No exaggeration – I went from eating rare steak one day to being disgusted by it the next. Vegan followed vegetarian after a mere few months.

I like to say “the switch flipped”. I’ve heard many vegans and vegetarians talk about a similar moment. Suddenly you just feel like your blinders are ripped off, your switch is flipped and you cannot look at the world the same way.

You are awake. Lame I know, but that’s just how it feels.

But, I don’t really want to talk about how I BECAME vegan, what I want to talk about is living as a vegan. Day-to-day life, the moments, happenings and realities of shirking animal products from your diet.

Do you suddenly become some kind of alien? Does your life flip upside-down? Are restaurants a thing of the past and you are destined to live as a social outcast for the rest of your days?

In case you can’t see where I’m going with this – NO. That is absolutely not the case.

In my (limited) experience lots of people opt out of going vegan out of some fear their life is going to change and become more complicated. I hear a lot of “I couldn’t live without cheese” or “I couldn’t afford to be vegan” or “I wouldn’t know what to cook” or, my favorite: “I just can’t be bothered.”

I once felt all of these things…. the idea of going vegan seemed like an epic mountain to climb and nearly impossible to imagine. What I want to write today is an honest, if slightly gushing, “ode to veganism” about how much it has changed my life for the better. I want to talk about how my life is so much richer because of this choice I made and how, it’s actually insanely easy. Don’t opt out…. don’t opt out of the greatest pleasure you will ever take on.

 I AM VOTING

The main thing I notice about my life now – is that I stand for something. Even just by waking up in the morning and going to bed in the evening. Every day COUNTS, every day is a protest, a vote, a stance for something I really, truly believe in and I think nearly everyone does on some level. Living my life as a vegan means that just by getting up, walking around and eating food, doing what everyone does every day, I am making these actions count for something. I am buying bananas instead of chicken thighs, cabbage instead of rib eye, parsnips instead of sausages and with each of these “votes” – I am sending a message that I want money filtered into the creation of organic fresh fruits and vegetables and not dead animals. I know it’s airy-fairy to think that one person makes a difference, but I think we all do in some way. But more on that later

I AM HEALTHY

It’s amazing and rewarding that I get to be living proof human beings don’t need animal products. I’m sure you’re all sick of hearing vegans brag about how great they feel – but I just have to do it quickly. Since giving up meat and dairy, I feel truly like the best version of myself. All the energy that my body was using to break-down and digest animal flesh, is now just being used to LIVE. I wake up in the morning and (most days!) I want to just get up out of bed, I enjoy every mouthful of food I eat, I rarely get tired, I never get sick, I have an abundance of energy… and if you think I’m exaggerating or bragging, just ask anyone who knows me in real life. I genuinely feel happy and healthy all of the time. Of course, we all have low days, but they are incredibly rare and usually with just cause. Obviously – veganism isn’t a magical cure for everything – but it’s pretty damn close!

I LOVE EATING AND HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD

I didn’t used to love and trust food the way I do now. I don’t mind admitting that. From growing up chubby and not really understanding how to eat and be healthy – it’s insane to me that I now can eat whatever I want, as much of it as I want and not fear any serious weight gain. I love eating healthy food, I love creating vegan feasts, I love playing with my diet and experimenting. I love trying raw food diets, I love eating until I feel completely full and satisfied! You really can’t eat cheese until you’re full and satisfied without worrying about the insane amount of calories and fat you’ve eaten, right?! But you genuinely can do that with whole vegan foods and you’re only putting more and more goodness into your beautiful body. It’s the most wonderful, amazing and logical win-win scenario ever.

I SEE THE WORLD DIFFERENTLY….. WITH NO BLINDERS

This point is a little controversial… but hey, isn’t everything these days? Basically – since going vegan I feel like I am walking around looking at everything completely differently and I like that. I can’t look at a fridge full of flavored milks before wondering how people don’t think more about how much milk there is in the world. I watch children drinking hot chocolates with marshmallows and I think about what they are really eating and putting into their bodies…. I hear people talking in every day conversations and saying things that are so contradictory and hypocritical. I work in my hospitality job and see the wastage of food and I can’t be casual about it….

It’s a blessing and a curse. It’s the burden of knowledge. But I’d certainly rather know than turn a blind eye.

I AM DOING THE BEST I CAN

Being vegan isn’t about being perfect. This is a very common misconception about veganism. Being vegan is about doing the LEAST amount of harm possible. Not killing unnecessarily. Not causing unnecessary pain. Valuing life. Doing the absolute best you can in a world that is not doing too well. In this modern time, it’s nearly impossible to lead a fully ethical life and not hurt any living creatures – but veganism cuts out SO MUCH of it. Of course we know that basic farming hurts animals, I know that housemates are going to kill spiders, I know that every cup of coffee I drink maybe has some trail to something unethical, I know that my life isn’t perfect. I’m not trying to be perfect, I’m trying to do the best I can and that is a good feeling.

And – it’s NOT HARD. It’s not hard to say “hold the cheese”, it’s not hard to eat delicious potatoes and hummus and fruits and things, it’s not hard to Google “vegan chocolate cake recipe” and put in some oil instead of eggs. These things are NOT hard. It’s easy. It’s an easy, effortless way to make an enormous difference and that is a bloody good feeling.

I AM LEARNING, GROWING AND CHALLENGING MYSELF EVERY DAY

One of the best things that can ever happen to you – is finding out something you believed in, or something you thought was true – absolutely isn’t. Having your beliefs challenged, tested and losing faith or keeping it. The day I realized I had been wrong my entire life about eating meat, that it’s actually not okay and I didn’t understand anything about the way it came to my plate, was an incredible and powerful day. I had to sit down and figure out who I was and what I believed in.

I never thought there was anything wrong with eating meat. I thought cows were made to be milked. I thought eggs were healthy and chickens just laid them for us to eat. Having these beliefs blown out of the water is a powerful thing and empowers you to question everything.

This goes for veganism as well. I question my veganism nearly every single day. I believe in it so strongly that, having already had everything I believe in debunked, I know to question this too. Mainly because veganism is still in SUCH a minority and I can’t understand why. I don’t want to live in a bubble and I never want to be ignorant, so I continue to research and I continue to question. I want to be informed. And every time I question, every time I do some research or every time I watch a video of an “ex-vegan” – I come back to the same conclusions. I do my research, I think about how I feel, I think about animal products, I think about industries and I come back to the same beautiful, educated resolve: I am a vegan. This makes sense to me. This is the best thing I’ve ever done and I only ever question it when people tell me to.

I have stopped questioning veganism. I embrace it with all my heart because it has given me so much. It’s made me fit and healthy. It’s made me bright and positive. It’s given me compassion for animals that I really have never had. It’s made me think about the kind of person I want to be, the kind of children I want to raise and the kind of influence I want to have. It’s given me amazing health, new friends, new perspective (and new kitchen supplies!)

I owe a lot to veganism and only wish I’d been a vegan sooner. But then, of course, I wouldn’t have had this amazing journey.

The post Life as a Vegan appeared first on Chic Vegan.

