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While many people don’t understand why anyone would want to go vegan, most of us can admit that the movement has led to the creation of some very inventive foods.

And as impressive as Vegan Chocolate Lasagne and No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars are, they aren’t quite as mesmerising to look at as the vegan Smurf Latte.

According to Refinery 29, Smurf Lattes are a beautiful blue beverage made from E3 live blue algae powder, lemon, ginger, agave and coconut milk.

This striking blue beverage's unique colour comes from the naturally derived superfood blue algae (rather than any artificial substance) and is available from Matcha Mylkbar in Melbourne.

The café’s owner Nic Davidson told Mashable that the drink has a “sweet and soury” kind of taste due to the agave and lemon ingredients and since the Smurf Latte was first featured on Instagram requests for the beverage have been flying in. 

Given that it looks this cool, we aren't surprised.

 

 

 

 

 

Testing out the colours of the rainbow lattes #smurflatte @matcha_mylkbar #tumeric #bluealgae #beetroot #matcha

A photo posted by Elyse Knowles (@elyseknowlzy) on

 

 

 

 

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Beyoncé, Lea Michele, J. Lo and even our own Roz Purcell are just some of the stars who've shunned meat and dairy to keep themselves fighting fit.

While in theory a vegan diet sounds relatively simple, in practice it can be a little more complicated – all that recipe planning, for one. 

Blogger Amy Mulvaney gave veganism a go for a month to see if it was for her or not, and here's how she fared…

I’m a meat-eater, a chocolate lover and a cheese fiend. So when I told people that I was going vegan for a full month, the reaction was pretty much the same: “Are you crazy? But what are you going to eat?”

But after doing a bit of research on veganism and seeing the effects it can have on your body and health, I had already decided that it was worth a try, despite being just a little terrified.

One month of nut butter, almond milk and tofu on, here’s what I learned

1. Preparation is key
With so many foods eliminated from my diet, I knew that the only way I would survive was if I planned things out properly. I stocked up on plenty of fruit and vegetables, rice and pasta, and set out all of my meals from books like Deliciously Ella Every Day.

2. It’s not as expensive as you might think
Aside from picking up pricier products like miso paste and nutritional yeast, after the first week my food shopping wasn’t expensive and was pretty minimal. I didn’t waste as much food as I usually would, and everything in the fridge was eaten.

3. Google is your best friend
In fear of eating something that wasn’t vegan, I Googled everything before it crossed my lips. You’d be surprised at which foods are not vegan, including certain breads, pastas and treats like crisps.

4. Eating vegan doesn’t have to be boring (and it’s kinda easy)
I found it surprisingly easy to omit meat and dairy from my dinners, and really enjoyed making new dishes. Vegan stir fries, veggie burgers and tomato pasta are dishes that I’ll definitely keep eating, even though the month is over. Obviously some meals take longer than others, but overall I made sure that whatever I was making didn’t take longer than 20 minutes.

5. I didn’t lose weight or have heaps of energy
Being totally honest, I didn’t experience the boundless energy and lift in my mood that a lot of people do when they go vegan. My mood and energy stayed pretty much the same, as did my weight.

6. People don’t react too well when they hear you’re vegan
Even though I was only vegan for the month, a lot of people couldn’t help but hide their reaction to my new lifestyle. They made it pretty clear that they thought it must be “terrible” to live that way, before scoffing when I told them it wasn’t that bad.

7. Eating out wasn’t tortuous… honestly
Whenever I was eating out throughout the month, I made sure I looked at the restaurant’s menu online and had a look at what I could eat. Most places were happy to cater to what I needed, and the food I ate was delicious. Saying that, not many cafes care if you’re vegan or lactose-intolerant, and don’t stock soy or almond milk, which is very annoying at 9am on a Saturday when you desperately need a coffee.

8. Just because it’s vegan doesn’t mean it’s healthy
Most refined sugar is vegan, as are many biscuits and sweets like Oreos and Hob Nobs. So while it might seem like anything that’s vegan is healthy, that’s really not the case.

9. Eating enough is difficult
I wanted to make sure that I was eating enough of the right foods throughout the month, as some vitamins and minerals don’t readily exist in a vegan diet. I had to make sure I ate consistently throughout the day and didn’t leave myself hungry and low in energy.

10. Overall, it was a positive move, which I might even continue. Maybe.
As I said, I wasn’t even vegetarian before I went vegan, so this was a pretty big change for me. Through a lot of preparation and planning (I carried nuts everywhere), I found that I had fewer moments of despair and cravings than I thought.

