Making Changes

I've become increasingly conscious about what food I consume lately after watching various documentary films such as 'Vegecated,' 'Cowspiracy,' and 'Hungry for Change' to name but a few. Over this weekend I have made some drastic changes in the types of food I've been buying and so I carried out a mass shop at Tesco. This is another big step in my transition from vegetarian to vegan. Until now I have been predominantly vegetarian but I'm hoping that I can continue to maintain a mainly vegan diet while I continue to research products and recipes. At the moment if a label doesn't state that a product is vegan then I'm not really sure what I'm looking for. Obviously this is something I will learn with time but at the moment it doesn't stop me feeling a little frustrated.

I'm hoping to incorporate raw food in with a regular vegan diet with a little bit of junk food as a treat. My shop mainly consisted of fresh fruits and vegetables, some organic, some not. I have heard that it's best to buy organic produce as they haven't been grown using harmful pesticides... but have you seen the prices? I would love to buy all organic but when you are working on a budget, it's just not possible. The photo below features just a small portion of what I actually bought so I thought I would include my shopping list. It's pretty impressive if I don't say so myself.

1 bag Curly Kale

2 Avocados

3 lemons (organic)

1 bag spinach (organic)

1 bag of mixed leaves

1 bag carrots

1 cucumber (organic)

3 pack of mixed peppers

1 red cabbage

celery

broccoli

1 pack of baby corn

1 pack of asparagus

1 bag frozen sweetcorn

1 bag of mixed seeds

1 bag cashew nuts

1 bag of walnuts

garlic

1 bag of chick peas

1 bag of couscous

1 bag of lentils

1 bag of dairy free pasta

1 bottle of extra virgin olive oil

1 watermelon

1 Galia melon

1 honey dew melon

1 pineapple

1 mango

2 large oranges

2 large pears

1 pack of dates

1 loaf of Hovis wholemeal bread

1 pack of wholemeal noodles

Blue Dragon chow mein sauce

Blue Dragon Kung Po sauce

Blue Dragon Cantonese sauce

I understand that there is going to be a bit of trial and error but what better way to start. I plan to create some great salads to take to work with me as I want to be able to eat one raw meal a day. I'm looking forward to trying out some of the vegan sauces for jazzed up vegetable and noodle dishes. Last night I tried Kale for the fist time by making a curly Kale and avocado salad with mixed seeds, it wasn't too bad but I found it a little tough raw, I still managed to polish off the plate though.

I have also replaced my non vegan breakfast cereal with more exciting vegan options such as Muesli by 'Dorset Cereals,' 'Quaker Oats, Oat So Simple' and 'Shredded Wheat Bitesize.' I really want to make this new diet work so I'm going to try my best to stick to it. The next thing on my list is to buy some recipe books and other informative vegan books so if anyone out there has any recommendations please let me know.

Cruelty Free Shopping - It's not as easy as it seems.

When it comes to toiletries and cosmetics I like mine cruelty free and I assume that as you are here, you do too. I thought I knew everything when it came to cruelty free shopping but I continue to make mistakes in my choices. I have come to realise that when a label states that a product is cruelty free the background of the company may indicate otherwise. 'Superdrug' for example have a complete own brand range that is cruelty free but their parent company has no fixed cut-off date animal testing policy in place and owns other subsidiaries that contribute to environmental destruction on an industrial scale.

Another example is 'The Body Shop' who have been a subsidiary of L'Oreal since 2006 and been fooling everyone with their campaigns to end animal cruelty when L'Oreal continues to profit from animal testing outside Europe. 'Urban Decay' another cruelty free brand is also a subsidiary of L'Oreal. I have no idea what makes a cruelty free company want to merge with another that is going to tarnish their reputation. It's disappointing to say the least, especially when you think you are doing right by animals by steering away from brands that test on them.

My latest mistake being the purchase of the popular brand 'Jason Natural Cosmetics' made me re-asses the way I go about shopping. If I see a certain brand advertised that I like the look of, I will do a little more research into the company's background. Normally they wouldn't display any negative press on their websites so you may have to search else-where. A good place to start is at leapingbunny.org where you can find lists of different brands that don't test on animals and whether or not they have a parent company that may be involved in animal testing in some way. Unfortunately it doesn't state whether companies don't have fixed cut-off date animal testing policies  (like Jason) so that may require a little extra research. I normally type into my browser something like... is such and such cruelty free and more often than not it will provide the information your seeking.

