"My Life as an Undercover Investigator"

Mainly, I witnessed horrific scenes like mother pigs getting beaten with metal rods to force them back into farrowing crates after getting their first chance to walk in months. I watched them roar in helpless despair as their piglets were violently yanked from their teats and castrated in front of their faces. I watched countless egg-laying hens die of thirst, starvation, or trampling after their broken legs or wings became trapped in their cages. And I watched mother cows spend days bellowing for their stolen calves as if this was the first time it had happened. For me, these memories illustrate the tragedy of the modern animal farm. You need only look to see that these intelligent animals are paying an unfathomable cost to satisfy our habit for cheap meat, eggs and dairy. 

My Life as an Undercover Investigator - by Cody Carlson
Full article - http://vegnews.com/articles/page.do?catId=5&pageId=4676

(this is what a baby pig and his mommy should be like)

(not 'mass' produced ...)

See LUCENT here

Lucent is a feature-length documentary about the vast yet largely unseen suffering inherent to Australia's pig farming industry.

Vegan Survival Guide for Christmas Dinner

Christmas time... everyone talking about food, most of which unethical meat and eggs covered in cream or cheese. But there is hope and we don't even need obi wan kenobi to rescue us ;) Christmas can be compassionate full of food for vegans too! Rejoice and eat to your heart's content. 

If you are invited to a family gathering start by:

- asking your host to kindly cook side dished with no butter or cream. Suggest for them to replace this with olive oil or soya cream (healthier and everyone can eat from this)
Same goes for your mash potatoes.

- Suggest having at least one vegan dessert or ice cream and help them by choosing an easy recipe of a cake or sweets that is easy to prepare.

- as starter soup remind them not to add butter or cream (or parmesan cheese). Soups are naturally vegan and very tasty even without all the saturated fats and cholesterol.

You can bring:

- your own nut roast (see recipe here)
- buy a ready made nut roast or tofurkey roast
- bring an assortment of dairy free cheeses for people to taste
- buy or make Hummus and cut fresh carrots/celery and get breadstick to dip into the Hummus
- Prepare a nice Olive Tapenade for starter (see recipe here)
- Bake a dessert (such as a spiced banana bread)
- Bring loads of fresh fruit and make a Fruit Salad for everyone (you can top this with a little bit of brandy or port wine for an extra touch of sweetness)
- Bring your own garlic Butter (blend fresh or dry garlic, salt, black pepper and herbs into dairy free butter)
- You can prepare in advance and bring along cold mini-Falafels (Baked falafel recipe here)

At any big dinner the main course is usually centered on a big main centerpiece, such as a turkey for non-vegans at Christmas or Thanksgiving. You can easily replace this by:

- nut roast
- tofurkey roast
- VegDucken (see recipe here)
- Make individual portions of food (such as lasanha, gratins, etc) such as this

Have plenty of sides! 

Remember: protein doesn't make you feel full, it's the carbs that do that. 

Get a load of sides such as: roasted squash and carrots with cinnamon, sauteed greens with pine-nuts, stuffed peppers, roasted pepper salad, mash potatoes, sauteed Brussels-sprouts, cooked shredded cabbage... 

Have a Merry Compassionate Christmas!

Face Reality; Face Morality

Recipe #127 Vegan Roast

Ingredients

• 1 cup self-rising flour
• 300 gr fresh white mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 medium/big onion
• 2 carrots 
• 1 can of green lentils
• salt, pepper, cayenne pepper (or hot paprika)
• 2 garlic gloves
• Herbs (I use 3 tablespoons of frozen coriander)
• 200 gr walnuts (chopped)

You'll need a food processor.

1. Grate the carrots (reserve)
2. Chop the onion and the garlic cloves (reserve)
3. Chop the walnuts (reserve)
4. Process the lentils into a smooth paste (reserve)
5. Chop the mushrooms into tiny pieces (reserve)

In a big saucepan or wok sautee the mushrooms, onion, garlic cloves and carrots in the olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper (or hot paprika).

Then add the lentils and the walnuts and stir together. Add the coriander and allow everything to thicken up a bit into a paste. Add the flour (up to 1 + 1/4 of cup) until it is really thick.