At the start of the month, I didn’t know what to expect. Would I hate it? Would I want to stay vegan for life? Now I’m at the end, I’m still not sure where I stand.  It was interesting in theory, but in reality I found the whole thing a bit tedious – constantly checking the back of packets for ingredients and not being able to be spontaneous with eating out can get tiring.

I now know, however, that meat, dairy and animal products do not have to form part of every meal I to eat. I’ve really enjoyed trying new foods, stepping outside of my comfort zone and fuelling my body with wholesome and nutritious food. While being vegan was something I really enjoyed doing for the month, I don’t think I could stick to the label of being vegan for life.

I’d be pretty happy, though, to say that I’m a part-time vegan. Now that’s something I can stick to.

Amy Mulvaney blogs about all things lifestyle, beauty and fashion over on What She Does Now.

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One of the hardest parts about kicking off a plant-based or vegan diet is finding ways to enjoy the meals you're used to without scrimping on taste.

Foodie and blogger Amy Mulvaney is going vegan for a month, and she's been sharing a whole host of simple, budget-friendly and – above all – tasty recipes with us throughout her journey.

Her latest recipe is for these seriously tasty roasted and stuffed red pepper cups. "Whenever I’m stuck for ideas for what to make for dinner, I always make these," says Amy.

"They’re easy to make, they’re filling and delicious, and it looks like you put a lot more effort into making them than you actually did! 

"To keep these vegan, I’m omitting turkey mince and cheese on top, but feel free to add them in."

Roasted and Stuffed Red Pepper Cups

Ingredients

  • 2 red peppers
  • One packet microwaveable or boil-in-bag brown rice
  • ½ onion
  • ½ courgette
  • 6 button mushrooms
  • 2 tomatoes
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp chilli powder

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees C.
  2. Slice off the top of the peppers.
  3. Cook the rice as per instructions.
  4. Chop up all the vegetables and any remaining pepper from the tops.
  5. Mix the vegetables, garlic powder, chilli powder and rice together. Add any extra vegetables that you like.
  6. Stand the peppers on a lined baking tray and fill with the vegetable mixture.
  7. Pop the peppers in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes until roasted.
  8. Serve and enjoy!

Amy Mulvaney blogs about all things lifestyle, beauty and fashion over on What She Does Now.

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One of the hardest parts about kicking off a plant-based or vegan diet is finding ways to enjoy the meals you're used to without scrimping on taste.

Foodie and blogger Amy Mulvaney is going vegan for the month of February, and she'll be sharing a whole host of simple, budget-friendly and – above all – tasty recipes with us throughout her journey.

This week it's on to a seriously tasty snack.

"If you find yourself reaching for the biscuit press come 3pm, try these non-guilty vegan peanut butter bars," says Amy. 

"There’s no baking involved, and you could even have them for breakfast on the go. Store them in an airtight container to keep them fresh all week, although they won’t last that long…."

Quick and Easy No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars

Ingredients

  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 1 cup agave
  • 2 tbsp melted coconut oil
  • Pinch of salt
  • 3 cups rolled oats
  • ½ cup raisins (optional)
  • 70% dark chocolate for drizzling (optional – not vegan)

 

Method

  1. Line a 10”x10” baking tin with non-stick paper.
  2. Warm the peanut butter in a pan over a low heat until smooth and easily spreadable.
  3. Add agave, coconut oil and salt and mix together.
  4. Add the rolled oats and raisins, if using.
  5. Stir everything together, making sure it’s well mixed.
  6. Pour into baking tin and press firmly down to make sure the mixture is compact.
  7. Melt dark chocolate (if using) over a bowl of boiling water.
  8. Drizzle melted dark chocolate on top.
  9. Pop into the freezer for 30 minutes.
  10. Cut into squares and enjoy!

Amy Mulvaney blogs about all things lifestyle, beauty and fashion over on What She Does Now.

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One of the hardest parts about kicking off a plant-based or vegan diet is finding ways to enjoy the meals you're used to without scrimping on taste.

Foodie and blogger Amy Mulvaney is going vegan for the month of February, and she'll be sharing a whole host of simple, budget-friendly and – above all – tasty recipes with us throughout her journey.

First up – a creamy vegan tomato soup that takes less than 20 minutes to make.

"Keep it in the fridge and that’s lunch for the week sorted," says Amy.

