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2025 Issue 4

MEET TARA AND WILL An interview with the VeGuide app’s latest hosts

THE UK MUSHROOM BOOM How do you have yours?

NATURALLY VEGAN Dishes from around the world

te CVoegoankM,astcercrelassaes tefor a,utumcne&lebeybonra d Cosy evenings call for delicious plant-based food. Whether you’re new to vegan cooking or looking to expand your repertoire, V for Life’s Vegan Autumn Cookery Masterclasses are the perfect way to get inspired. Join their expert chefs for live, hands-on sessions that bring out the best in fresh, seasonal ingredients. Cook along in real time, ask questions, and pick up professional tips you’ll use every day.

Why join? l Expert tuition from professional chefs l Interactive learning with just 6 people per class l Exclusive recipes to recreate at home l Great value at £30 per 1.5-hour session From flavour-packed curries and tofu transformations to festive finger food and hearty winter warmers, there’s a masterclass for everyone.

Book your place now via the V for Life online shop – spaces are limited! vforlife.org.uk/shop

MAKES A THOUGHTFUL EARLY CHRISTMAS GIFT

V for Life is a charity registered in England and Wales, number 1120687

Editor’s letter and contents

EDITOR’S LETTER Welcome to the fourth and final edition of 2025! I’m Cat, stepping in for Ellie, The Vegan’s longstanding editor who is taking time out as she begins a new chapter as a mum to baby Avery. I’m sure you’ll all join me in wishing them well on this brand-new life journey! Hopefully Ellie can enjoy this edition with her feet up from afar, especially since I know something she and I have in common is a love of autumn – a time of transition and reflection, for welcoming abundance and making room for new growth. Writer and researcher Corey Wrenn’s brooding examination of the parallels between veganism and witchcraft is the perfect way to indulge. In this edition’s deep dive, she looks at where the philosophies converge and how vegan witches might bridge them closer through nature,

cooking and compassion. And, if you’re considering your winter wardrobe or you’re a keen crocheter, in our Vegan Yarn article, VeganYarn.co.uk founder Adelle Gardiner unpicks the ethics of wool and introduces a wealth of innovative plant alternatives. Meanwhile, on page 16, writer Sonali Roy discusses the champions of champignons behind the UK’s mushroom boom and how businesses are reinventing this timeless culinary staple. Also in this issue, we’ve selected some wholesome and warming recipes from Naturally Vegan by Julius Fiedler, a collection of default plant-based dishes from around the world, while our expert dieticians dispense their sage advice, this time on the benefits of sprouting and microgreens – hello new hobby! So, settle by the fire, or better yet the dinner table, and dig into our final edition, brimming with cosy cuisine, magical musings, the latest reviews and, of course, an update on all things Vegan Society. Cat Thompson, Editor

CONTENTS 03

Highlights Essential updates on Vegan Society news

app 06 VeGuide Introducing new VeGuide

Membership

Nutrition

Letters and updates

The benefits of sprouting

hosts Tara and Will

Recipes

Mushroom boom

Volunteers

Shoparound

Default vegan dishes from around the world

Fungi is having a moment

Volunteer of the Season

New vegan products to look out for

Deep dive

Vegan yarn

Events

Reviews

Vegan witchcraft

Exploring plant-based alternatives to wool

Vegan events across the UK

A cooking masterclass and a real-life Benjamin Button

Issue 4 2025 The Vegan | 1

From the CEO

FROM THE CEO As we continue our 80th anniversary celebrations, I’m delighted to introduce this issue of The Vegan, and to share some of the extraordinary progress the society has made in recent months. A standout moment was our flagship exhibition at Birmingham Library, which brought together our rich history and vision for the future. To produce such a major exhibition in just six months and see it so warmly received is a remarkable achievement. I’m thrilled it will live on in a ‘roaming exhibition’, on show at Vegan Camp Out and our parliamentary reception later this year. Alongside this, our Future is Vegan campaign has been on tour across the UK, engaging thousands of people, while billboards have carried our message to many more. We’ve also seen powerful recognition of our role in shaping policy. Being invited by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to a high-level food strategy workshop was a significant milestone, ensuring vegan voices are included in national debates on food and sustainability. And I’m delighted to share that our Play Fair with Plant Milk campaign has

achieved a real breakthrough since two government advisory bodies have finally recognised cow’s milk is “not an essential component in the diet of any age group”. This is a huge step forward and puts pressure on the Department of Health and Social Care to finally bring policy in line with fair and inclusive nutrition. The Vegan Society’s Vegan Trademark remains the most recognised and trusted certification among British shoppers after 35 years of setting the standard. In the last quarter alone, our Vegan Verified Vendors list grew by almost 93%, making it even easier for businesses to source trusted vegan ingredients. And we’ve proudly partnered with Forest Green Rovers to trademark their kit! None of this would be possible without the generosity of our supporters. I want to extend heartfelt thanks to those who have remembered the society in their wills. This year, legacies totalling more than £220,000 have enabled us to fund projects that might otherwise have been out of reach – a profound act of trust that we carry forward with gratitude and responsibility. Eighty years on from our founding, veganism has never been more relevant or necessary. Thank you for standing with us and being part of this movement for lasting change. Libby Peppiatt, CEO

Sustainable Printing The Vegan Society cares deeply about the future of our planet and all those we share it with. We are committed to operating as a responsible, sustainable organisation which means we are conscious of the social, economic and environmental impact in all that we do. With this in mind, we are very pleased to announce that we work with Seacourt to print and distribute The Vegan. Seacourt are the UK’s leading environmental printing company and work closely with their clients to ensure that all material is produced with the lightest environmental footprint possible. In fact: • Their presses are 100% free from water, alcohol and harmful chemicals

21 Hylton Street, Birmingham, B18 6HJ

• They use inks that are vegan and free from volatile organic compounds • They are powered by 100% renewable energy • They send zero waste to landfill As a result, they are Net Positive (beyond carbon neutral including the entire supply chain). Every time they produce a piece of print, they take responsibility for more carbon than they are generating – what they call Planet Positive Printing. We hope you enjoy reading this issue, knowing that it has been produced in line with ethical, sustainable principles.

0121 523 1730 info@vegansociety.com vegansociety.com

Printed on recycled paper

Editor Cat Thompson Designer Violeta Pereira Cover image Joel Foster Finn The views expressed in The Vegan do not necessarily reﬂect those of the Editor, the Council of Trustees of The Vegan Society or staff. Nothing printed should be construed to be The Vegan Society’s policy or position unless so stated. The society accepts no liability for any matter in the magazine. The acceptance of advertisements (including inserts) does not imply endorsement. Complaints should be made in writing to chair@vegansociety.com or info@vegansociety.com or by post. Visit vegansociety.com/complaints-procedure to find out more.

2 | The Vegan Issue 4 2025

Highlights

HIGHLIGHTS

Sunny, the Vegan Trademark mascot

Volunteers ask cafes to play fair with plant milk Our volunteer Community Network has been busy contacting more than 70 chain or local cafes across the UK, urging them to drop their plant milk surcharge through our Play Fair with Plant Milk campaign. This is great pressure, especially on the large chains, to encourage them to make vegan drinks more accessible and in line with non-vegan drinks costs. So far, at least one call has been successful after a London bakery chain responded. The company agreed to display our Play Fair with Plant Milk window sticker in its branches, to advertise it doesn’t charge extra for plant milk – good work team!

Research reveals society’s Vegan Trademark is most recognised It's official – The Vegan Society's Vegan Trademark is the most recognised vegan certification scheme in the UK. That's according to research from insights platform Vypr, carried out with a nationally representative sample of consumers for the Vegan Trademark’s latest brand report. More than 33% of those questioned recognised the trademark, ranking it first among a selection of vegan and cruelty-free certification standards. The research also revealed the trademark as the most trusted vegan standard with Gen Z and millennial consumers, while 71% of vegans claimed they are happy to pay more for products that display the Vegan Trademark. The Vegan Trademark is the original vegan certification standard. It was established in 1990 with the aim of making

vegan products more accessible to consumers. There are currently more than 70,000 products across a range of sectors certified in 70 countries.

Inclusion of plant-based milk considered in government-run milk schemes The society recently celebrated a report from government working groups considering the inclusion of plant-based milk alternatives under the government’s Healthy Start Scheme and the Nursery Milk Scheme, which provide young children in childcare settings with a free daily serving of milk. Vegan Rights Advocate Jeanette Rowley is behind the momentous achievement. She said: “I am delighted that my legal arguments, put to the Department of Health and Social Care, for vegan-suitable alternatives to be included in government-run milk schemes resulted in action. The process has been slow and included a formal assessment and engagement with plant-based milk manufacturers. As a result, the issue is now mainstream, with external stakeholders involved and lots of media coverage. Recently, the government and food safety bodies provided an official report stating that ‘cow's milk is not an essential part of the human diet at any age, (appropriate) plant-based milks are acceptable alternatives, and they should be provided in settings where cow's milk is provided’.”

