Vegan and Plant Based Recommendations and Reviews #2

[martaS]

These are back in Aldi and sooo good. I'll be buying many boxes for stocking fillers this year, and at least couple more for my boyfriend and me to enjoy in the run-up to Christmas. Perfect with a cup of strong tea or coffee

 

[no-no]

Sainsburys

I also love the Future Farms one but this is more like I remember tuna though I'd say - it's been 10 years since I've had tuna but it's got the fishiness

I got two packets after seeing your comment and it was very nice! Especially left in the fridge overnight with red onion, dried dill, mayo and fresh lemon juice + salt and pepper mixed in a bowl, you wouldn’t have known.

I bought a carton of Chocomel the other day, it’s like the Mars chocolate milk that I can’t find anywhere anymore. I’ll buy a few when it goes on offer as I paid full price (£3) in Tesco.

 

[purple-rain]

I’m not sure if this is the right thread for this question - had a look and didn’t see a more general veganism one. But basically I’m feeling like I am going to have to go fully vegan. Reluctantly, if I’m honest.

I’m vegetarian for animal welfare reasons. I find it very easy although I do miss fish. But increasingly I realise that it doesn’t really make sense to reject meat, but to still buy and eat milk and eggs. Thing is, I don’t really want to stop eating these things. I eat so many eggs. I love baking, I love butter and I love ice cream more than life itself. My family and friends can easily cope with me being veggie but vegan is a whole other level. I’d be OK at home but eating outside of the house would be much harder, I assume. And then what about leather? And wool? It’s a total lifestyle change. Argh, it’s hard.

Did anyone else have these thoughts? Do I just need to suck it up and take the plunge?

ETA I must also stress that I’m not commenting on anyone else’s choices - not to say one is better or anything, it’s just a personal thing I’m wrestling with.

I think what you're feeling and experiencing is entirely normal (and understandable and valid!) I wonder if it might be more helpful not to think of veganism as an all-or-nothing lifestyle, and try to just be as plant-based in dietary choices and vegan in lifestyle as possible? I think slowly transitioning into a lifestyle with values you personally align with might make things more sustainable for yourself in the long run. And don't be so hard on yourself either!

I personally went vegetarian first (which I found fairly easy too, coming from a veggie-heavy dietary and cultural background) and then slowly cut out dairy and eggs and realised I didn't miss it anymore once I'd adapted the way I cooked and ate. Plus there are so many great substitutes out there! To be honest, managing family's expectations was the hardest as not everyone respects certain choices, but I've also come to realise my values are a lot more important than presenting myself in a way that's palatable to people who aren't interested in understanding those choices/values. I've also realised most people are pretty accepting, accommodating and even curious if you show you aren't too puritanical about it - for example, if I'm at a gathering with family or friends, I always offer to bring some vegan food, and I love sharing my cooking/baking with non-vegan folk. And at parties or when dining out, if options are limited, I don't fuss about it and just cobble together a couple of starters (But that's increasingly not the case with how great options are in the UK now!) I also like to do a bit of research on the menu before dining out. Gone are the days we'd have to have just an undressed salad and chips haha... If the choice is left to me, I'd suggest a place with good vegan options but otherwise, I might even ring the place beforehand and see what they can cater or accommodate. If a family member or friend is cooking for a group, I always tell them I'm happy to have the same thing (as long as it's veggie) and ask that they just keep aside a portion before putting on the cheese/any non-vegan topping (like with pasta bakes or pizzas).

As for leather/wool, I personally don't buy them and never have, but I don't mind getting them secondhand, though I know this is contentious and everyone has a different opinion about it!

Hope this helps xx

 

[Some People!]

How do you cook it in air fryer? My partner and I debate getting one every now and then and if I knew I could use it for quite a few things, I'd probably help make my mind up

At the most basic, I toss [drained] cubes in a little bit of sesame oil, season it (garlic powder, five spice, whatever) then wang it in the airfryer on not-quite-the-hottest setting, tossing it about euntil its firm and the edges are crispy. Doesn't take long. Might serve that with rice & steamed veg or cook it in a sauce with veg (sweet & sour, satay, hoisin, curry, whatever) and have it with rice, noodles, or something.

Absolute game changer for tofu imo.

 

[Millennial Pink]

Found all three of these new Walkers flavours in various shops now and can give an opinion!

Firstly, the rebrand to 'unbelievable' is maybe a bit of a reach for the meat flavoured ones as lots of the meat flavoured Walkers were accidentally vegan anyway. I understand why they've done a cheese one as loads of those contained milk.

BBQ Pork Ribs- mainly tastes of beans, which I'm not angry about. 7/10.
Grilled Cheese Toastie- weird synthetic taste and smell. They may have overdone one of the seasonings. 3/10.
Flame Grilled Steak- best of the bunch and reminds me of other steak/beef flavoured crisps. 9/10.

 

[didn't want to join]

Just popping back to say a huge thank you for the Iron recommendation's you gave

Family member bought Feroglobin liquid and also Spatone. They are loving the Spatone at the moment (they use Orange juice with it) and rather oddly, they have brighter eyes, colour in their cheeks (for the first time in a very long time).

Also found mood felt better, less headache and calmer

Going to try the Feroglobin soon, but I thought I'd nip on and say it went really well (Holland & B were the best on price and size) thanks again and have a lovely weekend

 

[Millennial Pink]

This is incredible- I found it in Sainsburys.

