Dividing lines

This will be my final blog.

I started writing this blog because, following redundancy, I’d provided vegan content (on a voluntary basis) for a daily news site which vanished offline one day. So I thought I’d write my own and it’d help with my CV and give me an outlet – but now everyone has a blog and my Facebook posts are read by many more people than ewad this – or any – blog.

In addition to this, it costs money to pay for the domain name and to get a decent WordPress page, money I can no longer justify in paying out.

The divisions between vegans during lockdown have been disheartening and some things have been said that means when demonstrations due fully resume, it will be without some people due to social media nonsense.

I’ve yet to see anybody’s views on masks, the lockdowns or vaccinations changed by a Facebook post. Like most people, I simply scroll past ny post which doesn’t agree with my mindset. That’s what social media is, it’s a bubble, an echo chamber, people’s minds are never changed on there – ever!

Reviews of vegan products are 10 a penny now, so I don’t feel the need to add to them – I like to see what’s out there, and unless it’s a vegan product from an unethical comapany (Richmonds, for example, made their name through meat) then I’ll try them.

I’ve had fun writing this, I enjoy writing, and I’ve received some positive feedback – who doesn’t like that?

But the time has come to focus my energy elsewhere.

Why vegans should say “Black Lives Matter and NOT “all lives matter”

Equality is at the heart of veganism and if we can’t fight for equality for
our own species then what hope have other species got?

Veganism is supposed to be against Speciesism – the human race is a species
and to oppose or not support fights for equality amongst the human race is
anti-vegan in my opinion.

Now is not the time to say “all lives matter”, that simply dilutes
the message of a very important battle for civil liberties and equality. We are vegans 24/7, supporting other causes does not detract from that, we do not need to hijack other causes to get our message heard.

But, even more important, by saying “all lives matter” and
hijacking a powerful and important movement, you are offending people –
including black vegans and the vegan community needs to be inclusive – nobody should feel threatened, victimised or prejudiced against.

Lockdown has been a very trying time for everybody – there have already been splits among vegans over vaccinations and various conspiracy theories about the virus itself; we have seen further splits with some ill-judged posts from vegan groups and individuals on social media on the Black Lives Matter movement and protests.

These posts are unnecessary, it’s time for countries such as the UK and USA
to have a serious conversation about institutional racism, about racism in
society and about working for real change.

We should simply support that movement and support having that conversation – no ifs, no buts and no whatabouts.

Farmfoods are Quorn to be wild with this great vegan burger bargain

The lockdown is hitting many people in the pocket, so any budget vegan food is to be welcomed at the moment, but this is something else!

Farmfoods has a big bag of Quorn Ultimate Vegan Burgers for £3.99 – and by big, I mean 2kg! I counted 18 burgers in my bag, and they are a decent size too.

A bag of Quorn Ultimate Vegan Burgers from Farmfoods

These thick and meaty burgers are perfect for a family and even better for a barbecue. Farmfoods also has its usual “three for a fiver” offer on its Veggie Kitchen range too – that’s reviewed here.

Now, calling anything “ultimate” is a huge claim – do they live up to the claim?

Well, the burgers themselves grill or fry from frozen in 12 to 14 minutes, and they colour nicely too. They have that chargrilled look about them when they’ve cooked and boast a meaty feel and texture. They’re not overly chewy though and have a nice bite to them.

To me, they taste burger-like too. I can’t remember exactly what meat burgers taste like, but I personally couldn’t see non-vegans complaining.

Some vegans don’t like the trend of making vegan food more meat-like. As a long-standing vegan, I can understand this and relate to this point of view. I can also see how it’s an advantage for new vegans missing the taste and texture of meat and for those vegans wanting something which meat-eaters can also enjoy.

Some may prefer their vegan burgers with a little more spice and, if I’m honest, I wouldn’t have minded the addition of a kick of black pepper, but the lack of an overbearing flavour can be seen as an advantage too – I can envisage these going down well with kids – vegan or not.