Vegan-positive fostering process Jeanette has also been busy championing the rights of vegans looking to foster children and young people. She says she is aware of numerous reports from vegans,

Issue 4 2025 The Vegan | 3

Highlights

We have been busy championing the rights of vegans looking to foster children and young people

revealing they have been rejected from the fostering application process due to concerns over the lifestyle and food provision. Jeanette has met with fostering social workers to explain the legal protection of vegans and support the development of practice guidelines. This has resulted in social workers agreeing to work with the society on publicity around vegan families fostering.

Article in The Grocer

while there may be nutritional concerns if dairy milk is replaced with sweetened and unfortified plant-based alternatives, unsweetened and fortified plant-based dairy alternatives are an acceptable and safe alternative to cows’ milk from the age of one. Emily’s article was an important response to the sensationalist headlines.

Best of the blogs

Have you been keeping up to date with the blogs on our website? The Vegan Society recently secured We recently shared how Vegan an article in the influential trade Trademark-registered company publication, The Grocer. AYMES has been reinventing The article, written by our medical nutritional products for Senior Dietitian, Emily Angus, vegans. Its latest product, added was in response to a number in 2024, expands its range to of negative and misleading allow vegans more choice and a headlines in the national press soya alternative. about the Scientific Advisory Not only have society staff been Committee on Nutrition on diligently taking their VEG 1, they’ve Nutrition and Committee on also been getting crafty with its Toxicity report on plant milk. aluminium packaging. Read this blog “No vegan milk is equivalent to for some inspired ideas on repurposing dairy, nutritionists conclude”, said your VEG 1 tins, from scrunchie holders The Times. “Vegan milk not ‘nutritionally Darice and pencil tins to plant pots and candle equivalent’ to cow's milk, say experts”, ran containers. With the sun firmly in hibernation, it’s The Telegraph. “Children under five at risk from the perfect time to give VEG 1 craft a try! only consuming plant milk, say experts”, warned The And, lastly, in a thought-provoking piece, activist, artist Independent. and writer Darice is uncovering the parallels between But the devil is in the detail with scientific reports, if not in bioessentialism, queer identity and the denial of animal newspaper headlines. sentience. Visit vegansociety.com/news/blog to read the Children under five don’t ‘only’ consume plant milk. Of latest blog posts. course, vegan milk is not the ‘equivalent’ of cow’s milk. Plant milks can be a better nutritional option, when consumed as part of a healthy, balanced, diet. The Vegan Pod The actual conclusion reached by the report was that, In a recent episode of our podcast, host Damian Watson, 4 | The Vegan Issue 4 2025

Highlights

The Vegan Society’s Public Affairs and Policy Manager Alistair Currie and Senior Dietitian Emily Angus unpack the findings of the government’s latest National Diet and Nutrition Survey, including concerningly low figures for fruit and veg and fibre intake. Describing them as ‘depressing’, the trio looks at ways veganism plays a role in health and how individuals can do their bit to encourage wider dietary change. Another one raised the question “how vegan can pensions be?”. In this episode, lawyer Jonathan Dennis and independent financial adviser Chris Welsford join Damian to discuss an ongoing case where a vegan is challenging their employer’s pension investment strategy and what it might mean for other vegan investors. You can listen to The Vegan Pod on Podbean, Spotify or Apple. Think you’d make a good guest or want to let us know your thoughts on the latest episode? Email podcast@vegansociety.com with your views.

Webinar Senior Dietitian Emily Angus recently hosted a webinar entitled “Nutritional Considerations for Older Vegans”. The presentation, which was aimed at vegans 65 and over, covered changes in body composition and how to preserve muscle strength and bone health, including information on osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, eating for a healthy heart, considerations for micronutrient needs and maintaining a healthy body weight. It was attended by over 90 people who engaged heavily with the Q&A session at the end.

Now endorsed by 48 organisations, Reaping the benefits of a plant-rich diet: the ten-point plan was developed through discussions among organisations such as Oatly, Suma and The British Growers Association. It brings together practical and achievable policies to boost the consumption and production of plant-based foods, showing how plant-rich diets can help to meet the government's goals for its food strategy. This includes promoting public health, reducing environmental impacts and enhancing economic growth and food security. It also reports the result of a UK-wide poll commissioned by The Vegan Society which found that 69% of people believe the government should do more to help people eat healthy plant-based foods and 70% think it should help farmers to transition to more sustainable practices, including plant-based food production. The plan was submitted to government ministers and the civil service team responsible for developing the food strategy in the summer and has been promoted to key stakeholders and policymakers.

Society and partners produce paper to inform government’s food strategy With the government developing its critical new food strategy this year, The Vegan Society has played a key role in developing a joint policy paper promoting plant-based foods.

A recent episode of our podcast raised the question “how vegan can pensions be?”

Issue 4 2025 The Vegan | 5

VeGuide is a Vegan Society app, which offers information, videos and motivation to guide users through the first 30 days of their vegan journey. And, in time for World Vegan Month, a fresh batch of bite-size videos – hosted by plantbased recipe creators Will Thomas and Tara Acton – will deliver daily tips for adopting a vegan lifestyle.

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Interview

MEET THE NEW VEGUIDE HOSTS TARA AND WILL Ursula Watson chats to the new VeGuide app hosts about their transition to veganism, cultural influences in their cooking and how to help more people go vegan. Can you tell me about your vegan journey? Tara: I turned vegetarian in my teenage years because I saw a vein in some chicken and I made a link. It just freaked me out and I went vegetarian overnight. Then, I watched a few factory farming videos and realised that I wasn't doing enough – I’d been reassuring myself as a vegetarian that eggs were natural. I don't know how I stumbled upon the videos but there was no looking back once those images were imprinted in my mind. I remember feeling embarrassed and regretting that I didn't know sooner. I made a PowerPoint presentation for my parents and I remember getting it up on TV and thinking “we need to clear out the fridge now”. I knew it was for life once it happened. Because of that emotional tie and those visuals, it was vegetarian to vegan and, eleven years later, here I am. Will: I've been vegan for nine years. It was a family member who sparked my curiosity for the vegan world and it sent me down a kind of spiral of questioning what we should or shouldn't eat as humans. I went over to their house and they asked me what I’d be eating that evening. When I replied "chicken and rice", they told me I shouldn’t be eating chicken. I was quite baffled by that comment. They told me to look into it and then we’d have ‘a conversation’. The thing that really blew me away was the fact there’s so much literature online saying why meat is bad. And that's the thing, if meat is supposed to be good, then why are all these things coming about health issues and environmental issues and such?

How did your love of cooking start? Tara: I've always been the cook in the family. I was ready for that responsibility when I was very young. It has always felt very instinctual to me. I grew up with everyone around me

Issue 4 2025 The Vegan | 7

cooking, like my mum and nan. I would chat with my nan at the stove, rolling chapatis. I thought that was what everyone else was doing. I got a lot of enjoyment from it. I remember distinctly begging my mum to let me cook Christmas dinner because my mum and dad would work on Christmas Day. I was probably about 11 and I was really hoping she'd say yes, and she did – she trusted me. I became the cook of the family and there was no getting me out of the kitchen. Will: When I was younger, my mum taught me how to cook so the love of cooking has always been there from a young age. My mum said to me, “you're responsible for cooking Sunday dinner today - get on with it”. It was a challenge that has developed me for the better. I was probably about 16. The first time I did it, it was daunting but I think the more you do it, like anything in life, you build a certain level of confidence. I'm glad that I did that at a relatively early age because it's only onwards and upwards from there.

How has your heritage influenced your cooking?

I've always been the cook in the family. I was ready for that responsibility when I was very young. It has always felt very instinctual to me. I grew up with everyone around me cooking, like my mum and nan.

Tara: Massively but without realising because I grew up with Gujarati food, which is actually only one ingredient away from being vegan. Really, for all my nan’s authentic recipes, when you remove the ghee, they become vegan dishes. When I made the transition, I still wanted to cook my traditional family recipes. A really important point to realise is that veganism isn't new – the origins of the food, or the nature of it, is deeply rooted in cultures. It has massively impacted my work because I'm very committed to honouring the traditions of my family and keeping those recipes alive. It was reassuring to know that, just because my diet changed, I didn't have to say goodbye to any of my more sentimental aspects of food. If anything, it was pre-existing. It's important to acknowledge the origins – it gives veganism more credibility. Having a whole history of evidence gives it a strong foundation. I was quite proud to make that link with my heritage. Will: I would say [it has] heavily influenced [my] cooking. Home is St Lucia and Grenada and, while they do have some vegan or vegetarian recipes, it is predominantly meat heavy. So, I like to challenge myself to make recipes that are a seamless transition. I still try to incorporate a lot of cultural cooking techniques, or things that are originally vegan, into my cooking, as well as new methods. There are certain things that are naturally vegan so I can still eat those, but there are things that aren't, so it was about seeing what could I do – challenging myself to make a change or a substitute and still eat the same meal or snack that I ate when I was seven, or that my mum used to make – a taste of home.