How good life for a meat-eater must be, when vegans come along that live up to the biggest stereotypes? When a vegan comes along wearing a PETA t-shirt, being severely underweight, with bags under their eyes, holding a “FUR IS EVIL” placard? Immediately it’s “Ha! Stupid Vegans!”, off to eat some Mac’N’Cheese happily, never questioning their lifestyle, because “vegans are weird”. End of story.

Except – vegans aren’t weird. Not anymore. How scary that must be? Vegans aren’t weird or strange or stupid. Vegans are logical, normal and intelligent. How scary that must be for some people? If smart people are not eating meat – that means they’ve THOUGHT about it, right? They’ve considered it, researched it and decided they can’t go to an organic family farm for beef.

I constantly feel that both individuals and society want to keep vegans in a box. The “Stupid, Health-Nut, Hippie, Anemic Box”, so others don’t have to deal with the reality that veganism actually makes brilliant sense.

Don’t make veganism logical – keep it stupid. It’s easier to keep vegans as a stereotype and ridicule the group as a whole. But frustratingly (being a vegan) a lot of these stereotypes are blatant LIES.

Do you agree? Let’s have a look, shall we? Here are some of my favorites (that I hear CONSTANTLY)….

1) Vegans Force Their Opinions on Others, So We Should Laugh at and Ignore Everything they Say.  

Obviously, this point does not (and cannot) speak for every vegan in the world. I’ve no doubt there are vegans out there who are pushy with their values and some who are inappropriate. I have no doubt. Like there are some awful, pushy meat-eaters out there who make vegans feel like criminals. No one is perfect. But I include this point and am confident with it. MOST VEGANS DO NOT FORCE THEIR OPINIONS ON OTHERS. I have NEVER forced my view of veganism on ANYONE, yet get accused of it on a daily basis. The mere act of sitting with a salad can land you with “forcing your diet on others”. Daring to attend a social gathering and expecting some kind of sustenance can land you with this accusation. Being ASKED by someone why you are vegan and answering them can land you with an EPIC accusation. Truly hilarious. It’s like a sitcom.

Every day, vegans are BOMBARDED with anti-vegan opinions. Every vegan out there (except maybe the fancy Portland types) are bombarded with dairy commercials, McDonald’s restaurants, Delis, Hot Dog Stalls, Bil-boards, Milkshakes, loved ones slathering mayonnaise on everything, cake shops, people holding Starbucks cups filled with milk and every damn other animal-product in this mad world we live in. It is damn near IMPOSSIBLE for veganism to look like a “forced viewpoint” in this world! Get a grip. If my hummus sandwich, or me “sharing” an animal abuse video is “forcing” my opinion on you – you need to take a look at why that one post in a sea of thousands is bothering you so much.

Boom.

2) Vegans Hate Meat Heaters, So We Should Laugh at and Ignore Everything they Say.  

Vegans do not live in a city called “Vegan”. Vegans live here, in the real world, just like you. We may even be on your bus. We may even be in your bloody family! GET OVER YOURSELVES. We don’t hate you, we just wish you’d use Google and understand a little bit more about the world.

We don’t hate you. We hate Slaughterhouses. We hate that your money is paying for them. We hate that you’re paying for Cows to be locked up and abused. We hate where you money is going and that you don’t understand it’s going there.

We don’t hate you. We hate that you order a latte and then tell us you buy milk from Organic Farms. No you don’t. You just bought a latte.

3) Vegans Care More About Animals Than Humans, So We Should Laugh at and Ignore Everything they Say. 

This, again is ludicrous and any human being with a logical mind knows it is bollocks. So, why do I hear it ALL THE TIME?! It’s nonsense.

Animals are not more important than humans. Humans are the superior species and that is WHY we should LOOK AFTER the innocent. Protect the weak. Not enslave and exploit the vulnerable. All of your arguments for eating animals are our answers for protecting them. It’s because we are stronger that we should protect. It’s because we are smarter that we should know better.

4) Veganism is Just Their Opinion, So We Should Laugh at and Ignore Everything they Say.  

I would like to pose a very deep question to you today: when does something STOP being an opinion?

When? When there is fact to stop a debate? When facts prove your opinion? Surely then it’s not an opinion? If you are speaking in fact – HOW IS THAT AN OPINION?

Saying mankind abuses animals is not an opinion, it is a fact. Sending a cow through a slaughterhouse is murder. It’s abuse. Saying cows are artificially inseminated is abuse. If impregnating a cow against her will isn’t abuse, what the hell is? Saying meat causes heart disease is medically proven, it’s not an opinion. Saying vegetables are healthy and you can get all of your nutrients with a vegan diet IS NOT AN OPINION. It’s a fact.

So, is Veganism an opinion? #bigquestions

5) Vegans are Sensitive and Feel Too Many Emotions, So We Should Laugh at and Ignore Everything they Say.

Who is more sensitive? The person who watches videos of events that are actually occurring (and contain graphic abuse and violence) or the person who closes their eyes and refuses to watch the video?

Who is more sensitive? The person who is too afraid of what people will think to do anything radical or go against the grain? Or the person who makes their life significantly more difficult by becoming a part of a minority to stand up for what they believe in?

Yeah, vegans are weak.

6) Vegans are Deficient in Everything, So We Should Laugh at and Ignore Everything they Say.

Again, the vegan diet is not deficient. There is information about this all over the internet, so I won’t go into it here. If this is an argument you give or hear as an excuse to not go vegan – GROW UP. It’s not a thing. Vegans are not ill or sick when they eat a healthy diet. Healthy diets do not need meat, dairy, fish or eggs. End of story.

Don’t let yourself be put into a box. Don’t let any silly misinformation about veganism or animal rights protesters or PETA or anything get you down.

If you are a vegan – you are just a HUMAN BEING who is making a stand. A human who is saying “no” when told that animals are our property to do whatever we want with. You are STRONG, BRAVE and facing up to reality.

Becoming vegan doesn’t automatically change your personality, your friendship group, your religion, your family or anything else about what makes you “you”. “Vegan” isn’t an exclusive club or a weird religion or cult. It’s a vote.

Being vegan is a vote.

A vote against animals as property. A vote to cause the LEAST amount of harm possible. Who wouldn’t vote for that? Will you not vote because you don’t want to be in a box? Or because you believe the lies?

Don’t believe the lies. Believe the facts.

To watch Gary Yourovski’s phenomenal speech that SHATTERS every vegan myth, click here: “The Greatest Speech You’ll Ever Hear.”

The post Six Frustrating Vegan Stereotypes appeared first on Chic Vegan.

If you want to succeed as a vegan, one of the best (and scariest) things to tackle is seeing things as they actually are and not the pretty picture being sold.

Basically, you have to turn your brain on.

Where I used to see a fridge full of milk in a supermarket, now I see the steps before this fridge became full of milk. It looks innocent, but represents is an industry no one wants to know the truth about.

Co-workers marvel at how I’m not tempted by the Salted Caramel Gateaux Cake at work. There are leftovers… the plate is full of salted caramel goodness…. The cream is oozing out the sides… the staff happily help themselves to a leftover slice and look at me, eyes full of pity, that I “can’t have any cake”.

“Oh, that’s right, you can’t have any.”

Okay, let me stop you right there. I can eat whatever I want.

