London Vegfest 2014 Part 3

So here's the third and final instalment of my Vegfest posts. Apart from having a fab time checking out all the awesome stalls and stuffing my face I spent some time in the cinema area where they were showing some interesting documentaries. I had planned to watch one in-particular and that was 'Cowspiracy.' I had already watched the trailer a couple of weeks prior to the event and when I heard that they were showing it I wanted to make sure I got a good seat.

'Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret' is most definitely a must see, minus the distressing parts which I just couldn't bring myself to watch. You may want to look away during a certain part when they are talking about back-yard farming if you get around to watching it. Kip Andersen, co-producer/director of the film documentary does a heap load of research and discovers that animal agriculture is the leading cause of global warming and most of the other things that are going wrong in the world such as rainforest destruction and species extinction. It's incredibly eye-opening. Watch the trailer provided below.

I managed to catch a couple of comedians, one being the quirky and a little crazy Harriet Kemsley (look her up) and Vegan Smythe who writes and performs songs related to Veganism. He earned himself a standing ovation at the end of his very amusing set.

I should have made an effort to catch some more entertainment and talks, I suppose this is where a weekend ticket would have been useful. It's worth attending both days just to fit everything in. Overall I had a great time and can't wait to attend another 'Vegfest' event in the near future.

London Vegfest 2014 Part Two

There was a wide range of cooked food available at Vegfest, so as I was around from opening to closing I had both my lunch and dinner there. I tried my best not to fill myself up on chocolate samples because I had already had my heart set on a hot dog from 'Vegusto.' I wasn't disappointed, the hot dog was tasty and I was left happy and ready to venture on.

When I went to check out the stalls upstairs I discovered 'Big Fat Vegan Bakery'. There was a swarm of people around their stall so I went to see what all the fuss was about. When I feasted my eyes on some of their cakes I knew I had to have one. I chose the apple strudel and I loved it. Unfortunately 'Big Fat Vegan Bakery' is based in Bognor Regis, a little bit too far for me to travel for cakes but if I'm ever in the area I would definitely look them up.

Towards the end of the event I was feeling hungry again so I bought a Pad Thai at Bang Wok who were very enthusiastic when preparing their noodles. I liked it but didn't love it. I think it was because I was expecting it to taste like Wagamama but it didn't. The taste was a little sharp for my liking but it didn't stop me from scoffing the lot.

I wish I could have ate more as there were many stalls selling different types of food but I would have most certainly popped. So I took some photos of the food stalls instead.

London Vegfest 2014 Part One

Vegfest is a festival of all things vegetarian, vegan and cruelty-free and takes place annually in large venues around different parts of the country. I found out about it through word of mouth so I made plans to attend this year for the first time. I had heard good things about the many products they had to offer so I went prepared with my ruck sack in tow.

I arrived at London Olympia just before 10am for the 11am opening and realised I was third in the queue. Just half an hour later the queue was down the road and round the corner. Vegfest had grown in popularity and I could see why. I was overwhelmed by the abundance of stalls packed with food products, clothing, cosmetics and information. I was in heaven and I couldn't wait to explore.

I picked up a programme for £1 which gave me listings of everything that was happening. This became my bible for the day. I was also given a voucher to collect some Vegfest freebies which included Chia seeds, Love Beets beetroot juice and two items of my choice, Provamel almond drink and Bourne & Willis red cabbage. I do love a freebie and I'm looking forward to trying them out.

There were lots of free samples on some of the stalls so I took the opportunity to try some of the chocolate available which subsequently led to me purchasing a little (OK, a lot). I also tried some Sheese which was awesome. This was a new product for me as being veggie I hadn't experienced substitute cheese before, but I liked what I tasted. I must have gone around the stalls multiple times and I was still finding more products that I had missed.

Vegan Product of the Week: Lotus Biscoff Spread

Lotus Biscoff spread is a caramelised biscuit spread that tastes like the little biscuits you sometimes get free with a cup of tea in a cafe (like the biscuit displayed on the label). When I was told about this I had to try it. It's different to other spreads I have tried which makes it more appealing but the high sugar content means that it's not something that I would eat everyday so I decided this would be ideal for a weekend breakfast treat. I spread it on toast and was pleasantly surprised as I wasn't sure that something so sweet would work but it did. This spread also comes in a crunchy version but I don't think I could imagine spreading it on my toast.

After examining the ingredients I noticed that it contained palm oil. Concerned about this I decided to have a look on their website which explains that they use RSPO (roundtable on sustainable palm oil) certified palm oil which means that is is sourced using environmental and economic good practice.

