Let's do (Vegan) lunch darling...!

Never has there been a better time to learn about and experience a plant-based lifestyle.

A lifestyle that's kind to you, to animals and to our beautiful planet.

Whatever you've either heard about veganism or think about veganism - perhaps: how hard it is, how boring it might be, how bland the food must be - FORGET IT!!!

Negative perceptions - are just that - PERCEPTIONS - because a lot of industries want you to doubt how good a life vegans have.

But I'm here to let you in on the world's best kept secret - being VEGAN is WONDERFUL!!!

Of course veganism is a whole lifestyle, but starting with changes to your diet is the most fun way to get started. So let me show you that it's never about deprivation - more about liberation! Through scrumptious breakfast, brunches, lunches, suppers and treats.

Right then - let's do lunch!

[All the meals you see here have been made by me, from scratch, in my kitchen at home. I take my inspiration from everywhere and love to be creative too. No time to add all the recipes, so please contact me if something takes your fancy and I'll send you your very own recipe sheet.  
Much love - Chantal xx]


 

Hoisin 'duck' wrap.  

Exactly like your crispy Chinese favourite & you'd never know the difference! I use tins of braised gluten, drained, dried, shredded & fried! Then add shredded spring onion, cucumber & a vegan hoisin sauce in a vegan tortilla wrap.

  

Minestrone soup with canellini beans and garlic parsley flatbreads on the side. Nutritious, delicious and a meal in itself - this soup is one of my all time favourites. Add several bay leaves for that wonderful fragrant finish.

 

Maple glazed tofu on a bed of mixed grains and fresh spinach salad.  

This is officially now my favourite way to eat tofu! It's absolutely delicious - sticky, sweet, tangy. The grains underneath are 'Seeds of Change' brand Tamari infused. 

 

Cream of broccoli and asparagus soup. 

Ever chop off or throw away the stalks of these incredible veg? This soup was made with stalks! They are still so nutritious and tasty and blended like this with shallots, veg stock and some soy cream it's an incredible lunch. 

 

 

Spiced mixed vegetable pakora with mango chutney.

Add plenty of cumin and coriander to the gram flour batter mix and I think Geetas mango chutney is by far the most delicious brand to go with this (registered vegan too).

 

Spicy black bean tacos.

This is a simple dish to make using smoky chipotle paste and any beans you like. Top with guacamole and shredded iceberg. Old el Paso taco shells are vegan.

 

Posh beans on toast!

Just to 'pimp' them up a little bit & add extra nutrition - try adding onions, mushrooms, peppers etc & I love them with added BBQ sauce. This is amaranth quinoa rye from Biona.

 

Vegan BLT !

I did really use to love a BLT and whilst I'm not keen on the faux bacon products, I do love these bacon flavour spinkles! You can get them in Tescos and Sainsburys in the salad condiments aisle. They add a lovely crunch and Plamil vegan mayo is a must :)

 

Raw shoots & super seeds apple, omega salad.

Even the healthiest dishes are delicious. This combines sprouted shoots, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, fresh apple, dried apricots and I added some Cauldron marinated tofu pieces. The dressing is lemon and an omega oil such as the one from Biona. 

 

 

Thai-spiced butternut squash and sweet potato soup.

For the Thai spicing I use red Thai chillis, a lemon grass stalk (not blended in) & coconut milk. The sprinkles are some remains of the raw salad above! 

 

Hummus with warm wholemeal pittas and raw veggie crudites.

This is my absolute favourite 'go-to' lunch so I always have hummus in the fridge or a tin of chickpeas at the ready. Warm pitta and crunchy sugar snap peas is the ultimate :) but for the best vegan nutrition, remember to 'eat a rainbow'.

 

Gazpacho with focaccia.

I made this chilled soup with the end of season tomatoes (great if you can grow or buy cheaply) with diced cucumber and plenty of garlic! Perhaps too much garlic. Jus-Roll now do vegan focaccia! Just add olives, rosemary & salt!