If I wanted a bacon sandwich in my mouth right now, I could do that. If I wanted to eat Gateaux I would consume that Gateaux immediately. I’m not avoiding the Gateaux because I’m afraid of my thighs. I’m avoiding the Gateaux because I choose not to eat things that come from animals. I am a vegan.

Being vegan doesn’t mean you suddenly follow a long list of evil rules that stop you ever eating delicious goods and enjoying your life. Being vegan means you make a choice to stop consuming things that are a part of a larger, evil picture. It means you see things for what they really are. You see the trickle down effect of big industries and do your best to not invest or support them.

You see cake. I do not see cake.

I see Dairy.

Where I see dairy, I see commercial dairy farms. I see Cows in pain. I see animal suffering. Animal cruelty. Slavery. Slaughter.

That is what I see.

(Not to mention the blood, puss, hormones and chemicals. Let’s not go there. I can feel I’m losing you already. DON’T TALK ABOUT THE PUSS.)

I’m aware not all dairy is evilly produced, but the further you research, the more scary dairy industries are. Even the kindest, loveliest dairy farms involve some cruelty (separating mothers from their babies for “veal”, artificially inseminating cows, inevitably sending them to slaughter) and the farms that involve minimal cruelty are in such a tiny minority it’s really not worth talking about.

Vegans see the BIG PICTURE.

This is what I’m saying, people. I’m not hating on lovely Tom over there with Daisy the Cow, milking her in the morning and then making cookies for his kids in the afternoon. I’m talking about Factory Farms.

Most Dairy comes from a factory farm. An enormous large “business” of cows all lined up in their own feces, operated by frustrated workers (often caught on camera doing things you don’t want to know about) pumping as much milk out of these living beings as possible until they are only fit to become food and then watering down the milk for maximum profits to get on your shelf and tell you is full of calcium.

I hate to break it to you.

Vegans don’t make this stuff up, guys. We aren’t the worlds biggest buzz-kill. I don’t want to tell you why that cake doesn’t appeal to me, because I want friends and a life and I want to enjoy myself and not send people running whenever they look at me.

Which, I guess is kind of why I blog. I blog to get all these thoughts and feelings out there, ready for people when they are ready for it. If you come on these pages and read vegan articles, you have SORT this information. I don’t want to be that major buzz-kill in real life unless someone asks me directly or they say something really bloody stupid that I have to correct.

“Cows EXPLODE if we don’t milk them.”

Yes. Okay.

Changing your associations is one of the most beneficial things you can do as a vegan. Look at things for what they really are, take off the blinders and stop eating the lies businesses are selling you.

The lovely frosting on that cupcake is made up of ingredients that hurt and exploit animals.

The salmon on that sushi train is actually a mound of bi-catch and environmental devastation.

That lovely silky latte doesn’t look like a line of cows waiting to be milked by machines three times a day. But that is what it is.

This isn’t being dramatic, or cruel, or “an annoying vegan”. It’s telling things as they are. Open your eyes, remove the blinders and don’t think your life is over and cake-less.

Because guess what?

THERE IS VEGAN CAKE! There is avocado sushi! There are soy lattes! There are lots of lovely things that mean BEING VEGAN IS NOT DIFFICULT.

I would go as far as to say – I think people are afraid of how EASY being vegan is. More and more people are proving we DON’T need any animal products and that scares others. They want to hold on to their chicken sandwiches, but know they can’t use the excuse they “need meat” anymore.

The government are constantly changing how much fruit and veg we need to be more and more and more (in the UK the “5 a day!” jingle has become “10 a day!”). Studies are constantly coming out telling us to eat less and less meat. It’s like the giant secret we all know deep down… But are too afraid to commit to.

I get it. Going vegan seems like a big deal. But it isn’t. Grow a pair. Do it. It’s not that hard.

The hardest part is facing how gruesome our world can be and how much of the “pretty” things that surround you are not pretty: the cakes, the decadent meals, the crepes in Paris, the Tiramasu, the canapes….

These things look harmless and delicious, but they are not. All you have to do is choose the vegan option. I promise it will still be delicious. And it’ll actually help your body out instead of mess it up. It’s a win, win.

Also – when you have taken that vegan jump, educated yourself, enlightened your life and still feel tempted by these foods, don’t be afraid of having a sneaky bite and seeing what you think. Taste it. Eat it. Eat that cream. I guarantee most of the time you’ll think: “oh, that’s it?”

So much pain and suffering and its not even as good as my hummus

The post See Things for What They Actually Are appeared first on Chic Vegan.

I honestly get asked this question a lot. “Would you ever date someone who ate meat??”

I obviously won’t speak for every vegan out there, but for me personally – will I only date vegans?

No.

Absolutely not.

How hypocritical would that be? If a meat-eater said to me: “I wouldn’t ever date a vegetarian”, they would be horribly small-minded, surely?

It’s fair to want your partner to share your beliefs, but veganism is a bit more extreme than your average “I think all humans should be equal” or “I am pro-choice” and I accept that.

Deciding to live without animal exploitation takes actual actions and commitment. To me, it’s a very important issue to tackle, but I understand most people don’t see that (yet!)

Most people think “vegan” and still think “raging hippie”. Our image needs a lot of work. The celebrity-vegan-trend is kind of helping, but not when they’re eating meat one week later or walking into vegan restaurants wearing fur. The positive, attractive vegan image needs to come from every-day vegans out there, living our day-to-day lives, showing a lifestyle that is appealing to others (including future partners!). We should be walking, talking examples that vegans are just (oh my god, shock) NORMAL people who choose to eat a different diet. I feel that if I walked around saying “I would NEVER date a meat eater!” that would turn people off and re-enforce a negative stereotype that vegans are extreme and extend more compassion to animals than fellow human beings. I have vegan friends who will not date meat-eaters and I admire them. There is no “right” or “wrong” answer to this question; it’s completely personal.

It’s not because I desperately want a boyfriend that I WOULD date a meat-eater, it’s because I genuinely cannot, in my heart of hearts, discriminate against anyone, especially for something I once did myself.

I used to eat meat. Shock. I did.

I ate sausages, bacon, scrambled eggs, hard-boiled eggs, rare steak, bolognaise…. all of it. I never ate lamb or veal (so compassionate) but I ate pretty much everything else. A chicken, mayo and cucumber sandwich was my idea of heaven.

But then . . . I changed. I learned things, my perspective widened, and I found out lots of stuff that I couldn’t ignore. Those foods stopped being appealing and started making me sad and angry.

I became a vegan.

Going vegan usually means having to deal with a lot negativity, sometimes from loved ones and definitely from strangers (hospitality staff, co-workers, trolls on the internet . . . you name it.) It’s a lot to take on for anyone and should be a personal, logical and positive step. You can’t go vegan to please someone else, you can’t go vegan because Beyonce did, you can’t go vegan to date someone you like. It has to be well thought out, compassionate, healthy and logical.

So, I guess all I would ask of my future loved one, is that they don’t contribute any judgement or negativity that I already get in spades. Don’t give me shit for being a vegan.

We can talk about it . . . I would love that! Talk about it, discuss it, understand it, but don’t give me shit or make me feel stupid. I will not be made to feel small or inferior because I’m doing something that makes sense.