You should also be aware of the product ingredients. Some companies may claim that they don't test on animals when they have animal derived ingredients. Look out for non-vegan ingredients such as 'Glycerin' (which can either be synthetic or derived from plants or animals), 'beeswax,' 'honey,' 'Carmine' (the red pigment produced from some scale insects), 'Casien' (the main protein present in milk), and 'Guanine' (a compound that occurs in guano and fish scales). A list of hidden animal fats can be found HERE.

If all else fails and you are still unsure then contact the company directly. There is so much to learn but at least I know that I am on the right track, I may still make mistakes but at least I will learn from them. I shall use up all my unwanted products and move on to true cruelty free ones. If anyone has any useful information to share regarding this issue then please leave a comment below.

Vegan Product of the Week: Whole Earth Smooth Organic Peanut Butter

Before I started doing some research I had no idea about the range of products on the market suitable for a vegan diet. I didn't think it would be possible to substitute my favourite foods but I was surprised to find out that I can literally buy or make every product or dish that I have previously enjoyed following a vegetarian diet. To make a change from the usual cereal I eat during the week I like to indulge myself at the weekend with toast and spreads. As I searched the isle with the jarred products in Tesco I managed to find a few different spreads suitable for vegans.

I limited my choice to two spreads, one of them being this delicious organic peanut butter by 'Whole Earth.' It tastes and looks no different to regular peanut butter but it contains natural ingredients suitable for vegetarians and vegans. The fact that it's free from any animal derived products makes it even more tastier and guilt free. It contains roasted peanuts (96%), sustainable palm oil (100% RSPO certified) and sea salt and contains naturally occurring sugars. Both the jar and the lid are fully recyclable for those of us that like to do our bit for the environment. All products in the peanut butter range are vegan but others (including the chocolate spreads) may not be so always check the label. I will continue to use this product and I highly recommend it to others. 

The Vegan Kind Beauty Box

I had already subscribed to 'The Vegan Kind' before I met them at 'Vegfest' last month so I already knew what they were all about. For those of you who don't know, I shall explain. 'The Vegan Kind' send out monthly vegan lifestyle boxes for a fee of £10 plus postage and packaging. The box usually contains about six food items and one non food item, all Vegan and cruelty free. You shall hear more about the monthly subscription boxes after I have received my next box but this time I want to let you know about their beauty box which is updated every three months and costs £15 plus postage and packaging. I picked mine up for the reduced price of £13 at 'Vegfest'. Now I'm probably a little late with this one but it gives you an idea of the sort of items you can find.

So in this box I received six cruelty free beauty products and a description of each one. The first product I tried almost instantly on opening my box has to be my favourite out of all the items and that is the 'White Rabbit Lime and Coconut Cleansing Water' (RRP £4). This is very gentle on the skin but does it's job well. The lime essential oil contained within it has antiseptic, antibacterial, astringent and toning properties. It has a subtle citrucy smell which I like because it's not too over-powering when I apply it to my face. This now has pride of place in the bathroom cabinet with all my other favourite products.

My second favourite item in the box would have to be 'Simply Soaps Orange Cocoa Bath Melt' (RRP £4.50). It's made from raw cocoa butter and pure plant essential oils which soften the skin. I can't pinpoint any one particular scent with this but you can definitely detect the citrucy notes. I was hoping that it would smell a little stronger once in the bath but that didn't put me off. I love bath products that contain cocoa butter so I couldn't wait to give this a try. I placed it in the bath and swished it around until it had fully dissolved. I climbed in and out of the bath with care as the bath melt had made it extremely slippery but it left me feeling moisturised and very relaxed.

The 'Furless 'must have' Pro Stippling Brush (RRP £8.50) is suitable for applying liquids, mousses, creams, primers and powders. I stupidly haven't used it yet as it feels so soft and I don't want to ruin it. I know, I know... what's the point in having it if I don't use it! I will, in time but for now I just like looking at it in my make-up bag. 'Furless' are an Australian company that sell an array of different high quality synthetic make-up brushes, cruelty free make-up and nail polish. I looked up their WEBSITE and was very impressed.

