Yes, you read the headline correctly! This week we are excited to announce that global fast-food chain McDonald’s aka Macca’s have now finally dipped their toes into plant-based waters and announced a new plant-based range called the McPlant!

The range is set to roll out in 2021 across the United States after Mcdonald’s successfully trialled a meatless burger in Canadian with Beyond Meat in 2019. The range of plant-based burgers and other items will likely be aimed at the growing ‘flexitarian’ or ‘plant curious’ crowd.

Here at Let’s Go Vegan, we have always been supportive of any fast-food chains launching a plant-based range and Mcdonalds is no exception, in fact, it is one we have been waiting on for over many years. The issue of fast-food chains ‘capitalising’ on the vegan / plant-based movement can be a divisive topic and one that has divided many in the movement over the last number of years. There is certainly merit on both sides of the argument, but we take the view that anything that ‘normalizes’ plant-based eating is a net positive, and McDonald being the most recognized brand on the planet means a huge tick of global credibility for the plants! Not only does it normalise plant-based eating but it also makes plant-based eating accessible at scale. For many individuals and families price and availability is a huge inhibitor to making kinder eating choices in their lives. Price can often play a big part in the decision making around food and McDonald’s will no doubt ensure this product remains ‘reasonably priced’ for all consumers to enjoy.

Skeptics may argue that if individuals want to change their eating behavior (to be more ethical)they will, but we also need to take additional factors that inform these decisions into consideration. Macca’s giving more options means more people taking animals off the plate more often and it’s as simple as that.

Here’s what McDonald’s had to say about the range on their official website last Monday:

“We think our culinary team nailed it. There are other plant-based burgers out there, but the McPlant delivers our iconic taste in a sink-your-teeth-in (and wipe-your-mouth) kind of sandwich. It’s made with a juicy, plant-based patty and served on a warm, sesame seed bun with all the classic toppings.”

The chain estimates that individual markets (ie regions, provinces, and countries) will begin to roll out the product in 2021!

So there you have it, the plant-based revolution is now in full swing and McDonald’s are clearly seeing the benefit of moving with the times and the changes in consumer taste. We hope the launch will be a big success and we look forward to seeing more people trying plant-based!

Leave a comment below to tell us if you would try this and what your thoughts on plant-based fast food are in relation to the announcement.

LGV!

Katie White of Olive Wood Vegan releases new songs for WVD 2020

Katie White is a professional singer/songwriter who runs a garden to plate, vegan food blog called Olive Wood Vegan.

The blog has beautiful recipes and a helpful resource section for anyone looking to learn more about going vegan
(Take a quick look at Olive Wood Vegan’s introduction below).

Recently Katie has produced 2x new songs with beautiful film clips to coincide with World Vegan Day today (1st of November).

Katies says of her new songs:

“They are written from the perspective of the animals and I am incredibly excited to share these songs because as far as I know no one has released anything like them before.”

Combining the power of music, truth, and the world through the eyes of these animals, these songs look to become a groundbreaking way of getting through to people about the sad plight of factory-farmed animals.

Below are her four songs (two with film clips) and Katies recommends listening to them in order, to get the best experience of the work. We have also listed a brief description of each song too.

All The Same

“This song was written to demonstrate how humans and animals are fundamentally the same in the ways that matter, the ability to feel hope, fear, and pain. It also highlights how we are all innately animal lovers but are conditioned to think the difference between us and them is so great that it warrants how we treat them.”

Hoping

This song is dedicated to all mother dairy cows. It is written through her eyes, as she travels through pregnancy, birth, and having her baby stolen from her as per industry standard. She spends the rest of her days hoping her baby will come back to her somehow.”

Brumby

“This song is written from the perspective of a thoroughbred mare in the horse racing industry. It tells her story, her dreams and fears and takes us through her life until she is slaughtered as many ex racing horses are. All she wants is to be free like a brumby (wild Australian horse).”

106

“106 is written from a baby pig’s perspective in a standard pork farm. All pork pigs are killed at around 6 months of age, and to the farmer are just a number. To the individuals inside them, they are so much more than that and have every ability to feel fear.”

Of the releases Katie said:

“They were recorded at the best studio in Western Australia and the film clips to accompany two of them are by an award winning videographer. They will be released on all major streaming platforms including Spotify, Youtube, iTunes and Amazon on the 1st of November.”

We have listened to them all and they are wonderful, taking listeners into the lives of the animals and bringing home the unfortunate plight so many of them face.

If you enjoy the tracks, be sure to follow Katie on Spotify and Youtube, and for all of her vegan recipes and ideas, you can visit Olive Wood Vegan Here.

For more vegan videos, visit our Videos page here.

LGV!

Brad & Lorraine may just be the most committed and hospitable couple in Melbourne’s vegan scene.

After health problems forced Brad to face some hard questions about his lifestyle a few years back, the vegan diet was presented to him as a way forward in the battle to win back his health. After years in the hospitality industry working in top restaurants as a head chef and consultant, Brad was pretty well equipped to explore a new way of eating, and a new way of cooking for that matter too.

A few short years later with a new lease on life, a few favours called in and the love and support of his close-knit family (who all work together on the venture) Brad was ready to launch NOO MOO, a small but warm and intimate family affair in West Heidelburg Melbourne.

Located within an industrial warehouse in a quiet industrial backstreet, what appears to be a simple operation is anything but. After meeting Brad for only a short time, it was clear to see why he had made it into the kitchens of many top establishments in a past life. The tell, Brad is a die-hard chef with a true passion for food. Whilst the NOO MOO space is that of a casual eatery, the thought, care and love put into everything they produce is of the highest possible quality. Almost all made from scratch, Brad joyfully explained to us his process and the reasoning behind the intricate combinations of ingredients and flavours.

