Category: Vegan

Norwich UK: Tips and Tricks for visitors

9/1/2020

Norwich, “a fine city” according to the signs on entering via road. It’s a great place to visit and there’s lots to do. I grew up here but am always discovering new things. Read on for a sneaky tip for visiting the Castle Museum as well as budget lunch options and the best coffee in town.

The Castle Museum

Us Nor-folk just call it The Castle. This imposing Norman structure can be glimpsed almost all the time when wandering in Norwich. It houses everything from artwork to natural history exhibits, Egyptian mummies and changing exhibitions about local history. They’ve recently acquired a landscape by renowned landscapist JMW Turner and are currently displaying a portrait of local boy Lord Horatio Nelson on loan from London’s National Portrait Gallery. With the hefty price tag of nearly £10 a ticket you’ll want to spend the day there. But if you’re short on time there’s a special Twilight Ticket - entry during the last hour before closing is just £2.

Cheap and tasty lunch

Norwich Market is worth a wander even if you’re not hungry. There are stalls selling everything from an Asian supermarket to fruit and veg. But the food stalls are the main draw. There are plenty of vegan options but Falafel and Friends is my favourite. Don’t be fooled by the name, the food is adventurous and unique. Aubergine Schnitzel Burger, Cajun Potatoes and homemade kimchi are all on offer along with bao buns and tofu nuggets. Prices are around £5 per meal and you’ll be stuffed at the end. And make sure to try the black garlic mayo...!

Strangers Coffee - ethical, sustainable and spreading all over Norwich. The beans are sourced from the best places world wide and roasted right here in Norwich. Your life will be better for having drunk a cup. Sit in the window of the Pottergate location to watch the world go by.

Have you got top tips for your hometown? Let me know in the comments, and tag me in your food photos after your visit to the market!

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Huel: What's the point and does it taste nice?!

30/10/2019

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There's been a surge of healthy convenience food in recent times, but are they actually useful? Do they taste gross? Are they even good for you? Huel is one of the bigger brands, so I thought I'd give it a try.

According to their website, Huel is

"Nutritionally complete, convenient, affordable food with minimal impact on animals and the environment."

Is it useful?

I live in two different cities at the same time. Us millennials call it a “split screen lifestyle”, at the weekends I’m a hardworking church organist and music educator, by week I’m an outdoors fitness fanatic in the countryside.

I thought I’d give Huel a try for several reasons. The little food shops near my London digs are really expensive and so much of the fresh produce comes wrapped in plastic. Buying lunchtime meal deals when I’m out and about is expensive, plastic inducing and, as a vegan, not always readily available. I love a packed lunch but I’m not always organised enough to make one. Enter Huel. I can put three scoops in my shaker, throw it in my bag and know that’s it’s there. Just add water.

Here’s my pros and cons list for anyone else thinking of trying it.

Pros
Doesn’t go off - the resealable bag will sit waiting for you, unlike that green mush in the fridge that used to be lettuce.
Nutritionally balanced - don’t worry about the balance of macronutrients in your meal, Huel and some registered nutritionists have done the thinking for you. (37% of the energy comes from carbohydrates, 30% from fats, 30% from proteins and 3% from fibre)
You don’t need a shop/kitchen/any equipment - Huel send you a shaker and a scoop with your first order, other similar products require a blender.
Cheap - unlike a Tesco meal deal, it works out as just £1.45 a meal.

Cons
You feel like a prat - I take the dry powder ready in my shaker and then add water when I'm ready to have lunch. If I'm shaking in public I feel rather conspicuous
Washing up - if you don’t give it a rinse right away then it can be a bit of a sticky mess by the time you get home.
Real food envy - sometimes you want to chew your lunch, not just gulp it down.

Does it takes gross?

I haven’t mentioned the all important taste factor. I’ve had vanilla and chocolate now. Both tasted fine, better than fine. Vanilla is my favourite but both flavours are a lot better than similar products I've tried and many protein powders. The texture is a little gritty. I’ve got used to it now but some people may not like that. Huel suggest using a blender but that’s not going to work for my life.

Is it even good for you?

The powder, ready-to-drink and bars have slightly different nutritional values but the powder is composed thus: 37% of the energy comes from carbohydrates, 30% from fats, 30% from proteins and 3% from fibre. I don't know much about nutrition but I trust that this is better than a bag of ready salted and some oreos.

To conclude, I really like knowing I've got Huel as a back up, some days I may take it with me just in case I can't find vegan food. It takes the anxiety out of unknown situations. I personally wouldn’t use Huel to substitute all my meals, one meal or possibly two a day is enough. I enjoy cooking and want to chew some real food too. But it has really helped me not to buy expensive, plastic wrapped, unhealthy food. The ultimate convenience food.

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Race day tips: Royal Parks Half Marathon

17/10/2018

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After the Royal Parks Half on Sunday 14th October 2018 I’ve now completed five half marathons, two 10ks and a full marathon. All the events have been very varied but these race day tips apply to them all.

Plan your fuel - I don’t usually eat before I run in the morning but the distance and the extra time everything takes means I need to eat on race day. On Sunday I had a small bowl of cereal with soy milk and a black coffee about 2.5 hrs before the start time. That’s enough time for digestion to get started before the running does. Try not to eat anything you’ve never tried before as you don’t know how your body will take it.

