I do get rather carried away so my colum will be noted here for you to read in full each month and if you click below you can open up the lovely PDF too…

Do pick up your copy – Its jam packed with information, recipes and news too.

Have a super day!

Love Karin x

Click here! - Karin column Veg Living Magazine

Karin Ridgers, former director of the Vegan Society, is the founder of VeggieVision TV, a vegetarian internet TV station that features cookery, celebrities and news, with presenters in Los Angeles, Paris and more.

Having recently filmed interviews with Brian May, Martin Clunes and Anthea Turner, she combines a busy work life with being mum to her young son Callum and is passionate about promoting a ‘compassionate lifestyle’.

Each month, Karin will keep us up to date with what’s been happening in her world, including people, events and what’s new – it’s a bit like having a sneaky peek into the best bits of Karin’s packed diary!

Most delicious meal:

A difficult one as I love food. Depends on my mood sometimes a huge raw salad, then a tasty vegan roast. I guess my autumnal/winter favourite is tomato soup and dairy free cream cheese sandwiches dipped in the soup with crisps too. I love my Christmas dinner too!

I love going to veggie restaurants – places that know and understand about our vegan needs. With a few local restaurants in Essex we call up and just say two vegan surprises please. This month we took a weekend break at the outstanding Chewton Glen, near the New Forest. It was fabulous and wow did they look after us.

We had the most gorgeous pastas and pizzas at Sandy Balls too the super log cabin holiday village also in the beautiful New Forrest.

They looked after us well and said that they will cater for anyone’s dietary requirements – as long as they are told in advance.

The meal for us 3 was less than £60 for 3 main courses, drinks many sides and soya lattes (although we provided our own soya milk). We had a nice relaxing meal and with a soft play area Callum could enjoy some fun too.

www.sandyballs.co.uk 

Interesting place:

Our trip to Corfe Castle was just incredible. Stunning scenery and the most beautiful little village near Swanage in Dorset. We found a cute café – with its own model village! Providing soya milk meant that we could enjoy a few cups of tea along with a regular vegan staple of jacket potato and beans!

Corfe is a must see and definitely worth a weekend away. We stayed at A Great Escape Guest House run by the dynamic Sue Searle who provided a super vegan friendly fry up for us!

www.agreatescapeguesthouse.co.uk 

New friend:

Filming with Brian May was quite an experience.

I can’t image what it is like to perform in front of worldwide fans with one of the best rock bands of all time Queen. Working with celebs I do know how much is asked of them and when I tried to talk initially with Brian May he sent over his assistant probably to check out who I was!

When he heard that I run VeggieVision I heard a loud “VeggieVision!” and he come straight over with a big smile. How cool is that! I met Brian at the Wet Nose Awards and it was an incredible event. Brian chatted away about his passion for animals and saving the UK wildlife and we chatted for a very long time.

You can see Glyn’s arm start to wobble as he didn’t use a tripod for his camera! We send Brian the footage of the interview and he loved it. I wish the setting was a bit better to be honest and the clip is there on VeggieVision now!

Great book:

So many that I love from NLP, psychology, Tony Robbins and The Secret to a tasty Jackie Collins novel while in the bath.

+ I heard Sue Palmer speak recently. She is amazing. If you are a parent then stop everything and order one of her books! What Parents Need to Know – Well I am not able to out this down! It will confirm much of what you already know too. I loved reading about the benefits of  playtime – and away from TV and ‘Playstation’ style games too!!

Super shopping:

My bargain food shopping has to be finding a whole box of organic tomatoes at the local farm shop. Callum and I spend days dehydrating and eating lots of fresh warm tomato soup.

+ Greenleaves Herbal Skincare range with clay, mineral and herb formulations has been amazing for my skin this winter. With the expertise of medical herbalist Patricia Ferguson, they combine the healing actions of herbs and essential oils with a range of superior clays to treat problem skin.

They use zeolite, a mineral that has the ability to absorb three times as much as clay, so it’s excellent for deep-cleansing, making it fab for acne, oily and problem skin.

My favourites from their range include: Purifying Acne Masque (£32.50 for 100ml), Gentle Facial Scrub (£29.70 for 100ml), Peppermint Pumice Hand & Foot Scrub (£38 for 200ml), and Exfoliating Body Scrub (£39.70 for 200ml).

www.greenleavesherbalhealth.co.uk

Best laugh:

I love Derren Brown. I know that I am not his type however it doesn’t stop me from wanting him to be my GBF (Gay Best Friend). I watched a re run recently of one of his shows and the guy that was part of the psychological trick was vegan.

A cool sounding man that loved to swim with sharks. Part of the set up was that Derren would predict what choices this guy would make. Simply A or B. Funny enough he did the exact opposite of the letters I picked out.

