New vegan eatery in Sheffield

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There is a new vegan eatery in Sheffield called Shed.

Shed is described as:

We create affordable, super-tasty plant-based food that goes big on nutrition and even bigger on flavour. And we’re on a mission to inspire and to nourish the growing number of people embracing a plant-based lifestyle.

The new eatery is housed inside a venue called Cutlery Works which is located about a 1-minute work from mega venue Church and Make No Bones.

Check out some of the Shed food photos below, follow them on Instagram, and see their exact location thanks to Google Maps.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BqQOCSRgqtj/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BqKK49ogi5-/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BqC_9OWH-8R/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BprKlYfAsws/

Vegan infiltration at Fortnum and Mason

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One of the most non-vegan luxury stores in the world has just started stocking a vegan cheese and spread brand!

Times are changing.

Fortnum & Mason is not known for progressive shopping and has long been criticised for making money from foie gras, however the upmarket department store has just thrown us a curve ball.

They are now stocking superstar vegan cheese brand, I AM NUT OK.

Angela from I AM NUT OK told me:

Our vegan foie gras and vegan cream cheese are now being stocked in Fortnum & Mason. We are the first plant-based alternatives they are stocking (a few steps away from a mountain of foie gras!). I feel like we’ve infiltrated a huge institution. It would be incredible if they started stocking more vegan things and moved away from the animal products.

2018 is full of vegan surprises!

You can see the exact location of the Fortnum & Mason flagship store thanks to Google Maps.

You can follow I AM NUT OK on Instagram. You can shop with them online.

You can also buy I AM NUT OK cheese directly from their stall at Hackney Downs Vegan Market this Saturday November 17, 2018. Click here for full market details.

Half price vegan lunch this week

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Wanna save some money on a tasty vegan lunch this week, London?

Buffalo Vegan Diner of Hackney is giving lunchtime diners 50% off their new lunch menu on Thursday November 15 and Friday November 16, 2018 between midday and 3pm.

Check out the menu below.

Buffalo has been getting rave reviews online so now this is your chance to find out what all the hype is about AND save some money.

You can see the exact location of Buffalo thanks to Google Maps.

You can follow Buffalo on Instagram.

Limited vegan Xmas gift box

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Oh, wow!

You all know about Vegan Tuck Box, right? This fabulous company specialises in delivering subscription boxes filled with tasty vegan treats.

The boxes are available as one off purchases or you can choose to subscribe to monthly boxes for you or a friend.

But what’s new?

There is a special Christmas box shipping now!

The contents of this special Christmas box include:

  • Moo Free Santa Chocolate Bar
  • 108 Foods Rhythm Almond Chocolate Bar
  • Mini Vego
  • Kuhbonbon Caramels
  • Mummy Meagz Orange Rocky Road

Click here to order now for £8. Be quick as the website states they only have 50 boxes in stock.

Vegan themed Christmas cards

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Hey friends.

If you celebrate Christmas, how about getting into the festive spirit by sending these cute vegan-themed greeting cards?!

Cute, right?

1 Tree Cards was born from the idea that the love sent through cards could be amplified to have positive effects around the world. Every 1 Tree Card plants a tree through their partner charity Eden Reforestation Projects.

Their cards and envelopes are 100% recycled and printed with vegan, vegetable-based inks. Their optional compostable sleeves for retailers are made of corn and yam, menaing they are even plastic free!

See all the Christmas-themed cards online here and shop for all your festive needs. 1 Tree Cards aren’t just making Christmas cards, so take a good look around their shop.

Follow 1 Tree Cards on Instagram.

Imitation croc skin bags

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Vrocskin. Yep, vegan croc skin bags and clutches.

If you admire the beauty of animal skins but can’t fathom the idea of killing a creature for fashion, this collection of U.K.-made bags, clutches, and pouches by Wilby Sustainable might appeal to you.

The company describe their items as ultra lightweight, vegan and sustainable croc skin bags made from cork leather in the U.K.

I don’t know a lot about fashion but Wilby describe these fashionable and kinder pieces as being suitable for formalwear or any occasion.

There is a seasonal sale on over at their website and they currently offer free U.K. shopping and they ship worldwide for a fee if you are further afield.

Click here to see the full range.

Buy 3-pack bundles of vegan chocolate

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If you follow me on Instagram, you will have seen me post quite a number of times about No Whey Foods.

This US company makes some of my all-time favourite candy and chocolate products.

It is difficult to get my hands on these products when I am in the UK, so it is good news to my ears to find out that No Whey has started selling online via Amazon.

The three products available right now are shown below, with more to come over weeks and months.

And in even better news, the candies above are available as lots of three. Yes, you order three packets at a time!

Click here to visit the No Whey product page on Amazon.

Extra note: some of these products are also starting to show up in independent vegan grocery stores and online shops around the UK. Please make it a priority to support these businesses before shopping with Amazon if you can.

