I get this question a lot. I work with a bunch of meat eaters (is ‘bunch’ the collective term? Answers on a postcard…) some of whom have only recently got their head around what a vegetarian is. Just so you know, a vegetarian doesn’t eat meat. If it once had a heartbeat, veggies don’t eat […]
Vegan Life
Why be Vegan?
It seems that the majority of people, even steak guzzling ones, understand why someone might become a vegetarian. Although most people don’t like to think about it, they know deep down that meat comes from the killing of animals, and let’s face it, that’s not too nice. If forced to contemplate it, most people can […]
How to be Vegan.
The great news is eating a vegan diet has never been easier. Vegan meals can be as easy and cheap to make as beans on toast or as expensive and complex as tomato terrine with basil infused sauce and poached asparagus. Like anything in life, it’s what you make it. I don’t view it as […]
Easy Vegan Recipes
Cecina
I’ll be honest and say that the yummy Italian dish cecina isn’t particularly visually arresting. In fact it looks quite boring. However, the taste is phenomenal. It’s amazing that such a simple, ordinary-looking dish with so few ingredients can be so wonderfully tasty. It is normally served as a starter or side dish in Tuscany, […]
Spaghetti Bolognese
So, one of the easiest and most filling recipes I do is also one of the most flexible. I’ve written a basic recipe here, but you can experiment with different vegetables, or put in cooked lentils instead of soy mince, whatever you like. I hope it goes without saying that the level of seasoning and […]
Miso, veggie, tofu and noodle soup
This soup is healthy, tasty, comes together in a short space of time and fills you right up. As the nights grow darker and often colder too, one’s mind naturally turns to comforting, warming soup. To be honest with you though, I make this at any time of year ’cause it’s so easy and yummy. […]
Vegan Meals Out
Harmonium, Leith, Edinburgh
It’s so lovely to have another successful, fully vegan restaurant in Edinburgh. Harmonium is not best placed for footfall, but when people find out about it, they make sure to take their friends there! That’s what we did. Harmonium is located in the Leith area of Edinburgh, near the Ocean Terminal shopping centre and the […]
Nova Pizza Vegetarian Kitchen, Edinburgh
Nova Pizza in Edinburgh is one of my favourite restaurants. Although it’s not fully vegan, it is all vegetarian and the choice for vegans is vast. I think that’s what I love about it. Normally in an Italian (or any other) restaurant, I’ve located the one or two vegan options on the menu and made […]
Forest Cafe, Edinburgh
I hesitate to use the word hipster as it can be a bit patronising, but I promise you in this case it is meant with the greatest affection. I happened across Forest Cafe one day while out and about in Edinburgh looking for something reasonably priced to eat and boy, did we strike gold with […]
Animals
Pigs
Pigs are more intelligent than dogs. Does that surprise you? The phrase ‘pig ignorant’ is a complete misnomer. I think that pigs are one of the world’s most underrated animals. People see them as meat and respond to any article on pig intelligence or worth with the, always hilarious, ‘Mmmm, bacon.’ I mean sure, there […]
Foxes Rock
Foxes have been in the news a bit recently and it seems everyone has an opinion. There are those who feel animosity towards foxes after some reports in the media that they have attacked children in urban areas. I find this to be an overreaction for reasons I’ll come to later, but it also seems […]
Sheep. Fools or cool?
We recently celebrated Chinese New Year, with a few simple stir fries and such that even I couldn’t screw up, and welcomed in The Year of the Sheep. It got me thinking of how people view sheep. Would you be proud to be born in a year of the sheep, or a little embarrassed? Because […]
What can vegans eat?
