TYNE CHEASE

We're quite possibly a little late at jumping on the Tyne Chease wagon, but better late than never, as they say. One of the reasons we haven't already tried them is because of the price - £7.95 for a block, or thereabouts, depending on the flavour, is a little more than we're used to paying for a block of cheese. But with so many people raving about how good it is, we could contain ourselves no longer. After perusing their extensive range of flavours - they have everything from mustard chease, smoked chease, garlic chease, soft macadamia (slightly higher priced), pink peppercorn to cranberry, rosemary and sundried tomato... oh, and original - we decided to opt for original.

Being slightly picky, we chose the original flavour as we thought, and were told, that it would taste tthe most 'cheddar-like'. Although it has quite a different taste. It's hard to describe, but as soon as we had unwrapped it (each cheese comes wrapped in paper in a circular-shaped sustainable thin balsa wooden container/box with lid - which is refreshing compared to plastic - and if you hate wasting things like us, you can actually peel the labels off after you've finished the cheese and use it as a nice little gift box), we could smell a vinegar-ish aroma - and the taste had a similar tangy twang. The label says that it carries approximately 150g of cheese and that it's an artisanal cultured and aged cashew nut product and 100% plant-based and raw. It's also hand-made in the North East of England.

Tyne Chease comes either as a soft block or as cream cheese. This original block was a soft block. You can cut it without it crumbling, although it's also not too hard that you can't spread it on crackers. We found our favourite way to eat Tyne Chease WAS on crackers where it made a nice snack. We tried it under the grill on toast but it didn't seem to melt very well. What we did find was that once we had started eating it, it was hard to stop! We also found that it was less 'rubbery' than some vegan cheeses that you can find in supermarkets. Being raw, we like that you can count the ingredients on one hand - organic cashew nuts, probiotics, water and himalayan pink salt are the only ingredients in the original 'chease'.

Tyne Chease will last about a month in the fridge, meaning you don't need to rush to eat it before it goes off and thus won't waste any. You can also freeze it for three months, so if you feel like stocking up, because you don't know when you'll next be at a vegan fair or ordering online, it will be fine in your freezer for a while. After enjoying the Original flavour, we're now very tempted to try some of the others. Tyne Chease have a trio gift set currently on offer for £20, or a selection box of ten mini cheases (20g) for £18.95 for those wanting to try more than one flavour. While the regular block price may make Tyne Chease one for special occasions, we can't wait for another special occasion soon. For more info, visit their website at www.tynechease.com or find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/tynechease

CAFE SOY

We were excited to try the new Food Heaven Cafe Soy Iced Latte recently when we spotted it on sale in Morrisons. Although we're not a huge coffee or latte drinker, this Cafe Soy is totally yum and we're now in complete food (or drink) heaven and a new convert. It's not too sweet, but sweet enough, and creamy and smooth. The coffee flavour is nice, but not overpowering. The drink includes vitamins B2 and B12, so if you're worried about getting enough B12, here's another way to get some. At £1.52 for a 1 litre carton, it's just the right price. The brand Food Heaven (who are all about dairy-free enjoyment) have also recently introduced some coconut oil portions to their range (which also includes delicious cheesecakes), for frying and baking, and have been giving away some free water bottles for fruit infused drinks recently. Like their Facebook page over at www.facebook.com/lovefoodheaven to be in with a chance to win a free water bottle in the future. In the meantime, grab some Cafe Soy next time you're near Morrisons - and hopefully it will get in other stores soon. We'd love to see this in every store. If you're on Instagram follow them at @instafoodheaven.