I had mine with chips for the purpose of this review, but I can imagine gravy complementing this perfectly – they’d also go well in a vegan cheeseburger I believe.

As you can see from the ingredients below, they are soy-free but not gluten-free.

Quorn does have a sustainable palm oil policy which you can read here

Quorn Ultimate Vegan Burgers ingredients

 

But vegan bacon though…

Vegan bacon has risen in popularity this year.

The old joke “but bacon” from meat-eaters, which is about as original as “where do you get your protein” or “how do you know a vegan? They tell you”, has been answered tenfold.

For years, Cheatin Rashers had been my go-to for a BLT or fried vegan breakfast. But suddenly, with the explosion in veganism over the last couple of years, everyone seems to want a part of the vegan bacon action.

I’m not complaining, they can really add something to a burger and thrown with some tofu scramble, beans and fried mushrooms, it really makes a cooked breakfast sing. But don’t forget the hash browns and dark, dark brown tea!

Of course, these shop-bought vegan bacons are as processed as their dead pig counterparts. The advantage they have for many of us is that they are so quick to cook – typically, you have to fry each side for about thirty seconds. You are more likely to cremate them because the phone rings than you are to under-cook them.

But you can make your own.

Banana skin bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich

Do they taste like bacon? Probably not, but they are better for you and for the pigs and they do taste nice.

I hadn’t realised how easy it is to knock some up until I saw this recipe for banana skin bacon. To see for yourself, go here 

Soon after, I was sent almost the same recipe but using slivers of carrot.

For a slight variation on this, go here

It’s all in the marinade you see. And that is what makes these versions so appealing to me – the ingredients in the marinade make so much sense and I thoroughly recommend keeping them in your vegan store cupboard.

Liquid smoke, for example, adds a bite to anything and is great for frying with.

As for soy sauce; well I just love frying broccoli in the stuff as a side dish. You can use Henderson’s Relish instead of soy sauce, I swear by that stuff and always have a bottle around.

But my favourite of all is smoked paprika. I love the stuff. It has a smoky, sweet but not too sweet, taste that is the key to such dishes. Mixed together these ingredients are perfection.

I must say you can never over-marinate, but boy can you under-marinate? In a word: Don’t.

For me, food is always better planned in advance anyway.

I have tried many of the supermarket vegan bacons, and, to be honest, I haven’t found one I didn’t like – but it’s sometimes more fun to make your own, right?

No one is pretending they taste like meat, but it is fun triggering the anti-vegan obsessives with them and they do work so well with breakfast, an addition to roast dinners and my earlier suggestions.

Vegans against covid 19 and anti-Chinese racism

Like many of my friends, I’m stranded at home and left to ponder the coronavirus outbreak from a vegan perspective.

There’s been enough said already about how this was all caused by animal exploitation, although even the mainstream press has been rattling on about the wrong types of animals being eaten. The irony isn’t lost on us.

But sometimes vegans themselves express more horror at a bat being eaten than they do over a cow being eaten. This is our chance to highlight the speciesism. It has to be said that many vegan campaigns do highlight the disparity between the different attitudes to dogs and cows or pigs – sadly, people’s views of different animals have been highlighted yet again by the pandemic. Plus, I like bats.

The racism unnerves me a lot though. Something else I read recently, China has a huge number of vegans as talked about here, for some reason this gets overlooked all too often; very often by vegans themselves. Racist behaviour isn’t compatible with veganism. We’re supposed to be compassionate; racism is the opposite of compassion. We complain about prejudice against another species but tolerate towards our own species? That is wrong on every conceivable level. And let’s treat the myth that vegans can’t get coronavirus with the contempt it deserves – the worst fake news in an environment awash with fake news. What a dangerous and idiotic idea!

There have been reports about the increase in quality of the air and the drop in greenhouse gases due to the reduction in human activity. This shows how destructive our modern ways of life have become and how detrimental they are to the natural world.

