The Art House Gallery Cafe Above Bar Street Southampton - 7th May 2016

The Art House is a quirky creatively inspired cafe and community hub, split over two floors, run mainly by volunteers and is so inviting from the outside.

It is equally as welcoming on the inside and we sat at a table, in what was the display window of the shop it must have been, in a former life.

The menu is small and changes each day, but it was all vegan and looking at the display counter, it all looked delicious.

I chose the mezze, nachos and salad, which was so vibrant in colour and totally delicious, with so many textures and flavours.

I loved the whole concept of The Art House, as must others as the place was packed on a sunny Saturday lunchtime and if ever in Southampton, I will definitely be revisiting.

Olives Restaurant Rua Brigadeiro Oudinot Funchal - 11th May 2016

Olives Restaurant is located on the third floor of an art deco building, right in the middle of Funchal and is accessible via a lift inside.

I contacted chef/proprietor Luis Oliveira, who informed me they had a vegetarian and vegan menu, with choices for both starter and main courses.

As we were docking in Funchal on a cruise, I booked a table for lunch and was really looking forward to our visit, which as it turned out, exceeded my expectations.

Luis came out to greet us, which was so welcoming and showed us to a table near the window, as sadly due to the very windy weather, we could not sit outside on the terrace, but on a sunny day the terrace is a must.

I chose the avocado and tamarillo salad with a hot chilly sauce, it was delicious and beautifully presented.

I really wanted to try the organic tofu and chickpea stew with seeded bread, but with allergies to soya and sunflower seeds, I went for the stuffed pepper, an excellent choice, it was so tasty and looked fabulous on the plate.

I chose a Portuguese rose wine by Ribafrexio which has Vegan Society registration, so I really was in vegan heaven.   I had lovely fruits with sorbet for dessert (I was so enjoying myself I forgot to take a photo), but be assured it looked as fantastic on the plate as my other two dishes.

Olive's Restaurant is a fantastic place and Luis and all the staff are so friendly and welcoming, so any vegans visiting Funchal, Olives has to be top of your priority list if you want to dine out.

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.