A Vegan Obsession

Party Time! World Vegan Day Party London & Day Of The Dead Celebrations

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If you don’t already know, November 1st is World Vegan Day, and the start to World Vegan Month.  It is a great opportunity for the already vegan and the vegan curious to gather and have some fun.  The London Vegan Meetup Group are going to gather in London.  Not in London?  Events are happening all over, not just in the UK.  A Google search will list those closest to you.
 If you have a great event you want us to know about, leave a comment below or on the Facebook  page.


Are you going?  I can’t make either of them. I will be in New York (woohoo!).  Have fun!

The Great Vegan Challenge

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For all you would-be vegans out there, here’s the perfect opportunity to take the plunge and give the plant-based diet a go.

This November, Animal Aid is running the Great Vegan Challenge and the idea behind it is simple: you pledge to go vegan for the month and they aim to make it as easy, fun and engaging as possible. Plus it’s free to sign up and open to anyone, anywhere in the world!

When you register to take part, you’ll get:
  • Advice on nutrition and vegan products
  • Recipes and motivational tips sent regularly
  • Access to an internet forum for swapping tips and stories
  • A telephone hotline for any burning questions
  • Information on exclusive events, offers and product give-aways

Almost 800 people took part last year from 17 different countries and the response from them was overwhelmingly positive.  Let’s help make it 8000 this year!

Here is what some of last years participants had to say…

‘So glad I gave the Great Vegan Challenge a go! It’s been fantastic and made a big change in my lifestyle for the better! Everyone should try it!’ – Katrina Powis

‘Fantastic! I didn’t realise it would be as easy as it was to transition from veggie to vegan. I will certainly be staying vegan… no going back now!’ – Shaune Mather

‘The Vegan Challenge gave me invaluable knowledge, as well as the support and ease to continue on this path in future.’ – Nadya Booyse

You can read more about people’s experiences last year on the Great Vegan Challenge blog (www.govegan.org.uk/category/blog/) which will be updated daily throughout November.

This year, Animal Aid has also linked up with organisations in Australia (veganeasy.org), Canada (www.MercyForAnimals.ca), Luxembourg (http://www.vegansociety.lu/portal), Estonia (http://www.taimetoidumess.ee/index.php?lang=en) and elsewhere (http://www.govegan.org.uk/register/support-for-vegan-challengers-outside-the-uk/) to help spread the word and support Vegan Challengers in those countries, making it a truly global event.

If you’re already vegan, why not convince one of your friends or family to give it a try? You never know, they might just come round to the vegan way. Going vegan isn’t just about saving animals, it may also saving theirs.

Whether you’re motivated by saving animals, improving your health or protecting the planet, you can find out more about the Great Vegan Challenge or sign-up to take part at www.govegan.org.uk and if you have any questions, you can contact Ben Martin via [email protected] or by calling 01732 364546 ext 227.

Good luck.  Let us know how you get on.  Leave a comment, tell us all about it.


Photography Course In London

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Want a perfect way to really see London, or just the space around you? Learn to capture it perfectly? Loose yourself for three & a half hours?  I did.  So I went on a (beginners) photography course.
A perfect rhythm of show & tell, then ‘go practice’.  The tutor, animated and talented photographer Lucie Goodayle, simplified everything and made you feel like a rockstar. Really! She was encouraging, inspiring.  Fun.  
When we were set free to scatter ourselves around the Southbank it felt like embarking on a childhood adventure.  You get so thoroughly absorbed in what you are doing.  Like a meditation.  You forget everything else.  My camera gave me super powered courage to approach the motley and marvellous characters that caught my eye.  Most people said yes, without question to my gentle requests of personal space invasion.  I thought it was like stopping to smell the blossoming roses in the park. But with humans, not flowers.
There were the ‘ones that got away’ too.  Like the girl with the full cotton skirt of imprinted sunflowers who ran past me giggling. Her arm held above her head, clutching a bobbing, bright orange balloon, the size of a giant tortoise. And the young Lithuanian transvestite who stood beside me at the Indian Street Food stand.  His face dotted with fluorescent balls. The piercings where what caught my eye first. Then I noticed the whites of his eyes, weren’t!  Fascinated, I struck up a conversation.  I tried not to recoil as I imagined the pain, when he explained his eyeballs were tattooed black.  ‘Oh my gosh’, I said.  ‘They look stunning (and a bit scary, I thought to myself), especially against your ice blue eyes’.  But he was so young, I worried for him.  What if he changed his mind?  What about when he got older and exchanged his goth boots for comfy slippers (or pink velvet mules)?  He assured me, he’d never regret it.  Perhaps it is me, I am too risk adverse when it comes to appearance.  I’ve had the same hairstyle for years, and stood down from the stiletto long ago in favour of comfy flats (perhaps that is why I am single!?).  He wouldn’t let me photograph him, unless I too was in the picture.  So I bowed out.  Left him as an uncaptured memory.  Most people were only too happy be under the scrutiny of my lens. I came away with the reminder that people are wonderful lone islands of wonder and story. I loved the chance of getting so close.
Frui run creative holidays, courses and events.  Their team appear to be bursting with knowledge, delivered with spirit. I wish I could experience all of their offerings. Now that would be a nice job!
Here are a bunch of pics I took on the day.  I am now decidedly less scared of my camera’s bells and whistles!
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Fun & learning.  A nice combo. 
This blog post was taken from my other blog Single Girl In The City.  I usually keep life and food separate.  It isn’t. The two are so entwined.  Help me to decide whether I should combine the two.  Do you like knowing what else I get up to?  I’d love to hear your opinion. Leave a comment in the post a comment box below.
Of course I did try and get some good snaps of food.  I hung around this street food stall, from   Horn Ok Please  for ages.  I just could not get a shot I was happy with.  Their food however, was a different story.  Vegan AND gluten free.  Lentil dosa.  

