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products

vegan sun milk from Pure Beginnings

by Sharné November 18, 2018

written by Sharné

I use Pure Beginnings SPF 50+ Sensitive Milk Vegan Sunscreen and it is amazing!

Now that summer is approaching, and we are spending more time outdoors, it’s definitely time to get some vegan sunscreen.

Sun exposure: Good or Bad?

We all know we should be protecting our skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays. If you have fair skin like me, chances are having a tanned skin is desirable, but in truth tanned skin is actually damaged skin. When I was a kid I knew this lady who was very close to my mothers age but looked so many years older because she had spent a lifetime in the sun. I realised even back then that my skin is worth protecting. It was such a strong realisation that I have tried to reduce my skin to sun exposure since then.

I’m walking on sunshine
Katrina & The Waves

The trouble is that like everyone else on the planet I need a little sun exposure for vitamin D production, which as we all know is really important. The only other sources of vit D is derived from animal sources and of course that is not an option for a vegan so the sun it is. Apparently 10 – 30 minutes, three times per week is enough. I don’t want to overdo it as too much exposure to the sun’s rays drastically increase the risk of skin cancer, especially melanomas, which are the most dangerous types of skin cancer.

To get enough Vitamin D I need to expose about a third of my skin to the sun, so wearing a strappy top, jean shorts, hat and sunglasses is perfect. In order to protect my skin while in the sun I need to get into the habit of wearing sunscreen, which I need to put on before I go out in the sun. Sound easy enough. Well, most sunscreens on the shelves are not vegan. They either contain animal-derived ingredients or are created by brands who test on animals. And many sunscreens on the market contain oxybenzone, a harmful synthetic chemical which is not only harmful to us but also toxic to coral and contributes to the decline of coral reefs around the world. You go to the beach to appreciate nature, not harm it and you put on sunscreen to protect your skin, not harm it.

I got that sunshine in my pocket
Justin Timberlake

Vegan sunscreen

That is why I was so happy to discover the Pure Beginnings SPF 50+ Sensitive Milk Vegan Sunscreen. I love Pure Beginnings because all their products are 100% natural, free from harmful chemicals, Ecocert approved, Vegan and BWC approved. Their vegan sunscreen protects from both the UVB and UVA rays and is water resistant. Oh, and it is actually for babies and kids. I’m an adult. Does it really matter?

Where to buy?

Pure Beginnings products are available at stores like Wellness Warehouse, + Dischem and online on Faithful to Nature + The Bespoke Artichoke. Have a look at the Stockists page on their website to see which stores in your area stock them.

Have you tried any of the Pure Beginnings products? Which vegan sunscreen to do use? Please let me know in the comments below. If you’d like to see more of the body & beauty products I have found, have a look here. If you’d like to see what home & garden products I have found have a look here. New products posted regularly.

Let’s get social!

Follow me on facebook and instagram to stay up to date with my posts! If you end up trying one of these products, after reading about it for the first times here, please tag me and let me know what you think. Remember to hashtag it #thegreenveganchick

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November 18, 2018 0 comment

checkers cheese products

Vegan Cheese – Nature & Moi

by Sharné October 15, 2018

written by Sharné

Nature & Moi have a range of delicious affordable mozzarella, cheddar and gouda vegan cheese which are available Checkers.

Vegan cheese

Vegans can eat cheese! When I first went Vegan in 2011, I did not know that there was even such a thing as Vegan cheese. I now know that that there are many different types of Vegan cheese and that some are expensive (around R100) and others like these from Nature & Moi are more affordable (under R50).

Where to buy?

Nature & Moi have a range of coconut oil based Vegan cheese products, of which only a few are currently available in SA. At your local Checkers you should be able to get, when they are not sold out, the following flavours: Mozzarella, Cheddar and Gouda. They are now available in 3 options: block, sliced or grated.

Let me just say that this Vegan cheese is different in texture and taste compared to ‘traditional’ cheese. It is a great alternative for people who are Vegan and love cheese. I use it on a sandwich, in a pasta, on a pizza and even eat it as is. I have noticed that there is a trick to getting it to melt though. The times when the cheese has melted really well is when it has been exposed to moisture. The steam inside a just made closed vegan pasta dish helps the cheese to melt. And I have a nifty melt function on my microwave (yeah i know they are bad for you) that melts my vegan cheese and tomato sandwiches perfectly. I’d like to get a sandwich press and see how that works.

Have you tried any of the Nature & Moi vegan cheese flavours? What is your dish to make with vegan cheese? I’d love to hear from you in a comment below. If you’d like to see more of the food products I have found, have a look here. If you’d like to see what else I have found browse my Directory. New products posted regularly.