POD - BY TONY WARDLE

At the West Midlands Vegan Festival in October we met Tony Wardle, who was selling copies of his Pod novel. If you haven't read it yet, you definitely must. Pod, with the subtitle 'Open your eyes - before it's too late', is a gripping, epic tale that pulls you in early on and has you on the edge of your seat until the final page. Once you start reading it, you won't want to stop. It's a thrilling 540+ page read that has you siding with the innocent and eager for the baddies to get their come-uppance. The main focus of the book is on a politician and his wife. The wife befriends an animal rights activist and ends up being sectioned after revealing the truth about her husband, who she wants a divorce from. There's some animal activism incorporated into the story but it's not so much that it will turn non-activists off. What is particularly likeable is how many real life facts are woven into the story - giving you the ability to learn at the same time as being entertained. You do open your eyes while reading this book. As someone who generally prefers documentaries and biographies to novels, Pod definitely won our seal of approval. A most compelling novel that any avid book reader should read.

Buy on Viva!'s website for £8.99 at www.vivashop.org.uk/pod or get the Kindle version for £4.95 over on Amazon HERE

TROPICALOE

Have you tried Tropicaloe? You can find it in Poundland for only £1 for 2 bottles. Tropicaloe is a brand of Aloe Vera drinks that are tasty and refreshing. The original flavour (green) is thirst-quenching and delicious while the strawberry (red) is almost reminiscent of a bubblegum flavour. The bottles are filled right up to the very top so you really get your money's worth. Just make sure you don't spill any when you open the bottle! They contain pulp and say 'suitable for vegans' on the side. These Tropicaloe drinks contain no artificial preservatives, no artificial colours and are not made from powder. Each bottle has 8 grams of sugar inside and contains 32 Kcals. Next time you want a hydrating, thirst-quenching drink, head to Poundland and seek these out. We've constantly got our fridge stocked with Tropicaloe.

BAHAMAS - SANDYPORT SPRITZ RESTAURANT

A couple of months ago we visited the Bahamas for the first time. Before going we did a bit of research and discovered that Nassau didn't seem very vegan-friendly. There were no 100% vegetarian diners let alone vegan diners. Happycow.net only brought up a couple of restaurants that served meat but had some vegan options. Slightly worried about what we'd eat, we emailed a national pizza restaurant in the area to see if they could make and delivery pizza with no cheese. We received a reply recommending a different restaurant called Spritz that was about 2 minutes away from our hotel (for the first two nights we were staying at Sandyport Beaches Resort). After further searching, we found Spritz's Facebook page and posted asking if they had anything suitable for vegans. They replied that they had veggie burgers (and fries) and could also make a vegan cheese pizza using Daiya cheese. We naturally visited the evening we arrived although the waiter told me he didn't think they could do a vegan cheese pizza. A little disappointed I had the veggie burger and fries instead (which was nice). Next evening we went back again and when looking at the menu I actually spotted that it did say they could make pizza with vegan cheese on one page (I didn't see this the night before) - so this time, I asked a different waiter... he went to check with the chef again and this time came back and said, yes, they could do it. I checked the packet to make sure and it was indeed Daiya vegan cheese shreds. The chef made an amazing vegan cheese pizza (photo below).

The following morning, our last at Sandyport, we went back again and I asked for a vegan cheese pizza again (well, someone needed to use up the cheese!). This time I got the pizza shown in the top pic (with added tomatoes!). Both pizzas were bliss. So if you're ever visiting Nassau, make the trip to Spritz Restaurant & Bar in Sandyport. It's great that they cater to vegans and have Daiya cheese, even if they do primarily sell meat and non-vegan products - so please go and support them. If you're staying further up in Nassau you can get the No. 10 Jitney bus down to Sandyport (which only costs $1.25), and then it's a couple of minutes walk. It's well worth the trip and I hope that they keep stocking Daiya for us vegans. Even if you don't see it on the menu ask for it! It's currently not listed on their official website (although they do list a 'vegetariana' pizza which is a pizza with no cheese) but IS mentioned on their Facebook page. Visit Spritz at www.spritzrestaurant.com or head to their Facebook page by clicking HERE. It may be worth posting on their Facebook page prior to your trip to check and request Daiya cheese like we did. They're open midday to midnight most days (except Monday when they open at 5pm) and also have free wifi.