 

Spicy bean quesedillas with a 'cheese' sauce & rustic avocado, tomato, cucumber salsa.

I love Mexican food & these are so easy - you could use any veggie filling really. I fill the tortillas, fold them in half & griddle. Vegusto make the best ready-made cheese sauce (in my opinion).

 



Griddled vegetables with a herby mayonnaise in hot ciabatta bread.

I love these style of vegetables - so juicy and flavourful when grilled, griddled or roasted! Great with lots of fresh black pepper too. 

 

Griddled basil tofu with vegetables, fresh spinach and tomato salsa in a flatbread wrap.

I used Taifun basil tofu for this - and it makes a delicious change. Healthy and high in protein low in fat. 

 

Ginger and miso vegetable noodle stirfry with cashews.

Literally made using miso paste with a little water, tomato puree and fresh ginger.I used spelt noodles here, but buckwheat and rice are great too - although rice are more delicate. 

 

Spicy chickpea & quinoa salad.

Tinned chickpeas are so handy to have in your kitchen. Dust these in gram flour, cumin and paprika, then fry in a little oil and add to some cooked quinoa with a lemon, coriander, oil dressing. Simple! 

 

Leek and potato soup with granary sourdough.

This is a perfect autumn / winter classic - you can add carrots and celery to the base and I find Marigold Swiss vegetable bouillion the best stock powder by far. I blitz half the soup & mix back in.

 

Pesto mushroom pannini.

Pesto can be made using any combination of nuts, herbs, oils and seasonings. Experiment! This one was made by blitzing cashews, basil, garlic and hemp oil! 

 

Sweet potato wedges & dips (fresh guacamole, tomato salsa, mayo, sweet chilli).

You can bake or fry these. If frying then bake first, cut into wedges then fry (more crispy!) and guacamole is simply mashed avocado, pinch of cumin, squeeze of lemon juice & black pepper (tomato pieces if you like too). 

 

Bruschettas with salsa, guacamole and coleslaw.

Using up the remaining dips from the dish above (or any dips for that matter). Just have them on toast & go all Italian about it! :) 

 

Packed lunch - vegan style! Cucumber & marmite sandwich, date & oat cookies, savoury almonds, fresh apple & soya milk. 

Just trust me on the cucumber and marmite combo.

 

Sweetcorn chowder (clam-free).

Onion, carrot, leek, garlic, thyme, sweet potatoes, sweetcorn, stock. Done. Throw in some lentils too if you'd like it even more hearty. 

 

Warm mixed grain and vegetable bowl.

This is great for leftovers! Any combination, hot or cold with any dressing for extra flavour. Open the fridge and raid... 

 

Thai vermicelli soup.

This is so light and fresh. Use a Thai red curry paste, vegan stock & soy sauce for the broth & simply add crunchy fresh veg, shiitake mushrooms & then cook the vermicelli rice noodles in the soup for 2 mins. 

 

Raw cashew hummus with herby tomatoes & fresh onion bread.

Hummus is basically a blend of nuts or beans or peas - usually with added tahini (sesame paste), oil, lemon juice and seasonings - to this I added garlic and onion powders. 

 

Mexican mushrooms with corn tortillas & green salad.

Mexican food uses a lot of fresh herbs sometimes, plenty of thyme and rosemary in this which create an amazing flavour with the chilli tomato base.

 

Walnut pate on warm 'buttered' toast.

I was never a fan of tarragon with chicken & now I know it's better with walnuts! Blitz with walnut oil, red wine, red onion, soy sauce, chives & some breadcrumbs. Yum. 

 

Mushroom burger with fresh salad and mayo.

This is a burger from Vegusto - and it's very tasty. It makes a light, quick lunch.

 

Lemony kale fusilli.

