London vegan news, reviews & events
Sweetness is my weakness. Well, so are saturated fats and deep-fried foods but a FGV has to keep a special spot in their heart for sugary snacks. My body craves vegan delights such as chocolate and cupcakes…. and who am I to deny it?
Most of the sweet stuff I consume is made with processed cane sugar but I have recently come to adore an alternative to this regular sweetener. Vegans and vegan-curious, I would like to introduce you to Sweet Freedom.
The vegan ice cream wars have been rather quiet lately. Old favourites such as Booja Booja and Swedish Glace have been keeping me company but there hasn’t been much competition to speak of. I have been trundling along with my predictable frozen dessert consumption for months.
It’s not that I don’t adore the delights made by these companies, but a FGV needs to change it up a bit now and again… and change it up I did during a recent visit to the United States of America.
The lovely people of Booja-Booja recently got in touch with me to ask if I would be willing to give one of their vegan ice cream flavours a try. Ummm… how long do you think I needed to think about that one? I’m not sure I finished reading their email before I hit the reply button.
If you cast your mind back a short while, you will remember my ecstatic review of the Booja-Booja Hunky Punky Chocolate variety. I have been a massive fan of their frozen treats since that day and the flavour that was recently delivered to me by the company has only cemented my love.
I do love a nice bar. Be it candy or other, a bar is a superb way of hitting the hunger where it hurts without ruining your appetite. If that bar can be based around delicious coconut, all the better for a FGV.
A little piece of heaven entered my life recently thanks to a health food company based in Lake Mills, Wisconsin. Oskri Organics is a small manufacturer producing goods in their own warehouse. Take a quick browse through their products list and you will find cooking oils, spreads, dried fruit, nuts, granola and much more. The only item from their repertoire that appears to have made it over to the UK is the Coconut Bar Original.
As an atheist I don’t partake in rituals, rites or celebrations based on religious beliefs. But I’m certainly not going to let a little non-belief get in my way of a vegan Easter egg.
Whilst trolling around Sainsbury’s supermarket on Cromwell Road in London for a snack, I stumbled upon a delectable-looking treat in the section reserved for food allergies and specialist diets. The freefrom Easter egg stood tall on the top shelf and beckoned me with its yellow wrapping, shiny bow and cheeky swing tag advertising its vegan status. I was so taken by the snappy appearance of this seasonal snack that I was on the verge of offering to buy it a drink. Gift-wrapped, vegan chocolate doesn’t fall into my FGV lap everyday, so I barely hesitated as I swooped it up and deposited it into my shopping basket.
I’m not opposed to eating healthy food, I just need it to be delicious as well as good for me.
I love snacks. Bite-sized morsels and finger foods are always within my chubby reach. But sometimes a FGV has to show some self-control and opt for a healthy selection when shopping for in-between meals. It was this sentiment that inspired me to pick up a couple of Nakd bars. This healthy range of snacks are available in 7 flavours and are vegan, gluten free and almost all completely raw. You can choose between Cashew Cookie, Berry Delight, Cocoa Delight, Cocoa Mint, Cocoa Orange, Ginger Bread and Pecan Pie. Sound fantastic, yeah? Well, I don’t mean to be a sour cherry, but the two flavours I was tempted to purchase weren’t my style of eating at all.
Gluten free, wheat free and dairy free chocolate can be obtained by strolling into your nearest Sainsbury’s supermarket. It’s that simple.
High Street grocery retailer and all round mega-chain Sainsbury’s are constantly expanding their freefrom range. These products are designed to cater for diets requiring the absence of ingredients such as egg, dairy, wheat and gluten. While not all items under this branding are suitable for vegans, you will certainly discover a few cruelty-free surprises when you browse the freefrom section.
Is there anything finer than a decadent, chocolate ice cream?
After being somewhat disillusioned by my last chocolate ice cream affair, my faith in the cold stuff has been restored thanks to the good folk of Booja Booja. This producer of organic sweets are experts in gluten free, dairy free and organic delights. They manufacture gourmet truffles with flavours such as Ginger Wine, Champagne and Cognac Banana… and then there is the ice cream.
Two things can impress me about a vegan ice cream. The taste is of course the most important factor but my FGV senses can also be stimulated by a cute flavour name. Booja Booja have managed to find the perfect coupling of taste and name with their variety called Hunky Punky Chocolate. It is available in three sizes (110ml, 500ml, 2 litre) and is a pure joy to eat. Creamy, smooth and rich. I devoured the smallest container available and now I dream of finding the 2 litre size to enjoy.
The vegan ice cream wars rage on, Booja Booja rise to the top and this FGV is satisfied… for now.