BOOJA BOOJA TRUFFLES

Booja Booja are manufacturers of ice-cream and truffles (including truffle eggs). Their products are organic and vegan. Their range is of high quality and make a great treat. Booja Booja's gift boxes are compact but exquisitely made and look very classy. If you're looking for a gift for someone that matters, their chocolate truffles will no doubt be welcomed with open arms and devoured quickly - although not too quickly, as the recipient will want to longingly savour every bite. The truffles come in a range of flavours from the top of the range Special Edition Gift Collection Fine de Champagne to Hazelnut Crunch or Banoffee Toffee. Made by hand in Norfolk, the chocolate solids are injected with strong flavour and coated with cocoa powder. If you're a fan of raw food, they have two items that are raw - Raspberry Ecuadorian and Dark Ecuadorian. The others are dairy free, gluten free, GMO free and soya free. You can find Booja Booja online over at http://www.goodnessdirect.co.uk or check out their official website at www.boojabooja.com for more info.

NATURE'S PATH ORGANIC CEREAL

Nature's Path Organic are a brand we stumbled across almost by accident when we were looking in the sale section on Goodness Direct's site. They were offering a discount on their ChocoMunch and we noticed they were vegan so decided we'd try a box as we felt like eating some healthy cereal. ChocoMunch blew our mind - being a really tasty cereal that we liked enough to eat in huge handfuls straight from the packet. We didn't even try them with milk on - they are crunchy and tasty and make a nice snack which isn't too fattening.
After trying ChocoMunch we went in search of Nature's Path's website and discovered that they have a great range of products, a lot of which are suitable for vegans. 100% Vegan Shop in Birmingham stocks some of their cereals - as do bigger health stores and supermarkets all over the country. They're quite easy to find, so you shouldn't have to go too out of your way to get some.
They have a gluten-free Munch, which are like ChocoMunch but without the chocolate flavour (actually most of their range is gluten free). As the package states they are 'simple & delicious crunchy whole grain organic corn balls'. They're sweet as they contain raw cane sugar, so if you've got a sweet tooth you'll love them.
If you want something a little less sweet, Nature's Path Organic's gluten free O's may be the one for you. These are less sugary. They're crunchy cereal is the shape of the letter O. Maple Sunrise is another tasty treat - although these taste best dowsed in milk (vegan obv.) - while Mesa Sunrise won 'Best Cereal' in the Free-From Awards a couple of years ago.
Nature's Path's packaging is cute with a couple of cartoon animals on the front but also educational. On one side they write about how 1% of their sales go to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International - and talk of gorilla conservation. It's definitely worth crossing Nature's Path's path!
To check out Nature's Path's vegan selection, go to www.naturespath.co.uk

REBEL KITCHEN MYLK

Rebel Kitchen are the makers of a new range of vegan organic milk drinks. They're made from dairy free coconut milk, but unlike some coconut milks, these are very rich in texture. The chocolate flavour tastes great, while we love that they have an orange flavour - something a bit different that we haven't tried before. It reminds us of drinking a dark chocolate orange - or something like that! There's also a banana flavoured milkshake although it doesn't taste that banana-y to us. It includes cacao and looks brown - more like banana chocolate with more emphasis on the chocolate! Still nice though! All taste good either cold, straight from the carton, or hot.
What we really love about Rebel Kitchen milks (or 'mylk' as they write it) is the cute packaging. We spotted these in the 100% Vegan Shop in Birmingham and couldn't resist them! Each flavour has a different character on the front with different phrases - 100% Great, 100% Real and 100% True. The back of the cartons also are fun - the chocolate flavour says 'drink me, I'm epic' and 'you're looking good, drinking me', the banana flavour says 'drink me, I'm crucial' and 'you look good, holding me' and the orange flavour says 'drink me, I'm mega' and 'you look good riding my bike, punk'. These drinks are great for adults and kids alike. They're 200ml cartons so a bit smaller than the usual 250ml milk drinks you may have previously drank. They're made by a small London based company with all the right ethics. They focus on and use only the best and healthiest wholefoods in making the milks - which will help keep you happy and healthy.
Rebel Kitchen also have a couple of new flavours coming soon - Chai and Matcha Green Tea. We got to sample both and both also taste great (I'm not a tea fan, but these milks are nice). The Chai has a minty chocolate kind of taste, while the coconut flavour reeally stands out in the Matcha. For more info, visit Rebel Kitchen's website at www.rebel-kitchen.com. The 200ml milkshakes cost around 99p each. You can find them at www.goodnessdirect.co.uk or buy them directly from the Rebel Kitchen website if you can't find them in a store near you. If you're in London, look for them in Whole Foods.

