Lifestyle Archives - The Edgy Veg

Where to find Eco-Friendly Menstrual Products

EdgyVeg — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 23:38:27 +0000

Every month you start thinking to yourself holy crap, am I ready for my period this month? Do I have enough pads in my cabinets? Do I have enough sweets in the pantries?

I say the same things to myself every month. But one thing for sure is that I try to find sustainable ways of reducing waste with eco-friendly products! If you want to find more ways to reduce the environmental impacts of our monthly visitation from the Period Goddess, here is a list of eco-friendly menstrual products you can try.

What are Eco-friendly menstrual products?

It’s important to note that eco-friendly menstrual products may have a higher upfront cost than disposable products, but they can save you money in the long run. They are also a healthier choice for your body, as they are free of chemicals and fragrances that can be found in some disposable products. Based on your preference, try different products that work best for you.

Cloth pads: These reusable pads are made of cloth and can be washed and used again and again. They come in a variety of sizes and styles to suit different needs and preferences. Some cloth pads even have a waterproof layer to help prevent leaks.

Menstrual cups: These flexible cups are made of medical-grade silicone or rubber and are inserted into the vagina to collect menstrual blood. They can be worn for up to 12 hours at a time and can be washed and reused for several years.

Period underwear: These special panties are made with absorbent materials to absorb menstrual blood. They can be worn alone or as a backup to other menstrual products. They are machine washable and can be used again and again.

Reusable tampons: These tampons are made of washable, absorbent materials and come with a reusable applicator. They are a more environmentally friendly option than traditional disposable tampons.

By switching to eco-friendly menstrual products, you can reduce your environmental impact and make a positive impact on the planet. So why not give them a try? Your body and the environment will thank you.

Reliable Eco-friendly Menstrual Brands

There are many brands that offer period underwear, and the best one for you will depend on your personal preferences and needs. Here are some popular brands and a brief overview of their products:

Thinx: Thinx offers a range of period underwear in different styles and absorbencies. They have options for light, medium, and heavy flows, as well as underwear specifically designed for overnight use. Thinx underwear is made with a moisture-wicking and absorbent layer to keep you feeling dry and comfortable.

Modibodi: Modibodi offers a variety of period underwear styles, including briefs, thongs, and hipsters. They have different levels of absorbency to suit different flow levels, and some of their products also have leak-proof layers for extra protection. Modibodi underwear is made with a moisture-wicking and absorbent layer to keep you feeling dry.

Ruby Cup: Ruby Cup offers period underwear in a bikini style. Their underwear is made with a leak-proof layer and an absorbent layer to keep you feeling dry and protected.

Luna Panties: Luna Panties offers a range of period underwear styles, including briefs, thongs, and high-waisted briefs. Their underwear is made with a leak-proof layer and an absorbent layer to keep you feeling dry and protected.

@thedivacup

when using the ShakerCup, remember it’s for cleansing on-the-go, not storing between cycles #fyp #foryou #foru #periodtok #periodtiktok #period #divadisc #cleanse #cleaning

♬ Collide (more sped up) – Justine Skye

Diva Cup: The Diva Cup is made of medical-grade silicone and is available in two sizes: Model 1 for women under the age of 30 who have not given birth vaginally, and Model 2 for women over the age of 30 or who have given birth vaginally. The Diva Cup is designed to be worn for up to 12 hours at a time and can be washed and reused for several years.

Lunette: Lunette offers menstrual cups in two sizes: Size 1 for women with a lighter flow or who are under 30 years old and have not given birth vaginally, and Size 2 for women with a heavier flow or who are over 30 years old or have given birth vaginally. Lunette cups are made of medical-grade silicone and can be worn for up to 12 hours at a time. They can be washed and reused for several years.

Moon Cup: The Moon Cup is a menstrual cup made of medical-grade silicone. It is available in two sizes: Size A for women under the age of 30 who have not given birth vaginally, and Size B for women over the age of 30 or who have given birth vaginally. The Moon Cup can be worn for up to 8 hours at a time and can be washed and reused for several years.

Ruby Cup: Ruby Cup is a menstrual cup made of medical-grade silicone. It is available in two sizes: Size 1 for women under the age of 30 who have not given birth vaginally, and Size 2 for women over the age of 30 or who have given birth vaginally. Ruby Cup can be worn for up to 12 hours at a time and can be washed and reused for several years.

It’s a good idea to read reviews and compare the features of different brands to find the menstrual cup that works best for you. Some factors to consider may include size, material, and capacity. It may also be helpful to try a few different brands to see which one works best for you.

Reusable tampons, also known as washable tampons or cloth tampons, are an eco-friendly alternative to traditional disposable tampons. Here are some popular brands and a brief overview of their products:

GladRags: GladRags offers a variety of reusable tampons, including the XO Flo, which is made of organic cotton and has a leak-proof layer for extra protection. They also offer the Day Pad and the Night Pad, which can be used as backups for reusable tampons or as standalone menstrual products. GladRags products are machine washable and can be used for several years.

Natracare: Natracare offers reusable tampons made of organic cotton with a leak-proof layer for extra protection. They come with a reusable applicator and can be worn for up to 8 hours at a time. Natracare tampons are machine washable and can be used for several years.

It’s a good idea to read reviews and compare the features of different brands to your best fit. Remember that one size doesn’t fit all and you have to start with one

The post Where to find Eco-Friendly Menstrual Products appeared first on The Edgy Veg.

8 Vegan Cooking Tips for Beginners

EdgyVeg — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 22:06:48 +0000

Vegan cooking is fun and relatively easy to learn. It is fresher, healthier, and tastier when cooked with high-quality ingredients and the right guidance.

More and more people are turning to vegan diets for several reasons. Some of the significant reasons are:

Cooking vegan meals may look difficult at first, but with practice and patience, you can master any skill. Following these guidelines is a great first step towards starting your vegan lifestyle journey.

@theedgyveg

Reply to @alisonmeowmeow #greenscreen ….my life changed when I found out these foods were accidentally vegan!! #plantbased #vegan #vegantiktok #food

♬ original sound – Edgy Veg

1. Stock Your Kitchen With Plant-Based Ingredients

A vegan meal begins with great ingredients. A good place to start is by going through the current selection of your favorite foods in your kitchen and seeing how you can replace them with plant-based ingredients.

For example, there are many dairy-free products in stores you can purchase. Can you replace your meat ingredients with plant-based alternatives? If you love sweets, try vegan desserts. You can ensure that you are buying plant-based by double-checking the packaging banner designs.

Categories to consider when purchasing plant-based ingredients:

Veggies
Fruits
Grains
Nuts and seeds
Legumes
Condiments
Spices
Starch
Protein

@theedgyveg

Stop wasting food. Wash & store your produce properly to save yourself some cash & cut down on waste. #foodtok #MealPrep @theedgyveg #tipsandtricks #sustainableliving #earthday #zerowaste

♬ Wildest Dreams – Duomo

2. Learn Basic Cooking Techniques

Cooking is so much more fun when you master a variety of different cooking skills. Some of the essential cooking techniques are:

Chopping
Steaming
Boiling
Marinating
Roasting

The more recipes you learn, the faster you will get to master some of these skills. My favorite one is learning to marinate because this can easily elevate your cooking experience and make any plain ingredients taste good. Like some of my favorite chicken recipes!

@theedgyveg

Garlic Cubes is a game changer! Which tip do you think you’ll try first #foodtok #easyrecipes #SlurpeeRun #kitchenhacks #foodhacks #cooking #foodtiktok #lifehack #howto #cookinghacks #lazycooking

♬ Music For a Sushi Restaurant – Harry Styles

3. Prepare ingredients in Advance

This tip is one of the most efficient ways of not spending more than 30mins+ of your time in the kitchen for every meal. A great cooking experience starts with preparing all your ingredients in advance. Especially for the most common ingredients like garlic, onions, carrots, celery, cabbage, etc. Preparation is key to preventing injuries and overcooking food.