V-Delicious, the veggie good food show. I have FREE TICKETS worth £10 for you!!

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Exciting news!  7-9th June, 2013.  The Allergy Show and V-Delicious are BOTH packing out the Olympia Exhibition Centre in London, for a weekend of allergy free AND Vegetarian & Vegan products.  Lordy..both of them!..My excitement knows no bounds!!  

They have a full programme of yoga, shopping,…FOOD. 
Food and Skin Care that is Gluten, soy, dairy, wheat free.  Spotlight Seminars for Food allergies, hay fever, IBS. Everything you could need to kick what ails you to the curb.

Not only am I going along to find out about all new and exciting products and FOOD to tell you about, but ALSO I have an exclusive offer for YOU!  Do you want to attend?  Well, the kindly, generous folk of V-Delicious want to thank you for following my blog, by offering you…

FREE TICKETS!!


You can save  £10.  Think what you can do with that spare cash!  Buy more goodies for you to take home?!  Yay!

In association with Vegan Society  Vegetarian Society Goodness Direct  Viva  

Click on this link here to register for your Free Tickets

I will be there.  If you see me..come say hello!  I’d love that.
x

Exciting GIVEAWAY - a whole BOX of deliciously good Nakd. bars!

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I know it’s getting colder here in the Northern Hemisphere but it is time for a Nakd. Giveaway.  No, you don’t have to get undressed for it!  Just submit your entry in the box below.
Get this…Here is a GIVEAWAY equation.   Action = better odds   So take a minute and do it all!

I was invited to the launch of Nakd. new delicious flavours.  
Rhubarb and Custard..so British a combo, and reminds me of those dual coloured penny chews I scoffed as a child  (they made your jaw ache as you ate them),  AND my mother’s rhubarb crumble, swimming in thick, yellow custard.  
2nd up was Caffe MOCHA flavour.  It has the real deep, bitter notes of dark coffee, and a bar of good high% chocolate.

Nakd were so fun.  They even got us playing with date pastes, nuts, sparkles and flavourings to make our own versions.  Some clever clogs came up with Strawberry Nutcase .  I’d market that one if I where them!

I put together a little montage to practise my editing skills. Please have a peek.  It features a word from Jamie, the MD of Nakd. What a nice guy!  
I love the way businesses are changing now, to become more fun, inclusive, interactive and hailing from a place of good intentions.  It’s a fascinating time to be alive.  Why not enter to win a box of Nakd bars so you can spread the lurve with friends?!

Good luck.

Be well,

India Leigh xxx



 a Rafflecopter giveaway

VEGAN COOK OFF - The Great Moshi Vegan Challenge - 2012

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Life is rather good when you get invited to come along and judge a vegan cook-off.  I’m making that sound grander than it is.  I was 1 of 100 judges (diners) nevertheless, I took my assignmentVERY seriously!
  