I want to feel my loved one respects me. Even if he doesn’t want to be a vegan, he should at least respect that about me.

If I was with someone who ate meat and he gradually learned and became inspired to stop contributing to animal cruelty? Hells yeah! That would be the ultimate turn-on, let’s not lie. But I wouldn’t ever ask or expect that of him.

There are a few interesting sub-issues here that could make this post go on forever; like cooking meat. Would I ever cook meat for my loved one? Sorry – but no.

I can’t actively CONTRIBUTE to animal suffering . . . and don’t think anyone would ask that of me. If you want to eat animals, that is your choice and you may do so, but I will not cook them for you. If I am cooking dinner, it will be a dead-animal-free zone. You are welcome to cook yourself meat and put it on top of the delicious vegan lasagne if you wish. (But it’ll be so tasty you wouldn’t want to, promise!)

I wonder if this is difficult for couples? Being vegan and smelling meat in your kitchen? That wouldn’t be easy . . . but sharing your life is about compromise and if you love someone, I suppose you will do what makes them happy? Thankfully I haven’t reached this point in my life yet and it will be interesting to see what happens.

It would be ideal if I could meet someone who was vegan, but also someone I was genuinely attracted to, had things in common with and wanted to date. It could happen . . . Jared Leto is out there.

Otherwise, if I converted a partner to veganism – wow. That would be incredible . . . but it would have to be a PERSONAL move for them and not about me in the slightest. I’m happy to open someones eyes and raise awareness, but they would have to go vegan for their own reasons.

And the final option? I end up marrying a guy that eats meat till the day he dies? Well, it wouldn’t be easy I suppose, but I will still love him, because I married him! And you shouldn’t commit to someone you’re ultimately hoping will change, surely? I don’t know a lot about relationships, but that seems right. If I fall in love with a life-long meat eater, I will love him, but I will totally put him in the hot-seat now and then . . . and he will love that about me . . . .

Right?

Until then – I will just continue to cook vegan meals to wow future partners with! The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach right? Let’s eat yummy vegan desserts together, then . . . .

I dare you to wish there was dairy involved . . . .

The amazing shots in this post are courtesy of Lucas Smith Photography and our food photo shoots, of which there will be plenty more.

@LucasCSmith

The post Will I Only Date Vegans? appeared first on Chic Vegan.

But, the poor thing was stopping every five minutes to blow her nose and rub it raw with yet another tissue. I felt so bad for her, and then horrified watching her crack open a second Coca-Cola and ask for a cigarette break. I desperately wanted to whip her up a green juice and put her in bed, but that would be weird, wouldn’t it? I was thinking of her gorgeous body, trying to fight off this awful cold.

When she returned from break, she took out paper and a pen and began writing a list. I love making lists, so gazed sheepishly over her shoulder to see what this one entailed. It read things like “learn French” and “read Stanislavski”.

Good list.

Then she turned to me and said: “what would you like to add? I want to use my holiday properly and get stuff done! I don’t want to just waste it!”

I love lists. I have too many. I have daily “To Do” lists, a “Life Goals” list, a “What I Want to Do To My Flat” list… you name it!

I grabbed the pen without any further prompting and hunched over to scribble one sentence before handing it back to her.

“Start every day with a cup of hot water and lemon.”

She looked perplexed, then smiled (from politeness, I’m sure) and said “Hot water and lemon, eh?”

I assured her that it’ll help with her voice (she performs), her cold recovery, waking up her body in the morning and feeling more energized. There’s lots of stuff about “PH” and “alkaline” and all that, but for now, let’s just go with “you’ll feel loads better.” She nodded along furiously and confessed that her “diet” currently was made up of mainly crisps, coffee and chocolate.

I tapped the list: start small, start with lemon.

It’s only a tiny change, but will make a big difference. I know she’s skeptical, but I have no doubts.

This is the magic of our incredible bodies. They follow the golden rule – they treat us as they would like to be treated. If we give them crap, they will perform like crap. If we deprive them of sleep – they will be drowsy and tired. If we cover them in chemicals, they will break out. Just as simply – if we treat them with love and respect – they will love us back.

The best thing is – it’s not even difficult. We are told that being healthy is hard and expensive, when in practice it’s no more difficult to peel a banana than it is to peel the wrapper off a snickers bar.

But it’s a step-by-step process that won’t happen overnight. It certainly didn’t for me.

This is where the humble lemon is my best friend and easiest converter. Most people start their day with some kind of routine, whether it’s just brushing their teeth immediately or putting on runners and going outside for a jog. Flicking the kettle on and making a hot water with lemon to drink first thing is not too tricky, but the rewards are enormous.

My lovely co-worker has since reported back: she is addicted. She loves her new morning drink and cannot believe the immediate benefits. She indeed feels more energized, better from her cold and (most importantly) she wants to now, having nailed this part of the day, move on to a new, healthy habit.

It’s true: goodness fuels goodness. When you start to feel good it is contagious! You want to keep feeling great and therefore are likely to take on the next challenge. Will it be increasing your water intake? Cutting back on crisps? Or a biggie: quitting smoking? Whatever it is – it may suddenly seem a little easier and worthwhile.

Lemons are cheap, which is fantastic because I get through a lot of them! They are my main staple for morning and evening beverages and a favorite to use in the kitchen. I love to use lemon juice as a salad dressing. It can be a key ingredient in a lovely simple recipe, or literally just squeezing the lemon juice over crispy, fresh vegetables!

My (kinda famous) Lemon Tahini Dressing:

Place 1 or 2 tablespoons of tahini (I use raw tahini, but they’re all good!), in a bowl and dilute with approximately half a cup of lemon juice and water, but adding very gradually. Gently work the tahini and lemon together to create a nice smooth consistency, adding more juice as you go. Add more lemon/water as you like to make thinner and taste as you go to keep the flavors balanced. You can add salt and pepper to this if you like – but I don’t think it needs it!

Just lemon! One of the best dressings I ever “made” was literally squeezing a lemon over my delicious salad and adding some chopped fresh dill and parsley. It was beyond divine.

There is my ode to the humble lemon! And, according to this amazing list I found on trueactivist.com, lemons can do a lot more than taste good and keep us healthy!

http://www.trueactivist.com/45-uses-for-lemons-that-will-blow-your-socks-off/

The post Magic of a Humble Lemon appeared first on Chic Vegan.

The truth is: veganism makes a lot of sense and that’s what scares people.

It’s so much easier to label vegans “weird”, “crazy” or “annoying” than face what they are trying to say. I find myself very conscious of trying to speak in a way people will listen, so they can’t simply label me “weird.

Listening to horrible facts and facing logic takes guts. It takes adjustment. It takes realizing you’ve grown up with a lot of lies. But it’s 100% rewarding, I promise.

A lot of people don’t listen to facts (thank you amazing Daniel Johnston for sharing this wisdom with me) the majority of people respond to emotions. People don’t give up on religion because dinosaur fossils get discovered and disprove Gods timeline, similarly, people don’t seem to respond to a statistic like “over 150 billion animals are slaughtered each year”. 

It seems the masses are more likely to emote over an amazing weight loss story. Or the desire to be like a celebrity. Or the instinct to save a cute looking piglet.