And lastly... where would vegans be without kale?! This was sauteed with onions, pine nuts & artichokes, added to fusilli pasta and mixed with an olive oil lemon dressing & loads of black pepper! [ The vitamin C in the lemon helps us to absorb the iron in the kale - top tip :) ] 

So another 30 ways to make the change to plant-based living.
How varied and tasty does that look?! Do vegans struggle to find things to eat? Ummmm NO!!

Enjoy :) 
GO VEGAN. FOR LIFE.

Campaign Corner: YOUR money, their lives. Support charities who DON'T fund vivisection.

Please take a minute to do something for me...

Open a new tab and load your preferred search engine.

Type in 'vivisection'.

Select 'images'.

Scroll down for a minute.

Take a deep breath.

Come back to this page.

Please read on:

Feels good, doesn’t it, to support a charitable organisation or two, and special causes that are close to your heart?  

Brits give an estimated £9.3bn pa (2011/12 stats)*. We are one of the most generous nations in the world. 

But what if your good intentions are inadvertently contributing to animal and human suffering?

What if your hard earned cash is actually funding ‘bad science’ that could delay progress for the work of your chosen charity, perhaps in curing a devastating disease?

It wouldn’t feel so good, would it?

So when I discovered (thanks to the latest Animal Aidcampaign literature) that some of my donations were funding vivisection (live animal experimentation), I was shocked. It wasn’t something that I’d previously considered.

And many of us, myself included, are vegan, great animal advocates, passionate about animal rights and against animal cruelty in all its forms.

As part of my journey into veganism my independent research led me to several organisations that explain, very clearly, just why the scientific practice of vivisection is now outdated and in fact produces misleading results that may have hindered medical progress for decades.

And when you think about it – it’s obvious as to why. Whilst most animals used are mammals – that’s where the similarity to humans ends.

Animals have different physiologies to us and different responses to us. No species can be a biological marker for another. We are all different – pure and simple. So different that even small genetic variations can dramatically skew research results and lead to outcomes that are harmful to humans when products are subsequently manufactured on the back of the ‘scientific animal-based research’.  

* * *It’s estimated that death from adverse effects of medical treatments is the 4^th highest cause of death in industrialised countries. * * *

Not only this, but consider the fact that in persisting with such unreliable research scientists are potentially bypassing the use of new and (better) biotechnologies AND therefore potentially missing cures and solutions to some of mankind’s’ most difficult challenges!

And the barbaric nature of vivisection is such that humans cannot (should not), in all conscience, inflict this on other perceptive, feeling (sentient) beings. Because whilst we know that other species are different to us, science has also proved (and continues to acknowledge) that they all still suffer fear, pain and emotional turmoil, on scales that are comparable to ours. 

NO perceived ‘progress’ is worth this.

There’s no need for me to describe graphic details of what might be happening in research labs, all around the world, every second of every painful day here – you can easily search for yourself online (just as I've advised above). Do it, please. Wake yourself up.

And then, take these positive steps, immediately:

1. Identify where YOUR chosen charities spend YOUR money.

If they’re more progressive and do not support vivisection for their research – then please let them know you appreciate this and will continue to support them because of it.

2. If, however, you’re inadvertently supporting something that horrifies you as much as it does me, then let your charities know what you think of their decisions.

You may wish to phone them, email them, write to them, tweet them and FB them and you may wish to withdraw your support until such time as they change.

Most importantly, you must tell them WHY you’re doing this, so that they can consider their future actions. Whilst I’ve said how generous a nation we are, it’s a fact that donations in total have decreased by an estimated 20%, in real terms, since 2010 and competition for your money is fierce. Further losses will help them to wake up.

3. Please share this with everyone you know and come into contact with.

You can easily do this in just 10 minutes and I’ve created a little ‘tool kit’ below to help you further.

Please join me and my compassionate friends at All Animal Rights and Animal Aid in making this important stand against unnecessary and vicious animal testing – the lives of billions of animals depend on you – including humans (maybe even YOU one day) who rely on accurate scientific research.