Take a 2 lb bread tin (butter the inside or use baking paper) and press the mixture into the tin. It might look like too much but if you press it down firmly it should fill it up to the edge.

Cook for 25 min on 200 oC; after this cover with some aluminum foil and cook for another 25min.

ALLOW TO COOL before cutting; or else it won't be firm enough to get slices off it.
It will make for 10 slices, average for 5 people.

Estimated cost: under 4,50 €

This is a naturally Gluten free Recipe (but check for cross contamination alerts on the packaging of the walnuts and flour). For gluten free result use oat flour or ground almond.

(before cooking)

(cooked and sliced)

Recipe #126 Spiced Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 250gr self raising flour
• 100gr dark muscovado sugar
• 80gr(weight) sunflower oil
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 4 overripe bananas (medium)
• 3 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• pinch of salt

Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl place the peeled bananas and mash them with a fork or potato masher. Then add the oil and the bananas into the dry-ingredients' bowl and mix everything very well.

Pre-heat your oven at 200oC. Prepare a bread tin (2lb size) or small cake tin. The way I usually prepare my cake and bread tins is: I spread a teaspoon of butter on the bottom of the tin, then cover this with a piece of baking paper (cut to size) and finish by lightly greasing the sides with another 1-2 teaspoons of butter.

Transfer your banana bread mixture into your tin. Place in the oven at 200oC for 20min, when the time is up cover it with aluminium foil and let it cook another 30min at the same temperature.

By then the cake should be fully cooked (if not let it cook, covered, another 10min).

Being vegan is (not) expensive: Vegetable Curry for Five 3,39€

you'll need

• 2 courgettes/zucchinis
• 300gr fresh mushrooms
• 1 can of chopped carrots
• 1 can of chickpeas
• 1 onion
• 1 can of full fat coconut milk (pref. chilled overnight)
• make this curry spice mix

Heat 1/2 cup olive or coconut oil in a big saucepan. To this add the onion chopped (and optionally 1 tablespoon of ginger or ginger paste), 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and 1 tablespoon of the masala curry mix. Let the onion cook and add the courgette (diced) and the mushrooms (quarters). Let the mushrooms cook and add the drained carrots and drained chickpeas. Stir everything.
Open the coconut milk can (without shaking) and spoon out the cream of the coconut can (leave the water if possible in the can). Stir in the coconut cream and add 2-3 tablespoons of the masala curry mix.
Serve on a bed of rice, potatoes or with dark bread.

This will serve a big group 4-6 people.

Total cost

• 2 courgettes/zucchinis bought at Lidl for 0,49€
• 300gr fresh mushrooms bought at Tesco for 0,99€
• 1 can of chopped carrots bought at Tesco/Lidl for 0,37€
• 1 can of chickpeas bought at Tesco for 0,59€
• 1 onion 0,06€ (pack of 10 onion bought at Tesco for 0,69€)
• 1 can of full fat coconut milk (pref. chilled overnight) bought at Tesco for 0,89€

Total cost 3,39€ for 5 people.

Being vegan is (not) expensive: Vegetable Pasta for three 2,15€

Main Course: Vegetable Farfalle

1) 200gr dry farfalle (or any other pasta)

1 aubergine

1 medium Onion

2 Tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 can of plum tomatoes 
1/2 package of fresh mushrooms
1 green bell pepper
1 teaspoons of black pepper
1 teaspoons of hot paprika
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of garlic powder

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions, al dente. Drain and reserve.

In a food processor chop the onion with the plum tomatoes.

Add the olive oil to a pan and then the tomato with the chopped onion. When it's hot add one aubergine (diced), the pepper (diced) and the mushrooms (quarters) and stir.
When the vegetables are cooked add the pasta and stir everything together.

Total cost:

1/2 package of mushrooms 0,45 (1 for 0,89€ at Tesco)

1 pepper 0,27€ (5 peppers for 1,39€ at Tesco)

1 aubergine 0,89€ at Tesco

1 medium Onion cost 0,06 € (10 onions for 0,65€ at Tesco)

1/2 can of plum tomatoes 0,19€ (1 can for 0,39€ at Tesco)

200gr Farfalle 0,19€ (500gr 0,49€)

Total 2,15€ for 3 people,

0,71 € per person

Being vegan is (not) expensive: Dinner for three 1,69€

Main Course: Bean Pot with basmati rice

1) For the bean pot:

1 can of pinto beans
1 can of red kidney beans

2 tablespoons of Flour

1 small Onion

2 Tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 can of plum tomatoes 
2 teaspoons of black pepper
2 teaspoons of hot paprika
1 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of garlic powder

Drain the beans (don't wash them). Add everything (except for the flour) in a medium pan and let it boil. Then add the flour and let it thicken.