 

[butterfliesandhurricanes]

I’m not vegan but I tend to eat mostly plant based/vegetarian foods. Has anyone tried this from Asda? I’m obsessed with it. It’s delicious. I buy a couple a week

 

[Millennial Pink]

Costa is dire nowadays. The soya milk they switched to tastes awful and they charge extra for the other, decent plant milks, so a coconut latte with a syrup costs over £4. I try to avoid them now anyway because the service at some stores is terrible.

 

[Nolongerjustalurker]

I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve tried from the Birds Eye Green Cuisine range (especially the fish fingers) - I think it’s pretty affordable compared to some of the other brands and often on offer in Tesco/Sainsburys.
But I’d agree with the above, it still feels like eating ‘junk’ and I’m trying to cook less processed food, especially with the crazy price rises everywhere

 

[Some People!]

Oh my god my Mum used to give us mushroom tartex on toast 30 years ago! I’d forgotten all about it. Popping into H&B tomorrow!

Saaaame, nostalgia to the max!
I haven't found any irl yet though - I've tried a (small) H&B and 2 independent wholefood shops. One said they'd had a few people asking lately and I loved the idea that we've caused a run on Tartex pate

 

[martaS]

The Vivera drumsticks are sooo nice. Good texture and well seasoned. Quite filling too.

 

[EddyDarling]

It was one of the strangest experiences I've had.

Me: Hi, can I have an oat milk flat white please?
Barista: *hard stare* You mean a latte with oat milk?
Me: *thinking No I fucking don't* No, a flat white with oat milk. Please.
Barista: *continues hard stare*
Me: *sighs* Yes, all right then.

I had a train to catch and could feel the queue behind me getting pissed off. But yes, it was bizarre. And it happened earlier this year, not like a decade again when I first went vegan.

What an absolute prick

 

[Some People!]

Getting a YumBox was a game-changer for my kid's lunchboxes and the compartments made it easy to do a formula of a lunch when half asleep. The boxes are pricey but *excellent*. We have the original kind: https://yumboxlunch.com/collections/yumbox-original
No idea if this is at all helpful, and kid is 'only' vegetarian...

Section 1: always veg, usually a couple. Eg: carrot sticks, cucumber, gherkins, beetroot, mini corncobs, mange tout...

Section 2: always "the main thing",. Eg: sandwich, roll, wrap, pasta, rice, couscous, crackers, sausage roll, cold quesadilla, yanno...

Section 3: always "an protein": Eg: lump o' cheese, lump o' quorn, wee sausage, wee quorn scotch egg, a nugget, handful of roasted chickpeas...

Section 4: always crispy. Half a packet of crisps (very seldom actual potato chips, usually hula hoops/ pea snacks, pop chips, sunbites etc)

Section 5: always fruit. Eg: easy peeler orange, grapes, kiwi (cut up + spork), strawbs, whatever doesn't get mullered in transit or doesn't go brown.

The sections are p small, so it's very easy to have variety and be using up really small amounts of leftovers for some of it.
For sandwich fillings, I struggled too... Usually leaves + hummus/coleslaw/'ham'/cheese and the like.

I was often deal jealous

 

[Millennial Pink]

Ok, I've had the Richmond Rashers twice now and I think they're the best bacon alternative I've tried. Also, they don't repeat on you for several days afterwards, which is a bonus.

 

[Some People!]

Yess, January at Lidl is wicked - they also have tempeh (vegan) and sandwich slices (vegetarian, in a couple of flavours, I got olive and pumpkin and there was another). The frozen stuff is interesting but less tempting to me, though I did get some broccoli nuggets because I am 10.
Im hoarding firm tofu at present while it's on offer and experimenting with freezing different kinds. Some defrosts with no change, some gets 'spongier' (?) some scrambles itself.

Speaking of freezing stuff that tells you you shouldn't, I've always bought quorn/ other brands sandwich sliced hams for my kid's lunch when it's on offer cos it's a bit spensive otherwise. I pack it into a tupperware with a slice of greaseproof paper in between each slice. Works a treat and saves loads of money. I just pull out a frozen slice and its defrosted on the chopping board by the time I've buttered the bread I reuse the greaseproof until it dies too.
I also freeze quorn cocktail sausages when they turn up with yellow stickers and put those in the lunchbox still frozen - they're perfect by lunchtime.

 

[strawberrysunshine_x]

This is what I do They arrive so scrawny looking with half their feathers missing (one had a limp as she'd been handled too roughly by the farmer). Honestly it's so heartwarming (and heartbreaking) to see them finally fat and healthy looking. They genuinely enjoy the open space despite being cooped up for the first 18 months of their lives.

Ahhhh that’s sooo cute. My boyfriend used to have some. They weren’t rescues But we don’t really have the garden for it hopefully one day !

 

[Eurgh]

Just found these in my local Asian grocer. They are vegan so no shrimp or fish sauce. Have added a vegan fish sauce to the tofu and veg green curry I’m making and it’s delicious!

 

[no-no]

I get them off Amazon, vegan stores or Holland & Barrett. They look old-fashioned but are tasty, cost £2-3

 

[shadowcat5]

So not a recommendation but (I feel like I always come in here with doom and gloom )

subway are removing their T.L.C from the menu