Vegan Crispy Pasta Snack

A pack of crispy pasta snacks called Roberto & Giuseppe’s Pastinos from Martorana Snacks Ltd.  Made from pasta a good alternative to crisps.

The pasta is very nice,  light and crispy and crunchy (not too hard).  The flavour is prominent tomato with sweet notes and a faint wine taste, but can’t really detect the olive. Quite a different texture and taste but very enjoyable.

Each 150gram pack is suitable for vegetarians and vegan as far as I can tell (see faq).  Per 28gram serving is 120kcal.   I got mine in an independent health food shop.

www.martoranasnacks.com

Vegan Toilet Cleaner

A natural toilet cleaner that is Vegan Society Approved and made in the UK from Ecozone Ltd.   Not tested on animals.

This is a good loo cleaner and it does a good job.  The liquid is a bit thinner than other similar type products.  I like the smell,  gentle and clean smelling, not overpowering.

Each 750ml bottle is suitable for vegans.  Free from Synthetic fragrances, dyes, petrochemicals, allergens and artificial preservatives.   Not tested on Animals. Sold in some health food stores.  I got mine on line for £1.99.

www.ecozone.com

Vegan Stout

A natural vegan bottled conditioned stout called Stock Ram from Pen-lon Cottage Brewery.  This all grain beer is hand crafted and brewed without chemical additives and made using natural ingredients.

This is the first vegan stout I have tried, Sadly Guinness and other mainstream stout beers are not vegan so this Pen-lon stout makes a great option for vegans.  The stout is dark and very intense,  because it is bottled you do not get the creamy head like you get from a cask stout, but that does not take away from the flavour.  This is a very good stout, rich and lovely.

Each 500ml bottle is suitable for vegans and vegetarians.  Hand Crafted & Natural. Made with whole barley and whole hops.  I got mine from an independent health food shop.

www.penlon.biz

Vegan Seeded Crackers

A pack of mixed seeded flatbreads from Jacobs. I found these on offer in Morrisons for £1 so I thought I would give them a go.

The long crackers have a really nice flavour.   The caraway seeds and black onion seeds as a really nice taste to the savoury pumpkin crackers, and the flavour comes through when you have topped the cracker.  They are really crunchy and quite light.  Ideal for your favourite topping but could be used with dips and salsa.  I had mine with some vegan avocado salad and I enjoyed them.

Each 150gram pack is suitable for vegetarians and vegan as far as I can tell (see faq).  Per cracker is 43kcal.  Sold in supermarkets.

www.unitedbiscuits.co.uk

Vegan Lentil & Couscous Salad

A pot of ready to eat Puy Lentil & Couscous salad with olive oil from Delphi.  This is a very convenient salad pot,  ideal to take to work for lunch or as a light vegan ready meal.

The pot is yummy, it has a little fork inside which is handy for when you are on the go.

The lentils have a nice taste and the dressing adds a welcome moisture and sharpness.  Inside is chargrilled peppers and couscous which adds a variety of taste and texture.  There is an almost mild cheesiness to it – but in a good way.   The pot is a good size,  filling as a meal for one.

Each 185gram pot is suitable for vegans and vegetarians.  Per 100grams is 128kcal.  I got mine from an independent health food shop .  Vegetarian Society Approved.

www.delphifoodproductsltd.co.uk

Vegan Flavoured Peanuts

A pack of sweet chilli flavour coated peanuts from The Co-operative supermarket.  The nuts are roasted with a crunchy coating.

I found in my pack that the nuts were quite small (approx 1.5cm x 1cm).    I like that the nuts are very crunchy.  The flavour is a typical thai snack flavouring with the five spice taste and a heat that builds in your mouth as you eat them.  I thought the nuts were OK,  not really special.

Each 200gram pack is suitable for vegans and vegetarians.  Per 25gram serving is 125kcal.  Sold in the Co-op.

www.goodwithfood.co.uk

Vegan Gluten Free Falafel Mix

A dried gluten free falafel mix from Hale & Hearty. This mix is very easy to use,  you just add boiling water to the mix,  allow to stand for 15 minutes, then shape into balls or whatever shape you prefer, lightly fry until gold brown on both sides.