1) For the rice use

1 cup of uncooked basmati rice 
2 cups of water
salt

Wash the rice until the water is clear. To this add the water and let it boil. Then turn off the heat and cover it. You'll have fluffy basmati rice.

Total cost:

1 can of pinto beans 0,95€ at Tesco
1 can of red kidney beans 0,23€ at Tesco

1 small Onion cost 0,06 € (10 onions for 0,65€ at Tesco)

1 cup uncooked basmati rice 0,26€ at Tesco (1kg 1,39€)
1/2 can of plum tomatoes 0,19€ (1 can for 0,39€ at Tesco)

Total 1,69€ for 3 people,

0,56 € per person

Being vegan is (not) expensive: breakfast idea 0,29€

A great easy and cheap breakfast is porridge. You can buy them very cheap. I buy oats at 0,93€ a kilo, around 26 servings out of this (for each 2 portions of oats add 4 portions of milk.
This is around 170ml soya milk (0,80€ 1 lt at Tesco or Aldi) and some maple syrup and cinnamon.

This gives a total of around 0,19€ (with only cinnamon) each day, or 0,29 € with maple syrup. But you could reduce the end price if you buy cheaper oats and/or cheaper maple syrup.

Being vegan is (not) expensive: Dinner for three 1,96€

Main Course: Baked Falafel with fried rice

1) For the Falafel use

1 can of chickpeas

3 tablespoons of Gram Flour

1 Medium Onion

2 Tablespoons of olive oil

2 Tablespoons of lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoon of Cumin, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, pinch of salt

Add everything in a food processor until it forms a smooth paste. Makes 15 small patties. Bake at 180oC for 25min.

1) For the rice use

1 cup of cooked rice (great to re-use leftovers!)

1/2 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup frozen corn 

Heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil with 2 Tablespoons of soy sauce in a wok. (optionally add 1/2 teaspoon of fresh ginger or ginger paste).

When the oil is hot add the rice and the frozen peas and corn. Let everything fry for around 10 min but keep stirring so it won't still to the bottom of the wok.

Optionally serve the rice cupped in 1/2 a roasted pepper (I just placed the raw pepper in the oven together with the falafel)!

Total cost:

500gr Gram Flour so estimated around 0,22 € at Tesco

1 medium/small onions cost 0,06 € (10 onions for 0,65€ at Tesco)

1 can of chickpeas 0,59€ at Tesco

1/2 cup frozen peas (1kg 1,23€) 0,18€ at Tesco

1/2 cup frozen corn (1kg 1,67€) 0,24€ at Tesco

1/2 cup uncooked basmati rice (1kg 1,39€) 0,13€ at Tesco

I opted to serve each person 5 small patties and fried rice and decorated with sweet chilli sauce (optional).

So the calculated cost per person/portion was 0,65 € (1,96€ for the three)

Being vegan is (not) expensive: 2 course dinner 1,19€

2 course dinner for 2

Starter: potato and leek soup

Use 3 medium potatoes and 1 leek. Cover the vegetables with water, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil, some salt and allow to cook for 20min. Blend with a hand blender till it's a smooth and creamy soup.

This will make for 6 portions of soup as a starter.

Total cost:

5 medium potatoes at Tesco for 0,49€

3 medium leeks at Tesco for 1€

So I calculated 0,30 € for the potatoes and 0,33 € for the leek = 0,63 € for 6 portions of soup.

Main Course: vegan omelette with sautéed vegetables

1) Use 100gr Gram Flour and make two omelettes according to this recipe

(great source of protein with 11 gr per omelette!)

2) Use 75 gr spinach leaves;

half a small broccoli head;

150gr white or forest fresh mushrooms

1 small onion

Then heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and a dash of maple syrup. Throw in a finely chopped small onion and let it caramelise.

