How many vegans on board?

bathgatebuyer

Hi all, I've recently turned vegan (6 weeks now!) and have found it a much easier step than I thought. I'd always thought about it, but thought in my mind that it would be more difficult than it actually has been.

I've really enjoyed cooking from scratch much more than I thought I would, and this is so much cheaper too. I've been making my own soup to take into work, so I prepare a batch at the weekend and then just defrost and reheat each morning while I prepare breakfast. That and taking in my own snacks and drinks saves me about a tenner a week. I've also learnt how to work wonders with potatoes (Hash brown, potato cakes, baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, roast potatoes, wedges............) which when they're 69p for 2.5 kg, it saves quite a bit of cash too. The biggest challenge for me was in finding a soya milk that suits given the various types there are. I've not yet tried any of the other types of milk as I've been lucky to hit it off so well with soya as I do love my lattes.

I'm also lucky that on the way into work is a health food shop, so I can easily stock up for the day ahead if I've forgotten anything, and I'm not really one for going out, so I'm usually eating at home or places I know I have some control over what I'm eating.

In about 3 weeks time, I'm away with work, and this will be the first time I'll be relying on eating out and things so I'm sure that will be a bit of a test! I'll have to find a decent vegan restaurant in Manchester (recommendations welcome!), or rely on stocking up at the supermarket in the morning and having that for my meals throughout the day.

I do feel much better but I've lost half a stone so that may have something to do with it, and a skin problem I had has all but completely cleared.

savvy

bathgatebuyer wrote: »

Hi all, I've recently turned vegan (6 weeks now!) and have found it a much easier step than I thought. I'd always thought about it, but thought in my mind that it would be more difficult than it actually has been.

Hi bathgatebuyer, I was the same as you, I was in awe of the first vegan I ever met, I never ever thought I could achieve what he had because I thought it was way too difficult. How wrong I was

Well done to you, on your health improvements and also on your planning, brilliant :T As for Manchester, I think there's a place called Eighth Day for lunches. I did research eateries for Manc before but have never managed to get to any of them, I ate the vegan option at Wetherspoons. You should be able to find more options via Happy Cow or google the local veg*n group for recommendations

Murrell

savvy wrote: »

Hi bathgatebuyer, I was the same as you, I was in awe of the first vegan I ever met, I never ever thought I could achieve what he had because I thought it was way too difficult. How wrong I was

Well done to you, on your health improvements and also on your planning, brilliant :T As for Manchester, I think there's a place called Eighth Day for lunches. I did research eateries for Manc before but have never managed to get to any of them, I ate the vegan option at Wetherspoons. You should be able to find more options via Happy Cow or google the local veg*n group for recommendations

Hi Savvy seems to of given the same answer I would of. Cathy at manchester vegans will certainly be able to help you. If your a chocolate fan, there is a branch of hotel chocolat in the arndale shopping centre and they have many many vegan choices, but be warned, they aren't cheap. They also have a website for anyone else interested. There chocolate praline spread is ace!

Sandra

nzmegs

Bathgatebuyer: Snap! 6 weeks for me too! News years resolution by any chance? I am also finding it really quite easy. I have had a slip up or two, but for the most part it has been relatively painless. I went from a complete meat eater to a (nearly) vegan overnight. Just decided one day and off i went. I believe my body was so devoid of nutrition that it is just telling me to eat good healthy whole food all the time, I read these signals as cravings for sweet foods or carbs. Now that my nutritional needs are met I have no cravings for sugar, cakes, biscuits etc. Which for me is like a miracle!

The weightloss is a good bonus too, but not my main focus. The first time i have not focussed on food as a means to look better. Finally I have realised that food is meant to make you feel better.

Good luck on your journey! How are you getting on with regards to the whole wearing leather, avoiding certain shampoos debate. I must admit I am focussing on the food only for now. thats why i don't think i can be described as proper vegan. (by the purists at least).

savvy

nzmegs wrote: »

Now that my nutritional needs are met I have no cravings for sugar, cakes, biscuits etc. Which for me is like a miracle!
Finally I have realised that food is meant to make you feel better.