4. Add Spices to Your Vegan Foods

Spices can make or break your vegan cooking experience. Who wants to just eat plain vegetables? Spices can range in so many unique flavors, from your Asian cuisine to South American spices, you can bring just about any global flavor to your kitchen. Some of the most common spices I use are:

@theedgyveg

This queen is serving #veganrecipes #cooking #recipe #summerrecipes #learnhow #foodtiktok

♬ edamame – bbno$

5. Add Herbs to Your Ingredients.

Herbs are another great way to elevate your cooking experience – not only do they add an Earthy fragrance to your dish, but have tremendous health benefits as well. Herbs can be used in fresh or dried form, depending on their availability – some of the best ways to grow home-grown herbs can be found in the link here.

The most common herbs used in vegan foods are:

6. Try Varieties of Oils

A variety of oils are used for different cooking purposes. If you are using fresh ingredients with low cooking temperatures, I recommend using olive oil, whereas for high cooking temperatures, I would recommend coconut oil or canola oil. You can incorporate many different types of oils when cooking vegan recipes, like this homemade vegan feta recipe.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is made by pressing dried coconut meat, called copra, or fresh coconut meat. To make it, you can use a “dry” or “wet” method.

The milk and oil from the coconut are pressed, and then the oil is removed. It has a firm texture at cool or room temperatures because the fats in the oil, which are mostly saturated fats, are made up of smaller molecules. It is a great option for sautéed dishes, sauces, and baked goods.

Avocado Oil

Avocado oil is extracted from the fruit pulp. It can be refined, unrefined, or cold-pressed oil. It is neutral in flavor and suitable for many kinds of cooking. Avocado oil has monounsaturated fatty acids that are healthy for the heart.

Olive Oil

Olive oil is cold-pressed and considered one of the healthiest oils. It is crushed by mechanical means and is rich in flavor. Olive oil is best for low-temperature cooking and an excellent ingredient for homemade salad dressing.

Sesame oil

Sesame oil is available in two kinds, light and toasted sesame oil. Light sesame oil is neutral in flavor, while toasted sesame oil is nutty and has an aroma. Light sesame oil being neutral in taste, can be used in many kinds of cooking. Furthermore, it is healthy as it contains polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acids and anti-inflammatory antioxidant properties. On the other hand, toasted sesame oil is best for seasonal foods and homemade dressing.

Walnut Oil

Cold-pressed walnut oil is best for cooking as it has a nutty taste. It adds a new flavor to your vegan foods. It is rich in unsaturated fats, such as omega-3 and omega-6, that are anti-inflammatory and may promote healthy glowing skin. Walnut oil is also great for lowering blood pressure.

Canola Oil

Canola oil is oil made from crushed canola seeds. One of the best oils for heart health, canola oil has less saturated fat than any other oil commonly used in the North America. Cutting down on saturated fats helps cut your cholesterol levels.

@theedgyveg

This vegan chicken might be the most realistic I’ve ever made! Should I release the recipe?! #fyp #veganrecipes #vegan

♬ SALSA JAM NO.1 – Jaycee Mante

7. Improvise and Get Creative in the Kitchen

New recipes are created by cooking with new ingredients or making beautiful mistakes in the kitchen. That’s why I always recommend using your favorite ingredients and components to prepare unique dishes.

Follow some of your favorite recipes and add your own creative twist to them. Once you have mastered basic vegan cooking foods, you might want to get more adventurous in the kitchen.

@theedgyveg

Even I’m a little shook, this vegan egg recipe might be an exact dupe. Should I release the full recipe? Let me know! #vegan #fyp #veganrecipes

♬ original sound – Edgy Veg

8. Motivate Yourself with New Recipes and Keep On Learning

Life is a continuous learning process. Remember that mastering a skill comes with practice and curiosity for learning. Try your best to keep yourself motivated by embracing failure as a stepping stone for the next successful dish.

Share your experiences with your friends and family and don’t forget to have fun in the process. You can always cook with different ingredients and various techniques to create beautiful meals in the kitchen that you will be proud of.

Conclusion

Homemade vegan foods are not only great for your health, but great for the environment. Cooking vegan foods does not have to be intimidating, rather it can be a start of a new lifelong journey that makes you want to keep learning and growing.

Related Blogs: Top 10 Cooking Tips for New Vegans

Looking for more Easy Ways of Cooking Vegan Foods? You can PURCHASE your book now!

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8 Ways To Reinvent Your VEGAN MEAL PREP

EdgyVeg — Tue, 23 Aug 2022 21:42:03 +0000

Do you remember? The 21st night of September? Vegan Meal Prep was changin’ the minds of meat-eaters. While chasin’ the clouds away. Yes. It is back to school for some, while it’s lunch madness for caretakers. However big your family is, these vegan meal prep tips will help you get into the groove of enjoying your weekly cooking sessions. Whether you are on a budget or looking for more exciting recipes to look forward to for your lunch breaks, I am sure you will find great value from these Vegan Meal Prep ideas.

Vegan Lunch Box Idea: Charcuterie Lunch Box

Charcuterie boards are great, but have you ever created a charcuterie lunch box to take with you anywhere? This minimalistic lunch box idea is packed with all the daily nutrients you need to conquer the day! Say no more to processed snacks when you can have a well-balanced lunch box to go.

Single Vegan Meals For One: (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)

Watch Full Video Here

Being single is one of the most empowering and liberating periods during your lifetime where you can make your own choices – from the foods you eat to the people you surround yourself with. If you had a full day to treat yourself, these are the dishes that you definitely want to try making at home. Vegan Caesar Salad, Vegan Spaghetti Aglio E Olio and Dorito Popcorn to finish strong. Self-care comes with lots of benefits when you go vegan.

Easy Vegan Bento Box Ideas

Watch Full Video Here

Bento Boxes are the perfect way to portion your foods and eat a well- balanced meal. You can have so much creative freedom with these recipes – so I decided to create 2 awesome Bento Box options that you will never get tired of. The more variety of food you have throughout the week, the more fun you will have meal prepping for the week.

21 Work-from-home recipes

Working from can be exhausting because you might end up spending more time

Since the start of the pandemic, we had to get really creative with our lives during quarantine. For me, my creative channels flows through cooking and making delicious recipes! Here is a compiled list of 21 Work-from-home vegan recipes you won’t get tired of! Made for those quick bites in between your lunch breaks. Whether you need to quickly reheat your meals before a Zoom meeting or want a steamy, fresh vegan lunch. I challenge you to delete your food delivery apps and start planning ahead for your lunch breaks this workweek.

2-Step Easy Meal Prep Tips for New Vegans

Watch Full Video Here

Meal prepping is half the battle when you are trying to go vegan. Since vegan. options are not readily available in most grocery stores, your kitchen is the best place to start preparing the best meals. Check out my new blog where I have compiled my secret 2-step easy meal prep guide to help you get started to eliminate food waste and improve productivity in the kitchen!

Easy Vegan Meal Prep: High Protein Taco Salad

Watch Full Video Here

Remember how people used to say, “where do vegans get their protein from?”. Well if you want to find out, check out my meal prep recipe for taco salad! Made from 100% vegan ingredients, it is packed with more than 10g of protein per serving. Whether you need a pre or post-workout meal, this is a really great recipe to pack it to go.

Vegan Salad (meal prep idea)

Watch Full Video Here

If you are looking for the cleanest vegan salad I mean something that is dairy-free, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, and highly vegan. This vegan salad recipe is going to check off that lengthy list. The best part is, it tastes so good, that you will forget about all your food restrictions. Recipes that make you feel good should taste even better. The variety you can create from burrito bowls to wraps and salads, the odds are in your favor because these vegan salad recipes are so versatile.

