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ravenousveggie

Thoughts on veggie food, work, play and life in general

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Monthly Loves

Monthly Loves – April 2020

The world in lockdown has affected many businesses – some stopping completely and others finding new ways to provide for their customers. Her are just a few of the business and sites that have brought a dsmile to my face during April.

Harries Coffee for finally teaching me the right way to make decent coffee using a cafetiere. I haven’t tried the coffee yet but will be ordering some soon.

Oat Milk from Milk & More – In my opinion as good as Oatly oat milk but delivered to your door in the most gorgeous reusable/recyclable glass bottles. In conjunction with my new found coffee making skills I may never have to go out for a decent coffee again. Milk & More’s veggie/vegan range is very good, with a commitment to avoid plastic packaging wherever possible. And all delivered to your door!

Nature – I am lucky enough to have a small garden to relax in. I’m not the best gardener in the world and with my love of wildlife my garden tends to have a slightly ‘wild’ look to it. I tend to leave the edges of the garden to wild flowers that naturally seed themselves and just keep them in check. In April the Forget-No-Nots have been lovely and have brought a burst of colour and joy to the days of lockdown.

April Loves - Forget Me Nots

We have been trying to support local businesses where possible during lockdown. One business has been Al The Pie Man. He usually has a stall in our local market and is now doing home deliveries. He dose meat, veggie and vegan options. I had the Mushroom Stroganoff which was lovely. The sides or mash and peas with wild garlic were also very good, in fact I’m tempted just to order the peas on their own! Usefully the pies come marked with what they are, so no nasty surprises in serving the wrong pie to the wrong person!

April Loves - Al The Pie Man

Monthly Loves – September

Another busy September, however this year I managed a  week away and came across some lovely things:

  • Bel and the Dragon.  This is one of my favourite boutique hotel and restaurant chains.  On a recent visit to the Windsor branch I was pleasantly surprised by their veggie/vegan range of food.  In the past it has always been a bit lacking but now the choice is really good. Not the cheapest place to eat or stay, however for a treat it is definitely work seeking out.

  • Windsor Castle – we went here to do the tour.  I admit I baulked at the entry price, however once in it was well worth it.  A great look at the history of the monarchy. My only slight quibble is that there is not much on our current Royal family.
  • I love curry and whilst visiting the NEC we found this great Indian restaurant not far away.  Jilabi had the most amazing range of food.  The waiter asked us our likes and challenged us to try new things.  The food was fresh and tasty, and just kept coming. On top of this it is very reasonably priced.  Well worth a visit. Only thing to bear in mind is that when we went they didn’t have an alcohol licence.  Not to worry though – there is a Tesco in walking distance!
Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash
  • Sainsbury’s Avocado Sandwich – In our week off we inevitably ended up buying  a quick lunch from a petrol station. The one we went to had a Sainsburys supermarket at it, and I found the most wonderful avocado sandwich.  It was such a relief in the endless sea of cheese and egg mayonnaise offerings!  
  • Beefeater have got a new menu out and I was really impressed by the vegetarian chilli.  I am a bit of a purest with my chili and prefer it with kidney beans, however this offering with lentils and beans stood up well.

Monthly Loves – August

For the first time in many years I managed a short break in August. Normally I have been the one who is happy to work whilst others have holiday with their families. Its less crowded and cheaper out of season! But this year was different and it was good!

On our trip to Dorchester we went to Vivo Lounge.  One of a chain of ‘Lounges’ they have a very good vegetarian and vegan menu and fabulous cocktails.  Definitely worth finding your nearest one for a good night out.

The King and Thai – an excellent family run Thai restaurant which caters really well for vegetarians and vegans.

The Hendover Cafe – another family run business offering breakfasts, lunches and tapas evenings.  Great friendly service and good quality food. 

We finished off August with a visit to The Woking Food Festival.  This was well run and had a multitude of stalls selling lovely vegetarian and vegan food.  From sauces to pies there was so much choice! Although being surrounded by so much food made me loose my appetite, I can recommend the dosa, sauces and pickles from Ollo Foods.  

Woking also has a lovely food walk in between the two parts of the Peacock shopping centre (Market Walk).  A great range of food stalls and a lovely fruit and veg stall selling everything from broccoli to kohlrabi and mooli.  A real treat and a good reason to go back to Woking!

Monthly Loves – June

June was a busy month at work, but I also managed a cheeky weekend away.  It was good to get some warm, dry weather at last, and so I managed some time out in the garden.  I can definitely feel my energy returning with the warmer weather. In June I loved the following:

  • Earth Kind – In my effort to cut down my plastic use I am always on the look out for hints and tips.  Earth Kind provide a consultancy service to help you reduce your plastic use.  Definitely worth getting in touch if you would like a helping hand in moving towards a zero waste lifestyle.
Jason Leung – Unsplash
  • We managed a few days away in Cornwall and were taken to The Coddy Shack in Looe.  This is a fish and chip shop which also has a fully licensed restaurant.  It sells more than just fish and chips and has a really good vegetarian menu.  The cakes are good too!
  • Brewers Fayre – On our few days away we ended up staying at a Premier Inn with very little food choices nearby.  However I was pleasantly surprised by the Veggie/Vegan offering from Brewers Fayre. The price and portion size were good, and there were even starters I could eat (one for Beefeater to take note of!)
  • Greggs Vegan Sausage Roll – another reflection on time spent out and about!  I finally succumbed at a motorway service station and tried the vegan sausage roll.  I have to say I was not expecting to like it, but now if I am hungry, and in a hurry, it will probably be my go to ‘on the run’ snack.  The first time ever I have liked something in Greggs!

