Vegan Living & Ethical Buying

[Deleted User]

It's been an excellent Friday!! Paid off my credit card which has made me extraordinarily happy!! :j:j:j

Glad you're enjoying the thread Poppycat1 it's great that you grow lots with your allotment - I'll be coming to you for advice when I start on my garden again in the spring

Savvy - when I had dogs they used to dig up everything I planted - I feel your pain!! :rotfl: Nothing quite as amusing as watching a crazy puppy running around with a courgette in its mouth though, so at least we get entertainment value from it if not any veg!! Have you tried the slow cooker seitan yet?

Martyn - my Labrador was the only one who didn't dig the veg up!! It was the greyhounds who were the destroyers (although my lab was happy to consume it as soon as they had done the deed ) I think she was just too lazy and liked her dinner to come to her! :rotfl:

Busy week ahead....I'm house cleaning tomorrow and re-boiling the marmalade as I can't get it to set :mad: I've done it twice now with no success (it's worked on previous batches so I have no idea what is going on!) if it doesn't work tomorrow, I'll put agar into it and make it into jelly....we'll be eating it for a month but that's an okay diet isn't it?? :rotfl:

I'm also going to start the batter for the injera so that I can cook a big batch of them on Sunday night and put them in the freezer - the wat's have been in the freezer for the past couple of weeks and I keep looking longingly at them (I love Ethiopian food even if it does burn my face off! ) but the house isn't warm enough during the week to get the injera's fermentation done properly and I've run out of the last batch I made

Depending on the weather, I may do a bit of garden tidying too....or I may just stay in and think about how cold it is outside!

Hope you all have a great weekend

[Deleted User]

Well, the marmalade is apparently just hating me!! :mad: Honestly, I boiled it to death, I did the cold saucer test, added more pectin and the **stard still doesn't seem to want to set!! :mad: The ginger jam and the basil jam have set beautifully - I have no idea what has happened with the orange marmalade because I have done nothing differently but it is not playing the game!! :rotfl: Not to worry though....I have a plan to make a lot of 'pond' puddings and crepe suzettes with the stuff so at least it won't be wasted :D

I have made the difficult decision today that I am not going to continue with the farmshare scheme For almost a month now, we have had poor quality produce (and the same stuff time and time again) - the place is open from 4 - 6.30pm and because of our working hours, we don't get there till 6pm. By the time we arrive, some of the things we're 'allocated' are no longer available, what remains is basically the things that other people have bypassed as it is damaged or so small by the time it's prepared there is little left and I feel that I am totally wasting my money. Fundamentally, I feel that I am being ripped off and it's not what I thought I was buying into. I have paid already up to the middle of next month so will continue until then (last pick up is 9th Feb) and then I'm out.

I have discussed it with dh - he is happy to go to the market weekly as there is a stall there that sells organic, locally produced stuff so it's not too drastic, but I really wanted this to work - I thought that buying into the 'community' would be a good thing, much more ethical and helping to build a real base locally, but the attitudes of the people who are involved in the pick up/distribution of the whole thing are pretty poor too oh well, you live, you learn!

It's getting close to the time that I need to do a household/toiletries shop too - I was hoping to hold out until my big order from the wholesalers but it's just not feasible I haven't done very well this month - visitors have impacted my stocks and I've underestimated what I need.... must do better!!

Food wise, all is going well - today, I've made a pasta sauce, winter veg and walnut casserole and a winter veg soup...should keep us going till beer and pizza night on Friday and uses up all of the veg box :T The soup is fab - leeks, carrots, swede and parsnips cooked in vegan bouillon....totally lush!! The injera batter is fermenting nicely too - I shall cook them tonight and put them in the freezer for next week...nomnom!!

Hope you're all doing good....will update again soon1

[Deleted User]

The last farmshare pick up has been done I have emailed them regarding the issues I have had and they have responded in a very generous manner, but I know that going forward, it is better that I just buy what I need when I need it from the market - theirs is also locally produced and organic so it still fits within my ethical requirements

I am going to do a cupboard and freezer food inventory too ..as I've been trying to use up the veg, I have basically not used much of what I already have in as it doesn't really work with the stuff I've been getting - now that I am going to be choosing my own veg, I have a lot more freedom in what I can cook I know that I have a job lot of polenta in the cupboard and more pasta's than you can shake a stick at so they will be first on my list - I haven't had a pasta dish since I started the veg scheme and I'm really missing it :rotfl: I have made a pasta sauce, but it ended up in the freezer as I didn't get through the other stuff that week!