Keep fighting for the voiceless. We’re all strong on our own, but together we’re a real force to be reckoned with.

Much love

Chantal

Update:

Still waiting for official responses to communications / emails. I’ll add them as and when they come in.

Your tool kit for action:

Get the latest on Animal Aid’s campaign here.

Check if the charities you support fund vivisection here.

Adapt and use the email/letter below if you wish to withdraw your support from a charity.

Support Animal Aid in their campaign – you can get more involved in spreading this vital info here.

Support organizations that fund and promote pioneering medical research into human disease WITHOUT the use of animals or animal tissue - such as The Humane Research Trust and The Dr Hawden Trust.

Please share this with everyone you know.

Template letter:

Dear [insert name of Chief Exec etc]

Subject: Why I can no longer support [charity name].

I’ve recently been very shocked, saddened and distressed to find out that [organisation name] funds research into [disease i.e. heart disease] using the outdated and barbaric scientific practice of vivisection on sentient animals.

It’s widely recognised by eminent and leading scientists, worldwide, that this method of research does not only yield inaccurate (and therefore potentially dangerous) results but that it dramatically hinders medical progress for the benefit of us all.

[insert any personal relevance i.e. Given that my Father suffered with severe Alzheimers for many years and that I’ve supported you with considerable time and monetary funds, I’m devastated to know that my money has been spent in this way and possibly with no positive outcome for the elimination and cure for this terrible disease.]

I have no option but to withdraw my support from your organisation immediately and to tell everyone I know to do the same. I shall, instead, be offering my support and funds to [insert other organization name if appropriate] who are funding progressive research through modern biotechnology. And I have joined the 1.26million people who have signed the latest ‘Stop Vivisection’ EU petition.

It makes me very sad to have to do this. Please can I urge you to reconsider your position on the research that you do.

Vivisection is a blatant act of turning a living, feeling, sentient being into a commodity to experiment on. This simply cannot be tolerated in a modern society. And to do it for results that are valueless, possibly dangerous, makes it all the more disturbing.

Please let me know your current stance and future plans regarding this. Should your work change then please also let me know and I shall gladly reconsider offering my support.

But for now [add ways in which you support i.e.:  I have cancelled my direct debit, will no longer donate goods to  / buy goods from your shops, give money to collectors, run the annual coffee morning, purchase from your website, promote you to others etc.]

Sincerely

[your name]

Sadly its too late for these poor creatures - but for those of the future - it's in YOUR hands.

Thank you.

References:

*UK Giving 2012 report, compiled by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO).

Animal Aid ‘Victims of Charity’ Campaign 2013.

The ‘Stop Vivisection’ EU petition (1,126,005 signatures 02.11.13)

Restaurant review - tibits, Heddon St. London

tibits

Regular readers will know that I have a bit of an issue with some vegetarian restaurants - in that most of them are not that 'contemporary'. Fabulous tasty food - yes, but decor (and sometimes service) that appeals to the omnivore masses? - no.

outside tibits - a little oasis in the City

So when I was kindly asked if I would like to dine at tibits and write a review, I was very excited indeed!...

tibits is situated in a fabulous location - in a leafy little oasis just off the hustle and bustle of Regent Street. It's a haven of plant-based deliciousness.

With modern Swiss styling, yet a warm and welcoming vibe it did not disappoint. Ahhhh! Bliss!!!! 

Even worth leaving my Devon oasis for...

 

fresh, funky & unusually contemporary - hurrah!

It's bright, clean, tidy and set over 2 floors with plenty of eclectic seating and room for special events if you need to hire a great space. When I was there it was lovely to see such a mixed clientele and that even on a Monday lunchtime it was buzzing. 

The service was relaxed, friendly and efficient.

a boat of vegan food you could just sail away on!