One of the choices would have meant that he ate a non vegan hot dog. He didn’t however when the label was shown it said MEAT and RUBBISH for the vegan hotdog!! I couldn’t believe it. We need to change Derrens mind now about how fantastic non animal foods are!! And I am still keen to be his friend.

Until next time!

Much love

Karin

Director

www.veggievision.tv

The rather special 3 in 1 multi-use massage candles from the lovely Simply Soaps  are rather gorgeous to use, are animal ingredient free and smell wonderful…..

1. Illumination: light the candle to scent any room

2. Massage: the wax has a low melt point so that you can pour the oil directly onto the skin (blow out the candle first) to use as a sensual massage.

3. Skin butter: Their unique 100% natural base and plant oils can be used directly onto the skin to moisturise, it has a balm-like consistency which can be used on the lips, or the entire body.

VeggieVision favourite Janey Lee Grace – radio 2 presenter, author and eco guru awarded the Platinum Award to Simply Soaps for The Best Natural Candles recently too.                          

Janey said of the vegan winning Revitalising Massage Candle:

“We are in love with this product! 100 per cent natural handmade candle with a low melt point so that the oil can be used for massage.”

For more info have a look here….

Click to view slideshow.

Loving and Surviving Your Vegetarian Christmas!

Each year we help people all around the UK and now our FREE online guide is in 5 easy to read parts as it has grown so much over the past few years.

With advice and tips from celebrities, experts and real people as well as recipes and ‘green’ gift ideas.

If you are worried about your vegetarian relative coming for Christmas dinner or if you are a vegan who needs inspiration and fresh ideas for enjoying a meat free Christmas – the new VeggieVision.TV guide has the answers!

Our 70+ page online book is now live and is packed with pressie ideas, celebrity tips and lots of advice from experts as well as from fellow vegetarians who have enjoyed years of veggie and vegan Christmases.

Contributors this year include people all over theUKas well as:

Presenter Sarah Jane Honeywell

Passionate vegan Heather Mills

Radio 2 presenter Janey Lee Grace

Vegan cookery author Tony Bishop Western

And the ‘Delia Smith’ for veggie cookery Rose Elliot

 The free guide is available to everyone via www.veggiechristmas.com

+ Quick Veggie Christmas Tips….

If you have a veggie guest coming for Christmas dinner make sure that the vegetables and roast potatoes are cooked separately from the meat. Gravy can easily be made without animal products.

Check ingredients of mince pies and Christmas puddings – and ask! Simply ask your guest what they do or don’t eat, where they buy products from – and even if they could bring something to share.

Maybe ask everyone to bring something veggie friendly to share so they don’t feel like the odd one out.

There are lots of tasty meat free roasts so the veggie Christmas dinner could look just like to traditional roast – Many people just love the stuffing (not from inside a bird!) potatoes and veg – so it could be a simple as leaving off the turkey.

Sign up for your free guide here: www.veggiechristmas.com and please do share! :O)

Click to view slideshow.

Festive frolics can leave your Health Bank Account in the red – now is the time to plan ahead so you can get the most out of the festive season.

A pre-Christmas detox is vital if you are going to enjoy the holiday season with all the enthusiasm and vigour this time of year deserves. Getting your body in shape for what is to come means you can relax and enjoy the festivities without worrying about the effect it is having on your body.

This is the message being relayed by health and body professional, Maria Jevtic, who has just written a book entitled ‘DIY Health Guide’. Maria is urging people to get their health bank accounts topped up now by following her 12 Days of Christmas Detox Guide – an easy to follow plan that will get your mind and body in shape for Christmas.

She explains: “Your body works like a bank account. Just as with money, you can pay in and you can take out. The way to stay in credit is to pay in more than you take out. So to get ready for all the partying which goes on over Christmas and New Year, it is important to get your mind and body in credit now, as we all know the holidays can be a very taxing time of year!

“My 12 Days of Christmas Detox Guide is an easy to follow plan to get in shape for the festivities. Even if people do not follow every one of the 12 steps, they will still notice a massive difference in how they are feeling. Little changes to your routine can have a huge impact on how your body feels and operates.” 

12 Days of Christmas Detox Guide:

On the first day of my pre-Christmas detox, my health bank account wants from me: 

Too Much Sugar Does Not Make You Feel Sweet

Save the sugary and starchy treats for the holiday period. Too much sugar and too many sweet bakery goods will end up on your waistline and can leave you feeling lethargic and bloated. Enjoy a few treats at parties and perhaps on a Sunday with the family, but otherwise look forward to having your share during the holiday period. What you save now, won’t have to come off later! Sugar also reduces the efficiency of the immune system, which is not something you want to happen during the cold and flu season.