Animals and birds have been seen in cities where they are not usually spotted now, showing how it is possible to live side by side with nature instead of against it. See the report here. I’ve always said there’s something arrogant about humans who feel the need to ‘manage’ the natural world. It can do that very well itself thank you.

The number of small start-up vegan businesses over the last few years has been truly empowering and to think the lockdown could put many out of business is terrifying. I implore you to support those which have been able to stay open or diversify their business model – for example offering a delivery service.

Animal sanctuaries too are suffering from lost open days, the inability of volunteers to attend and a general drop in financial support – something seen by a large number of charitable organisations. There’s a page where you can donate here.

Many vegans are discovering the advantages of cooking at home and, perhaps, discovering it’s easier and less time consuming than they first thought.

I’m discovering how much less money I spend while under lockdown.

 

My vegan love of TVP – stop demonising soya

What is TVP?

When I first became vegetarian and then vegan, textured vegetable protein – TVP or soya chunks was about the only meat replacement I could get hold of locally.

You could and can get it either flavoured or unflavoured and in either chunks or mince.

As a dried replacement, it lasts for ages and grows when “rehydrated”. It’s brilliant as soaking up flavours and the cheapest meat replacement out there.

Admittedly, it doesn’t look all that appetising, but it tastes just fine.

Is TVP good for you?

Yes.

It’s low in fat and calories and high in fibre. It’s a complete protein too.

But, it’s also highly processed and so some people may wish to avoid it. It’s good in moderation, like most things in my view

What’s so bad about soya?

The UK imports ton tonnes of soya a year – estimates state thirty to sixty per cent of this is from sustainable sources. One per cent of the UK population is vegan – so it stands to reason we are not the main consumer of all that soya.

Seventy per cent of the soya imports in 2018 came from soya meal – in other words, animal feed.

We also import soya oil and animal products which have already ingested soya.

It’s all explained here

Soya imports are responsible for 47 per cent of the European Union deforestation footprint. Palm oil is responsible for a minute 10 per cent in comparison – yes, soya is a more devastating crop than palm oil – but it’s down to the meat industry, not veganism.

Can soya be grown in the UK?

Yes, in short.

Check out this page from Soya UK – http://www.soya-uk.com/soya/

I would go as far as saying, as vegans are just one per cent of the population, the UK could grow enough soya to feed us easily – it’s the animal agriculture industry which is consuming it all.

Why do I love TVP?

It’s cheap. In fact, in some good independent health food shops, you can buy it as a refill and measure out how much you need.

It lasts for ages in the cupboard.

It’s so adaptable – the mince is good for bolognaise, chilli, shepherd’s pie etc

The chunks are great in a curry, or with pasta – I rehydrate them and fry them with garlic and in soya sauce sometimes – or Henderson’s Relish. And just serve with rice.

I also like to rehydrate unflavoured TVP chunks in vegetable stock, stir fry with onion, mushrooms and broccoli and mix with penne or pasta shells using vegan mayo or pesto as the sauce depending on my mood. A good grind of black pepper also adds a nice kick.

Incidentally, when I did the Ration Challenge last year – Read about it here – I chose TVP as my extra protein rather than tofu as, unhydrated, you get much more TVP for the allowed weight than you do tofu and it lasts longer too.

 

Is Veganuary killing vegan businesses?

I spoke to the owner of a vegan small business last week who is considering their options after a downturn in trade.

This year, in particular, has seen a huge rise in the number of vegan products on supermarket shelves. I’ve even written about it myself.

The Greggs release of their vegan steak bakes brought about a similar explosion in PR as the Greggs vegan sausage rolls row – boosting the profile of Greggs and Piers Morgan – and to a lesser extent veganism. The fact both products were already widely available as a vegan version in other shops was lost on absolutely everyone.