Monthly Loves – May

May seems to have happened in the blink of an eye – it must have been all those bank holidays!

Zoom – this video conferencing software is transforming my life – giving me more time in the office and getting me out of the car.

Bagels – I had forgotten how good bagels are for lunch.  Avocado, tomato and olive is my current favourite filling

The British Library – They have an interesting mix of exhibitions and information, plus an excellent small business support hub.  Makes me wish I live in London so I could attend the seminars more easily.

Magnesium Supplement – transforming my sleep pattern and helping my recovery from a shoulder injury.

Monthly Loves – April

April – a month of holidays, warmer weather and a special party

  • Seville – My partner and I managed to escape the cooler weather and spent 6 nights in Seville.  It is a lovely city, easily discoverable on foot (and lot of trams to get around on) plus great train links to other cities.  We also managed a day trip to Cadiz by train. Eating out as a vegetarian was interesting but not overly difficult. The restaurants in the centre generally had a better vegetarian choice.  The restaurants used by the locals were more limited, but did have better atmosphere. Our hotel also had an excellent environmental policy……

  • Dance In The Hurricane – I am a  big fan of Toyah and have been since 1980.  Her latest album, In The Court Of the Crimson Queen, is a great re-working of a previous album with some great new tracks added.  Dance In The Hurricane is probably my favourite new track. It is deeply personal and poignant and brings back memories to me of my own family.  
  • We celebrated my Aunt Meg’s 90th birthday, and I was put in charge of organising the cake for the party.  To be honest I was a bit daunted by this. I love cake and am great at eating it, but cooking or ordering one was a whole new world for me. I also had to please both my sister and my aunt.  No pressure then. Making it myself was an immediate no go. Time constraints and my inability to cook any cake that doesn’t come our brick-like were my biggest issues. But trying to find a cake maker who could do produce one was much more of a struggle than i expected.  Apparently they get fully booked up months in advance. Luckily for me I found Putty Cakes, who produced the most amazing cake, beautifully decorated and conveniently located on the way to the party venue.

Monthly Loves – February

Wow what a month February was.  It started with snow, and then a mini heatwave, then cooled back down to near normal temperatures.  I think this gave us all a pre-spring lift. So this month I was grateful for:

  • Signs of spring – Daffodils, snowdrops and crocuses have brought a lovely splash of colour to brighten up these winter days.  The longer daylight hours are also making the walk to and from work much more enjoyable.

Photo by Simon Moore on Unsplash
  • Bel and Dragon – this small chain of hotels and restaurants may not be the cheapest but the venues, food and service are lovely.  Not the best veggie menu in the world (very cheese orientated), but still worth it for a treat. I was lucky enough to be taken for a weekend to celebrate my birthday!
  • Quiet Time – As you will see from my blogs I have discovered the joy of quiet time and switching off.  
  • Lentil Dahl – a dish that is very simple to make, full of flavour and perfect to have as a main meal or a light lunch
  • Moving Office – my company has moved office to a much more modern, insulated building.  My morale has definitely lifted as I now don’t feel cold at work all day, and I have a window to look out of.

Monthly Loves – January

January – the month of setting resolutions and getting back into work after the the Christmas break.  The days have been dark, and although the daylight hours are increasing, the temperature is dropping. It’s not my favourite month – the dark days do sap my energy, but there are the signs of longer,warmer days to come.  However I have come across a few lovely things this month…..

  • Beautiful lace like jewellery from Ruth Mary Jewellery.  Stunning pieces made by a very talented lady
  • Naughty but nice – my local corner store has started stocking a Mexican Mix by Silver Palm Foods.  I love the dried corn snacks you get and this has a mix of corn, dried beans and crisps in a spicy covering.  Naughty and very moorish!
  • The veggie/vegan options at Las Iguanas.  Great choice of food which made my meat eating friends a little envious!
  • Graze Veggie Protein Power Snack –  a much healthier option than the Mexican Mix with a great flavour.  A good go to elevenses pick me up.
  • Taking time out to have some quiet time.  A recent trip to a spa made me realise that there is too much noise and too many distractions in my life, which stop me concentrating.  But more of that in an upcoming blog…..
Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

Monthly Loves – December

December – that month of cramming in work, parties and shopping before a long break (if you are lucky) where time seems to stand still and days become one big blur..  

  • Christmas Festivities – although Christmas has changed for me a lot over the last few years, I still enjoying to see the energy and enjoyment it brings to so many people.  
  • I had a lovely Christmas meal with a client at The Half Moon at Warninglid.  Probably the best veggie meal I hd out this month. Not sure what the usual menu is like, but I know my other half will love the food there, so planning a trip back at some point.
  • Hot chocolate made with almond milk.  The best dairy free alternative and flavour combination I have found to date.
  • Mal Maison – probably my favourite hotel chain who also cater well for vegetarians.  The staff are always welcoming and the decor is sumptuous. Don’t visit very often but I am never disappointed.
  • Christmas Dinner – I made a simple but gorgeous veggie main using Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s receipe for baked mushrooms with kale and walnuts. It went perfectly with all the roast veg and trimmings and was really filling. And it to no time to prepare and cook! Find the receipe in his River Cottage Much More Veg book
  • If you read my latest blog you will think I did nothing over the Christmas break, however I did spend a good few hours planning my business for the next 12 months.  Business planning sounds quite boring, but I am now focussed on what I want to achieve, and how to achieve it. I found it a very energising process and am looking forward to 2019.
  • Presents – my lovely friends and family showered me with an array of environmentally friendly and home-made gifts, helping my journey to reducing plastic and treading more lightly on the earth.

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