Down in the ‘oh so famous’ Brighton Lanes lies a hugely successful and innovative Japanese restaurant called Moshi Moshi.  I’d never stepped over the threshold before, thinking it probably wholly unvegan.  But after a scan of the events for the Brighton Food Festival 2012 I was so excited to find a VEGAN cook-off being held there. I thought what a lark…this is a bout I want to witness!
In its 3rd year, the VEGAN Maki Challenge is the brainchild of Moshi owners Kahl Jones and Nicholas Rohl.  The restaurant is not vegan (alas).  BUT they are known for their work in fish conservation and they are actively promoting ‘restorative eating’ by consuming less.  I’d say make it easier and don’t eat the poor fish at all, but KUDOS to them for having no less than 23 vegan dishes on their menu and championing the awareness of over consumption.  Anything that showcases superb vegan eats gets a thumbs up in my book!

All of the entrants had created wonderfully unique recipes.  One of the two desserts took the title.  v-Bites (owned by Heather Mills company Redwood) with their stunning chocolate-ribboned, green tea and pandan ice cream.   Cashew Catering (my personal favourite) wrapped tempeh and chill bean puree in a crusted aubergine and marked the plate with a flourish of horseradish and ginger paste and a wonderfully tart and innovative raspberry and ume sauce.   My other favourite (besides the eye catching ‘broken hearted’ maki from Moshi) was CanTina and her use of a lacy hijiki (a type of seaweed) rice cracker, jauntily leaning on her shiitake maki.  Beautiful!
The other contenders were Yum Tum Sushi,  Sabai Thai, Titbits (VEGAN) and India Summer who also serve up inspired Indian vegan cuisine.
A great night was had by all. The atmosphere was fantastic and the owners Kahl and Nicolas were great hosts.  I’m considering signing up for their 50% off Monday Membership Clube.  Big thanks to Lisa from JB PR who arranged for me to be part of it.  I LOVE my job!
I hope you enjoy the video!! xx

TCHO and the chocolate factory

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I recommend, when you visit any city, to get out and walk around, with no fixed goal. Or hire a bicycle, and go where the fancy takes you.  You will probably find most unexpected things of interest, great cafes, fascinating neighbourhoods with distinctive personality. You may get chatting to friendly strangers, who will point you in the direction of  a landmark or restaurant only the locals know about.  You may even cycle along the Embarcadero, whilst watching for the Golden Gate Bridge to step out from the fog in San Fransisco, and happen upon a whacking great chocolate factory.  Upon entering the factory store, you may have a chat  with a member of staff who informs you (whilst you are taking full advantage of the free samples) you can enjoy a free tour of the premises, if you feel so inclined.  But you can’t book it there.  Oh no, you have to go all the way back home and book it on the Internet. I’m not sure the idea of going on-line and booking one of the two, daily free tours would have got Mr Roald Dahl inspired. The notion is profoundly dull and uninspiring, in comparison to the fervent chocolate bar buying that Willy Wonka incited. But hey, let me tell you, I found it just as exciting AND stressful gaining access to the shrouded world of TCHO’s chocolate making machines.

Stressful because when I booked, the first time, and began my bike ride from the Mission District. Grabbed my bike from the basement to peddle like a tornado was nipping at my heals.  Down Valencia Street, took a right onto Market and down to the Embarcadero. Lands end.  My ETA was off by three minutes. THREE. ONLY 3 minutes, and my place was nabbed with breathtaking swiftness, by another ardent fan of the cacao.   I couldn’t believe it.  Just three minutes and I’m out.  I was deflated, dejected…and very sweaty. But my mind, Exocet on getting behind the big willowy curtains blocking my view from the chocolate making, I went home, got on the Internet and booked again. I returned a week later. Hardly learning from my mistake and arriving at four seconds past the tour start time. I ran in, again sweaty from cycling like the clappers down Market Street, and rugby tackled Iris, the tour guide, shouting my name to announce my arrival, as I flew through the air to grab at her heels. I was in!
TCHO (the phonetic spelling of the 1st syllable of chocolate) is, in their words, ‘New American Chocolate’.  They are a local chocolate factory, housed somewhere in between the Ferry Building and Fort Mason.They claim to go beyond fair trade when sourcing their beans and buy and collaborate direct with their growers.  They improve the growers production from planting to the racks the beans dry on.  An interesting fact I learned is that most growers from the cacao producing countries TCHO source from (Peru Ghana Ecuador Madagascar….ALL on my bucket list BTW) haven’t even tasted chocolate as we know it! They just grow the beans to feed the market.  Timothy Childs, ex NASA Space Shuttle contractor and co-founder of TCHO, built laboratories on sight so the growers get to taste the chocolate that their beans will produce and understand more of the process of fermenting, roasting, conching and tempering.  TCHO seem to be as obsessive about chocolate as I am about anything vegan. Karl Bittong, the other founder, has been so consumed by cacao that he moved to Ghana live next to a plantation.  Between them they’ve literally bodged together the laboratories and the San Franciscan factory with a hotch potch of retro machines and futuristic technology. 
 
