Goodyfull Organic Chia Seeds

I have never really tried chia seeds, and the opportunity to try Goodyfull chia seeds, was too good to miss.   I have already reviewed their organic cacao powder see here and know they are quality products.   Goodyfull is the brainchild of Lex, a marketing professional, inspired by his personal experience of better nutrition and exercise, whilst balancing his busy day to day life.

For their customers convenience, they supply the products via a subscription service, so you choose your favourite, how often and how much you need and they deliver.   You only get charged when the products are shipped and they even send you a reminder, to check if you are ready for your next delivery and if not you can delay shipment.   The chia seeds are supplied in a 100% recyclable, resealable bag and are best stored in a cool dark place.

Chia seeds are powerhouses absolutely crammed with nutrients, so excellent for any diet and for vegans they also make an excellent egg replacer, when mixed with water.   They contain almost five times more calcium than milk and three times more iron than spinach.   They are made up of 20% protein and large quantities of Omega 3 fatty acids, even more than flax seeds.

Originating from an South American herb, they are a member of the mint family and were traditionally used as flour, cereal and mixed in drinks.

I had my morning bowl of porridge with raisins, agave syrup, but sprinkled with chia seeds, which gives a huge kick to the nutritional content of the dish, as well as a slight crunch.

I then decided to make some raw orange brownies, replacing some of the walnuts I would normally use, with ground chia seeds, which worked a treat and gave them a nutritional boost into the bargain.

I would definitely use the chia seeds again, as they are such a versatile product, with huge nutritional benefits and my next experiment will be a cake made with 'chia eggs'...watch this space!

Goodyfull is listed with the VEGAN lifestyle ASSOCIATION and offers Associates a 15% discount off your first order (any product) and you can take advantage of this here.

This review has been organised by the VEGAN lifestyle ASSOCIATION.   It has not been paid for and is my genuine and unbiased review of the products.

Sacred Elephant Sayali Jasmine Incense Sticks

I have never used incense sticks, so was keen to try Sacred Elephant and being a Jasmine lover, the Sayali Jasmine was an obvious choice.   Sacred Elephant's founder Prema-rasa Das, a Gaudiya Vaisnava monk for over 18 years, experienced the positive effects of pure scents and hence Sacred Elephant was born.

I know nothing about the origins of incense, but all becomes clear on the website, explaining that Yogis of the East, used them to create a serene and harmonious atmosphere for their meditations, believing our senses can be enlightened and the fragrances are important to find self discovery and inner peace.

The incense is made in India, using the best natural essential oils and resins and every part of the production process, be it making the scents, blending or rolling the final stick, is done by hand.

Sacred Elephant also guarantee all ingredients are produced in a fair trade manner, free from chemicals, carcinogens, not tested on animals and 100% vegan.   Even the packaging is printed with vegetable dye.   I love all these credentials and as soon as the postman delivered the package, I immediately felt relaxed breathing in the jasmine scent, emanating from the box.

I like the understated packaging with its plain white outer and elephant logo on the front, the immediate sense is of calm.

The sticks are around 20 cm long and burn for approximately 40-45 minutes, so with 10 in a box that is approximately 7.5 hours of burning time.

Once lit and glowing you blow out the flame, fix the incense stick into an appropriate holder on a heat resistant surface, then sit back and relax.   The fragrance is out of this world, enveloping the entire house with its powerful and deep aromas.   I felt so relaxed I nearly dozed off in the middle of the day and that is saying something, as I am always on the go and find it difficult to relax, so the Yogis were right, the scents certainly have a calming effect.   There are eleven scents available including Sandalwood, Myrrh and Cedar and at £3.25 per box are good value for money, for such a quality product.

Sacred Elephant are offering a free box of incense with orders over £15 to Associates of the VEGAN lifestyle ASSOCIATION click here for details.

This review has been organised by the VEGAN lifestyle ASSOCIATION.   It has not been paid for and the products I received were sent free of charge. This is my genuine and unbiased review of the product.

Zizzi Corn Exchange Manchester - 18th April 2016

My Twitter feed has been buzzing about the new vegan menu, recently introduced by the Zizzi restaurant group, so the Manchester branch in the refurbished Corn Exchange, has been on my to visit list since.   Zizzi have recognised the massive increase in demand for vegan options, which appeals to dairy and lactose intolerant diners and for this, they have to be commended.   Their competitors have really missed the boat.

