All of the brands and products MUST be consumed as and when they catch my eye, otherwise I will return to the UK full of remorse and thoughts of ‘if only’. This over eating marathon is not simply a product of my greedy temperament, it is also a necessary process to ensure I don’t feel too depressed back in London.

Don’t laugh. That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it.

Following is a short collection of photos of the vegan snacks that have found their way into my belly over the last few days. Of course I am also eating fruit, but I assume you didn’t come here to stare at a banana.

Enjoy!

Sweet potato tortilla chips by Way Better

Sambazon protein drink

Chive & garlic cream cheese by Go Veggie!

Eggplant pesto by Bolani

Primal Spirit jerky stick

Mint chocolate Pro Bar

Chocolate coconut Pro Bar

Chocolate almond drink by Pacific

Sandwich creme cookies by Country Choice

Vegan donuts from Whole Foods Market

Salty peanut by Awesome Bars

Multi-grain tortilla chips by Way Better

Amy’s vegan pizza

Mint chocolate Miracle Tart by Hail Merry

Teriyaki strips by Seitan Deli

Suzanne’s Ricemellow Creme

Wow! Uploading all these photos has really worked up a hunger. I’m off to the store.

Here is a super quick post highlighting the vegan snacks that have kept me company during my first few days in the USA. You will notice the lighting is terrible. Obviously I am photographing these snacks on the bed in a dimly-lit hotel room. Is there any other way to overeat in solitude?

Enjoy the photos and if you are a food importer in the UK, I want all of these available by the time I get back.

Italian seitan by Upton’s Naturals

So Delicious almond milk cookies & cream

Beyond Meat chicken-free strips

NuGo bars

Cheddar style slices by daiya

Gardein sliders

Original Tings – so crunchy, so good!

Seitan Piccata frozen meal by Candle Cafe

Candle Cafe macaroni & vegan cheese

So Delicious coconut milk cookie dough ice cream

I have been plugging away at this blog and its associated activities for two and a half years. How time flies when you are guilt-tripping yourself into meeting self-imposed publication dates. Seriously though, I feel I have been consistent in sharing my thoughts on vegan food, products and events throughout the UK and the world. I’m proud of this little corner of the Internet.

My first FGV blog entry… EVER!

It would seem the pride I have in my own abilities isn’t completely unfounded as my blog has been nominated for an award.

VegfestUK is a series of huge vegan festivals that take place in Brighton, Bristol (happening this weekend May 24-26, 2013) and London. Running for ten years, the events are a celebration of all things plant-based and are hugely popular outings for vegans and non-vegans alike.

To celebrate their tenth year, VegfestUK organisers want to recognise vegan businesses, personalities and products with their own award show. Thankfully, they have included a vegan blog category meaning I was able to sneak in with a nomination.

Please visit the voting page and pop a little tick next to my name (if you feel I deserve it). If you do vote for my blog, please let me know in the comments section below. I would like to include you in my acceptance speech at the award ceremony taking place in London this October.*

*This might not happen in reality

I thought sitting down to write a blog post about the release of the Ms. Cupcake cookbook would be a simple process that involved reviewing the book, saying how much I adore her food and sticking in a few photos.

However, on reflection the idea of simply talking about the book as just another collection of recipes seemed beyond insufficient. This book acts as distinct marker in the timeline of vegan London and Mellissa Morgan is more than a mere cupcake maker. She has been one of the guiding forces in the veganisation of the UK capital and walks at the forefront of a plant-based wave sweeping the country.

No, this isn’t just a cookbook. It is historical evidence of how an independent baker helped change the way London and the UK think about veganism.

Ms. Cupcake – The Naughtiest Vegan Cakes in Town!

The story of the rise of Ms. Cupcake is especially poignant and personal for me. It wasn’t long after I started this blog that Mellissa moved her well-loved market stall business into her very own bakery on Coldharbour Lane in Brixton. It was the story about this move that went on to become one of the most read posts of all time on my blog.

