Indholdsfortegnelse for July 2021 i Vegan Life

Welcome to July! Yes… July. This year has flown by, and already, we have spent six jam-packed months of 2021 bringing you all there is to know about vegan activism, food and living. This month, the Vegan Life team met with a profoundly motivational vegan — Alfredo Meschi. The Italian-born performer, artist and activist is covered with tattoos — 40,000 X’s to be precise. Why? Because every single second, that is the number of animals that are killed for human consumption. When the artivist told us this fact, we were quite taken aback — and it affirmed within us that the vegan path is the right one. Make sure to check out his interview — and the awe-striking images that accompany it. Our columnist Maria Slough also caught up with…

There’s an exciting new dessert from Coconut Collaborative: Peanut Butter Chocolate Cups, and it’s the first time you will have seen a plant-based peanut butter and chocolate dessert retailing in supermarkets in the UK (coconutco.co.uk). As well as delicious, the decadent delight is also gluten- and palm oil-free. The smoothness of chocolate is the perfect complement to the crunch of the peanut, giving the dessert contrasting textures that bring a dynamic sensory contrast that will entice you into wanting more. Because of this, Coconut Collaborative’s new Peanut Butter Chocolate Cups are also bigger than any of their previous treats! You’ll find them in Sainsbury’s and Waitrose at £2.50 for a pack of two pots.…

Plant Alternative [SHICKEN] Ready Meals Plant Alternative’s mission is very simple, they want to offer vegan alternatives for everyday favourite meat-based foods. The brand, founded by Satvinder and Parm Bains back in 2020, comprise an exciting range of hand crafted, authentic vegan Asian ready meals, sides and snacks, making it easier for anyone to try and switch to a plant-based diet with meat-free versions of their favourite foods. Satvinder and Parm might only have kicked things of last year, but following a sellout first month of retailing, they have built up a massive following of happy customers. The brand says: “If the masses can have the same experience of eating chicken with our vegan chicken [SHICKEN] range then together we can make a real difference!” “Our uniqueness lies within our…

Based in Italy, artivist Alfredo Meschi uses his body to make a point about the killing of animals. The result? A representation of slaughter, violence and abuse so persuasive, that many people have turned vegan after meeting him. We talk to the performer about his tattoos, the might of non-verbal communication, and the planet’s greatest threat. Hello, Alfredo! Tell us about your own vegan journey. How did it all begin? It has been a very long journey. I had to free myself from a family imprinting made by my father — a hunter, who took me to the Big Game hunting in East Africa when I was six years old and by my uncle, the Italian spearfishing champion who taught me how to fish at the same young age. I,…

Tell us about Wild. Wild is the UK’s number one leading natural deodorant brand. Wild is an effective, natural deodorant that’s kind to the environment. Operating on a flexible subscription-based, direct-to-your-door service (so no commitment required!), Wild is the first plastic-free, refillable deodorant brand. Wild’s cases are single-use plastic-free and designed to last a lifetime, whilst our bamboo refills are 100 per cent biodegradable, vegan-friendly, cruelty-free and free from nasties such as aluminium salts, parabens and phthalates, Why was the company founded? As a brand we wanted to become synonymous with reducing single-use plastic in the bathroom and our refillable deodorant has been a great first step towards fulfilling this mission. We want to make sustainability aspirational, appealing and convenient. What makes Wild special? Wild is a genuinely sustainable product…

Garden Patch Pizza Makes 1 This colourful and delicious vegan pizza will wow your family on movie night! • 1 pre-made pizza base• 2 tbsp pizza sauce• 1 tsp olive oil• ½ onion, sliced• 125g (4.4 oz) button mushrooms, sliced• 70g (2.4 oz) kale, chopped• 2 tsp soy sauce (or tamari)• Optional seasonings: garlic, thyme, fennel• Handful roasted pumpkin• 1-2 chargrilled peppers, sliced• 3 tbsp beetroot houmous• 1 tbsp non-dairy milk 1 Preheat oven to 250°C/480°F/Gas 9 and prepare a pizza tray. 2 Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat and sauté the onion for 2 minutes, then add in the mushrooms, kale, soy sauce and optional seasonings. Sauté for another 5 minutes until the mushrooms are soft and juicy. 3 Smear the pizza sauce over the base,…

In the next issue: BBQ summer party — enjoy vegan meat alternatives and BBQ recipes galore 7 ways to holiday at home — you don’t need to go far to have fun Summer health — get prepared for the warmer weather and all it brings Smoothie bowls, iron-boosting lunches and sharing foods • No Contract • No Commitment • No Hassle • Cancel anytime you want • Delivered direct to your door • You are in complete control of your subscription To subscribe visit veganlifemag.com/sub VeganLife…