Creamy Vegan Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 2 cans chopped tomato (400g each)
  • 1 tsp basil
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 500ml vegetable stock
  • ½ cup almond milk
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Option: 1tsp chilli flakes

Method:

  1. Add the chopped onion and garlic to a pan with 1tsp olive oil. Cook over a low heat until the onions are browned and soft.
  2. Add the chopped tomatoes, basil, oregano and chilli flakes, if using. Leave to sweat for 5 minutes.
  3. Add 500ml of vegetable stock in boiling water and almond milk. Stir together and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat simmer for 5 minutes.
  4. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Blend and enjoy!

 

Amy Mulvaney blogs about all things lifestyle, beauty and fashion over on What She Does Now.

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It’s the eating plan that’s seriously in vogue: no meat, no dairy – just healthy, wholesome vegan meals and snacks.

But while eliminating processed foods and oodles of red meat, cheese and cream can probably only be a good thing, veganism can also be associated with orthorexia: a potentially damaging fixation on ‘clean’ eating.

One young woman who is a testament to that link is Jordan Younger, a 25-year-old blogger and author who boasts some 125,000 Instagram followers.

“The obsession with my diet took up my every waking hour,” Ms Younger told the New York Post this week. “It was stopping me from leading a normal life full of social activities and other interests.”

At 1.63cm tall, at her lowest she weighed just 47.5kg. She explains that while this isn’t “skeletal,” she was nevertheless “textbook example of an orthorexic”.

A native of LA, Ms Younger became vegan in her final year of college, not because of ethical reasons to protect animals, but after experiencing undiagnosed abdominal issues.

“In the beginning, it was very cleansing and detoxing, and I had this rush of adrenaline,” she says.

However, she soon found that she was exhausted all the time. That and her bloating and constipation issues returned. Still, she continued to follow her strict regimen and was compelled to religiously post everything she ate on her popular Blonde Vegan blog, which she kicked off shortly after graduation.

That pattern could have proved fatal, but her turning point came in June 2014 when she admitted to a friend that her periods had stopped.

The pal, who had also suffered from orthorexia, recommended she reintroduce fish into her diet. Within a week of eating a small portion of salmon, Jordan was menstruating again.

A dietician later confirmed that fish and eggs would boost her poor nutrient levels. Not wanting to lie to her fans, Ms Younger announced on the Blonde Vegan that she was “transitioning away from veganism.”

And that’s when all hell broke loose. Her site crashed and thousands of followers ditched her. She also received anonymous death threats. “It was shocking,” recalls Jordan.

Still, two months later, she relaunched as The Balanced Blonde, which now features a wider-ranging choice of tips and recipes.

“These days I live without a label, which is much more freeing,” she explains. She doesn’t even know her current weight, but considers herself a healthy size.

“I still eat a lot of fruit and vegetables and smoothies, but also fish, eggs and sometimes red meat.”

She even tucked into pizza and pasta on a recent trip to Italy. “Now I’m all about balance,” she says.

Jordan Younger is also the author of Breaking Vegan: One Woman's Journey From Veganism, Extreme Dieting, And Orthorexia To A More Balanced Life, priced at £12.99 from amazon.co.uk

 

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Ireland is known as the land of Guinness, but vegans and vegetarians haven't been able to drink our adored black stuff due to the way the drink has been filtered. 

Until now, that is.

According to The Times, Guinness will become vegan-friendly due to changes in it's filtering process. 

The news comes after a Guinness spokesperson revealed this week that the company will stop using isinglass, a by-product of the fishing industry, for filtering.

The news has been welcomed with open arms by vegans all around the world and by 2016, Guinness will be totally vegan. Hurrah!

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The cold weather has hit us! Sob. 

Unfortunately, it's only going to get colder as the days and months go on. 

But one surefire way to make those chilly mornings SO much better is to have a pumpkin scone with a lovely cup of tea. 

Here we have not one but TWO recipes (one is vegan!) for mouth-watering morning scones: 

Vegan Pumpkin Pecan Scones with Maple Glaze

Ingredients: 

  • 1 cup raw pecans
  • 2 cups white flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup coconut oil
  • 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 220*C. Place nuts on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Toast the nuts until fragrant (about 3 minutes). Chop nuts into very fine pieces.

2. Combine the flour, 3/4 of the chopped nuts, baking powder, sugar and salt in a bowl and whisk together. 

3. Use a fork to cut the coconut oil into the dry ingredients. 

4. Stir in pumpkin puree, milk and vanilla extract. You can use your hands to knead everything together.

5. Form dough into a circle that's about two centimetres all around and then cut into eight even pieces.

6. Separate slices and place on baking tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. 

7. While the scones are baking, get one cup of icing sugar, melted coconut oil, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla  and 1/4 cup of maple syrup; whisk together until smooth and creamy. Drizzle the glaze generously over the scones when done, then sprinkle the remaining chopped nuts on top!

