Vegan chef wins ‘Champion of Champions’ title

Happy Friday and Welcome to the VedgyVoice! This week we have a champion of champions vegan chef. A look at the reality of the crop deaths based argument against veganism. The greatest ever vegan sandwich, and a selection of easter inspired recipes!

Also a quick hello to all our new subscribers 👋 It’s great to have you here and I hope you find the newsletter to your liking.

On that note if you have any feedback, good or bad, I’d be delighted to hear it. So please feel free to hit reply and let me know if there’s anything you would like to see more (or less) of. Or if you have any ideas for additional content that you think would improve the newsletter and help spread the vegan message.

What’s Happening?

Vegan chef wins ‘Champion of Champions’ title on the Great British Menu 2024 series

• Kirk Haworth, vegan chef and co-founder of Plates in London, wins the 'Champion of Champions' title on Great British Menu 2024, becoming the first plant-based contestant to do so with a dish celebrating unity through flavours representing the five Olympic rings.

• His winning dessert, 'A Taste of Unity', featured cacao gateaux, sour cherry, toasted macadamia topping, coconut blossom ice cream, African pepper, and vanilla caramel sauce, receiving high praise from judges including Olympian Jessica Ennis-Hill.

• Reflecting on his victory, Haworth expressed his lifelong dream being realised and gratitude towards the support from his family, team, and the show's crew, highlighting the extensive effort and creativity behind his participation.

Veg Capital Triples Investment for SHICKEN to Become a Global Brand & Major Producer

• SHICKEN, a UK-based producer of vegan Asian dishes, received an additional £4 million from Veg Capital, increasing the total investment to £6 million, aiming to take the brand global within five years.

• The investment will expand their manufacturing capabilities in Kent, enhancing their capacity to produce various branded and private-label products for both retail and foodservice sectors.

• SHICKEN's products, known for their realistic "chicken" texture from a blend of soy, wheat, and pea proteins, have seen exponential growth and are now available in major retailers like Costco and Tesco in the UK, and in 380 Sprouts Farmers Market stores across 23 US states.

Scotland Bans Cruel Glue Traps Major Victory for Animals

• Scotland has officially banned the sale and use of glue traps, news celebrated by animal rights advocates to prevent the suffering of various animals, including unintended victims like birds and cats.

• The ban comes under the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill, following campaigns including efforts from over 35,000 PETA supporters advocating for the ban.

• This legislative action places Scotland alongside England and Wales, furthering the UK's commitment to regulating wildlife management practices.

How Netflix Is Driving the Plant-Based Shift

• Netflix has significantly contributed to popularising plant-based diets and ethical consumerism by hosting impactful documentaries over the past decade, influencing dietary habits and awareness of animal welfare.

• Documentaries such as "Cowspiracy," "What the Health," and "The Game Changers" have played pivotal roles in changing viewers' perceptions towards food, health, and environmental issues, encouraging a shift towards veganism.

• Recent releases like "Seaspiracy" and "You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment" continue to drive discussions on the environmental impact of food choices and the benefits of plant-based diets.

Vegan Crop Deaths Argument Debunked

One of the most common arguments of ill-informed anti-vegans and internet trolls is that vegans kill more animals than non-vegans due to crop deaths. This is generally based on the very flawed logic that only vegans eat soy and must eat twice as much veg as someone who eats meat…

There’s a lot to cover on this topic and if you want to learn more you can watch this excellent video on the subject from Earthling Ed.

However there’s really only one main point that you need to know, which very quickly disproves this argument:

1. Over 75% of the worlds soy production is used in animal agriculture to feed the animals humans consume.

So, if people were genuinely concerned about reducing deaths resulting from crop harvesting, the only rational next step would be to stop eating animals. But of course these people generally have no interest in reducing animal deaths. They are simply trying to get one up on the people who care enough to try and do something about it.

It’s also worth mentioning that there is very limited reliable data on crop deaths. But the idea that mice, animals known for their sensitivity to noise and vibration, are simply sitting in a field of crops while a massive combine harvester heads their way, rather than running in the opposite direction, is fairly ridiculous.

I think it’s also important to remember that veganism isn’t about perfection. It’s about intentionally doing as much as you can to avoid contributing to animal suffering.

Watch & Learn

Greatest Vegan Sandwich?

I have to admit, while there really isn’t much I’ve missed since going vegan, I’ve definitely eaten about 90% less sandwiches over the last few years. Seeing this amazing looking one from Sauce Stache has inspired me and I’m going to have a go at making it next week and get my sandwich game back on track!

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What’s Cooking?

I usually share one dish here that we’ve tried out recently. But seeing as it’s Easter weekend ( and regardless if you are a fan of Jesus or just good food - no judgement here 🙂 ) I thought this selection of tasty options might provide some inspiration for any cooks struggling for ideas.

Mushroom lentil Wellington Easy Vegan Wellington with puff pastry wrapped lentil walnut mushroom loaf.

Lentil Shepherd’s Pie A hearty lentil and sticky onion filling meets fluffy mashed potatoes and cauliflower in this protein-rich plant-based dinner.

Vegan Easter Brunch Quiche This delicious vegan quiche can be made all year round with any seasonal vegetables.

Creamy Vegan Pasta Primavera Delicious vegan pasta primavera packed with tender vegetables and tossed in a creamy garlic cashew sauce.

Easy Vegan Chocolate Cake Not sure how to make vegan chocolate cake? This recipe uses a combination of lemon juice, soya milk, melted Flora.

Vegan Chocolate Nests Easy, quick, crispy, chocolatey vegan chocolate nests. They come together in under 20 minutes, require only five ingredients

Stuffed Easter Egg Cheesecakes Stuffed Easter Egg Cheesecakes are super easy to make and only need a few ingredients.

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