How to Jack Up your Oatmeal To go cups

Watch Full Video Here

Do you love oatmeal for breakfast as much as I do? Well, you are in luck! These oatmeal to-go cups are the easiest meal preps to make on this whole list. With less than 5 ingredients, you can always rely on these oat-meal-to-go cups to get you through the day. Breakfast can be simple and delicious.

Summary of Recipes

Hi! I’m Candice aka The Edgy Veg! I veganize popular food recipes for vegans, plant-based diets, eco-conscious eaters & people who are trying to eat more plants over… y’know animals or by-products of animals. I hope you enjoy this tasty vegan recipe!

Looking For More Fall Recipes?

Made this recipe? Let me know what you think by leaving a ★★★★★ star rating & comment below. It truly helps me & I really appreciate any support! Feel free to share your food photos on social and tag me @edgyveg so I don’t miss it!

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Introducing The Edgy Veg Easy Eats by Candice Hutchings

EdgyVeg — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 22:33:37 +0000

The Edgy Veg Easy Eats

The Inspiration Behind the Book:

Hello EdgyVeg family! I hope you have been safe and enjoying a flavorful palette during these past few years since COVID started. We have been impacted by so many challenges together as a community, with major life events inviting us to find new perspectives on our self-love journey, many of us picked up new passion projects during quarantine. For me, I have been working on my new cookbook dedicated to reducing time and saving money in the kitchen during these unprecedented times! As food prices are rising and our economy is heading towards a recession, we have to adapt to these changes by finding alternative ways to nourish our bodies in a price-conscious way.

I know that vegan food can come at a great price in some regions, but the more we demand vegan options, the more we are able to increase the production of supplies. Which inevitably causes prices to drop. More recently, studies have also found that a plant-based lifestyle is actually cheaper than an omnivore lifestyle. If there is any way I can contribute to the well-being of our society, is by providing affordable, nutritious meals that will never compromise your need for great taste.

Why You Should Purchase a Copy:

In this book, you will find 106 new recipes all under 45-minutes, from Breakfast, Lunch to Dinner, and Dessert, you will never run out of ideas on what to eat. The fun begins with recipes like the Vegan Krabby Patties to Lazy Lasagna and tops it off with desserts like Chipsy Marshellow Treats and Fancy Fall Charcuterie Board to satisfy your sweet tooth. These recipes don’t require any trips to the overpriced health food stores, but a quick trip to any local grocery stores with fresh ingredients that won’t break the bank. Fancy up your kitchen experience with an attitude and an edgy spin to all your meals this season. Enjoy your Easy Eats with a vegan twist!

Who Is This Book For:

This Cookbook series is created for anyone looking to integrate more fun and creative ways to celebrate their vegan lifestyles. Whether you are just getting started, have been a vegan for a while, or contemplating on making the commitment. Going vegan doesn’t mean you have fewer options, but diversifying ways where you can create more eco-conscious, healthy, and impactful decisions by cohabiting with mother nature. However, change is scary and I don’t expect you to go vegan right away, but taking baby steps is where it all starts. Check out my pro tips on how to go vegan for beginners to get started.

Where Can I Purchase a Copy?

You can PRE-ORDER your book now before October 18, 2022!

What Are You Waiting for?

Don’t forget to subscribe and share this blog on all your social media channels! Thank you so much for your support and I am excited to continue our vegan journey together.

@theedgyveg

My new cookbook is available for Preorder! Plant-based recipes that are tasty, EASY, and made for all! I can’t wait for you to have this in your hands! #vegan #fyp #veganrecipes

♬ original sound – Edgy Veg

Hey I’m Candice aka The Edgy Veg– I veganize popular food recipes for vegans, plant-based diets, eco-conscious eaters & people who are trying to eat more plants over… y’know animals or their by-products. I hope you enjoy this tasty vegan recipe!

Looking For Vegan Tips?

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Herbaland & Edgy Veg Gummy Vitamins

EdgyVeg — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 04:46:04 +0000

This is a huge personal milestone for me, Herbaland and I collaborated on the Edgy Veg Essentials Bundle and this is officially the first Edgy Veg Branded product. I couldn’t have done this without my dedicated and supportive audience. I am so grateful for this opportunity and I can’t wait to keep the momentum coming to bring you even more products and content that I’m proud of.

Herbaland has manufactured the Edgy Veg Vegan Essentials Bundle, a collaboration with The Edgy Veg (me). It contains 3 vitamins that help with the maintenance of health, primarily geared toward vegans. The vitamins are all in vegan gummy form and the flavours are: Multivitamin Mixed Berry, Calcium Strawberry Banana & Passionfruit, and my own limited edition creation D3 and B12 Sour Watermelon. The bundle also comes with a reusable produce bag, perfect for farmer’s market or low-waste shopping.

I personally use Herbaland vitamins to supplement my nutrition every day, especially taking the D3 and B12 consistently. I found Herbaland about 2 years ago when I was struggling to take vitamins in pill form and I was looking for a chewable, vegan option. Since then, they have sponsored my content and I have not strayed away from my Herbaland vitamin routine. I love Herbaland because their values align with my own. They are Canadian, completely vegan, and focus on sustainable practices.

I am so excited that I had to opportunity to create the Edgy Veg Vegan Essentials Bundle with Herbaland and also create a limited-edition sour watermelon flavoured gummy based on my favourite childhood candy. This flavour is only available in the bundle and it is the first sour candy flavoured vitamin of it’s kind.

You can pick up The Edgy Veg Vegan Essentials Bundle at herbaland.ca for Canada and herbaland.com for US and use code edgyveg20 for 20% off your order.

The bundle went on sale on November 8th, 2021 and will only last as long as supplies last. This is a limited-time product so be sure to get your hands on it while it’s available and you have a chance to try the Limited Edition Sour Watermelon D3 & B12 vitamin. The bundle sells on Herbaland’s official website for $50 Canadian or $45 USD.

The bundle is something I worked so hard on and kept a secret for months. I am thrilled to see the positive and supportive feedback I’ve already been getting and I can’t wait to see how much everyone loves it once they recieve their bundle. I am so proud of this collaboration and I am so grateful for the opportunity.

Hey I’m Candice aka The Edgy Veg – I veganize popular food recipes for vegans, plant-based diets, eco-conscious eaters & people who are trying to eat more plants over… y’know animals or their by-products. I hope you enjoy this tasty vegan recipe!

Looking For More?

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Herbaland’s New Compostable Packaging

EdgyVeg — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 22:46:27 +0000

Herbaland has recently set a new standard for vitamin and supplement packaging. While we use vitamins to take care of our bodies, they are often packed in a ton of unnecessary and single-use plastic packaging. I personally love Herbaland and love that they launched compostable pouch packaging for their 5 best-selling gummy vitamins and plan to offer their entire product line in compostable packaging by 2025.

Options for Refill Pouches include: Vegan D3 & B12, Vegan Collagen Booster, Sleep Plus, Calm Naturally and Kids Multivitamin

My thoughts? If I can get the supplements that help my body feel and perform its best every day, without using single-use plastics, then I’m doing something good for my body and my planet. I believe more companies should take a page from Herbaland’s book and move towards compostable packaging on all products.

You can pick up Herbaland Gummies at herbaland.ca for Canada and herbaland.com for US and use code edgyveg20 for 20% off your order.

Starting in October 2021, Herbaland announced the option for compostable refill pouches, allowing for fewer plastic bottles being made and sold while still allowing vegans and non-vegans to supplement their diet with the vitamins they need to stay healthy. They are committed to finding zero-waste packaging options, choosing energy-efficient production and using ethically sourced ingredients. They have even begun implementing bulk shopping options in stores around Canada and the US, allowing shoppers to have access to Herbaland Gummies with zero-waste packaging.