When I had the idea of creating London Vegan Potluck, it was Mellissa and the Ms. Cupcake crew who welcomed my crazy idea with open arms. The potluck has since moved to larger premises, but I will never forget or take for granted what the bakery did for me and my event. Mellissa’s commitment to the vegan community in London helped me create one of the most enduring and loved social events in the country.

The Ms. Cupcake bakery is a focal point for vegan London. The rise of such a successful vegan business lit a spark that has grown to an inferno and inspired all manner of events, food providers and support networks. Many of the people who work or have worked in the bakery have become my dear friends. The cookbook tells Mellissa’s story and the recipes are testament to her creativity and persistence, but it also acts as reminder for vegans everywhere how we can change the world around us if we decide to act.

Buy the Ms. Cupcake book if you would like to know how to create mouthwatering cookies, cupcakes, muffins and loaves. Buy the Ms. Cupcake book if you want a invaluable guide to vegan icing, stockists and methods. Buy the Ms. Cupcake book if you enjoy owning recipe books brimming with colourful and stylish artwork and photos. But most importantly, buy the Ms. Cupcake book if you want to own a piece of the story of how London truly became an international vegan city.

Order now online from Amazon.

Tracy aka The Vegan Butcher with Jaffa Cakes

As a special treat, Ms. Cupcake and her publisher have given me permission to include the following recipe taken from the new book. I followed the easy recipe to make my own batch of Nanaimo bars and the process was completely hassle-free, even for a non-baker like me.

The Canadian-inspired bars were delicious and decadent, the perfect reminder of my pal Tracy (pictured above) who was a valued member of the Ms. Cupcake crew before she moved back to her home of Halifax, Nova Scotia. These bars are for you, Tracy!

Nanaimo bars by Ms. Cupcake

Makes 15–24 Bars

For the biscuit base

• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 3 tbsp lukewarm water
• 230g (1 cup) dairy-free margarine
• 100g (1⁄2 cup) caster sugar
• 90g (scant cup) cocoa powder
• 250g (2 cups) rich tea or digestive biscuits, crushed
• 200g (31/3 cups) desiccated coconut
• 100g (3⁄4 cup) chopped walnuts (optional)

For the custard cream filling

• 180g (3⁄4 cup) dairy-free margarine
• 50g (3 tbsp + 1 tsp) vegetable fat (shortening)
• 600g (6 cups) icing sugar
• 5 tbsp custard powder
• 2 tbsp soya or rice milk

For the chocolate layer

• 300g (11⁄2 cups) dairy-free chocolate chips or chocolate bars
• 50g (3 tbsp + 1 tsp) dairy-free margarine

Method

Liberally grease, or line with parchment paper, a 33cm x 23cm (13” x 9”) cake tin.

In a small bowl, whisk the flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of lukewarm water. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Over a low heat, melt the margarine in a pan with the caster sugar and the cocoa powder. Remove from the heat and add the crushed biscuits, coconut, walnuts (if using) and flaxseed mixture. Stir until thoroughly combined. Press the mixture into the prepared cake tin and pop it into the fridge to chill for at least an hour.

Meanwhile, prepare the custard cream filling. Using an electric hand-held mixer, mix together the margarine, vegetable fat, icing sugar, custard powder and soya milk. The custard will resemble a soft buttercream. Take the biscuit layer out of the fridge and spread the custard cream across it evenly.

Finally, for the chocolate layer, melt together the chocolate chips and margarine in a pan over a low heat. Spread the chocolate mixture evenly over the custard cream layer. Return the tray to the fridge. Allow the chocolate to firm up for about an hour before slicing into it. Hum the Canadian national anthem while eating.

FGV-made Nanaimo bars

Follow Ms. Cupcake on Twitter

Like Ms. Cupcake on Facebook

Visit Ms. Cupcake online

The problem is, however, I don’t know how to prepare a decent raw meal for myself. Of course I can make a salad or fruit platter, but I’m talking about raw creations that are inventive, delicious and well-balanced.