On the second day of my pre-Christmas detox, my health bank account wants from me:

Ban the Booze

Stop drinking alcohol on a daily basis. Save up your alcohol allowance for the festive period, this way you will feel better and enjoy the parties more when they come. Even then, it is a good idea to follow every alcoholic drink with an equally large non-alcoholic drink, your body will thank you for it later. An overworked liver will make you feel ill-tempered and sluggish, not what you want during the holidays. In addition, alcohol robs your body of valuable nutrients such as magnesium, zinc and the B- vitamin group. These are hard to replace and might tip your health bank account off balance which will increase the risk of winter infections.

On the third day of my pre-Christmas detox, my health bank account wants from me:

Gym Will Fix It For You

It is important to keep up your exercise routine even in the colder and rainier weather. This will do wonders for your mood, self-image and general well-being. Every time you exercise, you reduce your stress levels. Stress levels reduce because stress hormones can only efficiently be broken down during exercise. If you do not exercise, these hormones keep circulating in your body inducing feelings of anxiety long after it has been initially triggered. When you exercise you also pay in bonus points towards a faster metabolism, lower blood sugar and improved cholesterol scores. Just in time for the holiday period when all three of these areas are likely to become rather overtaxed! If you exercise regularly now, taking a few days break over the holidays will not do you any harm. So get moving now.

On the fourth day of my pre-Christmas detox, my health bank account wants from me:

Hibernate For Happiness

Sleep more now! The darker months naturally make us more inclined to turn in early. This is because, to some extent, our bodies rely on daylight intensity to feel awake. Use this feature wisely and build up your sleep credit now, whenever you can, instead of keeping yourself up artificially just because you feel silly going to bed early. Every hour of sleep before midnight brings immense anti-aging benefits to every single cell in your body. This is because the most intense maintenance is carried out during sleep! People who sleep more, have fewer infections, have more energy and generally feel in a better mood.

On the fifth day of my pre-Christmas detox, my health bank account wants from me:

D – estroy The Bugs

Increase your Vitamin D intake. Vitamin D is needed to fight infections and inflammation anywhere in your body, but especially in the airways. Since it is normally produced when natural sunlight hits your skin, there is naturally less available in the winter months and most people become deficient by December. Vitamin D is not naturally plentiful in foods, so it is worthwhile consulting a qualified nutritionist to find the correct amount for you and your family to take.

On the sixth day of my pre-Christmas detox, my health bank account wants from me:

Hydrate To Feel Great

Our bodies are around 80% water. Water is a prerequisite of staying healthy, and we need to consume enough to stay hydrated. Coffee, tea and alcohol as well as fizzy drinks (stimulants) are all dehydrating and should be exchanged for good quality bottled water. Or even better, invest in a good quality water filter. Tap water is, unfortunately, full of toxins such as chlorine and pseudo-estrogens and these add to the daily burden of detoxification our bodies have to handle. So in order to make a splash this Christmas, take a dive into lots of water sooner rather than later.

On the seventh day of my pre-Christmas detox, my health bank account wants from me:

Everyone Can Share The Fresh Air

It might be colder outside, but it is still vital to get out in the fresh air. The air that we breathe indoors is not as fresh as we need it to be. Dust collects on every surface, and as we try to get rid of it, the dust swirls around us and makes its way into our respiratory system via the nose and mouth. Other fumes, for example from burnt food, also get inhaled which can also affect our breathing. Fresh air cleans our lungs. It allows us to get rid of the impurities that we inhale on a weekly basis. The fresh air also allows us to breathe deeper which brings more oxygen to our cells. The increased oxygen brings increased energy levels and also brings greater clarity to the brain, which needs twenty percent of our body’s oxygen to function. Our health bank account will start to feel refreshed, and we will look forward to the holidays with renewed vigour.

On the eighth day of my pre-Christmas detox, my health bank account wants from me: 

A Sweet Alternative

We are all told to eat more fresh fruit and vegetables, but this is even more important at this time of year. So if you feel like something sweet, chose some lovely satsumas or fresh grapes in season, and leave the treats for Christmas. Fresh fruit and vegetables are full of bug-fighting vitamins and antioxidants which will help you stay in good health. This is a great way to ensure your body stays in credit, and will mean a more relaxed diet over the holidays will not do too much damage.

On the ninth day of my pre-Christmas detox, my health bank account wants from me:

Cut Down The Coffee

Try and reduce the amount of stimulants you take. Stimulants, such as tea and coffee, rob us of minerals and vitamins and also cover up how tired we actually feel. This can result in overwork, overplay and quite possibly induce burn out. If you listen to your body now, you will begin your Christmas holiday well-rested and sparkling.