The compostable pouches are 100% compostable and break down in 180 days. I am thrilled to see options like this out there for consumers who are moving toward a more eco-conscious lifestyle. A million small changes make a world of difference for the well-being of the planet. I’m so happy to see Herbaland taking the lead and implementing changes for good.

Hey I’m Candice aka The Edgy Veg – I veganize popular food recipes for vegans, plant-based diets, eco-conscious eaters & people who are trying to eat more plants over… y’know animals or their by-products. I hope you enjoy this tasty vegan recipe!

Looking For More?

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A Vegan’s Opinion on Lab Grown Dairy

EdgyVeg — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 07:15:49 +0000

Hi I’m Candice, if you are a frequent reader of this site you already know that! If this is the first time you’ve been here, hi! I am a vegan of 12 years, and make my living as a vegan recipe developer and content creator on YouTube, Instagram, Tiktok and well, here on this vegan food blog! As someone who has built a career in the vegan space, I am always interested in ways that food is evolving and changing to remove animals from this toxic system we find ourselves in today. In these opinion pieces, my goal is to get a conversation started and discuss the harder less cut and dry topics that often find themselves in our vegan community.

I am often asked to share my opinion on controversial and ever-changing aspects of veganism and I am happy to share and contribute to the conversation. But before do that, let’s get some things out there about me. I am an ethical and environmental vegan. I am not vegan because I don’t like the taste of animal products or because I’m looking for a fully whole-foods, plant-based diet to better my health. I am vegan because I love animals, believe they are equal, and deserve rights as much as humans do, and so, I am against animal cruelty- full stop. All of my opinions will always be centred around that core value. The opinions shared here are my own and anyone is welcome to their own perspective on these new developments and whether or not they would feel comfortable participating in lab-grown animal products such as cell-grown dairy.

What is Lab-Grown Dairy?

The process of cow-free dairy goes by many names (just like the similar goal of making lab-grown meat): Imitation cow’s milk, lab-grown dairy, clean milk, cell-based milk, cultured dairy, just to name a few common ones. The goal of researchers is to artificially reproduce the protein in milk to make a product that mirrors cow’s milk and dairy products suitable to mass consumption, without the use of an actual living cow.

In a reductive sense; Cow’s milk is made of curds (casein) and whey. Yes, just like that rhymn about Miss Muffet. By recreating these two building blocks in a lab, using cultured cells from the milk of a cow, the goal here is have allow scientists to create dairy-based milk without using a living cow. This milk could be used to make all of the same dairy products we are used to, milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream etc, but without having to farm and milk an a actual animal every single waking moment of their existence. As of right now, this milk product is made in a lab by combining yeast-fermented protein with water, micronutrients, and plant-based fats and sugars. As far as I can find in my research, this manufacturing process is entirely animal-free.

Great! Who is making it?

There a few companies funding, researching and perfecting this process (LIST SOME). But one that is doing this on a consumer-facing level already is Brave Robot. Brave Robot is an ice cream brand under the Urgent Company based in the US. They are making lab-grown dairy to produce synthesized dairy-based milk to use in their ice cream without the involvement of an actual cow! Their products are already available online and in large US grocery stores like Sprouts and Kroger. Hurahhh!! They have a line of ice cream and cake flavours, all using this animal-free technology. How exciting!

Related Post: Best Vegan Milk’s For Each Purpose

Alternatives to Lab-Grown Dairy

At this point in my vegan journey, I have tried vegan alternatives, both homemade and store-bought for all of my favourite dairy products from before I was vegan. My arsenal of recipes and go-to products is refined and I love the products I have access to. I am also always innovating new ways to veganize my (and your) classic recipes. True vegan alternatives that are made with plant-based ingredients are not going anywhere as a result of new innovations with lab-grown dairy, and I will continue to reach for my plant-based vegan options when lab-grown options are widespread. With science working towards more animal-free solutions, we can still always rely on the vegan classics. In my opinion, this groundbreaking technology would give those folks that don’t want to give up dairy an option to continue to enjoy their favourite foods without the cruelty to animals and destruction to our planet. It’s a great place to meet in the middle for a more compassionate, and green world! It would also be suitable for people who are vegan for animal protection and environmental reasons who miss their favourite cheese or cream products. Not to mention, a great breakthrough for those who are lactose intolerant.

My Thoughts

Would I eat meat again? I don’t think so. Would I eat lab-grown dairy? Yes, I probably would. If these companies can create a way for these products to not involve harming any animal along the way- I would be tickled pink to have the baked brie and m mozzarella from my past! I think with meat products we’ve now create vegan meat-free options that are just as, or even more delicious than its animal-based counterpart, but with cheese, there is something that hasn’t quite been captured by vegan options. I love the options available, don’t get me wrong, but some things I have just learned to live without. Traditional French, Italian and German cheeses are extremely difficult to recreate. So, this is a great option to enjoy those favourites once again- if you choose to! But again, this will not replace my current favourite vegan products, and I don’t think momentum on vegan options will ever slow down.

If you’re interested in seeing more of my opinions and taste tests of new vegan products, comment down below! Also, let me know if you’ve tried lab grown dairy and what you think!

Hey I’m Candice aka The Edgy Veg – I veganize popular food recipes for vegans, plant-based diets, eco-conscious eaters & people who are trying to eat more plants over… y’know animals or their by-products. I hope you enjoy this tasty vegan recipe!

Looking For Homemade Vegan Dairy Recipes?

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Cell Cultured Meat: Is it Vegan?

EdgyVeg — Fri, 05 Nov 2021 05:09:21 +0000

In-vitro meat is controversial. Is it vegan? It is ethical? Should vegans support it or fight against it? I’m here to lay out my opinions even though no one asked…

DISCLAIMER: There is a lot of grey area with this topic. The opinions I’m sharing are my own, based on what I know about veganism and what I know about animal agriculture and factory farming as they are now. These are opinions not facts.

As someone who has built a career in the vegan space, I am always interested in the new ways we can potentially evolve veganism, and make it appeal to a larger audience. Is In-Vitro one of those things? To answer that, let’s start at the beginning. For the last 12 years as a vegan, I have been firm on my stance on why I chose this lifestyle. I am an ethical and environmental vegan, I am not vegan because meat doesn’t taste good, or because I’m looking for a fully whole-foods, plant-based diet. I am vegan because I love animals and I am against animal cruelty and have a deep passion for protecting our home on this planet. This drives my decision to engage in this lifestyle.

So, What is Cell-Cultured Meat?

I typically refer to it as “cell-cultured meat” or “in-vitro meat”, but it goes by a ton of names such as lab-grown meat, clean meat, cell-based meat, and cultured meat.

There are a few start-ups and existing food companies that are researching and developing this industry currently, with plenty of RD and focus on using new technologies. They are specifically competing to develop chicken, fish, and beef that doesn’t require the breeding, raising, and killing of animals (and the many tortures of this practice) for food. Currently, the focus is mostly on beef, with other meats as a secondary priority, and as of late, even dairy.

These companies are fairly private about their processes, but they have shared that, “the beef is made by painlessly harvesting cells from a living cow and multiplying them to create muscle tissue, which makes up the meat we eat”. Sounds pretty great, huh? But, is it the same? From a biological perspective, it is the exact same meat tissue as the material that comes after killing and butchering a cow. It is technically animal flesh, but only ever exists in the form of a mass of meat, meaning it is not “alive” and has no brain, face or feet.

Related Post: 15+ Vegan Chicken Recipes

Credit: Mosa Meat

Great! But, who is making it?

