The Vegan Peach is a community created for those interested in veganism or who are already living a cruelty-free lifestyle. This is a database of vegan things to make veganism easy for everyone.
Saturday September 20th was the first annual Halifax VegFest, an all vegan event held at the Olympic community center. The crowds were massive, the food was delicious and I think it turned into a bigger day than any of us could have dreamed.
I arrived an hour early because I was insanely excited and wasn't sure if there were lineups or not. I was allowed to enter a little bit before 10 since I was volunteering for Mercy for Animals. Upon entering I was impressed by the amount of vendors who showed up. A lot of these companies are not fully vegan but they took it upon themselves to create vegan options for this event or showcased their existing vegan-friendly selections.
Towards the back wall there was a table filled with vegan pamphlets, recipe cards, stickers and more for people to help themselves to. They also had a table filled with vegan books for people to flip through. Upstairs there were more vendors and other animal activist groups including Mercy for Animals.
Food, lifestyle, cooking demos, lectures, entertainment, massages, weightloss gurus, a food truck, vegan bbq and so much more were part of Halifax VegFest.
A highlight for me was getting to meet and speak with Gene Baur, founder and president of Farm Sanctuary and also the author of "Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds about Animals and Food."
Gene during his inspirational talk
I met incredible people of all walks of life. Young and old, children and parents, grandparents, mothers and fathers. Many vegans, vegetarians and even non-veg folks attended. The atmosphere was positive, the energy was high and questions were fast and furious. Tickets sold out faster than anyone imagined. They had 3000 at the door and they were gone in a flash and more and more people continued to arrive. Vendors sold out, some restocked but sold out almost immediately afterwards. You could not have asked for a better inaugural ceremony. I honestly didn't want the day to end and am already dreaming of next year.
When people tell you things aren't changing, you can laugh and think of this blog post because every one of us that attended VegFest can see the wheels of change. Vegans need not hide or be afraid anymore, we are here and we are proud to be part of a revolution.
Jessie Doyle, owner of Fruition doing her talk about raw foods
The group of lovely folks I got to volunteer with
My VegFest Swag
Cocoa and Honey: Vegan truffle and coconut caramel
On Canada Day, a group of us decided to celebrate Canada's birthday with some positive activism. The six of us and my husband, who took the video and photos, handed out hundreds of vegan pamphlets, leaflets, stickers, vegan candy and of course, lots of hugs! The amount of positive feedback we received was astounding. We met several vegans, transitioning vegans, plant based dieters for health reasons, curious omnivores and vegetarians. We got asked lots of questions and even had people taking photos of us or with us. We met a raw vegan food blogger Carpe Raw who spotted us from the ferry, who ran over and gave us big hugs and told us about her vegan blog. We met several individuals who had family members who were vegans and excited to see us out and about. The positivity was truly astounding and one of the best days I have had in sometime.
There's nothing more powerful than positive energy and a vegan hug of course. :)
Welcome peaches and get ready for the exciting news, I have been asked to be part of the Vegan Cuts ambassador team. That means I get to review awesome products for you and you can buy them through this link and support me in the process! Yay!
What's in Aprils box? Ta da!
Here's my reviews of the products:
Nuttzo: I received a Nuttzo to-go packet of the smooth seven nut & seed butter. All organic and packed full of omega-3. I am a sucker for nuts and nut butters so this was right up my alley. The only problem, it left me wanting more! I used it on a rice cake the first night and then on half of a bagel the next. I wanted to try it on a couple things to get the full value out of it. It's amazing! It tastes incredible, it's non-oily, sweet but not too sweet and just the right consistency.
Oatworks: I was sent the pomegranate blueberry. Their products are gluten-free, non-gmo and have nothing artificial. This stuff is just incredible. Creamy, smooth, rich with flavour. I enjoyed it to the last drop.
Vigilant Eats: I received the espresso maca mulberry. Their products have no preservatives, no additives and are all organic. I actually tried it with water this time like it suggests, the previous one I used almond milk which was also awesome. The water worked fabulous as there is hemp milk powder in it. Not overly
fond of the flavour as I am not a coffee drinker and this is espresso
but love the berries and cocoa nibs. The texture is awesome! And it
doesn't leave a nasty aftertaste like coffee either so that's a win. I was also totally full and satisfied.
Nii Bar: I received the almond chocolate chip flavour. These bars are gluten-free, organic, soy-free and of course, vegan. They have an awesome flavour and texture. They are also filling and awesome for on-the-go. Definitely one of the best protein type bar I have tried and I love my protein bars!
Mediterranean Snacks: I was sent the sea salt baked lentil chips. They are gluten-free, all natural and non-gmo. On the first bite, I was a little unsure of the flavour. The crunch is awesome and they quickly become addictive. I found myself scarfing the bag rather quickly after the first couple chips. Definitely a delicious healthier snack compared to a potato chip.
Simply Straws: What's not to love about a glass straw? Better for the environment, non-toxic, reusable and so much more. I am thrilled to finally have a simply straw and love it even more that it is etched with the Vegan Cuts name on it. If you had never thought of investing in more sustainable straws, now is the time. Think about the amount of straws go into landfills every year and for such useless reasons.
MCT Lean: I was sent the natural vanilla flavour vegan protein blend made with broccoli seed extract. There's no gluten, soy or corn protein in it and also non-gmo. I admit it, I am not a protein powder fan. I always find them chalky and gritty. I was brave and gave this one a try. It's not quite as chalky as others I have tried but I'm still not a fan. The vanilla flavour is very light and it still has some grittyness to it which I find hard to swallow (literally).
Numi Organics: I was sent two sachets of tea in carrot curry and spinach chive. This is the one product I have not tried yet. I am just trying to figure out what I want to do with it because drinking it as a tea does not appeal to me. I will update you when I do try them.
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