Weezl's phase 1- recipe testing and frugalisation- come one, come all!

MrsBartolozzi

Just popped in to ask a question Weezl if I may. I've been reading with interest, but don't usually feel I have anything to add.
How "pure" are you making the vegan diet? The reason I ask is that Ready Brek is not vegan friendly, and judging by the asda website their own label kind might not be either (ie it says ok for veggies, but omits anything about vegans iyswim).

*ducks in case I've thrown a spanner in the works and ruined Weezl's carefully calculated plans...

weezl74

MrsBartolozzi wrote: »

Just popped in to ask a question Weezl if I may. I've been reading with interest, but don't usually feel I have anything to add.
How "pure" are you making the vegan diet? The reason I ask is that Ready Brek is not vegan friendly, and judging by the asda website their own label kind might not be either (ie it says ok for veggies, but omits anything about vegans iyswim).

hi mrs B no need to lurk, please join in! Murrell checked the tesco list which is where planner 3 is being bought from. I think she said their hot oat cereal is fine according to her booklet. She made the interesting point that it costs money to display that logo, so lots of things are veggie or vegan but aren't named as such.

So, AFAIK, the veggie planner number 2 and the vegan planner number 3 are both REALLY veggie and vegan. However I'm not too worried in terms of mass appeal, since the reasons for offering the veggie and vegan planners are not for those reasons, they are about eggs and fresh fruit.

Oh dear, I seem to keep saying this, but I'm doing a rubbish job of it :rotfl:

please can someone do a summary?

weezl74

ps Mrs B this is the post where Murrell looks into tesco hot oat cereal and finds it good for veggie and vegans, HTH xxx

oh ps are you a vegan?

xxx

MrsBartolozzi

Ah I see Weezl, I looked at Asda's rather than Tesco. The reason I wondered was that my DS1 had a friend who was highly allergic to amongst other things, milk and Ready Brek and other hot oat cereals were a no-no as the risk of contamination with milk products during production was high. Not so much with plain oats, I believe it might have been something to do with the origin of the fortifying agents - possibly dairy origin? I've no idea, but I'd just had it in my head that ready brek = milk so thought I'd mention it. The weetabix website does say that RB is not suitable for vegans and cites there's a risk of contamination.
http://www.weetabix.co.uk/brands/ready-brek/ready-brek-original/

I suppose I was just thinking that people might choose to go vegan for reasons other than animal welfare concerns, and so if it's labelled as such it should be 100% vegan friendly.

Weezl, you're not doing a rubbish job - you're a powerhouse of nutritional geekiness - all this and looking after Fergie and cooking Kester, you're a brave woman keep up the good work!!

MrsBartolozzi

No, Weezl I'm not vegan. I used to be very strictly veggie until I was pg with ds1. I couldn't keep any dairy down and started eating fish...down the slippery slope to bacon and then I was lost! I did think about going back, even to vegan a few years ago, but it's the thought of having to eat fortified and "special" foods that put me off. If you want cheese eat cheese, not some soya-processed-to-look-like-cheese junk. (and why would someone who doesn't want to eat animals want to eat a food made to look like it's dead animal -"not bacon" etc)
Oops going off on one there, not my intention. But I have a couple of vegan friends and used to know a few kids with really bad food allergies so completely understand the need to know exactly what is in the food.

Allegra

aless02 wrote: »

not much to say, other than Susan's right in that every cornbread recipe I've ever seen has egg in it...I think it would disintegrate into a crumbly mess without a proper binder.

Oh I dunno. Polenta - which is just cornmeal and water, nowt else - goes solid enough to be sliced when it gets cold. I'm gonna have a go at experimenting a bit and frugalising cornbread over the weekend, I think

weezl74

MrsBartolozzi wrote: »

Weezl, you're not doing a rubbish job - you're a powerhouse of nutritional geekiness - all this and looking after Fergie and cooking Kester, you're a brave woman keep up the good work!!

aw thanks Mrs B.

To be honest I just feel pretty rubbish about my abilities at this challenge at all at the moment.

Sorry to be so candid, but I figured it was best to be honest with all of you my lovely team, rather than bottle it up.

I feel a bit embarrassed and sad that I just had this month to try to do something signficant and of value and help people. And I feel like I've wasted it by not being clever enough or thought-through enough.

Frankly I obviously bit off more than I could chew.:o

That's ok, no-one needs to worry I'm feeling needy or low self-esteemy I'm not, I know I'm not the prime minister and I never thought I could be.:D

I just don't think I realised how hard this would be or how ill-equipped I am to be all that this project would need me to be. I'd need to be Alistair Darling, plus Delia Smith plus experts on subsistence, plus have a degree in dietetics (probably one in chemistry too!) and even then, it's really hard because there's so much controversy about so many foods in the supermarket and so many other things I hadn't realised.

Anyhow there it is, the painful truth. I can't deliver this thing I thought I could. I still can in a way which seems meaningful and healthy and ok and normal TO ME. But I understand that I can't do it for anyone else to help them.

GAH! I'm just so frustrated with myself.

Think I'd better have a little rest. Shouldn't get this upset.

Please don't anyone think I feel anyone has hurt me. It's not any of you. It's me being brought up short by my inadequacies.

vandanfc

Weezl your abilities are not rubbish.

I know that I have said this before, but will say it again. Weezl you need to stay true to your original project and not be diverted by others and their dietary needs. Your original concept of feed 4 for £100 pm is still very valid AND workable. Go back to the basics and get planner 1 sorted and available for the masses. That in my opinion is where the real need is.

Weezl you cannot be all to everyone - so be true to yourself.

Hugs Vanda.

Allegra

Weezl, personally I think you are in dire need of a hug and a rest Furthermore, I think you drive yourself far too hard. And I think you have no idea just how amazing and inspirational people here find you.

And you know what ? There just is no rush. You could walk away now, and you'll have still touched and transformed more lives than you will probably ever know. So even if you feel that enough is enough and that building a healthy Kester should for now be a priority and this project should be shelved - you'll still not have failed. Remember that, eh ?

FrankieM

Completely agree with vanda Couldn't have said it better