A familiar vegan face that is participating in the cell-cultured meat industry is Eat JUST, the same people who make popular vegan egg and mayo. Some of the largest companies are in the USA, Israel, the Netherlands. The FDA and USDA have referred to it as “animal cell culture technology” and they are the two U.S. agencies that will jointly oversee regulation. Moss Meat is also making it.

Sounds Good So Far. Is cell cultured Meat Vegan?

Cell-cultured meat is definitely controversial, particularly in the vegan community. While it is (allegedly) cruelty-free, it is still an animal and not a plant. So eating it is technically not vegan. But it does skip over the process of factory farming and the slaughter of animals, so it could be considered ethical. Like everything else in life, it’s a weird, grey-area, with plenty of nuances.

In-vitro or lab-grown meat would allow people like me who are ethical vegans to enjoy the meat flavours and textures they once loved without the carnal elements of meat-eating, like breeding, raising, torture and death. It would still not apply to health-based vegans as the nutrition of this meat would be similar to that of animal-based meat, with a few distinct changes (high antibiotic use in factory farming).

Ethan Brown, The CEO of Beyond Meat has said, “there are two ways you can look at meat, one is meat comes from a chicken, a cow or a pig, but you can also think about meat in a different way- which is what is meat made of”. That’s how Beyond thinks about meat, and if you also see meat as what it is made of, you may be able to ethically enjoy meat again. But, that decision ultimately has to be made by you.

Another ethical issue I have with the meat industry is the abuse and exploitation of workers. A large percentage of factory farm workers are people of colour, migrant and undocumented workers from Mexico and Latin America. These are the ideal candidate for the employer of the factory farm since they are easier to exploit with low wages, unsafe work environments and unfair treatment. Employers are also not required to provide medical or mental-health-related benefits despite working in an environment with many many serious health threats including brain damage, depression and other serious mental-health issues, miscarriages and birth defects. On top of all this, the differences in language and culture often leave workers feeling like outcasts in their new community. By moving from factory farming to lab-based meat, jobs would be offered to people to work in these more safe and sanitary conditions without having to interact with distressed living animals, and witnessing and inflicting death daily.

Why choose this over regular meat?

As far as I know, it is better for the environment in the long run, and it cuts out tons of methane emissions, water usage and grain and soy over-farming that is done to feed factory-farmed animals. And that’s on top of the assortment of environmental and social injustices that motivate the need for cultured meat, like; microplastics in our oceans, toxic water pollution, greenhouse gas emission, and many other detrimental effects. We can see that change needs to happen, and fast. While many people choose a vegan lifestyle, most do not. But, switching their meat consumption to lab-grown meat in place of factory-farmed is a great option for the rest to meet us halfway. In turn, making a HUGE impact to reduce our carbon footprint.

Will I eat it myself?

I will admit, this is a tough question for me to answer. It’s a very grey area. But, I am in support of it for the greater health of the animals and our planet. I likely wouldn’t eat it myself because I don’t miss animal meat from my diet after 12 years of being free from it, and I can get everything I need from vegan ingredients instead of lab-grown substitutes. But, I support those that would choose to eat it.

Is it vegan? In my opinion, yes and no. We can’t forget that this is in fact an animal product, although it can be made without the slaughter of an animal. It’s a question of philosophy. Let’s take the trolley dilemma: would you kill one person to save five? I believe it is up to the individual. It’s your choice. If you do all the research necessary and ethically feel okay about eating it- then who I am I to say no? Even the process of farming fruits and veg comes with animal death. Personally, I choose to do the least amount of harm possible- which is why I am vegan.

I would love to live in a perfect world where everyone goes vegan, but it’s just not realistic. Not everyone will or wants to live that lifestyle, but if they can make the small switch to lab-grown instead of factory-farmed animals, then I am in support of that. I do think it is important for vegans to be on board with it, and advocate for funds to be diverted from traditional animal agriculture practices to perfect this scientific breakthrough, which will eventually make it accessible to the average person.

The TLDR of it is this: lab-grown meat is the most effective way to get most people on a diet that doesn’t kill animals.

It has so many uses including growing meat to feed our companion animals. Dogs and cats eat a largely meat-based diet and if we can replace that with lab-grown alternatives, we can keep animals in a better balance ensuring pets can eat and other animals don’t have to suffer as a result.

But, as with everything… I don’t want to act like there are no downsides to this process, there is a line from a Reddit post I saw where someone shared their opinion and they said:

“Yes, it will be beneficial to the animals who are currently destined to be sent to slaughterhouses. Yes, it will inevitably cut down on the murder faced by them. But that does not make it vegan. That does not make it cruelty-free. ” https://www.reddit.com/r/vegan/comments/jk5dqw/labgrown_meat_is_not_vegan_or_crueltyfree_and/

In order to get lab-grown meat into the mainstream market, there is lots of animal testing that would need to be done to fulfill the regulations put in place for food, like with any new product. Animals will undoubtedly suffer as a result of this testing for fewer animals harmed in the long term once these products are available to everyday people.

So is it ok to sacrifice a few, to save many? It’s obvious that we all want to do our part to reduce harm, but if we consider that everyone has equal rights, then it would be wrong to sacrifice one even if our intention is to save five isn’t it? I do not have a clear-cut answer for you, because it simply is not black and white. What I do suggest, is that you do all you can do to educate yourself on the topic, and then make a decision based on where you stand morally. <3

Please let me know if you have any opinions about cell-cultured meat in the comments and let me know if you’d try it!

Hey I’m Candice aka The Edgy Veg – I veganize popular food recipes for vegans, plant-based diets, eco-conscious eaters & people who are trying to eat more plants over… y’know animals or their by-products. I hope you enjoy this tasty vegan recipe!

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Types of Oils and How To Use Them

EdgyVeg — Tue, 02 Nov 2021 05:26:59 +0000

I often get asked about my cooking techniques and the ingredients I keep in my kitchen at all times. I want to share my personal opinions with you about all of the different types of oils I use and how I use them. If you’re more interested in nutrition, there are reliable dieticians and other science-based resources online, but here I will show you why I use each one for its cooking purpose and best recipes.

Oils are the liquid forms of fat coming from vegetables, nuts, seeds and grains. Oil adds flavour to cooking and finishing recipes.

Types of Oils and How I Use Them

This guide to oils is for anyone looking to learn more about cooking or grow their pantry with new products to use for new recipes. I keep all of these types of oils on hand, but if you don’t cook as often as I do, you should be fine with vegetable oil, avocado oil and fancy olive oil to get you started.

I’ve listed a range of types of oils below as well as how I use them in my recipes. If you have any questions or comments, leave a comment under this post!

Olive Oil

Everyday cooking oil, one of the most common oils found in most American and European recipes. It has a smoke point of about 400 degrees F, which means it is safe to cook up to that temperature and will not burn. It’s flavour is mild and the colour is golden.

Fancy Olive Oil

Extra virgin olive oils are not for cooking, they are used as finishing oil, used for salad dressings etc. They have a more robust flavour and scent and can be different, sometimes almost spiced and sometimes more on a lemony flavour. Do not cook with these as they have a low smoke point and will lose their flavour if cooked too high.

Vegetable or Canola Oil

This is typically used for deep frying. It has a high smoke point and ultra-neutral flavour. Often the most affordable oil and used in the highest quantity.

Avocado Oil

Avocado oil is an everyday cooking oil. It has a neutral smell and flavour and slight green colour. It has one of the highest smoke points at 500 degrees F, meaning it is safe to eat after being exposed to high heat and will not burn. Typically one of the more expensive oils, but good quality.