I went vegan for emotional reasons after accidentally watching a cow be slaughtered. I was deeply disturbed and knew what I was seeing was wrong on every level. There was nothing “food chain” about it, nothing primal, nothing carnivorous and nothing natural.  It was a shocking, horrific, and evil factory farm. Nothing more.

That is logical to me. It’s logical that a factory farm is not natural. It’s not natural to breed and house cows, pigs, chickens and goats in massive factories where they are shoved together, fed unhealthy food and “prepared” until fat enough to be slaughtered into Big Macs.

That is not logical. That is ridiculous.

Especially when the practice of carrying this out is causing such environmental and ethical devastation.

Ready for more logic? You will be fined and even possibly arrested for an act of “animal cruelty”. As severe as strangling a cat, or as simple as kicking a dog. You can, however, go and purchase a dead, tortured animal from a supermarket.

Logical? I think not. Think the chicken in your “Chicken Kiev” wasn’t tortured or treated with cruelty? Ha! Go do some research.

Is it logical that people will love and worship pets, buy them toys, buy them beds, cuddle them, take them for walks and also eat animals? Eat pigs that have the intelligence of a three-year old human child?

Is that logical?

Vegans are logical. Vegans are the ones scratching their heads saying: um… wait… THAT doesn’t make sense. That needs examining. Like humans are equal, shouldn’t all animals be EQUAL to each other? Why do humans decide their worth? Why are dogs more important than cows? Why are pigs less important than horses?

Animals have become whatever we decide they are useful for and that is ILLOGICAL. Especially when our use of them is causing mass devastation. Environmental devastation, ethical devastation and a health epidemic.

Humans decided that cows are only useful to be milked and eaten.

Is that logical? Let’s think: NO! Because we do not need cow milk and with each new day there are more and more studies proving dairy products are unhealthy for human bodies. More and more people are proving lactose intolerant, more and more people are curing disease by cutting animal products from their diets and the majority of commercial dairy products have lovely extras like hormones, blood and pus.

How is it logical to drink the milk from another animal? That is not logical at all. We are not in a period of starvation where we need to eat anything to survive. We should be investing in sustainable practices that are healthy for our bodies and an investment in a bountiful future that can feed the WORLD. Animal products are not a good investment. It takes FOOD and LAND to grow this “FOOD”. I hate calling animals “food”, but for arguments sake, let’s look at what is invested in this form of “food”. Animals have to eat, animals need land to stand on, petrol to transport them to slaughter, energy to power the evil factories, areas to dump all their waste (sometimes oceans FYI) – why use all those resources in such an unsustainable way? Isn’t it logical to just eat the grain and crops we are feeding cows ourselves? Use that land to grow plant foods, which, (double bonus!) is better for us anyway?  

How is it logical to participate in unsustainable practices out of greed? Greed over a “delicious” cheeseburger? That is simply not logical! Especially when in 2014 you can have any of your favorite foods in a vegan version anyway.

If animal products were healthy for us, maybe there would be some sense in maintaining them, but guess what? They’re not.

Meat is not good for us, dairy is not good for us, eggs are not good for us, fishing is causing environmental devastation and their flesh is full of pollution and mercury.

None of it makes sense. I want to paraphrase one of my heroes Phillip Wollen who said in the brilliant “Animals Should Be off the Menu” debate, to just leave animals alone. He said he would “make a bargain” with meat-eaters. They can eat the animals currently locked up, but stop breeding new ones! 

Great guy. (Vegan!) Logical, sensible and it’s hard to argue with that bargain. Why keep murdering innocent animals? Why keep breading living, breathing, thinking, feeling, intelligent creatures just to torture and consume? Because they “taste good”? I’m sorry, but that’s not good enough. Sweet Potato tastes good – eat that!

Let’s try and heal this planet and get things a bit more natural and harmonious. I’m no hippie, but I recognize our planet has a natural way and humans are seriously messing with it. If everyone was responsible for sourcing their own food, a lot of things would be simpler and food industries wouldn’t be so scary and corrupt. But, that is not the world we live in. We live in a world of supply and demand. Big business, big money and big companies. If you get eggs from your neighbors chickens, obviously that’s not my issue. My issue will start when your neighbor has to supply the entire street, so gets more and more chickens and has to start getting them to lay more and more eggs so people can eat more and more of them and then start to get higher and higher cholesterol.

That is just illogical. We control the demand, which will control the supply. (In case you haven’t figured it out, the neighbor is a metaphor.) While there is demand for animal products, there will be unsustainable, unethical industries. Think about it – be logical! Have your own animals if you like, but if you are going to buy from a store, shop or business – they can only supply the demand. While there is money to be made, animals will be exploited. If everyone wakes up tomorrow and wants “happy” “free range” eggs, they won’t be free-range for long. They will fast become a factory farm.

Put your demand in a place that is a step in the right direction. Healthy, wholesome plant foods. Vote against animal cruelty. Vote against unsustainable practices.

Go logical. Go vegan.  

The post Why Veganism is Logical appeared first on Chic Vegan.

I can’t believe I’ve achieved it, but mostly: I can’t believe how easy it’s been.

Sometimes I find it hard to remember a time before I was a “seasoned” vegan, exactly the way I am now… barely a second thought for what to eat for breakfast! But of course I wasn’t always this content and now I notice the major differences between now and when I was adjusting.

I have had my phases. When I first went vegan I was full-scary militant… (my poor friends and family). I was traumatized, loud and wanted the entire world to go vegan with me! Although that “Hannah” is still in there somewhat, she is now much more relaxed and content. It’s a process like anything else, I suppose.

So, how do I know that I have been vegan for “too long”? (Although of course there’s no such thing!)

1) My desserts sound like something from a health retreat.

Yep, if you come for desert at mine, it is likely going to have a higher vegetable content than sugar content. Sorry peeps! Dark Chocolate Avocado Brownies anyone? Yeah, they’re made from AVOCADOS! You’d never know! Sugar Free Banana Bread, Friend? Bananas are sweet enough, right?! Who needs sugar?!

*Collective groan* It’s a wonder I have any friends left, really.

2) I’ve forgotten the answer to “So, why did you go vegan?”

I used to LOVE this question. I ached for it. I wanted anyone to ask me about veganism so I could preach and change lives and bestow wisdom upon all. Oh, how things have changed. I am not speaking for anyone else, but personally, the longer I’m vegan the less I want to talk about it. Of course, I dream that loved ones will convert or people will be interested, but really – it’s a personal life choice and I’m not interested in trying to “pitch” it anymore. When people ask “why are you vegan”, I’m just left confused. It’s been so long now, my list of knee-jerk statistics seem a long time ago.

Now my answer is just… “er… cause. Duh. Obviously”

3) I can’t walk down the refrigerator aisle at Supermarkets

Speaks for itself. I can’t remember the last time I walked down the meat or dairy sections in a supermarket; they creep me out. Occasionally I’ll buy some vegan butter, but that’s usually from a lovely, zen-like health food store. No dead animals in sight.

4) I have a sixth sense for vegan-friendly places.

I can be walking with friends down a random street and suddenly stop. Walk back. See that place, there? I bet they have vegan cake. And I tell ya what… I’m rarely wrong! Weird, huh? Vegan superpowers must be real.