This month is all about trying to learn how to live without plastic, so that going forward, we find it easy to use less or none of the nasty material that is causing havoc to the environment and wildlife. To get you started on your journey to going plastic-free, we’ve rounded up some of the most useful eco-friendly items for implementing into your everyday life. Nourished Personalised Gummy Vitamins These made-for-you vitamins are vegan, sugar-free, allergen-free, non-GMO, made in the UK and can be delivered every month in 100 per cent plastic-free packaging! £39.99 for one month, get-nourished.com Friendly Soap Shaving Bar in Orange & Lavender Forget your foams and junk your gels: this naturally soothing soap makes a wonderful lather for a plastic-free wet shave. Perfect for pits, chins…

Yulin, located in Guangxi southeast China, is notorious for its Lychee and Dog Meat Festival. The festival is held annually during the summer solstice in June, where thousands of dogs are killed for consumption, most of which are stolen from homes and the streets. Festival goers will celebrate for 10 days by consuming lychees with dog meat, sometimes even cat meat, starting from the 21st of June through to the 30th. The event is barbaric in nature, ever since the first event in June 2009, and has since become a tradition during the hottest week of the year. Eating dog meat is often called a ‘traditional’ act in China where the belief that eating the meat will bring good luck and health. There have also been accusations that dog meat…

Since becoming vegan, freelance illustrator Emilie Muggleton has used her love and talent of art to help spread awareness, to ultimately help others to transition. Not only this, but Emilie wants to encourage and bolster existing vegans in the brilliant work they are doing to help animals and the planet. We talk to the artist about the power of art and how she got started on her vegan artivist journey. When did you become vegan and why? I was very fortunate to be raised vegetarian from birth, but my parents would’ve raised me vegan if they had been aware of the horrors of the dairy and egg industries. I became vegan in April 2017 (when I was 20) after watching countless YouTube videos exposing the meat, dairy and egg industries,…

TREK TREK’s Protein Nut Bar in Blueberry is packed with peanuts, antioxidant-rich blueberries and pumpkin seeds. Deliciously sweet, with 10g protein and packed with slow-release energy, it is the ideal pick-me-up. £1.10, eattrek.com Nakd Nakd’s newest bar in Almond Macaroon is a delight for almond dessert lovers. With no added sugar and counting as one of your five-a-day, it’s also guilt-free! 75p, eatnakd.com CLIF Bar This is an energy bar of dreams — coming in delicious Crunchy Peanut Butter and containing 11g of protein to help you rise to any occasion. £1.65, clifbar.co.uk…

Flavourful vegan brand and lunchtime favourite, Squeaky Bean (squeakybean.co.uk), has launched three tasty dips into 139 Co-op stores nationwide. The new Supercharged Garlic, Spicy Firecracker and Smooth Avocado dips are suitable for vegans but are set to create a flavour explosion for everyone. Squeaky Bean hope that as lockdown restrictions ease, the new dips will allow plant-based food lovers to add a dollop of deliciousness to newly planned alfresco events with friends and family. Perfect for on-the-go eating, the handy-sized pots can be stacked in the fridge or popped into cool boxes for summer picnics to make outdoor eating easy. They work just as well on the side of a plate where they will spice up almost any meal. The Supercharged Garlic, Spicy Firecracker and Smooth Avocado dips (RRP £1.60)…

TJ Waterfall The Plant Based Power Plan A must-read for newbie vegans concerned about nutrition or fitness, and long-term vegans looking to reach their goals or simply learn more about nutrition. In The Planet Based Power Plan, registered elite sports nutritionist, TJ Waterfall, uses the topnotch research he applies to his clients (who range from Premier League footballers to ultra-distance triathletes!) to bust myths, walk you through nutrition and explain how a well-planned vegan diet can take health and performance to the next level. £14.99, penguin.co.uk…

Each month, send us your questions and we’ll pitch them to those in the know. Whether you’re unsure about the best way to cook tofu, or you need some vegan dating advice, we’ve got your back. Q Every time I find a nice pair of jeans, they seem to have a leather patch on the bum! Please can you recommend any good vegan jean brands? It’s annoying isn’t it. You find the perfect fit — no gapping above the bum, no bunching around the ankles — and then you spot that leather patch. Thankfully, there are brands who are doing away with that pointless patch altogether, while others are using jacron, a type of paper made from cellulose. Jacron looks a bit like leather in images (though is easy to…