Congratulations on becoming the two new VeGuide hosts. What did you enjoy most about hosting the videos? Tara: When I was on my way home, I was thinking, “Wow, I feel like I've been part of something that actually will

8 | The Vegan Issue 4 2025

Interview

encourage change.” Sometimes you work so relentlessly for the cause and then you wonder “Is it even going to achieve anything?” But, because I know it's an app and the scale is limitless, I felt I'd actually done something that could make a change. And I also enjoyed working with a like-minded team, philosophising with Will about different ways veganism can enter people's lives. Will: When I do my own cooking videos, I like to speak about issues connected to veganism – and I think the VeGuide is an expansion of that. It was good to express myself in a way that I usually would and talk about topics that I would ordinarily cover in my current content. And I enjoyed working with a wonderful collaborator as well.

What other projects are you working on? Tara: I’m catering on multiple film sets at the moment and for my private clients. I have several yoga retreats lined up. They're always non-vegan guests and I have a week to demonstrate how delicious vegan food can be. That's a fun project for me – figuring out how I can be persuasive through my food. And I've launched my first Tara’s Vegan Retreat which is fully booked. Will: I'm currently a lawyer and simultaneously cooking and making content. I love thinking, so being a lawyer harnesses that element, but I'm also somebody who is quite curious and content creating allows me to express that. They are two things I'm passionate about.

Finally, what are some effective ways to encourage more people to go vegan? Tara: I think, not overthinking it. People panic, especially in cooking – they think of all the things they can't have. I always say, when I'm teaching cooking or doing demos, the principles don't need to change. Our food doesn't need to be bland and suddenly free from flavour or texture. We still use spices, we still have sides like garlic bread and enjoy indulgent desserts. For people who don’t realise this, imagining those things removed isn’t a tempting scenario. I think not shifting too much from what people are accustomed to is going to encourage a transition because no one likes drastic change. Will: I think one of the biggest things in terms of transitioning and going vegan is knowing where to look for aid and support. And while veganism has been around for a long time, it's the past 10 to 15 years where the vegan spotlight has really started to shine. I think as time has progressed the support has got better, particularly with sources like the VeGuide. Follow the hosts on Instagram @eatsbywill and @tarasvegantreats for more recipe inspiration.

I think one of the biggest things in terms of transitioning and going vegan is knowing where to look for aid and support. And while veganism has been around for a long time, it's the past 10 to 15 years where the vegan spotlight has really started to shine.

Issue 4 2025 The Vegan | 9

VEGAN DISHES FROM AROUND THE WORLD Recipes from Naturally Vegan by Julius Fiedler

10 | The Vegan Issue 4 2025

Recipes

MUJADDARA (LENTILS AND RICE WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS) Levant Serves 4

Active time 45 minutes Total time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

Directions

150 ml (2/3 cup) extra virgin olive oil 3 large onions, about 600 g (1 Ib 5 oz) in total 240 g (8 ½ oz) basmati rice 1 tbsp plus ¼ tsp salt 320 g (11 oz) brown lentils 1 ½ tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large saucepan, for which you have a lid, over medium-low heat. Peel and finely chop one of the onions and saute until golden all over (10–15 minutes). Meanwhile, rinse the rice until the water runs almost clear, then cover with fresh water and leave to soak while you proceed with the recipe. Peel, halve, and slice the remaining onions and line a cooling rack with kitchen paper. Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over medium-low heat, then fry the onions until dark golden (20–30 minutes), stirring them often. Strain them into a sieve placed over a bowl to catch the oil (reserve it for later), then transfer the onions onto a cooling rack and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Once the chopped onions in the saucepan are golden, rinse the lentils under the running water; set aside. Add the cumin, cinnamon, and black pepper to the saucepan, heat through for 1 minute, then tip in the lentils and 900 ml (4 cups minus 3 tablespoons) of water. Bring to a boil, move to the lowest heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are almost tender. Drain the rice and mix it into the lentils along with the remaining 1 tablespoon of salt. Return to a boil, then reduce the heat again and simmer covered for 12 minutes more. You can prepare the salad in the meantime, if making. Turn off the heat, keep the lid on the pan and let the mujaddara steam for a final 10 minutes. Remove the lid, drizzle in the reserved onion oil and gently fold it through. Serve on a large tray topped with the crispy onions. Note: In the south of Lebanon, mujaddara is commonly prepared with coarse bulgur instead of white rice, giving it a wholesome nutty flavour. Swap the rice with bulgur (no need to rinse and soak) and follow the recipe as above.

Naturally Vegan: Delicious Recipes From Around The World That Just Happen To Be Plant-Based by Julius Fiedler (DK RED, £25)

Issue 4 2025 The Vegan | 11

Recipes

PANZANELLA (TUSCAN BREAD SALAD) Italy Serves 2 as a main, or 4-6 as a side

Active time 25 minutes Total time 25 minutes plus refrigerating

Ingredients

Directions

250 g (9 oz) stale Tuscan-style or country bread (from around 280 g (9 ¾ oz) fresh bread) 2-3 large heirloom tomatoes, around 400 g (14 oz) in total 1 cucumber 1 Tropea onion or 1-2 echalion shallots, around 100 g (3 ½ oz) in total 50 g (1 ¾ oz) basil 90 ml (6 tbsp) extra virgin olive oil plus extra for finishing 2 tbsp white wine vinegar ¾ tsp salt ½ tsp freshly ground pepper

Cut the bread into chunks, put it in a large bowl and add water to cover. Leave to soak for a few seconds to soften, then squeeze out as much water as possible. Transfer to a separate mixing bowl and crumble into smaller pieces. Dice the tomatoes; quarter the cucumber lengthways, then slice (I usually keep the peel on, although not traditional), peel and quarter the onion lengthways and thinly slice; roughly tear the basil leaves. Add everything to the bread along with the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Toss with your hands to mix evenly, then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavours mingle. Toss again, transfer to a serving platter and drizzle with a little more olive oil. Notes: • Although it’s not traditional, try swapping half of the bread with lentils (cooked from 80 g (2 ¾ oz) dried) for a more wholesome meal. • Tuscan bread is notable for being baked with no or little salt. If you get your hands on a traditional, unseasoned loaf, adjust by adding a little bit more salt to taste.

12 | The Vegan Issue 4 2025

Issue 4 2025 The Vegan | 13

Recipes

SUAN LAFEN (HOT AND SOUR NOODLE SOUP) China Serves 2 (as a light lunch)

Active time 30 minutes Total time 30 minutes, plus soaking overnight

Ingredients

Directions

40 g (1 ¼ oz) raw soybeans, or roasted peanuts ½ tsp Sichuan peppercorns 100–150 ml (6 ½ tbsp–2/3 cup) vegetable oil A large pinch of salt 50 g (¾ oz) raw peanuts, skin on, or roasted peanuts 200 g (7 oz) sweet potato noodles (vermicelli) or noodles of your choice 400 ml (1 ¾ cups) vegetable stock 2 large garlic cloves 2 tbsp Chinese black vinegar (Chinkiang) 1 tbsp light soy sauce 1 tsp dark soy sauce 1 tsp golden caster sugar 2 tbsp Sichuan chilli oil, plus 1 tsp sediment 20 g (¾ oz) coriander 2 spring onions 70 g (2 ¼ oz) pickled mustard stems

Soak the soybeans in at least 300ml (1 ¼ cups) of water overnight. The next day, toast the Sichuan peppercorns in a dry wok or a small saucepan until they smell aromatic ( 1–2 minutes), then use a pestle and mortar to finely grind them. Drain the soybeans and dry them well. Line a plate with kitchen paper. Put the soybeans in the wok or pan you used before and just about cover them with vegetable oil. Fry them over low heat until deep golden (10–15 minutes), then transfer to the lined plate to remove the excess oil. Set aside in a bowl and season with a pinch of salt. Fry the peanuts in the same oil until golden (1–3 minutes). Transfer to the lined plate to drain, then set aside and season with another pinch of salt. Meanwhile, follow the packaging instructions to cook the noodles. Heat the vegetable stock in a separate saucepan. To make the sauce, peel and finely grate or crush the garlic cloves into a mixing bowl. Add the ground Sichuan pepper, vinegar, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, chilli oil and chilli sediment and stir together. Divide the mixture between two serving bowls. For the garnish, trim and discard the lower stems of the coriander and roughly chop the mustard stems. Divide the hot stock between the bowls and mix with the sauce. Add the noodles, then sprinkle over the spring onions, mustard stems, coriander, soybeans and peanuts and serve.

14 | The Vegan Issue 4 2025

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There are over 16,000 types of edible mushrooms, of which, only around 25 species are regularly consumed as food. These include button, shiitake, oyster, lion’s mane, and portobello varieties, while recent studies have cited evidence that some types possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, and woundhealing properties.