After spending just a short time at NOO MOO, you are genuinely treated like part of the family, a feeling rare in the typical in and out style patronage of inner-city dining. We loved our time at NOO MOO and really couldn’t fault the food, service and genuine care that went into the whole operation.

After spending the time getting to know Brad & Lorraine, we thought we would return to ask Brad some questions about the place to give you even more of an insight into the team behind it.

Enjoy.

So Brad, why did you start NOO MOO? Can you tell us a little about your journey to here?

It was really hard initially. But my health had to be the priority. My brother passed away 8 years ago from complications due to diabetes. I was having similar symptoms to the ones he had — like ulcers on my legs — it was serious. The doctor told me ‘mate we’re going to be cutting your leg off, or you’ll be dead’. Talk about a wake-up call. My wife first suggested a vegan diet. She was already pretty knowledgeable about the vegan world. I’m lucky to have someone who already knew about vegan food and eating.

I had started making vegan cheese and figured it would be a great thing to sell. Unfortunately, it’s very hard to get approval for selling cheeses. The certifications are expensive, and the numbers didn’t really add up (at least for now). So I pivoted to the idea of a vegan food trailer. The overhead was more manageable, and I could incorporate our cheeses into the burgers. I already owned a trailer, so the process was a little more achievable.

Tell us about the first 6 months, the ups & the downs so far?

Downs first. No customers, that was scary but we have grown slowly and are now pushing ahead with the bakery starting to get a little following on Saturday morning. We appreciate the support we have from our great loyal customers.

You’ve started an amazing Pizza Night, tell us a little about this?

Bottomless Pizza Night started only due to a pizza oven that was for sale on Facebook for $150. I spoke to my father in-law who said he would have no problem installing it, so I purchased the oven and Vegan pizza night was born. Plus I need to think out of the box to get customers to venture out to the industrial area in Heidelberg West who doesn’t LOVE pizza right?!

Where do you see the NOO MOO brand in 3–5 years, what’s the overall vision?

Noo Moo Foods in the future will be a co-op operation working with vegan, like-minded business under the 1 roof and hopefully on the road with the noo moo foods food truck very soon!

What other Melbourne or Australian eateries do you enjoy as a patron?

Local fantastic restaurant in Greensborough called Infuse has a great vegan selection of modern Asian infused treats plus Earthbound Bolton Café in Eltham good plant-based menu and great consistent food.

Who would be the ultimate vegan you would like to visit NOO MOO?

Woody Harrelson old school vegan!

What new menu items can we expect in the next 12 months?

Well the new menu starts March 2020
Little teasers for you are:

The Sweet & Sour Burger
Veef Southern Spiced Patty, 2 grilled pineapple rings, tomato chilli jam, BBQ sauce, coleslaw, pickles, cashew cheese, crispy noodles

Mother in law loaded fries The Satay Chip Butty
Half garlic bread sub toasted topped with fries, peanut satay sauce, coriander vinegar dressing, coconut cheese sauce, chilli flakes, spring onions, coriander

Mother in law loaded fries Asia Meets India Fries

Fries dusted in curry chicken salt topped with samosas and spring rolls drizzled with sweet chilli mayo and crunchy crushed noodles.

Thank you so much for chatting and sharing with us and the community Brad!

We look forward to coming back soon to taste test the new menu!

NOTE:
Since speaking with Brad the city lockdown laws have meant that the kitchen and brand are now operating on a take-away basis with some menu items potentially changed. Be sure to check in on their website or social media to make sure you can get what you’re after!

Do yourself a favour and go and try the NOO MOO range today.

LGV!

In this recent Vegan Chat With Professional Triathlete Travis Coleman, we discover a young man on the road to a brilliant (plant fuelled) career as a professional athlete.

Travis chats to us about some of the great ‘vegan’ products he uses as well as some of his big achievements to date.

Enjoy the chat.

Tell us a little about yourself and your sport?

So I’m a 23-year-old professional triathlete fuelled by a vegan diet, my main distance is the sprint (750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run) and Olympic distance (1500m swim, 40km bike, 10km run). Before going professional I was age-group national champion for 2016, 2017 & 2018. I went to world champs in 2016 in Mexico and got 23rd (before I was vegan), I went vegan a few months later and went to world champs in 2017 in Netherland and placed 6th with the fastest run split of all age groups, in 2018 I raced at world champs on the Gold Coast (Australia) after a 3 month injury then getting tonsillitis and raced on antibiotics and got 4th, it still haunts me the thought that I could have won if I was 100% and in form but it’s motivation to become professional world champion.

Tell us about your journey to being a plant-based athlete?

The first pattern of going vegan was after watching ‘The Cove’ I gave up all seafood, a year later my girlfriend at the time who is vegan told me that the same thing happens to all land-based animals that we use for meat, dairy or fashion and made the connection when she made me a vegan chicken parmigiana.

How has adopting a plant-based diet helped your performance?

My recovery time has improved so much, I can go to training the next day feeling so much fresher allowing me to go harder making me go faster and improve quicker and it just keeps on flowing from there.

For others interested in endurance sports, tell us a little about what a day for you looks like (and or a comp day)

Monday: 6.5km swim + gym session

Tuesday: 6km swim, 75km bike with hill repeats then 30min run off the bike

Wednesday: 10km track speed run, 70km bike intervals, then cycling crit race at night

Thursday: 40km bike ride, 4km run, gym session, 3km open water swim intervals and 10km run with hill reps

Friday: 7km swim, 8km tempo run

Saturday: 120km hills ride

Sunday: 20km+ long run, 3km open water swim

What is the most underrated ‘plant-based’ ingredient for athletes (in your opinion)

Peanut butter, hahaha nah turmeric or sweet potato, their high anti-inflammatory properties help and allow so much healing to occur.