The format is a help yourself buffet - with salads, soups, hot dishes, breads, desserts & fresh juice options - all set out in an eye catching boat-shaped island! I'm not usually a fan of the buffet scenario (yes, really!) but given that vegan choice is usually quite limited - to suddenly be presented with masses of it (80% of the 40 daily dishes) all clearly labelled as vegan, it was like being the proverbial 'kid in the sweet shop'! 

Decisions decisions.....

Now you WILL want to try everything. And indeed I'd recommend that you do take small morsels of everything that takes your fancy! Why not?!

Here were just some of the day's dishes when I visited:

My 'starters plate:

My 'mains' plate: 

There's just a teensy catch though...

You pay for your food by weight.

[no, not your weight - if that was the case I'd have been in serious financial trouble!] The weight of the food you've taken. I've never come across this before, and admit to some trepidation at having my food weighed! I'm unsure as to the business reasoning behind this, but given the tendency for many to overindulge at a buffet it does actually prevent you from taking too much, and consequently eating too much and possibly wasting too much?

And little samples of several different dishes does make for a varied, yummy meal experience. And tasty it was! I found plenty of variety, everything tasted different, all was well seasoned and flavourful. One more note though - go easy if you want to make it to pud! And you should. My combination of sticky toffee pudding, passion fruit 'cream' and fresh pineapple was inspired, if I say so myself.

Dessert:

Some other typical dishes on the menu:

Mulligatawny soup

Oven roasted veggies - shallots, carrots, pears, figs

Glazed chestnut, pupkin, sesame tofu avocado & dried bean salads

 

black hummous with olive bread

Pricing: My starter plate weighed in at approx £5.00, main at £8.50 and dessert at £4.50 - incredibly reasonable for London pricing and indeed for good food anywhere!

So what else can I say about tibits?

Well, to me, it's the ideal place for brunches, lunch dates, dinner dates, business lunches, food on the go and casual 'I can't be bothered to cook tonight' dining .

Obviously if you're veggie or vegan it's a joy to just go and eat free from worry and the need for a magnifying glass to read small print. But I adored the fact that a non veggie/vegan would still love it too. tibits champions all that's great about meat-free, plant-based foods - the infinite colours, flavours, tastes and textures - all presented in a style for 2013.

THIS is what's needed. Something that omnivores can be tempted by, try and love. As a passionate vegan advocate, yes of course I'm looking for 'converts' - I make no secret of it - and tibits is now one of my secret (peaceful) 'weapons'. TYTYTY! Keep up the great work guys.

p.s. Please open a branch in Exeter!

Chantal x

Next up! I shall be reviewing the first tibits cook book! Stay tuned for my recreations of some of their favourite dishes at home.

Details:

Vision:  tibits was founded and is run by three brothers - Reto, Christian and Daniel Frei, together with business partners Rolf and Marielle Hiltl, who run Hiltl, the oldest vegetarian restaurant in the world, which is located in Zurich.

tibits

12-14 Heddon Street

off Regent Street

London W1B 4DA

Phone +44 (0)207 758 4110

Fax +44 (0)207 734 0428

info@tibits.co.uk

Opening Hours:

Monday to Wednesday
9am – 10.30pm

Thursday to Saturday
9am – midnight
Sunday
11.30am – 10.30pm
Food served until 30 mins before closing.

Disclaimer: Whilst I was a guest of tibits on this day for lunch, my review, is, as always, entirely without bias and reflects my honest opinion.

Restaurant Food Review - Willow Vegetarian Restaurant, Totnes, Devon

Those of you who've read my review of The Jack in the Green Inn, Rockbeare may remember that I started my perfect day with a visit to Totnes and lunch at 'Willow'.

Just because my vegan fine dining experience in the evening was so incredible, doesn't mean that my visit to Willow was none-the-less worthy of a review and so here it is:

Willow was recommended to me by a Twitter friend and having wafted the length and breadth of the high street in Totnes I'm glad that I had the recommendation - because shockingly it would seem that there aren't actually that many vegetarian eateries in the town! In fact Willow seems to be the main one! [If you've ever been to Totnes or know of it - you'll understand my surprise...]