On the tenth day of my pre-Christmas detox, my health bank account wants from me:

Slow Down You Move To Fast

Avoid racing around as much as you can, and try to spend more time at home. I recommend you spend some time at home every weekend, as this will allow you to unwind and your brain to switch off. Your health bank account will become refreshed and reenergized and you will feel fit, healthy and raring to go.  Kids also love being at home with their toys and with their parents. So engage with the other members of your family at home and do not feel like you have to go out to spend ‘quality time’ with your loved ones.

On the eleventh day of my pre-Christmas detox, my health bank account wants from me: 

Switch-Off

Switch off your TV and computer and make a change to your daily routine. Gadgets are a part of our life nowadays, but in order to truly get a break, we need to know when to switch off to give our eyes and nervous system some relief. In addition, watching TV and staring at computer screens causes a release of cortisol (a stress hormone) that in turn prevents us from sleeping properly and – oh no! – encourages fat-gain! So get off Facebook and find a real book.

On the twelfth day of my pre-Christmas detox, my health bank account wants from me:

Supplement Your Smile

Build up your immunity and detoxification systems now to be in credit for those taxing holidays. We can all set-out with the best of intentions, but even the strongest willed people need a little help every now and then. Therefore, to ensure that your body gets everything it needs I recommend you take some good quality and well-selected supplements. These help your body to make-up any deficiencies that may have built up over the past months or years. They will also add some extra to your bank to help combat those delicious nutrient robbers in the shape of sweets and alcohol that we all consume at Christmas. The B Vitamins, Magnesium and Zinc as well as some omega 3 fatty acids are most important, plus the already recommended Vitamin D.  If you have stocked up before, you will be laughing all the way through. 

DIY Health Guide – This book is the ultimate no-nonsense guide to taking charge of your own health. Its aim is to give you just enough high quality information to make very significant changes. The beauty of this book lies in its simplicity. The concept of health is explained with the idea of a bank account that needs to stay in credit. In order to remain healthy we must pay in daily credits and avoid too many debits. 9 building blocks of health have been identified, each explained in their own chapter. Every building block is equally important, and following Maria’s simple explanations enables you to take appropriate action towards building a healthier you.

DIY Health Guide is available from Amazon for £7.99, it is also available for Kindle priced at £5.50.

Click to view slideshow.

Here is the latest news and views from the super star that is Wendy Turner Webster…..

Guillemot Rescue

We were on the beach at Lyme Regis when some girls alerted us to the fact that they had found a bird on the sand by the rocks, looking rather stunned and not too willing to move. It turned out to be a Guillemot. I checked its wings and legs and all seemed to be OK – no broken bones and no open wounds.

Freddie’s hoodie was sacrificed as the ‘cradle’ in which to carry the bird to safety, and by the magic of my phone I tracked down a vet a few miles away who could help our poor bird. Jack and Freddie said the markings on its head looked like it was wearing ear muffs, so the Guillemot was swiftly christened, er… Ear Muffs! Anyway, the vet took Ear Muffs and kept him for the night, telling me the following morning that he had eaten and behaved very well. In due course the RSPCA arrived to take Ear Muffs to their rehabilitation centre, from where he recovered and went on his merry way.

So, a happy ending… but a few words of advice – never be afraid to put a call through to the local vet if you find/see an animal in trouble. Don’t just walk away – there are too many people in this world who would do exactly that.

Best Vegan Sponge Cake – Ever!

For Halloween we went up to visit my folks in Stoke-on-Trent as the date coincides (roughly!) with my mum’s birthday. To celebrate both momentous events Jack & Freddie made some spookilicious vegan sponge cakes – the best dairy and egg free sponge cakes I have ever tasted, lovely and moist and full of flavour.

In fact this recipe is so good that you wouldn’t know it from the most egg and milk laden version! It’s so easy to make and will suit any occasion.

Any reason will do….! The quantities in the recipe make monster cakes and with the best will in the world we were still chomping our way through these some two weeks later (in a tin they kept like a dream). For the full low down go to - http://vegetarianrecipeclub.org.uk/vegetarian-vegan-recipe/sponge-cake-birthday-cake

Stop the Deer Shoot

I was pleased that our local paper – The Richmond and Twickenham Times – printed a picture of me and my banner at a recent Stop the Deer Shoot demo in Kingston (I am rather proud of my banner!).

On the first Saturday in November I joined some like-minded people (pictured here with the beautiful Sue – boy, had her husband Alan got a great pair of lungs!) and marched through Kingston town centre protesting at the Deer Cull in the Royal Parks. This slaughter of the deer is totally unnecessary.

Almost £30,000 is made from the sale of the meat per annum – turning Richmond and Bushy Parks into little more than deer farms. Sign the petition by clicking on the link below… it has already gained huge local support from residents who hate the cull and are not fooled into believing that this practice is a necessary evil.