Coconut Oil

There are two different types of coconut oil: refined or unrefined/virgin. I use both regularly. Refined coconut oil has been processed to remove the coconut smell and flavour, I use this to make vegan cheese like my vegan feta recipe. There is also virgin or unrefined oil, this maintains the natural coconut scent and flavour and I use it to sautee vegetables when making a curry or any dish that I’d like a coconut flavour in. I also use butter-flavoured coconut oil to make my popcorn. Be careful when cooking with coconut oil as it has a low smoke point and burns easily.

Sesame Oil

Sesame oil is used for finishing. I typically buy toasted sesame oil and use it in sauces or to finish fried rice or noodle dishes. Use sparingly as the scent and flavour can be strong.

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This post was inspired by Cooking with Shereen on Tiktok

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Beyond Meat Launches New Chicken Tenders

EdgyVeg — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 04:09:04 +0000

When I got the news of Beyond Meat Chicken, I fell over in my seat. Could it be? My favourite vegan burger company matching their accomplishments with vegan beef, now in the world of vegan chicken? I had to get my hands on them!

Beyond Meat Chicken

I was SO excited to try the Beyond Meat Chicken tenders that I hunted across Toronto’s vegan grocers and health food stores for somewhere to find this rarity. Lucky for me, they reached Canada pretty early on, so I didn’t need to wait for an opportunity to travel to be able to try some. While they are still a bit tricky to find, most large cities should have vegan specialty stores to carry them.

Beyond meat has never disappointed me. I have been a superfan from the first burger I’ve tried, to the sausages and breakfast patties. I had high hopes for this product.

Image Credits: Veg News

Beyond Meat Chicken Ingredients and Cooking

The ingredients include fava bean protein, breading like a typical frozen chicken tender, yeast, garlic, vital wheat gluten, corn starch, methylcellulose (which is also found in the Beyond Burger). These ingredients are typical for vegan meat substitutes and contribute to the flavour and texture. In my opinion, frozen vegan chicken tenders are not considered a “health food” but I will eat them for the flavour and texture and pleasure.

For the tenders, the instructions indicate that you can deep fry or oven bake them. I personally prefer to oven-bake them because it is easier for me.

Related Post: 15+ Vegan Chicken Recipes You Have To Try

Image Credits:Good Rebel

Beyond Meat Chicken Tenders Vs Gardein & Yves

At this point in my vegan journey, I think I have tried most store-bought vegan chicken nuggets and tenders that are available in Toronto. Some of my favourite vegan chicken nuggets are the Gardein brand and Yves. I’m happy with the price point, flavour, texture and quantity in the package. I also really enjoyed the vegan chicken from KFC, which in Canada was Light Life brand. My experience with a lot of vegan nuggets has been that some are very dry inside, or complete mush inside of the breading I was excited to compare the Beyond Meat chicken to some of my favourite choices already.

https://www.theedgyveg.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Snaptik_6987539725091458310_edgy-veg.mp4

My Thoughts

After baking for about 12 minutes from frozen, the tenders get more golden brown and the smell is similar to chicken broth. They are about 3 inches long and 1 inch wide, for a typical serving, I’d probably have 4 and dip them in plum sauce (my favourite). The breading is very crispy, and the tenders are slightly oily, but not overly greasy. The inside of the chicken has a beautiful fibrous, pull-apart texture. To me, one of the best things about this product is how Beyond captured the distinct feeling of biting into chicken. It is very flavourful, both with the seasoned breading and on its own. It is juicy and smells a lot like chicken soup.

I really like this product. I would love to see it sold as a chicken burger and as a non-breaded vegan chicken that can be used in other recipes. It is an amazing product that I am excited to see more of. Compared to other vegan chicken products, I like that the inside is just as flavourful as the breading, this is not as dry as other products and I love the mouth-feel of these tenders.

If you’re interested in seeing more of my opinions and taste tests of new vegan products, comment down below! Also, let me know if you’ve tried Beyond Chicken and what you think!

Hey I’m Candice aka The Edgy Veg – I veganize popular food recipes for vegans, plant-based diets, eco-conscious eaters & people who are trying to eat more plants over… y’know animals or their by-products. I hope you enjoy this tasty vegan recipe!

Looking For Homemade Vegan Chicken Recipes?

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Best Vegan Milks For Recipes

EdgyVeg — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 21:21:03 +0000

One of the most common questions I get asked is what my favourite plant-based milk is and what’s the best vegan milks for recipes! I use different kinds of vegan milks, from soy milk to oat milk, for different purposes in recipes and I want to share my personal opinions with you!

If you or someone you know is looking to switch from dairy to plant-based milk, hopefully, this can be a great guide to how you can transition easier.

Vegan Milks For Recipes

This guide to vegan milk is for anyone looking to cut out cow’s milk from their diet or for anyone looking to make vegan recipes using vegan milk. For most cases, I use unsweetened and unflavored vegan milk in recipes, but it all depends on the recipe you’re making.

I’ve listed a range of types of milks and there are also some vegan milks you can even make fresh at home using my recipes below

Soy Milk

Soy milk is my number one choice for most recipes. It has a minimal to no flavour (which is great for recipes) and a thick, smooth texture. Soy milk has a high protein content as well, which helps it thicken in savoury recipes like my bechamel sauce and mac & cheese, or even in sweet recipes like vegan chocolate pudding or hot chocolate. I use it for most of my cooking and baking, as well as smoothies.

Oat Milk

Oat milk is my second favourite in the world of vegan milk. It has a natural sweetness and creamy texture. It is also one of the most environmentally friendly plant-based milk choices. You can buy the store-bought options or see my recipe here for how to make homemade oat milk. This is my favourite for coffee.

Almond Milk

Almond milk is one of the first “trendy” plant-based milks to really steer people from dairy to vegan options. While it is still a very popular choice for tons of people, I don’t use it as much as it is less environmentally conscious compared to oat or soy milk. I have a homemade almond milk recipe here!

Cashew Milk

Cashew milk might be the least accessible choice for vegan milks depending where you live, and also the least common milk available at restaurants or cafes due to nut allergies. Not too mention one of the most expensive vegan milks since the price tag on cashews is higher. The great thing about cashew milk is that it’s delightful, creamy, ultra-thick. So thick, it coats your mouth the same way ice cream does. It has a naturally sweet and nutty flavour and is great in ice cream and dessert recipes, as well as coffee since it reminds me more of coffee creamer.

Coconut Milk

Coconut milk is probably the most flavourful plant-based milk of all of the ones on this list. It is sweet and heavily scented. My favourite recipes to use coconut milk are in curries and desserts! Although, I prefer the canned coconut milk over the carton coconut milk for recipes because coconut milk is thinner and stronger flavour. You can find my homemade coconut milk recipe here!

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How To Go Vegan For Beginners (Tips)

EdgyVeg — Thu, 19 Aug 2021 17:53:47 +0000

If you’re looking for how to go vegan, you’ve come to the right vegan website. I’m going to share 10 recommendations for new vegan beginners.

I started the EdgyVeg in 2010 when I went vegan, and in 2012 I started my Youtube Channel making vegan videos because I felt all alone as a vegan and thought if I shared my vegan journey on the internet others would find me. I didn’t really know other vegans in real life, and back in early 2010s being a vegan in a non-vegan world was really hard. We didn’t have all the support, and plant-based products we have now. So, I started The Edgy Veg to connect with others in the community.

Now, it’s 10+ years later and the plant-based movement is taking the world by storm! Woohoo! And if you’re reading this, then you’re probably looking to join this amazing journey for the animals, your health, body, mind and soul. So, I thought I would take it back to basic and give you my tried-and-true tips for going vegan to help beginners.