Anyway - its tucked at the top of the high street so if you fancy working up an appetite park at the bottom of the town and walk up.

doesn't quite look like this now

I never used to know quite what to expect of vegetarian restaurants, but I'm getting the sense now that many of them are similar in style. Willow is no exception, eclectic in design (rustic some might say) with a mix of wooden benches and chairs and a mixed clientele as well. Posters, paintings, plants and paraphernalia adorn the walls in a random fashion and the restaurant is clearly signed as a mobile-free zone (I didn't dare disobey).

The first thing that hit me was the delicious food smell though! And so, space at a communal table well and truly nabbed, I went up to the serving counter to make my choices.

Willow serves a hot buffet style selection of freshly prepared dishes for lunch every day - which include several vegan main options and three salad sides suitable for vegans too. There are also a number of desserts and cakes - well labelled and easy to chose veggie, GF and Vegan. This makes life so much easier.

The food is served to you in rustic crockery and the team there are warm and friendly and were happy to advise on the vegan dishes of the day.

We both opted for the same thing - a mixed vegetable curry, which came on a mound of wholegrain rice and huge scoops of three different mixed salads all around the side.

The food: 

oops bit blurry but you get the jist...

Absolutely packed full of flavour this food really did live up to expectation. It was truly delicious. I would hazzard a guess that there must have been 20+ different types of veg and salad on my plate and its such a pleasure to eat this way - carnivores - you should try it. The sheer variety and flavour is wonderful. With that home-cooked feel and portions that would definitely be at home in my home [ ;) ] it felt like having lunch with good friends.

They don't do fancy coffees (kind of a relief because I truly think the cafe culture has gone a step too far sometimes) but cafetieres of mild, medium or strong roasts and steamy hot soya milk on the side. We opted for the medium blend and it was perfect.

I would love to have had some cake or pudding - but even I couldn't manage any on this occasion - I was so full and very relaxed - content.

I have two gripes with Willow however - one was the state of the toilet facilities - frankly not clean enough and the other (which is possibly more subjective) the fact that this resembles some other vegetarian eateries in its style. Regular readers will know I prefer contemporary as opposed to hippy (and yes I also know some of you find this offensive - but it's the word that will best conjure up an image in peoples' minds because it meets that stereotype!) and I can't help but think that it will never attract non-vegetarians/vegans because of this.

I personally think this is a massive shame when the food is so good!

Attracting new people to the ways of plant-based living could be so easy to do - good for them, and good for business too and I wish someone, somewhere would create a modern cafe / restaurant that doesn't even advertise its vegetarian-ness - it is just about the fabulous food that happens to be meat free, egg free, dairy free.

For these reasons I fear Willow may be missed by many people who would / could actually love it - and that's a shame.

But for now I'll go back whenever I need a perfect day out - even if I can't totally blend in the food is yummy.

Soups, sandwiches filled jacket potatoes (£4–£5.90). Three mains (£5, £9.50 with mixed salads), one or two vegan, often gluten-free, such as blackeye bean bake, curry, or savoury tofu flan. Thalis £9.90, £11.50. Evening starters (£3.20–£5.80) feature dips, soup, garlic bread.

Lots of cakes (£2.20–£2.40) include oaty fruit slice, sticky tofu date cake, and chocolate beetroot cake. Evenings there are also desserts (£5–£5.50), such as sundaes and you can add (vegan) ice cream and sorbets too.

My tip: Have an early lunch because the restaurant clearly is patronised by regulars who know that getting there early means they have the pick of the daily menu - cos once a dish is gone its gone. We went in at 12.30pm and already things were being crossed off the board.

87 High Street
Totnes
Devon
TQ9 5PB

Tel: 01803 862605
Open: Mon–Sat 10.00–17.00 (Fri from 9.00); also Wed, Fri–Sat 18.30–21.00; Sun closed