, activism and so forth. A large chunk of the book examines questions concerning social relationships with others who are not vegan. These questions are addressed extensively and focus on mixed relationships (when one person is vegan but the other is not) as well as dealing with parents, friends and relatives. The author further offers insights into raising vegan children, talking to teachers, being vegan at social celebrations (a wedding or party) and vegan etiquette (constructive ways of dealing with non-vegan gifts).

The book is very thorough and even manages to shed light on fine-tuned issues. For example, one person writes with questions concerning vegan art supplies, whilst others ask questions pertaining to ethical ways of controlling uninvited intruders (e.g., ants, mice). Another vegan ponders what to do with non-vegan heirlooms.

Being Vegan examines ethical veganism in its entirety (i.e., veganism that extends beyond plant based eating alone), so it is an excellent resource for those who wish to extend veganism to other areas of their life aside from food. An excellent read and very worthwhile exploring.

My Vegan Story ~ by Mike

By Mike, Vegan Pledge Volunteer & longterm vegan

Growing up in the middle of England in the 1960s, veganism was not a word that was common currency in the environment that kids of my age inhabited. Those of a sensitive nature, who were moved by the mournful faces squinting through the cold, corrugated prisons of the steel cattle trucks that formed grim lines at the cattle market, might well abstain from eating flesh.

But veganism? Milk, cheese and eggs were dietary options that were systematically drilled and subsequently absorbed into our collective dietary consciousness. To not partake of these so-called “food stuffs” was considered akin to announcing one’s intention of giving up inhaling oxygen.

After adopting a vegetarian diet, and adamantly refusing to continue feasting on the massacre of animals transported from livestock markets to the nearby slaughter house, my vegan lifestyle quickly followed. I stopped pouring the milk of cows, intended for calves, into my tea. After weaning myself from that particular addiction, cheese and eggs were soon replaced with tofu and plant protein. Finding alternatives to leather to wrap around one’s feet and body used to be challenging at times, but today the range of animal-free clothing is ubiquitous and impressive.

I genuinely did not find the path from vegetarianism to veganism a difficult one to take, because I see veganism as encompassing all the core ethical, health and environmental concerns of vegetarianism. It is a path that, in the modern world, is clearly signposted by the advice of a number of nutritionists, doctors, ecologists and anthropologists, who understand and promote this route of reasonableness. I wish you well on your vegan journey and trust you will walk it proudly and resolutely, even when confronted with the extremists who might try to suggest that your compassionate lifestyle is the extreme choice.

Vegan Cookbooks

By Cameron, London Vegan Pledge Buddy 2009, 2010, 2011; now mentor for the Vegan Easy Challenge back home in Australia. 

There are so many great vegan cookbooks coming out these days it is hard to keep up. I wanted to talk about two of the best vegan cookbook authors who have so far published 17 wonderful cookbooks between them.

Robin Robertson has written 9 cookbooks and counting. Amongst these is my favourite cookbook, Vegan Planet. Inside are 400 recipes grouped into various categories like desserts, sweets, salads, baked goods, pastas, etc. 

I have much prettier cookbooks and others with both really complicated recipes for gourmands and really simple intro to cooking ones. The reason Vegan Planet is my favourite is because the recipes are in that great middle ground; they are interesting without requiring a whole day dedicated to preparing them. And the best testament to a cookbook is that many of the recipes are ones I cook again and again in my daily life. Here is a quick list of some that have a place in my regular repertoire:

~ Indonesian Inspired Tempeh Stew

~ Roasted Root Vegetable Chilli

~ African Sweet Potato and Peanut Stew 

~ Spiced Banana Pancakes. 

Vegan Planet is also the cookbook that I first used to make a pizza base, and sushi, so it has a special place in my taste buds.

The second is Isa Chandra Moskowitz, perhaps the most famous vegan cookbook author in the world. I first became exposed to her through the great show Post Punk Kitchen. Isa, along with her sometime co-author Terry Hope Romero, has authored 8 iconic cookbooks. I was lucky enough to have her first Vegan with a Vengeance given to me, which she followed up with Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, which may very well have started the whole vegan cupcake revolution. 

Isa's latest cookbook, Veganimicon, is one of the must-have books for vegan cooks, offering a compendium of interesting and healthy recipes, with helpful 'icons' to help quickly identify whether the recipes are soy-free / gluten-free / ready in under 45 mins, etc. It also includes friendly tips about 'stocking the Veganomicon pantry', kitchen equipment and other handy things like 'how to cook a grain'. 
This book is the source of another of my favourite dishes: Braised Seitan with Brussels, Kale and sun-dried tomatoes, as well as a fabulous tofu ricotta recipe, which goes beautifully in the Lasagne Marinara with Spinach.

So there you go, grab Veganomicon and Vegan Planet (or Robin Robertson's latest cookbook with 1000 recipes in it) and you'll have a world of delicious food at your fingertips that should keep you and your lucky dinner guests well catered-for for years to come.

You can read more by Cameron on his website at camerongreen.org.