I'm planning on going through my seed stash from last year next weekend - I want to get some lettuce planted and perhaps start off my broad beans - I am going to be as self-sufficient as time and space allows this year.

I'm struggling to decide on whether to do a big shop yet or not - I am definitely running low on some things but I suppose it depends on what the inventory throws up - I'll get that done sooner rather than later so I can finally make a decision!!

I've finally managed to get some storage room sorted so hopefully, that will make things a lot more simple. I have donated a great deal of stuff to a friend - I could have sold lots of it, but I'd rather give it to someone that I know will appreciate it and is going through a bit of a tight phase financially. I've told her that whatever she doesn't want, she can sell to get herself a bit of extra cash - I'm just grateful to have finally removed it from my house

Right, I'm off as my battery is about to die....I'll update once I have done the inventory etc.
:hello:

[Deleted User]

Its been a while!! can't believe that it's almost a month since I last posted, but I have been extremely busy!

Seeds have been planted - lots of brassicas so that the winter months this year will be more frugal and some stuff for the greenhouse; I still need to get the lettuce put in but I'll sort that this weekend. Unfortunately, storm doris took out several panes of my greenhouse so they are going to need replacing this week

The food inventory has been done and I am pretty shocked by how much stuff I have in - I have enough sushi rice, nori, inari and wasabi to last most people a lifetime!! :rotfl: Thankfully, I can start ploughing through it now that I'm out of the farmshare -my constant supply of potatoes, carrots and parsnips were not conducive to Japanese style food!!
I have been trying to use stuff out of the freezer for the past couple of weeks so I am spending less overall - but I had guests last weekend and we ate out a couple of times so that came out of my usual food budget.

I am hoping that I will be able to spend very little the rest of this month and then get my big wholesale order in April - I went to a health food shop a couple of weeks ago to get some household stuff as I couldn't hang on any longer but I don't want to do that again as they don't stock the varieties that I prefer and I'm not keen on the people who run it!!

The 'new' car has been purchased - it doesn't tick all my boxes but it was the best I could do with the budget I had. Hopefully, it will last me many years and then when it needs replacing, I will be in a position where I can afford exactly what I want. Sometimes, I have to remind myself that I just have to do my best where I have the option - I've felt very guilty about the car but I just don't have the income to be able to get the most ethical/environmentally friendly one on the market

I am having a weekend of doing very little - it's the first weekend this year where I haven't had either things to do or people staying so I'm intending to slob for as much of it as possible!! :rotfl:

Hope you all have a fab weekend!

[Deleted User]

Its been a busy week!!

I am hopefully going to get the greenhouse sorted today - it's pretty windy though and I need to replace the glass that we lost so I may have to see how it goes I will have to re-pot my seedlings though, regardless of what happens weather-wise... a few purple sprouting broccoli, a couple of cauliflower, a Brussel sprouts, an aubergine and a few tomato plants have all done well so they need to be potted on I will also start the leaves, the red basil and the oregano today - it will end up saving me a fortune on herbs and salad

I have cancelled one of my charity donations today - it was one that I agreed to do for a couple of months and I have done 6 months of it now so I don't feel too bad about it; ultimately, reducing my mortgage is more important to me at the moment (particularly as I have discovered that the chief exec of this charity is on a six figure salary!! I know that they have to get the best people for the job, but it seems excessive to me....)

I'm looking forward to the week ahead - mainly because I get to spend most of the week with my new grandbaby and I get paid this week so will clear my cc again I put half of the car costs onto the card and paid the other half cash last month - I don't like having a balance on my cc now though

I'm going to check out the spare room and see what needs doing to my wine while I am there - it will save me a fortune in the summer if I have them bottled and ready to go I also have a mountain of books that I need to get rid of...does anyone know any decent companies that will buy them from me? I know I won't get much but every penny counts on my mission!!

