snacks

Sweet as a bird

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Flavoured syrup is a dietary staple, right? A fabulous range of products known as Sweetbird has got me thinking that very thought.

A box of vegan goodies from Beyond the Bean wholesalers

A little while ago I was contacted by a friendly human asking if I would be interested in sampling some of their vegan syrups. I hammered out a positive response as quickly as my fat, gay fingers could type. It surely would go against the natural order of the universe for me to decline. It is always lovely to be offered a gift, but I’m a whole lot happier when the gift turns out to be ample amounts of sweet liquids and powdery chocolate.

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It’s a bout time

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I love vegan food. I love vegan beer. I love roller derby. Cram these three things into a fun afternoon in London and I’m a fabulously-happy FGV.

Derby at York Hall in Bethnal Green

A few weekends back, Josh and I went on a little journey to Bethnal Green in order to be part of a fantastic afternoon of roller derby hosted by the London Rockin’ Rollers. As the derby explosion grips the UK, the Rockin’ Rollers are busy carving their own chunk of the pie. In gorgeous York Hall on Old Ford Road, skaters battle it out on a wooden flat track as punters cheer on from the balcony seating or trackside. With vegan bottled beer on sale and a vegetarian eatery doors away, I could be forgiven

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Cupcakes in the capital

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London is famous for many reasons and millions of people travel to the capital for theatre, fashion and historical relevance. Well, now you can add vegan cupcakes to that list as Ms Cupcake finally throws open her doors to the world.

Ms Cupcake vegan bakery in Brixton

If you like vegan sweets, the Ms Cupcake bakery on Coldharbour Lane, Brixton is a dream come to life. The store (opened officially today) is a wonderland of animal-free frosting, sugary sponges and sweet concoctions. I was overwhelmed on entering the store for the first time. Everywhere I looked I was confronted by a staggering amount of temptations. It took me a while to process I was standing in a real, honest-to-goodness vegan bakery. Let the eating begin.

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Hammersmith and hungry?

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If you find yourself walking the streets of Hammersmith (it happens, yes?) with a rumble in your belly, take the time to visit the good folk of Bushwacker Wholefoods.

Bushwacker Wholefoods in Hammersmith, West London

Bushwacker is a quaint, packed-to-the-rafters convenience store with a difference. This long-standing King Street resident has a focus on Fair Trade and organic fare. Their shelves are liberally stocked with a huge range of products, many of which are suitable for the discerning vegan shopper. From vitamins, hair care and toothpaste to sandwiches, organic soda and vegan ice cream, there is plenty of everything in store to ensure you drop a few Great British pounds during a visit.

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Each ridge and narrow bridge

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I apologise in advance for the money you will be forced to spend after reading this review. The plane tickets, the train bookings and the coach fares will be inevitable.

Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire

Sowerby Bridge is a picturesque village situated approximately halfway between Leeds and Manchester. The market town is nestled alongside the rushing River Calder and is made up of true story book visuals. Cobbled lane ways meet narrow passages amid historical churches, chimneys and shop fronts. Sowerby Bridge is a charming location sure to enchant most. Sold? OK. Well what if I throw in a world class, vegan restaurant?

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Not so amazing

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I’m not usually one for disrespecting meat-free establishments, but neither will I pretend they are all fabulous havens of delectable and mouth-watering food.

Roots and Fruits - could be improved

If you find yourself stranded in Leeds for the day, places to eat vegan food are not easy to come by. If curry is your thing, make haste to Hansa’s and you should be satisfied with most things on offer. Feel like a quick snack or a tummy filler? Out Of This World stocks delicious vegan sandwiches, pizza slices and fudge to meet your needs. But if you are craving uninspired and uncreative dishes that are slightly overpriced, head on down to Roots and Fruits.

I know it would appear to some as slightly counter-productive for a FGV to ctiticise a vegetarian restaurant, but Roots and Fruits doesn’t make the grade in my book.

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Bar none

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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.

Coconut Bar Original by Oskri Organics

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.

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Vegan ice cream wars go on and on

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It has been a difficult battle and at times I have felt like I can’t go on. The vegan ice cream wars are starting to take a serious toll on me (mostly my waistline), but for the sake of public interest and immense greed I will continue. If only for my dear readers.

Triano cone - as Lisa and Bart said, "Meh".

This is the part that gets confusing. Tofutti is a well-established brand, churning out masses of dairy-free products that are exported all over the planet. I have often enjoyed their vegan ice creams, dessert sandwiches, cheese imitations and even a mini, frozen, vegan cheese pizza. I don’t believe they are the healthiest food choices, but they satisfy in a cholesterol-free and cruelty-free way.

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I like my potatoes creamy

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Potato is a food I enjoy mostly any which way. Roasted, fried, mashed… you cook it, I’ll devour it. With this established, you will understand it was with great excitement I set about creating a mouth-watering potato breakfast swimming in vegan cream and cheese.

Alpro long-life vegan cream

Alpro products are everywhere in the UK. You can’t go into a major store without running into their yogurt, custard, pudding and milks. They produce a wide range of dairy substitutes using non-GM soy beans grown on land that is investigated to not have been deforested or reclaimed. Best of all, the entire Alpro range is suitable for a vegan diet. I had recently been craving creamy potatoes, leading me to search out the Alpro long-life, dairy free soy cream. This cream is housed in a handy and neat resealable carton. But I won’t pretend I needed to reseal it. All of the cream was used in one sitting.

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A fair amount of vegan cupcakes

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If vegan cupcakes are a sure way to my heart, I was head over heels in love today during a visit to the Ms Cupcake pop-up shop in Soho, London today.

Vegan Bear selling in Soho

Ms Cupcake is a fabulous vegan cupcake company I have written about previously and they create the best small cakes I have ever eaten. Since my visit to their Greenwich Market stall, I’ve suffered through countless sleepless nights as I’ve plotted, schemed and dreamed of a way back to their sweet treats. Well, my pleas were heard apparently. Ms Cupcake have a pop-up store situated in Soho, London this week and it is set to return again for two days next week in the same location. Positioned in a fair trade gift store called Fair Share, the Ms Cupcake table is brimming with six specially-created fair trade flavours that have to be tasted to be believed.

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