Vote for FGV (if you want!)

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Hey!

It is always lovely to get a spot of recognition for this blog. Of course I don’t do it for awards but it does feel nice when someone tells me they appreciate what I do.

VegfestUK reached out to inform me that my website has been nominated in the VegfestUK Awards 2017 for the category of Best Vegan Online Resource.

How fab!

You can click here to vote for me or any of the other nominees in the category (I won’t be upset) and make sure you vote for your other favourites across all categories.

Thanks to everyone at VegfestUK for nominating me and for all their tireless work when it comes to spreading the vegan message.

London cafe turns completely vegan

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Amazing news.

Cupcakes and Shhht is a vegetarian cafe in Elephant and Castle. CORRECTION. Cupcakes and Shhht is a vegan cafe in Elephant and Castle!

After five full years trading as a veggie business, Cupcakes and Shhht has decided to become completely plant-based. No cheese. No cow milk. No animal derived ingredients at all.

I popped along for their first full vegan day today and was thrilled to see how busy the café was and how chilled out everyone was when they were asked to pick a plant milk with their coffee!

The café is located in the super cool shipping container complex known as The Artworks. It is steps from the main Elephant and Castle roundabout, meaning it is close to the Underground and rail stations too. Click here to see the exact location thanks to Google Maps.

Follow Cupcakes and Shhht on Instagram and then check out the photos/video from my visit today.

Yay for cafés that become fully vegan!

Vegan options in Crouch End

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Do you ever find yourself in the London neighbourhood of Crouch End without a bite to eat?

Well, say goodbye to being hungry in Crouch End as you say hello to Miranda Café.

This vegetarian eatery is located on the corner of Broadway Parade and Elder Avenue, plus it has a whole LOAD of vegan options.

Of course it would be fabulous if the entire menu was vegan (I’m contractually obliged to say that as FGV) so let’s hope that is the direction in which the business is moving.

Check out some of the tasty vegan dishes being served by Miranda Café below and follow the eatery on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

 

Chain store vegan sandwiches

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My friend Susan visited London a while ago and one thing about the UK really amused her. She couldn’t quite understand the obsession with ready to consume sandwiches.

Susan has a point.

I’ve never seen a country quite like the UK when it comes to pre-made, boxed up sandwiches. You get them at the petrol station, inside pharmacies, as part of meal deals, in high end shops, in budget outlets, in coffee chains, and pretty much any other type of retail space you can imagine.

Some stores selling these sandwiches will have an entire wall of chillers dedicated to dozens and dozens of various flavours.

I’d love to know how this sandwich saturation happened in the UK. If anyone knows the history of why packed sandwiches are an integral part of life here in the UK, I’d love to know.

Sharing Susan’s bewilderment and amusement was really just a cute lead in for sharing these photos.

Check out three vegan ready-to-go vegan sandwiches I’ve spotted around the UK over the past week.

Let me know if you have a favourite ready made sandwich in the comments below.

Animal sanctuary run by vegans

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Willows Animal Sanctuary is a charity based in the North-East of Scotland specialising in providing sanctuary to elderly animals or those with health/behavioural issues who cannot otherwise be re-homed.

How fabulous!

The sanctuary is holding their Winter Fundraiser on September 9, 2017 and will have food available on site from FacePlant Foods, Cool Jerk Vegan Pies and The Vegan Cakery.

The organisation is vegan-run, and they have an all-vegan cafe and gift shop on site.

If you are in the area, please plan a visit. You can like the Willows Facebook page and RSVP to the event.

Many of you reading this won’t be near the sanctuary, but you can still help with their fundraising. Click here to visit their website and donate some money. They need to feed all the animals across winter and YOU can help.

Leave pudding alone

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I don’t just write for this blog, ya know?!

As a freelance writer, I spread my scribbling skills around the Internet in various locations. One of the latest landing sites for my fat fingers is Plant Based News.

You can check out my first piece for them right now.

Click here or on the image above to read my musings about food shaming.

You can follow Plant Based News on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Vegan food at a Pride event

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If you are going to Herts Pride this weekend (September 2, 2017) David and Tony are running a Veggies Catering Campaign trailer selling vegan burgers, sos rolls, Fairtrade teas, coffees and cola along with other drinks.

How fab is that!

The Pride day is taking place in Gadebridge Park in Hemel Hempstead between 11am and 10pm.

The stall will also selling a range of cakes made by Heather of The Green Kitchen.

Here is your chance to support and enjoy a Pride event while feeding yourself with vegan food.