Lion's mane mushroom steak 16 | The Vegan Issue 4 2025

Feature

THE UK MUSHROOM BOOM Sonali Roy explores how the fruity fungi are continuing to flesh out the burgeoning industry, with a wealth of health benefits and culinary versatility. Whether you love or loathe them, mushrooms have long served as a loyal vegan staple and sustainable meat alternative. And, with recent figures showing a boom in the UK mushroom market, it’s clear they’re not going anywhere soon. There are over 16,000 types of edible mushrooms, of which, only around 25 species are regularly consumed as food. These include button, shiitake, oyster, lion’s mane, and portobello varieties, while recent studies have cited evidence that some types possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, anti-diabetic, and wound-healing properties. Such factors are considered to be behind the mushroom boom, especially with an industry-wide shift towards more sustainable and eco-friendly production, as well as growing interest in plant-based diets, health awareness and the benefits of nature’s larder. Emily Angus, Senior Dietitian at The Vegan Society, believes people are seeking out alternative and complementary therapies to protect their long-term health and improve their overall wellbeing. She says, “We want to feel empowered in managing our own health, and experimenting with different supplements can be part of that journey for many.” Darwin Fletcher, founder of alternative coffee, tea and hot chocolate brand, Quirky Monkey, agrees. He adds, “As more people seek out alternatives that fit into natural lifestyle choices, mushrooms are gaining popularity for their roots in traditional wellness practices and low environmental impact.” Recent revenue figures tell a similar story. Research firm, Grand View Research, expects the UK mushroom market to reach a revenue of around £1.9 bn by 2030, with a current annual growth rate of just over 10%. In 2023, figures showed that shiitake – prized for its rich flavour and nutritional benefits – was the largest revenue generating product while the versatile oyster variety boasts the fastest growing segment. As well as freshly farmed, canned and dried mushrooms are also helping to drive the UK industry, which is forecast to lead the regional market in Europe by 2030.

Issue 4 2025 The Vegan | 17

Feature

Besides packing a flavour punch, mushrooms are a particularly valuable and healthy addition to our diets. According to Emily, not only are they low in calories, they’re also a great source of fibre and several micronutrients including B vitamins, trace amounts of vitamins C and E, potassium, phosphate and selenium. “Moreover,” she adds, “when left in the sun, they can use UV rays to create vitamin D2 in a process similar to the one that occurs in our own skin. Having said this, the Vitamin D concentration of mushrooms varies significantly depending on their level of sunlight exposure, so they should not be relied upon as a primary source of Vitamin D for vegans." While their properties may, in theory, support bone health, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and cardiovascular and gut function, she says there are very few studies carried out on humans, which are “needed to assess any real-world health benefits in the complicated system of the human body, as well as the safety of high-dose mushroom extracts”. However, she reveals, a couple of human trials have shown “promising results”, including one trial of oyster mushroom extract, which found a regulatory effect on the hormone GLP-1, showing promise for appetite regulation. Another study found reishi mushroom extract could potentially help to decrease participants' experiences of the negative side effects related to cancer treatments. But, overall, she says, their medicinal benefits remain “largely theoretical”. Darwin says a shift towards wellness and a growing interest for “natural, functional food and drinks” means a growing demand for companies like his, whose coffee and tea infusions blend mushrooms including lion’s mane, cordyceps and reishi. These particular mushrooms, he explains, have a long history of use in Asian cultures, going back centuries. The latter was revered for a “symbolic connection to power, longevity and spiritual growth”. And now, their "extraordinary qualities" are being recognised in modern science and among wellness enthusiasts. Mushroom coffee and tea alternatives are among many

Lion's mane mushroom steak 18 | The Vegan Issue 4 2025

innovations extending the industry’s shelf-life, along with craveable culinary recipes, continuing to add flavour to the trade. Plant-based chef, Derek Sarno loves using oyster, lion’s mane, maitake and chestnut mushrooms for layering flavour and texture. He says, “I press, shred, roast, fry, and sear them – turning them into steaks and stir frys, sandwiches or crispy toppers for the added oomph.” According to Derek, lion’s mane is good for “more deep meaty densities”, maitake mushrooms add a “unique depth” to broths and sautes, while oyster mushrooms are his go-to for their “versatile and rich umami flavour”. Cooking methods, he says, also influence the flavour and texture of mushrooms. “Sauteing brings out moisture and umami, roasting intensifies flavour and pressing or pansearing builds that craveable crust.” How mushrooms mimic meat largely depends on their preparation and “seeing them for how they’re built”, as Derek puts it. He adds, “Pressing oyster mushrooms creates marbling and chewiness, lion’s mane if condensed has the natural density replicating steak or chicken and maitake crisps like skin. And when properly seasoned, combined with these cooking techniques, they’re more satisfying than meat for me and many.” It’s their “incredible versatility”, which continues to fuel the mushroom movement which is, as Darwin considers, “expanding far beyond food and drink”. He adds, “Mushrooms are already making room in the wellness sector, but at the same time, their applications are growing to include skincare, biomaterials, and sustainable packaging. “As innovation speeds up, mushrooms are poised to transform not just what we consume but how we live, heal, and build our world.” Sonali Roy is a freelance journalist, photographer and bird enthusiast.

Lion’s mane is good for “more deep meaty densities”, maitake mushrooms add a “unique depth” to broths and sautes, while oyster mushrooms are his go-to for their “versatile and rich umami flavour”.

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Volunteers

VOLUNTEER OF THE SEASON Meet Community Organiser Lorna

I’m really proud that we have created such a productive, inclusive group that provides a safe space for everyone to be vegan.

Tell us about yourself I live in Glasgow, work for a charity as a Project Change Manager and have been vegan for around nine years. I was pescatarian and vegetarian prior to becoming vegan but very much grew up on traditional Scottish food including lots of animal meat and dairy. I was an 80s teenager so big hair and make-up (likely tested on animals) was sadly my norm. I did become conscious of the depletion of the ozone, was interested in environmental protection, CND and the likes of Surfers Against Sewage. This passion for the environment was very much driven by my childhood homes on Millport, Isle of Cumbrae and, latterly, Thurso. Unfortunately, I was very much oblivious to animal exploitation and worked on the assumption animals were ok to eat and treated with respect. My transition to becoming vegan was sparked by early documentaries such as Forks over Knives and chemicals being used in processing animals. These eye-openers started to make me think differently about what I was eating and what animals were enduring. Moreover, my university education and career centred around social inclusion and ultimately animals became part of my passion for inclusion.

Tell us about a time you successfully campaigned on a vegan issue With a newly established group in Glasgow, it’s early days for us but we already have an established monthly meeting whereby we review last month’s campaigns and agree actions for the month ahead. Each month we are gathering momentum and have taken part in all the Vegan Society campaigns. Our most successful campaign, in my opinion, has been Play Fair with Plant Milk. We have been tracking Glasgow

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businesses which do and don’t have plant milk and surcharges. The next step is publishing these findings via Scottish vegan and dairy-free groups and local news outlets. Hopefully, we can then go on to distribute newly developed Vegan Society “No vegan surcharge option” window stickers to encourage more businesses to do the same. For businesses that do have surcharges, we have been raising awareness on potential dairy milk alternatives that suit their needs. One of our advocates, Helen Gillespie, suggested a great oat milk product that is cost-efficient, can be made on demand (no waste), is gluten-free, takes up very little space and froths for those who like a coffee.

What do you like about being a community organiser? I decided to join The Vegan Society last year as I wanted to do more to reduce animal exploitation and to meet more likeminded people. I’m really proud that we have created such a productive, inclusive group that provides a safe space for everyone to be vegan. It has been fantastic getting to know everyone and utilising everyone’s different skills and abilities to raise awareness and make change happen!

Surprise us I was a disco-dancing champion and still like to kick my shoes off on the dance floor and can be found bopping about in shops and anywhere there is music playing.

Anything else? Any change is hard and changing a whole lifestyle can feel impossible for most people. Each conversation or action we take has the potential to free an animal from slaughter, so don’t stop advocating for animals!

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Issue 4 2025 The Vegan | 21

Promotional feature

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Promotional feature

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Issue 4 2025 The Vegan | 23

MEMBERSHIP Star Letter Hi, my husband and I have been vegans for 49 years and we are proud to be life members of The Vegan Society. Over this time our diet has changed a lot due to the increase in ready-available vegan foods. We used to make ‘cheese’ from melting a kosher margarine with Marmite and soya flour! Now vegan cheese is readily available in all supermarkets. Last year I needed an operation and was told I was at high risk of needing a blood transfusion. To reduce the risk of a transfusion I was told to eat iron rich foods prior to the operation so I stocked up with lots of chickpeas, hummus and spinach. I'm relieved to say that I didn't need a blood transfusion and the doctor told me that I had the "best blood on the ward". Who says you need to eat meat? The day I got home from hospital I received a copy of Kind Food – a Vegan Society publication to celebrate their 80 years. During my recovery I decided to embark on making every recipe in the book! The challenge kept me busy and enabled me to experiment with different meals and goodies. It was interesting and fun – a far cry from homemade vegan cheese! Thank you for sending me the booklet. Who says a vegan diet is boring and doesn't provide sufficient nutrition? Jude Black

Congratulations to Jude, who has won a case of six units of Quinola’s ready-to-heat quinoa pouches, in their preferred flavour. Next issue’s winner will receive a copy of We Cook Plants, Made in Hackney’s first cookbook, which includes the cookery school’s most-loved plant-based recipes, stories and expert knowledge. Send your letters to editor@vegansociety.com or our usual postal address. Please note: letters may be lightly edited for clarity and brevity.