Let’s get social!

© the green vegan chick. All images & content are copyright protected. Please follow my Sharing Policy if you would like to use or share any part of this post.

October 15, 2018 6 comments

faithful to nature on the go reusables organic living products

Reusable fruit and veggie bags – Freshbag

by Sharné October 15, 2018

written by Sharné

Say no thanks to single use fruit and veggie plastic bags and switch to reusable bags.

I’ve been trying to come up with more ways to integrate reusable items into my daily routine. That way I can reduce the amount of plastic waste I generate. I’ve been using my envirosax reusable shopping bags for longer than I’ve been vegan (since 2011). Using them has become a part of my everyday shopping habits. There are 3 in my handbag so I have them with me all the time and use them everywhere. Isn’t it horrible that when you go to buy loose fruit and veg, you get those thin single use plastic bags. If I am not mistaken, they can’t be recycled and will most certainly end up in a landfill or even in the ocean. We have developed a “disposable” lifestyle and single use plastic has created a rubbish problem that now pollutes every corner of the world.

50% of plastic is used once then thrown away.
unknown

The truth about plastic

The truly scary thing is that all the plastic ever created still exists. This is because plastic can’t biodegrade; it photo degrades. This means it breaks down into smaller pieces, which is still plastic. When plastic waste is collected and transported to a landfill site, and even when it is in a landfill already, there is always a risk that the light weight plastic waste will blow away and end up in trees, our rivers and even our oceans. Currently there is so much plastic waste in the ocean that in some places there is more tiny plastic particles than plankton. And we are to blame as it is estimated that approximately 80% of the garbage in our oceans comes from land, from us.

Today we use plastic, a product designed to last forever, for products designed to last minutes.
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Small change – big impact

As consumers we must take matters into our own hands. We must refuse single use plastic. That way shops will have to provide us with reusable alternatives. I knew there had to already be an alternative to these single use bags and was so happy to find quite a few. I am the proud owner of locally produced Freshbag reusable bags made from a light-weight nylon mesh. They are strong, fold up real small, are easy to use and super cute. Now I pop them in my handbag and use them every time I buy loose fruit and veg. I have noticed that the price sticker tends to fall off of the fabric so I tend to just wrap the barcode sticker around the ribbon drawstring.

Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can change the world.

Howard Zinn

Where to buy?

I bought mine directly from Freshbag. Have a look at the order page on their website. You can also buy them from Organic Living, and online on Faithful to Nature.

Do you use something similar? If you have any other ways Ican reduce my plastic waste I’d love to hear from you in a comment below. If you’d like to see more of the green vegan lifestyle products I have found, have a look here. And to see what else I have found browse my Directory. New products posted regularly.

Let’s get Social!

© the green vegan chick. All images & content are copyright protected. Please follow my Sharing Policy if you would like to use or share any part of this post.

October 15, 2018 0 comment

eating out products

vegan junk food – lekker vegan

by Sharné October 15, 2018

written by Sharné

I love to indulge in some vegan junk food. Just because I eat plant based doesn’t mean that I eat salad all the time. Thank goodness I live in Cape Town because that is where Lekker Vegan is located.

gourmet vegan junk food

Lekker Vegan is the perfect vegan restaurant if you want some amazing vegan junk food. They have a great selection of vegan burgers, wraps, toasties, snacks, desserts and even have vegan soft serve.

What I also love about them is that their prices are really good. Often vegan options are crazy expensive but at Lekker Vegan you can buy a yummy vegan meal that won’t break the bank. Since they have opened I have tried quite a few of the items on their menu. I really enjoy their food so I will definitely be back to try the rest..

Vegan Gourmet Junk Food. Burgers, chips, gatsby’s, snacks & soft serve. Just better and cruelty-free.
Lekker Vegan

Lekker Crispy Burger

This is the Lekker Crispy Burger which is the first item I tried on their menu shortly after they opened at the end of last year. It is loaded with a crispy fried patty, vegan melted cheddar, fried onion rings, lettuce, tomato, lekker OG sauce, sour cream & onion crisps. It is seriously delicious. You have to try it!! You have the option to make it naked (bunless salad version), add avo or double the patty. The burger on it’s own is very filling so the fact that it doesn’t come with chips is actually a good thing, but if you want some you have to remember to order that separately. They have crispy potato chips and crispy sweet potato chips on their menu under the snacks section. They are also amazing and come with a delicious sauce.