You can get all the details for Herts Pride over on the Facebook page.

Vegan comfort food for Manchester

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I wrote about the vegan food options at Manchester’s The Deaf Institute a while ago, but only just got around to trying some of it for myself last night.

The Deaf Institute is a bar, kitchen and live music venue just off Oxford Road. The kitchen is open every single day from 4pm until late and is packed solid with vegan comfort food.

Confusingly, the menu does make claims about a full vegan kitchen but during my visit their were a few non-vegan items listed on that very same menu such as meat and cheese. I’m not really sure what this means.

Anyway, the vegan food is plentiful and really quite good.

You can follow The Deaf Institute on Instagram and keep scrolling down to see everything Josh and I devoured last night.

Extra note: I wasn’t keen on the wall of animal skulls and horns as decorations, either.

Extra extra note: The Deaf Institute might very well be a great hangover spot for you and your friends the day after Manchester Vegan Beer Fest, taking place in three weeks! Book a ticket.

Simple bake polenta

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Crispy baked chipotle polenta

Ingredients:

  • 3​ ​cups​ ​vegan​ ​vegetable​ ​stock
  • 1​ ​cup​ ​quick-cook​ ​polenta
  • 1⁄4​ ​cup​ ​vegan​ ​margarine
  • 1​ ​tablespoon​ ​of​ ​nutritional​ ​yeast
  • 1​ ​teaspoon​ ​dried​ ​oregano
  • 2​ ​teaspoons​ ​ground​ ​chipotle​ ​chile

Instructions:

-​ ​​​ ​Bring​ ​the​ ​vegetable​ ​stock​ ​to​ ​a​ ​low​ ​boil
-​ ​Add​ ​all​ ​other​ ​ingredients​ ​and​ ​stir​ ​well
-​ ​Simmer​ ​over​ ​a​ ​low​ ​heat​ ​for​ ​approximately​ ​15​ ​minutes,​ ​stirring​ ​regularly
-​ ​At​ ​this​ ​stage,​ ​preheat​ ​the​ ​oven​ ​to​ ​approximate​ ​200°C/400°F
-​ ​When​ ​the​ ​polenta​ ​has​ ​absorbed​ ​all​ ​the​ ​water,​ ​switch​ ​off​ ​heat​ ​and​ ​transfer​ ​mixture​ ​to​ ​a small​ ​baking​ ​dish
-​ ​Push​ ​polenta​ ​down​ ​into​ ​the​ ​dish​ ​and​ ​roughly​ ​flatten
-​ ​Bake​ ​for​ ​approximately​ ​35​ ​minutes​ ​until​ ​golden​ ​brown​ ​and​ ​crunchy​ ​on​ ​top
-​ ​Remove​ ​from​ ​oven​ ​and​ ​cool​ ​for​ ​about​ ​10​ ​minutes
-​ ​Cut​ ​into​ ​squares​ ​and​ ​serve​ ​with​ ​your​ ​favourite​ ​Mexican​ ​dishes

We​ ​served​ ​this​ ​with​ ​black​ ​beans,​ ​pico​ ​de​ ​gallo,​ ​guacamole​ ​and​ ​vegan​ ​sour​ ​cream​ ​but you​ ​could​ ​use​ ​the​ ​crispy​ ​polenta​ ​as​ ​a​ ​base​ ​for​ ​anything​ ​really.​ ​Try​ ​it​ ​with​ ​spicy​ ​jackfruit and​ ​a​ ​mango​ ​salsa,​ ​black-eyed​ ​peas​ ​and​ ​collard​ ​greens​ ​or​ ​get​ ​extra-creative​ ​and​ ​serve it​ ​with​ ​an​ ​Indian-style​ ​curry​ ​and​ ​rice.

Recipe​ ​and​ ​photo​ ​remain​ ​property​ ​of​ ​Sean​ ​O’Callaghan​ ​and​ ​may​ ​not​ ​be​ ​reproduced​ ​without permission.​ ​​ ​©​ ​fatgayvegan.com

Vegan event in Reading

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Do you live in or around Reading? Here is some news you will enjoy hearing.

Reading Vegan Festival is taking place on September 23, 2017.

The festival is free to enter and is situated in the centre of Reading. The organisers have billed it as a safe and friendly environment to ask questions, sample products, and buy a range of vegan food, cosmetics and clothing.

There will also be a programme of activities, speakers and food demos. The full day programme will be announced nearer the time so RSVP to the Facebook page to keep updated and keep checking in at the website.