Roasted Red Pepper & Houmous Toast Makes 2 Toasts The sweet pepper works perfectly with the creamy houmous to make this a delightful breakfast, or lunch! For the houmous: • 400g (14.1 oz) (roughly) chickpeas (540ml can)• 150ml (5 fl oz) aquafaba (liquid from can of chickpeas)• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice• ½ tsp salt• 1 bulb roasted garlic• 120g (4.2 oz) tahini For the toasts: • 2-3 sweet mini peppers, roasted• Extra virgin olive oil, drizzled• Sea salt and pepper• Balsamic reduction, drizzled• 2 slices of toast• Hemp hearts• Pea shoots 1 To make the houmous, drain chickpeas and reserve aquafaba. 2 Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until ultra-smooth. 3 To make the toast, preheat oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Brush mini peppers with olive oil and…

Mango Salad Serves 6-8 There’s so much brightness and freshness to this salad. Packed with punchy flavours led by the mango, it’s streaked with pomegranate molasses and seeds, and topped off with candied peanuts and a sugar-spice dressing, to give sweetness throughout. • 3 mangoes, diced• 2 medium avocados, peeled, destoned and diced• 1 red pepper, finely diced• ½ red onion, thinly sliced• 1 round lettuce, roughly chopped• 100g (3.5 oz) pomegranate seeds• Handful of fresh coriander and mint, chopped• 2½ tbsp pomegranate molasses• 1 lime, to garnish For the candied peanuts: • 100g (3.5 oz) unsalted peanuts• 60g (2.2 oz) light brown sugar• Sprinkling of chilli powder• Pinch of fine salt For the dressing: • 40ml (1.2 fl oz) avocado oil• 2 limes, zested and juiced• 2 garlic cloves,…

Wine is a natural product, defined by the quality of the grapes that we grow, this is why we choose to make organic wines — with no pesticides or chemicals used while growing the grapes and none added during the wine-making process. There is no need to use animal derived products when making wine, so we don’t! Which means that they are completely vegan-friendly. Purato wines are made on the island of Sicily, which has the ideal climate for growing organic grapes. All the materials that we use — glass, cardboard and paper are all eco-friendly, recyclable and supersustainable and we are proud to say that Purato wines are also carbon neutral — truly ‘green to the extreme’! Find out more at twpwines.com. Two lucky winners will each receive a…

Sonoma, California, US: Vegan salami — made by sisters — is set to rival America’s biggest plant-based meat brands New to the US is Renegade Foods (renegadefoods.com), which crafts premium organic salamis made entirely from plants. Boasting charcuterie-style goodies including the Smoked Calabrian-Style Soppressata, Sweet Italian Toscana and Spicy Spanish-Style Chorizo, each product packs superfoods and 18g protein per serving. Chef-made in Sonoma wine country, all recipes are influenced by the founders’ time living and working abroad in southern Europe. Their mission: ‘Renegade Foods empowers communities with more considerate food choices that support the earth and every animal that calls it home. They’re developing and supporting a powerful shift towards a more compassionate, sustainable, and convenient food option’. Renegade Foods has also recently launched its first exclusive subscription membership service…

Last year, the UK missed almost all the 2020 nature targets that it signed up to 10 years ago. Many of these targets are vital for the protection and management of our natural spaces. Yet, with rapid urbanisation, population increase, agricultural pollution and low public awareness, wild areas and habitats are being destroyed (in the UK and around the world), with disastrous effects on non-human animals (as well as the survival of the planet!). But there are plenty of small actions we can all take to protect wildlife, especially when it comes to our gardens. According to The Wildlife Trusts, 87 per cent of households in the UK have a garden, and these cover a larger area than all our nature reserves combined (wildlifetrusts.org). But more and more garden spaces…

Some things in life still feel grown-up, even though I’m kind of knocking on the door of my half-century. Buying a newspaper. Eating dark chocolate. Drinking red wine. Ok, fine, I’ll say it — hoovering. Feels all grown-up. Fermenting. That feels pretty darn grown-up. Last month I wrote about making kimchi, and how it has saved my life (this is a total exaggeration, but you know how The Media Is These Days). My current obsession is making ginger beer. Another thing that seems like only a Proper Grown-Up could do it. Turns out it’s ridiculously easy. And is preposterously satisfying. Does wonders for the ego. All you have to do is shred 500g of ginger, add 350g of sugar and 12 cups of water. Add the juice of a few…

