Vegan summer Maria Slough meets some of the emerging brands that can help shape the perfect vegan summer As the ground temperature warms our feet and we wait patiently for the odd balmy evening to come our way, it’s nearing the season for outdoor gatherings. With this in mind, I thought it was time I looked at a handful of summer essentials that would make up my perfect vegan garden party. I found some groundbreaking motivational stories behind the emerging brands that are helping to shape a new generation and get the conversation started about compassionate living. GREENFORCE Firs ..read more

The vegan products you need on your radar this month UpCircle Coffee Body Scrub with Peppermint By reusing discarded coff ee grounds, this body exfoliator will leave skin soft , smooth, moisturised and smelling great! From £14.99, upcirclebeauty.com Inika Organic Baked Mineral Foundation A foundation that blends the silky-smooth coverage of mineral make-up with the convenience of a compact powder. £33, uk.inikaorganic.com Northern Lashes Bundle of Three Boxes One hundred per cent biodegradable, cruelty-free, vegan, and wearable up to 30 times, Northern Lashes are your ..read more

plant-based meal deliveries It’s 7pm — you’re hungry, shattered aft er a long day at work and you’ve used up all this week’s groceries. So, what are you going to do? Easy — reach for a pre-made meal! And we don’t mean the kind that’s full of sugar, salt and fat, and lacks in any real flavour, we mean the kind that’s tasty, nutritious and obviously, vegan. There are tonnes of plant-based meal delivery services these days, so take a look at some of our favourites. Mindful Chef Vegan Recipe Box Okay, so this one is a little diff erent, but Mindful Chef simply needed to be included ..read more

Dissonance at dinner An evening of vegan curry, swapping stories and competing for Alpha By Jake Yapp I could never harm an animal. I just couldn’t do it’ pontificates my host as we watch his wife bring out the most unbelievable vegan feast I have seen in some time. It’s curry — but there are five different dishes, all beautifully composed and spiced. She must have spent hours in the kitchen. ‘Mm’, I mumble deferentially to him. After all, I am a guest in his house, and they have extended every courtesy imaginable to us, including cooking a vegan meal, possibly for the first time in th ..read more

For animals and smiles Pati Kostecka believes that childrens’ education is the next step in veganism, here, she shows us how her art is helping When looking at the work of Pati Kostecka, it’s difficult not to feel a sort of merriment; to stop the corners of your mouth from creasing upwards into an appreciative grin. With its bright colours, soft shapes and cute characters, Pati’s art is very appealing to the eyes, and to those with compassionate sensibilities. As well as creating charming pieces for kids, Pati, illustrator and owner of small business, Pizzati, makes wonderful works t ..read more

There’s plenty more fish in the sea or is there? We investigate the myth that is ‘sustainable fishing’ You’ve likely heard the term ‘sustainable fishing’ floating around for a while now (pun intended), but what does it really mean? And, more importantly, can any form of fishing, with the ‘right protocols’ and ‘practices’, ever be sustainable? We’re going to dive straight in and find out. What is sustainable fishing? Sustainable fishing is a gallant idea — it’s the notion that humans can capture and kill millions of aquatic animals year on year whilst still maintaining — or growing ..read more

It's a vegan world Stories from around the globe celebrating all things vegan China: Beyond Meat launches new line of vegan meat sauces Much-loved plant-based brand Beyond Meat (beyondmeat.com) has just launched its first-ever collection of sauces for vegan meats. These products have been created specifically for the Chinese market, which has been witnessing rising vegan and flexitarian populations in recent years. Jeremy Yeo, Beyond Meat’s acting general manager in China, comments: “Launching Beyond Meat’s first-ever plant-based meat sauce product under our brand in China reflects ..read more

A catch up with Lotus Heart Animal Sanctuary A year on from meeting Lynn Jolly and her animal residents, we check in to see how things are going On the Isle of Skye, Scotland, nestled in 76 acres of gorgeous croft land, you’ll find Lotus Heart Sanctuary — a safe haven for rescued ‘farm’ animals as well as people. Last year, we met with Lotus owner, Lynn Jolly, just as she was launching her new glamping pods for the site. Just over a year on, we catch up with Lynn once more, to find out how things are going. Hi again, Lynn! Since we spoke to you last summer, what new animal residents ..read more

A crash-course in food waste A simple way to learn more about reducing the volume of food you discard By Laura Gaga I liked an Instagram post of Kitche’s (kitche.co) and won myself a free membership to Lagom Chef, AKA Martyn Odell’s, Food Waste Crash Course. Kitche is a free app which helps you reduce your household food waste by tracking your food. I am no stranger to London-based chef Martyn, or his mission to make reducing food waste fun, simple and accessible. He was a guest on my podcast Alright Raiders and we are firm Instagram friends. I knew that I was in good company when I ca ..read more

7 ways to…boost your energy levels Easy ideas and tips to help you become less tired and more alert in your day-to-day life Do you constantly feel low in energy, or do you always lag from midday onwards? Us too! In our busy, stressful, modern lifestyles, fatigue is a common shared trait, with one in eight of UK adults reporting that they feel tired all the time, according to a recent YouGov study (independent.co.uk). So, how do we combat this? Read on to discover seven ways to increase your energy levels and keep them high all day long. 1. Get more and betterquality sleep This one ..read more