What other plant-based / vegan athletes inspire you?

I don’t know of many unfortunately and didn’t know any other vegan athletes for a year but I found Rich Roll became a good influence of mine

Best place to get a plant-based meal locally or around Australia?

Cardamom Pod up at Brickworks in QLD for sure!

If an athlete is thinking about ‘going plant-based’ what advice would you give them?

Go see a nutritionist who is open to the idea or better yet vegan themselves, I also believe athlete or not everyone should see a highly educated nutritionist anyway

What vegan / plant-based brands do you wear or support?

Vegan Frotherz: clothing that profits go to sugar shine animal sanctuary.

OORR: cycling/triathlon apparel and is made from recycled materials is a certified b-Corp business that also plants trees for every garment sold.

Garden of Vegan: meal prep company providing gluten-free, organic vegan meals that are delicious and filling.

Amazonia: their RawFit athlete based protein range is all vegan and tastes delicious and I have found of all the protein powders out there it’s the one that sits best on my stomach.

Seagull milk: sunscreen (not made by seagulls) that is reef friendly, vegan and chemical free, also non slip for surfing which is great.

BeHumane: a smoother booster with B12, omega 3, iodine & vitamin D3.

Clean energy: by coconut groove, is there sports drink, an electrolyte made from baby green coconuts.

Who should we interview next?

Druen Dorn from Garden of Vegan’s mindset for business and life is fascinating.

Travis, thank you so much for sharing your story and vegan journey thus far. No doubt some huge huge things to come from you in the next year and beyond. Thank you for all you are doing to push the vegan movement forward for athletes and us regular folk alike!

To follow Travis’ journey, visit his Website Here or his Facebook Page Here.

LGV!

A Vegan Chat With Professional Triathlete Travis Coleman was originally published in Let’s Go Vegan on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

In this latest vegan chat, we speak to Tess Kelly an animal rights activist and animal lover.

Tess is one of the co-organisers of Anonymous For The Voiceless Bendigo and is dedicated to the alleviation of all animal suffering.

We chat with Tess about the journey so far.

Tell us about your journey to veganism

For me, there was no real ‘lightbulb moment’. My journey to veganism was regrettably slow. About a year before I went vegan, I slowly stopped finding meat appetizing. I think I had gotten to an age where I started making the connection between what was on my plate and the living animal it once was. I was about 13 at this time. I remember asking my mum one night when we were having roast cow (beef) if I could just eat the veggies… she said no. For a few months, I ignored what I suppose was some sort of innate opposition to meat. When I was 14 I became interested in health and nutrition and stumbled across the documentary ‘Forks Over Knives’, I couldn’t believe what I had just learnt. The next day I went vegetarian. Two weeks later I decided to eat only vegan food for a day (at this point veganism was still very foreign to me, I didn’t know a single vegan). That night at dinner I told my parents that I tried eating vegan… it didn’t go down well. I was told I wasn’t allowed to live under their roof if I went vegan. The next day I was vegan. It didn’t take me long to stumble across vegan activists such as James Aspey and Joey Carbstrong. I then watched the Aussie Farms ‘Thousand Eyes’ video and was horrified. Fast forward 2 ½ years, I’m dedicated to the animal rights movement, my sister is vegan, my parents eat predominantly plant-based at home and I have a close circle of vegan friends!

You organise Anonymous for the voiceless events, tell us where when & a little about this

I have been a co-organiser for the Bendigo, Victoria Anonymous for the Voiceless chapter for about 6 months. We hold monthly ‘cube of truth’ demonstrations at various locations across Bendigo. Cube of Truth demonstrations involve volunteers standing in a cube formation, holding screens showing farm and slaughter house footage. We then have volunteers speak to the public who show an interest. This is a great way to get involved in activism!

How have you found the response from the public over the last few years, is it changing?

Particularly over the last two years, veganism has become mainstream. It’s been all over the news thanks to actions such as the Dominion disruptions in Melbourne. Mainstream restaurants and brands have brought out vegan options such as; Dominos, Grill’d, Hungry Jacks, Zambreros, Magnum, Cornetto, the list goes on! The vegan movement has certainly grown massively, however, we still have a long way to go. People are still supporting animal agriculture, animals are still dying.

Who inspires your vegan journey?

The amazing people I work alongside of with Anonymous for the Voiceless inspire me so much. They have so much passion and bring so much energy to the cause. Other people like Leah Doellinger from meat the victims is also a huge inspiration. She has dedicated so much to the animals.

Where do you see your activism going in the next 3–5 years, what do you hope to achieve?

I have one last year of high school, during which I will continue with Anonymous for the Voiceless and attending various actions. Once I graduate, I am hoping to spend a year or two doing full-time activism and see where that goes. I just want to do whatever I can to help propel this movement.

For people thinking about going vegan, where would you suggest they start?

Challenge 22 (challenge22.com ) is a great support for people transitioning to a vegan lifestyle. It’s completely free, you get a mentor on Facebook for 22 days who can answer any questions you might have along the way. I would also highly recommend Ed Winters free ebook ’30 non-vegan excuses and how to respond to them’, this is full of lots of great information to help with the many objections and questions non-vegans will throw at you.

Some great documentaries; ‘Cowspiracy‘ to learn about the environment side of things, ‘What the Health‘ for health information, and of course ‘Dominion‘ goes into the many ways humans exploit animals. Other than that, my number one tip would be to connect with other vegans, it will make your journey so much easier.