The Karma Free Pizza Company, Rayner’s Lane

Restaurant review by Emily, Vegan Pledge Buddy 2012

Possibly the best vegan pizzas in London! The Karma Free Pizza Company is a relatively new restaurant that serves a 100% vegetarian menu. All pizzas can be made vegan by specifying that you would like ‘vegan cheese’. Gluten/wheat-free pizza bases are also available but you will need to telephone in advance if wanting one of these as they can take up to 30 minutes to prepare. 

"Possibly the best vegan pizzas in London!" Photo by Emily

The pizzas themselves are excellent value and very filling. There are a number of pizzas to choose from including those with (and without) fake meats or you can simply create your own pizza from an extensive list of toppings. Sides are also available (e.g., garlic bread, dough balls, wedges, samosas, a “super food” salad). My favourite pizza is the Higher Karma (asparagus, artichokes, roasted peppers, olives, tomatoes, spinach and pine kernels) but I haven’t been disappointed by any of the pizzas that I have tried here. 

Seating for 16 people only, but take-away is also an option. Follow this link for more info:  https://sites.google.com/site/karmafreepizza/ Great family-owned restaurant, worth going to. Be sure to specify that you are vegan at the time of ordering. 

Tibits - Restaurant Review

By Asa, Vegan Pledge Buddy 2012

One of my favourite restaurants in London is Tibits, off Regent Street. It is a great place to go for so many reasons:

• Good location – city centre (nearest tubes Oxford Circus / Piccadilly Circus)
• Very nice atmosphere – although I do like low key places, it is nice to see that it is possible for a veggie/vegan restaurant to look posh!



Photo © Copyright Ethical Eats - licensed for reuse
under this Creative Commons licence

• They have a buffet, so it’s quick and easy to get exactly what you want and you can have as little as you want too.
• It is a great place for lingering (well, apart from perhaps busy lunch times on weekends – less great then!); so if I’m waiting to see someone I’ll often pop into Tibits.
• The food is always reliably good.
• Meat eaters are often impressed with it – many have preconceptions that veggie places are in health food centres with rickety wooden chairs, so Tibits dispels this myth!
• They serve alcohol AND nice and innovative non-alcoholic drinks.

Photo © Copyright Ethical Eats - licensed for reuse 
under this Creative Commons licence

Since they’re not completely vegan, their vegan offer changes a bit, but I think they have improved their vegan dessert offer lately – sometimes there was only a fruit salad, but the last few times I’ve been there there’s also been at least one type of cake, a crumble and a chocolate/coconut mousse.

My Vegan Story ~ by Emily

By Emily, Vegan Pledge Buddy 2012 

I signed up for the London Vegan Pledge last year and 13 months later I am still eating the vegan way. I can honestly say that going vegan is one of the best decisions that I've ever made. There are so many good reasons for going vegan but my main reason was for the animals. Having been pescetarian beforehand, I read up on the dairy, egg and fishing industries and was greatly upset by what I found out. Just as much suffering to animals exists in those industries as it does within the meat industry. I came to the realisation that if I’m truly a person who does not believe in cruelty to animals then I just shouldn't fund it, on any level. Already showing an interest in becoming vegan, I found out about the Pledge via The Vegan Society facebook page and I registered soon after that.

With so many animal-free alternatives to all kinds of traditional meat and dairy foods, I found the transition from near-vegetarian to vegan fairly straight forward. During my Vegan Pledge month I really enjoyed shopping for vegan foods. Every time I went shopping I would come home with something new and my diet soon became more varied than it had ever been before. I spent time experimenting with new dishes and adapting old ones. I found out that I could still have all my favourites like pizza, curry and spaghetti Bolognese – I would just make these using animal-free alternatives like dairy-free cheese and veggie mince. A vegan alternative now exists for almost any food item that you can think of. Would you believe I still have sausages, bacon, ice-cream, yogurt, custard, biscuits, chocolate… even egg-free mayo! In next to no time I found out that I could get all of these in vegan versions and much more. I discovered lots of great vegan restaurants too, including Chinese which is my favourite.  

At the end of my Vegan Pledge month I reflected on my journey. I came to the realisation that I didn’t have good enough reasons to go back to being pescetarian so I just kept it up. I shared my new-found knowledge with my mum who decided to go vegan with me! We have never felt healthier or happier. But the best part for me is knowing that no animal has been harmed in order for me to eat and drink. 

Going vegan is the single most important thing that I could have done for the lives of animals. I would urge anyone to give it a try. You’ll be surprised by how easy and rewarding it is.  

Stumbling-block-of-cheese Part 2: Hard cheese...

By Robb, Vegan Pledge Buddy 2009-2012

"You might as well face it, you're addicted to cheese..."

Each year of the Vegan Pledge, giving up cheese seems to be the one thing that many pledgers think is going to be the biggest challenge. And if I had a pound for every time someone told me they "could never give up cheese" then I'd have... well... OK, only about £10. But you get the point.

However, it's not just the texture and flavour. Cheese has also been shown to be highly addictive. And that's not surprising, as it contains morphine, codeine, and other highly addictive opiates. And the casein in cheese also produces opiate effects when digested. No wonder cheese has been described as "dairy crack"!

