Chocolate and Beyond

Cabbaging Out at Bristol VegFest May 24th-26th & CARAVAN PALACE TICKETS GIVEAWAY!

I'm REALLY looking forward to the end of May bank holiday weekend this year. After all the fun at Brighton VegFest in March, there is now Bristol VegFest 2013 to get excited about. The festival is pretty much the veggie event of the year, and it's also virtually sold-out. The organisers think the horsemeat scandal has given rise to a massive increase in interest into all things vegan - which is good news for animals, and for all the amazing vegan businesses that will be there.

As well as exceptional, big-time artists and performers like the Happy Mondays (YES! Madchester comes to Bristol! I first saw the Mondays at a free gig in Manchester's Platt Fields Park, when I was 17!), Caravan Palace, Peter Hook, Macca B, and many more - there are going to be over 120 stalls at Bristol Vegfest 2013 representing all things vegan and animal-friendly.

Vegan Living: The World in VeggieVision Technicolour at Brighton VegFest!

I have just got back from an absolutely incredible weekend at Brighton VegFest. From a vegan doner kebab stand to wonderful vegan performance artists to vegan bodybuilding competitions to a talk about foraging, it was all there. I ate my own weight in free food samples (honestly, you can really fill up on these things!) and got squiffy while drinking vegan prossecco and networking. And among all that, I managed to lurk around on the VeggieVisionTV stall, pretending to be of some use.

It all happened rather quickly, as I had not been intending on making the substantial journey down from Manchester - although I had been sorely tempted. But fate intervened and the next thing, I was all-of-a-sudden and very-last-minute making plans to head down there, having been invited by the beautiful Karin Ridgers, who is the founder of VeggieVision.TV.

Recipes: Tofu Breakfast Scramble with Vegan Chorizo, Kale & Spinach

My latest version of the much-loved tofu scramble really packs some punch, especially with the spicy touch of the vegan chorizo, and the protein power of the tofu. It will keep you going for hours, and give you a good whammy of nutrients to lever you into the day (if you use tofu that has been set with calcium sulphate, all the better).

I had a big-time phase of making tofu scramble soon after going vegan, because previously to that, I tended to rely on scrambled eggs as one of my main breakfast foods. So this popular vegan dish played a starring role in my own kitchen, and for a while, I just thought I'd never stop eating it! I used to make the PPK blog Scrambled Tofu Revisited, and made up a larger amount of the herb mixture so I had it handy for each time. But I have now moved on to my own versions.

The problem with frequent travelling is weight gain

Having had a recent trip to the USA (and being served HUGE portions of food!), I currently feel weightier than I have done in a long time. In fact, I could barely fasten my jeans on the plane home!

I can honestly say, the idea of going on a diet is creeping into my mind. Especially since I have a holiday coming up in a few days, which is an all-inclusive trip, and I know I will be faced with mountains more of food.

I find intuitive eating principles are not easy for me to practice while away, and I go away a lot. Especially on a press trips, where we get full breakfast, lunch and dinner, in yummy restaurants and hotels, and I want to enjoy the experience fully. What I think is that I'm only going to be there this once, so it seems such a shame to not try things - but the effect is weight gain! At least for me.

I had a similar weight gain /dieting panic a few years back after returning from Tunisia, and I have just re-read that post to remind myself how I dealt with the feelings then.

However, my thoughts about intuitive eating have changed a bit over the years. I no longer think I should just eat 'what I want', as long as I'm hungry and I only eat enough to be satisfied. While this is a tactic for the initial stages of giving up dieting (to free yourself from deprivation mentality), I find that if I eat - for example - a lot of high-carb foods, I get hungry again very quickly and I am never satisfied for very long.

I also believe that some foods do have the effect of being 'addictive', while not necessarily good for you, especially sugary, carbohydrate foods. So I may think this is what I want, but it's not really the best choice for me (I get in a habit then of eating them and wonder why I feel bad and stodgy). 

So - I'm not dieting, no. But I am going to 'cut out the crap' for while, so to speak. That doesn't mean I will omit chocolate of course (I have cupboard loads of the stuff too, since it was recently my birthday and people bought me lots!), but I am going to make a conscious decision to aim for nutrition over 'empty calories'.

Hopefully some of this 'travel weight' will be shed in the process, and I will be able to fasten my jeans comfortably again. But I still have next week's holiday to get through. Hmmm.

Looking forward to a foodie experience of Berlin...

Off to Berlin tomorrow morning for the Valentine's weekend - yay! (Though the downside for me is I have got tonsillitis, not so yay). But I am looking forward to trying many of Berlin's fantastic food experiences.

I remember when going away for a romantic hotel break would set me in a panic when I thought about all the overeating I'd be doing. What got to me the most was how little control I would have relying on restaurants and hotels to feed me.

I know many people who restrict themselves terribly while away on holiday, and I feel relieved that I am no longer in that position. Travel is as much about new tastes as sights, smells and people. To forbid yourself this pleasure is denying the greatness of life.

One thing I know about Berlin is that it is excellent for vegetarians. There are loads of Turkish and Middle Eastern eateries that sell houmous and halloumi meals, and there are some very trendy veggie restaurants like Cookies Cream.

Just hope the tonsillitis doesn't last much longer :-( We've booked a lovely hotel though, the Adina Apartment Hotel Berlin Hauptbahnhof. A nice four star with a pool, and breakfast included.

I was initially thinking we wouldn't be managing the breakfast if we're having a bit of a mad disco-dancing weekend. Now, I'm guessing it's not going to be quite as crazy as anticipated, so we'll be manaing it perfectly fine (thank you very much). Oh well, at least we have the Berlin food!

 

Beyond Bliss: for women looking for Zen without the om

Want to do a retreat but put off by the menu of pond water posing as Miso soup? Or is it a sharp taste of incense that you fear and don’t want to choke on?

Beyond Bliss is a unique holiday concept for women seeking retreat-type breaks and guess who's behind it? Little ol' me and my pal Barbara Ford-Hammond. With Beyond Bliss, there is no expectation to abstain from the local vino or be wound up into weird and wonderful contortions that are near impossible to undo.

Instead, on the glorious Cycladic island of Andros, the 5-night holiday-retreats will help women rediscover equilibrium in their lives with a distinctive programme of activity and workshops.