Where do you go for great vegan food?

If I can’t get to Fitzroy, my favourites around my area (central Victoria) are ‘Adam and Eve’ in Bendigo, ‘The Social‘ in Castlemaine and ‘Olivia’s Pantry‘ in Kyneton. I also enjoy creating meals and sweet treats in our own kitchen, with my sister.

What are some vegan brands you support?

I’m a big advocate for buying second hand wherever possible however, I also think it’s a great form of subtle activism to wear vegan messages on your t-shirts. I Love brands such as ‘Vegan Leather Co.’ and ‘In the Soul Shine‘ for this. It’s also great to buy stuff from animal rights groups, that way the money goes back into the movement. And remember to be conscious consumers and look for ethically made clothing!

Who should we interview next?

I don’t know her personally, but Leah Doellinger does amazing work and would be great to chat to

Tess, thank you so much for not only sharing your story but for all the work you are doing for the animals. You are clearly passionate about animal rights and we are sure you will continue to do great work once you leave school too! To follow Tess and all the great work her and AFV do, visit her page HERE.

If you would like to read about other amazing Vegan Chats, you can read more HERE.

A Vegan Chat with teen activist Tess Kelly was originally published in Let’s Go Vegan on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

In this feature, we chat with Daniela McTaggart a vegan travel blogger about her journey to veganism and finding the connection between loving yourself and loving others (including the planet).

She also shares where to find great vegan on the Gold Coast.

Enjoy the chat.

Tell us about your journey to veganism

It’s been a long journey but a great one.

I originally went vegan when I was told by my doctor that I needed to take antidepressants and having my father who died from mental health I didn’t want to go down this path and so I reached out to my friend who was vegan. He was my only vegan friend I had & when I told him what my doctor said he told me to give veganism a go and so I did..3 yrs later I feel amazing, have lost 16kilos and gained a huge amount of knowledge & confidence.

Going vegan was the best thing I’ve done for me and my family, I’ve become a whole new person.

Self-love and veganism, tell us about the connection here?

Well to me there’s a lot more to veganism than just the planet, saving the animals & health .. I think overall you have to love and appreciate yourself first before you can actually understand what veganism is all about. If you don’t love yourself how can you expect to love & care for anything else? With that, I mean your health, our planet & the animals … personally I believe that how you love yourself is how you teach others to love. Self-love radiates outwards.

We love that, that’s a fantastic way to look at it! Now you live on the Gold Coast, where is the best Vegan food or eateries in GC?

Well, I do have a few favourites my current favourite is “plant-based cafe” in paradise point their ice coffee and their cauliflower buffalo wings have to be my favourite dish there & also Balboa Italian In Coolangatta I love their vegan pizzas it’s my go-to place for “Date nights”.. Last but not least Saiko Teppanyaki they have a vegan option veggie & tofu stir fry with hot & spicy sauce and a side of steamed rice, it’s delicious.

You write about beauty products, what are some of your go-to vegan brands or products?

Beauty tofu is my go-to beauty product I love all their products however my current favourites are the vitamin C super serum & T3 tip to toe organic temple detox.

I’m also currently loving the Botanist aromatherapy essential oil rollers, in my travel bag I have… Self-love, Relax & sleep they come in very handy always.

Who inspires your vegan journey?

My children because I’m a huge believer that to bring good humans into the world you need to set an example & as a mother of two boys age 10 & 7 I want my boys to look at me and say if mummy can do it so can I.

What do you hope people will find diving into the Pure Vegan Existence website?

Inspiration to be themselves & make a change in this world..: I want people to look at my journey and see that if I can do it, they can too. We are all unique individuals and we all do things differently it doesn’t matter how we do it as long as the outcome is still the same. Together we can change the world & become better human beings.

You are a keen traveller, where are some memorable vegan places or experiences you have had?

San Francisco there’s a place called vegan camp, they make the most amazing vegan burrito it’s big enough to feed two people I can never finish the whole thing.. it’s sooo delicious I can’t even describe it! To make it even better it comes with a side of vegan Mac & cheese it’s delicious. I visit vegan camp often when I’m in San Francisco and I try to try something different from their menu whenever I visit. But I must say that the burrito is my favourite.

What is your go-to vegan meal at home?

Red lentil bolognese on mashed potatoes or pasta that’s a weekly meal in our household because it’s so damn good.

The other it’s a potato & chickpea curry which I now make in my new pressure cooker.

What advice would you give to someone new to veganism or thinking about it?

Educate yourself is my top advice because once you have knowledge then you will understand better. I think it’s very important to understand why & how… nutrition is also very important to understand.

My second tip would be experiment with flavours, get on Pinterest and try different recipes, once you find the flavours you love, cooking will become easy.

My third tip and most valuable one I think is don’t doubt yourself.. if people decide to not be your friend because all of the sudden you went vegan, don’t worry.. with this journey you will gain and attract better people in your life. Remember that when things change inside you, things will change around you.

Who should we interview next?

@thatvegandad

Daniela, thank you so much for the chat, we love the answer to the connection between self-love and veganism, this is a wonderful way to look at how we treat ourselves and the world around us, and it’s never been more important.

To follow Daniela’s journey and get all of her fantastic tips, reviews and recommendations you can follow her blog Purely Vegan Existence Here.

And for more Vegan Chats, be sure to check the link HERE with all of our amazing interviews and guests.

LGV!

A Vegan Chat with Travel & Wellness Blogger Daniela McTaggart was originally published in Let’s Go Vegan on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

From travel blogging to vegan reviewing, Kiki & The Greeky are a go-getting couple making their way through Brisbane’s’ vegan menus!