Now I don't normally use eyeliner pencils, I prefer liquid eyeliner for ease of application but I was pleasantly surprised with 'Inika Black Caviar Eyeliner' (RRP £13.50) as I didn't have to press as hard as I normally have to with a regular eyeliner pencil. I don't know if anyone else has this problem, maybe I'm just extra sensitive or weird. I think I will actually give this a go on occasions so this product gets to stay in my make-up bag... lucky thing!

Last but not least I received not one but two fabulous 'Beautiful Movements Cosmetics Beauty Eyeshadow' 1g sample (RRP £3.50 each) which are apparently available nationwide at 'Holland and Barret.' These mineral eyeshadows are free from parabens, synthetic dyes and fragrances, fillers, bismuth, oxychloride, nano particles and animal products. The shades I received were 'Platinum Tiara' and 'Dusty Road' (so a gold and silver) ideal colours for the autumn and winter months, 'Dusty Road' particularly so at Christmas. I tried out both and really liked them but 'Dusty Road' was definitely my favourite out of the two because it seemed to stay on for longer and was more vibrant. Although I hadn't applied any primer beforehand which I will next time.

So for a £13 box that's usually £15 I didn't do too badly with all the products totalling to £37.50... a real bargain if you ask me even if you purchase the box at full price. They may have introduced the next box by now with new products so please don't purchase it expecting to get these items but I'm sure the next one will be just as good.

October Lush Haul

I get excited every time I plan a trip to my local Lush store. I like Lush because it's a whole different shopping experience. More often than not I get chatting to the very helpful and friendly sales assistants. There's one rule I have when shopping in Lush and that is never dismiss their help as you may just discover your new favourite product through watching one of their demonstrations.

I hadn't planned to venture out at all this weekend but once I had heard that the release of their Christmas range (the fact that it's still October is irrelevant) had hit the shelves I didn't exactly have to drag myself out to go and explore their products. I was due a re-stock anyway.

'Snow Fairy' was the first item to find it's way into my basket. I have never tried this shower gel before but after hearing rave reviews and having to wait an entire year to get my hands on this special edition product I wasn't going to hang around this time. This stuff literally flies off the shelves and I had noticed that there weren't many left but I should imagine, being the most popular Christmas product in the shop they must stock up quite often but I wasn't taking any chances. 

'Snow Fairy' has a sweet bubblegum type smell and has a slight shimmer to it. I bought the medium sized bottle at £7.50 as the larger bottle is a little pricey and I had planned to buy several items, so I refrained myself from getting it. However I did decide to get the 'Magic Wand' bubble bar to go with it which is priced at £5.25 and smells like 'Snow Fairy.' You may think that it's a bit expensive but apparently you can use it multiple times making it better value for money. Just hold it under a running tap for a couple of minutes and you have bubbles.

Hot Toddy was next on my list. I'm a big fan of anything with Cinnamon in it so I knew I would love this. It smells like Christmas in a bottle and I can imagine using this in a nice hot bath on a cold Christmas eve. I didn't want to go too mad so I bought a small bottle priced at £3.95 but I have a feeling I might be returning to buy some more. This product also contains glitter to add that extra Christmas sparkle.

'So White' was the third and final shower gel on my list. This seems to have a more subtle smell compared to the others, more of a pure, fresh scent and I could definitely pick up a slight hint of apples. Having picked this up, I thought I should at least try the 'So White' bath bomb to go with it which has a stronger scent. This is a bigger sized bath bomb priced at £3.50.

Steering away from the Christmas range now, I thought I would purchase some regular products. The block at the front of my photo is the 'Buffy' body butter, I've used this before and love it. It's a body scrub that moisturises when you rub it all over the body. Another great way to get moisturised while still in the bath or shower. This is more suitably used in the evening just before you get into your jim-jams as it leaves a slight greasy film on your body.

'Sakura' (the more colourful bath bomb in the photo) is new to me so I look forward to trying it out. This is a large citricy bath bomb with mimosa and Jasmine (inspired by Japanese cherry blossom) priced at £3.35. Lastly I bought 'Butter Bear' priced at £1.95 which was recommended to me by Lush Customer Care via twitter and smells exactly like the 'Butter Ball' that I love so much but comes in the shape of a cute bear.

