Smoothie bowls and going vegan (Part 2)

Times a'changing

Hello chums,

Hope you’re having a good week and welcome to part 2 of what I can only describe as a second ‘coming out’. This time however, it’s in regards to my eating habits as opposed to my sexuality (quick update on that, still gay, still single, call me Sam Smith? Please? I make a lovely crumble). If you haven’t read part 1 of this post, feel free to have a little gander – it’s basically me announcing that I’ve gone vegan as if it’s as big of a deal as Brexit but it also has some pretty decadent summer smoothie breakfast bowl recipes in there too, namely carrot cake, black forest chocolate cherry and peach crumble… *takes a moment to fantasize for an inappropriate amount of time*

Sorry, back again. Where were we? Ah yes the intro. In other news, I have recently applied to study an MSc in Human Nutrition at Plymouth University for this coming September, have moved out of my grandparent’s bungalow and am currently in the process of staying at my sister’s flat whilst preparing to move to my parent’s for a month or so before finding a hovel in the South of Devon. Not much going on at all really. Whilst I’m all for change it is a little odd being defined as the flea of the family (in the sense that I am hopping about from host to host – I definitely do not promote the plague though, I feel I should clarify that). Anyway, at least in the middle of all the madness I’ve found that I have more time to get back to good old weekly blogging and based on the fact that a Master’s may be on the horizon, I think it would be wise to make the most of this situation now. I’m going to try and keep this post much more concise than part 1 which ended up being something between a Lord of the rings novel and the Old Testament. I’ll also look at some of the environmental/global reasoning for why I decided to go vegan as well as a few more concerns I previously had about the lifestyle. Oh, and not forgetting 5 more smoothie bowl recipes as well, that’s really why you came isn’t it? Don’t be so coy, it’s fine, it’s why we all came really ;).

As with the previous 5 smoothie bowl recipes from part 1 all of these bowls will contain the same 3 base ingredients:

• 1 frozen, ripe banana
• 1/3 cup oats
• 2/3 cup plant based milk

Simples – let’s begin!

Apple Pie smoothie bowl

To a high speed blender or food processor, add: 

• The 3 base ingredients
• 1 medium apple of choice (I love a good pink lady but any apple should do, also try to save a few chunks for the garnish)
• 2 soft pitted dates (can add more here if desired or replace with an alternative sweetener such as maple syrup, coconut sugar, stevia etc. I always recommend starting with a little and then sweetening to taste)
• 1 tbsp chia seeds/ground flax seeds
• ½-1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Blend it up and for toppings:

• Some pieces of diced apple
• Some chopped almonds/walnuts
• A sprinkling of oats
• A dusting of cinnamon
• A dollop of unsweetened apple sauce

Reason 6) Impacts on land – around 30% of the planet’s land mass is dedicated to raising animals for food. As it currently stands the world is overpopulated (it’s getting bigger than Honey Boo Boo) hence why so much land is used to meet the demand for meat/dairy however, this still isn’t enough space. Large scale animal agriculture has been given so much priority that it has become the leading cause of habitat destruction; in particular, 91% of all rainforest destruction is down to animal husbandry due to the large amounts of crops grown to feed livestock. 

Concern 6) Becoming lonely/feeling isolated – Despite the world population growth continuing at a bit of a freaky rate I don’t know any other people on this lifestyle and the majority of the planet’s inhabitants are not vegan. I was at first quite nervous about becoming isolated as a result of this but it turns out that I’m very lucky in the sense that I have great friends and a supportive family (for the most part). Interestingly quite a few people didn’t actually know what being vegan fully entailed e.g. Grandad wasn’t sure if wheat was suitable for vegans and Nan asked if butter would be ok if it was inside a cake or pastry…

Blueberry Muffin smoothie bowl

To a high speed blender or food processor, add: 

• The 3 base ingredients
• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• 2 soft pitted dates (or sweetener of choice)
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Blend it up and for toppings:

• Some chia seeds
• Some oats
• A few extra blueberries

Reason 7) Impacts on water – large-scale animal agriculture consumes 20-33% of the world’s water with it taking 2500 gallons to produce 1 pound of beef compared to 25 gallons to produce a pound of wheat.