Having had negative reactions to various foods, they moved to a vegan / plant-based diet and found that it really worked for them.

After watching the Game Changers Documentary, they cemented their decision to go VEGAN! We chatted with them about their journey and what advice they have for new vegans.

Enjoy.

What sparked the journey to veganism, was there a breaking point or particular thing that was a line in the sand moment?

I guess what sparked our journey to Veganism is that Greeky wasn’t feeling the best and we saw a naturopath who said to go Meat-free for a month. After undergoing that strategy, Greeky was amazed at how much better he felt after a meal and not so bloated or yucky in the stomach. Once Kiki had our baby two months in we realised the dairy she was eating would make baby upset and his skin would break out in rashes as he was breastfed. So Kiki cut out all dairy and it helped instantly. So we both decided to ditch the dairy together

Obviously, when first starting our transition to vegan, it was hard when family brings out all the yummy meals with dairy & chicken in it. So for the first few weeks it was a sitting on the fence ordeal, where Yes we feel better eating veggies and plant-based meals, but we’d still find ourselves eating lean meats such as Chicken or Turkey mince. THEN, we jump on Netflix and see a crazy documentary that we highly recommend, “The Game Changers” and that pretty much gave us the extra push over the fence to fully commit to Veganism.

What has been the best thing about going vegan?

For us, it has to be the way we feel after a meal. Not so heavy or bloated, a lot more energy and general health & our weight has improved. We’ve had to do a bit of research on recipes and making sure we’re getting in our proteins and vitamins.

What has been the hardest?

Haha this ones a funny one. The hardest would have to be Chocolate/ice cream for Kiki, and Cheese/traditional Spaghetti for the Greeky. In our previous diet, we used to have a lot of Spaghetti and an abundance of sweets such as Ice Cream, Chocolate, etc. So really this diet has been a blessing for reducing our sweet tooth.

What are your favourite vegan eateries?

Oh, this is a hard one as we’ve found some crazy yummy vegan cafes with our journey so we will list a couple off the top of our heads,
– Nurcha Vegan Cafe — Maroochydore
– Zen Den Cafe — Mooloolaba
– Succulent Market — Boondall

and our most frequent flyer points go to Grill’d with their Beyond burgers !!!!
We are still on the hunt for more awesome Vegan Cafes/ Restaurants around Brisbane. So we’d love any recommendations!

When others ask you about going vegan, what’s the one piece of advice you always give?

Our advice is pretty simple, Go give it a try and tell us if you can taste and feel the difference. Friends and Family who have tried, have said how good they feel afterward and actually enjoy the taste. We even make our vegan spaghetti bogl and dish it up to our family & friends and they don’t notice until we tell them its made with plant-based mince.

Go-to vegan dinner meal at home?

Our fav dinner at home would have to be either a yummy veggie stir fry, or Plant-Based Meatballs from Veggie Delights, mixed with different veggies and either Zucchini noodles or Sweet Potato Noodles. We also love making our own sweet potato fries and plant-based burgers

Who inspires your vegan journey?

We try to inspire each other or just surrounding our social media accounts with different vegan pages/chefs so that it keeps us in the loop and The Game Changers Documentary has definitely helped inspire us as well as our health (who doesn’t want to be healthy)

Favourite vegan cheat meal/dessert/treat?

We haven’t really found a CHEAT meal as such but just recently we’ve found a place at Mooloolaba called Yogurt & Gelato World and they have a couple of amazing tasting Vegan yogurt and gelato. We also don’t mind San Churro as they have some Vegan-friendly options as well. Kiki goes for their Salted Caramel Vegan gelato and Greeky gets a Vegan Hot Chocolate with Vegan Churros.

Why should someone skeptical consider going vegan?

As we were once skeptics ourselves, we just want those who are on the fence and wondering what its like ? To jump on board this groove train even if its for a couple of days or a week. Record the differences you feel and weigh it up. Your being kind to not only your health and body, but your also being very nice to our planet as well without even realising.

Who should we interview next?

Zen Den Cafe owners. They are very nice people and have an amazing menu with an awesome little Vegan-friendly shop of goodies as well. They also work with float tanks that help Zen the body. They also pride themselves in being the only FULLY VEGAN cafe with even have vegan cleaning products and Vegan TOILET paper :O how insanely awesome is that !!

Amazing guys! Thank you so much for sharing your vegan journey with us all. For those in the Brisbane area, there are some great tips here for you all. If you would like to follow along with Kiki & The Greeky’s journey you can visit their Instagram or Facebook pages.

LGV!

A Vegan Chat with New Vegans Kiki & The Greeky was originally published in Let’s Go Vegan on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Kristy Alger is not afraid to say what she thinks, get her hands dirty and most importantly stand up for the most vulnerable in our society, the animals.

A number of previous guests suggested we chat with her, and she was kind enough to agree. In this brief chat, we discuss the issue of protests, activism, food and whether or not the future will disappoint or surprise. Kristy’s passion is inspiring, and we hope it will spark in you the desire to do even more for the animals of the world.

Enjoy the chat.

Tell us about yourself and how your vegan calling started?

I’ve always had a “love” for animals, very much encouraged by my grandma Maumie who was a lifelong vegetarian and animal rescuer/liberator. But being the daughter of a hunter, translating that “love” into actual respect for other animals took some time. Eventually, exposure to footage from the Australian live export scandal of 2011, watching The Cove and meeting actual vegans in real life set me on a path to veganism and animal rights activism. I initially went vegan in 2012, within a year was involved in an undercover investigation of a rabbit farm, and operated my own rabbit rescue for five years. In 2016 I became a committee member with Animal Liberation Tasmania, and in 2017 co-founded Tasmanian Animal Save.