Obituary for Linda Majzlik The society is saddened to learn of the passing of vegan cook and recipe creator Linda Majzlik earlier this year. Her daughter, Nicola Watson, has kindly shared some words and memories about her mum Linda and her culinary legacy. Linda had a lifelong love of food, cooking and animals. Growing up in a poor South London household, she started very young in the kitchen. Her mum always prioritised the best quality food and Linda was soon pursuing her own interest in ingredients and creative cooking. From age 15, she began gradually cutting out animal products as she learnt about the inherent cruelty involved. It was a steep learning curve to go veggie, coming from a background of oxtail soup and jellied eels, but she loved the exploration. By the 80s, Linda Majzlik

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Membership

Linda became more systematic in her recipe development, collecting folders full of her own creations. Then, in 1991, she got the go-ahead from a publisher for her first of two vegetarian cookbooks – Festive Food for Vegetarians. Realising she could no longer justify contributing to the distress of dairy cows, Linda went vegan around age 40. This opened up a fabulous new vista of possibilities in the then very uncharted territory of vegan cookbook writing. Fifteen cookbooks followed over seven years, with a keen audience of dedicated vegan cooks, people making food for vegan relatives, those experimenting with healthy eating and more. She began with a trilogy of food for entertaining and everyday food to share, then moved on to her 'Vegan Taste of...' series – the major part of her work. Each book explored a different area of the world, which was especially pioneering as, until then, hardly anyone had written about global food in a vegan context. People often wondered whether she made every recipe – yes, most definitely – and if she travelled round the world to research her books – no chance. Linda worked on a shoestring, using libraries and the net to research. Like many writers, she didn't always see eye-to-eye with her publishers and was sometimes frustrated at the way her carefully chosen words and information were edited. For many years, Linda was Britain's leading vegan cookery author and she sold 60,000 copies with next to no marketing drive. Though she was very modest and somewhat underwhelmed with her own achievements, she found it exciting to think how many meals had been cooked from her recipes, how many animals had been saved and how many she had helped on a journey of plant-based discovery. She firmly believed food is the foundation of everything and it has the power to shape and change the world we live in. We owe so much to the work of vegan pioneers like Linda – may we give thanks for her initiative and innovation. If you have any favourite recipes from Linda, or ways in which she or her cookery books have inspired your vegan journey, let us know via editor@vegansociety.com.

Free Under-26 Youth Membership continues Council (the society’s Board of Trustees) recently decided to extend free Youth Membership for those under 26 for another year. Are you under 26 and interested in taking up the offer of free Youth Membership? Do you know someone who is under 26 and vegan, or interested in veganism, that may like to take up the offer? Please do share the news with them and direct them to our join pages.

Discounts update In return for becoming a member at The Vegan Society and supporting our work and campaigns, we offer 10% off our multivitamin VEG 1 and merchandise, plus a variety of thirdparty discounts including the ever popular: • 10% off at Holland & Barrett, by showing your membership card in-store or using code vegan10 online. • 10% off at The Body Shop, by quoting code TBSVS10 instore or online.

This winter why not: • Visit Unity Diner vegan eatery in London with 15% off. • Indulge in a box of healthy snacks with 20% off at Brave snacks. • Treat a loved one to a bottle of vegan fizz with 10% off at Prodolce. • Browse vegan fashion items with 10% off at Immaculate Vegan. You can explore all the member discounts in the Members’ Area of our website at vegansociety.com/my-account/ shop-discounts. Please contact us if you have any problems accessing your account.

We value your feedback Don’t hesitate to get in touch with the membership team with your comments on how you have found the last year of membership with us and any suggestions you may have for improving the membership experience. Contact us by email membership@vegansociety.com, on the phone on 0121 523 1730 or write to us at Donald Watson House, 21 Hylton Street, Birmingham, B18 6HJ.

Save the Date The 2026 AGM will take place on Saturday 16 May from 1pm.

Format We have found that online meetings have enabled more members to attend and participate. This member engagement at the AGM is extremely important to Council. The AGM will therefore be held online in 2026. We have also explored the costs of a hybrid meeting however, unfortunately, providing a good quality hybrid experience is prohibitively expensive.

Members’ proposals Council welcomes members’ proposals to the AGM. These should: • Be proposed and seconded by full members. • Not exceed 300 words, including any supporting material. • Propose a single form of action (not be a composite proposal nor simply a statement of opinion). Proposals must be submitted by 4pm, on 5 January 2026 to the Chair of Council, Paras Shah, at chair@vegansociety. com or send a letter for the attention of the Chair to Donald Watson House, 21 Hylton St, Birmingham, B18 6HJ. We strongly encourage anyone thinking of proposing a resolution to get in touch with the Chair at chair@vegansociety.com as soon as possible to discuss their idea. The Chair can provide guidance to ensure a resolution can go forward to the membership and that all the requirements for a valid proposal are met, such as proposers and seconders being valid members of the society. Proposals not received by 4pm on 5 January 2026, or that otherwise do not meet the requirements under the Articles of Association, will be rejected. Further details, including about member applications to become a trustee, will be shared with members in early 2026.

Issue 4 2025 The Vegan | 25

LITTLE PLANTS, BIG NUTRITION Emily Angus explores the benefits of sprouting and microgreens Sprouting is having a moment, with fans citing the many nutritional and health benefits of consuming tiny homegrown plants. But what actually are sprouts and microgreens? What’s the difference between them, if any, and can they make a positive contribution to our diets?

What is sprouting? Sprouting is the process of germinating seeds to produce edible shoots. It’s most commonly done with legumes such as mung beans, soya beans and chickpeas or grains like rice, buckwheat, oats and quinoa. You can buy sprouts that have already been germinated but many people choose to grow their own at home, which is much more cost-effective. The process is relatively simple and involves soaking raw grains or legumes in water before exposing them to the right combination of temperature, light and moisture in a sprouting vessel over several days. A sprouting vessel can be simple – a glass jar with a piece of cloth secured over the rim works just fine. Sprouts are ready to eat when they reach a length of 2–3 inches, which usually takes 2–7 days. If the sprouts are allowed to grow for longer, around 10–20 days, they will develop further and the young plant will grow a stem and pair of leaves. At this point they are known as microgreens. It is common to use a variety of seeds for microgreens including rocket, radish, basil and broccoli. Sprouts and microgreens are usually consumed raw although they can be lightly cooked.

Nutritional profile While sprouting doesn’t change the nutritional content of a plant, it does alter the bioavailability of both macro and micronutrients. The process of sprouting activates the seed, producing enzymes that release nutrients to support the growth of the germinating plant. This means that protein, fats, vitamins and minerals mobilise and become more available for digestion. They are also high in a variety of

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Nutrition

antioxidants, which can help to reduce cellular inflammation. Studies have shown that sprouting increases the bioavailability of magnesium, phosphorous, B vitamins, vitamin C and vitamin K. The release of amino acids from proteins also leads to around a 30% increase in essential amino acid content, including leucine and lysine, which are particularly important for muscle growth and repair but generally less abundant in plant foods. Insoluble fibre, which is essential for healthy digestion and a thriving gut microbiome, also increases in concentration in the new plant. The breakdown of nutrients by plant enzymes during the growth of a sprout also makes them less likely to cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloating when compared to mature legumes and wholegrains. Finally, sprouting reduces the concentration of ‘antinutrients’ such as phytate and lectins, which can bind to and reduce the absorption of micronutrients such as zinc, iron and magnesium.

Health benefits As well as the nutritional benefits discussed, eating sprouts may have some positive health effects. Small studies show that regular consumption of sprouts can increase HDL (‘good’) cholesterol and lower LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol. This may help to protect against cardiovascular disease but longer studies are needed to confirm this. Another area of interest is in the management of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. As the sprout grows, carbohydrate levels reduce, which decreases the potential impact on blood sugar. Small studies looking at sprout consumption in people with type 2 diabetes indicate that regular consumption may reduce HbA1c levels (a measurement of average blood sugar level over the last

three months). For those with non-coeliac gluten intolerance, sprouted grains such as buckwheat have a lower gluten content, making them easier to tolerate and digest.