Step 1: Education & Finding Resources are Key

This was a huge one for me when I went vegan. And I think this is something that keeps vegans vegan. Society’s very hard on us for going against the status quo. And making fun of vegans is like “the cool things to do…” So, staying firm in your beliefs based on available education and online reasons on why you want to go vegan can help you get over those hurdles or frustrations you’re feeling around meat-eaters. There is so much information on the positives of a vegan diet out there now. There’s a lot of scientific research, published books, documentaries and Google! What is your reason for going vegan in the first place? Figure it out, because THAT is what keeps you going when people try to put you down or make fun of you when really you’re doing the best possible thing and stronger than they are for doing so.

For me, I don’t believe that we need meat as a society to survive. Thanks to technology and human evolution I just think it’s unnecessary. So, why would I have something killed, just so I can eat something that’s unnecessary? There’s tons and tons of info out there, so education and learning about the hard truth is so important. Because ultimately, when somebody comes at you and wants to know facts and wants to know why you’re vegan, you want to be able to talk in an educated way about your life choices and show them why you’re so compassionate. Speaking openly about the topic to other people actually makes it easier and might even inspire others.

Step 2: Gradually Cut Down

I didn’t go vegan overnight and many of my vegan friends also started by gradually cutting down on animal products. I didn’t go vegan “cold turkey” and cutting everything out at once. That approach may work for some, it didn’t for me. It was just too hard pre-2010 but might be easier nowadays. The way that I went vegan successfully is by doing it in stages. If you feel like it’s too hard to go 100% vegan, don’t feel bad. Baby steps and gradually cutting back is what I did and want to make anyone who goes this route feel encouraged and not like they are failing. Gradually, I removed one thing at a time, got comfortable, then moved on to the next thing, and repeat. I also didn’t want to be wasteful, so I encourage people to finish their non-vegan items and don’t just toss them in the trash. Once done, replace them with a vegan alternative.

I would suggest doing it in this order:

Get rid of all the meat and try going vegetarian first. You can eat all the cheese and milk and whatever you want, but just without meat. When you get used to this and you’ve found some great meat substitutes (like my vegan meat recipes), or alternatives, move to the next step…
Get rid of physical dairy and eggs directly: I would consider physically packaged eggs, cheese, milk, cream. for example, to be direct. Examples of indirect dairy and eggs would be items like cookies, cakes, breading, etc. where dairy/eggs secretly hide. Once you’ve found dairy alternatives (hey soy, nut or oat milk!), vegan cheeses (I have some vegan cheese recipes here), and stop buying eggs (or switch to plant-based egg alternatives like Just Egg), you can move to the next stage.
Stop buying products that have dairy and eggs in them and/or find products that don’t have dairy/eggs. Nowadays, there are so many cakes, cookies and snack foods that don’t have dairy or eggs or have plant-based versions in stores. This is the stage to get comfortable reading ingredient lists and see what’s actually in the foods you normally buy, you might be shocked. Once you’ve mastered that and you feel comfortable….
Stop buying leather clothing, shoes, beauty products and household products that contain animal products (because there are animal products in everything!) Eventually, when you’re comfortable with eating vegan or plant-based, and feel comfortable, then the last thing to think about is the other stuff in your current lifestyle and just do your very best to find products that are cruelty-free and vegan.

Disclaimer: I am aware that some illnesses and circumstances make eating a vegan diet difficult, and I am in no way suggesting that everyone on the planet can eat a vegan diet. I am not a dietician or physician. Please consult your doctor before making any large lifestyle changes.

Step 3: Get Inspired!

See what’s out there! Get on Pinterest! Buy a vegan cookbook! Pick out or save your favourite recipes, and make sure you go for things that you like! If you normally eat tacos, pizza, muffins, cakes, etc eat vegan versions of them. Whatever it is that you genuinely want or love to eat, eat it. Many try going vegan, only eat boring salads and revert back to animal products because they only ate boring vegan salads. See what’s available, see what’s possible and make your vegan dreams come true. There might be things that you never thought that you could make vegan. The key here is to feed yourself well. If you like it, you’re more likely to stick to it.

Step 4: Coming out of the Meat closet

Chances are that when you make this lifestyle decision, you will have resistance. Whether it’s from your partner, family, friends and general society. People will be shocked and confused, and will not understand why you’re doing this. This is when step 1 comes in handy… know why you made this decision, and share it with them, maybe explain to them how you’re making this change. Who knows, you might even spark an interest in them! Share your wonderful new creations with them, lead with a forkful of delish vegan food. Enthusiasm is contagious and good food changes people’s perspectives.

Step 5: Don’t bother with the vegan police.

Shockingly enough, the most hate that I get online is from other vegans. that say I’m not doing something the way it should be. They accuse me of not doing something 100% their way and that I’m not “vegan enough”. There’s no wrong way of being vegan as long as you “exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promote the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment.” If you’re following this idealogy, you’re doing great. (As defined by the vegan society)

Seek out people online and friends in person that will support you. Even taking one step and making an effort is better than doing nothing.

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Step 6: Supplements

The only supplement vegans can’t get from a vegan diet is vitamin B12. B12 is in meat from animals eating soil/dirt/bacteria but even nowadays, b12 is getting harder and harder to get from meat. Many doctors actually recommend b12 even if you’re a meat-eater as we are depleting our soils of this nutrient. Every other nutrient we can get from food, but it doesn’t hurt to get a multivitamin. The items I always supplement are B12, iron, Omega fatty acids (naturally comes from seaweed which is where fish get their omega 3 from), and calcium. Get yourself a nice vegan multivitamin– that’s the easiest place to start. (But I am not a doctor, and so consult your doctor before making any supplement changes to your lifestyle)

Step 7: Spend time with animals

If you’re an animal lover, it’s probably one of the main reasons you want to go vegan. If you don’t have any animals in your house, visit an animal sanctuary or animal sit for a friend. Spending time with animals makes you love and care for them. This was something that really helped me. I grew up around a lot of farm animals and when you take the time, you see just what gentle beautiful animals they are and become so compassionate for them and other animals. It’s a great way to remind yourself who you are doing this for.

If you love your dog, a baby sheep or sloth …and the last thing you would want to do is harm it right? Eventually, this idea begins to apply to all animals that are harmed in society and by going vegan you are eliminating/decreasing the harm that can/will be done. Many of us don’t get to experience animals up close the same way we do our companion pets. And so, it’s easier to think of them as commodities and detach our feelings when looking at a pretty packaged piece of their flesh. If you wouldn’t hurt your dog, apply the same feelings to other animals.

Step 8: Ask for help

Your best resource is going to be other vegans. Join local a Facebook group and ask them where you can find certain items in your city. Ask for vegan recipe ideas or vegan restaurants to try. Check out your local veg fest and make some new vegan friends to lean on! There is always an answer to any question you may have all you have to do is ask

Step 9: Be nice to omnivores

You weren’t always vegan. So, once you’ve gone vegan, talk to others how you would have liked to be talked to as an omnivore because, at the end of the day, people don’t like to be told that what they’re doing/eating is wrong, and can easily become defensive. Screaming MURDERER in someone else’s face can in most cases be a terrible way of advertising this lifestyle. I think more aggressive forms of animal activism have their place and are in many ways effective. But yelling at your friends and family is only going to isolate you further from them. Instead, share and live as an example of why being vegan makes you happy. Or educate them on the horrors of today’s factory farming practices. Encourage them to make small changes, and if they do want to join you and fall off the wagon, help them to get back up again.

Step 10: Support and Buy from Vegan Creators & Brands When Possible

Voting with your wallet and your time makes a huge difference on who or what succeeds in this capitalist society. Personally, I choose to try to support vegan creators and brands first. This will help send the message that “yes, a more vegan and compassionate way is possible”, but will also get vegans in important places and spaces.

Well! That’s all for today! I hope this helps make things more easier. No matter how you go about doing it, remember that every vegan meal you have, that doesn’t have meat eggs, meat and dairy has saved a life & helped our environment.