The demo was organised by Lesley Dove who can be contacted at lesley@vegan4life.org.uk

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stopthedeerc

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Oh my goodness this has to be one of the best films ever and I can’t wait for it to come out on DVD. Human Race, watch this movie and take major notes – a truly sobering story of how we destroy ourselves by abusing the animals we share the planet with.

A more clever and thought provoking script you will not find. Ever wondered exactly how the apes took over the world in those other films? What this and find out. Man’s arrogance is displayed here at its very best… and most depressingly accurate. Fiction for now, but only time will tell….

Wonder Wallchart

And finally… as a proud Patron of VIVA! I was delighted to receive in the post these fabulous wall charts to stick up in my kitchen! They are all written by Viva! and VVF’s Founder & Director (and my lovely friend) Juliet Gellatley. Order yours from www.vivashop.org.uk or call 0117 944 1000 (Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm).

Veggie Vitamins Wallchart £2                                                                         

Fun, colourful wallchart which shows you where to get all the nutrients you need from plants for a healthy, vibrant diet. Laminated, so ideal to put up on your fridge or on a kitchen wall. 210 x 585mm.

What I Need to Eat for Good Health Wallchart £2

Eating healthy is simple – just remember colour, colour and more colour for optimum nutrition! Inspiring, vibrant chart that details recommended portion sizes for each of the five veggie food groups and the essential vitamins and nutrients they provide. Laminated. 210 x 465mm.

Fabulous Female Fertility & Pregnancy Wallchart £2

Your guide to getting the best nutrition for optimum fertility and pregnancy – the veggie way. Includes comprehensive sections on essential baby-making vitamins and minerals and their food sources. 210 x 800mm.

Wallchart Deal - £3 for 2 Wallcharts. Choose any 2 wallcharts and save £1. Please specify the wallcharts you’d like when you order. These make great gifts for friends and family who want to eat healthily too!

More next time! Loads of love, Wendy xxx

The lovely people at FRY’s Vegetarian foods have some very exciting news.

Gone are the days where us fellow vegetarians, vegans and even meat reducers will be stuck for tasty foods as from January FRY’s will be available all over the UK with the huge food distributors 3663.

So what does this mean for us?

3663 supply practically every business, education establishment, healthcare, hotels, restaurants, pubs, bars and travel and leisure places in the UK.

They are one of the biggest food service suppliers in the UK!

So yes you do not need to be stuck with the same old boring jacket potato and beans.

You do not need to be stuck with nothing to eat at all!

It is very likely that your school, restaurant, pub and more will be stocked up food wise from 3663 – and now a tasty array of veggie and vegan friendly sausages, burgers, polony, nuggets and more will easily be able to be served to you.

So please do spread the word, use it or lose it!

Let’s get these tasty ‘meat alternatives’ out there and make sure that we can be catered for!

From January world leading meat replacement experts Fry’s Vegetarian will be available from leading food distributors 3663.

A ground breaking feat that until now has never been achieved by a frozen food company that ticks so many boxes. 

FRY’S are fully approved by the both The Vegan Society AND The Vegetarian Society as well as a BEST BUY in the Ethical Consumer. 

FRY’S products are Kosher (Parev Mehadrin – a very high form of Kosher approval for Jews), Shuddha (suitable for Hindus) and Halaal (suitable for Muslims).

The diverse range of 14 products are all pre cooked making them fast and easy for cooks to use. Taste is not compromised either with Fry’s winning 5 awards over the past 5 years.

Lets help and please spread the word!!

www.beanieshealthfoods.co.uk  

Click to view slideshow.

Chewton Glen an incredible 5 Red Star hotel based in 130 acres on the edge of the New Forest. The grounds are incredible and the service is simply second to none.

We met with the MD Andrew Stembridge and he told us about their exciting green credentials including joining the Green Tourism Business Scheme and being awarded a ‘Gold Award’ status. Chewton Glen harvests their rainwater, recycles and the New Forest in particular is recognised as one of the world’s most environmentally friendly destinations.

Adam Hart, Senior Chef de Partie at Chewton Glen won ‘Professional Young Chef of the Year’ and Adam also designed the following outstanding vegan friendly menu for us:

Starters

ROASTED HERITAGE BEETroot SALAD

Red and White ENDIVE SALAD. PÈRIGORD WALNUTS

WHITE ASPARAGUS AND VIOLET ARTICHOKE SALAD A LA BARIGOULE

PEA and Coconut Soup

CLASSIC ANDALUSIAN GAZPACHO

Main Courses

Parpadelle WITH ruby chard Calvalo nero and SUMMER TRUFFLE

Pickled NewForestMUSHROOM AND Baby spinach RISOTTO

Wild Chervil GNOCCHI. GIROLLES AND broad beans

Grilled Polenta. chargrilled vegetables and salsa verdi

Aubergine Mille Feuille.

white asparagus. vine tomato and basil sauce

courgette flower stuffed with ratatulie and fennel dressing

Sides…

We had some super chats with wine expert Oscar J Malek a Professional Sommelier at Chewton Glen. Oscar is now also researching into vegan friendly wines.