Concern 7) Cost – like many others, I did at first think that going vegan would be expensive. The truth of the matter – it can be as costly or affordable as you make it. Yes, things like meat alternatives and plant based milks may not necessarily be the cheapest options but basics like beans, rice, lentils, vegetables (frozen count too), potatoes and seasonal fruit etc are some of the cheapest food products in the world. If you want the fancier Instagram-type things like chia seeds, hemp seeds and almond butter (although nice –these are not essential to be vegan) buying online can also save money.

Chunky Monkey smoothie bowl

To a high speed blender or food processor, add: 

• The 3 base ingredients
• 1 tbsp cocoa/cacao powder
• 1 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 tsp truvia (truvia or another form of sweetener like maple syrup etc will help counteract the cocoa’s bitterness, again just sweeten to taste)
• ½ cup fresh/frozen spinach (the more you add the healthier but be warned that the colour may shift from a chocolatey brown to a sludgy green… I’ll leave that up to you)

Blend it up and for toppings:

• Some sliced banana
• Some dairy free chocolate chips (I like the dark kind)
• A drizzle of peanut butter
• Some crushed nuts (even more peanuts are always welcome)

Reason 8) Food security – The global population in 2012 was estimated around 7 billion, we are currently growing enough crops to feed 10 billion people. So why are so many starving?  65% of crops grown in the developing world are used to feed animals being raised for human consumption in the developed world. The most effective way to feed the everyone would likely involve reducing dependence upon meat/animal products.

Concern 8) Eating out/going over to friends/social gatherings - definitely a bit more of a first world problem but I’m the first to admit that potentially missing out on social occasions with friends and family because of this lifestyle was one of the biggest issues for me. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to attend family BBQs, parties and meals out and even if I did go, I either wouldn’t be able to eat anything or would have to face a whole load of judgement. Well, not to rely on personal anecdotes but over the last few months I have eaten at Pizza express, Nandos and even my mum and dad’s local country pub in the middle of nowhere – all had delicious vegan options and everyone was very understanding. When eating out, it helps to look up the menu beforehand or even phone ahead of time and in terms of parties/gatherings, I find it easier to simply offer to bring 1 or 2 options even if it’s just a few shop-bought veggie burgers. This way, the host won’t feel stressed about providing you with something directly and at least you know you won’t go hungry.

 
Green Mint Monster smoothie bowl

To a high speed blender or food processor, add: 

• The 3 base ingredients
• 1 cup loosely packed spinach
• ¼ avocado
• 1 tsp truvia
• Few drops peppermint extract

Blend it up and for toppings:

• Some fresh peppermint leaves (because we fancy)
• A sprinkling of desiccated coconut
• Some dairy-free dark chocolate chips

Reason 9) Greenhouse gases and what not – 51% of the world’s greenhouse gases are made up of CO2 from livestock and their associated by-products.  In terms of overall greenhouse gases, the combined effect of all transportation on the planet still accounts for less than that of animal agriculture (13% vs. 18%). 

Concern 9) How daunting it seems -Won’t veganism affect a lot of aspects in my life i.e. clothing, cosmetic and cleaning products? Will I ever eat honey? White sugar is refined using animal bone char so technically that’s not vegan – can I never have that? There is a hell of a lot of aspects to veganism and everyone draws their line in the sand somewhere differently, which is fine. You don’t have to do everything and at once and it doesn’t need to feel like you are constantly revising for an exam on what things you can and can’t eat/wear/use. If you are interested, simply look into it and make small changes here and there. It’s not a competition to see who can be the most devout vegan, it’s a learning curve and a journey that you can only get better at over time.