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My COVID Recovery

EdgyVeg — Fri, 11 Jun 2021 16:25:44 +0000

I was one of many people who caught COVID-19 and suffered long-term symptoms that really affected my day-to-day life. I thought I would share my covid recovery.

After my initial symptoms went away end of February, I was left with some serious lingering symptoms that to this day (June) I am still battling. These include the inability to breathe fully, low energy, debilitating fatigue, insomnia, daily headaches and/or migraines, weight gain, breathlessness, inability to workout due to breathlessness, dry sinuses and congestion, loss of taste and smell, and brain fog. With the help of my family doctor, we’ve been creating a healthy routine to help me overcome my long-term effects of covid.

How I Recovered From COVID

The vitamins, inhaler, drinking a gallon of water per day, and taking pain meds were all recommendations that my doctor gave to her long-term COVID-19 patients. So, if you or someone you love also suffers from long-term COVID-19 symptoms, I hope that some of these tips might help you with your recovery.

If you haven’t had COVID-19 or you don’t suffer any long-term symptoms but you want some supplements to keep healthy all year long, check out my regular vegan supplement routine.

My COVID Vitamin Routine

I recommend that you follow the advice of your personal physician. These things have worked for me over the last few months and, paired with the vaccine, I’ve felt more myself than I did for months after fighting the virus! The routine is the key part here. Morning and evening routines are the keys to my success. They help to set me up to achieve more, follow my doctor’s orders, think clearly, and get shit done.

VEGAN D3 AND B12 GUMMIES: The vegan vitamin D3 in these Herbaland gummies are sourced from Lichen, and helps to support the immune system, but also boosts energy, encourages a positive mood, which is helpful when you’re suffering from long term covid. Vitamin B12 is an added bonus because most of the population (40% in the US) is low in B12. I take 1/day.

IMMUNE PLUS GUMMIES: Vitamin C, Zinc, Elderberry, and Echinacea work together in this bomb Herbaland product to support immune health when you’re feeling sicky, but also to keep it strong as you fight the lingering virus. I take 2/day.

Coenzyme Q10 (COQ10) Herbaland GUMMIES: COQ10 is often used for preventing migraine headaches and reduce their frequency. So my doc suggested I take 150mg twice a day to see if it helps with my lingering daily covid migraines. It also supports heart health and blood sugar regulation with is a nice bonus.

Magnesium: Because my energy has been so low, and my sleep schedule was so disrupted by the virus, my Doc also prescribed 600mg of magnesium/day. It is known to promote rest, speed recovery, increase energy production, so we figured we’d throw that in too, to see if my energy levels go up at all, or if it helps with my insomnia.

Overall, I am seeing major improvements– some faster than others. Every doctor’s visit, I am improving and I can credit that to this protocol. So, if you are suffering from lingering symptoms, please do talk to your doctor. They are learning more and more about this virus every day, so you don’t need to suffer needlessly.

Any reader can use code edgyveg20 for 20% off on herbaland.com – Herbaland is a huge supporter of The Edgy Veg & has been a partner for a while now

Healthy Foods to Help Immune System

Combined with my vitamins and medications, I believe my covid recovery can be credited to a combination of fueling my body with healthy fruits and vegetables, as well as medicine. When I’m feeling sick, soups are usually my go-to are Immune Boosting Juice, Vegan Red Lentil Soup and Vegan Noodle Soup.

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Evive Launches New Mango Alma Berry Smoothie

EdgyVeg — Thu, 20 May 2021 18:49:42 +0000

Evive has just released a new flavour of their famous smoothie cubes: The Mango Alma Berry

My thoughts? For a smoothie focused on boosting my immunity with lots of antioxidants, my body loves it! It’s also Evive’s first smoothie that doesn’t include plant-based protein which makes it super accessible for those looking for easy & quick smoothies without protein powder but with lots of antioxidant fruits & veggies!

The Mango Alma Berry Ingredients include: Mango, Banana, Kiwi puree, Date, Zucchini, Coconut cream, Sea Buckthorn berries, Pure lemon juice, Lemon zest, Amla berry powder, Blue spirulina, Ginger, Vitamins & minerals blend, Sea salt, Camu Camu

You can pick up Mango Alma Berry and all of the other Evive Smoothies and Savoury Lunch Cubes at evivenutrition.ca and use code edgyveg20 for 20% off your order. We love giving our Edgy Veggies a discount code!

On April 27, 2021, popular smoothie and meal delivery service, Evive Nutrition launched the first smoothie in their lineup that has the primary function of boosting the immune system. Lord knows we all need a bit of that these days. The Mango Alma Berry smoothie is a turquoise colour and tastes sweet, fresh, tropical, and seaside-inspired. The flavour is based on fruit punch. Yummers! It’s the first smoothie Evive has released that doesn’t include a plant-based protein powder, making it a bit lighter– This will definitely be my summer smoothie of choice.

Evive Nutrition is an innovative Canadian food company that I have been using since they started. I personally keep their smoothie cubes in my fridge for those days I am running behind and need a snack or meal in a hurry. It is run by a French-Canadian couple based in Montreal who got their start on the hit show, Dragons Den. They started by making pre-blended, frozen smoothie cubes (my faves!) in a recyclable tray, and all you need to do is pop the cubes out into a blender, or into a jar with some water or plant-based milk and shake. It’s so important these days to support local business, and if not local, definitely Canadian. We love that Evive supports The Edgy Veg, so please support them if you can by clicking this link.

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Beyond Burger 3.0 (Even Better)

EdgyVeg — Thu, 20 May 2021 03:16:47 +0000

The new Beyond Meat burger 3.0 is here and apparently even better than previous versions!

Here at the Edgy Veg, we are Beyond Meat stans. We’ve compared Beyond Meat to its closest competitor, Impossible Foods and did a blind taste test! Now, Beyond is raising the stakes with its newest launch that they’re calling “The Even-Better Beyond Burger”.

Beyond Meat makes incredible products that are a huge step in the right direction for the future of plant-based eating! I buy the original Beyond Meat ground beef product often, and use it in tons of recipes. This new launch is so exciting to see how they evolve the product on a variety of levels.

In Canada, Beyond Meat is easily accessible and is served at tons of fast-food chains. I can’t wait to taste this new launch, I’m going to break down some of the differences that I’ve seen between the original beyond beef and the new version.

Related Post: Comparing Beyond vs Impossible Burgers

Claims

The official launch video of the new Beyond Meat product listed some pretty big claims that I’m excited to see if they can follow up and put their burger where their mouth is.

Meatier, Juicier, BBQ-ier, non-GMO and sold in a 4-pack. The new burger claims to have a “New Meatier Taste”.

The new Beyond Meat Burger launched in early May 2021, and is travelling to release across the US and other countries to follow soon.

To be able to tell the new version (version 3) of Beyond Meat from the earlier version is the red square on top of the packaging that says “New Meatier Taste”.

Nutrition

Even-Better Beyond Meat

The old and new versions of Beyond Meat burgers are about 300 calories each, about 20g of protein, nearly 400mg of sodium. It has 35% less total and saturated fat than beef burgers

GMO

The Beyond Meat burger is strictly non-GMO. This has been the case for all of their products.

Size and Packaging

Package Size

The standard packaging of Beyond Meat ground is 340g. The new version will also come in 4-packs of burgers.

Certifications

Beyond Meat is certified Vegan, but there is no indication if it is Halal or Kosher.

Please let me know if you’ve tried the new Beyond Meat burger and what veggie burger is your favourite in the comments and if you’d like to see me review any other vegan products!

Hey I’m Candice aka The Edgy Veg – I veganize popular food recipes for vegans, plant-based diets, eco-conscious eaters & people who are trying to eat more plants over… y’know animals or their by-products. I hope you enjoy this tasty vegan recipe!

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