If you are like me and lack confidence in your skills as a raw food creator and would like to know how to improve, you will be interested to know you can win a high quality raw cook book from one of the most-respected people in the field.

Read on to enter!

Annelie Whitfield is a fascinating person. A former Hollywood stunt person and TV presenter who recovered from a serious car crash and lives in the Costa Rican jungle with her family, Annelie is also a raw food recipe developer and expert. Makes you feel kinda lazy, right?

Her new book Annelie’s Raw Food Power is packed full of fascinating ideas and recipes for nutritious, raw eating. From breakfast juices to decadent cheesecakes, Annelie has all bases covered. I recently asked Annelie a few questions about raw food and the book. You can read her answers below and then find out how you can win a copy of your own!

Annelie & her baby

Fat Gay Vegan: Raw can be such a daunting endeavour for a lot of people. What can you tell us to help demystify raw food preparation?

Annelie Whitfield: It’s not about trying to prepare the most gourmet raw food meal, it’s about bringing all your favorite veggies, fresh herbs nuts and seeds and other fresh ingredients together. Making one delicious raw veggie salad a day with a delicious dressing is so easy and so quick.

FGV: A lot of raw food books require dehydrators, expensive processors and other equipment. Can a raw diet be followed without top range gadgets?

AW: Absolutely! I recommend buying a few very basic raw food recipe books that specify no dehydrator needed.

FGV: Share with us your number one reason why raw food is a positive choice.

AW: My number one reason to include more raw food in your diet is so that your body is receiving food at a higher vibration; exactly what our body and mind craves! Eating this way optimizes our greatest potential therefore making life much easier. Eating food that is in its natural state also means you absorb more minerals, vitamins and of course those essential enzymes imperative for digestion.

FGV: Your motivation for eating raw food appears to be the health benefits for you and your family. Are you also motivated by animal welfare or environmental concerns?

AW: Absolutely! It’s just such a terrible state of affairs when it comes to animal welfare that it’s so much easier to know that you can receive enough protein from wild greens, nuts and seeds and super foods.

FGV: If I only wanted to dabble in raw food, would your book be of any use to me?

AW: My book is perfect for people who want to seriously upgrade their health with some new delicious smoothie, chocolate or snack recipes, so yes!

FGV: To wrap up, tell us about the recipe in your book of which you are most proud.

AW: The full spectrum birthday cake is mind blowingly good. I like to think of myself as a bit of a chocolatier and this particular recipe has such a creamy chocolatey richness but leaves you feeling super energized and really rather blissful.

Raw Food Power

For your chance to win a copy of this fabulous and inspiring book, leave a comment telling me about your most amazing raw food experience to date.

The comp will run until midnight on Friday May 17, 2013 UK time. I will pick the answer that tickles my fancy the most and organise for a copy of the book to be sent from the publisher. I will not pick my friends, family or enemies.

In order for me to contact the winner, please leave an email address or Twitter handle with your entry.

Leave your comment now!

If you can’t wait to see if you are a winner and feel you must have the book instantly, buy it on Amazon. I don’t know about you, but I could really go a piece of raw chocolate cake right about now.

My hope is this enthusiasm appears balanced and you can tell that when I say something is fabulous, it really means I think it is fabulous. I know I can be taken by positive histrionics when I love something, but I am also capable of dishing the dirt when I feel a product or restaurant isn’t up to scratch. This honesty hopefully makes me believable.

With that in mind, I would like to introduce you to the best vegan restaurant I have experienced in Europe.

Gentle Gourmet started life as a vegan bed and breakfast, but has recently morphed into a world-class eatery situated in the heart of Paris. The smartly-decorated restaurant sits opposite Canal Saint-Martin on the Boulevard de la Bastille, just a short saunter from the Seine. The picturesque location is a perfect match for the quality food being served inside.