Salted Caramel smoothie bowl

To a high speed blender or food processor, add: 

• The 3 base ingredients
• 1 more frozen, ripe banana
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp macca powder (a super-food made from a ground up peruvian root vegetable – I bought some on Amazon and whilst it does give smoothies a caramel-like flavour it is not essential for this recipe)
• Pinch of sea salt

Blend it up and for toppings:

• 1 tbsp almond butter (if not using macca powder, blend this into the base as well)
• Some home-popped popcorn or brand make of choice
• Some nakd salted caramel nibbles (a couple of chopped dates would also work well here)

Reason 10) Expanding my pallet -vegan food can be delicious, unexpected and even luxurious. There honestly are so many options and despite what some may say, I personally don’t feel restricted on this lifestyle (even though I was worried I would feel this way). Veganism is much more common and accepted nowadays and has even started to become a little bit mainstream with Deliciously Ella and all those health bloggers spreading the news like wildfire. I like to look at it as an adventure, where I can experiment with new flavour combinations and sample foods in new ways I never thought possible. Also know that you don’t have to be vegan to enjoy vegan food.

Concern 10) Restriction -  I have always prided myself on not being fussy, I have always been the boy who will eat anything. I wasn’t sure on the idea of altering my diet and limiting it but I soon came to realise that you don’t have to change the way you eat when going vegan – just the sources of the ingredients. You can go vegan any way you like. Prior to this I went on the principle of eating mostly whole foods like lots of fruits, veggies, whole grains, starches and also included a little meat/dairy/eggs with the occasional weekly/bi-weekly junk food treats. I can still do this. Vegan junk food exists as do alternatives to meat. I still eat mostly whole food and plant based but I also enjoy myself just as I used to. Also, switching to veganism doesn’t mean that you’re fussy, in fact it usually means the opposite as you have to be open to new ways of eating and not afraid to try different combinations of flavours and ingredients. All in all it simply is a choice based on individual morals, nothing more.

This subject can be considered slightly controversial and I don’t want anybody thinking that I am attacking/judging them for what they choose to eat, this choice (as mentioned an unacceptable amount of times throughout this post) is simply a personal decision that I’ve made. As mentioned previously, I haven’t changed as a person, although I do feel more at ease eating this way and am actually happier than I have been in a while. This decision won’t affect anyone else other than myself but at the same time I will always be happy to talk about it in an open and friendly way to anyone who is curious. In terms of things like clothing, leather, wool and personal hygiene products that are certified cruelty free - these are things that I will be looking to address in the future as opposed to right now. As I said, you don’t have to do everything at once.

Also I think it’s worth mentioning that I don’t believe veganism is going to save the world (there’s a lot going on, as I’m sure you’ve noticed from the news – it’s a bit grim right now) but it may be a step in the right direction. Some people take a moral high horse after this decision and assume a self-imposed authority on all ethical matters but the truth is, someone going vegan does not set them above anybody, it is simply a reflection of the individual’s own moral priorities and no one else’s. In reality, we can always be doing better in regards to helping both others and the world around us. Nobody is perfect and nor anyone ever will be. Take every day one step at a time and do what you can.

Right, it’s getting a bit churchy now isn’t it? My bad, I’ll end this post here before we all start singing kumbaya and feeling each other’s chakras…not appropriate. I’m so glad to finally get this all off my chest and I’m even gladder that I can stop droning on about it now (I’m sure you are as well). Unsurprisingly, I probably won’t be addressing this topic in such detail again as it isn’t really what this blog is focused on, however in terms of what this means in terms of posts - all foreseeable future recipes will be plant-based. Please know that if you’re not on the same lifestyle as me than that does not mean that you are not welcome here. These recipes, stories and general warblings are for anybody who wants to listen and/or experiment in the kitchen –vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian omnivore, carnivore, anyone … except maybe cannibals; I don’t think I should endorse that here.

Hope this wasn’t too sappy. Now, have a nice day, I’m off to make bacon out of aubergine…

Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like. ;)

P.S. I realise there were a lot of statistics used in this post so I thought I would link the main source of these here, just in case anyone was interested and wanted to look into it themselves: http://www.cowspiracy.com/facts/  LOL at the site name.