The restaurant is cosy and welcoming, with nice lighting and exceptionally friendly front of house staff, headed up by Ben, who I think may have been the Manager.

The vegan menu has plenty of choice, with two kinds of olives, garlic bread, bruschetta, pasta, side dishes and of course Margherita pizza, which can be customised with extra toppings, in addition to the mozzarella alternative made by Mozzarisella.   The cheese is made from germinated brown rice, so suitable for diners with gluten intolerance and as Zizzi also have a gluten free pizza base available, no diners are left out.   There is a vegan dessert of nectarini filled with coconut and mango swirl, with optional caramelised pecans and vegan wines are clearly highlighted on the menu too.

With a name like VeganOlive1, olives are a must, so I ordered Nocellara olives to start, which were really tasty.

Main course was vegan Margherita with artichokes, spinach and green chillies, which was served clearly marked with a vegan sticker for clarity, which I really like and shows Zizzi's commitment and attention to detail.

The pizza was pretty perfect, the base was just the right thickness, well cooked and dusted with polenta underneath to stop the base going soggy.   The tomato sauce and the toppings, not too much, not too little, were spot on, so much so, I devoured every morsel.

The cheese is not stringy like normal mozzarella, but I was won over, even though I am not a fan of vegan cheese alternatives, I thought it was excellent.   Sadly I was too full for dessert, maybe next time!

I had a chat with Ben, who said that since introducing the vegan menu, there had been a noticeable increase in diners, particularly large groups, as the vegan menu encompassed so many dietary requirements.   The Corn Exchange has three other Italian/pizza restaurants and if I wanted pizza, then Zizzi would definitely be my choice, purely based on their vegan menu.

Spicy Smokey Jackfruit

I had a jackfruit sandwich at Takk in Manchester last week, which renewed my interest in this unusual fruit and the can sitting in my kitchen cupboard, so I decided to make tacos for tonight's dinner, with jackfruit as the main component.

565 g canned jackfruit (gives a drained weight of 280g)
1 onion chopped
1 sweet potato chopped
1 clove garlic crushed
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp fresh oregano
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
2 tsp coconut aminos
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp lime juice
Salt and pepper

Drain and rinse the jackfruit and chop off the centre core of the fruit, it is easy to tell where to cut, as there is a natural line which divides the fruit.

Fry the onion, garlic and sweet potato in the oil, until the onion is translucent and the sweet potato can be pierced with a knife, then add the spices, herbs and liquids to the pan.

Cook until the liquid reduces, stirring to avoid sticking and when the jackfruit softens, shred it with a fork, season to taste and then use as a filling for tacos or tortillas.

You could vary the herbs, spices and vegetables and I am already thinking of other dishes, such as Chinese pancakes, lettuce leaf wrap or some kind of pie with mushrooms and gravy.

Premier Inn Lower Mosley Street Manchester - 8th April 2016

I have stayed at all the Premier Inn's in Manchester and thought it was time to review their vegan breakfast options, easily identifiable from their allergen information list.

There are vegan options on both the cold and hot selection, with their bread, sourdough crumpets and cinnamon and raisin bagels, all vegan and to my delight also soya free.   There is fruit salad, bananas, apples and fruit compote and a variety of cereals available.   The hash browns, grilled tomatoes and baked beans are also vegan and if only the mushrooms were cooked in oil, instead of butter, they would be too.   It would also be good to have a dairy free yogurt available and a vegan dairy free margarine, which would encompass many dietary requirements.   I took my own vegan margarine, a Coyo natural yogurt along with some coconut milk, although they do offer soya milk.

As you can see I did not go hungry, in fact I was so enjoying tucking in, I forgot to take photos, hence half eaten food on the plate.   I really like Premier Inn and have stayed with them all over the country and hope to see more vegan options in the future.

Takk Tariff Street Manchester - 7th April 2016

Takk is a cafe and creative space in the Northern Quarter and has been on my radar for ages, as I know they have been increasing their vegan options.   The place was buzzing on a Thursday lunchtime and so I was lucky to get a seat.

I visited for lunch and one thing that Takk do well is their coffee, which they advertise on the board outside, I had a large black Americano, it was delicious and I could easily have drunk two.

There were a number of vegan food options including soup, stew and a jackfruit sandwich made with Trove bakery molasses bread, which was my choice.