Arrive early - you don’t want to add to your stresses by arriving to the event as you need to be lining up. There are usually queues for bag drop and toilets and parking may take longer than you think. There were loads of loos in Hyde Park on Sunday but I still had to wait ages!

Stick to the plan - during your training you should have worked out what pace you want to go at. I was aiming for 1:50 so knew I needed to run at about 5:10 per kilometre. Again, plan nutrition. I don’t use gels or anything for a half marathon but try them out in your training to see if you want to use them.

Stretch and refuel afterwards - I almost always forget this! There’s so much going on at the end and you’re so pleased to have finished that stretching gets forgotten. I remembered on Sunday and felt pretty much fine on Monday. I always bring my own snacks to refuel but you usually get given free goodies. I recommend a vfuel protein shake to hydrate and support muscle recovery as well as dried fruit for some sugar. My stomach can’t take too much too quickly after a long run so I eat little and often for the rest of the day.
Enjoy - if you’re like me then you may put pressure on yourself to achieve certain times. All the hard work leads to one chance to get a good time. Be organised and you’re more likely to enjoy it, stick to your plan and you should run the time you’re capable of. And if you’re slower than you want to be or something goes wrong? Well, there’s always next time.

I hope these tips help. What do you find helpful on race day? Or what is a mistake you’ve learnt from? Let me know, comment below!

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Protein Powder; Vfuel Product review

12/6/2018

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Ah the confusing world of nutritional supplements. What are ketones? Should I use protein powder? I am not at all qualified in the science of any of this, I’ve just read some stuff to make decisions for myself, and in the process I found vegan company vfuel.co.uk who kindly sent me some stuff to try. Read on for the product reviews.

I don’t really understand Acai berries and I’d never had them before vfuel sent them to me. They’re supposed to promote ‘weight loss and healthy skin’. They smell lovely but the tablets are enormous! The dose is 2-4 tablets with breakfast - me and my sensitive gag reflex manage two if I bite them in half first. Next time you see me maybe my skin will be amazing.

Raspberry ketones are supposed to help with fat loss. These tablets are mercifully small and the suggested dose is only one per day. They also smell delicious. Am I shredded yet?!

My search for good and affordable vegan protein powder led me to find vfuel in the first place. They sent me this sample of their vegan lean. I choose to use protein powder as part of my diet to ensure I get a good boost of protein after a run or workout (if I were more organised and tried harder I could get plenty of protein from plant sources). There are so many products on the market, but vfuel is the best I’ve found. It’s cheaper than many other brands (£19.99 per 1kg plus £2.99 for shipping), it’s a blend of pea and soy protein and contains some other things which are bound to be good for you (there are those ketones again). It also actually tastes more than ok! I mixed my sample with 300ml of water (they suggest 200ml but I wasn’t paying attention when I filled my shaker) and it wasn’t chalky, was a good thickness and tasted chocolatey. I was previously using Sun Warrior vegan chocolate and it’s loads nicer than that one, and cheaper too!

Of course you don’t have to just chug it (not the best picture is it?), why not make Snounty Protein Balls.

I’m going to continue taking the supplements, partly because I hate waste, but I don’t really think that they do a whole lot. However, I’m going to continue using a protein shake after a workout, ensuring I get enough protein in a day and helping recovery after exercise. And vfuel is going to be my choice. It’s lovely to support a small and fully vegan company, and their tubs are recyclable. Connor was very responsive to all my many questions and very friendly. Thanks team vfuel.

Disclaimer: vfuel sent me these products free of charge for me to review but the opinions are entirely my own, honest opinions. I am in no way a qualified nutritionist or fitness coach, please do your own research into use of nutritional supplements.

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Snounty balls: very easy vegan protein balls recipe

11/6/2018

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Why are they called Snounty Balls I hear you cry! Because they taste like an exact cross between a Snickers and a Bounty, that's why. They're incredibly easy to make: you only need a bowl and spoon (no messy mixers to wash up), and if you are even lazier than me you don't have to roll them into balls. Try pressing the mixture into a tray and topping with coconut before cutting into sections. And what about different coatings? The possibilities are endless...

Nutritional Information approx. per ball

Calories 82
Fat 4.9g
Carbs 5.5g
Protein 3.4g

Ingredients

200g crunchy peanut butter (I used Whole Earth but be sure to check that the palm oil used is sustainably sourced)
80ml maple syrup
50g rolled oats
25g chocolate protein powder
20g desiccated coconut PLUS another 20g for rolling/topping

Method
Weigh the peanut butter and maple syrup into a mixing bowl and combine using a wooden spoon. Add the oats, protein powder and 20g of coconut and continue stirring until you have a kind of dough that you could roll - sticky but not too sticky. If it's too wet add a little more protein, it it's too dry then add a drop of water.

Break off pieces and roll between your palms into balls. The balls will end up about 3cm across. Pour more coconut onto a plate and roll the balls in it until coated. You should get about 25 balls from this recipe. Refrigerate if you can resist trying them. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Easy right? You could try rolling them in sesame seeds, cocoa powder, icing sugar, linseeds, poppy seeds... what else?

If you make them then send me a picture!

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Norwich UK: Tips and Tricks for visitors

Huel: What's the point and does it taste nice?!

Race day tips: Royal Parks Half Marathon

Protein Powder; Vfuel Product review

Snounty balls: very easy vegan protein balls recipe

Hannah the traveller

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