I Can't Believe It's Vegan!

It's been a while since I've written anything for Huffington Post. Sometimes I can write for hours, but other times I sit staring at a blank screen for days on end. I'm trying to start writing regularly again, so here's my first post of the year that you can also read here.

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How many things did you plan to give up this month? Whether it was alcohol, smoking or junk food, most of us have tried to give up something in January in a bid to become a bit healthier.

One campaign that's been trying to encourage us all to adopt a healthier lifestyle this month is Veganuary. It's also hoped that some people might continue to be vegan once the month is over. If you're one of the people who does, then it can be a bit daunting trying to figure out what you can and can't eat on a permanent basis. It's fine to get through a couple of weeks without animal products, but doing it full time can turn shopping into a bit of a chore. Not all supermarkets carry a vegan label on their food, so you need to become some kind of detective every time you pick up a product that you want to buy.

Luckily, there's quite a few products around that are accidentally vegan. So while you can enjoy discovering some new vegan chocolate and biscuits, you can also keep eating these items safe in the knowledge that they contain no animal products.

Oreos 

You would think a sandwich cookie that consists of two chocolate biscuits with a cream filling would be anything but vegan. However, the biscuit manufacturer recently changed some of the ingredients, meaning the ones made in Europe are free of all animal products.

Pop Tarts

Okay, so the varieties with chocolate or frosting are out. But the unfrosted Pop Tarts like Brown Sugar, Blueberry or Strawberry are completely vegan. They might not be that healthy, but they do make a good occasional breakfast food.

Starburst

Wait, there's a chewy candy that doesn't contain gelatine? I wish I'd known this last year while I missed my former favourite sweets. Well, it turns out that Starburst (or Opal Fruits as I still like to call them) are 100% vegan.

Pringles

If you're missing the taste of barbecue, then you can now happily tuck into a tub of Texas BBQ Pringles. I should point out that you can't eat all flavours of Pringles, but we can live in hope that one day Sour Cream & Chive will be suitable to eat too.

Veggie Colin The Caterpillar - Fizzy Rainbows

Marks and Spencer have recently released lots of new vegetarian sweets, but some of them are vegan friendly too. There's a bit of an argument about whether you should eat products with beeswax in them. If you're against it, then these sweets are one variety that's completely fine for you to eat.

Fox's Party Rings

Due to some recent ingredient changes, vegans can now enjoy the party too. I wouldn't say they were the best biscuits in the world, but they were a staple of every birthday party I went to as a kid. I guess that alone is a reason to revisit them.

Jus-Rol Cinnamon Swirls

Apart from cheese, cinnamon related pastries are the one thing I miss the most. But then I discovered that I could eat these for breakfast. If cinnamon isn't your thing, then they have other delicious varieties to try too.

cinnamon spiced oats

"Why would anyone eat anything besides breakfast food?" Leslie Knope

Leslie Knope has never said anything I've agreed with more. I'd happily eat breakfast food for every meal of the day.  

Since it's so cold outside, a giant bowl of cinnamon oats has become my favourite breakfast lately. The best bit about the way I make them is that they can soak while I'm waking myself up in the shower. Then it only takes 5 minutes to warm up on the hob. 

 1 cup rolled oats (gluten free if possible)

2/3 cup of boiling water

1/3 cup non-dairy milk (I prefer coconut, but anything will work)

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

Toppings: frozen blueberries, raspberries, banana, agave syrup, cinnamon and anything else you fancy.

1. In a small pot mix the oats and boiling water and leave with the lid on for 10 minutes
2. Add the milk and cinnamon, and mix over medium heat for 5 minutes
3. Add whatever toppings you like
4. Enjoy 

Veganuary

This week I was asked to share my story for Veganuary. The month long pledge aims to show people how easy it is to be vegan, and let them see the benefits of following a vegan diet.

If you want to read my story you can click here to visit the Veganuary website or find it below.  

My vegan journey began on the 1st January 2014 when I decided to take part in Veganuary.

I was brought up eating meat and animal products until I made the decision to become vegetarian when I was around 13 years old. Until the end of 2013, being vegan was never something I had even considered. But once I started looking into the dairy industry, I knew it was the right thing to do. It seemed ridiculous that I would protest about killing animals for meat, yet be perfectly happy to eat ice cream and cheese knowing that dairy cows are suffering just as much. I had no idea that they are regularly given antibiotics and hormones so they can produce 10 times more milk that they are naturally meant to. Then I looked into the conditions hens are kept in to produce eggs, and realised that being vegan was the only option for me.

My transition to becoming vegan was pretty easy because I was already vegetarian. People often ask me if I miss meat, but it’s been so long since I’ve eaten any that I can’t even remember what it tastes like. I’ve never eaten a steak or any big joints of meat, and I’ve never even had a McDonald’s burger. I guess my meat intake was so low anyway that it doesn’t feel like there’s anything to miss out on. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss some non-vegan foods though. My first Easter without being able to eat bags of Mini Eggs was a bit of a struggle. I also miss being able to have cheese on toast and order a Domino’s pizza whenever I want.

One of the many positive points about being vegan is that it’s completely opened by eyes to food I never thought I would eat. It’s pushed me to try new recipes and experiment more in the kitchen. I’ve become an expert at making waffles and pancakes without any eggs, and most of the time you wouldn’t be able to tell my chocolate cupcakes are also egg and dairy free.

I've found most people have been completely accepting of my decision, even if some of them struggled to understand it at the beginning. For a while, it seemed acceptable for people to question my choices but not okay for me to ask them why they fill their stomachs with alcohol and junk food on a daily basis. However my best friends have been fantastic and don’t mind me dragging them to vegan restaurants every time we eat out. I’ve found plenty of places in Edinburgh and Glasgow where I can eat vegan versions of my favourite foods. There’s even a takeaway beside my work that will put vegan cheese on pizza for you. I’ve also found normal restaurants to be really accommodating offering to make me soup without cream and provide alternative desserts when everything else on the menu contains dairy.

Being vegan was never something I thought would become a permanent lifestyle choice. However one year in and I’m healthier than I’ve ever been and my diet isn’t hurting animals or damaging the environment. And as things stand at the moment, I can’t imagine ever going back.