On Being Vegan
On Being Vegan in Cambridge
I have been speaking to a few of our vegan challeng-ees this week, who have been finding it a little tough. Not being vegan exactly, but simply knowing what is and what isn't vegan, and where to go.
So here are my top 5 tips when you are starting out:
1. Eating out in Cambridge restaurants. Cambridge is generally poor, but the Italian restaurants are a reasonably good bet. I have always found Italian food satisfies my cravings for something delicious, and the abundance of olive oils in the cooking generally makes it capable of being vegan friendly (if you ask!). Carrluccio's has a vegan menu. Zizzis and Strada are very accommodating. Avoid Jamie's Italian who more or less told me I should have gone to another restaurant! My favourite restaurant though by far is Cocum on castle Hill. You need to tell them you are vegan, but they serve a lot of vegan dishes and are delicious (mmmm try the masala dosa). They have been consistently accommodating and the food is the best in Cambridge.
2. The three veganish shops in Cambridge to try are Arjuna on Mill Road - I buy vegan cheeses here, plus they sell a great range of fresh veggies, seitan, tempeh, vegan bacon, vegan pate, and all the specialist stuff i can't get elsewhere. Revital on Bridge Street - I visit less often but buy their vegan gravy powder, and they sell the ultimate vegan chocolate hazlenut spread - worth it just for that! They also sell a lot of supplements which are worth a look. Daily Bread on Kings Hedges Road - this is the best and cheapest place for bulk ingredients such as nuts, pulses, really great organic flour in bulk packs.
3. You may well find that you are hungry more often. This is because in the absence of animal fats your food is digested more easily, and often it just takes while to adjust. Most of the vegans i know eat heartily and are pretty trim. so eat away!
4. Help! I am craving protein. Do not give up! If you crave meat/eggs/cheese this is NOT your body telling you you need them, it is your body telling you you are not getting the right balance of protein. Our Art an Science of Vegan Food will teach you exactly about that, so please come along (book here), in the mean time, you need to eat a variety of protein foods throughout the day, and at least one protein rich food at each meal. Proteins for vegans come in the form of lentils, beans, tofu, tempeh, seitan (made from wheat gluten), soy milk products, nuts and seeds. Whole grains and vegetables provide supply some protein, but rice, almond and oat milks do not contain much protein.
5. My guilty snack is Chocolate stars and Koko coconut milk (but hey you can also use cocopops!). You absolutely have to allow yourself some guilty pleasures, and a suprising number of sweets and cereals are vegan. Just check the packets.
As always, please drop by our GOOD cafes for a carry out - we offer a rang of hot and cold foods. We can also stock your freezer please just ask. And if you have any questions, please FB or comment below.