This little lot should keep me going for a good while.

Vegan Product of the Week: Pacifica Perfume

Since I stopped shopping at 'The Body Shop' I had been on the hunt for some decent, gorgeous smelling perfume and I found that in 'Pacifica.' After such a short space of time it has fast become my favourite perfume brand. I'm a big fan of sweet smelling perfumes and these smell good enough to eat.

Pacifica perfumes are 100% vegan, cruelty free, free of parabens and propylene glycol. They are usually priced at £19.99 but you may find them on offer at £15.99 on occasions. I purchased mine at 'Planet Organic' but I've noticed some on 'Amazon' and obviously Pacifica's main WEBSITE which is US based. The range of scents also come in the form of body butter, body wash, soap, difusers and soy candles.

The perfume can be layered or worn alone. I layered 'Island Vanilla' with the 'Tahitian Gardenia' and they smelled divine. The only downside is that it tends to fade after a few hours and needs to be topped up but the bottles are the perfect size for your handbag.

Barry M Haul

Now I'm not usually one to write about make-up and beauty products, I leave that to people who know what they are talking about but I thought I would give it a go no matter how bad it turns out. I don't tend to wear make-up that often, mostly at the weekends if I'm going out. Normally work require us to keep make-up to a minimum so I don't bother at all, especially when I have a lot of early starts to contend with. Over the past few months I have been trying to replace all the make-up I have with cruelty free brands. I thought I was doing well until I did a bit of research.

I began buying products from 'The Body Shop' but realised that they were owned by L'oreal who continue to profit from animal testing outside Europe. So when I have used these products up I shall be on the hunt for some new ones. One main company that I am aware of that is both cruelty free and affordable is Barry-M so I went into 'Boots' to buy some of their products.

I came away with their Ivory 1 Flawless Matte Finish oil free foundation, Smokin Hot Shadow and Blush Palette, Lip Gloss and two lip-sticks including the Genie which I'm really intrigued by.

So first up is 'Absolute Burgundy' in the stain paint range . I was worried that this would be a bit dark for me, I used to wear this kind of colour years ago and I had stopped wearing lip-stick for a long time but I thought I would give it a go again and I liked the result. It's a great colour for the autumn months and will look fabulous on nights out (not that I get many of those). Apologies for the extremely dodgy photo's you are about to endure.

Genie is a clever little invention and I have to admit I bought it purely because of it's magical qualities. The lip stick appears green but when you use it on your lips, it leaves them pink.

I really like the shimmery dark smoky colours in the 'Smokin Hot Palette', I used my own brush for application but I found that a lot of excess dust fell under my eyes. Unfortunately I couldn't get a good photo of my eyes once I had finished. The palette has a mirror on the inside and the flap stays shut using a magnet

The foundation was a little disappointing. The consistency isn't thick enough to cover blemishes or freckles but it's ideal if you want a subtle, more natural look. You can feel the moisturising qualities so it's reassuring to know it's not going to dry your skin out too much. It works well with powder but it's just not compatible with my complexion.

I haven't worn lip gloss for a long time either so I thought I would treat myself, I went for a nice neutral colour for everyday use (well not everyday as I won't be wearing it at work). All in all, I'm pleased with my purchases but I will continue my hunt for the perfect foundation.

Whole Foods Market, Piccadilly

Seeing as I had some spare time on my hands today, I made a point of checking out 'Whole Foods' which I had only heard about fairly recently (I'm always a little slow on the uptake). I didn't even realise how close the store was to other places I normally visit in the area (why hadn't I noticed this before?).

I was surprised at how big the store actually was and I'm not even sure that this is their biggest. 'Whole Foods' sell a wide range of organic products. You name it, they've got it. What you have to remember is that these stores are not entirely vegetarian or vegan and do sell meat and items that contain animal by-products. Fellow blogger Amber, over at 'Amber's Beauty Talk' kindly educated me on the fact that not all cosmetics certified organic are cruelty-free. So just be aware of this when purchasing.

There are many recognisable cruelty-free brands in the beauty section such as 'Pai,' 'Jason,' 'Pacifica,' 'Faith in Nature' and 'Butter London.' Other items include grains and cereals, Vegan sweets and chocolate, top quality organic fruit and vegetables, milk alternatives, vegan deserts, teas and ethical candles.