You protest regularly, what do you believe is your most effective tool or strategy for changing people’s minds on animal rights or the animal ag industry?

My strength is words. I have an honours degree in Ancient Latin Literature so I know how to craft a solid argument, how to research effectively, and how to communicate both factually and emotively. It’s taken me some time to recognise this as being my strength, but now that I have I’m embracing it to the fullest.

You’re not convinced big businesses ‘vegan offerings’ are having as big an impact on the movement as we realise, tell us about that, and what you think we can do to better educate consumers?

There is a mistaken belief that more “vegan” options translate into fewer animals bred, exploited and slaughtered, IE: supply & demand. This is factually incorrect. We do not live in a supply & demand economy. We instead live in an economy wherein corporations create markets and consumers for their products through advertising, trade deals and export. Ever wondered why we have so many new plant-based milks, cheeses, and icecreams but dairy yields and herd sizes keep increasing? Our governments and corporations are creating markets in China and throughout SE Asia (look up what the Aus Government did recently in Sri Lanka as an example) for dairy so the industry will never collapse. Smaller dairies may close; dairy corporations will not.

These industries also manipulate public perception through the creation of industry-influenced dietary guidelines that are broadly promoted in schools (Dairy Australia Picasso Cows as an example) to ensure a new generation of consumers is never far away.

This is a real David vs. Goliath battle. And when corporations like Macdonalds, Hungry Jack’s, Burger King etc. release new (albeit exciting) plant-based products they do so knowing vegans will provide online hype for free. We will flood social media with endless posts and pictures of those products, in a way we don’t do for protest actions or animal cruelty exposés. Then we’ll pour millions of dollars into propping up corporations with the worst human rights, animal rights, and environmental policies. David literally starts handing his stones and sling into the hands of the Goliath.

We gotta eat, and we should enjoy what we eat. But we should stop kidding ourselves that vegan options will result in total liberation; this attitude breeds complacency. Addressing food accessibility, researching how corporations and governments collude to control food systems, and creating connections within our local communities will achieve far more than buying and promoting a burger from a mega-corporation.

What has been the most successful campaign you have been involved in to date?

I view my whole activist life is one long holistic campaign interspersed with chapters. And each chapter has brought about successes, challenges, failures and growth.

The chapter that stands out most for me though happened back in 2017 when a local arts festival Dark MOFO (run by MONA & David Walsh) brought Hermann Nitsch to Tasmania to host his performance piece 150.Action. A bull was to be deliberately slaughtered specifically so performers could roll in his corpse, tear the flesh apart, pour the blood of twelve slaughtered steers about, in what the artist himself describes as an “orgiastic celebration of chaos and cruelty.” I spearheaded the campaign to shut it down; we ultimately failed and the bull was slaughtered in a local Tasmanian slaughterhouse. But I learned a huge amount in those six weeks, such as how to control the messaging, directing the public narrative to counter the excuses and lies of the event organisers, public communications. In the end ticketing was sabotaged so an expected audience of two thousand was reduced to a few hundred. And those who attended had to walk a gauntlet of over one hundred protestors, holding pictures of rescued bulls and mirrors to reflect themselves back at themselves, effectively telling them to have a damned hard look at themselves. No consolation for the bull who was killed, but the reputation of that festival has since been damaged. This year they hosted a performance piece investigating the slaughter of pigs, but instead of real pigs, they used humans in costumes. I like to think our campaign against 150. Action was part of why that piece was featured.

How do you remain positive in the face of the cruelty and exploitation that you see?

I don’t remain positive. I’m a deeply pessimistic person and that pessimism is, unfortunately, becoming more pervasive as I progress further into activism. It’s hard to remain positive when you’ve seen some of the things I’ve seen. Laws are being changed to suppress activists among all social justice movements. Our government is becoming increasingly more oppressive and fascist in nature (which given “Australia’s” roots in violent colonialism says a lot).

But whilst I have limited hope for the future I do maintain faith in myself, my children and soon to be husband and the activists in my close working circle. And so long as I maintain that faith I’ll maintain the endurance necessary to continue fighting in solidarity with non-humans and humans alike.
And who knows, maybe the future will surprise me.

Where do you see your activism in the next 3–5 years?

It’s hard to say. Here in lutruwita/”Tasmania” new draconian anti-protest laws have been introduced that protect businesses and individuals from criticism, boycotts, and protests. Something as simple as blocking a truck for two minutes at a slaughterhouse vigil could potentially result in up to four years in jail and massive fines. These will deter people for very valid reasons; but I am in a privileged position to be able to challenge those laws and likely will. So who knows what may happen.

All I know is as animal liberationists we must acknowledge the work of activists who have gone before us, as well as the work of other social justice movements. And where possible we need to band together in the face of increasing state oppression. If we allow the powers that be to divide us we will fail. And in animal liberation, when we as activists fail we aren’t the ones who primarily suffer for it.

Who do you look to for inspiration?

I look to the people next to me, on the ground, acting on a grassroots level. Some of us in this movement have been afforded the honour of being more visible, mic in hand, on a stage. But it’s the people whose names you will likely never know, their perseverance, presence, and actions that inspire me most. We place too much emphasis on celebrity in this movement; the truth is none of us with a platform (irrespective of how “big” we are) would be where we are if not for the thousands of people doing the work where it needs to be done.

What brands do you support or think people should get behind?

Research brands to see what their human, animal and environmental policies are. Plant-based doesn’t automatically mean ethical manufacture. Question your consumption. Purchase what you can through co-ops, locally or through activist groups. That way money goes into the community, not corporate pockets.