As I'm a sucker for sweet things I was impressed with this product. To get the full effect spread it on a little thicker as a thin layer can have just a subtle taste and will be more bready than spready. Alternatively you can indulge yourself with a spoonful straight from the jar on occasions (but of course I wouldn't encourage this).  I bought my jar of biscuit spread from Tesco for £2.29 so see if you can find yours else where for less. It definitely has to be tried.

Tibits

Tibits is a 100% Vegetarian restaurant in Heddon street, just off of Regent Street and about a 5/10 minute walk from Piccadilly Circus underground station. It's a great place to eat if you are looking for somewhere a little more sophisticated and they offer some Vegan options which are clearly marked with a 'V' on the labels beside the food. This is a buffet type restaurant where you pay buy weight which was completely new to me.

On arrival myself and my niece were greeted by a member of staff who explained how the restaurant worked. We chose our own seating and had a good look through the drinks menu before venturing up to the buffet area. Buffets are always awkward in terms of having to go one at a time in order to guard your belongings at the table so once my niece had finished plating her food she then had to wait at the table while I got mine. I then had to go up to the bar with both plates of food where it is weighed and you can order drinks and pay. They placed the plates and drinks on little silver trays so I had to leave one tray at the bar while I delivered the other over to my niece at the table.

We had various bits and bobs to choose from, both hot and cold and quite tasty although my niece wasn't quite as convinced but that is probably due to the type of food that she is used to eating (she's a 15 year old meat-eater). I on the other hand ate pretty much everything I had on my plate. The Classic ice tea's that we ordered were refreshing. The relaxed ambiance of the restaurant was a welcomed change. It wasn't too busy or bustling and we could enjoy a discussion without shouting across the table at each other. This may have been due to the time of day that we ate (around 5pm).

There was extra seating downstairs which looked family orientated with an area for children to amuse themselves if they get bored. They had an area for colouring with a chalk board attached to the wall and a little book case complete with a range of books and cute little rocking horse seats. There was also an area suitable for dinner parties, ideal for birthdays and other celebrations.

The only problem that I had with the service was that the plates weren't cleared quick enough. We sat there for a while before thinking about having desert and when we did eventually get it we had to squeeze it onto the table with the finished dinner plates on too. When I finally caught a member of staff she told me that she would clear the table once we had left. Not particularly helpful I must say but I didn't want to say anything bad as all in all we had a good experience.

The dinner turned out to be less expensive than I originally thought it would be at £26.70 for two plates and two large glasses of Ice tea but I thought the desert was a little steep at £8.60 for such a small amount on each plate. I had some sticky toffee pudding and a selection of fruit.

I would most definitely return, possibly by myself as I wouldn't feel out of place. I noticed other people eating alone and no one batted an eyelid.

'Meat Free Monday'

Hitting the news today, Paul McCartney records a new song to raise awareness on the environmental impacts of eating meat. Paul recruited some of his celebrity friends to appear in the video to help get the point across. I've never really been a big fan of Paul McCartney but this song is quite catchy and I'm all for promoting vegetarianism in the media. This ones a win for me.

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Vx, Vegan Boutique

This impressive little vegan boutique literally has everything packed into it and I was interested to see how they utilised their space. Located on Caledonian road, it's a short walk from Kings Cross station. Directly to the right of me on entering the shop were a range of alternative vegan clothing items and shoes.

In front of me on the other side of the shop was a refrigerator full of drinks, next to that were shelves packed with vegan snacks and produce such as egg free mayo and dairy free cream. they also had a small selection of books.

In other refrigerators they had a good range of faux meat and cheese products which I plan to try next time I return with a cool bag. A selection of sweet and savoury take-away food (hot and cold) as well as sandwiches and cakes can be found at the other end of the shop.

The guys in the shop are very friendly and chatty. We must have talked for about 15 minutes at the counter about Vegfest (which I plan on attending this year) and other Vegan events before I finally payed for my goods. Unfortunately they won't have a stall at Vegfest London this year but you can check out their website HERE as they take orders on-line.

A Visit to Ms. Cupcake

I have nothing but good things to say about my visit to Ms. Cupcake, London's first entirely vegan bakery. This gem of a place is located on Coldharbour lane in Brixton, just a five minute walk from Brixton underground station. I took my 15 year old niece along with me to sample some of their top quality wares. On entering the shop we were greeted by a friendly staff team which immediately made us feel at ease. The first thing I noticed were a range of vegan sweet products in front of the food preparation area which I quickly got excited about, especially when I saw the packets of marshmallows. I haven't been able to eat marshmallows since becoming veggie so I knew I had to snap some of these up along with a couple of other items that caught my eye.