Extra extra note: I have just realised that No Whey are in the ‘can’t recommend’ section of the Food Empowerment Project chocolate list. This list documents responses from companies related to their ethical and fair trade chocolate practices. You can see the full list online here.

Vegan business attacked online by trolls

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The owners of UK vegan BnB Loaf have recently experienced targeted online trolling and hate comments.

Loaf is a bed and breakfast located in Northumberland that lists its selling points as the glorious countryside, nearby coast, lovely rooms, log fires, and of course the fab vegan food.

The comments directed at the owners and vegans in general are hateful and vile.

You can see them below in a series of screengrabs shared here with permission from Loaf co-owner Karen.

As you can see, the comments are not only anti-vegan but also anti-Muslim and homophobic.

All of this because a vegan company shared a photo of vegan food on their own Facebook page.

I asked co-owner Karen if she could share how she felt about the abuse.

This is what she told me:

Sadly this is not uncommon. In the past I have deleted or hidden these sort of comments, almost feeling the shame the writer should have. I think it’s time we all stop dismissing online abuse as ‘just trolling’ and recognise it for what it is. Hate speech. The lowest, most cowardly form of bullying, hidden behind a social media profile. I think it’s time we all start calling people out on this. It shames us all and social media platforms should have a zero tolerance to this sort of behaviour. I also have to question why an ethical choice to do the least harm causes so much anger to some people.

I would like to express my sincere solidarity with Karen and Loaf and offer my support. I implore you to show your support for Loaf by booking with them and following them on social media.

You can visit the Loaf website here to view their rooms and book a stay. You can support independent vegan business AND holiday in beautiful Berwick-upon-Tweed close to the Scottish border.

Please follow Loaf on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Gorgeous vegan food in Mexico

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Here is a super quick blog post to share news of a fab vegan eatery in the Mexican city of Querétaro.

Located about a 3-hour drive from Mexico City, Querétaro is a gorgeous cities overflowing with historic buildings and inviting courtyards.

It is inside one of these courtyards that you will find Taco Green.

Taco Green showcases a mouthwatering menu featuring tacos and burgers. Take a look at food from my visit below and follow Taco Green on Instagram.

See the exact location of Taco Green thanks to Google Maps.

New vegan chef training course

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There was a recent newspaper article sating that the UK was facing a vegan chef shortage as the population took plant-based eating to heart.

This announcement couldn’t have come at a better time for a new vegan chef school launching in London.

The Vegan Chef Institute is open for business and taking bookings.

Co-founder Chef Day Radley says of her desire to elevate vegan cuisine within the UK:

As a newbie vegan chef I expected to dive into a world where my fellow chefs adored their work; creating dishes with love, pushing back the boundaries of cruelty free food. How wrong I was. It was 2010 and I was working in my first pro-chef job. The kitchen was a maelstrom of grumpy, tetchy chefs, barking at each other whilst churning out food with as much care as a factory robot. Any love for food resided solely with me.
The rest of the ‘team’ were not vegan or vegetarian and couldn’t care less about cross contamination. They were grown boys stuck in a career that was the best of a limited choice given them at age 16; work as a mechanic, builder or chef. For many, becoming a chef seemed like the easy choice. The long unsociable hours, minimum wage and sweaty, greasy conditions soon makes it clear that it is far from easy. This is a persistent problem in UK kitchens and one that adds to our terrible reputation for a severe lack of culinary finesse. When you pair that with the vegan movement the consequences could be even more severe; it has the potential to limit the growth of veganism. As a vegan chef you are acutely aware that the dish you serve may convince someone to become vegan or help them to remain vegan. Each good plate of food adds weight to the vegan choice, it says ‘this is delicious, you are not missing out, so yes, you can do this’. For people on the vegan cusp that single plate could mark the deciding moment. For the V-curious, wanting to dip a tentative toe, if that dish is bland they will ascertain that ALL vegan food is bland and steer clear of it in the future. The culinary art of vegan, sustainable and compassionate cuisine needs to be showcased by talented vegan chefs.

Radley continued:

This is the reason I have created The Vegan Chef Institute with co-founder and health coach, Chantal Di Donato. The Institute launched on November 1st, World Vegan Day. Our mission? To provide the vegan movement with a progressive centre of learning and innovation so that we can develop a cuisine that it truly deserves and needs. We kick off the Institute with a fast-track vocational course designed to propel keen home cooks into their first job as a professional vegan chef. The combination of careful and personal tutelage, with an internship element to the course, will give students everything they need to take that first exciting step on the cooking career ladder.

The course runs from January 13th, every Sunday, for 12 weeks. Their kitchen site in Battersea, South London allows each of their 8 students their own station and hobs, with plenty of space to make and create. They will celebrate and showcase the work of the class at a student-led supper club. Family, friends and the vegan community will be invited to eat with the class.

You can find out more and book a place onto the course online.

You can follow the Vegan Chef Institute on Facebook and Instagram.