So, for those who aren't yet ready to go "cold tofurkey", cheese substitutes can be the vegan methodone.

However, until relatively recently, if you loved cheese but wanted to go vegan, it was very much a case of "hard cheese". The first soya and nut-based alternatives to cheese weren't very good. They weren't even always vegan! But things have come a long way since then. We now have hard cheese, soft cheese, cream cheese, cheese sauce, cheese pizzas, and even breaded cheesy bites!

A selection of dairy alternatives from Bute Island

So here's an overview of the most commonly available brands and varieties...

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Bute Island Scheese - http://www.buteisland.com

Hard cheese:		Blue, Cheshire, Chives, Edam, Gouda, Medium Cheddar, Melty Mild Cheddar, Melty Red Cheddar, Mozzarella, Smoked Cheddar, Strong Cheddar, Tesco "Free From" Soya Mild, Tesco "Free From" Soya Medium
Cream cheese:		Cheddar, Chives, Garic & Herb, Original, Sweet Chilli, Tesco "Free From" Cheddar, Tesco "Free From" Garlic & Herb, Tesco "Free From" Original, Tesco "Free From" Sweet Chilli

This was the first acceptable fake cheese I tried - the smoked cheddar being my favourite. It crisped up nicely on the top of, say, a pasta bake. But never really melted.

Until recently, that is. At last year's Bristol VegFest they had some of the first samples of their new "melty" flavours - which melted really well in a cheese toastie!

Available online, in health food stores, and in some Tesco's.

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Redwood Cheatin' Cheezly - http://www.redwoodfoods.co.uk

Hard cheese:		Parmesan, Pepperjack, Red Cheddar, Soy Free, Super Melting Edam, Super Melting Mozzarella, White Cheddar
Cheese slices:		Super Melting Cheddar, Super Melting Mozzarella
Cheese products:		Breaded Pepperjack Style Cheezly Bites, Meatless Feast Pizza, Ham Style & Pineapple Pizza, Cheezly & Tomato Pizza

Cheezly was the first vegan cheese to melt properly, with their "super melting" mozzarella becoming my new favourite (and essential for pizzas) and their cheese slices being great for burgers.

Redwood also make a great range of fake meats (and other products). And they've just introduced a range of pizzas that use their cheeses too!

Available online and in health food stores (including Holland & Barrett).

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Vegusto No Moo - http://www.vegusto.co.uk

Hard cheese:		Golden, Classic (Blue / Stilton), Herb, Melty, Mild-Aromatic (Cheddar), Piquant, Walnut
Cheese products:		Sauce

When the owner of Vx (the vegan boutique near Kings Cross) gave me my first taste of Vegusto, my immediate response was "this is not like cheese... this is cheese!" OK, it had been around 15 years since I'd had "real" cheese, but this was the first to get the texture right - both waxy and crumbly.

Like Redwood, Vegusto also have an extensive range of other vegan products, such as fake meats and even pet food!

Available online and at the Loving Hut in Camden.

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Vegourmet - http://www.vegourmet.at

Hard cheese:

Paradiso (tomato and basil), Volcano (hot), Herbario (herb), Mediteraneo (olive & garlic), Montanero (smokey), Bianco (creamy), Santeciano (strong)

Having introduced the UK to Vegusto, Vx was also the first to bring us Vegourmet. 

Texturally, I find Vegourmet quite similar to Cheezly. But with a different range of flavours.

Available online and at Vx.

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Tofutti - http://www.tofutti.com

Hard cheese:		Mozzarella
Cream cheese:		Country Vegetable, French Onion, Garlic & Herbs, Herbs & Chives, Original
Cheese slices:		Mozzarella, Cheddar

Probably better known for their vegan ice creams, Tofutti also make a limited ranges of fake cheeses.

Available online and in health food stores.

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Life Free From

Grated cheese:

Parmezano, Cheddareese

Handy tubs of grated parmesan and cheddar style fake cheese. Great from sprinkling on pasta dishes.

Available in health food stores, and in some large supermarkets.

UPDATE: I've heard today that these have now been discontinued! So get them while you can...

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Free & Easy

Cheese products:

Cheese sauce

A quick and easy cheese sauce that can be made up with water or non-dairy milk.

Available online, and in health food stores.

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Daiya - http://www.daiyafoods.com

Cheese products:

Amy's Macaroni and Soy Cheeze

One of the most popular cheese alternatives in the USA, Daiya isn't yet readily available in the UK - except in Amy's Macaroni and Soy Cheeze (but beware - they do a dairy version too!)

Available online, and in health food stores.

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And if that's still not enough, you can always try using Marigold Engevita Nutritional Yeast Flakes (available online, and in health food stores) to add a cheesy flavour to sauces, etc. Or SAF's raw cashew cheese (available at Whole Foods Market, Kensington High Street).

So, no more excuses for not giving up cheese! Although the downside is that I'm not going to make much more money from those who "could never give up cheese".

But that's a small price to pay.