But the fact said bakes and sausage rolls are so cheap means that small businesses simply cannot compete. People are buying a vegan steak bake from Greggs and then make a token purchase from the small trader – and these token gestures are not enough to sustain a viable business

I noticed a post on Facebook last week about a small vegan business closing soon, and she raised many of the issues addressed in this blog.

The fact people are struggling financially – especially during January, means that supermarkets are able to tap into the Veganuary market and push the ethical vegan traders out. I understand fully why it’s Veganuary and not Vegurary – New Year’s resolutions and a healthy new year – and it has a ring to it – makes perfect sense. I just wish that more independent vegan traders are promoted alongside the big-name launches.

The Christmas Vegan Festival I co-organise saw a drop in numbers this year, but was still a great success, I believe people will save their money and spend at similar events – but vegan businesses need all of the vegan events they attend to be successful in order to continue trading – or in the case of High Street firms need people to go to them at lunchtime instead of the local supermarket od big name brand. A point raised by this blog.

Of course, I understand that some vegans simply have to go for the cheapest option, that for me is buying veg from the local market and cooking from scratch. It’s worth remembering that many of the products from independent traders are hand-made, not mass-produced like those on supermarket shelves.

I, like many older vegans, grew up when supermarkets had no vegan options and I, like others, managed to get by just fine by cooking from scratch and supporting the few vegan traders out there. It’s also worth remembering that independent traders are often solely vegan – unlike supermarkets and their ilk – they do not have a separate pot for vegan money and meat product money – the same applies to takeaway branches now offering a token vegan burger.

It must be pointed out that the issues raised in this blog also applies to fruit and vegetables – which last longer and taste nicer when purchased from your local market.

Iceland’s Veganuary Gamechangers

The amount of vegan product launches just in the first week of January 2020 has been utterly overwhelming.

As higher numbers than ever take up Veganuary, one must congratulate the marketing staff at the UK’s major food outlets – the vegan pound now has substantial power.

But it was the release of Iceland’s No Cheese pasties which excited this seasoned vegan most of all.

As someone who is currently financially challenged, the bargain-basement products and the old fashion notion of cooking from scratch have never appealed more, but, for a treat, this “must-have” item appeared in my social media feed last week.

I remember my time as a vegetarian (many of us were one once) catching the train home to Leicester and stopping at the chippy on the way home for a cheese and onion pasty and chips.

Ironically, around four years ago, it was in that very city that I was able to finally taste a vegan version of said delight. I can’t remember the name of the independent shop which sold me this cooked delicacy, but I was very impressed indeed – I wanted more.

Fast forward to 2020, and Iceland promises to end my search for the perfect partner to accompany the lonely chips on my plate.

My first attempt failed, there was none left in my local branch. However, gut-crushing disappointment was lifted with a beckon of light in the shape of No Bull Steaks – they had mushroom steaks. My excitement levels went through the roof – I just had to try those too!

And I wasn’t disappointed. As far as meat-replacement products go, they are the best I’ve tried so far. The fact that I’m an absolute mushroom fiend may help. Although the length of the ingredient list may put some off, the darkness of the “meat”, the rich flavour and the distinctive hit of mushroom will please others like myself. Dab on some English mustard and drown it in gravy and you have the perfect star of a roast dinner.

Again, as a vegetarian, I remember some rather tasty Linda McCartney fake meat steaks – but I haven’t seen those in years and I have found nothing similar to them over the years, until now.

My only criticism is that they are not very big, so my advice would be to have a whole packet to yourself.

Anyway, back to the cheese and onion pasty. As an aside, I will mention that I’m not putting exclamation marks around cheese or steak, because it annoys those who continually comment “it can’t be steak if it isn’t meat” or “vegan cheese isn’t really cheese”. I doubt many of these self-appointed guardians of the English language actually take their “expertise” any further down the supermarket aisle than the vegan section.