I spent so long checking out all the products I started to think that I would have to take up residency in the store. I also started to become conscious of the fact that I had been upstairs three times (yes there is an upstairs) and the people at the counter probably thought I was crazy. The staff I came across were notably helpful and friendly, giving an excellent service.

Upstairs you can find an extended beauty range with make-up, hair care, skin care and oral hygiene products. You can also find a variety of supplements and vitamins.

The bakery looked great but I decided to stay well away as I have been eating far too many cakes and sweet things lately. I was also very temped to try some of their hot food (it certainly looked appetising) but I had already planned to eat elsewhere (that's one excuse for a return visit right there).

Cold food and salads also available.

The best time to visit Whole Foods is just after pay-day because you'll end up spending a fortune (only kidding). I noticed lots of offers on so you may well be able to save some money in the process. I came home with a fantastic little selection of products. My best buy must have been my Jason shampoo and conditioner, two for £8.

Vegan Product of the Week: Vego Chocolate

This item was one of my Vegfest star buys and it could well be one of the best vegan chocolate bars on the market right now. Whilst munching on a sample at their stand I couldn't believe it was actually vegan but considering we were at a vegan event I had to believe it. 'Vego' comes in a whopping 150g bar and is organic, fair trade and gluten free.

Vego contains a generous helping of whole hazelnuts and when combined with the melt in your mouth creamy chocolate it tastes divine. This product seemed to be very popular even with the subscription boxes and I'm not surprised. I'm not sure how many people would be put off by the statement on the back of the bar that reads 'may contain traces of dairy products,' but I assume that is just a precaution as I'm sure they wouldn't be able to label the product as vegan otherwise.

Unfortunately the WEBSITE isn't clear about whether you can purchase them on-line or not but their FACEBOOK page states that you can buy them "everywhere in the UK" examples include WHOLEFOODS (Fresh & Wild), health food store and Planet Organic, so I will be having a look when I next visit. It really must be tried to be believed. Well done Vego... I take my hat off to you.

And the Winner is...

As you may of read in one of my previous review posts about 'Rice Dream' I have been on the look-out for the ideal milk alternative. Over the past few weeks I have tried and tested three more cartons and have finally reached my verdict. I shall start with 'Oatly' oat drink. This milk is made with oats, Swedish oats to be precise and contains a nutritional balance of protein, carbs, fibers and healthy fat. Although it states on the website that you can use this drink in the same way as "old school milk," when I poured it into tea it curdled quite badly. Unfortunately I decided to tip my tea away and give in to cows milk yet again. This was disappointing because it tastes great on cereal.

The next time I went shopping I decided to go for 'Good Hemp' which is described as "creamy, nutty and tastes delicious" on their website. Correct me if I'm wrong but I didn't recognise any of these qualities. I didn't like the taste of it very much on both my cereal and in my tea. However,it's a good source of Omega 3 but I won't be purchasing it again.

So now this brings me to my third and final choice and the winner of my taste buds... 'Almond Breeze' Original by 'Blue Diamond Almonds.' 'Almond Breeze' is a natural source of calcium and is low in saturated fat. It's great on cereal but it will take a little more getting used to in tea but it works well and doesn't curdle. I will be sticking to this brand in the future.

All three of these milk alternatives are soya free and can be purchase in 'Tesco' where they provide a wide range of brands to choose from, Do you have a favourite?

Vegan Tuck Box

I'm finally getting around to writing about this fab subscription box that I bought at 'Vegfest' from the 'Vegan Tuck Box' stall. It cost me £7 for a mini box but normally it would cost £11 for a one off single box with a monthly subscription price of £10. Additionally you can opt for a larger box for a monthly subscription price of £20. I completely love the idea of these boxes, it's a great way to experience brands that you have never tried before.

Inside the box we had:

Vivani White Nougat Crisp Rice choc

I start with this item because it was my ultimate favourite. It is seriously good vegan chocolate... so good that I ate little bits at a time to make it last longer and savour the flavour. It's so creamy that you wouldn't even know that it was a vegan product. The hazelnut brittle adds a little crunchiness which I loved. I've only just begun to sample vegan chocolate and I have so far found a couple that I really like (including this one). I'm not really keen on dark chocolate so this particular bar was great for me.