A DVD injected a quick information download. Once that was done, finally, we were guided through the 40ft gossamer curtain to behold the world of the crazy chocolate makers. Strips of clear plastic separated the machines from the packing area where conveyor belts transported of cooling confection. I kept pushing one of the strips to let in the noise of the motors, so tickled I was by the effectiveness of their sound proofing qualities. Huge silver vats held tonnes of roasted cacao nibs. They were being ground to a liquid. Another belly of steel was tempering the chocolate. Heating it to encourage the molecules get in an orderly line, to help create the satisfying ‘snap’ you get when breaking a piece  from a bar. It’s then freed from the heating process, along tubes and down into the final moulds, in rods of warm, fluid chocolate. Crazy technology means Tim can crawl out of bed, grab his iPhone and adjust tempering times or roasting temperatures, without even changing out of his pyjamas, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and driving to the factory. The influence of the CEO and the President of TCHO, Louis Rossetto & Jane Metcalf who founded digital culture, Wired magazine?
Natty head-gear
brightly coloured cacao pods

the white gloop that covers the beans.  This is what ferments the bean.

roasted cacao beans
the happy growers

Aztecs believed that wisdom and power came from eating the fruit of the cocoa tree, and also that it had nourishing, fortifying, and even aphrodisiac qualities. The Aztec emperor, Montezuma, drank thick chocolate, unsweetened - sugar was not yet found, apparently he drunk a whopping 50 goblets every day! 

Standing there, albeit looking silly in a flimsy white paper hat.  The rich evocative smells dense in the air. I got it. Theand smooth? Pre-tour, one might think it a bit ‘poncy’ to imagine flavours and ‘top notes’. It’s chocolate, right? But the earth, the plants, the air, the roasting times, how the beans are dried…they all influence the flavour and impart the memory of where the bean originated. Honestly, I could taste citrus. I detected berries. I acquiesced, yes, indeed I could discern a suggestion of floral notes, when all the disc of chocolate contained was 80% cacao and a little sugar.
Just over an hour later I emerged back out from the hanger and into the strong sun.  I untwined the bike lock from the park up and went off on my merry way. Chocolate powered.  Shaking ever so slightly from too much sugar and theobromine. Next stop to hunt down a huge concrete organ built into a tiny promontory in the Marina, that shoots musical notes into the air at high tide, in the name of art.

The Chocolate Festival 2011

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Paul Wayne Gregory gets animated about chocolate



The Southbank Centre in London again hosts a food spectacular beside the banks of the Thames.  This time it was all about the chocolate!  The centre hosts many great exhibitions throughout the year, not just about food, and are well worth signing up for fun alerts.

Paul Wayne Gregory charmingly describes himself as a chocologist.  During his 30 minute demonstration he drew graphs to demonstrate the dizzy heights of happiness he reports his chocolates drive people too.  ‘The arc of indulgence’ he calls it (or something like that).  He was such fun and clearly passionate about his craft.  Talking of craft, not only does he invent great chocolate infusions but he is an exceptionally gifted artist too.  He sculpted the portrait below out of chocolate. Good looking, charming, gifted, passionate….




 


The Food Network were so generous, hosting the demonstrations. A fiver…yep, that’s right.. £5 bagged me, chocolate tasting, the demo, and a big bag of goodies with the Food Network insignia; coir bag, apron, umbrella and a very handy food notebook.  I was a happy (chocolate) bunny!  It wasn’t all about the Gregory though, the festival showcased many avid chocolatiers; Damian Allsop and William Curley were hosting demos of their own.  Chocolate alchemists abound in a relatively small space, many practically reverential about their cacao bean, mostly imported from Ecuador.  Being a vegan I was happy to find bitter, noir delights for me to sample.  What else? - Chocolate flavoured beer, chocolate and conservation, raw chocolate, and chocolate ganache made with water (?)!  Surprisingly, what moved me most was the gorgeous styling of some of the chocolates.  Delicate edible coloured designs in contemporary patterns on the surface of some, edible gold dusted on others and all so lovingly crafted.  Food AND art.  I had entered Nirvana and it was chocolate covered! 

