A Review of Tesco vegan mac and cheese - A wasted opportunity

When I saw Tesco had brought out vegan (gluten, wheat, dairy, egg free) mac and cheese, I was pretty excited. This to me is the ultimate vegan feast.

Sadly, the meal didn't live up to the hype mainly because of the overpowering taste of mustard. 

Yep, like so many foods manufacturers make for the vegetarian/vegan market, Tesco probably think they have to spice things up because they believe the myth that vegetarian and vegan food is tasteless. Hence an overdose of mustard that completely ruined the taste of this for me. It was so strong only eating some liquorice (Panda's original vegan) got rid of it.

This was a pity because without this mustard the mac and cheese would have been tasty. 

Using macaroni pasta was a good move as I find rice pasta can be a bit bland. 

The sauce was also a nice consistency but it could have done with some yeast flakes. The parsley was also a nice touch.

Overall I'd rate this 3 out of 5 stars 

Let's talk about #WorldVegetarianDay

I love the fact some meat eaters are using the #WorldVegetarianDay hashtag on Twitter to talk about how much they love meat and how vegetarians are always talking about being vegetarian.


DOH!


Maybe meat does addle the brain. 

In my experience, its meat eaters who can't stop about loving to eat meat whenever you mention you're vegetarian. 

My manifesto for a more compassionate world

1. Products that are tested on animals should be legally made to show graphic images like the diseased lungs on cigarette packs in the UK.

"Because I'm worth it." 

Is animal suffering worth it? Let people see.

Hey, maybe there are people who don't care about rabbits being blinded or mice being mutilated, but there are also those who have no idea that cosmetics and household products are still tested on animals.


Time we had pictures like this showing animal experiments on products that use animal testing.

2. There should be legal definitions enforceable by law, over what constitutes vegetarian and vegan suitable products. At the moment, there are just recommendations. But, hey, I could recommend from birth that every baby is given wings, it don't make it so.

3. Clearer labeling on all products not just a list of ingredients, but an explanation of what the more ambiguous one are. Does everyone know that gelatin/gelatine is ground down animal bone and muscle? What about the insects that go into cochineal? Or, the fish bladders called isinglass used to filter some drinks? People have a right to know what they and their kids are eating.

4. Clear vegetarian sections in stores that are kept away from non-vegetarian and vegan foods. One of the stores I shop in (Tesco Glasgow) put Redwoods vegan sage and onion slice in the fish aisle, down from a rotisserie where a chicken was going round. What the hell?

5. CCTV cameras in every slaughterhouse. Animals shouldn't be beaten, have their legs broken been thrown against walls. Let's ensure that every slaughterhouse worker knows that if they abuse animals unlucky enough to end up in their workplace that they could be caught on camera and prosecuted. There's a UK petition here and worldwide here.

6. Sentences for animal abusers to be changed from years to months. In the UK, if people are convicted their sentences (if they get prison at all) are months, rather thank years. They throw in 'banned from keeping a pet' for a certain amount of years, but who actually polices it?

7. The end of breed selective legislation for dogs. No man or animal should be killed for how they look. Let's do it for Lennox.

8. A ban on dog breeding for profit. Until every shelter is empty, nobody should be bringing any more dogs into the world.

Puppy farms should be banned.

What would be in your manifesto?

I'd love to know. Please post a comment.

Choose Organic Splendor for cruelty free cosmetics

Since I started this blog, I have been lucky enough to meet some amazing people. People who believe like me that the world can be a more compassionate place to human beings and animals.

One such company is Organic Splendor. Their handmade mineral make up, bath care and skin care products are completely vegan (the company is run by a vegan) and even better, titanium dioxide free.
You can visit them here

TV chef says no difference from eating pork and eating puppies

Comments from TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall were published this week where he said that there was no difference between eating pork and eating puppies.

Views seemed to be mixed. Most people were appalled at the notion of eating dogs and couldn’t believe someone from a dog loving nation like the UK could even dare suggest such a thing.

Some, including vegetarians and vegans, thought that he had a point.

I’ve been a vegetarian for 25 years and a vegan for less than a year, so what I’m about to say is my opinion. I speak for myself, not for anyone else.

I thought that what HFW said was sick. Coming from a man who likes to eat road kill (I don’t scrape up any dead animals I find and shove them into a baking tin, I bury them – I’m funny like that) and who has also ate curried fruit bat in the past, this is not a call for people to re-examine their consciences where eating animals is concerned.

If a vegetarian or vegan had said what he said they’d have been highlighting the hypocrisy of people who eat some animals but wouldn’t eat others. Their message would be that every animal has the right to indulge in their normal behaviours and to not be farmed and killed. Therefore there would be no difference between eating pig and eating puppy.

But, if a meat eater like HFW makes a comment like that it’s as if he’s advocating extending the range of animals people eat. Why not when people already eat pigs?   

The other reason his comments were objectionable was because he was saying, ‘hey, if you eat meat, you should be willing to eat any animal whether it’s a piglet or a puppy.

Take aside the fact that dogs have the status as pets in most Western societies, do we really need someone advocating that when so many new animals are already being eating in the West? Animals like kangaroo, squirrel and shark?

That’s on top of the ones people eat that many people would find morally objectionable like horse (they eat horsemeat in Belgium and Germany and many other countries), monkey (in 2002 there were reports of monkey meat being sold in the UK) and cats (in certain Swiss cultures they eat cat meat).