Gentle Gourmet of Paris

On the inside

Full marks for location and decor aside, the true reason why Gentle Gourmet stands head and shoulders above its European peers is certainly the food on offer. A brief run down of our meal reads like my dreams come to life.

My group devoured the stunning Beignets de fromage végétal. These vegan cheese bites were battered, deep fried and served on fresh slices of pear. It stands as one of the best starters I have eaten anywhere.

Beignets de fromage végétal

The rest of the meal kept to this high standard. Every single dish was scrumptious and every single morsel was scooped up.

The house-made baguettes were of exceptional quality and my sister adored her roasted vegetable and broad bean hummus sandwich served with fries and salad. We actually came back the following day to pick more sandwiches up to go. The bread was that outstanding.

Josh sided with the portobello burger, once again served with salad and fries. I asked him to give me a description of his order for this review and his response was, “Stunning.” His eyes glossed over and he drifted off into his delicious food memories just at the mention of the meal.

Delicious sandwich

Portobello burger

My food choices included a crunchy salad featuring portobello slivers and croutons. The salad was the perfect combination of fresh and savoury. Of course it didn’t get in the way of the chocolate crêpe I devoured. Or the stunning almond croissant, which was honestly one of the nicest pastries I have ever eaten.

Top class salad

Chocolate crêpe

Almond croissant

On top of all of this, Gentle Gourmet is staffed by some of the friendliest people I have seen in the service industry. Even the owner took a few minutes out of her day to chat to us about the food. The entire experience was special.

So it is settled. FGV votes Gentle Gourmet as best vegan eatery in Europe.

Visit Gentle Gourmet online

Follow Gentle Gourmet on Twitter

Like Gentle Gourmet on Facebook 

Given my acute fondness for the country and culture, you can imagine how distant Mexico feels from my current home in London. Thankfully, there is a company doing their very best to make sure I get an authentic taste of Mexico right here in the UK.

Please rise for the Cool Chile Company.

I was recently invited to visit the Cool Chile factory in North London and what I witnessed was enough to bring a rumble to the belly of even a well-seasoned foodie like myself. The premises were stacked floor to ceiling with the most mouth-watering spices and condiments this side of Xalapa. Chipotles were whole, diced, powdered, tinned, bagged and presented in almost any way you can imagine. You think of any Mexican ingredient and rest assured the Cool Chile Company have got you covered.

Cool Chile chipotle ketchup

But surely the crowning glory of the company is the stunning piece of equipment they call El Monstruo. This wondrous example of engineering is responsible for the staple of all Mexican cuisine. The tortilla.

El Monstruo works like an independent tortilla factory. It takes the dried masa harina, mixes it into dough, presses and cuts the tortillas before cooking them on a long chain conveyor belt that loops back on itself inside the giant machine.

Workers collect the finished product at the end, weigh the bundles and shrink pack them for greedy consumers just like me. The machine works at the output of 3500 tortillas an hour and chugs away five days a week. That’s a lot of tortillas.

Mixing the dough

Cutting

Coming out of the oven

The end of the line

Shrink wrapped for sale

I have not been able to source any other corn tortillas in the UK and even with that fact aside, the Cool Chile Company tortillas are some of the best I have consumed anywhere. We use them frequently in my kitchen and they even took pride of place at my Mexican supper club last year.

Vegan jackfruit carnitas made with Cool Chile tortillas

Flautas stuffed with vegan chorizo & mashed potato made with Cool Chile tortillas

If you bulk buy from one food company this year, I couldn’t recommend highly enough that you make it Cool Chile Company. From their corn tortillas to their easy black bean soup mix, the company has everything you need to make delicious and authentic Mexican food.

Shop online via the Cool Chile Website

Visit their stall at Borough Market

Follow Cool Chile Company on Twitter

Things have changed, people.

I am delighted to report that the Paris vegan scene has exploded. You can choose from Asian cuisine, a vegan grocery store and baked goods. There are even a smattering of health food supermarkets through the city selling a decent range of vegan products.

