6 January 2017

Veganuary

This month isn't just January, it's Veganuary. Organisations such as The Vegan Society are encouraging people to enjoy a meat-free month, consuming plant-based dishes and even avoiding eggs, cheese, fish and butter.

Now as some of you may recall, our son Ian became a vegan a couple of years ago. For the past six months he has been working with "Jungle Creations" in London, producing a series of vegan recipes that are displayed on a Facebook page called "Bosh!". Go here.

Some of these recipes, revealed in fast-paced video clips, have received well over a million hits. Usually, it's our Ian's hands you see in the video clips. He has invented or adapted all the recipes and it's his drive and creativity that is currently making Bosh! successful. Of course it helps that there is a growing interest in vegan cooking and the attitudes that underpin veganism.

Here in Yorkshire, our local BBC TV  news programme is called "Look North". As well as serious news stories they like to include what you might call magazine features - no doubt to counteract all that gravity. Yesterday, they wanted to do a feature on Veganuary.

Having been interviewed by BBC Radio Sheffield on Monday, Ian was invited to play a leading role in the "Look North" item. He prepared a simple vegan recipe in a friend's spacious modern kitchen and the food was later enjoyed by James Vincent - the BBC reporter. The item also included a cut to Sheffield's Moor Market where two or three older Sheffielders were quizzed about the idea of becoming vegan. Naturally, the idea didn't go down too well with them.

The item included a clip from Bosh! and Ian came across pretty well. It's another feather in his cap as Bosh! advances into the future. There is even talk about a publishing group building a new vegan recipe book on the back of all the interest that Bosh! has engendered. But of course that remains to be seen. So far so good.

39 comments:

  1. I will never be vegan or even vegetarian but I am trying to head in that direction. There's too much noise here to watch the video right now but I subscribed to the facebook page and I will be happy to pick up all the ideas I can.

    It's a very worthy cause and I hope Ian does well with it!

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    1. Thank you for your kind support Kylie. Like you I could never become a vegan or vegetarian but I don't mind having the occasional meat-free meal.

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  2. I don't see why vegan food shouldn't take off, but it does seem to be something of an extreme diet, and I would wonder how suitable it is for very young children. Vegetarian cuisine became popular after a few TV series devoted to the subject, and there are always those people out there who will embrace anything new. I frequently have meatless days, though I usually substitute cheese - I wouldn't wish to go to the extremes of cutting everything I enjoy out of my diet.
    Will you and Mrs YP be embracing a vegan diet in future?

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    1. No way CG. We are omnivores. In fact if you appeared in my living room right now I might even eat you - with some egg fried rice and broccoli.

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    2. Reckon I'd be a bit tough YP !

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    3. Meat or character or both?

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    4. Oh definitely both !

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  3. Congratulations to Ian. You rightly must feel very proud of him. I wish him well in his endeavours.

    And, I will, in the morning, have a good read/look through the "Bosh" site. It looks interesting.

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    1. I doubt that you ever cooked as fast as I an appears to do in those Bosh video clips!

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    2. Probably not...some of my restaurant diners are still waiting on their entrees...I've not even looked at their main orders yet.

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    3. They'll be skeletons by now.

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    4. Well, in that case, I've no need to speed it up, then.

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  4. Well done Ian although I could never be tempted to convert, especially as I've just eaten a bacon sandwich!

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    1. That's surprising. I thought you were a Muslim.

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  5. My daughter and the bearded one are committed vegans. They would say it's not just about the food but a whole lifestyle that is directed towards the welfare of animals. Interestingly they have just completed a road trip of south Australia and the outback and managed to find good vegan options even in the remote areas.

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    1. You are right Sue. It's not just about the food, it's the attitude and the outlook too. Some would say that being vegan is a political statement as much as anything.

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  6. We were vegetarians for a few years, but I could never manage the vegan thing.

    Congrats to Ian! You must be so proud!

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    1. Yes we are. It isn't easy being a vegan in a society that is 90% carnivore/omnivore.

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  7. Congrats to Ian for his success! Veganism is a step too far in my book, but I'm all in favor of being vegetarian. I gotta have my eggs and dairy, though. (If it weren't for Dave and his cooking I'd have gone back to being completely veg years ago.)

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  8. I love veggies. I enjoy a good veggie burger on occasion. But I cannot give up my meat. Sorry.

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    1. Hang on Emma. On your blog profile it says you were raised on corn! "Corn-fed" - like a hen.

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  9. Well done Ian. I expect you are suitably proud of him.

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  10. Interesting! I've had a look at Bosh and am looking forward to further reading. Our daughter was vegan for awhile for the reason Sue sets out, but went back to vegetarian as she was iron deficient. You have to know what you're doing if you cut out all animal protein. We try to go light on meat at least. I have a couple of dietary issues that make plant protein an issue. Good for your son!

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    1. You have obviously considered vegan matters carefully Jenny. I think you are right to suggest that vegans need to know what they are doing in order to live healthily.

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  11. If being vegan means one has to settle for corn and soy to get enough protein, then the long term effects are probably not beneficial. We'll probably all be eating less meat and fish in the future, whether we want to or not. The people who amuse me most are the ones who raise a tomato on their patio and think they're being self-sufficient. Raising enough vegetables for humanity is not an easy thing, requiring lots of labor and water. Grains and rice are easier to mass produce, but don't seem to be that good for us.

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    1. Other sources of protein are nuts, beans, tofu and green vegetables but I must say that I wish Ian was vegetarian and not vegan as vegetarianism opens so many more recipe doors and allows you easy access to protein.

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  12. Anonymous8:51 pm

    Congrats to Ian, who follows his visions and believes. I can't imagine to live vegan, it's too complicated for me, because I have two "carnivorous plants" to feed here. But I eat vegetarian meals as often as I can. I don't like any kind of milk replacements.

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    1. "Carnivorous plants"? You mean like venus flytraps?

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    2. Anonymous4:55 pm

      I meant both my two-legged, who I have to cook for ;-)

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  13. I have tended to vegetarianism (desire not belief driven) all my life but I do eat and enjoy meat. My niece and her husband are vegan and I do find that diet too extreme for me. Congratulations to your son though.

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    1. Ian is trying to prove that vegan choices can be delicious but I like a knob of butter in my jacket potato.

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  14. It's pretty cool to see one of your kids featured in an activity they are involved in. Now I will have to check out Bosh!

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    1. I was on TV once, appealing for a new heart and lungs for one of my pupils. Unfortunately, he died. He was sixteen.

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  15. I'd never be a vegan, but applause for Ian. Anyone who works at making food good to eat gets my stamp of approval. A sharp stiletto on the right foot.. Just joking....

    Alphie

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    1. I suddenly had an image in my mind of you in a top hat, fishnet stockings and stilettos and you have one foot on my chest. AAAARRRGGHH!

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  16. Good luck to Ian in his ventures with veganism. I won't be joining him. We don't eat a lot of red meat, but there are 2 lamb shanks nestling in my fridge ready for tomorrow! Would there be any farm animals left to enjoy the promised wonderful life if the world turned to veganism/vegetarianism ?

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    1. I shall also remain an omnivore - even though I am aware of troubling farming practices - including the use of steroids and medical treatments that can impact upon human consumers.

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