Are there any risks? The main risk associated with consuming sprouts and microgreens is food poisoning. As they are grown in warm, humid conditions and consumed raw, they can potentially become contaminated with bacteria such as E.coli and salmonella. These risks can be reduced by thoroughly washing and sanitising seeds with undiluted vinegar, rinsing sprouts regularly throughout the germination process, storing finished sprouts in the fridge and disposing of any batches that develop a slimy appearance or strong smell. People who have a suppressed immune system, including pregnant people, should avoid consuming raw sprouts. It is also important to note that some sprouts are poisonous when eaten raw including sprouts produced by the nightshade family of vegetables. This includes potatoes, tomatoes, aubergine and kidney beans, so stay away!

How to eat sprouts and microgreens Sprouted legumes and grains taste mildly sweet, slightly nutty and have a crisp yet fresh mouthfeel. You could sprinkle them raw onto a variety of hot or cold dishes such as salads, risotto or avocado toast, add them to sandwiches or wraps for a nutritious crunch, blend them into a high-protein paste or houmous or cook them lightly as part of a stir fry. In conclusion, sprouts can be a tasty and nutritious addition to a vegan diet and will certainly be one of my next kitchen adventures!

Issue 4 2025 The Vegan | 27

Nutrition

RED PEPPER HOUMOUS WITH SPROUTED CHICKPEAS Ingredients 2 red bell peppers (or 100 g of jarred pre-roasted peppers) 250 g sprouted chickpeas Juice of one large lemon 60 g tahini A small garlic clove, chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ teaspoon smoked paprika ½ teaspoon sumac Salt to taste

Directions Cut the peppers into quarters and place them on a baking tray skin side up. Grill for 5–10 minutes, until the skin has charred. (Skip steps 1–3 if using jarred peppers.) Add the grilled peppers to a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Wait 10–15 minutes for the peppers to become cool enough to handle.

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Remove the peppers from the bowl and gently remove the skin. Discard the charred skin and chop the peppers. Add the tahini and lemon juice to a food processor and blend for 1 minute until creamy. Scrape the sides of the processor to bring the mixture into the middle. Add the olive oil, chopped garlic, paprika and sumac and blend for 30 seconds. Scrape the sides of the processor to bring the mixture to the middle and blend again for 30 seconds. Add half of the sprouted chickpeas and blend for 1 minute. Scrape the sides of the processor, add the rest of the chickpeas and blend for another 1–2 minutes. Add the chopped peppers and blend until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, add 2–3 tablespoons of water and blend again. Repeat until you reach the desired consistency. Add salt to taste and serve with a drizzle of olive oil.

Article and recipe by Emily Angus. Photography by Hannah Hossack-Lodge domesticgothess.com

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More than a feminist practice, witchcraft today is firmly rooted in a radical reclaiming of humanity’s relationship to nature and other animals. Although animals and plant magic permeate the tradition, it’s only now that practitioners are considering how vegan theory might inform a 21st century practice. Veganism, which prioritises non-human liberation and environmental sustainability, easily complements witchcraft values of living in harmony with nature.

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Deep dive

VEGAN WITCHCRAFT Writer, sociologist and vegan witch Dr Corey Wrenn discusses harnessing the power of nature, solidarity with non-human animals and social justice through a modern witchcraft lens. For many dark centuries in British history, charges of witchcraft were levied against women, non-human animals and other marginalised groups to justify unimaginable measures of violent control and terrorism. The last woman executed for the crime of witchcraft in the United Kingdom was an elderly Scottish woman burned alive in the early 18th century, while the last woman arrested on this charge was a psychic in Southampton, accused of leaking state secrets during World War II. In 1951, the UK finally repealed the Witchcraft Act and, for the first time, those interested in paganism and occultism could explore it openly. By the 1990s, witchcraft had emerged from the margins as a mainstay of dominant culture. Now, 30 years later, it remains as popular as ever, particularly among young people, proliferating on social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. This resurgence, if it can be called that, did not come about by accident. Contemporary witchcraft is part of a broader counterculture movement that ignited in the mid20th century as a response to the disenchantment of war, consumerism, and environmental destruction. Not unlike neighbouring cultural movements such as veganism, environmentalism and feminism, witchcraft offered a critique of the past – namely the violent oppression of women, animals and nature – and a vision of a more peaceful future made possible through freedom, liberation and self-actualisation. Although women in the UK were disproportionately persecuted for witchcraft prior to 1951, both men and women were involved in the resurgence of witchcraft. Today, young women seem to be more strongly drawn to witchcraft, given its feminist connotations. More than a feminist practice, witchcraft today is firmly rooted in a radical reclaiming of humanity’s relationship to nature and other animals. Although animals and plant magic permeate the tradition, it’s only now that practitioners are considering how vegan theory might inform a 21st century practice. Veganism, which prioritises non-human liberation

Issue 4 2025 The Vegan | 31

Deep dive

and environmental sustainability, easily complements witchcraft values of living in harmony with nature. It challenges witchcraft, however, in confronting speciesism that lingers in its thealogy and promoting new ways of working with, rather than over, non-human animals. Vegan witchcraft sees this as a two-way conversation. Witchcraft, being a ritual-based and nature-facing method for achieving self-reliance, self-healing, and community responsibility, might also inform a sustainable vegan practice in a number of ways. Although these possibilities are still emerging, at the very least, witchcraft might offer vegans a comforting connection with nature rooted in cultural tradition. It can also offer grounding rituals for marking important times, manifesting goals, and managing burnout.

What is witchcraft? Witchcraft, which ranges from do-it-yourself folk practice to a formal religious belief system, eludes a straightforward definition. As a postmodern pursuit that reworks traditional folk custom with contemporary cultures and identities, witchcraft can be understood and practised in an infinite number of ways. Some witches are deeply religious, some identify as spiritual, and some are ardent secularists – even atheists. Some believe magic is real, while others believe magic is what you make it. Witchcraft – embracing life on the margins and working with the cosmos, the elements, plants, herbs, trees, and animals – is today reclaimed as a point of power. But in the medieval and early modern era, it was cause for deep suspicion. Single women living with other animals – often deemed as their ‘familiars’ – were especially vulnerable. It has also been documented that women healers, those who practised folk healing, midwifery, and herbalism, were targeted by religious institutions and the state who sought to stamp out their power and influence. Women were also targeted if they were believed to have interfered with agriculture, especially animal agriculture, as the perceived bond between women and other animals was interpreted as nefarious and evil. Governments and communities in the British Isles (specifically Scotland and England), Europe, and the American colonies infamously persecuted millions of individuals deemed a threat to the state. The persecution of witchcraft, incidentally, still persists in the Global South, where marginalised humans and stereotyped non-human species remain vulnerable to violence. Thus, vegan witchcraft can often highlight the importance of women’s relationships with other animals as a leading cause for women’s oppression. Indeed, the burning times illustrate the dangerous potency of the intersection of speciesism and sexism. As a pagan practice that, today, resists the patriarchal controls that underlie institutionalised religions, witchcraft is typically uninterested in an established code of conduct. It is anti-authoritarian and encourages individual agency, self-expression, creativity, pleasure-seeking, and indulgence. Most witches, however, are interested in reclaiming female agency, finding solidarity with other animals, and power in the elements and nature itself. Most witches also adhere to the principle of ‘do no harm’.

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Witches are encouraged to live freely, but not at the expense of others, and witchcraft should never be engaged to actively injure others. In fact, healing of the self and the community is foundational to the craft. This healing usually takes place through meditation, time in nature, herbalism, intention-setting, and solitary or group ritual work. Many witches also identify as social justice activists and see service for others as vital to their practice.

Manifesting a Vegan Witchcraft As a young person in the 1990s, I was swept up in the new wave of witchcraft popular media, but I set it aside when I went to university and took on more ‘serious’ studies. It would only be after I finished my PhD work in my early 30s that I would return to witchcraft. As an academic living in the highly urbanised New York City area, I felt called to reclaim the relationship I had enjoyed with nature for most of my life having grown up in rural Appalachia. It would be my move to the UK in 2019, however, that would push witchcraft more centrally to my attention, especially since paganism has a much older legacy in the UK and is better tolerated. As the pandemic lockdowns forced me into several months of isolation, I found more and more time to explore the outdoors and learn about the new environment I called home. The death of my beautiful friend Keeley during lockdown – my feline companion of 15 years – led me to more seriously explore witchcraft grimoires for spells and rituals that addressed my relationships with other animals. Some do incorporate companion animals, but not many. Even rarer are those that acknowledge animals who are not romanticised as ‘pets’ or ‘spirit animals’. More importantly, I found that popular and foundational books on witchcraft frequently relied on problematic assumptions about the role of animals. Animal products are regularly included in the tools of witchcraft, including beeswax in candles and bones on altars. Feasting, a favourite celebratory activity among witches, almost always involves meat, dairy, eggs and honey. Animal products are consciously incorporated because, first, they are thought to represent nature and, second, they are presumed to have been used in the religious practices of prehistoric humans. Witchcraft today, in other words, is a recreation, an imaginative remembering of what we think about our ancestors’ relationships with animals and nature. This is not always factually based, and it is heavily skewed by contemporary value systems and poetic licence. As explored in my published academic works Vegan Witchcraft and Animals in Irish Society, the average human in prehistoric Britain, for instance, would have eaten a vegan diet, as animal products were reserved for those of very high status. Subsequently, in 2022, I began to interrogate the witch’s perspective on humanity’s ancestral connection to animals and the land through the lens of my own modern day vegan feminism. A vegan feminist perspective, as I see it, is historically more accurate (for what it’s worth) but also more consistent with the aims of 21st century witchcraft – that being a radical alliance between oppressed humans and other animals in pursuit of a healthy, sustainable, and