Lekker beefy gatsby – half portion

Of course I would try the half lekker beefy gatsby! It’s a vegan gatsby loaded with smokey vegan beef strips, crispy chips, vegan cheddar cheeze, lekker spicy sauce, lekker lettuce & tomato, red onion and jalapenos in a crispy bun. Little did i know that the half was so big that i had to use 2 hands to get a grip. I tried my best but only managed to eat half of the half! You could easily share it with someone. It’s a lot of bang for your buck and tastes so good! You have to try it!

Lekker Chick’n Bunini

I have ordered this one quite a few times. The Lekker Chick’n Bunini is filled with vegan chicken pieces, lekker mayo, spring onion & sesami seeds. They mayo that they used gives it a subtle creamy flavour.

Lekker Spicy Burger

If you like spicy meals then this one is for you! This is the Lekker Spicy Burger, which consists of a crispy fried patty, fresh jalapenos, asian pickled cucumber, lettuce, tomato, a lekker spicy sauce and sweet chilly crisps. It really is very good.

Lekker Satay Wrappy

I recently tried this one for the first time. The Lekker Satay Wrappy is a filled with tasti taters, lekker satay sauce, lettuce, tomato, lekker spicy sauce and spring onion. It is a great quick meal if you, like me, often forget to take food to work.

Apple crumble pie

Oh my! A mini vegan apple crumble pie! Need i say more. Let me just say that it is amazing and I have had it a few times!

Where are they?

The Lekker Vegan Restaurant is located at 37 Barrack Street, on the corner of Harrington & Barrack Street in Zonnebloem, Cape Town. They are open Monday to Sunday (just check the opening times on their website) You can also order from Lekker Vegan via Ubereats.

Have you been to Lekker Vegan? What is your favourite vegan junk food? I’d love to hear from you in a comment below. If you’d like to see more places where I have eaten, have a look here. If you’d like to see what else I have found browse my Directory. New products posted regularly.

Let’s get social!

Follow me on facebook and instagram to stay up to date with my posts! If you end up trying one of these places, after reading about it for the first times here, please tag me and let me know what you think. Remember to hashtag it #thegreenveganchick

© the green vegan chick. All images & content are copyright protected. Please follow my Sharing Policy if you would like to use or share any part of this post.

October 15, 2018 0 comment

faithful to nature products snacks The bespoke artichoke

Vegan mushroom biltong – Air dried foods

by Sharné October 15, 2018

written by Sharné

Vegan mushroom biltong

I used to love biltong, after all it is a South African classic. Like many others, I did not become Vegan because I did not like the taste of meat. If you’d like to know about my Green Vegan Journey have a look here. When I first went Vegan i did not know that there were Vegan versions of things like cheese, meat, ice cream and even biltong. Vegan mushroom biltong for example is typically dried and spiced in the same way as traditional biltong.

I remember the first time I tried vegan biltong made from mushrooms. It was a few years ago, and I was at a shop with my Mom, who became Vegan soon after me. I was so excited to try it that I opened the packet before I even got to the car. I was amazed at the flavours and the texture, as it was the closest I had come to a biltong flavour since going Vegan in 2011.

Fast forward to 2018, the vegan biltong flavours have greatly improved, and the available options have drastically increased. I’m always keen to try every single new vegan biltong product I find. So far I’ve tried a number of different versions of mushroom biltong, and even found a biltong made from gluten.

Air dried Foods – Dried Mushroom snack

I first spotted the vegan mushroom biltong from Air Dried Foods a few months ago at the Vegan Goods Market. They call it a dried mushroom snack I call it biltong. Now, every time I go to the market, I get some. They are made by a small family-run business. There are 3 options: Oyster, Brown and Shiitake. The mushrooms are dehydrated, and seasoned with tamari sauce, apple cider vinegar, olive oil and coriander seeds. I like the brown mushroom one the most. I have noticed that if I eat a lot in one go, then it becomes very salty.

Holy Shiitake
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Where to buy

The Vegan Goods Market is open from 10am to 2pm on every first Saturday of the month. The market is held at the Khanyisa Waldorf School, 4 Victoria Rd, Plumstead, Cape Town. The next time you go, be sure to stop at the Air Dried Foods stall and taste the various flavours of their vegan mushroom biltong. You can also buy it online on the Faithful to Nature online shop, as well as on The Bespoke Artichoke online shop.

Have you tried any of these vegan mushroom biltong flavours? What is your favourite vegan biltong? I’d love to hear from you in a comment below. If you’d like to see more of the snacks & treats I have found, have a look here. If you’d like to see what else I have found browse my Directory. New products posted regularly.

Let’s get social!

© the green vegan chick. All images & content are copyright protected. Please follow my Sharing Policy if you would like to use or share any part of this post.

October 15, 2018 0 comment