Milk
Plant milks are the non-frightening, yummy alternative to dairy milk. They’re often fortified with calcium and B12 among other things and have none of the horrid qualities of dairy, such as pus, growth hormones, antibiotics, cancer promoting animal protein and cholesterol. Also, milk from cows is supposed to feed their calves, not us. The same […]
Tofu
Tofu can be a rather misunderstood foodstuff. It’s viewed as bland, though if prepared properly it can be one of the most flexible, healthy and tasty ingredients you could find. The thing about tofu is it absorbs flavour, which means it doesn’t have a strong flavour of its own. That’s the key. I once prepared […]
Unusual Vegan Ingredients – Nutritional Yeast
Many people see going vegan as giving up certain foods. While that may be strictly true in that animal products of any kind are most definitely off the table, other foods sneak their way into your diet and you’re all the richer for it. What do I mean? Well, there are many foods I eat […]
Cruelty Free Living
Confusion between clean eating and veganism
People don’t go vegan for health reasons. You may be saying ‘What? Of course they do!’ Ok, let me clarify: people may go plant based for their health originally and then go vegan (and stay vegan) because they discover the ethical angle. Veganism is a belief system, not a diet. Obviously diet forms a […]
Stealth Activism
For many people who become vegans, activism or outreach is the next logical step. Once one finds out about the horrible cruelty involved in the production of animal products, it’s hard not to want to tell everyone about it. Ah, but then you’d be known as the dreaded ‘preachy vegan’. So what to do? You […]
Protest!
I have a confession to make. Although I’ve been what acquaintances have often referred to as ‘one of those animal rights people’ for the thick end of thirty years, I have never attended a formal protest. Having staged small, individual protests at school (refusing to cook with meat in home economics, opting out of the […]
Vegan News
For The Foxes March in Edinburgh 2018
If you asked most people if fox hunting was banned in Scotland, they’d say yes it is. A piece of legislation was passed sixteen years ago by the Scottish Parliament called The Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002. Most MSPs and members of the public thought this would mark an end to the barbaric […]
Scottish Farplace Vegan Festival
It never fails to warm my heart, walking into a room filled with everything vegan. Well, ok, not everything vegan, but everything in there is vegan, if you understand me. I can just walk in and buy whatever I want without having to check ingredients and so on…and I usually do. This year I went […]
Vegfest Scotland 2016 – Glasgow SECC
I’ve been to vegan festivals all over the UK, from Brighton to Bristol, Newcastle to Edinburgh. They become more numerous every year and it would certainly be a challenge to attend them all. Being a Scot, there was something really heartening to see how much Vegfest Scotland, held in Glasgow’s […]
Book Reviews
How to Go Vegan – Veganuary – Kate Schuler
The very title of this book sums up what many people have pondered over the years. Sure, they think, it’d be great to go vegan. I can see the benefits for the planet, the animals and maybe even me, but how on earth do I do it? Sometimes it seems as though there’s some sort […]
Meat Logic – Why do we eat animals? By Charles Horn
If you are a vegan, I’m sure you’ve had questions from non-vegans about your choices. Some may be borne out of genuine interest or curiosity. Some questions are simply designed to wind you up. Whatever it is, most vegans know that the more you look into animal welfare and rights, the state of the environment […]
The China Study by T. Colin Campbell and Thomas M. Campbell
People become vegan for all sorts of reasons, the main three being: for the animals (me); for the environment, and for personal health. This last one is often mocked by the omnis as they see vegetarians, never mind vegans, as being weak and ill. For some reason if a vegan falls ill it’s because of […]
Product Reviews
Pacari chocolate (II)
Pacari chocolate is one of those indulgences you can enjoy totally guilt free. It’s vegan (of course) and it doesn’t contain palm oil. The cocoa is ethically sourced as they work closely with local communities and, as I’ll describe, their products are perfect for ‘mindful’ consumption. Pacari is not cheap, nor should it be. I […]
Tofurky Sandwiches
One of the top reasons people give for not going vegan is convenience. Being able to pick up a sandwich on the go can be challenging. Although some high street retailers have slowly started to feature perhaps one or two vegan options in their sea of meal deals, there’s still not the choice that vegans […]
Liv Oliv
The world of cosmetics can be a confusing nightmare for a vegan. Some products in mainstream shops carry the leaping bunny logo of Cruelty Free International, but they may contain animal ingredients. It can be difficult to be sure of anything when even a detailed online search of the company comes up with mixed results. […]