As you can imagine the stalls had queues, four deep in parts.  This limited my ability to digitally capture the creations in a manner fitting of their exhibitions…here is what I gathered…look away now if you are not ready to get a hit of chocolate porn!




a secret water-based recipe palate from Damian Allsop with flavours like rhubarb and rose and licorice and lime…(getting giddy!)

chocolate chocolate chocolate!

love those designs!

Want to gorge on a little extra chocolate knowledge?   A paragraph or two by The Chemistry of Food    





Free From Food Festival at the Southbank, London 2011

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A great festival debut, a dream meeting with a foodie celebrity, and a happy tummy.
Southbank, one of my favourite areas of London, was host to the inaugural ‘Free From’ Food Festival.  The brainchild of Caroline Ahern, found of the Allergy Free Bakery.  I think the Gluten Free Gods were smiling down on her because the weather was unseasonably mild and dry.  The Xmas markets along the Thames were packed with shoppers buying colour knits, giant chocolate bars and Christmas baubles, so the ‘Free From’ stalls were attracting a lot of attention of Saturday shoppers and inquisitive tourists too.
Being the kick off to, hopefully, an annual and expanding event, it was relatively small.  Probably about 20 exhibits in all.  Not all were vegan but all great for those seeking an Allergy Free diet.
I missed the first demo from Rainforest Cafe (was running in and out of the Southbank halls until I discovered it was outside at the North of the building.  BUT, I got to see Molly Robson from The Particular Kitchen.  And she was awesome.  Molly used gluten free flour, fresh cranberries, coconut milk and oil, spices, juice, zest and baking powder to bake a crumbly sweet, tart cake.  It was DELICIOUS.  Ahem, I ate 3 slices.  Molly is an American lass, now living in the UK.  She kicked her health into touch through diet and now she is a qualified nutritionist and cook.
Gwen, a wild woman with a passion for health.  Her Irish Moss, roots drinks packed quite a punch.  I lost her business card somewhere between there and The London Veggies drinks night in Belsize park.  I did find her on Twitter @godandgwen
Hey, head full of food thoughts…I forgot this gals name (so sorry!) but she is starting up a new Food Allergy hub.  ‘A recipe site for people with food preferences’.  www.foodalit.com
I completely through myself into the task and sampled all the raw foods from Inspiralled.  A revolutionary, canal side,  raw cafe in hip and happening Camden. They sell their products from the cafe and through Goodness Direct Whole Foods London, Infinity Foods amongst others.  The wasabi wheatgrass kale chips were great and the raw cakes……..wow wee! 
I meet Amy from Amy’s Kitchen.  Amy’s foods saved me many a time when hosteling in the US when time or kitchen facilities were poor.  I’m embarrassed to say I gushed like a fool!  She was so sweet!
And, Oh My Gosh, AMY from Amy’s Kitchen was actually there wearing the cutest hat.  Amy’s Kitchen is a Californian based company started because when Amy was born, her parents wanted the best for their daughter and they couldn’t find any low fat, organic, (mostly) allergy friendly veggie/vegan products to make her grow up all gorgeous….so they created their own range of foods.  So delicious were the foods they wanted to share them.  I guess they worked (see exhibit A above)
It was a great festival.  I met such lovely people including Pippa from The Intolerant Gourmet.  She is passionate about cooking and has her exciting first book coming out in February 2012.  Her diary is going to be packed with getting out and promoting her cookbook and whizzing up cooking demos.  I wish her huge success with her book. 
Food allergies and intolerance (of food..not things in general..hopefully) are part of our world right now.  Many people may get disheartened when they are diagnosed with an allergy or health problem.  This really need not be the case. I’ve yet to meet a person who has not embraced allergy free cooking and felt better than they ever thought possible because of it.  Including me.  I indulge myself every day and because I am always determined to adapt and create recipes that feel naughty, though they are utterly angelic and beneficial.  You can too.

I am totally grateful to Caroline  Aherne (@sugargrain) and all showcasing at the Free From Food Festival for proving that Allergy Free is definitely Fun Full!

Vegan Cookbook Review and Giveaway
Lemon, cardamon cookies encrusted with dark chocolate and pistachio crumbs.
[Friday GIVEAWAY for Dog Lovers] Healthy Chew Bones For Your Darling Dog
Artisan Raw Chocolate Giveaway from Fine & Raw
A WEEK OF GIVEAWAYS!! UK National Vegetarian Week. Today A HUGE Box Of Hand Cooked Crisps from Ten Acre
Baked Zucchini Fries with lemon aioli – Gluten free, low fat and crispilicious