Out of this new surge of animal-free options, one of the best places to emerge is a cute fast food joint called East Side Burgers. Burgers, hot dogs, fries and soda are just the tip of the food pile. The cosy outlet serves up a whole manner of savoury delights such as quiche by the slice as well as sweet treats (including my favourite chocolate on the planet, Moo Free).

East Side Burgers Paris

Hot dog, burger & fries

Counter service

Moo Free vegan chocolate

Of course I am disappointed the place isn’t completely vegan. Actually, I can’t get my head around why it isn’t. I can only hope that is a goal they are moving towards because apart from the animal products served, East Side Burgers is one fabulous place to eat vegan.

Visit East Side Burgers online

Follow East Side Burgers on Twitter

Like East Side Burgers on Facebook

My recent Edinburgh trip was no different. Working out where vegan breakfast, lunch and dinner were to be enjoyed took precedence over getting to the castle or visiting the museum. The walks along the Royal Mile or down historic closes were planned with precision to ensure vegan food options took centre stage throughout my time in Edinburgh.

In addition to my baked potato experience, one of the most memorable frenzied pit stops for food involved vegan fudge. Thick, creamy and irresistible vegan fudge. The Fudge Kitchen located on the Royal Mile isn’t a vegan food outlet but they certainly know how to make plant-based eaters feel welcome.

The store has at least one vegan fudge option on show each day. My visit coincided with the overwhelmingly-scrumptious toffee variety made with soya cream.

Fudge Kitchen Edinburgh

Gorgeous vegan toffee fudge

I am trying to be a less food-driven tourist. Not as many of my trips are planned around the food available at the destination but it will be a long while until I am comfortable moving through a town without devouring every vegan dish on offer.

Find all Fudge Kitchen UK locations online

Follow Fudge Kitchen on Twitter

Like Fudge Kitchen on Facebook

You’ll remember Betty Who from my interview with the singer a short while ago. I asked her about her musical influences, growing up in Australia and most importantly for readers of this blog, her veganism. Refresh your memory here.

Accidentally tripping over her single Somebody Loves Me sent me into a musical tailspin from which I’m yet to pull up. The song literally zipped to the top of my playlist and has barely been bothered since. My appetite for Betty Who had well and truly been awoken so it is with much joy and satisfaction that I present the songs from her new EP The Movement, available from today.

The four track collection is an exercise in pop purity. From powerhouse choruses through to softly spoken refrains, Betty’s voice stands across the EP as the combining force. Her delivery is both poignant and extremely well informed. Betty sings well and knows why she should.

Bass, snare and jangly vocals sweeping across the soundscape of You’re In Love are reminiscent of perfect pop moments born out of the legendary Janet Jackson/Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis partnership. As I listen, I can almost visualise Ms. Jackson driving with girlfriends in a convertible. Across a desert. In black and white. Someone would lose a scarf and they would all laugh because the song is just that damn catchy and fun.

Right Here takes proceedings to a slower place but certainly one that deserves to be on The Movement. Whispery vocals float almost separately above the rest of the track. I can’t listen without fearing they are going to get blown away.  I would love to hear the vocal bare, without production.

Now. Down to the nuts and bolts. If universities taught people how to write the perfect pop song, High Society would be the required text. I could list all of the influences I hear such as Open Your Heart by Madonna, Affirmation by Savage Garden, I’ll Be Your Shelter by Taylor Dayne, Summerboy by Lady Gaga and others… but this songs needs no comparisons to warrant praise. It is pure pop perfection. I want it to last forever but am secretly delighted when it ends, allowing me to relive the experience all over again by pressing play.

And that my friends, is the sign of an irresistible pop record.

Do you like pop music? Do you support independent artists? Do you encourage vegans in their artistic pursuits? Buy The Movement today.

Listen to the full EP here: www.BettyWhoTheMovement.com

www.facebook.com/bettywhomusic

www.twitter.com/bettywhomusic

www.youtube.com/bettywhomusic