The Vegan Thread

I can second the Pulsin recommendation. I use the pea one, and it's great. Brown rice one not so much, had a weird aftertaste for me.

Brewdog Dalston will be vegan:

https://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news/brewdog-dalston-to-become-brewery-s-first-ever-fully-vegan-venue-1-6306844

Wetherspoon's:

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/oct/07/wetherspoons-adds-its-first-ever-fake-meat-burger-to-menu

Also interesting that in Portugal, the 'People-Animals-Nature' party has won four parliamentary seats. Here's the English version of their manifesto:

https://pan.com.pt/eleicoes/pan-manifesto-english-version/

There are several parties around Europe that have a commitment to animal rights in their manifesto. It's obviously not explicitly vegan, but undoubtedly contains steps in the right direction. What I like and find interesting is that the party's name echoes the old Vegan Society slogan: 'For people, animals, and the environment', which I have always considered very good.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/oct/06/socialists-on-course-for-victory-but-no-majority-in-portugal-election

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-portugal-election-animals/not-just-for-the-pooches-portugals-animal-party-could-be-kingmaker-idUKKBN1WC16V

Now the weather is turning, any recommendations for a walking shoe or boot. Just for walking the dogs rather than climbing mountains, so not looking to spend hundreds.

Went Merrell Moab 2 last time, which I liked, but the sole came away, so not hugely impressed with their quality. Mind you, I glued them and gave them to the homeless guy outside Tesco about six months back, and they still seem to be doing him fine.

The Aldi 'Crane' walking boots are quite good for £20. Kept my feet dry during rainmageddon at the Worlds in Harrogate and they're comfy for 4-5 mile walks

Thanks - I found some called Dek on a vegan site and bought them. Just worn once so far, seem comfy, yet to be tried in wet weather.

Wetherspoon's have been doing that meatless burger for a while in airports (the only time it is acceptable to use 'spoons). It's not bad, not special, but at least it's an option.

Re Edinburgh chat a few pages ago. Just on my way back and took some advice from here. Didn't eat at paradise palms. Did get the Bucky daiquiri. Was good. Bread meats bread was pretty good. But their poutine was really good. Closest I've had to the real thing over here, vegan cheese or not. Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch was good. Partner, who's eaten meat much more recently than I have, said the sausages were legit. I couldn't really tell. And Auld Hoose potions were dumb.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/extinction-rebellion-activists-occupy-smithfield-market-and-set-up-fruit-and-veg-stalls-a4256381.html

Thank you for the brownie suggestions @SuperSalad, @TvH and @mrs_socks. Went for suggestion from mrs_socks in the end as the world of gluten free flour scared me. Made two batches, I think the first was a litte 'bitty' as my blender couldn't quite get the beans to mix to the right cosistency but a bit of thicker roughage never hurt anyone. The second I blended beans in smaller amounts and then added the rest bit by bit and got a smoother mix. Was very easy to make and would have been even easier with a good mixer. Topped some with a coconut chocalate ganache (consisting of coconut something, sugar and cocoa powder I believe) that my flatmate donated after she made a massive amount recently. Had two last night to 'test' and one this morning after they'd been in the fridge over night and was personally very happy with them. Will see what my colleagues think. Highly reccomend and also plan to try the other two suggestions soon, probably using flour in them I think.

Any of the high street retailers do Vegan cakes ? Waitrose and M&S don't appear to. Leaving my current job so need to bring in the mandatory cakes

These are amazing.

Did you ever sub the muscovado for some other sugar? It's hard to get where I live.

And did you ever make those in a brownie cake pan (individual brownies)?
Guess they'll cook quite a bit quicker in that case?

Thanks!

Haven't tried as we always have muscovado, but soft dark brown or even light brown sugar would work fine, I should think. If you can only get light brown maybe you could add a tablespoon of molasses if you can get it.

Ditto for not owning a brownie tin - I suspect the individual brownies would cook more around the edges, however they might be quite hard to turn out.

Wetherspoon's:

Just had the ‘Gormet’ burger at Stansted airport. It’s the only weatherspoons I’ll go to, but it was decent, not mind blowing, but decent.

Greggs Belgian buns are ‘accidentally’ vegan, as are their mince pies when they roll around again.

I realise that’s not much use for this scenario but worth knowing none the less!

Tesco do vegan cake.

Spent the weekend in Manchester and can recommend Bundobust for its vegan Indian street food, Idle Hand Coffee for fry up and Refuge

That's pretty much what I'm after, cheers !

My friend is https://www.cakeordeath.net/about

And I can confirm her baked goods are excellent for celebration purposes.

They look excellent, I'm in Brum and my last day is tomorrow however. I'll keep her in mind for future though

Made those meanwhile (also found the muscovado after all)..
..not a fan to be honest.

All that coconut oil, miso and especially the soaked chia made for the most slimy kind of "dough" I have ever seen.
They baked alright and to the point (toothpick test), yet are really not to my liking, I don't know.
Reminded me how it really isn't necessary to mess up a very simple thing like chocolate brownies by adding really weird fucking stuff.

First person I know who hasn't liked them! Ah well

¯_(ツ)_/¯

I made those Meera Sodha salted miso brownies, I fed them to people without telling them they were vegan. they wouldn't believe me that they were because "vegan baking is rubbish". All gobbled up within minutes.

This is one of the best pieces of spin I've seen for a good while:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/oct/15/dont-blame-meat-for-the-climate-crisis-say-european-livestock-farmers

The campaign group says the current debate around meat and livestock has been one-sided, and that livestock’s contribution to biodiversity, bioenergy and the rural economy has been overlooked. “An EU without livestock would not only lose locally produced food, but also essential habitats and biodiversity. It would also mean increased fires, lack of natural fertiliser and green energy, and a rural exodus,” it says.

“The solution lies in a more plant-dominated diet but with a modest amount of high-quality livestock product – which is valued for the key nutrients it contains, its soil-improving properties and the landscape we all want to support and live in,” he said.

In a way, this is the best bit:

“It is well known that a section of the European population over consume animal products, but there is no evidence to suggest that reducing production will lead to any decrease in consumption. The consequences of a drastic reduction on consumption of animal products by replacing them with ‘meat substitutes’ or other activities could well be worse than the benefits of meat consumption, without leading to a significant environmental or health improvement.”

(My emphasis.)

So much equivocation and poor thinking. Of course nobody suggests removing animals from 'rural' areas or fails to recognise the vital ecological role they play. What kind of landscape do we really 'want to support and live in'? I would think that we should make serious changes to the 'landscapes' that we have created, as much about them is awful. Much better ways are possible, e.g. as we would need less land to grow food (permaculture, for instance), we would create re-wilded animal habitats that would be a lot more sustainable than factory farm slurry pits.

Obviously, the rural economy would have to be reconfigured; as it is, much of its former economic model has been dead for decades, anyway.

Pret are on it again:

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/oct/17/pret-a-manger-gives-blt-a-vegan-makeover

I work 100m from a Veggie Pret - will report back next week when they launch.