Operation Vegan 2.

So today was day two of Vegan Week and I'm already beginning to become disillusioned with it all. I'm not usually one to give up on anything and I won't give up on this... I just miss sausages. And cheese. Which is funny really since I don't eat either of those things all that much when I'm not being vegan. It's been an easy and relatively tasty day. Nothing nasty and I'm not hungry, so that's all good. I just want chocolate... and milk. Or chocolate milk. I think I might treat myself to a litre or two of that when this is over.

Actually took this photo myself! I had them a few weeks ago, exactly the same.

Breakfast / Lunch: Vegan pancakes with banana and berries.
I used a recipe I found on All Recipes and they are so, so tasty - especially if you use coconut oil. I love these pancakes and they're genuinely the nicest I've ever had. These will be a firm addition to my life even when Vegan Week is over. I had them with a chopped banana and some slightly heated summer berries I had in the freezer.

Photo credit: Healthy Blender Recipes. Mine looked exactly the same.

Dinner: Well... this was disastrous. So we shall say a fruit smoothie.
When I say disastrous, I might be exaggerating a tiny bit. I originally cooked myself some Fanta Chicken without the chicken... so that's just Fanta Veg, with rice. I threw in some tofu too. I've never had tofu before but I thought I'd push the boat out with it being Vegan Week. It's mushy. Mushy and tasteless. My nose was running with all the spices I'd put in the Fanta to make it taste nicer but the tofu was still absolutely tasteless... and mushy. I think mushy is my sticking point - I'm not a fan. So I ate half of it and then just made myself a blueberry, banana and strawberry smoothie with soya milk. Far more satisfying than mushy mushy tofu. I hope tomorrow is a brighter day on the vegan front.

Operation Vegan.

Hello, lovely people. Apologies for being a little quiet - I have 25 days left at university and four assignments and three exams within that time. Needless to say I'm busy but probably procrastinating more than I should be. Anyway, this week I have decided to challenge myself to see if I can be entirely vegan for seven whoooole and painfully long days. I am the world's biggest meat eater and I don't think I've ever gone a day without eating some sort of meat - even the days when I was trying to be vegetarian but gave it all up for a sausage roll. Vegan-ism takes it to the extreme by cutting out butter, dairy and egg too and you'd be surprised at just what you can't have. I looked on the back of my Horlicks tub and, sure enough, it contained dried milk so that's a no go. Some Vegans won't even eat honey because it involves an animal in its production. Today's menu was as follows:

Photo credit: The Vegan Mouse.

Breakfast: Two Weetabix with soya milk and chopped banana.
This is nothing unusual for me - I love soya milk and usually drink it anyway. I've nothing against 'real milk' - a glass of whole milk is one of the best drinks in the world - but soya milk has a thicker consistency and a unique but lovely taste so this was fine and easy.

Photo credit: Veggie Buntch.

Lunch: Baked beans on two slices of toast.
Now this was mediocre... What is beans on toast without butter, I ask you? Absolutely naff, that's what. I even pushed the boat out and went for Heinz beans but to no avail. It was okay... but that's all it was. Butter is clearly the key tasty ingredient of beans on toast and, since I don't fancy shelling out the extra money for Vegan approved spreads, tasteless my lunch shall remain.

Photo credit: VeganYumYum.

Dinner: Vegan bubble and squeak.
This dinner was surprisingly tasty but made me feel a little sick afterwards - I'm not sure why. I put two potatoes, a carrot, some cabbage, a red onion and a leek into a pan and cooked them on the hob for twenty minutes. I then drained them and mashed them together with a little splash of soya milk. When slightly cooled, a made balls out of the mixture, coated them in flour and shallow-fried them for around ten minutes. They were tasty and not as bland as I expected. I think they'd make a nice side to a chicken breast though... mmm chicken. They were an adaptation of a recipe I found on VeganYumYum and I think I'd try them again in a smaller quantity.

(Please note, I didn't take my own photos because silly me has left my camera 200 miles away).

Operation Haircut.

I got my hair cut today at Urban Spirit in Leigh. It's a lovely hairdressers, if not a little bit pompous. Your regular wash and cut is called a Bronze Wash House Treatment with Cut and Finish... Wash house? Really? I mean, it's a sink... Well, anyway, regardless of their superiority complex I do love that place and they always give good quality service. I had my hair cut by Emma Clare today and she's been the best stylist yet - although her services come at an increased cost given her 'level of experience'. In other words, the more senior the stylist, the more your pocket cries.

I literally only had a trim - about an inch off all round - but she styled my hair afterwards with their new Cloud Nine straighteners and curled it for me. She spent good time teaching me how to do it myself and let me have a go there and then so she could correct it if it went wrong. My hair now smells lovely and feels far healthier than it has in months. :)

Operation Yankee.

At the market today, I picked up this 22oz (623g) Yankee Candle in Country Lemonade. It smells amazing. I'm a huge fan of citrus scents to start with but this is heaven. Usually I wouldn't spent what Yankee Candles cost as they're fairly expensive but I picked this one up for £15, saving over £5 from the online cost. They had quite a few different candles in stock and I sniffed them all - much to the shop keeper's displeasure. I'm in love with it and I might go back for another scent soon.

Operation Pictures.

This is my week in pictures. :)