I have got a duck out of the freezer for the boys (although I am vegan, the rest of the household is not so I still have corpse in the freezer to get rid of) which should feed them for the next few days along with some of the super 6 stuff I bought at A*di yesterday ( not keeping to my ethical stance there, but I was getting stuff for someone else and didn't have time to go to the market :( ). I got oranges, purple sprouting broccoli, kale and some spring onions. I also got some potatoes so will do some mash with it....tomorrow they can have Chinese pancakes and the most of the remaining duck and then I will put the rest in sushi on Tuesday. I'll have the veg in a warm salad tonight with some quinoa and puy lentils, some hoisin jackfruit and Chinese pancakes tomorrow and avocado sushi for Tuesday. I will have to buy the avocado but other than that, it's all from the store cupboard/fridge

[Deleted User]

I'm doing a shop in the city tomorrow so will be able to get a job lot of veg and fruit from the market and some toiletries from a new vegan shop my daughter has found! I'm hoping that I can do a shop weekly at both - I'm going to speak to them both about doing me a box which we can pick up. I'm also going to get job lots of balsamic and fruits so that I can do glazes over the weekend. I love balsamic glazes but they are really expensive to buy, yet relatively cheap to make so it saves me a fortune

I am hoping that I can get some use from my washing line this year - I didn't bother last year as I was too busy with other things but I really want to minimise my expenditure so it's important to start. I'm putting books on a recommended site to get a few extra pennies and gain some space in my spare room. The wine hasn't been looked at yet but that is definitely happening by the end of this weekend and I am going to make sure that a date is set to organise them. :beer:

It's all going well at the moment

[Deleted User]

Fell spectacularly off the wagon yesterday money wise!! Went to the new vegan shop - came out £50 lighter and bought a load of junk food basically!! :wall:

I did get some stuff that wasn't just sheer indulgence - including a mozzarella cheese which I will use to make hm pizza later today. But mainly it was just rubbish - marshmallows, hotdogs, jerky, steak, toffee cappuccino mix and some vegan egg which I have wanted to try for ages. In all honesty, most of it was a ridiculous waste of money but I'm letting myself off with a stiff warning not to do it again!! on the plus side, I will use it all so it's not a great disappointment, but I really shouldn't have spent so much on crap!! :rotfl:

I also spent small fortune at the hairdressers - some was a treat for my daughter but I bought hair products too - it's a new vegan hairdresser that I have just discovered and I'm very impressed

Today, I am sorting the food for the week ahead; I am making hm pizzas for tonight, an archangel roast for tomorrow's dinner which I will serve with Mediterranean potatoes, celeriac and peas, I will cook some garlic and sage butter beans for Monday and serve them on Moroccan couscous then use the remaining beans in a pasta sauce on Tuesday. Wednesday will be sushi, Thursday I will make griddled aubergine with a black olive dressing served with new potatoes in a pungent green sauce and Friday I will make ramen with white miso broth So, todays cooking will be the pizza's, the beans, the med potatoes and the archangel roast. The rest can be done on the day

I am now into my 'new normal' and things have settled down. I want to get into some decent routines again so that I don't feel I am constantly fire-fighting - the past two months have been both stressful and amazing but I do feel that I need to get organised to make the whole thing easier!! Keeping ethical these past two months has proved incredibly difficult - I must say that I have almost slipped off the wagon on a number of occasions however, other than my venture into A*di last week, I haven't fallen yet, despite the temptation to do so but being organised again will help enormously and remove the temptations so it must be done!1 :D

NigeWick

squirrelgirl wrote: »

Fell spectacularly off the wagon yesterday money wise!! Went to the new vegan shop - came out £50 lighter and bought a load of junk food basically!!

I can't equate being a Vegan with being ethical. I'd like the ten minute argument please.:beer:

suzy_g

While opposition to the killing of animals is a common reason cited by vegetarians, it’s often overlooked that dairy production also involves slaughter. Male calves are removed from their mother at birth and killed or exported to the continent for veal production.* Female calves are kept to become the next generation of milk-producers.Since 2010 Soil Association organic standards have specified that licensees must have a plan to end the practice of culling newborn calves within five years.
Another big reason people for going veggie or vegan is to protect the environment. Vast deforestation is taking place in Latin America to make room for soya cultivation, and with 97% of the crop being grown to feed animals for meat or dairy production, not to mention methane from farm animals which contributes 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Meat production also impacts on human rights - while people in some countries are starving, one third of the world's grain production is being fed to farmed animals in rich countries.
Because of the demand for animal feed, a Western meat-based diet uses four and a half times more land than is necessary for a vegan diet and two and a quarter times more than for a vegetarian diet. NigeWick This was copied from ethical consumer sorry I forgot how to do links

[Deleted User]

Tried to multi-quote but it didn't work....

NigeWick -I think suzyg covered it!!