As a Vegan…..

Yes, I discovered today that Ocado stock the two varieties of Marigold Engevita Yeast Flakes, original and the one with added B12. This is so useful as I will no longer have to pay postage to buy nutritional yeast, I can simply add it to my weekly Ocado shopping delivery.

Nutritional yeast is great to make sauces with, an ingredient for seitan and super on soups to name but a few uses.

Having read a post about Soapnuts on Alicia Silverstones Kind Life blog I was so glad to receive some to test out.

The soapnuts are from Living Naturally and come in a box with a muslim bag to put them into for your machine. I was very impressed by my first load the clothes came out very clean and even appeared to be less creased and softer than with my old liquid. Yes there is no need to use a softener when you wash with soapnuts and 250 grams gives 65 – 85 washes!

They do not pollute our water systems like other detergents do either.

Soapnuts are of course vegan, great for the environment, organic, suitable for the most sensitive of skins and can be used at all temperatures from 30.c – 90.c.

The only negative point is that I wish I had discovered them sooner!

I made these Cashew and Red Lentil Burgers the other night and they were very tasty, my partner especially enjoyed them and they have a spicy tang too. The recipe is from Color Me Vegan page. 183.

These burgers can be made a day in advance then stored in the fridge for when you need them after a long days work. Serve with salad and a spicy relish and enjoy.

Here is another lunch idea in my Black and Blum Box Appetit. The Box Appetit kept my salad so crisp in the heat and my salad dressing did not leak at all from the container.

It is worth treating yourself to a Box Appetit simply for the fact your salad won’t ever be soggy again as you just add the dressing before you eat!

This is a similar salad to my previous blog, however I made a harissa dressing this time. I made the dressing by mixing a teaspoon of harissa paste with 3 teaspoons of garlic infused olive oil, it gave my salad a nice kick!

Its such hot day I had to reach for the ice-cream.

I really love the raspberry flavour from Swedish Glace it is so tasty and low in calories.

I have often shared it with non vegans and they can not tell the difference. Most who tried it have started eating it instead of dairy to save their figures it is that good!

I get mine from Ocado for just £2.05

Further to my review of the 30 Minute vegans Taste of the East here is a picture of the Kung Pao Tempeh p.123 I made for dinner a few days ago.

It is really tasty, however,  if you love things hot like I do I  would recommend adding more chillies than the recipe states.

 I chose to make the Asian Inspired Edamame Salad p.105 from the book Color Me Vegan by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. Not only does the salad match my Box Appetit (silly I know) it is also packed with 17g of protein too. I chose to accompany my salad with; Japanese black sesame rice cakes from Clearspring and some Neals Yard Thai chlli rice crackers both of which I purchased from Holland and Barrett.

As a Vegan my prayers have been answered by Urban Decay and their new 24/7 Liquid Eyeliner! The 24/7 Eyeliner is great for achieving clean, sharp and waterproof lines that do not run when you are out walking.

I used to find that being a hay fever sufferer it would take just one walk round the block with my companion canines to cause black tears to drip down my face! Not anymore thanks to Urban Decay!

The brush allows you to create bold, thick or thin lines  and it is available in 11 colours that range from being matte to glossy and shimmery and of course Urban Decay never test their products on animals.

“Draw liquid lines so sharp they could cut glass. Our slender brush lays down long-lasting matte, slick and shimmery shades sure to satisfy your color lust.” Urban Decay

I purchased the 24/7  waterproof liquid eyeliner in black and I have been so happy using it. I would like to know if anyone has tried any of the other colours yet and their experiences of vegan eyeliner?

Box Appetit and the handy carry bag

I am sure I am not the only UK vegan who finds it almost impossible to buy lunch on the go? It is not a case of being able to grab a quick sandwich or even sometimes a salad where I work. I have been pondering this fact for sometime, especially after suffering a leak form my packed lunch of sticky harrissa dressing in my handbag! After some research I have found the perfect answer with the “Box Appetit’ from Black and Blum.