I really enjoyed the sandwich, it was moist and tasty, but I like spice, so maybe more jerk seasoning would not have gone amiss, but I loved it.   Takk gets top marks though, just for the fact of having an unusual vegan sandwich filling, instead of the usual houmous, falafel or avocado, which gets repetitive and makes me wonder what other ideas they have.

I will definitely revisit, when I get the chance, definitely for brunch next time, to see what vegan options are on the menu.

The Aspinall Arms Mitton Road Mitton - 5th April 2016

My first review of The Aspinall Arms this year, though sure it will not be the last, as it is in a cracking spot, with its beer garden overlooking the River Ribble, great in the summer months.

I like to try out their vegan menu which is always available, so today's visit was for lunch.

I ordered beetroot carpaccio to start, followed by cauliflower and sweet potato tagine with couscous as a main course.   Our waitress came back within a minute or two, to say they had no chestnuts for the carpaccio dressing, would hazelnut and honey be okay.   I mentioned that honey is not vegan, which I also did on my last two visits, as the quinoa salad also includes honey, but seems my comments fell on deaf ears.

When my starter arrived, it was a picture on a plate and included golden beetroot, baby beetroot, cucumber, fennel, grapefruit, baby leeks, crushed hazelnuts and plenty of olive oil dressing.   The dish was beautifully presented and totally delicious, my ideal kind of starter, I loved it.

The main course was equally well presented and colourful like the starter, accompanied by spring onions, chillies, pitta bread and a dollop of what I think was yogurt or creme fraiche. I think this must have been an oversight, as this dish is also on the main menu as a vegetarian option, so I just left it to the side.

I was too full for a dessert, even sorbet, as the main course was quite substantial and I was fit to burst by the finish, so even missed having coffee.   I really like The Aspinall Arms and will definitely revisit in the future, but hope they ensure that dishes are fully vegan if they say they are.

Jim's Vegetarian Cafe Newmarket Street Colne - 2nd April 2016

Jim's Vegetarian Cafe is a legend in its own right in Colne and I think its been there nearly thirty years.   They host music nights, hence its also known as an accoustic cafe and is one of the venues during the Colne Blues Festival, held in August every year.   I have not visited for years, no particular reason why, other than we moved area, so it was not as convenient, but after last nights visit, the trip to get there is definitely worth it.

Jim's is located on Newmarket Street, which runs off the main road going through the centre of Colne and looks warm and inviting from outside.

The place has not really changed much, its ecletic and bohemian, the furnishings must have been collected over the years, there are a couple of pot bellied stoves and nothing matches, but that just adds to the charm.   An interior designer would fail miserably trying to re-create its individuality and quirkiness, or the atmosphere, you feel totally relaxed as soon as you walk through the door.   My interior photos are sadly a bit inferior, due to the low lighting, but that's another thing I loved about it, who wants to dine under a blazing light bulb, the lighting was spot on.

The music playlist of classic artists such as Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, played through the evening compliments the whole place, it really is hard to describe the atmosphere, you would have to visit.

The place was packed, with people of all ages, from teenagers through to people in their seventies, so Jim's appeals to all.   The menu is not vast, has plenty of vegan options and many that can be adapted and I recognised most of the dishes, from times gone by, but as they say 'if it ain't broke don't fix it'.

I ordered a houmous salad and chilli pitta pocket, one of my favourite combinations and it was really tasty and I could easily have eaten it again.

My husband had fried potatoes with some of the hottest chilli sauce he has eaten, the potatoes were piping hot but totally delicious, think we will have to share next time.   Mains were vegetable and mushroom curry with basmati rice and salad, this was as good as I remember, better than many Indian restaurants.

There is a small drinks list including beers, lagers and wine, all very reasonably priced, so our bill including a few beers, a bottle of wine and one ice-cream with nuts and chocolate came to £50 for two.

Our waiter a young chap was really friendly and helpful, but even the service has its quirky side, the starters and main courses came at slightly different times, for which he apologised, although it was not a problem.   The red wine we ordered was a little cold, so we put it on the stove to warm through a bit, none of the wine glasses matched, but that is what I love about the place and if they changed things, the place would just not be the same, it may not suit everyone, but looking at how busy it was, people love the place.

Would I go back, hell yes and I feel annoyed that I left it so long since our last visit, but Jim we will be back.