Deep dive

empowering connection with the earth. In my research for Vegan Witchcraft: Contemporary Magical Practice and Multispecies Social Change (Routledge 2026), I analysed dozens of seminal books in contemporary witchcraft to ascertain the status of non-human animals in the practice and its thealogy. This analysis offered two conclusions: firstly that modern witchcraft demonstrates many fascinating theoretical parallels with veganism (and feminism) and, secondly, despite this, witchcraft is deeply permeated with speciesist ideology as is typical of patriarchal religions. In the book, I explore ways in which veganism and witchcraft converge, but I also apply a vegan feminist perspective to critically analyse witchcraft’s false promise of multispecies solidarity and feminist resistance. The points of overlap (and missed opportunity) are many, but the mythology of familiars and the celebration of plant magic perhaps compel greater attention.

What do veganism and witchcraft have in common? The witches familiar The most obvious parallel between witchcraft and veganism is probably the improved status afforded to non-human animals. Familiars – animals, either real or imagined, who were thought to do the witch’s bidding and sometimes transfigured into the witch themselves – were central to witchcraft persecution in Britain. They surface heavily in the records of accusations and confessions, usually with regard to the accused having shared their living space or food with other animals. Those accused of witchcraft – both human and non-human – were subject to violent extermination across several waves of persecution. Modern witches have sought to reclaim this collaboration with other animals as a natural human trait, not a marker of evil. As such, familiars are a regular feature in the modern witchcraft discourse, with these animals portrayed as willing helpers. In being depicted as agents of service, familiar magic contradicts itself in reproducing the speciesist notion that non-human animals are resources. Very few witchcraft texts advocate working with familiars in a truly collaborative way that respects non-human personhood. It is even rarer in the discourse for humans to take the role of servant and prioritise the interests of their familiars. Vegan witchcraft, however, not only encourages an equitable relationship between the witch and their familiars but also for the witch to devote at least some of their energy to service work for other animals.

Plant magic Another leading intersection between witchcraft and veganism is the emphasis on plant-based foods as a source of potent energy. Kitchen witchcraft is a leading practice or ‘path’ in contemporary witchcraft, which focuses on making magic and ritual through herbalism and food preparation. Dozens upon dozens of cookbooks explore this path and almost all of them prioritise plants as a magical means of transfiguring the power of the sun and earth into energy, growth, healing and regeneration. Some leading witches, such as Wiccan Scott Cunningham

and feminist witch Z Budapest, have experimented with vegetarianism and champion it as a means of heightening psychic powers. Most, however, present veganism as one of several dietary approaches while none explicitly advocate it as a permanent lifestyle or political identity. Nonetheless, kitchen witchcraft rarely extols animal flesh as a source of vitality, perhaps because it goes without saying that dead matter makes for dead magic. A few witchcraft texts do mention dairy, eggs and meat as possible sources of psychic protection, but usually these ‘ingredients’ are included in ritual cooking almost serendipitously as a result of the unrecognised influence of modern animal-based food systems on the witch’s imagination. That said, some influential witches, notably Starhawk, actively discourage veganism and vegetarianism. Because witchcraft is wary of establishing moral codes of conduct in resistance to the austerity and control imposed by institutionalised religion, most witches are hesitant to advocate veganism. As a consequence, witchcraft invariably replicates the same speciesist outcomes of the patriarchal religions it stands against.

Building a vegan witchcraft The libertarian cloak that has shielded witchcraft from meaningful discussions of species politics, it should be noted, has been lifted with regard to other contentious issues in the community. In the mid-20th century, for instance, it grappled with the explicit inclusion of LGBTQ persons (even though many, if not most, leading witches of the era identified as queer themselves, including Cunningham, Budapest and Starhawk). During this time, it also contended with the role of environmentalism and feminism. The American witchcraft movement intentionally engaged an ecofeminist politic, but British witchcraft adopted this much later. Despite these disagreements, what’s clear is witchcraft has always overlapped with social activism and, although it may not demonstrate a consensus on veganism, its contemporary leanings towards gay rights, feminism and environmentalism suggests a possibility for constructive discourse. Again, I see this as a reflexive conversation. Witchcraft has much to teach veganism as well. My research on compassion fatigue, trauma and burnout in the animal rights movement has identified widespread anxiety about the magnitude of speciesism. This is amplified by regular exposure to images and information about that suffering coupled with a limited means to immediately alleviate it. Witchcraft, I believe, can play an important role in offering a sense of self-efficacy, intention-setting and grounding to counter or at least help manage this anxiety. The future of vegan witchcraft lies in the hands of vegan activists. The witches’ discourse contains potent traces of veganism and multispecies justice, but very few witchcraft leaders explicitly engage with these topics. The field is ripe for the development of vegan ritual, multispecies spellwork and vegan kitchen witchery. Email editor@vegansociety.com to tell how us how your craft connects with your vegan values.

Issue 4 2025 The Vegan | 33

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Feature

VEGAN YARN Wool is one of those everyday items that can seem difficult to sidestep as a vegan. Luckily, VeganYarn.co.uk founder Adelle Gardiner is here to weave a world of alternatives – from cotton and lyocell to seaweed and nettle.

Why don’t vegans wear wool? Vegans do not use, eat or wear animal products and this, of course, includes wool. It’s no different to vegans not consuming cereals that contain vitamin D made from lanolin – a greasy substance found on sheep's wool commonly used as a vitamin D supplement. I’m often met with arguments such as ‘it’s cruel not to shear the sheep’. Unlike wild sheep, those selectively bred grow wool all year round before they’re eventually slaughtered. Vegan yarn means we can avoid endorsing this cruel practice. Other fibres such as alpaca, mohair and angora are also not vegan since they come from animals. It’s also worth noting, a yarn sourced from a plant such as cotton, doesn't automatically make it vegan. Some production processes may include animal products, such as bone black dye and beeswax to make the yarn stronger. Veganism generally goes hand in hand with a desire to be environmentally conscious. If you're new to veganism, I’m not suggesting you go and purge every item of wool from your wardrobe, but when making future purchases, there are plenty of vegan options to choose from. While acrylic is not made from an animal it does shed microplastics, which are very harmful to people, animals and the general environment, so I suggest buying natural plant-based fibres instead.

What is the alternative? There are many alternatives to using wool. The most commonly known are cotton and linen but there is an increasing high street presence of items made from

bamboo or lyocell (wood pulp). There are also less common alternatives such as pineapple, ginger, seaweed, nettle – basically, if it’s a plant, it can be made into yarn. Some are made by extracting the fibre from the plant leaves, retting (using moisture to dissolve cellular tissue) and spinning it into the yarn. Others are made by dissolving the plant material into chemicals which are then reconstituted back into a usable yarn. This second option includes all rayons – fibres made from natural sources such as bamboo. However while this is a vegan material, some vegans prefer not to use rayons due to the environmental impact involved in the yarn production. This is why I choose not to stock rayons at Vegan Yarn. Not every yarn is suitable for every project but with so many varieties on offer you can always find one perfect for the item you have in mind. Below is a closer look at the different yarns available and projects they’re suitable for.

Cotton Cotton is probably the most commonly found vegan yarn. However, the word 'cotton' is a term encompassing many different varieties. The cottons I stock include a wavy organic cotton, ideal for crochet shawls or delicate items, and Pima cotton, which is soft but also hard-wearing and great for items that will get a lot of use like baby blankets or clothes. It’s also machine washable. What’s more my fluffy Pima cotton is super soft and very warm so ideal for winter wardrobe staples such as chunky hats and snuggly jumpers

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Feature

Linen

Pineapple

Another well-known plant fibre, linen is initially a little rough but softens as it is washed. It makes beautiful shawls and it’s very strong, making it suitable for weaving.

The leaves and stems of the pineapple plant provide fibre which, depending on how it’s processed, can be made into a soft seaweed-like yarn suitable for clothing, or a rougher, hairy yarn for creative projects.

Tencel Tencel is a lyocell made from eucalyptus. It has similar properties to a rayon but is made in a more environmentally friendly way. Tencel is very versatile and is becoming increasingly more common in items you can buy readymade, such as bedsheets and sportswear, and as a yarn. Tencel is initially white so it can be dyed very brightly and it’s robust enough for weaving. It’s very soft, and therefore wearable, while it also has beautiful drape and stitch definition – perfect for knitters and crocheters alike. It’s also hard-wearing and machine washable.