The book that changed your life was….

Call of the Wild by Jack London has had a profound effect on my perception of the human relationship with other animals, on the domestication of non-humans, and lead me on a path to question just how in control we really are as a species. The wild is always bubbling away close to the surface in all of us.

The documentary that everyone needs to watch is…

The Animal People has just been released, documenting the story of SHAC and the SHAC 7, and I think it could be an important tool in informing the public about direct action and activism as well as government oppression, the police state, and industry corruption. But for existing activists it is vital that we understand our history; what has gone before will happen tomorrow if we do not learn, adapt and progress.

Who should we interview next?

One name springs to mind; Lea McBride. She’s an AR activist from Adelaide who organises Vegan Festival Adelaide amongst many other amazing events. Lea is a powerhouse and has been instrumental in boosting my activism platform. She’s created an incredible festival with the perfect balance between food & entertainment and animal rights activism.

Kristy, thank you so much for this insightful chat. We wish you all the best with your continued activism and advocacy. What you do for the animals is amazing and we all commend you for the often thankless task of sticking up for them. If they could talk, they would certainly say thanks!

To follow more of Kristy’s journey, you can follow along HERE.

To read more about other amazing vegans, visit our vegan chat section HERE.

LGV!

A Vegan Chat With Animal Activist Kristy Alger was originally published in Let’s Go Vegan on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Susannah Waters is the force behind Instagram account
v3gan_food. The account is designed to showcase what vegans eat, and how good it can be! Susannah has been a longtime vegan after discovering the horrors of the industry through the help of her sister. We chat with her about where to eat, what to eat and why she is personally inspired by animal sanctuaries. Enjoy the read.

So Susannah, tell us a little about yourself and your vegan journey

I am a former veterinary nurse who currently works in communications in eastern Sydney. I have been a massive animal-lover since I can remember, but it wasn’t until my teens that the hypocrisy of my actions (eating animals) was made apparent to me.

When I was 15, my sister Ally discovered a book at the local library called “Old MacDonald’s Factory Farm: The Myth of the Traditional Farm and the Shocking Truth About Animal Suffering in Today’s Agribusiness”. She went vegetarian immediately. Ally then proceeded to consume every book or magazine about factory farming and vegetarianism that she could get her hands on (this was the mid-90s: the internet wasn’t really a thing yet!).

My curiosity was aroused: I started to browse through the books in my spare time, and what I uncovered was absolutely horrific. I recall that Peter Singer’s Animal Liberation, in particular, had a massive impact on me. I actually felt betrayed; like I had been lied to by society my whole life. I was also shocked that it had taken me this long to find out the truth about the cruelty and violence inhabiting the animal agriculture industry. By the time I turned 16, I was vegetarian.

A year or so later, Ally announced that she was going vegan. When she described the cruelty inherent in the dairy and egg industries, I knew I couldn’t justify my consumption of those products anymore and I started transitioning to veganism.

What was the motivation for starting the Instagram account?

My then-partner and I started @v3gan_food a few years ago because we wanted to demonstrate that vegan food is diverse and delicious, and essentially that — contrary to popular perception — it’s not scary, boring or difficult! And that we are absolutely not deprived when it comes to food choices.

Best Sydney cafe for vegan eats?

I love Herb n Sprout Co., which is a vegan and vegetarian café near where I live in Maroubra. They make the best scrambled tofu I’ve ever eaten, and their pancakes and coconut French toast are incredible. Of course, I’d love it if the café went fully vegan!

I also adore the all-vegan Shift Eatery in Surry Hills and wish I could get there more often. Their toasties are amazing.

Not exactly a café, but I wanted to mention a new plant-based Mexican bar, Calle Rey, in Newtown. The best margaritas I’ve ever had and their buffalo cauliflower wings are so so good!

Best Sydney vegan dessert spot?

Gelato Blue in Newtown. It’s a fully plant-based gelateria. The flavours are indulgent and they also make delectable sundaes.

I love the Cruelty Free Shop in Glebe — their chocolate range is next level and they often have heavenly baked treats at the counter.

Activists or influencers we should be following?

Can I name an animal sanctuary? One of my main passions is wildlife conservation, so I really admire and respect the work that Five Freedoms Animal Rescue does — they work tirelessly to rescue and rehabilitate wildlife. Their pics of orphaned baby kangaroos make my heart melt. @fivefreedomsanimalrescue

Favorite new vegan product from the supermarket?

iPastai’s Spinach and Vegan Ricotta Cheese Ravioli! Life-changing.

Their vegan Basil Pesto is also divine. These are available at Woolworths.
I also have to mention the Pana Organic Hazelnut and Chocolate spread. This is like Nutella — but better! I often eat it straight from the jar with a spoon

I buy this from Coles.

At home vegan meal of choice?

I love making wraps with Vegie Delights’ Not Burgers, lots of rocket, tomato, fried onions and my favourite vegan cheese, Sheese Mature Cheddar.

Who should we interview next?

Vegan cook and cookbook author Leigh Drew. I’ve been lucky enough to eat some of her delicious vegan cuisines!

Her new company Just Add… Vegan Products is a really cool concept — it’s a range of do-it-yourself mixes to easily create faux meats, sauces, and other dishes.

@justaddveganproducts

Susannah, thank you so much for sharing all of this information and your vegan journey. For those who now want to follow all the amazing food…visit her HERE for more.

LGV!

A Vegan Chat With Susannah Waters of V3gan Food was originally published in Let’s Go Vegan on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Jacqui Rose is a young girl with many talents.

From design, graphics, editing, art & most importantly photography, we discovered her through her work with the annual Adelaide Vegan Festival (See her review & images HERE).