With an in-house bakery and supporting local growers Chewton Glen thinks of everything.

Andrew Stembridge is a dedicated and experienced MD who is passionate about developing the hotel and embracing new world with traditional too. Exciting additions each year are added to make Chewton Glen more child friendly too. A free kids club is open for a few hours morning a night, a fun tree house, swings and of course the pools are of course vital for children on holiday!

Their exciting new coming tree house lodges include the air-source heat pumps, solar panels, sedum roofs and low-energy lighting.

Whether it’s to impress a client, surprise your partner or simply to have an incredible break Chewton Glen is a place that you must visit!

We stayed for 2 days and really felt as though we had a rest. The spa is immaculate and hubby enjoyed a much needed hot stone massage and has never felt so ‘un wound’!

Small touches like leaving a gift for our son in our room, a welcome bottle of bubbly, water and fruit as well as the staff doing everything to make your stay the best ever all add to Chewton Glen standing out.

We have since recommended Chewton Glen to business contacts and even suggested other hotels and restaurants visit to learn from the leaders in the field.

Chewton Glen may not be a vegetarian hotel of course – however to have the opportunity to speak with the MD and award winning Chef as well as to confirm how vegan friendly they can be we feel is a super step in the right direction.

We will go back????

Try to stop us!

www.chewtonglen.com

To see more about Chewton Glen please have a look here…

With thanks to the New Forest Tourism Association -www.thenewforest.co.uk

A hidden gem this Southern seaside town boasts an impressive castle, steam railway, cafés and restaurants, many places to stay and is far from being too commercialised.

A place where many revisit after fond childhood memories and some have invested into a second home too – apparently including funny man Jonathon Ross.

Swanage marks the start of the world famous Jurassic Coast.

We received a bubbly and warm welcome from owner of ‘A Great Escape’ the immaculate 4 star guesthouse just a 10 minute stroll from the town, beach and steam railway.

Sue, a former IT trainer renovated and designed the now number 1 B & B in Swanage on Trip advisor.

The rooms are a great size and with a small silent fridge you can keep soya milk or wine cool during your stay.

Although Sue didn’t have soya milk there is a large Co Op just 5 minutes away and for ease we picked up soya milk, dairy free margarine and bread.

Breakfast includes Linda McCartney sausages and the usual vegan suspect’s tomatoes, hash browns, mushrooms and beans.

There are a lot of vegetarian options too including waffles and yoghurts.

We headed to Tawny’s Winebar for an early meal. A relaxed evening with time to talk in-between courses.

They always have 2 vegetarian options as main courses and can adapt for vegans. We enjoyed the fresh homemade soup – Green bean, spinach and coconut. They adapted a plate of tapas for us to share – olives, garlic bread, marinated peppers, fresh cherry tomatoes and Basil, and a tasty mix of grilled tofu.

The main course was rather hearty to say the least – and I even took some home for the next day as I cant bear wasting food. A yummy aubergine dish with veggies and tofu.

Sides were homemade chunky chips and roasted root vegetables.

Super to see dairy free ice-cream for desert and we enjoyed this with fresh berries.

Local apple juice and as many ingredients as possible are sourced locally.

A popular restaurant and we  saw people who didn’t book being turned away.

This morning we felt like seeing some history and headed over to The Tank Museum. With replicas of the trenches from the First World War  the museum brings history alive – and we all felt really moved.

(Food vegan some soft drinks, crisps and for veggies a jacket potato.)

Later we took the steam train from Swanage to Corfe Castle. A lovely old fashioned station with a small cafe set up in an old train carriage. They had some vegan friendly sorbets and were helpful food wise. Many vegetarian friendly options although not vegan friendly too.

The castle is very impressive. Set high upon a huge natural hill the castle provides amazing views of the surrounding areas. A super walk with our son Callum who loved climbing through little nooks and crannies!

Corfe Castle dominates the village and is a must see. The village also has a lovely model village, an animal sanctuary, the railway station, cute one off shops and the church.

We had an early dinner at the model village Courtyard Café – It was the vegan standby of jacket potatoes and beans. Their tomato soup is freshly made and it was great to see that they provided soya milk and dairy free butter. Sadly we couldn’t enjoy the freshly made scones as they contained egg. Gluten free seems to be popular here and many gluten free options are available.

The staff were extremely helpful and even made a phone call to check the ingredients of the scones.