5) I want to punch people that apologize for ordering meat.

Look, we wouldn’t be hanging out if I only wanted to be friends with vegans. So, please don’t look up to me after ordering chicken and say “oh, sorry…Do you mind?”

I. Don’t. Care.

Besides, why are you saying sorry to me? I’m not the one you’re chewing on….

6) I’ve dabbled in raw foods

How do you know you’ve been vegan too long? Yep, you’ve probably tried a raw food diet or a juice fast or a cleanse or all of the above. Not a bad thing! Just hilarious.

7) I no longer have any delusions my dream man will be vegan

I abandoned this fantasy WAY back. I once dreamed my future involved a Jared Leto/Tobey Maguire-esc vegan hunk who would break into factory farms with me, share all my morals, make lentil curries by night and green smoothies by day.

I no longer have this dream.

I can count on one hand how many vegan men I’ve met in the last three years and I usually do not want to date them. Just because we are both vegan, does not mean we are destined to be together ….. Perhaps I will fall in love with a meat-eater, perhaps a vegetarian, perhaps I will convert someone…..who knows?

8) Someone else being vegan isn’t the biggest deal in the entire world.

When I first went vegan, if I met ANYONE who was too, I got overly-excited and went a bit nuts. “Oh my God! I’M a vegan too! Whoa! Hey, so let’s move in together and be besties!”

Creepy, creepy, creepy, Hannah.

9) Someone saying they USED to vegan isn’t the biggest deal in the entire world.

Yes. I confess this used to make me really upset. Probably because I felt nervous and threatened, which just isn’t the case anymore. I’m at peace with my choice outside of anyone else’s experience.

10) I can’t remember the last time I watched an animal cruelty video

This will not go for everyone, by any means, but I used to watch a lot of traumatizing videos from farms to educate myself. I read lots of books, listened to all the lectures…. everything. Now, I can’t remember the last time I sat down and watched any harrowing documentaries. Of course, I like to stay educated, but I no longer have anything to prove to myself or others. I am a vegan and I don’t need to remind myself why anymore

11) The concept of leather (and fur!) baffles me.

When I walk in shops now and I see leather (fur is obvious) I do feel genuinely baffled. How can people not see this for what it is? Oh gawd… these are animals SKINS. I don’t think I was always so confused by it… I shunned it because I knew about the industries and wanted to be 100% “vegan”, but I don’t know if leather really bothered me as much as it does now. Wandering department stores is genuinely terrifying when you are bombarded with the AMOUNT of leather. It’s scary.

12) I won’t pretend food is delicious if it isn’t

I used to be so grateful when a restaurant had any kind of vegan food that I would gobble it down, smile and rave regardless of how it tasted. I would try and demonstrate for friends how EASY being vegan is. See, you can still eat out! Mmmm delicious aubergine! But then, if a friend reached over to taste I’d be like: “nooooo!” and hurl myself at them Hollywood Action Style because I knew it wasn’t actually that good.

Now?

Screw that! Vegan food can be absolutely delicious and I’m not going to be “grateful” to a place for chucking some apple into a bowl and calling it dessert. That ain’t dessert.

I’m always happy if places cater for vegans, obviously… but you can tell who has put some “love” in and who has just slapped some vegetables on a plate.

We aren’t such a tiny, weird minority anymore… please cater for us! We’re just trying to help

With each day I think about my “veganism” less and less. It’s just a part of who I am and not something I am constantly aware of or trying to prove to anyone.

For any new vegans out there, if you are going through the initial phases, just enjoy them and try not to worry. If being vegan, animal welfare or food is on your mind non-stop, please know that it will pass. People’s reactions will bother you less with time, seeing milk getting knocked over will bother you less with time and you will be able to live a normal life!

Going vegan is truly the best decision I’ve ever made. Sometimes you need to struggle a bit to get to something fantastic and it is amazing when you get to feel more confident and affirmed with time. It comes from yourself (and your amazing health), from other people making the same decision and the growing supporting research.

I feel a new peace, a new confidence and a new contentment with every new day. That’s how I know I’ve been vegan “too long”

The post When You’ve Been Vegan Too Long appeared first on Chic Vegan.

Food, glorious food.

Christmas with my family has always been an incredible, bountiful feast! My mother is a phenomenal cook, my aunty is a phenomenal cook, her partner makes the best damn lasagne known to man and, as the years go on, I have been getting better and better (if I do say so, myself!)

In my family we spend our gift money on what’s going in our mouths. Proudly. I’m the youngest and I’m 25, so we really don’t need to be buying everyone a present, right? We’re grown-ups! If we want something, we buy it. A few years ago the old “Secret Santa” was introduced and everyone was relieved. Enough with the lame stress of present shopping – let’s spend that money on booze!

My first year being a “vegan at Christmas” I was so terrified about affecting the traditions and making the whole day about “Hannah doesn’t eat meat anymore. Or anything bloody else! What will she eat?! What can we give the vegan?!”.

I’m the ultimate timid people pleaser and desperately didn’t want anyone to change things for me. Please, make whatever you were already going to make and I will be happy helping myself to the vegetables. Just don’t worry about me, please!

I remember going to my (nearly) sister-in-law’s house for the day, salad in hand and sitting around the giant table, where they made the Christmas Dinner buffet-style, so we all could help ourselves. I remember the conversation that made my heart melt, where the host informed me what on the buffet they had made I could eat and she said it so happily. For dessert: my Mum made one of her famous treacle sponges with custard and I bought my own container of coconut ice-cream and baked some cookies to share with everyone. I sat their happily with my  “sundae” creation, while they tucked into their custard and genuinely couldn’t have been happier. I don’t care what others eat around me, as long as they don’t care what I eat. 

Now – only three later, the situation could not be more different.

I think I could be the luckiest girl (and vegan!) in the world. Now: both my brother’s fiancé, my aunty and my own incredible mother have gone vegan themselves and nearly everyone else in the family is so open minded about the whole thing.

Everyone’s cooking skills translated to the vegan life and, let me tell you, when we make up big Christmas or Birthday feasts – they are phenomenal. Today when we eat together, nearly everything on the table is vegan and some meat is bought for my brother and the other meat-eaters to have along all the various vegetables, salads, potato bakes etc.

I’m pretty lucky right? But, this does raise some interesting questions….

Mum and I were driving yesterday, planning Christmas day and we started talking about how she is going to have to make things she doesn’t ethically agree with, for other people. My Mum will be doing a lot of the cooking and, she is a vegan! She is a vegan who will have to make some meat for Christmas. Ah! A brilliant “vegan dilemma”. 

I do think this is an interesting one. We will cook my brother and a few others meat on Christmas day and I wonder how many vegans out there would judge us? Mum bought up the topic, checking I wouldn’t mind too much, because that’s what phenomenal mothers do and we laughed about the switch in only a few years. Today: we are checking it’s “okay” there will be people eating steak at the table and only a few years ago they were probably saying “is it okay if Hannah comes? She doesn’t eat meat..”

For me personally, I wouldn’t be able to cook meat. Ever. At all. For anyone. But I will never judge a vegan who can.