The Box Appetit is made from polypropylene and copolyester(BPA free) even though it looks more like it is glass and ceramic!  It includes a sauce pot that is perfect for dressings, an inner dish, perfect for keeping foods separately and a fork with a handy clip so it does not float around in your handbag. The Box Appetit is also microwave and dishwasher safe so it is great for both salads and lunches that require reheating i.e noodles and pasta.

Black and Blum have even created a useful bag to transport the Box Appetit in and it pulls apart so that you can use it as a place mat on your lap or on your desk. Black and Blum have really thought of everything with the Box Appetit!

I will update my post with some pictures and lunch ideas in the next few weeks for you to see.

It is always nice to have something quick and easy on standby for a quick weekend breakfast. I find sausages perfect for this in order to create a sandwich fast. As my partner seems to be quite changeable when sausages are involved, we have tried and tasted many.

Taifun organic Grill Sausage's

The Taifun Organic Grill Sausage’s come in a pack size of four, perfect for two to share . You can fry or grill these sausages but as the Taifun sausages contain very little fat, it is best to brush them with oil before grilling to prevent them drying out. These sausages and rather soft to bite into making them less sausage-like  than the others, however for taste and content these are my favourites. Available from Ocado.

Ingredients: Tofu 80% (water, *soyabeans, coagulating agents: nigari, calcium sulfate), *sunflower oil, *oatmeal, vegetable broth (sea salt, yeast extract, *potato starch, *leek, *carrots, *sunflower oil, *nutmeg, *parsley, *celery), *pepper, *coriander, *garlic, *ginger, *nutmeg, *mace, *oregano, *parsley. 
*organically grown ingredients

    Cooking Time: 5-8 Minutes          Pack Size: 4          Price: £3.29          Mark out of 10: 9

Linda McCartney Frozen Sausages

The Linda McCartney Sausages, are frozen so they do not have to be consumed all at once.They are good value for money as there are 6 in a pack for just £1.89.  They can be oven cooked, fried, grilled or barbecued. Whilst these sausages are tasty while being eaten it is the fact that my body reminds me that I have eaten them for the rest of the day as they seem to give me heartburn. Available from most supermarkets.

Ingredients:Rehydrated textured wheat protein (63%), vegetable oil, water, pea and wheat protein (4%), flavourings, rusk, stabilizer – hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose.

Cooking Time: 10-18 Minutes          Pack Size: 6          Price: £1.89          Mark out of 10: 4

Redwood Lincolnshire Style Sausages

The Redwood Vegideli, Lincolnshire Style Sausages are ready to eat but in my opinion they are nicer heated up. You can do this by shallow frying, grilling or microwaving. I find spraying with a little oil and grilling gives the best results, however, I do not have a microwave so I can not comment on that method. Available from VeggiStuff.

Ingredients:Water, wheat gluten, onion, sunflower oil, wholemeal rusk, soya protein, natural flavouring, salt, unrefined sugar, yeast extract, dried herbs, stabiliser (methyl cellulose), spice extracts, dried garlic, malt extract

Cooking Time: 2-6 Minutes          Pack Size: 8          Price: £2.30          Mark out of 10: 7

Holland and Barrett frozen Sausages.

The Holland and Barett, premium vegetarian sausages are frozen. They can be  shallow fried or barbecued, I have only tried frying and they do take a while to heat all the way through.These are perhaps the firmest to bite into of the 5.

Cooking Time: 8-16 Minutes          Pack Size: 6          Price: £1.69          Mark out of 10: 8

Dragonfly Soysage

The Dragonfly ‘Soysage” is organic and somewhat shorter than other sausages, however, the sage gives them a great flavour. They can be eaten hot or cold, oven baked, grilled, barbecued or fried.

Ingredients; Soya bean fibre and curd (64%), cooked brown rice (34%), tamari, sage, black pepper, sea salt, cooked in sunflower oil.

Cooking Time: 3-15 Minutes          Pack Size: 4         Price: £2.19          Mark out of 10: 6