THE CHAIN - ROBIN LAMONT
(GRAYLING PRESS)

Robin Lamont sets the scene well. Right from the off you're in the story with those involved. Frank Marino is an undercover animal rights activist who filmed undercover footage at a slaughterhouse. He gets caught and has to hand over the evidence, but then suddenly is found dead.  Was it suicide - or was he murdered? Jude Brannock at The Kinship, the animal rights organisation that Frank was going to give his footage to, sets about to find out what happened - and whether a copy of the footage exists. What was on it? Why was it so bad that Frank was murdered?
Set in a small town where the slaughterhouse revenues support the town, this is a gripping novel. You'll find your stomach tightening towards the end as the story comes to its climax and suspense grows. You'll hear about how the daughter of one of the other slaughterhouse workers becomes vegan and wants to follow in activist Jude's footsteps. And you'll read about animals being slaughtered. There's a surprise towards the end, which is unexpected but a welcome relief. All in all, it's a capturing read, for folk both into animal rights and not. It does at times give quite a graphic portrayal of the work in the slaughterhouse - and certain paragraphs do remind activists to keep up the fight against animal cruelty. If you like reading, this novel, written by a vegan activist, makes a change to most out there. It is educational as well as entertaining, it pulls at the heart as well as the head. As Robin writes in the acknowledgements, 'The Chain is dedicated to all the undercover investigators who risk their lives, health, and sanity to shine a light on some of the darkest places on earth'. A very worthy dedication at that. If you ever have time to sit back and relax with a book - make The Chain the one.
The Chain can be bought as a paperback or kindle via Amazon - HERE. Its price is currently $11.98 (paperback) and $4.09 kindle. This is the first in Robin's 'The Kinship Series'. Visit www.animalsuspense.com for more info.

BUONO MOCHI ICE DESSERT

Amazeballs. Amazeballs filled with vegan ice-cream. These are amaze (in case you couldn't tell). It's the first time I've ever had a mochi ice dessert. Anyone else had mochi? I need much more mochi now! GoodnessDirect currently sell these in a variety of flavours although I only tried the Strawberry flavour. I'm now kicking myself for not trying some of the others, as they're sure to be equally as nice. They are a frozen dessert which are basically dough balls filled with ice-cream made with coconut milk. They taste delectable. The only downside is that there are only six mochi in a box (individually packaged and looking very cute). They are very addictive and if you're anything like me you'll want to eat all six in one go! These vegan mochi ice desserts are made in Thailand by Buono. They're quite pricey at £4.64, for what you get - but no doubt the fact they're a product from Thailland comes into it, as shipping doesn't come cheap. Worth shelling out for though. Seek for them over at www.goodnessdirect.co.uk

BLEATING HEARTS - MARK HAWTHORNE

(CHANGEMAKER BOOKS)