If you are married to a meat eater or have a meat eater in your family – surely the most important part of Christmas is that everyone is enjoying themselves, happy and well-fed? For my brother to enjoy his day, he will not want to eat vegan food. We are Australian… and a lot of people in Australia would say that a meal isn’t a meal without meat. To be honest: before I was vegan, I rarely ate anything that was even vegetarian.

Meat was the staple. Vegetables were a (resented) side.

Christmas is about family. I do believe that creating harmony and balance is important for a day that is meant to be about togetherness and joy. I’m sure a lot of families fight on Christmas day (if the American rom-coms are true), but I’m happy to say that in my family (and extended family) we just love each other and get along. The few times I’ve tried to serve my brother vegan food, it hasn’t gone down well at all, so why would I make him uncomfortable on a day that’s meant to be about togetherness? I won’t be that kind of vegan. He can see all the food laid out and how divine it looks – if he wants to eat steak, he is a grown up and can do as he pleases. 

BUT –  when a vegan is doing all the cooking does that change anything? Should a meat eater offer to cook their own meat? Should they offer to BUY it? These are the interesting conversations and “dilemmas” that pop up. I am an ethical vegan, so the idea of purchasing a rump of steak makes me feel ill and angry.  

Regardless of who my loved one is: I can’t purchase meat for them. If they want it, they can buy it and cook it themselves.  BUT: that’s me. My mother, who is also an ethical vegan, absolutely doesn’t want to walk into a butcher and buy steak, but she will for Christmas Day. For my brother. For her son. Of course she wants to make her son happy and comfortable on Christmas  and I want that too. 

This is really a personal and complicated topic, one I can’t believe I’ve only just started pondering. What will happen if I fall in love with a meat-eater? Let’s face it: statistically it’s pretty likely! Will I love him enough to be able to buy meat for him? Will he love me enough to stop eating it? Will I expect him to?

I guess I don’t know the answers to these questions yet and I won’t until I’m faced with them. Right now: the closest I have are my family members and, as much as I love them, I can’t cook them meat.

However – I absolutely have zero objection to them eating it around me (particularly on Christmas Day).

Diet is personal. Ethics are personal.

But Christmas is about everyone. 

The post Serving a Meat Eater This Christmas? appeared first on Chic Vegan.

Some people seem to think this is IMPOSSIBLE if you’re vegan, a notion that leaves me scratching my head. Vegan food is delicious, demand is on the rise and most menus accidentally have a vegan option anyway (even if it’s just the bruschetta starter!)

Eating out should still be easy, even with dietary restrictions. It’s just about knowing how to approach it. I have some tips and tricks picked up after far too many dinners out and from being on the “other side”.

Yes – I work in hospitality. I have been both the annoying vegan asking what’s in the pasta sauce and the angry waitress trying not to scream. A unique conundrum that has given a lot of insight.

Many people (both vegan and not) ask how to approach eating out and I have some rules and tricks in place! But, firstly: some words from the “other side”. The hospitality side. Words that I say as a passionate vegan. 

You are putting yourself in someone else’s hands when you eat out.

This is just a fact. When you walk into a restaurant, you have decided to enter that restaurant and if they don’t magically have black-bean burgers, you cannot be mad or surprised. They literally have what they have in that kitchen and, from the staff point of view: you could have chosen to go anywhere. There is one major thing that, hands down, will get you on the wrong side of the staff and chefs.

Entitlement.

Any kind of attitude isn’t good (on both sides!), but the number one pet peeve is when customers act like they are entitled to something that isn’t on the menu. “What do you mean you don’t have gluten free bread?” That’s one of my favourites. If a place has gluten free bread for you – that is a bonus. A bonus. Please do not start walking into a restaurant and being mad when they don’t have something.

Let’s be honest: a vegan diet is still obscure in some places. Don’t fight it. Just accept and do the best you can. If you are bright, positive and kind to the staff, they will be more inclined to help you. Guaranteed. 

That brings me nicely to the first tip:

1)   Where Are You and Why-the-Hell-Did-You-Pick-This-Place?
How are you here? NO vegan option? Oh God. Is this for someone’s birthday or some spur-of the moment choice? Okay, we’ve all been there. You’re here now and you’ll cope, but life will be easier if you find a way to support restaurants that cater for vegans. 

When choosing, lean your friends towards some kind of Sushi, Thai or Indian option. Is there an Indian restaurant nearby? Go there! Most of the tomato or coconut based vegetable curries will be safe and delicious. Indian food I’ve always found caters to vegans well. Sushi; everyone loves and they have vegetable rolls and yummy miso soup!

2)   Mental repertoire of restaurants!
Where I live, there are five restaurants off the top of my head I know are great for vegans. They’re all tried, tested and spread out across Manchester. Knowing good vegan places means I have somewhere to suggest when out with friends and can make a quick suggestion, stress free. 

If you can, try keep in the loop with vegan-friendly places opening up and make sure you support them if they’re good.

If you don’t know anything nearby – apply the point above! Is there a Thai restaurant in sight?!

3)   Approach the menu cool and casual – assume the best.
The amount of times I’ve had to say to people: “don’t worry about me, I’ll worry about me”.

There is nothing worse than sitting down, picking up the menu and feeling everyone’s eyes on you. I can feel their panic, “what’s Hannah going to order? Oh God, there’s nothing vegan!” I look at them casually and say: “don’t worry about me, I’ll worry about me.”

If you sit down and there is no vegan option at all, immediately paint on a happy face. This is now a challenge. Doctoring a menu can be fun if you do it with a good attitude. 

Order a drink, maybe some bread and olives and get dissecting!

4)  Menu Dissecting 101 – What’s Veggie?
Assess the list of vegetarian options – they WILL have some. If you are somewhere that doesn’t even have a vegetarian option, I’m concerned! In that scenario, any restaurant will create a vegetarian meal for you if you ask. You are a paying customer! I guarantee you aren’t the first vegetarian to walk through the door. We are not aliens. 

Assuming they do have a vegetarian choice or two  – start thinking what is the easiest to make vegan. It can be as simple as the Veggie burger without the cheese and mayo. Is there a pasta you can order without the cheese? Usually gnocchi is a great option with a tomato based sauce. Or a vegetable pizza? Pizzas without cheese are surprisingly common, don’t feel like a criminal. 

I have often found that doctoring a vegetarian meal into a vegan one is surprisingly easy. Most of the time they are vegan foods with cheese slathered on top!

5)   Are Side-Dishes Your Friends?
If all the mains are danger zones, look at the side dishes. Can you get a few side dishes to feast on with a basket of bread? I did once order a side of Rosemary Potatoes and another of Green Beans with almonds at a French restaurant and I swear nearly everyone had “order envy”.

6)   Make a Judgement Call on Your Waiter. 
Check out the person serving you. If they’re in a foul mood and you feel uncomfortable asking for anything, maybe hedge your bets on a doctored vegetarian meal and hope for the best? But, if they are lovely and seem like they want to do a good job, ask if the patty for the vegetarian burger is vegan or if the pesto sauce has cheese, whatever you are trying to adapt. Start with your first choice and if that can be “veganised” – fantastic. Don’t overwhelm them with too much. 

