Vegan Venture

So, my Like a Vegan (or LAV) campaign is going reasonably well. I have embraced vegan spread (can't tell the difference), vegan cheese (okay to cook with), plant based milks (although not in tea) and, in particular, LOVE the Waitrose vegan creamy sauce which I used in my butternut squash lasagne and in my gnocchi and brocolli dish. The sauce is made from cauliflower, solidified coconut derivatives and Dijon mustard. I think it would be fab to use in a cauliflower cheese or macaroni cheese.

  Butternut squash lasagne

Going out for a meal this week to an independent Italian restaurant was a real test. There was barely anything vegetarian, let alone vegan. Maybe I'll have to ring ahead next time. 

It would seem that our high street chains have jumped on board with vegan alternatives appearing on their menus. Greggs have made headlines with their new vegan sausage rolls this week, McDonald's have introduced a vegan-friendly Happy Meal, TGI Fridays have a vegan burger which actually bleeds beetroot juice, Pizza Express have vegan pasta, pizza and puds.

In stores vegan ready meals and snacks have recently launched including Marks and Spencer's Plant Kitchen, Tesco's Wicked Kitchen, Sainsbury's Love Your Veg, Waitrose Vegan range and others. 

It's definitely making it easier to eat vegan, whether you want to go all the way, adapt from a vegetarian diet like I do, be a flexitarian or just have a dabble.