It was too early to go back to the guest house by the time we got back to Swanage and we didn’t need another meal. We drove around and couldn’t see a comfy pub to just put our feet up for a while so we decided to run about on the night time beach (Callums favourite (part of the trip!).

Although we rarely eat from chip shops we checked out a few places and The Parade confirmed that there chips are cooked separately and they will even cook a completely fresh batch if you like them too. The manager told us that he had a couple of vegans asking earlier in the day! Horah! So we munched on naughty chips while watching the waves crash in. Lovely.

After breakfast we said our goodbyes to the lovely Sue and headed over to Kimmeridge Bay to check out the fossils. Parking isn’t great in Swanage sadly (where is!?) and its £5 to park your car here too. Now this is an all day charge however as we were covering several places in a day it did add up!

The beach was rather slippery so we left and enjoyed the stunning scenery and found the stunning “Blue Pool”.  Surrounded by 25 acres of woodland the Blue Pool actually diffracts light in different ways and sometimes the pool is turquoise and green.  With a shop, teashop and even a small museum showing you some of the history of the attraction it is easily a great day out.

We met the lovely owner Miss Barnard who grew up here and we wish we could have chatted for much longer as we know that she would have some amazing stories!

Swanage is beautiful and well worth a visit – we look forward to returning.

Click here to see our video clip of Swanage too.

We are so pleased for the support from everyone’s favourite Natural Living Guru Janey Lee Grace. We have known Janey for several years and love her books, presenting and attitude to being Imperfectly Natural.

Janey will be sharing news and information especially for our lovely VV viewers so do keep checking in…..

Hi I’m Janey Lee Grace, yes I’m the one that pops up on Steve Wright in the afternoon on BBC Radio2 talking all things natural and throwing references to wheatgrass, organic food and fresh juices into the conversation.

Of course the boys take the mickey but because of that great opportunity I’ve been able to write five books on holistic living – and rest assured I don’t consider myself the expert, I’m ‘imperfectly natural’ and I don’t get everything right but I do believe that the small change big difference approach really works, do the bits you can and you’ll feel better, look better, save a bit of cash and tick the eco box even without trying.

I’m delighted to be I’m aware that I’m ‘oh so lucky’ getting to try out the best natural and organic natural products, I thought I’d share some of my faves in organic food and supplements.    Rest assured that me and my team have really taken the time to source the best products that are 100 per cent organic, ethical, fairly traded and yummy !

So heres 6 of our faves from our recent awards, check out the rest including the best in natural skincare and beauty at:

www.janeyleegrace.com

Sweet Freedom               Best natural sweetener                Sweet Freedom Natural Sweetener       “We constantly find yet more uses for this excellent natural sweetener made from 100% fruit, its low GI, suitable for diabetics and the kids love it squeezed on everything”

Steenbergs Organics      Best fairtrade food product         Fairtrade Spices Mini 8 Box         “Our testers thought this was the perfect starter kit or gift. It Includes peppers, cinnamon, spices, ginger, turmeric and more”

Lifestyle Organic               Best organic convenience food  product                Organic Buckwheat with Vegetables      “A Godsend for busy people who still want organic meals !   We love these tasty ‘ready to cook’ vegetable mix – ready in 8 mins”

Midfields Granola            Best wheat free food product    Midfields Sweet Freedom Granola Wheat Free                “Our kids add this to cereals and we love it with yoghurt, sweetened with Sweet Freedom so no sugar worrie”

Live Wheatgrass               Most innovative superfood product        Wheatgrass Frozen Daily Shots                 “Its revolutionised our lives !  Organic live frozen wheatgrass in convenient ‘shot’ sizes delivered to your door”

Rude Health       Best natural breakfast product  Rude Health The Ultimate Muesli          “We love a really healthy muesli with loads of yummy ingredients including berries, nuts, seeds.”

Until next time!

Love Janey xx

Click to view slideshow.

VeggieVision News!

NGO calls upon UK Government to proactively promote and recommend a plant-based diet as a solution to rising healthcare costs and rates of obesity, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and type II diabetes. 

In a paper distributed to all MPs in the House Magazine entitled,

“Plant-Based Diets: A solution to our public health crisis”, leading physicians reveal that a switch to a diet free of meat and dairy products will dramatically reduce the incidence (and therefore the costs) of the most menacing maladies currently threatening public health, such as obesity, cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

London-based NGO, World Preservation Foundation, stated in a letter to the Prime Minister that the Government can take the international lead in the advocacy and implementation of healthier plant-based policies and incentives, setting a benchmark in healthcare, environmental protection and policy innovation.  Acknowledging the challenge of  protecting and improving public health, whilst managing escalating costs in the NHS, WPF has set out proposed measures it believes the Government can implement to meet this challenge.