Jacqui was kind enough to talk to us about her photography as well as the very important question of where to get the best vegan food in Adelaide.

Enjoy the chat.

Tell us about yourself and your journey to a conscious lifestyle

My name is Jacqui Brogan (Or most people know me as Jacqui Rose). I’m 25 years old and have been vegan for 10 years now after finally seeing that it just wasn’t right to kill and harm others in my way of living. In the past I’ve had struggles with bullying, depression, eating disorders and anxiety. Following a long path to finding my true self and learning to go Vegan, it was a journey and something I’m very grateful for as it’s made me the person I am today, which is the happiest I’ve ever been and knowing myself worth and who I want to be, for myself and my path! Having this journey of self-development and finding who I really am, I now want to help others find their path and while sharing my creative side.

Why are animals so important to you?

Growing up I’ve always been a huge animal lover as a child, from thinking I could talk to animals and be-friending wild birds in my yard to feed after school. I’ve always had a deep love and connection for other living beings than just humans. Animals do so much for this planet and how the ecosystem works, a lot of people don’t think about it much. I don’t see a difference from humans or animals as we are all equal beings on this earth and all have our purpose, so why harm one and not the other?

You talk a lot about self-care and looking after yourself, what are some of your favourite vegan products?

I think self-love and care are really important for everyone, men, women, and children. It’s part of treating your body well and taking time out for yourself. Not all self-love has to be done with buying or treating yourself to something but it can be part of it. Some of my favourite vegan products are by the brands Lush, Oh Deer Sugar, Designer Brands, Purple Maiden Bath & Body, Frank Body, Sukin and making my own too.

You do awesome photography, what are your favourite vegan events or places to shoot?

Thank you so much that really means a lot. Honestly, I love anything from food events, animals and people, I just like being out and capturing other people enjoying themselves or showing off the new vegan products and food I love!

Where do you see your work and creativity leading in the next 3–5 years or longer? What is your ultimate goal with it?

I hate to think so far ahead and just love to take life and the journey as it comes, but I’d love to have a bigger business (brand) within my photography and design, helping and working with other small vegan companies and brands to lift there’s and promote veganism in all the ways I can. I’d also love to work with bigger brands and help out with rescue farms and maybe do a few little side projects of my own to travel the world with.

You recently shot for the Adelaide Vegan Festival, what was the best part of the event and what stalls did you love?

I’ve worked with the vegan festival for the past 2 years now and have loved every minute so much with just the overall vibe and interacting with so many likeminded and wonderful people. I love getting to meet all the stallholders and find out how they came about their business and learning more about everyone else’s stories in veganism.

I loved all the stalls I couldn’t pick one but it’s a great event overall cause you get to learn more about some of your favourite food stalls + new ones.

Who inspires your work?

Everyone around me (depending on what my work is). I have such a love and passion for sharing stories, other people’s creations and capturing a moment in time if that’s food, events or even nature.

I have always loved working with animals, so being able to capture pets or animals in nature is something that naturally inspires me.

Food Photography I love as it shows off Vegan Food and how it can be amazing and share the passion and love the chef has put into making it. Food is art and to capture that and someone else’s passion is so wonderful!

Best vegan eatery in South Australia (you can name more than one!)

My favourite place hands down is Sushi Planet, the food is honestly amazing and they can cater to anyone which is lovely cause anyone can hang out and enjoy food together no matter what lifestyle or diet they are on. If you love Japanese food I highly recommend it’s so fresh, the quality and different sets of sushi are amazing from Mango to seaweed and pumpkin. They do more than just sushi, so don’t let the name fool you, from Skewers, Udon Noddles, Rice Bowls, Tempura and Salads! They have so many vegan set meals and options.

A few other places you have to visit are:

• Cherry Darlings

• Bob Bowls

• Plant 4 Bowden

• Bomdia Bowls

• An Lac Vegetarian/Vegan Buffet

• Argoes on the parade

• Crux

• Loveon Cafe

• Metta Sol

• Nutrition Republic

• The Lost Deli

• Cafe Troppo

• staaziandco

• Live A Little Gelato

• Sassii

Amazing list! Thank you for sharing all of these!
What other vegans in Adelaide are doing great things locally??

So many people are creating all different events here in Adelaide, its really crazy how big the vegan community is, from a Gin Festival, Vegan Palooza, Plant Based Markets and a few small little dinners and hangouts people create on Facebook. A lot of non-vegan places are also creating and getting into a few events which is great!

Who should we interview next?

There are a few people in mind actually:

Live a Little Gelato: who makes vegan ice cream.
Sassi Ice Cream: Who created vegan Middle Eastern style vegan ice-cream with her family recipes.
Lea McBride: She is the Director and Event coordinator for all the major vegan events here in Adelaide from The Vegan Festival to Gincident and Vegan Palooza?
Sushi Plant Chef/staff: You could interview a non-labeled vegan restaurant on how having more vegan options and creating a vegan-friendly space has affected their business and how they see it growing.

Ok, Jacqui wow! Thank you so much for sharing such a wealth of knowledge on the vegan scene in South Australia. For those who are SA based or traveling South anytime soon, please take note of the huge selection of amazing vegan eateries and brands.

For those who want to dive into Jacqui’s work, and we think you should, you can check out her WEBSITE, INSTAGRAM, ADELAIDE VEGAN FESTIVAL ARTICLE & PHOTO’S PAGE.

And for more stories of the people of the vegan movement, visit our Vegan Chat section HERE.

LGV!

A Vegan Chat With Photographer Jacqui Rose was originally published in Let’s Go Vegan on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.