Add the mushrooms cut in quarters and the broccoli chunks.

Allow to cook for about 5 min, don't overcook the broccoli so they are not mushy! At the end add the baby spinach leaves for about 1 minute (again don't overcook these).

Place the vegetables over the omelette and serve!

Total cost:

500gr Gram Flour is 2,19€ at Tesco

300gr White mushrooms cost 0,89€ at Tesco

10 medium/small onions cost 0,65€ at Tesco

200gr Baby spinach leaves cost 1€ at Tesco

1,79€ one Broccoli Head at Tesco

So I calculated 0,44 € for the flour, 0,45 € for the mushrooms, 0,33€ cost for the spinach leaves, 0,90€ for the broccoli, 0,06 € for the onion = 2,18 € for 2 people.

Total cost 2,38 € for two.

> I am not getting sponsored by Tesco, it just happened to have been where I made my shopping this week.

Being vegan is expensive: the challenge

Over the next couple of days I will be posting more recipes and day by day food costs for the series Being vegan is 'expensive'

Because most people think that being vegan is only for the wealthy and that real food is expensive I would like to post a 7-day guide where I will adding everything I eat and the costs of cooking it. I will exclude spices and other things we usually have in the cupboard and calculate the total cost only on the price of the main ingredients.
My goal is to cook meals for 2 people, during 7 days with an estimated budget of 35 - 50 euros  (25 - 35 British pounds) and I will also include where I have purchased the items.

Because eating vegan (plant based) and cooking from scratch is CHEAP. It is well known that animal protein brings associated with it a lot of diseases which cost us (and our countries) a lot of money. So why not save money at the supermarket and also at the doctor by preventing these?

[ Follow all related blog posts with the tag eat better pay less ]

Lisbon (Portugal): Oasis

Small and cozy restaurant in the center of Lisbon. Highly recommendable: they have 4 options of the day and you can choose what they serve on your dish.
If one option only you pay 5 euros
if you choose to get 2 food varieties then 6,90 euros, 
if you choose 3... or 4... you pay more.

The food was very tasty ! Most of us chose the plate with 2 different options. I had tofu with chestnuts with curry seitan. My friends tried the aubergine moussaka slice; all plates were served with wholewheat rice and mixed salad. In the end everyone, all except me were non vegetarians, were happy with the food.
To drink they have water, beer, wine and also serve veggie and fruit juices for 2 euros a glass.
Altogether we paid 8,90 euros for our dinner, not bad !

Very good deal, vegetarian (mostly vegan options) food and well located in the center of Lisbon off the tube station of Sao Sebastiao (near the Corte Ingles Shopping center)

Find them on Facebook

Being vegan is expensive #3

Starter

Pea and Mint soup (for 5 )

• 1 potato (0.5 kg costs 0,49 €)
• 750 gr frozen peas (1 kg costs 1,23€)
• Fresh mint 50 gr (only the leaves, 150 gr costs 1,19€)
• salt and pepper
• 800 ml - 1 Lt water
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil (0,75 Lt at 3,99€)

Cook all ingredients for 20 min on medium to high heat and blend.

Total ingredients cost: 1,85 €, around 0,37 euros per portion!

With only 182 Calories per portion; this soup is rich in fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and Vitamin A and it a crowd pleaser.

10 Ethical Reasons Why I don't Eat or Drink Dairy

1. 21,000,000 dairy calves are slaughtered for veal or cheap beef every year globally.

2. Like all mammals, cows must give birth in order to make milk. Like human mothers, they carry their babies for nine months, then begin to lactate for the sole purpose of nourishing their young.

3. Due to extensive genetic manipulation, today’s dairy cows produce up to 12 times more milk than they would naturally produce to feed a calf. 

4. Even so, virtually all dairy calves are stolen from their mothers within hours of birth in order to maximize profit. 97% of newborn dairy calves are forcibly removed from their mothers within the first 12 hours. The rest are removed in a matter of days. On so-called humane dairy farms, cows are often taken within the first hour of birth as separation of mother and calf is considered less stressful when they have not been allowed to bond.