The other option is to just say: “hey, I am a vegan, do you know if anything on the menu is?” If she says no. you can just ask: “Would the chefs be willing do me one of the salads without the chicken in? I can just have that with a side of bread, perhaps?” Be easy to work with, pleasant and acknowledge that you don’t expect miracles, just a meal you can eat.  

Nine times out of ten, they will work with you and you will likely end up with a tasty meal  

7)   Can You Ring Ahead? 
Any restaurant will give you HUGE points if you ring ahead and “inquire” about a vegan option. Say you are coming in for dinner with friends, who have already chosen the restaurant and are wondering if they have anything for you. There is no reason why a place shouldn’t try and cater for you in this situation.

I once worked in a very high-end French restaurant, where the head chef HATED vegetarians and vegans, however when a vegan called ahead, he had enough pride to make them a lovely three-course meal. Many chefs don’t realise how easy it is to adapt their menus until they have to. Some even find it enjoyable…seriously! I witnessed that first hand.

8)   Get on With It….
Okay, so everything has failed. You’re stuck at the restaurant, there’s no vegan option, your waitress is awful AND the only side dish is a bowl of chips. What are you going to do? Well, here is where I say it’s totally up to you with what you feel comfortable with. Some vegans would say “I’ll just eat the chips”, whereas I will still try and eat a proper meal of some sort.  

This scenario is unlikely, but if you find yourself here – which vegetarian option will you feel best about? I say order the veggie option, removing any obvious dairy and you have done your best. You don’t want your night to be ruined by the simple process of ordering food! Do what feels right for you and what will mean you having a good night. 

If you’re somewhere that isn’t vegan friendly, you aren’t likely to convert them by being difficult or acting entitled to things they don’t provide. Be nice, be easy and show them that vegans are people they want to cater for! If a vegan goes in with a bad attitude, it just makes all vegans look bad. We want to create demand. 

Finally I would say (this helps me a lot!) – think about the lovely people you are spending time with. If being vegan looks like a one-way ticket to social suicide – no one will do it! Your friends are never likely to consider sharing your lifestyle if you make it look difficult. Be as organised as you can when it comes to picking places and if you can end up with a delicious meal that looks amazing – definite win!

Veganism does not mean never eating out again. In fact, I would say I eat out MORE now than I ever have (probably just getting older!) It’s a lovely part of my life and a pleasure that veganism does not get in the way of. If you ever get stuck, I hope the above points can help.

Remember: you are out to have fun: don’t let menus stop you!

The post A Vegan Guide to Eating Out appeared first on Chic Vegan.

I usually write about hummus or cakes or sunshine and rainbows; all things “happy vegan”, taken from everyday inspirations. Yesterday, however, inspired me in a different way. I found myself in a very amicable chat about being vegan with someone at work. It started on the usual “why are you vegan” path and progressed to the inevitable “happy family farm” argument that I love so much. (While watching her drink a latte. Cough! You have no idea where that milk is from!)

I parroted all the usual “vegan” answers: the basics of supply and demand, the veal industry, the inevitable cruelty of artificial insemination, etcetera, but, I know that none of those reasons are actually why I don’t drink milk. For the first time since going vegan, the real reason came bubbling up within me and popped out, so honest and so right.

I found the words.

“I’d feel like I was stealing.”

When I look at cheese or cream or milk, I don’t think that it’s mine to eat. When I watch someone eating a giant slice of decadant cake I want to grab them and say: that’s not YOURS! You have TAKEN that milk from another living being just so you can enjoy your yummy cake!

Slightly irrational, I know. But…well, is it? It would be irrational to actually go and shake the person, but is it irrational to think it?

When we milk cows – are we taking something that’s not ours?

It sounds like a really deep question, but for me: it’s a no-brainer.

How can a cow consent to be milked? How can a cow say, “Yes, it’s okay for you to take my milk. Hook me up!” And why would she? Why would a cow consent to be artificially inseminated, impregnated, have her baby taken away to be killed, hooked up to a machine up to three times a day, re-inseminated and impregnated AGAIN and, eventually, taken off to the slaughterhouse?

Oh yeah, sign me up.

Let’s not kid ourselves that we house animals anymore for their protection and companionship. Humans breed and house cows for meat and dairy, pure and simple. The conditions can be nicer on a family farm, but let’s not pretend that cows aren’t a business. They are a business. “Property”. We take what is theirs and sell it.

A cow does not consent by walking into a milking bay.

If you’ve had the pleasure of watching a cow NOT walk into a milking bay, you’ll know what happens most of the time, specifically on factory farms. Cows are intelligent creatures. They want to avoid pain and suffering. Like any prisoner – they do what they’re told to avoid punishment. When cows don’t do what they’re told – they are hit or beaten and there are plenty of traumatic videos I can direct you to.

Even on a “happy farm”, cows are artificially inseminated. How can a cow consent to that?! Cows are gentle creatures, with a loving nature. They are not prone to attacking people or violence. Humans have been exploiting this gentle nature for far too long. I argue that just because cows are not “fighting”, does not mean they are saying “yes, this is okay. I am loving my life.”

Instead I say, let’s focus on – how a cow can indicate she’s NOT consenting?

Well, she can cry, wail and make noise.

She can refuse to move when asked.

Her body can get sick.

She can chase the van that’s driving its baby away.

She can refuse to step OFF the truck upon arrival at the slaughterhouse.

If you don’t know where I’m heading with this – cows do all these things. Cows often show they do NOT consent. Their bodies can be riddled with tumours and diseases showing the utter rejection of their bogus “food”. They can have literally just given birth and then wail and cry while watching their newborn be taken away by humans. They can be so brain-dead from lack of stimulation that they do simply just stand and do nothing when they are meant to “move”. And then we humans call them “stupid”? I’d like to know how smart any human would be after a living the life of your average factory-farmed animal.

Animals have no say. They have no voice. They have no option.

These realities, if I think about them too long and hard, devastate me. Humans take the fact that animals have no voice and abuse it. They abuse it to such an extreme that we now farm animals by the BILLIONS so humans can enjoy chicken breast for dinner, having NO idea what they’ve paid for.

Abuse. Pain. Slavery. Neglect. To intelligent animals.

We see it on every level of human/animal interaction. Animals are here to be cute for us, entertain us, clothe us and feed us. If you are vegan, you take on the possibility that maybe an animal would just want to exist for its own purpose? Maybe to raise her child? Maybe to feel love? Maybe just to stand in a damn field all day? I don’t really care! It can do whatever the hell it wants. And guess what? We are not going to be magically overrun with cows if we don’t eat them and suck them dry. There would just be less of them because we aren’t BREEDING THEM.

I’ll stop for a breath. Are you still with me? Sorry for the rant.

Let’s get back on track: is dairy stealing?

Looking at cheese now, after years of my own journey and questioning and “veganifying”, I feel like eating cheese would be taking something that is not mine. Milk belongs to that cow, that calf. It was taken unnaturally, by human hand after forcing a cow to be pregnant.

And the cow had no say. Still has no say. She’s still there on the farm. Still there, suffering in the factory.

Meanwhile humans are enjoy their cheese sandwiches and getting on with the day.

No thank you.

I’ll stick with my hummus.

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