The Foods of Athenry Cookie Shots

A rather large bag of bite-sized brownie biscuits which are gluten and wheat free as well as vegan. The bag is re-sealable so they stay fresh. These biscuits are very light and literally melt in your mouth.

Goody Good Stuff Cola Breeze

I am already a big fan of these sweets, read my review HERE. Although I did notice a slight difference with the smaller bags. They were much tougher and chewier than the sweets in the larger bags. I don't know if it's like that with all of them but they were still good.

Hoots pickled onion snacks

These are like baked bread snacks, a great item for your lunch box. There's a reasonable amount of snacks in this bag and are quite moreish and very filling.

Delinut dip

This is an awesome product that contains plain biscuit sticks and dipping chocolate that tastes like nutella.

9bar Indulge Cocoa & Raspberry

I absolutely loved this product, probably my second favourite product in the box. The mixed seeds are combined with raspberry and dark chocolate with an extra layer of chocolate on top. Although I'm not usually that keen on dark chocolate, the right combination of contents made it very tasty. These bars are also gluten and wheat free. Another great lunch box filler.

And there we have it, the 'Vegan Tuck Box.'

You can check out their website HERE

Lunch at VBites, Brighton

It's been a while since I last visited Brighton but as I was returning especially for an event I thought I would look up some Vegan friendly restaurants before I went. I was surprised to discover VBites, an entirely Vegan restaurant in East Street, so I suggested it to my meat eating friend who gladly agreed to try it out. In fact she was more than happy to accompany me as she had recently found out that she has an intolerance to some dairy products. After the event we headed to VBites which was conveniently only two minutes away from where we were. I must admit I was more excited about this than the actual reason why we were there in the first place.

We found ourselves a seat by the window (additional seating upstairs) and carefully scanned the menu. I had never seen so many amazing choices. There were Burgers, Pizza's, wraps, jacket potatoes with a range of toppings, fish and chips, hot dog, soup, ice cream and cakes. I had trouble deciding because I wanted to try it all, but in the end I went for the classic VBeefy (burger) with sweet potato fries, washed down with an organic pear juice. my friend chose the Hickory Chick which consisted of smokey glazed chicky pieces in a toasted bun. You take your table number and go and order at the counter. The staff seemed very friendly and enthusiastic (just what I like to see) and the service was fast.

In the refrigerated area at the back of the shop where you can choose your drinks, they also sold a variety of vegan products such as cheese, butter, squirty cream, substitute milks, oven meals etc. There was also a little freezer filled with little ice cream tubs.

My friend and I enjoyed our meals very much. I would definitely return (hopefully in the near future) just to try out other dishes. I was completely stuffed by the time I had finished but the cupcakes that I had been ogling since I had walked in had been calling me so I purchased a peanut butter one (which was fantastically scrummy) and a chocolate milkshake to take away.

Vegan Product of the Week: Pukka Tea

I was never particularly into flavoured tea's and for a while I tried my hardest to find one that I liked until I discovered the 'Pukka' range. So many great flavours to choose from. Each stringed tea-bag comes in separate sachets that keep them fresh. The ones that I have pictured here are all Vegan and as far as I know the majority of pukka tea's are. 

You can check out the whole range on their website and when you click on each individual tea it will display it's dietary information. I also have other flavours in the 'Pukka' range and I like them all. Pukka believe in the health and wellbeing of both people and the planet. I highly recommend 'Pukka' to those who have been in the same situation as me.

Veganuary

While I was at 'Vegfest' at the weekend one stall in-particular caught my eye so I went over to investigate. 'Veganuary' is set up to raise awareness of Veganism and living cruelty-free and urges people to go Vegan throughout the month of January 2015. After being reassured by a lovely lady who spent time explaining everything to me, I quite happily signed up. My only fear is slipping up, but I was told that it doesn't matter as long as you try to maintain a vegan diet as best as you can.

If you are a vegetarian looking for a challenge or even a meat-eater looking to change your eating habits I suggest that you sign up to 'Veganuary.' You will receive email's with information and recipes to help you. I am looking forward to finding loads more amazing Vegan products and blogging about my experience throughout January. Please follow me if you want to keep up with my posts.