5. To keep them lactating at maximum yields, cows are artificially and forcibly inseminated year after year. The constant cycle of forced pregnancy and birth creates a huge surplus of calves.

6. Some female calves will join the milking herd. They typically spend the first 2 to 3 months of life confined in lonely hutches, fed a diet of milk replacer while humans drink the milk intended for them. 

7. Male calves and surplus females are sold to be slaughtered for veal or cheap beef. The veal industry would not exist without the dairy industry.

8. Over 90% of U.S. dairy cows are confined in primarily indoor operations, with more than 60% tethered by the neck inside barren stalls, unable to perform the most basic behaviors essential to their wellbeing.

9. Trapped in a cycle of forced impregnation, perpetual lactation and near constant confinement, dairy cows’ overworked bodies begin producing less milk at 4 to 5 years of age, at which point they are slaughtered. In natural conditions, cows can live 20 to 25 years.

10. Of the 9 million dairy cows in the U.S., 3 million are slaughtered each year at only a fraction of their natural lifespan. Their worn out bodies become ground beef and restaurant hamburgers.

from http://freefromharm.org/dairyfacts/

Accidentally Vegan Chocolate

Aldi - 200gr - 0,99€ 

Recipe #125 Lentil curry

Shopping list

• 1 cup of basmati rice
• Olive oil
• 1 can sliced carrots
• 100gr dry red lentils
• 1/2 chopped onion
• 1 can of coconut milk
• 1 can of chickpeas
• 1/2 tablespoon ginger Puré
• 50gr green lentils
• 75gr mixed lentils
• 2 tablespoons of tomato passata
• Array of spices (see recipe #69)
• Cashew nut for decorating 

Method 

For the rice: take 1 cup of basmati rice and rinse it until the water is clear. Then add 2 cups of water and get it to boil. Add a pinch of Himalayan salt and lower the heat. When almost all the water has evaporated, turn off the heat completely and cover the pan until the rice is fluffy.

For the curry: 

Cook the lentils in boiling water with a pinch of salt for 10-15 min. It's ok if the red lentils get a bit mushy.  Drain and reserve.

Now chop the 1/2 onion. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil ( or coconut oil) to a saucepan and the chopped onion and ginger; let the onion get golden. Open the coconut milk and try to scoop out as much of the cream as you can, don't use the water. Add the coconut cream to the pan and stir in 2 tablespoons of masala mix and 1 of tomato passata. Let it blend for a couple of minutes and add the cooked lentils, the drained chickpeas and the drained carrots. Allow to cook on low heat for s couple of minutes and serve on a bed of rice topped with cashew nuts.

Galway (Ireland): G Hotel Gigis Restaurant

The G Hotel is one of the few 5 star hotels in county Galway. Conveniently located just 1km from the city centre, over looking a lake and decorated in a smart, fancy but vintage style.
We have had food here before, as an omnivore and twice now eating vegan.

Last May I ordered my vegan menu in advance and got to choose what I wanted to eat beforehand. I was not disappointed:

- incredibly great tasty pea soup (served with extra raw peas)

- Great grilled mushroom with vegetable gnocchi

This time I called and wanted to order my vegan meals in advance again however they informed me that now they have new menus: Vegetarian Menu and Vegan Menu. So no need to book in advance!

We went of course for the vegan menu.
(the allergen icons were a typo, which the restaurant apologised for, of course none of the dishes has dairy or egg)

So we went for the Potato and Leek soup and Vegetable Spring Rolls followed by the vegetable penne pasta and the vegetable wellington.
(sorry some pictures are very dark):

Potato and Leek soup 

Vegetable Spring Rolls

vegetable penne pasta

 Vegetable wellington

Sweet Potato Fries

Asserted desserts: hazelnut and chocolate truffle and coconut cake with a ball of mango sorbet.

Everything was superb, delicious and presented in the most wonderful way. The staff was very nice, friendly and knowledgable about their food and wine pairings.

It just could not have been any better...! Oh wait, it could. Because we mentioned at reservation that we were celebrating we received complementary coffee and an extra treat!

5 star service and felt very pampered. The G Hotel never lets you down. If you have something to celebrate be sure to go to Gigis for dinner. And the best part: without wine the vegan dinner for two was 55 euros.

Thank you ! Thank you ! Thank you !