Knowledge is power, so they say. And if that is so (which it is), then after reading Bleating Hearts your strength will be immense. Bleating Hearts (subtitled 'The Hidden World Of Animal Suffering') is quite a heavy read - it's a huge book packed with info on animal cruelty. It will tell you things you didn't know. You can read the ins and outs of every cruel method of animal exploitation, such as trapping animals for fur to vivisection, animals used for entertainment purposes to animals used in art (even, grossly, at the end, a piece on bestiality). There's info on fishing, rodeos, horse racing, dog sled racing, hare coursing, bear bile farming, animals used in military research, Orangutan kickboxing, camel fighting, pig wrestling, crush videos, sacrificing animals... too many types of animal cruelty areas to mention - although all are written about in detail in Bleating Hearts. It's a very in-depth book. The book talks about studies at schools using animals in dissection, but this book in itself is something that could be used for study. It's very educational. Besides giving the facts of different methods of cruelty to animals, Mark Hawthorne also uses stories and references. For example, in the chapter on dissection, you can read about Jenifer Graham, who took her school board to court after she got a low grade for refusing to dissect a frog/animal. We think that anyone that goes to school ought to be given a copy of this book to read and educate themselves with. As it is, sadly, it will probably be a book that only animal rights activists that are already against the horror of animal cruelty will read.
One thing the book is lacking is pictures - it is page of text after page of text. Although that's not to say it's a bad thing. With 499 pages of written text, Bleating Hearts has so much to it, it could almost have been chopped in half and made into two books. But as a whole it's almost like an encyclopaedia - without being alphabetical, and a lot more thorough. Many chapters have a 'What You Can Do' section at the end, which includes links for more info and addresses to write to.
Mark Hawthorne has previously written 'Striking at the Roots: A Practical Guide to Animal Activism', and this second book solidifies his status as a knowledgeable and resourceful writer. He interviews those connected with the subject and quotes them to the fullest as well as having researched fully and quoting various sources, which are listed in a Notes section at the back. The book ends with Mark questioning a handful of writers and professors about why some people care about the suffering of animals while others ignore it, whether the world has changed over the last 20 years and what it will take for humans to stop seeing animals as tools. We all wish to see an end to animal suffering (at least us vegans and animal activists) - and we know that the more we can do to help, the sooner an end will come - even if that end is a lifetime away. Reading this book will remind you to keep standing up for animals and not settling for cruelty as a way of life. The animals need us. While they are torn, broken and harmed, we are their hearts and we should never stop bleating.

Buy online from http://www.amazon.co.uk - currently priced at £18.99 in the UK. US people can purchase it for $24.59 at http://www.amazon.com. Or, if you prefer Kindle, it's only $1.62.

OHYO

How eco-friendly are you? If you buy bottled water when you're out and about, or even take a drink with you, then you need Ohyo. Ohyo is a collapsible bottle that comes in various colours, which is perfect for carrying. It collapses, so when there's nothing in it, it hardly takes up any space, and when it's only half full you can even make it smaller. It can even fit in your pocket. Owning one of these is also healthier for you as plastic bottles have come under scrutiny recently, with studies showing that certain chemicals can mix with the water inside causing harmful effects (and the longer a plastic bottle of water is on a shop shelf the more harmful the water can potentially become). Ohyo is made of a safer toxin-free plastic and can be re-used thousands of times. Costing only £4.99 from www.ohyo.me, the bottle is designed for one hand, with a liftable sturdy straw/spout attachment, so if you're hiking up the side of a cliff and only have one hand available, you're fine, it's still easy to use and drink from.

Guy Jeremiah, the creator, has also co-founded FindAFountain.org, which includes a free app via the Apple Store, to enable people to find drinking water fountains so they can fill their Ohyo when out and about.

We think Ohyo is oh so awesome - and we're definitely going to be carrying ours it everywhere we go from now on. Whether we're going shopping or gigging in Birmingham or on a slightly less eco-friendly plane to another country, Ohyo is going to be our travelling companion from now on. Oh yes.

MORE ON THE NEXT PAGE

This is the page where we recommend cruelty free items, products and places that you ought to check out and try. There is so much great vegan, cruelty free stuff out there. Below are some of our discoveries and things we give the thumbs up to. If you know of something that we should check out that we haven't so far, email editor@saveascream.com.