The pasty is nice. I have no idea why Iceland has stripped the onion part of the product from the title, but I can assure you that they are very much present – in fact, they are the only lumpy bits inside. Yes, there could be more, but crumbs, the powerful cheese flavour is utterly divine.

You must be careful though, the sauce which fills the inside of the pastie can scold your tongue in a volcanic burst of molten vegan cheese. You do not want your taste buds burnt to a cinder, believe me, they need to experience the immense power of the flavour which makes this product a must-buy. For me at least.

Now, the ultimate test of a good pasty is how it tastes cold.

No-one can resist a cold pasty in their lunchbox, and I’m pleased to say that these more than do the job.

The cheese may remain runny, which is a little disappointing, but the taste remains solid, just be careful if you’re eating it while wearing a new tie!

I must add, that it’s nice to see the addition of the No Yolk mayos on Iceland’s shelves too, they really have upped their vegan game once again.

Vegans take over the world

As we race into 2020 and another promising start to Veganuary, it seems that retailers are falling over themselves in a bid to get some of the vegan pounds – especially since 300,000 people have signed up to take part this year. That’s in addition to the vegan army already marching through the world’s supermarket aisles.

With Greggs receiving most of the publicity in the new year for their Vegan Steak Bake the predictable response on every Facebook thread was “It’s not a steak bake if it’s vegan”. One would think that non-vegans are becoming seriously obsessed with all things vegan – their displeasure is seriously good publicity though, I think Piers Morgan alone drove Greggs Vegan Sausage Roll Success Van.

For me personally, it was the Iceland Vegan Cheese and Onion Pastie I was most excited about. As a vegan of 20 years, that is the thing I still miss and I was heartbroken that my local branch had sold out this afternoon. I had one from an independent vegan shop in Leicester a few years ago and that one was divine, so I’m hoping for more of the same from Iceland. I did notice, however, they now have No Yolk Vegan Mayo and Piri Piri Mayo, which I can’t wait to try and they’ve added mushroom steaks to the range too. Mushrooms are my favourite food in the world – so I’m excited about these too.

In the battle for publicity pixels, KFC has been biting hard at Gregg’s heels with their Vegan Chicken Burger. And, while this means that young vegans can eat fast food with their meat-eating friends without feeling left out, it also provokes fierce debate on vegan forums. Personally, I’d never eat in KFC or McDonalds, their direct link to the meat industry makes it hard for me to stomach, but not all vegans agree with me.

Something else which excited me was the Tofish and Chips addition to MArks & Spencer’s Plant Kitchen range, Sadly the vegan fish is tasteless and you get about seven chips with it. I had half a packet of their Dirty Fries with the meal too and I was still left wanting more. Some vegan meals are better than others.

It does seem much easier to eat a vegan diet these days, but it’s also much easier to live on processed food alone. This article is about the mass of new lines on supermarket shelves this Veganuary.

When I became vegan, you could only really get processed vegan food from the local health food shop and I’m sure many vegans cooked from scratch out of necessity. So it was the launch of Jack Monroe’s Veganish which excited me most. I’ve long been an advocate of cheap and easy vegan cooking and Jack’s recipes are absolutely spot on in that respect. Very tasty too.

I am optimistic about the growth in veganism but would like to see more people using smaller independent fully vegan traders.

 

Farmers vs Vegans

Farmers seem to have a beef with vegans these days.

While this is nothing new, it seems the rise in plant-based products on supermarket shelves and the rising number of vegans is starting to get on their nerves.

The farming community has become more vocal in its opposition to any mention of the word “vegan” in the last few months, so as reports suggest more and more people are set to enjoy a meat-free Christmas I can only guess that pro-farming pressure groups such as the NFU and Countryside Alliance (a pro-blood sports group in the main) will increase their pressure on the now powerful vegan pound.