The falafel is very pleasant,  it has a good flavour of chickpeas and light spices.  There is no added flours to bulk it out which i liked.  Great in a pitta pocket with salads.   You can zing it up a bit if you like by adding some more spicing, or you could roll the balls in some sesame seeds before frying.

Each 200gram pack is suitable for vegans and vegetarians.  Gluten & Wheat free.   I got mine in an independent health food shop.

www.halenhearty.co.uk

Vegan Cafe & Shop

I paid a visit to The Mulberry Bush in Lampeter recently.  They have a massive health food shop stocking lots of lovely vegan products and they have a veggie cafe upstairs which has a really good selection for vegans.

The cafe is mostly specials of the day so the menu is varied with lots of salad choices,  soups and bakes.  There are vegan desserts which have been made on site and drinks including alcohol.   I discovered that they have started using veganic cheese in some of their recipes,  this is a really good vegan cheese.

The shop is full of food and products for vegans,  some is vegetarian but the vegan choice is pretty huge.    I bought some Zen Zen Ice cream, some Veganic cheese and some other delightful goodies that I will review soon.

It is located just near the centre of Lampeter near Barclays bank.

Mulberry Bush
Tel (01570) 423 317
www.mulberrywholefoods.co.uk
2 Bridge Street, Ceredigion, Lampeter SA48 7HG

Vegan Smokey Mozzarella

A pack of vegan non dairy mozzarella with a smokey flavour from Frescolat an Italian vegan cheese producer.  I have recently reviewed the plain mozzarella and I enjoyed it.  This smokey mozzarella style cheese is very similar but with added smoke.  The flavour is quite delicate cheese with a hint of smoke.

I much prefer these cheeses cooked than not,  as when cooked they are bubbly and quite creamy.  They are great on pizza or toast.   Made from germinated rice and coconut oil.

Each 200gram pack is suitable for vegans and vegetarians.  Soya Free, Lactose Free, Gluten Free. Made in Italy.  Per 100grams is 185kcal.  Made in a vegetable only factory. Sold in some food outlets mainly in London and it starting to be used in some vegetarian restaurants.

www.mozzarisella.co.uk

Please note my reviews are always honest and unbiased, however I feel it only right to point out that the marketing team of Mozzarisella did supply this product for me to review

Vegan Olives

A pack of whole green Gordal olives from the Truly Irresistible range of The Cooperative supermarket.  Paul is a bit of an Olive fiend so he grabbed these to try.

The olives are large, firm and juicy and have an intense olive flavour.  Really nice olives.  They do have very large olive stones though and there are not that many in the pack for the £2.59 price tag, however they are good quality and a nice treat if you like olives.

Each 120gram pack is suitable for vegans and vegetarians.  A quarter of the pack is 35kcal.  Sold in the Co-op.

www.goodwithfood.co.uk

Vegan Floor Cleaner

A natural laminate and hardwood floor cleaner spray from Earth Friendly Products. This is a environmentally friendly plant based floor cleaner with natural lemon.

To use the floor cleaner, you spray on the floor, leave to soak for a few minutes and wipe down using a cloth or mop.  I found this floor cleaner to be OK,  it has a nice smell which is delicate and fresh.  It seemed to clean my floor pretty well without leaving streaks.  I like that it is natural and does not contain any nasty ingredients, also that it is biodegradable.

Each 500ml bottle is Vegan Society Approved.  BUAV approved. Not tested on animals.  I got mine on line for £3.57.

www.earthfriendlyproducts.co.uk

Vegan Multigrain Crackers

A pack of multigrain crackers from the Savour Bakes range of Aldi Supermarkets.    I really quite enjoyed these crackers,  they are very light and crispy.  The texture is similar to Ritz crackers but not as oily,  so soft and crispy.  The flavour is also very pleasant which is slightly toasted and savoury.  Great for a snack, ideal with some pate or vegan cheeses.

Each 170gram pack of crackers is suitable for vegetarians and vegan as far as I can tell (see faq).  Per cracker is 25kcal.  Gold award from “The Grocer” own label awards.  Sold in Aldi Supermarket.

www.aldi.co.uk

Vegan Mozzarella

A vegan mozzarella style cheese from MozzaRisella.  I was very excited to get a parcel in the post with this vegan cheese as I have not been able to get it locally yet.