 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Scones

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons buttermilk
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/4 cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup of chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 190*C. Line with baking paper and set aside.

2. Mix together buttermilk, egg, pumpkin and vanilla in a large bowl.

3. In separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon.

4. Cut the butter into small cubes and cut it into the dry mixture until it becomes crumby. Stir in the chocolate chips.

5. Add the dry to the wet ingredients, stirring until a thick dough is formed, then knead together.

6. Shape the dough into a circle (or create mini circles) and cut into even wedges. Brush a bit of buttermilk over the top. 

7. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

8. While scones are baking you can make a pumpkin glaze. Mix 2 cups of icing sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, 2 tablespoons of canned pumpkin and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Pipe or spread onto scones. 

 

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We've had our eye on Gigi's gorgeous vegan leather trousers for a while now.

Unfortunately, through the summer they were unavailable for us to buy. Sob.

But now, American label Blank NYC have launched them on their website – AND they deliver to Ireland. Yipee!

They are a bit on the steep side, costing $188 (€166), but if you want to dress like a model that's the way it goes. 

Rock them with a cosy jumper for brunch or keep it slick like Gigi with a structured blazer. 

Shop the stylish leggings here.

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The original land of the “take away”, America, is getting an all-vegetarian drive-thru restaurant.

The restaurant ‘Amy’s kitchen’ is a company already known for its convenient and healthy food but it is branching out opening its first restaurant in San Francisco.

This drive-thru is promising quick service and cheap prices without all the calories and we can’t WAIT until one opens up in Ireland!

On the menu in Amy’s kitchen will be meat-free burgers, burritos, macaroni and cheese, pizza and salad, as well milkshakes and vegan non-dairy shakes.

And it gets even better, all items on the menu come in a gluten free or vegan option too and all of the ingredients are non-GMO.

Not only is it vegetarian, it’s an all round healthier option as this drive-thru uses ingredients you can trust as they are all organic and locally sourced. Seriously, we need this!

Here's a look at how good the food on the menu looks!

You can get one of these burritos for under a fiver.

This salad box would be the perfect lunch and it's only €4

Wake us up when it gets to Ireland….

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Earlier, today – she publicly praised the 22 Day Revolution. And Beyonce clearly has reaped more benefits than mere firmer skin… namely an absolute killer derriere.

The star has posted a selection of eye-catching shots to her website, with one photograph in particular garnering plenty of attention.

In it, the 33-year-old can be seen donning a pair of teeny-tiny shorts in black denim. She also has on a black leather jacket – from Saint Laurent. Priced at an eye-watering €4,690, it features a buckle-fastening waist belt, as well as zipped pockets and zipped cuffs.

Supermodel Cara Delevingne has also been seen in the same item.

Ms Knowles has recently been singing the praises of Marco Borges, the pioneer of the 22 Day Revolution. And certainly, the mother-of-one is looking trimmer than ever.

Indeed, at the Met Ball in New York last month, she wowed in a daring sheer dress by Givenchy. 

Riccardo Tisci created the nude number which boasted only strategically placed jewels to hide B's modesty. The singer finished her striking look with a slicked back, curly ponytail, rosy pink lip and striking cat eye.

After trying a vegan diet challenge in 2013, Beyoncé and Mr Borges teamed up to create a meal plan service, 22 Days Nutrition, a partnership which was announced in January. The singer maintains: "If I can do it, anyone can."

For people who want to look and feel like Mrs Carter, Marco recommends eating three meals a day, 30 minutes of daily exercise, and lots water.

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Bressie is a man after our own hearts. He’s gorgeous, talented, AND he cares about animals!

The singer took to Twitter to say that after watching a documentary about the meat industry, he is thinking about going vegan:

However, he seems to be a bit concerned about the effect it may have on his health, or more specifically, his training:

Don’t worry Bressie, we’ll still love you even with man boobs! Besides, there’s always rice milk or almond milk – you don’t have to stick to soya!

Bressie isn't the first and most certainly won't be the last celeb to go vegan. He will be joining the likes of Mike Tyson (no man boobs), Usher (also no man boobs) and Russell Brand (no man boobs here either). We think he's safe enough!

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