When we moved towards the cupcake display counter I knew that deciding on just one cupcake would be an impossible task but I managed it. There were so many amazing looking cupcake's with different coloured icing. It was like looking at a work of art.

I chose the 'apple custard crumble' while my niece opted for the 'red velvet' cupcake and we couldn't have been more pleased with our choices. We also couldn't resist ordering two milkshakes; one chocolate and one Oreo which were bought out to our table when they were ready. My milkshake was very chocolaty, just the way I like it. Unfortunately there was no seating inside the shop due to it's small capacity but luckily it was warm enough to pull up a chair outside.

We must have been there for about an hour having a good old chin wag and watching the world go by before reluctantly leaving. Being my first vegan cupcake experience I was pleasantly surprised at how similar tasting these cupcakes were compared to ones that contain dairy products. I would say that there was no difference in taste what soever, therefore I would happily recommend Ms. Cupcake to those who aren't vegetarian or vegan. I will definitely be back at some point to try out their savoury treats and cookies. Check out the website to find out what else they have to offer.

Vegan Product of the Week: LUSH Bubblegum Lip Scrub

Today I am introducing a new feature to my blog. I will be posting 'Vegan Product of the Week' every Friday evening and it will include a product that I find exceptional. All views are my own and based on my personal taste so anything that I find to be exceptional, someone else may not. The first product I want to share with you is the sweet, juicy smelling 'Bubblegum Lip Scrub' from LUSH. It comes in a handy little compact glass jar (ideal for your overnight/make-up bag) and contains some simple ingredients that have a great impact on your lips.

All you have to do is rub it in (I use a circular motion) making sure you cover every inch of your lips. It leaves them smooth and ready to apply your favourite lip balm. I wouldn't recommend you do this before a night out as it makes you look like you've just snogged a stubbly man. Add it to your evening facial care routine. There's no need to rinse, just lick it off as it's also edible (although I tend to rinse a little then lick). This lip scrub is priced at £5.50 and comes in two other flavours. It is made with caster sugar and organic jojoba oil along with a couple of other things so you could probably make your own if you don't want to splash out on LUSH's prices.

Uneducated Meat-Eaters

I have heard a lot of things since becoming vegetarian but one of the most common discussions that I have had to endure from some people who try and justify being a meat-eater is... 'but man was made/evolved to eat animals'. Recently I came across a brilliant video on YouTube that explains the complete opposite.

Now, while I respect the decision of others who don't want to become vegetarian or vegan, I would suggest that they research and educate themselves before sharing their views. I would respect them more if they were to just come out and say they couldn't possibly give up the habit of eating meat because they like it too much. After all, I was a meat-eater once but I had never used comments like that when talking to vegetarians.

The Little Book of Cruelty Free

It can be difficult to find cruelty free products if you are new to ethical shopping. As time goes on, the more research you do the easier it gets but until you know where to look it can be a little frustrating. Here's where 'The Little Book of Cruelty Free' can help. It's a pocket sized shopping guide containing all Vegan and Vegetarian friendly brands and companies that you can keep in your handbag or wallet. Go to 'gocrueltyfree.org' to order your free copy. Additionally you can download it.

Planet Organic, Torrington place

'Planet Organic' is a London based chain of stores that sell organically sourced products. Yesterday I visited the Torrington Place store which is meant to be the largest of the 'Planet Organic' stores. This is not a purely Vegan or Vegetarian company and do sell meat and other animal by-products but a large majority of items sold are Vegan and Vegetarian. I had heard about this company a while ago but on reading through the list of stores on 'Vegan London' I decided to arrange a visit.

The nearest tube station is Goodge Street but because of engineering works I had to go to Warren Street and walk down. This didn't take too long though. On entering the store I noticed a seating area to my right where people were able to stay and eat. I had already read that they sold a variety of hot and cold food to eat in or take away which is what I had planned to do after I looked around the store. To my left there was a refrigerated area with a selection of salads, sandwiches, drinks and other snacks. I moved in further and passed a cake stand with pastries, muffins and tarts, of which there was only a couple of Vegan options.

To the right of the cakes was a food counter where they sold the hot and cold food, hot drinks, speciality juices and smoothies. Just further on from that was another refrigerated section containing the meat products which I just completely avoided and on the other side a range of fresh fruits and vegetables were displayed. Once you get past that the store spans out a little more with shelves stocked full of food items such as seeds, nuts, pasta's canned food, biscuits (all the usual), cake baking products and ethical house hold cleaning items. There was also a large range of baby and toddler food and body care products which is handy for all the ethical mums out there.