Vegan cheese has always been a bit of a  grey area,  the previous generation of vegan cheeses were not great.  This one is from a new generation of vegan cheeses that taste, look and act like a dairy cheese but without the animal ingredients.  This new Mozzarella is dairy free, soya free and gluten free.

The cheese is quite soft and slices very easily.  The flavour is very delicate cheeseyness with a hint of oregano herbs.  I tried it on its own and then melted some on a little slice of vegan pizza that Paul made.   Uncooked the texture is quite pleasant,  but cooked is my favourite,  it melts really well.  You do not need much to get a good result.  I really enjoyed it on a pizza as the flavour of the oregano and added to the pizza overall flavour and the creamy cheese added another texture,  it is not quite the same as I remember dairy cheese but it is close.  I will add that Paul did not like it at all,  he was not a fan of the texture.

Each 200gram pack is suitable for vegans and vegetarians.  Soya Free, Lactose Free, Gluten Free. Made in Italy.   Made in a vegetable only factory. Sold in some food outlets mainly in London and it starting to be used in some vegetarian restaurants.

www.mozzarisella.co.uk

Please note my reviews are always honest and unbiased, however I feel it only right to point out that the marketing team of Mozzarisella did supply this product for me to review

Vegan ? I don’t think so!

Most vegans will know the ingredients to look out for when buying food,  but I thought it would be a good idea to go over some ingredients that you might think “ooh I’m not sure about that.”

I will add some more Vegan Basics soon,  if you have a good one then let me know and I will add it next time

Shellac

Shellac is a secretion from a small insect/bug called the Lac Bug.  The Lac Bug takes in a certain type of bark and then secretes this waxy substance.  It is harvested  by scraping the bark from the tree, which includes any lac bugs still there,  the harvester then heats the whole thing over a fire and the waxy liquid substance is drained off,  of course killing any bugs.  Shellac is a waxy substance, sometimes used to make apples shiny and add a glaze on sweets.

Gelatine 

Most people will know that gelatine comes from the meat industry which is a byproduct of cows and pigs.  This nasty little ingredient sneaks into lots of foods and medicines.  Gelatine caps are used for lots of vitamin supplements and tablets even though many religions do not allow this substance.  It is commonly used in jelly sweets and is used as a thickener to make foods set.

The good news is that there is a vegetarian version but it is not used as much sadly.  You can buy veggie caps for medicine and supplements too.

Cochineal, Carmine E120

You guessed it, this food and cosmetic colouring comes from insects that are boiled for the deep ruby red colour substance of their dead bodies.   Used commonly in paints, lipstick and food colourings,  it is sometimes added to fruit juices and sweets to enhance the colour.

Isinglass

If you like a glass of wine or beer watch out for this yukky filtering ingredient.  Isinglass is used to filter wine and beers to take away the cloudiness of these drinks, to make them look crisp and clear.  Isinglass is made from fish bladders.  I have had many a debate with beer and wine suppliers as they say that it is a filter and does not remain in the drink.  I am sorry but that is rubbish,  I would not drink something that was filtered through a big chunk of meat anymore than I would fish bladder thank you very much.

There are lots of vegan beers and wines out there that have been filtered without this method and are wonderfully clear and crisp and taste great.  Be wary of wines that say suitable for vegetarians as these can sometimes be filtered with egg.  Always go for vegan suitable and then you know you are OK.  The Co-op supermarket is really good at labelling their products vegan.  Also there are specialist on line wine & beer merchants like Vinceremos.

Vegan Pear Cider

A bottle of pear cider called Perry Vale from Gwynt Y Ddraig. This traditionally made Welsh Pear cider is made with 3 varieties of freshly pressed pears that has been allowed to ferment slowly, and is conditioned in Oak.

This award winning cider is light and quite fruity.  The flavour is of pear but not a strong flavour of pear,  it is quite sweet and slightly sparkling.  A very enjoyable smooth drink which is great for sharing on a warm summers day as it is very refreshing.

Each 500ml bottle is suitable for vegans and vegetarians.  Made using traditional methods.  I got mine from an independent shop selling Welsh produce,  however  Tesco and other outlets do sell this lovely pear cider.

www.gwyntcider.com