Chronic diseases are skyrocketing in theUKas insufficient consideration is given to dietary choices and the main cause of these diseases.

Current data shows over 60% of the population is overweight or obese.  Cardiovascular disease alone kills nearly 200,000 people in the UK every year and costs over £30 billion.  The paper details how these chronic diseases can be treated with a simple change in diet.

Leading physician and researcher, Dr Caldwell Esselstyn, who directs the cardiovascular prevention and reversal program in Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute,USA, stated:

“We are potentially on the cusp of what could be a seismic revolution in health.  This will never come about from another pill, another procedure, another operation, or construction of another cardiac cathedral.  It will come about when we are able to show the public the lifestyle that will halt and eliminate 75% of these common, chronic killing diseases.   The most essential component of this lifestyle is whole food plant-based nutrition.” 

Dr Esselstyn’s paper states:

“I initiated a long term study that treated seriously ill patients with coronary artery disease  with plant-based nutrition and succeeded in the arrest and reversal of their disease …

Patients lose weight, blood pressure normalizes, and type 2 diabetes improves or resolves, as do angina, erectile dysfunction, and peripheral vascular and carotid disease.”

Dr Esselstyn goes on to say:.

“Sadly, today our adolescents are but a decade or 2 away from compounding this epidemic.  It is time to tell the truth. Family history and genetic background do not cause this illness. It is not the luck of the draw. It is a matter of personal action and responsibility. Genes load the gun, but lifestyle pulls the trigger.”

While politicians struggle with mounting NHS costs, a solution to these chronic public health threats is easily at hand.  If the Government were to provide public education on the direct link between the disease epidemic and a diet heavy in meat and dairy products, the cost burden would be reduced automatically with lifestyle changes.

Dr. Neal Barnard, founder of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine sums it up nicely,

“Many people still have no idea that food choices make such an enormous difference. Not only can healthier choices tackle the obesity epidemic; they also help us reverse heart disease, prevent cancer, and reduce the risk of other major health problems. Now is the time to spread the word far and wide.”

Also featured in the paper is Dr Joel Fuhrman, Director of Research for Nutritional Research Project for the National Health Association,New Jersey, who states that:

“The cure for type II diabetes is already known – removing the cause can reverse the disease, and the chief cause is excess weight from the Western diet and inactivity. The best and safest “medicine” for a diabetic is a high-nutrient density (HND) diet: focused on low-calorie, nutrient-rich plant foods and exercise.

Weight loss is effective in itself, but the goal of lifestyle intervention must be to improve pancreatic function and lower insulin resistance over and above what could be accomplished with weight loss alone.

An HND diet can accomplish this; by emphasizing micronutrient adequacy, cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure are lowered as weight is lost and blood glucose drops. We have extensive experience treating overweight diabetics with superior nutrition and the results are impressive. The majority are able to restore their glucose levels to the normal range without any further need for medications. They have essentially become non-diabetic again.”

Dr Fuhrman highlighted:

“New dietary guidelines emphasizing nutrient-rich plant foods can enable modern populations to dramatically improve their health, dramatically reduce healthcare costs, while at thesametime save millions of needless deaths from heart disease, strokes, cancer and diabetes.  It is time for an evolution in healthcare where prevention via proper diet, not drugs, becomes the foundation of modern healthcare.”

World Preservation Foundation is calling for more than just mild suggestions to eat more fruits and vegetables.  With definitive evidence that a plant-based diet can be a direct and cost effective solution to chronic disease, WPF is asking the Government to lead by example and to initiate nationwide incentives and campaigns for a societal shift towards more plant-based nutrition.

According to Gerard Wedderburn-Bisshop, WPF Executive Director, “Advanced nutrition science has provided us with the simple and cost effective solution of a wholesome plant-based diet for preventing and even reversing these diet related diseases.  People can make an informed choice when they know the full facts and that needless suffering and loss of loved ones can be avoided to a large extent.”

He added “Bill Clinton made the change to a plant-based diet after having stint surgery.  He knew about the advantages of plant-based diets, but made the change for his daughter Chelsea’s wedding – he wanted to be alive and healthy for his grandchildren.”

Notes to theEditor:

WPF assimilates documents and presents scientific data relating to climate change; including deforestation, disease, drought and global hunger.

It serves as an access-point for information to assist media and concerned parties to engage these topics and to encourage governments, public bodies and other institutions to introduce beneficial legislation and policies resulting in the subsequent mitigation of climate change and minimization of associated human, planetary and economic costs; also safeguarding water supplies, preserving forests, minimizing environmental degradation, improving health and alleviating global food shortages.

The WPF paper, ‘Plant-based Diets: A Solution to Our Public Health Crisis’ can be accessed here: http://www.worldpreservationfoundation.org/references.php.