Yarns unique to VeganYarn.co.uk: Seaweed This seaweed grows wild and in abundance in the rivers and deltas of India. It’s harvested by hand, dried in the sun then hand-retted and wet-spun into the yarn I stock – no chemicals or electricity are used. It also provides an alternative source of income for the villagers who would otherwise rely solely on fishing for their livelihood. The seaweed yarn is available in different weights (4ply, DK and chunky) so it can be used for almost any project. It is machine-washable but does not dye brightly. We recommend this for clothing, blankets or anything you would wear.

Nettle This fibre is, again, produced completely by hand with no electricity or chemicals. Created from nettle stalks, this yarn is very rough and, rather than wearable, it’s often used in embroidery or art yarn weavings for an interesting texture.

Ginger One of our newest arrivals, ginger yarn is handmade using the fibres from the plant. It also keeps its natural colour, including flecks from the darker outer fibres of the plant, creating a beautiful speckled appearance. It’s a delicate yarn that needs to be handwashed gently and is best suited to lace knitting.

Finally… a note about socks When we say a yarn is great for wearing and making clothing, we mean everything but... socks! Just as with wool, you need a specific sock yarn. This is because plant-based yarns don’t have enough stretch for socks. But, the good news is, we have a solution! We stock a special yarn called Eco Pleiades Vegan Sock Yarn, which is available from several independent dyers in the UK and worldwide. It’s made from 40% organic cotton, 40% Tencel, with a 20% elastic core, which makes it stretchy. It’s machine washable and contracts when washed but stretches back out as soon as you pop your socks back on. Its elastic content means it’s suitable for the brims of beanie hats, waistbands on skirts, cuffs and ribbing on jumpers – and it’s perfect for crochet swimwear! While there are far too many plant-based yarns to speak about, you can always get in touch with your vegan yarn supplier to discuss your project and recommend suitable yarns. Whatever craft you’re into, there’s typically a vegan alternative – where there’s a wool, there’s a way.

Just as with wool, you need a specific sock yarn. This is because plantbased yarns don’t have enough stretch for socks.

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Events

EVENTS Godalming Vegan Fiesta Saturday 1 November (10am–4pm) High Street, Godalming, GU7 1DU sparkleveganevents.com/godalming

Newbury Vegan and Eco-living Market Thursday 16 November (10am–3pm) Marketplace, Newbury, UK facebook.com/newburyveganmarket

Norwich Vegans Christmas Market Sunday 23 November (10am–4pm) The Forum, Millennium Plain, Norwich vegansociety.com/news/events/norwich-veganschristmas-market-1

Farm Animal Rescue Sanctuary Wreath Making Workshop Saturday 22nd & 29th November (11am–4pm) Woolly Park Farm, Saddlebow Lane, Wolverton CV37 0HQ

facebook.com/ FarmAnimalRescueSanctuaryWarwickshire/events

Edinburgh Vegan Festival Saturday 29 November (10.30am–4.30pm) Edinburgh College, Granton Campus, 350 W Granton Rd, EH5 1QE facebook.com/ScotlandVeganFestivals

London Vegan Fayre Saturday 6 December (11am–6pm) Kensington Town Hall, Hornton St, London, W8 7NX vegfest.co.uk/london-vegan-fayre-25/visitors-information

Bristol Vegan Christmas Market Saturday 13 December (10am–4pm) The Elmgrove Centre, Elmgrove Road, Avon, Bristol BS6 6AH facebook.com/events/557953873683436

Issue 4 2025 The Vegan | 37

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Reviews

REVIEWS

Animal Listeners: The Awakening of Quinby Clark by R Aveen, reviewed by Umar Ibrahim Agaie The Awakening of Quinby Clark is a well-crafted fantasy novel that blends environmental themes with the ability to communicate with animals. This immersive story fosters a deep sense of human-animal connections and environmental consciousness. The story centres on 11-year-old Quinby Clark from Sydney who discovers she possesses the ability to understand and speak with multiple species of animals – an ability that sets her apart from others at the school after she hears a magpie sing phrases. Her remarkable ability leads to her enrolment at a secret boarding school in the Australian bushland for children who can speak with animals. The secret boarding school was an escape for Quinby from her oppressive family. However, her world is turned upside down by a series of challenges: her exceptional ability to speak with more animals than anyone else made other Animal Listeners envious, taking on a puppy farm, and a local councillor's threat to forcibly relocate a colony of flying foxes to a distant national park. In a dramatic response, the birds launched an aerial attack on the councillors, leaving many to suspect if Quinby’s alleged influence is to blame. Determined to protect the flying foxes, Quinby races to reveal the rogue Animal Listener behind the retaliation.

Aveen's debut novel weaves together themes of environmentalism, animal welfare and self-discovery. At its core, the story forces readers to see animals from an animal's point of view, as beings capable of communication, emotion and thought. The novel portrays the ways in which animals suffer at human hands – whether through habitat destruction, neglect or cruelty – and it invites reflection on how to treat animals. The novel also strikes a balance between action and emotional stakes. At its climax, Quinby confronts a puppy farm operation and later rallies allies to protect the flying foxes.

Big Vegan Flavor by Nisha Vora, reviewed by Claire Ruston If you’ve ever gone down the rabbit hole that is vegan YouTube, you’ll have stumbled across Nisha Vora, aka Rainbow Plant Life. A flavour-obsessed, meticulous recipe developer – she once baked 300 cookies to nail a chocolate chip cookie recipe – Nisha is someone you can trust with your dinner. Big Vegan Flavor, her second cookbook, is an enormous (600-page) masterclass in vegan cooking. Part 1 covers the basics, including how to maximise flavour and create irresistible textures. Part 2 sets out building block recipes, such as satisfying sauces and dressings, or how to treat tofu, tempeh and grains. And Part 3 delivers ‘wow-worthy meals’ and sweet treats. Issue 4 2025 The Vegan | 39

Reviews

The 150 recipes span light dishes, big-personality salads, brunch, fancier meals and extra touches –like ‘cheesy crunchies’ and fried shallots – that take a dish from ‘alright’ to ‘how soon can we make this again?’. My favourite recipes include Sticky Coconut Milk-Braised Tofu (please, please make this the first recipe you cook) and Mushroom Carnitas Tacos. The photography is beautiful yet unfussy, and Nisha’s writing is charming and approachable. For those who are sceptical about US cookbooks, recipes are in grams as well as the dreaded cups. My only (mild) complaint is that recipes are often spread over multiple pages, meaning you have to flip back and forth from steps to ingredients. This isn’t because the recipes are overly long – it’s just a quirk of the layout, and the fact that recipes often include helpful tips and ingredient notes upfront. Overall, this book is impressively comprehensive and offers something for everyone – whether you’re new to vegan cooking, or a confident cook in need of inspiration. The slightly higher price point makes this an investment purchase, but as a future classic, it’s well worth it.

Don’t Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever, reviewed by Shinu Ramachandran Is this guy crazy? That’s the first thought that comes to mind while watching Don’t Die, Netflix’s 2025 documentary stirring up conversations about health, longevity and extreme biohacking. The focus is Bryan Johnson, an American entrepreneur and anti-ageing millionaire who follows a vegan diet – but with a catch. His regimen comprises around 100 pills a day alongside exercise and experimental treatments. As the

40 | The Vegan Issue 4 2025

tagline suggests, he is trying to live forever by reversing his body’s age, and he’s obsessively committed to it. The documentary covers his highly regimented lifestyle where he does over a hundred things to keep his body in an ideal state. This includes waking up at 4.30am, having his last meal at 11.30am and sleeping by 8.30pm. In between he undergoes HRV therapy, skincare treatments, MRI scans, red light therapy and more. All this gives a fascinating glimpse into his unachievable lifestyle. Through the perspective of scientists and experts, the film explores developments in ageing science. Experts weigh in on Bryan’s extreme approach with mixed reactions. It’s well summarised by Dr Vadim Gladyshev, a professor at Harvard Medical School, when he says, “What he’s doing is not science, just attention." That angle feels accurate, since one of the key voices in the film is Bryan’s Chief Marketing Officer Kate Tolo, who helps generate online buzz around his mission. The response is divided – some people are loyal followers, others think he’s crazy. To help people understand why he’s doing all this, director Chris Smith weaves in Bryan’s personal story. An obese kid, a Mormon upbringing, an absent father and a failed marriage. His parents and son Talmage, who briefly lives with him, also appear – adding depth to the film. Despite the director’s efforts to humanise him, it feels more like a PR film. By the end, you see a man obsessed with living forever, but you wonder if he’s forgotten how to simply live. Watch it if you’re curious. Skip it if you’re looking for deep scientific insights. Content warning: this documentary includes references to animal testing, which readers may find upsetting.

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