:T I found that through vegan raw food first which I did as a vegetarian - it's amazing, never thought I would ever give up Galaxy chocolate and Star Bars....................but after raw chocolate they are totally euuurrggghh!!!!

nzmegs wrote: »

Good luck on your journey! How are you getting on with regards to the whole wearing leather, avoiding certain shampoos debate. I must admit I am focussing on the food only for now. thats why i don't think i can be described as proper vegan. (by the purists at least).

That's been the trickiest bit for me so far, while the purists would say you can't wear your old stuff, I can't afford to completely replace everything so am doing this area gradually as in now not buying leather products etc.

bathgatebuyer

Thanks everyone. It wasn't so much a New Year resolution as just a good point in time for me to make the change. I had a short break before Xmas and I didn't want to start the vegan lifestyle when I was away from home. It's been really interesting to discover that I can make my own food and have some control over it. Before I rarely bought fresh veg to make things myself, I would just buy hash browns or roast potatoes, but now I make most things from scratch. My big weakness was pizza as I loved stuffed crust and I thought I would really miss that, but the sight of greasy cheese resting on a pizza actually curdles my stomach now thinking of it! I am really lucky in that my work has a number of healthy options in the canteen so I can get a baked potato for about 60p and bring in a suitable filling from home. That said, being on my own, part of the cooking for myself and bringing lunch in is also to avoid unecessary waste as if I buy fresh veg at home, it's so easy to just let it go to waste and I'm determined to use what I buy rather than fritter it away.

Like you, I'm focusing on food for the moment but will be renewing things in due course with vegan friendly options as time progresses. I can't afford to replace furniture or shoes overnight, but in time I will be making sure that I can make these changes when things need replacing.

Like I said, the trip away will be interesting. I'm travelling by train on one of the trips, and then on BA flights for the others so I've made sure I've updated my BA details to show vegan rather than vegetarian. Will be interesting to see what they come up with! Quite looking forward to seeing what it's like being away from home as a vegan. I'm quite lucky in that I can just say 'no' to myself and stick to things, so don't feel the slightest temptation to deviate away from vegan foods. I'll dig around the web and try and find some good options for eating out when I'm away.

I do feel VERY good as a result of making things from fresh. I was having problems with acne prior to becoming a vegan, yet in 6 weeks it's all but cleared and it had been a constant for 2 years before that. My uncle has an allergy to dairy products and causes an excema type reaction so I don't know if maybe I have a hint of that and moving away from dairy has alleviated it. Regardless of that, the loss of 7 lbs, has also helped albeit looks like I need to spend on some new work clothes as my trousers keep sliding down as I walk aorund the office!

savvy

Ah bathgate well done, I've rediscovered my zest for cooking as well since turning vegan, I've become uber creative now

Oh and here's a pic of the first ever vegan birthday cake I've ever made

nzmegs

Wow! that looks fab. Is your son a fan of Glee then? How did it taste? Recipe please....

Bathgate, I hope things are going well with you. I have just finished the most enormous bowl of salad with everything you can think of. I am full up like you wouldn't believe. Who would have thought it is possible to enjoy a salad for lunch and to be full afterwards. Amazing! I didn't even want the usual bread roll with it.

savvy

Cheers megs I used the chocolate shortcake recipe from here but I always cut down on the sugar by about 1/4C and I omitted the coffee. I made the recipe twice, so one per layer, and that made a pretty chunky cake in I think 8" tins, it's about 9cms high with both layers and cream on. I baked each one for about 25 mins.

For the buttercream I used this recipe but you only really need about 3/4 that amount to do the giant cake I made!! I added orange essence to a third of the mix for the inside and then vanilla essence for the outside

It tastes amazingly yummy, like a chocolate fudge cake really, the bottom layer I had to use coconut oil cos I'd ran out of veg oil, and that gave that layer a more drier and dense consistency that held together better, but the veg oil layer was more intense chocolate flavour, lighter and fudgier

LOL well yeah him and his bro have a band and he's been in a youth theatre for a few years so likes performing, they won an award last week and went to a plush hotel for the awards evening, it's been all stars and glitter here lately so the Glee theme kinda worked well

savvy

Birthday coconut cupcakes _party_