I'm going to kick things off with a bombshell. I'm drinking breakfast tea the vegan way, and I like it. Those of you who've kept up with the Veganuary Diaries (if you haven't? a) shame on you, b) catch up with Part 1, Part 2and Part 3 asap.) will know that as a tea obsessive, losing my bog standard cup of breakfast tea to Veganuary has been hard to cope with. No milk alternative tasted remotely bearable in one, until I hit on Oatly's Barista Edition, £1.85. Now, I could be in so deep with Veganuary that my taste buds are jaded and willing to accept anything, but I'm pretty sure this really does work! It's creamy, it's wholesome, it's Yorkshire-girl-breakfast-tea worthy and then some. Go forth and try people!
Girls Who Brunch
Last weekend I booked in a brunch with one of the girls for a seriously lengthy catch up. We needed somewhere that would provide a hearty breakfast and had a menu full of coffees and juices that we could order in intervals to keep our table whilst we talked (you know the drill). Luckily my partner in crime was willing to forgo her usual Eggs Royale and sample the delights of Parsons Green's Tell Your Friends.
By day it serves up brunch and lunch options, and when the evening hits vegan cocktails and a vegan wine list come out to play, too.
We both went for the breakfast muffin, which comes complete with hash browns, vegan cheese, barbecue sauce and vegan sausage. Next came a couple of vegan smoothies, and a round of coffees. The place has a crowd-pleasing menu, bags of flavour and Pinterest-able decor to boot. What more could you want?
Skin Deep
A lot of people have asked me whether I've noticed any skin-related benefits during my Veganuary quest. Being a Beauty Editor, it comes with the territory, and I made sure to pave the way for a bit of beauty-related research when I set about the endeavour. I booked in with Dr Sophie Shotter during my first week, to get my skin analysed and my hormone levels measured in the hope that we could do the same at the end of the month and compare results. Many credit veganism with better skin (is this how the vegan likes of Olivia Wilde keep their glow?), and there's a school of thought in the skin world that dairy is one of the main obstacles that stand in the way of a lot of us attaining a clear complexion. Founder and Medical Director of Illuminate Skin Clinic Dr Sophie Shotter took a look at my skin, along with a few detail-focused pictures, then took a blood sample.
Sophie asked me about my diet pre Veganuary. She asked whether I ate a lot of processed foods (no), whether I ate a lot of sweet food (no), and whether I felt my diet was usually fairly balanced (yes). She then said that she felt that in terms of skin benefits, I wouldn't see a great deal. 'Aside from the ethical side of things, if we're talking purely about skin, those who see serious skin benefits from going vegan usually have a sweet tooth, or a diet comprised of a lot of processed foods. Going vegan gives people a clear set of rules to stick to, and they involve setting aside a lot of foodstuffs that might lead to a less healthy lifestyle. Unless we discover you have, say, an intolerance to dairy, it's unlikely we'll see any drastic results'. Stay tuned! Results are at the end of the first week of February,
Vegan Dinner Parties
This week I headed to some friends for a hearty dinner in and much to my delight they suggested ordering from a favourite vegan eatery nearby. If you're ever in the Earlsfield vicinity, give Amrutha Lounge a try, it received a huge thumbs up from all involved. The dishes are fragrant and heart-warming, there's a real Thai influence with a lot of them.
If you are hosting a vegan dinner party, one of the most crowd-pleasing options to whip up is a curry. It's a dish where flavour isn't dependent on meat, or dairy necessarily (think of coconut cream in a Thai green curry), so those who are resolutely carnivorous won't feel as though they're missing out. Check out a selection of top notch recipes below.
Browse: Vegan Curry Recipes
Debrief Vegan Curry Recipes
1 of 9Vegan Red Thai Coconut Curry
Nervous about swapping out a classic? Don't be. Though it might not be strictly red, this version still packs a yummy punch.
2 of 9Roasted Aubergine, Sweet Potato and Spinach Curry
Rich, spice and about a billion (or two) of your five a day.
3 of 9Vegan Tofu Korma With Greens
No judgement shall be made on those who go for a Korma. We get it. It's tame, fuss free and in this case, completely vegan-friendly.
4 of 9Mushroom Curry With Spinach And Chickpeas
It's time to introduce some chickpeas to the the occasion but in this recipe it's the mushrooms who are the main event.
5 of 9Pumpkin Coconut Curry
If, dare we say it, you're growing tired of the humble sweet potato being in absolutely everting, try throwing some pumpkin into the mix instead. Preferably with coconut and in curry form.
6 of 9Potato Pea Curry
I know, I know. How can something so simple look so damn delicious? It's just screaming out for some (vegan) naan.
7 of 9Lentil Coconut Curry
Yep, coconut milk is the hero ingredient here kids. And don't you forget it. Works a charm in this creamy lentil situation.
8 of 9Vegan Tofu Korma With Greens
Waga-who? Katsu your way over here to these deceptively straight-forward to make fried sweet potato and aubergine things.
9 of 9Fresh Mango And Tofu Curry
If there's a fruit that can liven up any gastronomic party, even one that relies on bland old tofu, it's the mango. This one is fresh, fruity and probably your new fave.
READ MORE: Veganuary Diaries Part 3: Milk Alternatives And Date Night