We need there to be some animals people won't eat. There has to be a limit, because when there isn’t people will start eating anything.

Footnote - I've been very surprised after going on various message boards and groups to see that many vegans and vegetarians agree with HFW's comments. Everyone is entitled to their opinion (just as I am) but to people who genuinely believe that eating a puppy is the same as eating pork, I would ask this question - would you protest against/boycott a butchers or supermarket for selling puppy meat? If the answer is yes (as I hope it would be) why do you not do the same when stores sell pork?

Whether we like it not, certain animals like dogs are given a higher status in our society than ours and its just as well they are because then they'd be farmed and eaten too.

And that's how veggiegirl2011 see it.

Product Review Swedish Glace Ice Cream

That’s Swedish Glace off my shopping list as well known animal torturers Unilever buy the company.

 

 

 

Finding an ice cream type dessert that's dairy free for anyone who suffers from lactose intolerance or who is a vegan, can be tricky.

Note - although this is very like ice cream and tastes like ice cream, it is labelled as a 'rich dessert.' Only a product containing milk can be called ice cream.

I was delighted therefore to come across this amazing product in my local Holland and Barrett store.

At first glance, when you look at the packaging Swedish Glace just looks like normal ice cream. Scouring the label, I found that it was completely dairy free and contained no egg.

It's also cholestrol and gluten free, so perfect for those watching their cholestrol and who are gluten intolerant. And there's no genetically modified ingredients either, so this is a wholesome treat.

If you fancy trying a different flavour, it also comes in smooth vanilla, juicy raspberry and wild blueberry.

On first taste, this does taste like ice cream. Very chocolately ice cream. But the more you eat the more it tastes like a very rich mousse. Not that this is a nad thing. This is a very chocolatey product and its no surprise to see that crushed cocoa beans are added to the product.

One of the other good things about this product is that there is no aftertaste. After eating it you feel wonderfully refreshed.  

I would recommend Swedish Glace to anyone who is vegan or gluten intolerant or lactose intolerant. It tastes fantastic and is a welcome addition to any larder.

Milk replacer tips

When I stopped drinking milk (for health reasons and because of the horror that goes on in the dairy industry), there were two things I missed most of all -

1. Cereal. I loved cereal and ate it all the time.

2. Tea. In Scotland where I live, we are a nation of tea lovers. We drink it all the time even although there seems to be a Starbucks on every corner.

Then I made two discoveries. Firstly, that I could replace milk in my cereal with soya (soy) milk. I tried all the different varities: sweetened, unsweetened and various flavours. I also tried rice milk, oat milk and almond milk. To be honest, I didn't like them much.

Then I discovered Provamel's banana flavoured soya milk and thought, 'Mmm, now this I like.' So, I've been having that in my cereal ever since.

You may find your tastes are different, but there should be one non-dairy milk that you like.

My latest discovery is SoyGo coffee creamer, which you can buy either in a carton or in sachets to carry around with you. One box contains 25 sachets. I bought it from the VIVA online shop, but you may be able to find it in a health store.

I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that this is the best milk replacer I have used. Tea tastes like tea and if you take away the fact that you need to really stir your tea or coffee to ensure this dissolves, then I have to give it a well earned 9 out of 10.

A vegetarian’s coming to dinner

If all else fails you can always rustle up a salad

For some people hearing that a dinner/house guest is a vegetarian can be a worry. What can you give them to eat that will be quick and easy to make? And, just as important, what shouldn’t you give them to eat?

Bears eat fish, vegetarians don't

Here are some pointers:

What NOT to make –

·         Fish. Vegetarians do NOT eat animal flesh.

·         Poultry like chicken or turkey for the same reason as the one given above.

·         Anything containing meat, fish or poultry products. Vegetarians don’t eat any meat or anything derived from meat such as stew made with meat stock or soup made using a bone.

·         If you’re making dessert, strictly nothing containing jelly. Jelly contains gelatine (also spelt gelatine),which is basically grund down animal bones and muscle. You can get a gelatine-free version of jelly.

What TO make -

·         Omelettes are nice and easy, but if you’re making them an omelette, do it with free-range eggs. Many vegetarians will only eat free-range eggs. You can add things like mushrooms and tomatoes. Ask your visitor what they prefer.

·         Vegetarian sausages and mashed potato (called sausages and mash in the UK). Delicious and easy. Tastes amazing with a thick onion gravy and swede (turnip) and sweet potato mash.

·         Pasta is one of those dishes that most people like. If you can pop some garlic bread in the oven to have with it all the better.

·     Vegetarian  pizza. Easy to make and quick. Cheese and tomato is simple and tasty, but do make sure your guest isn't vegan as cheese isn't suitable for vegans unless it's specifically vegan cheese (available from health food stores).

·         Vegetarian hot dogs. There are so many different brands available and many of my non-vegetarian friends have said that they prefer the veggie versions to the meat ones they usually have.

·         Shepherd’s pie with either Soya, TVP textured vegetable protein or Quorn mince.

·         Noodles. Just a plain plate of noodles with Soya sauce can be tasty.

·         A stir fry. This is ideal because you can make it out of whatever vegetables you have in the fridge and any noodles you have.

Note - all pictures are free images from www.kozzi.com. Why not give them a go?

Pimp My Tofu

I can't cook the stuff, but this lady certainly can.

For more videos, visit YouTube.

Thanks to iquiteatingmeat on Twitter for the link.