HIPPEAS® chickpea snacks are branching outside of the puffed crisp category for the first time, with the launch of the UK’s first Chickpea Tortilla Chips, available nationwide (hippeas.com). The tasty new range is packed with plant-based power — they’re vegan and gluten-free with no artificial ingredients, no palm oil and no MSG. With 7g of protein and 2g of fibre on average per 40g serving, they’re good for you, too! HIPPEAS® Chickpea Tortilla Chips come in four deliciously moreish flavours, including Rockin’ Ranch, Cheesy Nacho Vibes, Chilli Kicks and Straight-Up Salt. Sophie Higgins, marketing director at HIPPEAS® UK says: “We are so excited about the launch of HIPPEAS Chickpea Tortilla Snacks. As the first chickpea tortilla chip in the UK, it’s great to be entering the market with a product…

WORTH £102! Next Month’s Star Letter Prize Send your emails and poems to Gemma.Tadman@primeimpact.co.uk to be in with a chance of winning a selection of goodies from The Groovy Food Company. The prize bundle, worth £102 in total, is perfect for avid bakers and will include two of each of the following vegan treats: The Groovy Food Company Organic Coconut Flour, Organic Coconut Oil, Chocolate Agave Sauce, Raspberry Agave Sauce, Coconut Sugar, Creamed Coconut and Extra Virgin Olive Oil Cooking Spray. The Groovy Food Company is popular amongst healthy eaters, wellbeing and fitness fanatics, home bakers and keen cooks alike. Versatile and tasty, you can pick their products up from supermarkets and health food stores across the country. For more information, visit groovyfood.co.uk Stay Social @veganlife_mag @veganlifemagazine @veganlife_mag Hi Vegan…

Mylk Magic Purearth Mixed Nut Mylk, Four Pack Full of goodness and made with love, this four-pack of nut mylks contains Purearth’s most delicious drinks. Enjoy the Uplift for a cashew chocolatey cacao hit, Nourish for a classic almond mylk, Recover for an infusion of almond nuts, ginger and turmeric to aid recovery, and Remedy, a cashew chai spice blend that’s incredible warmed up. All are contained in sustainable glass bottles with no plastic in sight! £19.99, purearth.co.uk Barbie Time Violife Vegan BBQ Pack Who ever said BBQs can’t be vegan?! The only thing you need to make a BBQ with your loved ones even better, are the right ingredients to make tasty food for everyone. e. The exciting Violife BBQ Pack with some of our favourites is here make…

In 2021, it’s easy to believe that we don’t have to try as hard when it comes to vegan activism. Plant-based cuisine is everywhere. Vegan events and festivals are staged across the planet. Supermarkets are a joy for the vegan shopper. We are no longer looked at quizzically in local pubs and bars when we ask for vegan food. The reality of 2021 means most pubs are likely to have several menu options from which we can choose as vegan diners. We have vegan vacations (including my very own veganculinarycruises.com), specially designed plant-based hotel suites, vegan makeup and clothing brands, and politicians who are open about their choice to live a vegan lifestyle. Our work is done, right? We’ve made veganism an acceptable lifestyle choice and we have no problem…

Thankfully, in the last five years, mass creativity and investment in the homeware industry has introduced numbers of exciting and sustainable vegan materials: Vegan leather Piñatex is a brilliant leather-like material that can be used to upholster sofas, chairs, cushions and other accessories for the home. It is produced by company Ananas Anam (ananas-anam.com) and made from waste pineapple leaf fibres. Their use by Ananas Anam also creates an additional stream of income for farming communities, so ticks the ethical box as well! Another material-to-watch is Frumat’s AppleSkin leather — made from waste apples in northern Italy. Tyrol is an Italian region renowned for its overproduction of apples. To answer the local apple-waste issue, as well as the surging demand for ecological alternatives to leather, Frumat developed the new raw…

Cover Recipe Chocolate Hazelnut Fudgsicles Makes 12 mini pops These ice cream pops are just the ticket when you fancy something sweet, whether the sun is out or not! • 1 banana• 40g (1.4 oz) cocoa powder• 1 tin coconut milk• 2 tbsp maple syrup• A pinch of salt• 15g (0.5 oz) hazelnuts, chopped For the coating: • 270g (9.5 oz) dark hazelnut chocolate, melted• 30g (1 oz) hazelnuts, chopped• 1 tbsp desiccated coconut 1 Add the banana, cocoa powder, coconut milk, maple syrup and salt to a blender and whizz until creamy and then add the hazelnuts. Pour into ice lolly moulds and freeze for 4 hours or overnight. 2 Remove from the moulds and dip into the melted chocolate. Sprinkle with the extra chopped hazelnuts and desiccated coconut…