To the back of the store you can find cruelty-free Cosmetics and make-up (which was incredibly expensive), Shampoo's, deodorants, Vegan perfumes, wax free scented candles, dental care items, hand soup, vitamins and books. I spent ages looking closely at all the different products they had to offer. There was a reasonable selection of Vegan chocolate which took me a while to decide which brand to try. They also sold Vegan Ice cream which I intend to try next time. I managed to pick up a few things which I will feature in other posts to come.

When I was all shopped out I stopped for a spot of dinner at the food counter where a nice friendly girl served me. Firstly you choose the size of your box... small, medium or large then choose your food on a mix and match basis. I chose a medium box at £5.50 with three different dishes, one being a tofu stir-fry (I can't remember what the other two where but they contained chick peas and sweet potato) and they certainly give you your money's worth. I paid at the till and sat down in the seated area provided. There is additional seating further along the store and outside which would be great on a nice warm sunny day. The food was tasty and I would definitely try it again when I return for a second visit.

Before I left, I ordered a Vanilla Chai tea from the 'Pukka' range. I was immediately impressed as this is my favourite range of tea although I hadn't tried this flavour before. It was £1.95 for a regular cup but unfortunately I wasn't so keen on it. The flavour wasn't very strong but this may have been due to my fault as I probably didn't leave it to infuse for long enough. I think a tea like that is best made and consumed in the comfort of your own home where you can relax. If you live in or around London or even if you are travelling from further away drop by 'Planet Organic' and have a look around. You are bound to find something that takes your fancy.

Vegan London

I came across this website when I was searching the internet for vegetarian and vegan products and places where I could buy them. It acts as a directory for all things Veg*n and includes some useful resources. There is a list of Veg*n friendly restaurants, cafe's and shops where you can buy groceries, toiletries and clothes. I shall be trying out some of the places listed during the coming weeks and reporting my finds here on 'The Veggie Blogger' so stay tuned.                                                                                                           If you are living in or around London you may want to check it out for yourself by clicking on the link here 'Vegan London'.

Review: Rice Dream

As part of my diet I would like to consume less dairy products for ethical reasons. I began this by exploring milk substitutes. I have never been that keen on 'Alpro', maybe because of the consistency or texture although I have recently taken a liking to 'Alpro' vanilla but I couldn't quite see myself pouring it on my breakfast cereal as it's quite sweet.

When I was in 'Waitrose' the other day I decided to try a different brand and picked up 'Rice Dream'. It contains less sugar than 'Alpro' (only containing natural occurring sugars). Other benefits are that it contains calcium with vitamins D2 and B12, it's low in fat and has all natural ingredients with no stabilisers or emulsifiers. It is gluten free and can be used in baking (recipes on their website).

The first thing I did when I got it home was a taste test. I shook it first (always shake) and poured it into a glass. My first initial thought was 'yuck' but I put aside the watery appearance and the little white bits and drank it. I could definitely distinguish the rice taste (probably because it's made with rice haha). I could tell that I preferred it to Alpro but I wasn't entirely sure I had come to the end of my quest to find a milk substitute that I love.

It was great on my cereal but in my tea I wasn't convinced. It turned it dark brown but it was drinkable (but I don't want to settle with drinkable). So before I consider returning to 'Rice Dream' (winner of superior taste award 2012) I will continue to try other brands. Wish me luck!

Review: Space Girl and Butterball LUSH Bath Bombs

If you like a lot of fizz in your bath bombs, this one is for you.The air filled with the smell of parma violets as the water turned a purpley/pinky colour. There's always something whimsical about taking a bath in coloured bath water (or is that just me being weird?).

This is a non greasy bath bomb so it didn't leave an unwanted tide mark in the bath. It left a very subtle fragrance on my skin, so subtle that only people with an acute sense of smell may notice it. I can't say it had any moisturising properties though which is one of the main qualities I love in a bath bomb. If you want a bath bomb that leaves the skin moisturised Butterball is ideal for this.

This is one of my favourite LUSH products. I often forget to moisturise after a bath and this bath bomb does it all for you in the bath. This is brilliant if you are strapped for time. Tiny pearls of cocoa butter are released into the water and cling to the skin. The only down side is that it also clings to the bath. Whenever I buy a new LUSH haul, this is the product I pick up every time.

Both bath bombs are Vegan.
Space Girl £2.35
Butterball £2.50