A recent article for the i newspaper not only highlighted the growing number of people intending to eat plant-based this Christmas but also pointed out that according to the Vegan Society, the number of vegans has quadrupled in the UK since 2014.

https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/food-and-drink/christmas-dinner-vegan-food-waitrose-1343981?fbclid=IwAR1b1bybyhIgNfi_ak0UiXrk56JVoSjf8HOMlIki4SsnoDBJ-iqevf1Ecbk

Of course, the seeds of discord were sown in response to both the 2019 and 2018 Vegan Campout events. Already controversial among vegans for the choice of venue, the Countryside Alliance spat out its dummy over a vegan event taking place on land usually reserved for agricultural shows. Maybe somebody should tell them that agriculture includes the growing of plants needed for a vegan diet?

In October, it was Tesco who faced the wrath of angry animal farmers when they dared to make an advert featuring a vegan sausage. This time, Piers Morgan wannabe Janet Street-Porter lambasted the humble plant-based cylinders in a Daily Mail tirade. Most vegans just laughed.

The NFU seems to be in competition with the Countryside Alliance as to who is the most vocal critic of veganism – and it was this Tesco campaign which saw the union throw its hat well and truly in the ring. Plant Based News also reported on the whole soap opera.

https://www.plantbasednews.org/culture/tesco-vegan-sausage-advert-branded-propaganda?fbclid=IwAR0Y7jVkbsHhZYhbNPDvrkWtSrZn580zpMBpaRvn0BY_JofuZY6io3t0WnY

The BBC provoked the red-faced fury of farmers not once, but twice in recent months. Firstly, a Christmas advert featured a turkey wearing an “I love vegans” sweater. They didn’t care that turkeys generally don’t wear sweaters, but how dare anyone promote vegans? Are we becoming too accepted for comfort?

“The NFU, which is concerned about the impact the ad will have on livestock producers, have now accused the BBC of being in breach of its impartiality rules by promoting veganism,” according to a piece in this article: https://www.farminguk.com/news/farmers-criticise-bbc-for-i-love-vegans-christmas-ad_54563.html?fbclid=IwAR3C0q9FU6b33wBf-okcwe4XuL2F7d3pCduEY7a_TMV3tiKeNNwYT4UWUwE

The numerous promotional items on livestock farming on the BBC’s Countryfile isn’t mentioned by the NFU.

Finally, the BBC actually produced a whole programme about the meat industry’s effect on the environment. Meat: A Threat To Our Planet? Was presented by Liz Bonnin and was also made available on the i-Player. It mainly centres around intensive American meat production. It is less concerned with animal welfare and focuses more on the environmental cost of eating meat.

The fact that going vegan is the best way an individual can reduce their carbon footprint seems lost on many of those who have complained. The most common attack seems to be that British livestock production is nowhere near as intensive as the American model. The individual lives of the animals involved seem irrelevant to all involved. This article in Farmers Weekly sums up the farming community’s anger: https://www.fwi.co.uk/news/farming-backlash-to-bbc-anti-meat-programme-continues

The Countryside Alliance has been responding to any anti-hunting story which appears over the last few years. The NFU seems to be taking a leaf out of their book and attacking anything that’s seen as “pro-vegan” recently. The notion of free speech doesn’t seem to register with either organisation.

Of course, this shows that veganism is now seen as a very real threat to the meat and dairy industries. The rise of the environmental movement has seen the industries come in for further criticism as prominent “green” figures ditch meat and dairy.

To be fair, such a backlash was to be expected. But the power of the vegan pound also cannot be underestimated. Supermarkets are filled with vegan products and even traditional meat and dairy companies (Greggs for example) are producing plant-based options.

The ethics of such moves is widely debated in vegan communities, but it does show that the demand is there. Instead of joining the diversification movement, many livestock and dairy producers instead choose to lash out at the competition.

This can be seen as a testament to the growing influence of veganism.

2020’s Veganuary is expected to be the biggest yet, so the growth in veganism shows no sign of abating. I’ll raise a vegan cider to that!